FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[bleedpurple]

Bleed
I think you nailed it- UWL is UWP. They both seem to have offenses that can take advantage of teams w average defensive talent, but lack strength on the LOS.
UWP v UWL next week should be real interesting.

UWP and UWL next week will be real interesting. I guess we will have more data on UWL after the Oshkosh game.

What's interesting to me in contemplating that game is the general question of the state of the WIAC. UWL has certainly improved since their 10 year run of 2-5 and 3-4 seasons. With visible improvement some even thought they may be ready to challenge UW-W and UW-0. They have a chance to prove me wrong tomorrow, but they aren't there. Maybe climbing the ladder in the WIAC is a little more incremental than some realized. Reaching UW-P's level was probably a more realistic step for UW-L all along. But the weird thing it, it seems to me they have reached UW-P's level because of a Pioneer regression as much as anything. While UW-L is better than they were before last year, I'm not convinced they are as good as they were last year.  And for UW-P, it feels like they are struggling more than they have in awhile.

My subject-to-change current assessment of the WIAC:

UW-W: Very, very good.
UW-0:  Good progressing toward very good.
UW-P:  OK but used to be good.
UW-L:  OK and hoping to be good.
UW-S: Competitive every week
UW-RF: Inconsistent but can be dangerous
UW-SP: Reeling
UW-EC: Not as bad as they were.

[02 Warhawk]

UWP and UWL next week will be real interesting. I guess we will have more data on UWL after the Oshkosh game.

What's interesting to me in contemplating that game is the general question of the state of the WIAC. UWL has certainly improved since their 10 year run of 2-5 and 3-4 seasons. With visible improvement some even thought they may be ready to challenge UW-W and UW-0. They have a chance to prove me wrong tomorrow, but they aren't there. Maybe climbing the ladder in the WIAC is a little more incremental than some realized. Reaching UW-P's level was probably a more realistic step for UW-L all along. But the weird thing it, it seems to me they have reached UW-P's level because of a Pioneer regression as much as anything. While UW-L is better than they were before last year, I'm not convinced they are as good as they were last year.  And for UW-P, it feels like they are struggling more than they have in awhile.

Yup. This has been my thoughts about UWL since the season began. Improving? Yes. Chance to compete for the WIAC? No way*. There is no way they are better than last year with all the seniors they lost from 2017.

*Not this year at least.

[UWO Titan 78]

When UWP was a WIAC contender recently, they had an elite QB that made up for some of their other deficiencies. They don't have that this year.

[emma17]

Bleed
I think you nailed it- UWL is UWP. They both seem to have offenses that can take advantage of teams w average defensive talent, but lack strength on the LOS.
UWP v UWL next week should be real interesting.

UWP and UWL next week will be real interesting. I guess we will have more data on UWL after the Oshkosh game.

What's interesting to me in contemplating that game is the general question of the state of the WIAC. UWL has certainly improved since their 10 year run of 2-5 and 3-4 seasons. With visible improvement some even thought they may be ready to challenge UW-W and UW-0. They have a chance to prove me wrong tomorrow, but they aren't there. Maybe climbing the ladder in the WIAC is a little more incremental than some realized. Reaching UW-P's level was probably a more realistic step for UW-L all along. But the weird thing it, it seems to me they have reached UW-P's level because of a Pioneer regression as much as anything. While UW-L is better than they were before last year, I'm not convinced they are as good as they were last year.  And for UW-P, it feels like they are struggling more than they have in awhile.

My subject-to-change current assessment of the WIAC:

UW-W: Very, very good.
UW-0:  Good progressing toward very good. - Maybe next year for very good.
UW-P:  OK but used to be good. When will you learn- you can't fancy your way to the top.
UW-L:  OK and hoping to be good. Approaching tipping point- could slide back.
UW-S: Competitive every week. I give these guys credit, they are gritty.
UW-RF: Inconsistent but can be dangerous. I've always been a fan. Gutsy.
UW-SP: Reeling. Can't trust them. I still remember 08 and 12.
UW-EC: Not as bad as they were. Yep.

Good work. I've added my opinions.

[emma17]

I was reading warhawkfootball.com, I knew the UWW D was really good but I didn't realize they only give up 183 yards per game. That's pretty special.

It sure was great to see Peete hit a 37 yard run. That'll get you to a 7.1 yards per carry avg.

Bleed- a point of clarification on my reply to your conference summary. For UWP, "you" means UWP, not you-Bleed. You'd think after all this time of coming up short in the WIAC, and seeing up close the type of team that does well in conference and nationally, UWP would change things up a bit w their offensive approach.
 

[bleedpurple]

I was reading warhawkfootball.com, I knew the UWW D was really good but I didn't realize they only give up 183 yards per game. That's pretty special.

It sure was great to see Peete hit a 37 yard run. That'll get you to a 7.1 yards per carry avg.

Bleed- a point of clarification on my reply to your conference summary. For UWP, "you" means UWP, not you-Bleed. You'd think after all this time of coming up short in the WIAC, and seeing up close the type of team that does well in conference and nationally, UWP would change things up a bit w their offensive approach.

Coach Mike is all in with his system. When he brought it in, I think I remember him declaring something like "The WIAC has never seen a passing game like this" or something like that. I don't think he will change it. It's his baby.  Now, if this year isn't an aberration and he doesn't have a great QB prospect on his roster, they've got a problem.  I'm suspecting he went hard after Lewandowski. I'm sure we would have loved to get him as well.  He could be that "make up for other flaws" difference maker for UW-L starting next year. But if they rely on him for that, they will stay a cut below the top just like UW-P.  I find it hard to believe Coach Schmidt really wants to build a team without a power running game component, but I suppose you never know. But as of now he has produced Platteville North.

[Pat Coleman]

As Keith says from time to time on the podcast, Emendorfer wrote the book on his offense, literally. Suspect you're right about him not moving away from it.

[BoBo]

Possible. At 6-7, he'll need some ball skills that I haven't seen out of him, but he can shoot. I think his ceiling is higher as a pass-catcher though. He'd be a Prospect with a capital P.

Won't help much on the gridiron.

Watching the first half action, he will have a lot of improving to do - rather raw football skills at best. Obviously, the strong wind makes the passing game tough today.

[02 Warhawk]

Possible. At 6-7, he'll need some ball skills that I haven't seen out of him, but he can shoot. I think his ceiling is higher as a pass-catcher though. He'd be a Prospect with a capital P.

Won't help much on the gridiron.

Watching the first half action, he will have a lot of improving to do - rather raw football skills at best. Obviously, the strong wind makes the passing game tough today.

Just saw the halftime score. Very impressive.

[02 Warhawk]

Yeah, UWP is broken

[BoBo]

Stout/SP tied at 21 3rd Q...more importantly 7 punts combined so far.

[BoBo]

Yeah, UWP is broken

Not entirely surprised.

[BoBo]

Possible. At 6-7, he'll need some ball skills that I haven't seen out of him, but he can shoot. I think his ceiling is higher as a pass-catcher though. He'd be a Prospect with a capital P.

Won't help much on the gridiron.

Watching the first half action, he will have a lot of improving to do - rather raw football skills at best. Obviously, the strong wind makes the passing game tough today.

Just saw the halftime score. Very impressive.

You missed Cole's 26 yard TD run where he looked like Steve Young. Can't wait to here from emma on that one!!

[02 Warhawk]

Possible. At 6-7, he'll need some ball skills that I haven't seen out of him, but he can shoot. I think his ceiling is higher as a pass-catcher though. He'd be a Prospect with a capital P.

Won't help much on the gridiron.

Watching the first half action, he will have a lot of improving to do - rather raw football skills at best. Obviously, the strong wind makes the passing game tough today.

Just saw the halftime score. Very impressive.

You missed Cole's 26 yard TD run where he looked like Steve Young. Can't wait to here from emma on that one!!

They running? Passing? Both looking good?

[hazzben]

I don't think you can confer NAIA football teams the same status you give D2s based on the fact that they offer "scholarships." For my money, D3s and NAIAs are pretty much apples to apples as they essentially recruit the same kids.

My experience with NAIAs is limited but here, in very rough numbers, is what I saw: Let's say you have three high school seniors, each with a 20 on the ACT and a 3.2 GPA -- solid, but unspectacular. One is a non-athlete and a mediocre trumpet player, one is a 6-0, 250 lb all-conference O lineman, the third a 6-5, 250 lb all-conference O lineman. Each is considering nearby NAIA and D2 schools.

The NAIA school tells the trumpet player, "Come join our pep band! We'll give you $15k in grants, academic and music scholarships. Your net cost: $15k/year."

The D2 tells the trumpet player, "Leave the noisemaker at home. We'll give you $15k in grants and academic scholarships. Your net cost: $15k/yr."

The NAIA tells the 6-0 O lineman, "We'll offer you a $5k ATHLETIC scholarship and $10k in grants and academic scholarships. Your net cost: $15k/yr."

The D2 tells the 6-0 O lineman, "You are welcome to try to walk on to the football team. We'll give you $15k in grants and academic scholarships. Your net cost: $15k/yr."

The NAIA tells the 6-5 O lineman, "We'll offer you a $5k ATHLETIC scholarship and $10k in grants and academic scholarships. Your net cost: $15k/yr."

The D2 tells the 6-5 O lineman, "We'll offer you a $5k ATHLETIC scholarship and $15k in grants and academic scholarships. Your net cost: $10k/yr."


Your pricing may vary, and admittedly I'm painting this with a broad stroke. But IMO D2s are a different animal because they offer a real and significant financial benefit for playing football at their college, and therefore recruit a higher-caliber football player. NAIAs, at least in my limited experience, do not appear to offer significant financial benefits to those playing football vs the students who do not, and therefore draw from the same pool as D3s. As a result, D3 vs NAIA game results, are worthy of apples-to-apples review, at least on a greater scale than D3s vs D2s.

D2 is a step up compared to NAIA, no question.

I've had humorous convo's with NAIA guys who don't know that I know a fairly decent amount about small college ball (Dad, uncle, and cousins were NAIA All America players and won and coached on several national title teams. Brother and I had D2 and NAIA offers, but opted for D3 at Bethel). Said NAIA guy says, "I played D2 football." I ask where, they say [Insert NAIA school]. And I say, oh, NAIA, like D3! Usually makes them pretty mad 

Typically D2 has more to offer. Rarely a full scholarship, but they will offer that from time to time to a player. There's also plenty of Adam Thielen type offers of $500 to say they have a scholarship. I've also seen NAIA schools break the bank for an athlete. Family members who've gotten full rides (e.g. $10k for football, $10k for track, $10k for academics). But that's unusual.

IMO, the top 25 NAIA and D3 schools match up very well. Both divisions tend to be very top heavy, with only 4-5 teams with a legit shot year in and year out. The Morningside and UWW matchups from a few years back were a perfect case in point of the relative similarities of the divisions.

I think the real difference is that the NAIA is the wild wild west when it comes to rules enforcement. A buddy in HS got an 'academic scholarship' from USF back in the day. He was a sub 2.0 student in HS. But he was 6'5" 270.  My brother also got some interesting offers from NAIA schools. Athletic scholarship amounts that were above the legal limit for the GPAC to offer for a single sport. When the top NAIA programs see the opportunity to add a player who's out of NCAA eligibility or washed out academically at 3 NCAA schools, it's amazing the loop holes that are discovered.

For my money, D3 is a pretty great place to be. Top programs offer some exceptional football, and there's a great balance with the academics not just an afterthought.

Back to your regularly scheduled programing