FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[bulk19]

If Michigan #24 makes even a 50% effort, he probably forces the MSU returner out-of-bounds near the 5 and the game ends peacefully.

Come on BoBo...to call out one of these college players for lack of effort, it's got to be ridiculously egregious.

From what I can see #24 is absolutely putting forward effort. His momentum is going towards the goal and the MSU player then carries it along with the block. It's a bit impressive he keeps his feet. And then he continues attempting to make the tackle as the ball carrier cuts back inside.

I realize you're a long ways removed from competitive athletics, if you ever even competed collegiately, but give the guy the benefit of the doubt. 

Hey sonny (hazzben):
Back in the day, an era of competitive playing, tackling actually existed! Or maybe not; we will never know for sure, because there is no video for QB whisperers to Break Down, like there is today!
P.S. to hazzben: Oops. The name Wayne Cook didn't ring a bell; I must have missed that game or skipped that film session. Shame on me, for I thereby lose all credibility regarding this post. Never mind, and carry on, gents, as I Google, or not, that particular play so I can Break It Down.

[palum]

Platteville's starting QB Tom Kelly who sat out the SP game with a foot injury played against RF.  Platteville will need him next week as they host Oshkosh.

[wally_wabash]

South Carolina isn't a better job at the moment than MSU, but Dantonio is an alum there, which is the only reason he might leave. Never underestimate the pull of coaching an alma mater has.

Sort of like how the pull of coaching an alma mater was going to bring Jeff Jagodzinski back to Whitewater?

[emma17]

Teams to measure Pool C candidates against.
In looking at the final 16 teams in the playoff bracket the last 3 years and then at their season and playoff scores to find their level of competitiveness in all games played, from my perspective (which means there could be others), I see three levels.
Level A (these are teams that prove themselves competitive in every or nearly every game they play).  If there are too many teams for your liking from the West or North and not enough from the East or South, it is in no shape, way or form my fault:
UWW
Mt. Union
Linfield
UMHB
St. Thomas
NCC (argue all you want about Linfield in 2012)
Wheaton
Wabash
Bethel
UWO
Wesley (yes, they are hard to figure).

Level B: (these teams usually play competitively and should be considered as good competition):
St. John's
Wartburg
UWP
John's Hopkins
St. John Fisher
TLU (B- or TBD)
JCU (but on the way out and should be viewed very skeptically)

Level C (these teams make the playoffs and sometimes advance, but they rarely beat a B or come even close to beating an A, as such, they should not be given the benefit of the doubt for Pool C entrance when compared with a B or A team- until they advance through Pool A and prove competitive against a B or A team).
Hobart
Widener (C+)
Franklin
Rowan
Hamp-Syd
Ithaca
CNP
Cortland State
Wash and Jeff

I very well may have missed some teams and in no way do I mean to slight them.  Feel free to add teams that you feel make sense.

[Craft_Beermeister]

Teams to measure Pool C candidates against.
In looking at the final 16 teams in the playoff bracket the last 3 years and then at their season and playoff scores to find their level of competitiveness in all games played, from my perspective (which means there could be others), I see three levels.
Level A (these are teams that prove themselves competitive in every or nearly every game they play).  If there are too many teams for your liking from the West or North and not enough from the East or South, it is in no shape, way or form my fault:
UWW
Mt. Union
Linfield
UMHB
St. Thomas
NCC (argue all you want about Linfield in 2012)
Wheaton
Wabash
Bethel
UWO
Wesley (yes, they are hard to figure).

Level B: (these teams usually play competitively and should be considered as good competition):
St. John's
Wartburg
UWP
John's Hopkins
St. John Fisher
TLU (B- or TBD)
JCU (but on the way out and should be viewed very skeptically)

Level C (these teams make the playoffs and sometimes advance, but they rarely beat a B or come even close to beating an A, as such, they should not be given the benefit of the doubt for Pool C entrance when compared with a B or A team- until they advance through Pool A and prove competitive against a B or A team).
Hobart
Widener (C+)
Franklin
Rowan
Hamp-Syd
Ithaca
CNP
Cortland State
Wash and Jeff

I very well may have missed some teams and in no way do I mean to slight them.  Feel free to add teams that you feel make sense.

Not bad. You pretty much nailed it with your list.

[ScreamingEagles]

Warhawks too much for Eagles

http://lacrossetribune.com/sports/warhawks-too-much-for-eagles/article_90f9fb7c-c00c-5f1f-ba11-9763c77a374b.html

UW-L needs offense, defense to click at same time

http://lacrossetribune.com/sports/uw-l-needs-offense-defense-to-click-at-same-time/article_1446c492-f2ff-5adf-b67f-4bbd95313e6c.html

[Just Bill]

For any Badger / B1G fans on the boards, or just people who like crazy finishers, the Michigan-MSU game just had a bonkers finish.

http://thebiglead.com/2015/10/17/michigan-punter-blake-oneill-bungles-snap-michigan-state-returns-for-touchdown-win/

If Michigan #24 makes even a 50% effort, he probably forces the MSU returner out-of-bounds near the 5 and the game ends peacefully.

Harbaugh's meltdown after that one had to be priceless!! Any video?

Want another example of a punter with stone hands in the clutch?  In another B1G rivalry game that any real Badger fan should remember from 10 years ago - though it wasn't the last play of the game, it was the second to last play of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfIA7lhsSKs

If #24 forces the guy out-of-bounds at the 5-yard line, then the clock stops with :02 seconds left and MSU likely kicks a 22-yard field goal to win anyway.

[emma17]

For any Badger / B1G fans on the boards, or just people who like crazy finishers, the Michigan-MSU game just had a bonkers finish.

http://thebiglead.com/2015/10/17/michigan-punter-blake-oneill-bungles-snap-michigan-state-returns-for-touchdown-win/

If Michigan #24 makes even a 50% effort, he probably forces the MSU returner out-of-bounds near the 5 and the game ends peacefully.

Harbaugh's meltdown after that one had to be priceless!! Any video?

Want another example of a punter with stone hands in the clutch?  In another B1G rivalry game that any real Badger fan should remember from 10 years ago - though it wasn't the last play of the game, it was the second to last play of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfIA7lhsSKs

If #24 forces the guy out-of-bounds at the 5-yard line, then the clock stops with :02 seconds left and MSU likely kicks a 22-yard field goal to win anyway.

Assuming the MSU holder doesn't bobble the snap and stand up to attempt a drop-kick field goal, only to inadvertently toss the ball into the waiting hands of a Mich defender, resulting in a 95 yard TD run.   

[wally_wabash]

For any Badger / B1G fans on the boards, or just people who like crazy finishers, the Michigan-MSU game just had a bonkers finish.

http://thebiglead.com/2015/10/17/michigan-punter-blake-oneill-bungles-snap-michigan-state-returns-for-touchdown-win/

If Michigan #24 makes even a 50% effort, he probably forces the MSU returner out-of-bounds near the 5 and the game ends peacefully.

Harbaugh's meltdown after that one had to be priceless!! Any video?

Want another example of a punter with stone hands in the clutch?  In another B1G rivalry game that any real Badger fan should remember from 10 years ago - though it wasn't the last play of the game, it was the second to last play of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfIA7lhsSKs

If #24 forces the guy out-of-bounds at the 5-yard line, then the clock stops with :02 seconds left and MSU likely kicks a 22-yard field goal to win anyway.

Assuming the MSU holder doesn't bobble the snap and stand up to attempt a drop-kick field goal, only to inadvertently toss the ball into the waiting hands of a Mich defender, resulting in a 95 yard TD run.   

Heard an interesting option on this yesterday (I forget where, so apologies for not sourcing this).  In that spot where all you have to do is catch it and kick it away anywhere at all (punt distance is irrelevant there), why not have somebody more athletic than your punter (sorry...punters are people too, I know) handle that snap?  Use your QB from a shotgun position and pooch that thing outta there.  Ball game. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

For any Badger / B1G fans on the boards, or just people who like crazy finishers, the Michigan-MSU game just had a bonkers finish.

http://thebiglead.com/2015/10/17/michigan-punter-blake-oneill-bungles-snap-michigan-state-returns-for-touchdown-win/

If Michigan #24 makes even a 50% effort, he probably forces the MSU returner out-of-bounds near the 5 and the game ends peacefully.

Harbaugh's meltdown after that one had to be priceless!! Any video?

Want another example of a punter with stone hands in the clutch?  In another B1G rivalry game that any real Badger fan should remember from 10 years ago - though it wasn't the last play of the game, it was the second to last play of the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfIA7lhsSKs

If #24 forces the guy out-of-bounds at the 5-yard line, then the clock stops with :02 seconds left and MSU likely kicks a 22-yard field goal to win anyway.

Assuming the MSU holder doesn't bobble the snap and stand up to attempt a drop-kick field goal, only to inadvertently toss the ball into the waiting hands of a Mich defender, resulting in a 95 yard TD run.   

Heard an interesting option on this yesterday (I forget where, so apologies for not sourcing this).  In that spot where all you have to do is catch it and kick it away anywhere at all (punt distance is irrelevant there), why not have somebody more athletic than your punter (sorry...punters are people too, I know) handle that snap?  Use your QB from a shotgun position and pooch that thing outta there.  Ball game.

Counterpoint to that: the punter is more used to handling deep snaps than anyone else.  I kinda see what you're saying with the QB-shotgun pooch punt, but we see botched shotgun snaps probably about as frequently as botched punt snaps (I would love to see that stat, actually: percentage of fumbled snaps from the gun vs. percentage of fumbled snaps from punt formation, which would really answer the question of whether the risk is reduced in your alternative strategy).

I think the possibility that not only would the punter fumble, but MSU scoop and score, just seemed so remote that it didn't even cross his mind.  An even safer play than the QB-pooch-punt might have been a straight run into the line at midfield, which would have taken another 3 or 4 seconds off the clock, and left MSU with a hail-mary from the 50-yard line.  What's the success rate on Hail Mary passes from the 50?  It can't be more than 1 in a couple hundred, right?

[AO]

Heard an interesting option on this yesterday (I forget where, so apologies for not sourcing this).  In that spot where all you have to do is catch it and kick it away anywhere at all (punt distance is irrelevant there), why not have somebody more athletic than your punter (sorry...punters are people too, I know) handle that snap?  Use your QB from a shotgun position and pooch that thing outta there.  Ball game.

The real problem was clock management.  It was 2nd down with 1:42 left and MSU was out of timeouts.  All you have to do is make 3 plays take 22 seconds off the clock and you don't have to punt.  Instead they ran the shortest plays possible and had to punt it.  Give it to the athletes on all 3 downs and let them run around for 7-9 seconds per play, on the 3rd play you can even throw a hail mary to no-one and waste the final seconds if it's close.   Could lose 10 yards a play and it wouldn't be an issue.

[badgerwarhawk]

Matt Blanchard was signed to the Indianapolis Colts practice squad today.  That makes five different organizations that have signed him.  I really hope he gets a shot at the 53 man roster some day.  Obviously multiple organizations see something but will it be enough for him to finally get over the hump.  I wonder how many players have been on five different practice squads?  There can't be that many, can there?

[wally_wabash]

Teams to measure Pool C candidates against....

Alright, so that's a pretty exclusive list with an emphasis here on exclusion.  Here's a list of teams that have either beaten teams on your list head to head or played competitively with those teams in the time frame that you have given us.

Albion	Frostburg St.	Pacific Lutheran
Albright	Gustavus Adolphus	Randolph Macon
Alfred	Hamline	Rochester
Allegheny	Hardin Simmons	Rochester
Augsburg	Hartwick	Salisbury
Augustana	Heidelberg	Shenandoah
Baldwin Wallace	Huntingdon	Simpson
Bethany	Illinois Wesleyan	Springfield
Birmingham Southern	Ithaca	St. Lawrence
Bluffton	Kean	St. Olaf
Bridgewater	LaGrange	Sul Ross State
Brockport State	Lebanon Valley	Thomas More
Buffalo St	Louisiana College	Trinity
Cal Lutheran	Luther	Union
Catholic	Lycoming	Ursinus
Central	Manchester	Utica
Chapman	Maryville	UW-EC
Coe	Methodist	UW-La Crosse
Concirdia Moorhead	Montclair State	UW-RF
Delaware Valley	Morrisville St.	UW-SP
Dubuque	Muhlenberg	W&L
Elmhurst	NC Wesleyan	WashU
Emory & Henry	Oberlin	Waynesburg
ETBU	Ohio Northern	Westminster
F&M	Otterbein	Willamette
Framingham State	Pacific	Wittenberg

That's roughly 1/3 of Division III.  Why are we dismissing so many teams without even looking at what they've done?  These teams have all accomplished the thing that you say they haven't- namely play competitive games with, and occasionally beat, the generally accepted subset of good Division III teams. 

[emma17]

Teams to measure Pool C candidates against....

Alright, so that's a pretty exclusive list with an emphasis here on exclusion.  Here's a list of teams that have either beaten teams on your list head to head or played competitively with those teams in the time frame that you have given us.

Albion	Frostburg St.	Pacific Lutheran
Albright	Gustavus Adolphus	Randolph Macon
Alfred	Hamline	Rochester
Allegheny	Hardin Simmons	Rochester
Augsburg	Hartwick	Salisbury
Augustana	Heidelberg	Shenandoah
Baldwin Wallace	Huntingdon	Simpson
Bethany	Illinois Wesleyan	Springfield
Birmingham Southern	Ithaca	St. Lawrence
Bluffton	Kean	St. Olaf
Bridgewater	LaGrange	Sul Ross State
Brockport State	Lebanon Valley	Thomas More
Buffalo St	Louisiana College	Trinity
Cal Lutheran	Luther	Union
Catholic	Lycoming	Ursinus
Central	Manchester	Utica
Chapman	Maryville	UW-EC
Coe	Methodist	UW-La Crosse
Concirdia Moorhead	Montclair State	UW-RF
Delaware Valley	Morrisville St.	UW-SP
Dubuque	Muhlenberg	W&L
Elmhurst	NC Wesleyan	WashU
Emory & Henry	Oberlin	Waynesburg
ETBU	Ohio Northern	Westminster
F&M	Otterbein	Willamette
Framingham State	Pacific	Wittenberg

That's roughly 1/3 of Division III.  Why are we dismissing so many teams without even looking at what they've done?  These teams have all accomplished the thing that you say they haven't- namely play competitive games with, and occasionally beat, the generally accepted subset of good Division III teams.

You're absolutely right Wally, each of those teams you listed are excellent teams and will certainly raise the bar of playoff competitiveness. Pool C would be significantly improved with their participation.

[wally_wabash]

The point is that you have to review everything every season.  All of these teams have done the thing that you say should grant access to the at-large pool.  The teams you've listed are teams that are absolutely on everybody's radar at the beginning of every season.  But every year there are teams that put it together for a season and are just as good, or competitive to use your terminology, with those teams that have household names.  That's not to take anything away from those teams- they've earned it, no doubt.  But if you review each season as it happens, you'll find teams that have put together a season that compares well with what your name brands have done.  And they exist in places that you might not look...like in the MIAA or the MAC or the USASC.  Good teams are everywhere- we shouldn't be so tunnel visioned.