FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[footballfan413]

LL has added Eastern Michigan linebackers coach Chris Simpson to his staff to fill the same position in Buffalo. Simpson coached at UWW from 2003-07.
 
Interestingly, new Florida coach Jim McElwain does not plan to bring any staff members from Colorado State with him to Gainesville. How do you think those coaches feel about that?

I got wind of this already but have been waiting for it to be announced.  Our families are still close and I am friends with both on Facebook.  Nicole and I talked when I tried to recruit Chris back to UWW for the DC or HC job. Dang!!  So happy for them all!!!  We may have to plan to head to, "UW-W EAST," campus for a game some time.   

[voice]

I've enjoyed the daily Warhawk football comments from BoBo, Emma17, BleedPurple, 02 Warhawk, BadgerWarhawk, and others, especially over the past several days.

I reflect on the highs and lows over the past several weeks.  Oct. 24: ESPN Game Day feature on LL and the UWW football program.  Nov. 15: Hawks need a final minute TD to avoid a loss to end the regular season. 1st two rounds of playoffs: UWW with two lopsided wins on the Road to Salem.

This year's team captains and senior class set the tone this week to place the focus not on forthcoming departure of its head coach and several assistants, but on beating Wartburg.

I'm looking for the Hawks to deliver a passionate effort at the Perk

[emma17]

I've enjoyed the daily Warhawk football comments from BoBo, Emma17, BleedPurple, 02 Warhawk, BadgerWarhawk, and others, especially over the past several days.

I reflect on the highs and lows over the past several weeks.  Oct. 24: ESPN Game Day feature on LL and the UWW football program.  Nov. 15: Hawks need a final minute TD to avoid a loss to end the regular season. 1st two rounds of playoffs: UWW with two lopsided wins on the Road to Salem.

This year's team captains and senior class set the tone this week to place the focus not on forthcoming departure of its head coach and several assistants, but on beating Wartburg.

I'm looking for the Hawks to deliver a passionate effort at the Perk

Well said Voice.  I couldn't be more "all in" as a believer and fan of this team than I am now. 

[voice]

Here's Daily Jefferson County Unions Josh Smith Wartburg-UWW game preview story

http://www.dailyunion.com/sports/uw_whitewater/article_e793d49c-7bca-11e4-8fb7-0ffc398e919d.html

[oshfb]

That said, being a Johnnie, I do hope this provides a significant speed bump for the UWW juggernaut.   

I'll be honest, being a UWO Titan, ...I've been smiling since the LL hiring broke 

Why?  My sources say that Cerroni has already expressed interest in becoming a Warhawk!

WarhawkDad

Well played
+k

ha! +k to you sir, well played indeed   

[02 Warhawk]

[NewHawk]

Love this picture

[NewHawk]

Love this picture

Some of the best UWW pics have been on warhawkfootball.com all year long. Great job by bleed every week

[ExTartanPlayer]

End of the day, his record in Corvallis isn't terrible and isn't amazing. Good seasons mixed in with average seasons. He took a program that hadn't one more than 4 games in 26 years and made them respectable. Similar record against top dogs as Bo, but not unexpected blowouts when they were favored or expected to compete. Bottom line, OSU is a bit of apples and oranges to Nebraska. In terms of prestige (I realize it's not 1995), definitely facilities and institutional support. Add in the fact you don't have the Taj Mahal of your instate rival to recruit against, I can see the appeal.

This hire also fascinated me.  I am impressed by what Riley has done at Oregon State in taking a program that was "terrible" and upgrading it to "average-to-good" in a tough conference.  I'm rooting for him, 100 percent.  But I wonder if Nebraska has somewhat unreasonable expectations.  Riley going winning eight or nine games a year at Oregon State would have kept him there indefinitely.  Pelini (personality aside) winning nine games a year at Nebraska got him fired.  I'm not sure that there was a much better option available, but I'm surprised they chose what I view as a relatively "safe" hire over a more high-variance option because they just fired a guy who was cranking out nine wins every years.

[Just Bill]

I think it was absolutely a recognition of the end of the old school, screaming, borderline verbally abusive football coach era.

I think Nebraska (particularly Shawn Eichhorst) decided even at nine wins a season, it wasn't worth having a guy who outwardly behaves the way Pelini does. I'm not saying Pelini doesn't love and care for his players, as clearly they respect him. But I think Eichhorst decided if I can get a guy who can probably win nine games a season that I don't have to suspend and discipline for stupid outbursts once a year, I'll take it.

Nebraska built a reputation on their classy, sportsmanlike behavior, like applauding for the visiting team after games and extending warm welcomes to opposing fans. I think it was hard to maintain that image when you have a guy stalking the sidelines like a mad man and screaming at players.

Again, this is not to say Pelini is a maniac who doesn't care about his players. I think it's clear how much respect his players had for him and how deeply he cares for them.

You can debate whether it's the right or wrong decision, but being a head coach is just as much about public relations and outward appearances as it is about winning games. It's a new era and guys that come off publicly like Pelini does are going to increasingly find themselves searching for work.

[palum]

A few observations from on the LL leaving from a non WW person.  When Bo left Platteville in the 90's we all knew he was going to leave sometime and we were lucky to have him for 15 seasons but Platteville basketball has only been to one NCAA tourney since then.  I do not think that will happen at WW because the administration knows the value of athletics and what it does for WW's image, recruiting of non athletes to campus and what it does for fundraising for the entire campus.  The new coach may not go 106 & 6 but I know WW will attract a quality coach and maybe Platteville will sneak a few championships from time to time.  Sometime back there was a few posts on Brian Borland's nephew a linebacker from Illinois named Tuf Borland.  I know he is being recruited by Ill, UW and Northwestern in the Big Ten is Buffalo in on the mix now?   

[bleedpurple]

A few observations from on the LL leaving from a non WW person.  When Bo left Platteville in the 90's we all knew he was going to leave sometime and we were lucky to have him for 15 seasons but Platteville basketball has only been to one NCAA tourney since then.  I do not think that will happen at WW because the administration knows the value of athletics and what it does for WW's image, recruiting of non athletes to campus and what it does for fundraising for the entire campus.  The new coach may not go 106 & 6 but I know WW will attract a quality coach and maybe Platteville will sneak a few championships from time to time.  Sometime back there was a few posts on Brian Borland's nephew a linebacker from Illinois named Tuf Borland.  I know he is being recruited by Ill, UW and Northwestern in the Big Ten is Buffalo in on the mix now?

Now THAT is a linebacker name!  Gotta think Buffalo is in the mix now, but that "Tuf Boreland" name would still mean more in Wisconsin after Chris played here.

I wish I had named my kid Tuf.

Thanks for your kind words on the pictures New Hawk.  At the end of the year, I'm going to thank him formally on WFDC, but huge thanks go to photographer Chris Gehant who takes the pictures.  I just scout out the ones I think would make the best close ups and use the power of technology to draw them up close, cut them in a way that allows them to fit the right space, and put them on the site.  Thankfully, Chris uses such high quality equipment, drawing in the focus does not compromise much quality.  Chris said he neither wants nor needs credit for the photography and that he truly just wants to give back to UW-W. I hope he doesn't mind me mentioning him publicly.  I just got the sense he would rather have his name left out of it.  But I think he is just a humble and good guy. I am hoping to chat with him at one of the games but he is usually clicking away!

[bleedpurple]

Regarding Coach Riley:

I won't go into the who I know scenario,  but there is a coach who was on Coach Riley's staff for four years (within the last decade) who absolutely has the utmost of respect for him.  From what I understand, he is really an incredible human being and a great football coach.  He is definitely a safe pick, but I don't think that should automatically lower his perceived ceiling.  His character, integrity, along with his heart towards his players are all pretty special. I'm not posting this to back a Whitewater guy's decision, this is really based on anecdotal evidence (one coach's evaluation) which confirms his widespread good reputation.  I don't know about wins or losses. What I know is that any young men that choose to play football at Nebraska will have  an incredible example and mentor.  Oddly enough, I do think Bo was that also (off the field). Given the depth of his relationship with his players, I always found Bo's sideline behavior an oddity.  In the TV, SportsCenter, Social Media era, sideline demeanor may play an increasingly greater role.  Boosters may not love having to say, "He's not really like that" over and over at their cocktail parties.

That's what UW-W boosters go to also, right? Cocktail parties? 

Speaking of that, bad news. I hear LL is taking Boyd with him. 

[emma17]

Randomly
I love the Riley hire. He's the right kind of guy to stake a reputation on.

I'm happy to report UWW has been actively recruiting this week.

I find myself rooting for Linfield so often, which creates a conflict.

The UWW LBs should now be well seasoned to play against a running QB.

Wartburg fans are incredibly polite. 

[BoBo]

Love this picture

Some of the best UWW pics have been on warhawkfootball.com all year long. Great job by bleed every week

A while back I asked bleed who the photographer(s) is/are for warhawkfootball.com now, but I never got a reply. If it's a secret that shall remain a secret, so be it. But Newhawk is right, you have some of the finest football action photo's I have seen in a long time - the detail is just awesome.

EDIT: I read your reply to NewHawk after I posted this, so I know the answer. Please tell Mr. Gehant that he has a great eye for the dramatic and obviously, a very nice camera, and we really enjoy his work!