FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mugsy]

Small piece of trivia related to Morningside, their HC Steve Ryan, played football at Wheaton College and graduated after a 3 year career at Linebacker in 1989. Teammate of Mugsy on the CCIW board if I am not mistaken.

USee, you are correct on all accounts regarding Steve.  The Morningside team has been putting up some rather impressive offensive results.  Remarkable given Steve's defensive background.

[wally_wabash]

If you want to call it policing, go right ahead.  I'll continue to call it as I see it.
It's not about Matt not being able to handle it shallow Pat, it's about the D3 community coming together to support one of its own.  Something you know little of.

[raiderguy]

And just for grins...Cleveland signed Blanchard to their practice squad today.

Well Matt,

DO DO DO DO .....DO DO DO DO,

Your traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination

That's the sign post up ahead....your next stop.....THE TWILIGHT ZONE!

Otherwise know as the Cleveland Browns.

[Brian R. Carroll]

Screaming Eagles :  Again, I can only echo your comments regarding UWL's loss to St. Thomas. Happy talk notwithstanding, we are still a long way from competing with the elite of D3. Is it the talent level or the schemes ? Both ?

[badgerwarhawk]

The WIAC board is entertaining in a weird, unhinged way.  I've posted this before but it is so appropriate again.  It's like the Monty Python Argument Clinic in here without the dry sarcasm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdoGVgj1MtY

ROTFLMAO, thanks we needed that.

[ScreamingEagles]

Screaming Eagles :  Again, I can only echo your comments regarding UWL's loss to St. Thomas. Happy talk notwithstanding, we are still a long way from competing with the elite of D3. Is it the talent level or the schemes ? Both ?

Honestly I believe both.  Even last year, Coach Dettwiler's fourth as HC, four or five of the best and most productive players on the team were still Larry Terry recruits.  The offensive coaching and gameplan have been atrocious.  UWL has produced 200 yards or fewer of total offense in a game 9 times in the four seasons and two games with Coach Hoskins as OC, 21% of the games UWL has played.  I realize that total offense isn't everything in evaluating an offense, but if they were putting up yards but not punching them in I could maybe understand.  We are arguably getting worse every year, at best staying the same.   

Total Offense Per Game by year:
2011: 310
2012: 272
2013: 276
2014: 272
2015 (so far): 252

Points Per Game:
2011: 18.9
2012: 15
2013: 17.5
2014: 15.9
2015: 16.5

The defensive numbers don't look much better.

Defensive Yards per game Given Up:
2011: 348
2012: 385
2013: 448
2014: 373
2015: 520

Defensive PPG Given Up:
2011: 21.4
2012: 23.7
2013: 26.9
2014: 23.5
2015: 35

Not including this season, we have averaged 106 fewer yards and 7 fewer points per game than our opponents under the current coaching staff.

I still go back to how small some of our starters are.  We have been playing OT's that are 255 pounds and DE's that are 210.  I guess I'm just nostalgic to old UWL teams with 280+ Olinemen across the board and 300 pound DT's.

[BoBo]

I still go back to how small some of our starters are.  We have been playing OT's that are 255 pounds and DE's that are 210.  I guess I'm just nostalgic to old UWL teams with 280+ Olinemen across the board and 300 pound DT's.

Back in the day, especially the pre-Eagles years (prior to '89), they had some real maulers on those teams. It's probably a good thing drug testing was non-existent back then because there were plenty of rumors circulating about some of those guys. But, it was a different era and it would never gain the attention or scrutiny like it would today.

[emma17]

If you want to call it policing, go right ahead.  I'll continue to call it as I see it.
It's not about Matt not being able to handle it shallow Pat, it's about the D3 community coming together to support one of its own.  Something you know little of.

Uh, what?

Pat Coleman has done more to promote Division III athletics than, like, anyone in history.

Serious question: do you believe the Earth is flat?

Yes, Pat has an incredible website for D3- I've said that to him both publicly and privately.
Yes, the website promotes D3 like no other medium in the history of the world.

IMO, that's certainly not the same thing as truly supporting an individual person.  I support Matt Blanchard, like I support Kyle Miller, like I support Cecil Shorts and Pierre Garcon and every other D3 player trying to make it. 

We all know I approach things differently, and that is why many of you disagree with me.  I would never, ever, go onto the OAC board and post it would take a miracle for Kyle Miller to make a team.  I would never, ever go onto the NCAC board and post that it was ridiculously unlikely for one of their former players to make an NFL team.

[USee]

No, but you would (and have) go on those boards and tell them why they aren't as good as your team and their conference isn't as good as yours. (officially stirring the pot). Your pot stirring posts on other topics are not as well received as you intended. I would suggest the post on MB's chances with the Pack was similarly intended and equally not as well received. The proverbial shoe is on the other foot it appears.

[WarhawkDad]

No, but you would (and have) go on those boards and tell them why they aren't as good as your team and their conference isn't as good as yours. (officially stirring the pot). Your pot stirring posts on other topics are not as well received as you intended. I would suggest the post on MB's chances with the Pack was similarly intended and equally not as well received. The proverbial shoe is on the other foot it appears.

USee, there is a tremendous difference in talking about teams and conferences and the respective strengths and abilities than downgrading an individual who obviously was in the upper echelon of D3 players trying to make it on the next level.    Many posters go on other conference board to "stir the pot" some more maliciously than others.  I have no problem in spirited discussion regarding teams and conferences, but draw the line at downing individual players.  When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

WHD

[ScreamingEagles]

I still go back to how small some of our starters are.  We have been playing OT's that are 255 pounds and DE's that are 210.  I guess I'm just nostalgic to old UWL teams with 280+ Olinemen across the board and 300 pound DT's.

Back in the day, especially the pre-Eagles years (prior to '89), they had some real maulers on those teams. It's probably a good thing drug testing was non-existent back then because there were plenty of rumors circulating about some of those guys. But, it was a different era and it would never gain the attention or scrutiny like it would today.

No question that some of them way back may have had some help, I'm sure there were others in the conference doing the same. 

I was more thinking of the 2002/2003/2004 WIAC Champ teams that just had big guys across the board.  As recently as 2008/2009 or so we still had big linemen/linebackers who were intimidating.  I still strongly believe that success will come from size and physicality - we've seen it with UWW and Mount Union. 

[ScreamingEagles]

UW-L' QB Cummings will miss Mary Hardin-Baylor game

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/state-and-regional/x/article_025873e6-aaba-5103-bc42-ecb8d7e97ff7.html

Looks like UWL will be down to two sophomores who will split time at quarterback, Andrew Thompson and John Tackett.

The interesting part to me from this article is the now third string quarterback Drew David from Kaneland, IL.  He walked-on at Illinois State last year but was Area Player of the Year in 2011 as a sophomore in the same area as St. Charles, Elgin, Bartlett, Geneva, etc (UWW and UWP fans will recognize those cities) with very strong high school football.  Looks like he got hurt as a junior and was deemed too short to be a scholarship athlete by D1 schools after his senior year.  It will be interesting to see how he picks up the offense and how quickly he can make an impact.

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2013/08/02/kanelands-drew-david-placing-a-lot-of-stock-into-senior-season/a8jtjac/

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2014/06/03/kanelands-david-hopeful-for-chance-with-isu/als4c4o/

[ExTartanPlayer]

*Disclaimer: I was a mildly successful offensive tackle at 5'11" and 235 pounds (admittedly not in the WIAC), so bear in mind that this colors my opinion of the following issue.

I was more thinking of the 2002/2003/2004 WIAC Champ teams that just had big guys across the board.  As recently as 2008/2009 or so we still had big linemen/linebackers who were intimidating.  I still strongly believe that success will come from size and physicality - we've seen it with UWW and Mount Union.

1. UWW, yes, but I don't know that this is really true of Mount Union.  The Mount Union game notes this week list an offensive line with all five starters ranging from 250-275 pounds, and a defensive line where the starters are 260/240 at tackle and 225 at both end/LB positions.  I do not know the exact size of their starters over the last several years but my outsider's perspective was always that speed set them apart much more than their size...really, I never thought their OL/DL was significantly larger than the rest of D3.  Big, sure, but plenty of other teams can run out a comparably sized lineup.  For example, their opponents from Muskingum (per this week's game notes) will start a slightly larger man-for-man OL and a DL with tackles at 300/230.

To be sure, there's a difference between size and physicality.  I played against 300-pound dudes that were as soft as the Michelin Man and 240-pound guys that knocked the facemask loose from my helmet.  I am not suggesting that physicality is unimportant, rather that having bigger bodies does not necessarily lead to a more physically dominant team.  Leading to my second point...

2. I'm not exactly reinventing the wheel by saying this, but "size" is only one factor and (IMO) it falls behind a few others in overall importance.  You can win with big guys or you can with small(ish) guys, but if you have small guys then there's less margin for error in the other areas (speed, technique, coaching/gameplan).  Starting 255-pound offensive tackles and 210-pound defensive ends does not, in any way, preclude success on the Division III level.  However, the 255-pound offensive tackle must have a coaching staff that puts him in a position to succeed and/or have superior technique and speed that helps to offset the size disadvantage.

Long story short, I don't think the answer for UWL is just recruiting bigger bodies.  I think you recognize that, ScreamingEagles, just wanted to make this point.

[ExTartanPlayer]

When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

See, here's the thing.  Nobody was talking "crap" about Blanchard.  ScreamingEagles already covered this:

"Everyone who objectively looked at the situation for Matt knew that it was going to be an uphill battle to make the squad, particularly after they drafted Hundley.  Nobody said he shouldn't have tried, or that they were rooting against him.  I wish him nothing but the best and hope that he gets a shot in Cleveland to show how good he is in a regular season game, but don't be bitter that others held a differing opinion that wasn't all sunshine and roses."

[jknezek]

When non-WIAC posters to come into this board and talk crap about our past players, the poster will be challenged.   As the saying goes, "This Is Our House".   

See, here's the thing.  Nobody was talking "crap" about Blanchard.  ScreamingEagles already covered this:

"Everyone who objectively looked at the situation for Matt knew that it was going to be an uphill battle to make the squad, particularly after they drafted Hundley.  Nobody said he shouldn't have tried, or that they were rooting against him.  I wish him nothing but the best and hope that he gets a shot in Cleveland to show how good he is in a regular season game, but don't be bitter that others held a differing opinion that wasn't all sunshine and roses."

Yup.