FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[bleedpurple]

2.  Testing the linebackers?  This one is really beginning to driving me nuts. There are so many Nervous Nellies out there in Warhawk fan-land, led by 02 Warhawk over the youth/inexperience at the linebacker position. You guys act like we're the Little Sisters of the Poor at LB. I think the only play they've look young and inexperienced is the one at Franklin when someone missed an assignment that led directly to their second TD. Otherwise, name a sequence when they messed up to such a degree that it made you guys question them so much? In the words of Aaron Rodgers, R-E-L-A-X Warhawk nation. The fact is, the LBs are really good, and getting better and are going to be around a while.

Absolutely an offense should look to exploit this new group in every way it can.  They should look to run tight end quick passes, seems, hooks, cross routes, slants, flares, reverses, counters and any other play that forces a LB to think, even for a split second. And they should run these plays out of multiple formations and motions.

Emma

Whose side are you on?    I agree that offenses will look to exploit our linebacking group.   My rationale is that when you look at the balance of the defense, that is the only potential weakness and I do not think it is that weak.     The balance of the defense is just that good and frankly will help support the middle.   Good line play will help the linebackers and so will good safety play.     I am really looking forward to being at the Perk tomorrow, even with the weather!

WHD

I agree with everybody. Go HAWKS! 

[emma17]

2.  Testing the linebackers?  This one is really beginning to driving me nuts. There are so many Nervous Nellies out there in Warhawk fan-land, led by 02 Warhawk over the youth/inexperience at the linebacker position. You guys act like we're the Little Sisters of the Poor at LB. I think the only play they've look young and inexperienced is the one at Franklin when someone missed an assignment that led directly to their second TD. Otherwise, name a sequence when they messed up to such a degree that it made you guys question them so much? In the words of Aaron Rodgers, R-E-L-A-X Warhawk nation. The fact is, the LBs are really good, and getting better and are going to be around a while.

Absolutely an offense should look to exploit this new group in every way it can.  They should look to run tight end quick passes, seems, hooks, cross routes, slants, flares, reverses, counters and any other play that forces a LB to think, even for a split second. And they should run these plays out of multiple formations and motions.

Emma

Whose side are you on?    I agree that offenses will look to exploit our linebacking group.   My rationale is that when you look at the balance of the defense, that is the only potential weakness and I do not think it is that weak.     The balance of the defense is just that good and frankly will help support the middle.   Good line play will help the linebackers and so will good safety play.     I am really looking forward to being at the Perk tomorrow, even with the weather!

WHD

I agree with everybody. Go HAWKS! 

What???
I'll bring a thermometer tomorrow and make sure you're not running a fever Bleed.

WD- I'm totally satisfied w the defense including the linebackers. My post wasn't meant as a knock- simply a matter of realistic expectations.  I'm not complaining or criticizing.
UWW has a young crew at LB and we fans should probably expect to see more yards gained by the WIAC opposition- including first downs and points allowed.
I'm not worried either. Nothing to this point has happened that leads me to believe UWW is in any sort of trouble defensively.
If UWW gave up 8 points per game last year (don't recall exactly), I'd imagine the number will be more like 12-14.

[bleedpurple]

Be sure to check out "LaCrossse Week Central" on Warhawkfootball.com. Along with several write-ups from this week, there are 6 different links to game related articles. The Janesville Gazette, the Daily Union, UWWSports.com, and 3 articles from the LaCrosse Tribune.

www.warhawkfootball.com

[Brian R. Carroll]

Good coverage of UWL-UWW on Warhawkfootball.com. The Eagles held up fairly well under tough circumstances against UMHB, and face another stern test tomorrow. Frosh QB John Tackett played well against the Cru and showed real potential. With Trent Cummings on the bench, things could have been really ugly but the Eagles hung in there and were not embarrassed. Kudos to the coaching staff. On the downside, 41 points allowed are too many under any circumstances. With Cummings, the Eagles have the ability to throw down the field. If the run game can get something going, the Eagles should be competitive against the reigning champs. Still, I expect a 31-14 win for Dub-Dub.

[bleedpurple]

Thanks Brian. I appreciate it.

And for the rest of you, if you had checked warhawkfootball.com, you'd already know which UW-L starter is suspended and missing the UW-W game.

www.warhawkfootball.com

[BoBo]

2.  Testing the linebackers?  This one is really beginning to driving me nuts. There are so many Nervous Nellies out there in Warhawk fan-land, led by 02 Warhawk over the youth/inexperience at the linebacker position. You guys act like we're the Little Sisters of the Poor at LB. I think the only play they've look young and inexperienced is the one at Franklin when someone missed an assignment that led directly to their second TD. Otherwise, name a sequence when they messed up to such a degree that it made you guys question them so much? In the words of Aaron Rodgers, R-E-L-A-X Warhawk nation. The fact is, the LBs are really good, and getting better and are going to be around a while.

Absolutely an offense should look to exploit this new group in every way it can.  They should look to run tight end quick passes, seems, hooks, cross routes, slants, flares, reverses, counters and any other play that forces a LB to think, even for a split second. And they should run these plays out of multiple formations and motions.

Emma

Whose side are you on?    I agree that offenses will look to exploit our linebacking group.   My rationale is that when you look at the balance of the defense, that is the only potential weakness and I do not think it is that weak.     The balance of the defense is just that good and frankly will help support the middle.   Good line play will help the linebackers and so will good safety play.     I am really looking forward to being at the Perk tomorrow, even with the weather!

WHD

Here, I thought I was the only one wondering about that!! 

A few years ago (I don't recall which year) the conversation centered on the DB's because that was the area of youth and inexperience.  There were a few mishaps here and there, but overall they got the job done, now it's moved up to the LB's - oh well, I don't agree with your assessment that the position group is weak, but we got to talk about something. I actually like the way the safeties play like an extra set of  LB'ers.  In my view, teams we play or could potentially play in DIII (even in the WIAC) don't have the complete personnel across the board on offense to exploit those young guys. Winning the line of scrimmage battles, making teams one dimensional will always be the best defense, and we seem to be successful at that more times than not.

[bleedpurple]

"How Did You Know?" WIAC Predictions

www.warhawkfootball.com

[BoBo]

A random football article From the NY Times...N.C.A.A. Fan Map: How the Country Roots for College Football

One interesting tidbit from the article - probably well known to Cheeseheads everywhere.

"The most consistently loyal fans in America live in Wisconsin. More than 87 percent of fans in some Wisconsin ZIP codes support the Badgers, a level that isn't reached anywhere else, our estimates show. That's why the red in the map is so dark. Though the numbers aren't nearly so high elsewhere, Wisconsin territory also stretches into Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan."

or

"Minnesota has won 57 games and lost 56 in its long-running battle with Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan's Axe, but you wouldn't know it from the map. Wisconsin, which recently went to three straight Rose Bowls, more than holds its own in its state and wins in some counties in Minnesota, including the Twin Cities; it even wins in the home ZIP code of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium (also the temporary home of the N.F.L.'s Vikings). Bucky rules."

We now return you to your DIII football talk...

[bleedpurple]

Definitely not a surprise! And I'm guessing the Pack would have similar results on an NFL Fan Map.  Oh ya, back to DIII talk...

IT'S GAMEDAY!

GO HAWKS

[BoBo]

1. Dominating win for UWW, surprised La Crosse didn't put up much of a fight.

2. Behrendt to Kumerow = unstoppable

3. Linebackers = good game, untested

4. Kick coverage team = not good game - 32 yard return avg. unacceptable

5. Running backs = awesome and so many of them!!  Nice to have Jordan Ratliffe back from injury. Ran hard, determined.

6. Cannon = nice to hear it early and often. KABOOM

7. UWW video = where was it - blank, black screen.  Had to watch La Crosse stream. They were broadcasting their road game. It was on ustream, picture quality not too good, but the announcers were OK, just  lacked d3 football knowledge.

8. Live Stats = bad. What is it with that side arm program. All you get is play by play, scoring plays and drive summary. What happened to the player/team stats or the menu. Basically worthless.  I NEED MY LIVE STATS!! bleed, BW help!!

9. ++ lot of guys got playing time - seems to be an ongoing theme - nothing wrong with that.

10. Punt return team - did anyone else notice that the La Crosse punter could have run for first downs on nearly every punt had they tried. I mean seriously, the WW defense seem to just turn their backs to the punter and run down the field for a return that never materialized. A couple time we rushed and nearly blocked 1 or two, but that punter could have crawled for first downs had the La Crosse coaches not been sleep walking. It look as if Whitewater was just daring La Crosse to run, but they never did. Had I been up in that press box as a La Crosse coach, that would have been an easy adjustment that NEEDED to be made. I don't know what they were thinking. On that thought, what was up with the La X HC, he was like the 12th man on defense half the time.

[bleedpurple]

1. Dominating win for UWW, surprised La Crosse didn't put up much of a fight.

2. Behrendt to Kumerow = unstoppable

3. Linebackers = good game, untested

4. Kick coverage team = not good game - 32 yard return avg. unacceptable

5. Running backs = awesome and so many of them!!  Nice to have Jordan Ratliffe back from injury. Ran hard, determined.

6. Cannon = nice to hear it early and often. KABOOM

7. UWW video = where was it - blank, black screen.  Had to watch La Crosse stream. They were broadcasting their road game. It was on ustream, picture quality not too good, but the announcers were OK, just  lacked d3 football knowledge.

8. Live Stats = bad. What is it with that side arm program. All you get is play by play, scoring plays and drive summary. What happened to the player/team stats or the menu. Basically worthless.  I NEED MY LIVE STATS!! bleed, BW help!!

9. ++ lot of guys got playing time - seems to be an ongoing theme - nothing wrong with that.

10. Punt return team - did anyone else notice that the La Crosse punter could have run for first downs on nearly every punt had they tried. I mean seriously, the WW defense seem to just turn their backs to the punter and run down the field for a return that never materialized. A couple time we rushed and nearly blocked 1 or two, but that punter could have crawled for first downs had the La Crosse coaches not been sleep walking. It look as if Whitewater was just daring La Crosse to run, but they never did. Had I been up in that press box as a La Crosse coach, that would have been an easy adjustment that NEEDED to be made. I don't know what they were thinking. On that thought, what was up with the La X HC, he was like the 12th man on defense half the time.

Agree on every point. That was one of the most lopsided WIAC line of scrimmage battles I've ever seen. Seriously. After the initial drive, I looked over at Hawk View (infrequent poster) and said, "LaCrosse has no chance." And I wasn't kidding at all. The O-line absolutely had their way and the push was ridiculous. I love our running backs but their job was very easy today. But they ran hard and decisive nonetheless.   As far as point #10, yes I noticed UW-W turning their backs on the punter and commented on that during the game. After the first time it happened (I believe that was the second punt), Hawk View said, "Maybe you should say something (meaning to a coach)". I just said, "During the game? LaCrosse is going to notice that."  I am tempted to say that even I could have gotten a first down running with that, but it probably wouldn't be true. But I bet Emma could have!

[bleedpurple]

Since the beginning of 2013, Matt Behrendt has thrown 546 passes with ONE interception.  The production surrounding that one interception?

368 completions (67.9%)
4,133 yards
50 Touchdowns

Oh, then there's that tidy little 19-0 record and National Championship.

How in the world to you throw for over 4,000 yards and 50 TD's with only 1 interception?

That's just sick.

[emma17]

Since the beginning of 2013, Matt Behrendt has thrown 546 passes with ONE interception.  The production surrounding that one interception?

368 completions (67.9%)
4,133 yards
50 Touchdowns

Oh, then there's that tidy little 19-0 record and National Championship.

How in the world to you throw for over 4,000 yards and 50 TD's with only 1 interception?

That's just sick.

The guy is so disciplined in his decision making- especially on plays that breakdown. It's so common to see QB's make bad decisions when on the run or forced to move- he doesn't.

I loved the way UWW threw to the tight ends - perfect opportunity given the UWL focus on Kumerow.

I believe the first UWW drive was 100% running plays- right down the field. 

I was hoping UWL would run a fake punt- I wanted to see more of the UWW defense.

I understand Kumerow is a fantastic target in the red zone- I do worry about a lack of distribution to other receivers though.

[retagent]

That is an amazing stat. You have to remember that probably half of all interceptions are not the fault of the QB. Receivers can fall down on a cut. They could break off a route for one reason or another, and the QB could throw just prior to that development. Passes can go off hands, get tipped at the line of scrimmage, or beyond. Just as a matter of "bad luck" you would think there would be at least 1% or 2% being intercepted. It's almost like me lipping out 9 out of 10 lipped putts this year. I have no explanation for either.

[fredfalcon]

This may be "grasping at straws," and if so I'm guilty. RF gave Point their 17-14 win by turning the ball over SIX times on 3 fumbles, 3 ints. But many times after those turnovers, the D stopped the Pointer O on downs, and limited Larson, Point's qb, to 22/46 completions. He was also intercepted for first time this season, and came into the game averaging 65% completions. The Falcon  offensive blunders came after a zero turnover game in S. Dakota. Obviously, consistency is what's needed, which makes Matt B's performance for WW all the more amazing.

So we're competitive, but nobody around here feels very good about that.

After yesterday's conference results, WW looks to be head and shoulders above everybody else. Yeah, I know, it's early, so I hope I'm wrong about that.