FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[footballfan413]

BoBo,
   Interesting thoughts.  No panic button here regarding the offense still having time to progress. The guys understand better than most teams that playing in the WIAC means you must never look farther ahead than next Saturday.  All thoughts must be on beating the Pointers this weekend!  But, I am pretty sure they are planning for a 15 game season.    Regarding the WR's, you are right about some of them being inexperienced and they will continue to improve as well.  They need to continue to run their routes and find ways to get open when Jones is forced to scramble.  Gifford and Jones seemed to find a connection the last quarter of the LAX game but, unfortunately, he has been out the last two games with an injury, I believe.  But #1 is MONEY!   Mrkvicka is very experienced and talented but his performances have been overshadowed by Stanley the last few years.  He almost always finds ways to get open and will catch most balls thrown his way.  Also, let's not forget about the benefits of using the TE's to boost the pass game as well.  With this defense and running game, the Hawks need only a marginal passing game to beat a lot of teams in the WIAC but a solid balanced offense is important if a team plans on going deep into the play-offs.  When the Warhawks established a top notch balanced run/pass offense two years ago, it took them to the Stagg twice.   Soooo........... based on my perspective, the answer to your question is yes..........still plenty of time, IMHO, but I hope we aren't still having this discussion come play-off time! 

[footballfan413]

I also understand what Stealth was saying.  The W is all that matters and an efficient, methodical ball control, no turnover offense, (while not flashy,)  can win you a lot of games! 

[Just Bill]

You WW fans don't have to pretend the UWSP game is bigger than the UMHB game.  It IS bigger.

The only guarantee into the playoffs is to win the league and that has everything to do with Point and nothing to do with the Cru.  If Point would somehow pull a minor miracle and beat WW THEN the UMHB game is huge, since WW would put themselves in serious playoff jeopardy with a second loss to a D-III team.

UMHB is a sexy game for rankings and may be a key factor in determining a 3rd round home game, but the there's no doubt the Point game is far more important to the big picture.  Remember in D-III conference games almost always trump non-conference games for their importance.

[footballfan413]

BoBo,
    The guys understand better than most teams that playing in the WIAC means you must never look farther ahead than next Saturday.  All thoughts must be on beating the Pointers this weekend! 

A totally agree!  That is why I said this.   

[Just Bill]

I know most fans have figured it out, but there's an undercurrent from some of "we won't look past Point with the BIG game next week."

That's sheer madness given the selection process.  Maybe the Badgers got caught looking past Penn State with Northern Illinois looming in the background?   

[Sakman 1111]

I can assure you there is no coach or player on the Whitewater team that is looking ahead to Mary Hardin Baylor. The only discussion of MHB is with the fans.....It's the Pointers this week at that horrible chewed up field where they play....

[BoBo]

Maybe the Badgers got caught looking past Penn State with Northern Illinois looming in the background?   

I bet Barber Greene is going to love to read this. 

[footballfan413]

I know most fans have figured it out, but there's an undercurrent from some of "we won't look past Point with the BIG game next week."

That's sheer madness given the selection process.  Maybe the Badgers got caught looking past Penn State with Northern Illinois looming in the background?   

Agreed.  The Conference Championship and AQ is the first goal for this team!  The upper classman have navigated these WIAC waters before and know all about the emotional pitfalls and trap games.  In 05, they crept up on everyone and in 06, they were the hunted.  Sakman is right.  They won't look past any team, let alone a 6-0 team, but they are still planning for a long season.  I would be worried if they didn't.  Afterall, you gotta believe it to achieve it!   

[Spartacus]

The WW players are keeping their eyes on the conference prize!!  They have to, because every team that plays them plays like it's the conference champoinship.  Week in and week out, they are defending their title..........they know what's at stake.

[Barber Greene]

Maybe the Badgers got caught looking past Penn State with Northern Illinois looming in the background?   

I bet Barber Greene is going to love to read this. 

Hey, I think every team is looming in the background for the Badgers at this point...every team is a threat to beat them...a loss to NIU would be embarrassing no doubt but NIU has always played the Badgers tough at Camp Randall (and I will be there though I would love to be at the Stevens Point game too)

[stealth]

Valid points. Watching up close and personal on Sat. at the Perk I made a special point of spying the wideouts and the routes. At least 4 times I saw them just give up when the first route was not there. They never heard of coming back to the ball ? Credit goes to Osh for the cover scheme they had. Lot's of cover 2 and disquised schemes. How soon some forget that it was a couple of weeks ago Jones was O player of the week and led a furious charge to beat LX. The sign of a quality team is the ability to adjust on the fly and so far not bad. (Note the almost complete shut down of Osh running and passing game) Still scratching my head about the 4th and 3 with 3 TO's. Give the QB and receivers some confidence with some shots to the back of the end zone coach. Sure the refs would have missed some more pass interference calls. 

Jones needs to keep watching for WR's to get open as he scrambles. Saw some missed opportunities yesterday.  I think this will progress though as he continues to learn to trust them.  And he needs to put the ball out there ahead of his WR's some times and trust them to close the gap.  Trust their speed and play-making ability. 

413,

With 60% of the regular season over and arguably the toughest test coming up (UMHB), there's not much time left to gain the trust you speak of.  Do you get a sense that this warhawk offense just doesn't suit the strengths of Jones' game?  Maybe, in a slight way, makes his QB'ing deficiencies even more glaring?  It seems like much of the discussion about the passing game struggles (that might not be the right word; inconsistancies maybe?) Whitewater is going through center on the QB not being comfortable with his receivers.  Might it not be time to raise more questions about the wideouts ability to adapt, as well?  They may be fast and have playmaking potential, but it's a 2-way street and many of them appear simply too inexperienced or otherwise unable to provide what's needed to get their QB in a decent, consistant, comfort zone.  Or does it all come down to the QB?

[Sakman 1111]

Great point Stealth....Each week it bounces back and forth from the running game to the passing game whichever one has been the least ineffective.....someone then surmises that the offense or defense is lacking and we better not look ahead.  Osh Kosh's defense for the last two years has given the Warhawks problems but each year they have found a way to win. So far this year without some of their marquis players they continue to find a way to win which hopefully they will continue at Goerke Field this Saturday. Pound the Rock!!!!!....

[razor_ramone]

I stand corrected on the mis information I was given about WW's winning streak against shkosh. However 1976 was the last time the titans won the title,and I count 2002 as a W for Oshkosh,even though they ended up having to forfeit the game. They won it on the field. As far as the whole Stan Z thing, it sure looked and sounded like he was calling the plays or maybe just being the loud potty mouth person he is while sitting in the pressbox using a lot of four letter words. Some things never change.
As far as Whiewater they are focused on the pointers. It's one game at a time. UMHB will be by far their toughest game this year during thwe regular season. While the stagg bowl against Mt. Union will be by far the toughest., but they are focused on the Pointers and the high school field they play at.
The lack of a big play passign game mainly has to do with the fact that Derek Stanley is know in the NFL,and he along with Pete Schmidt were were the big play threats through the air. It also looks like Danny Jones is more of a runner then Jacobs was and dosen't have the arm that Jacobs had either to launch it down field,as he rolls out and then doesn't know if he should throw it or run it.
As far as the running game goes I am not sure why they are having problems,they return four of five lineman not to mention the second best back in d3 football next to the kid at Mount Union in Beaver.
Yes I expect the Hawks to be back in Salem come December. Hopfully the Raiders will be there again. However if the raiders don't make it that will sure increase the Hawks chances as the raiders have own Whitewater since they started playing in 2002.
[move]GO HAWKS 2007 WIAC CHAMPS AGAIN[/move]

[retagent]

ramone- before Raiderguy gives you a KO punch again, you'd better amend your post to read that UMHB will be their toughest game of the "regular season."  Just looking out for you bro.

[stealth]

I'd bet my small but productive farm, dropped passes factor into the game plan. (SCSU, LX/1st half,etc) QB's get the incomplete stat but there should be a stat for dropped balls. You take shots when you have confidence in the ability and or effort of the WR's to do the extraordinary. There have been a few of those but it's a different team without Stanley and Schmidt. Time and practice work that out.

The Warhawks dominated the titans again today. Not counting the forfeit win in 2002 the Titans have not beaten UWW since 1976.
The offense did spudder a little bit as they went very conservative with 3 time outs at the end of the first half. I had to wodner if Barry Alvarez was coaching the team,as thats somethign he would have done taken two time outs into the locker room with him.Special teams was UGLIER then UGLY, and need to be fixed.
The Defense was ocne again steller. Two weeks in a row.The high light of last week was watchign good old coach Z walk away from UWW upset as his O for UWRF got shut down, byu his good old buddy Brian Borland"Thats a joke as they two have not talked since the fall of 2005 when Borland said he was going for the head job.
Okay next week will be another fantastic W for the Hawks,and get them ready for the big show down with Mary Hardin Baylor as if they beat them they will be back at #2 in the polls and almost guaranteed a #1 seed for the playoffs without having to travel except to the stagg bowl.
GO HAWKS OR GO HOME

Wow...you better tap on the brakes a bit.  There's a lot of football to be played.  Next week will not be a cake walk by any stretch, and MHB looks like they have a very solid team this year.

Someone please comment on the Hawk's passing game this year.  Listening to the games on the radio, it sounds like there are a lot of passes missing the mark and a lot of missed opportunities.  Is that a concern for anyone at this juncture?