FB: American Rivers Conference

[badgerwarhawk]

Perhaps everyone is working 24-7 so the board has been really slow this week.  Always like to hear of folks promoting their team or commenting on others.  Makes my day! 

I'm looking forward to the UD vs UW-PLATTEVILLE game.  The UD  quarterback is the real MacCoy..........I think the best in the IIAC this year bar none.  He throws the softest ball w/ tight spiral 50 yards.
Comments.........

However, I picked Platteville to win as being overall superior to UD in spite of UD's big, fat O Line.  Comments.............

2 - I think the UD defense might be surprising this year.  Last year the UD offense was able to move on the Pioneers, but the UD defense had trouble in that game.  If the UD defense can get some stops this weekend, this has the potential to be a very good game.  And with a 6pm kickoff, many on here should be able to catch it after seeing their favorite team earlier in the day. 

Both Platteville QBs are also the real deal. 

This should be a good measuring stick for the Spartans.  Platteville is picked to take the WIAC this year and returns 9 offensive players and a very good running back who missed last season with an injury.  Their offense is pretty good and will challenge the Spartan defense particularly the pass defense.  If the Spartans can win  this game they will be making a significant statement about the prospects for their IIAC season.

One interesting sideline to the game is that Coach Zweifel interviewed for and was offered the heading coaching position at Platteville but declined.  Platteville then turned to Coach Emendorfer who is the current coach.

Good luck.

[doolittledog]

Dubuque and Loras previews from the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald...

http://www.thonline.com/sports/other_sports/article_873d18e9-a241-50a8-bee2-2aa31d2f5b86.html

From the article...


Last year: Quarterback John Kelly replaced injured starter Nick Anderson to lead No. 21-ranked UW-Platteville to a 52-35 victory over the University of Dubuque at Pioneer Stadium. The Pioneers racked up 508 yards of total offense in the win.

Last week: UW-Platteville looked sharp in its opener, accounting for 518 yards of total offense in a 42-17 rout of Buena Vista, which was one of the four other teams that tied with Dubuque for second place in the Iowa Conference last season. The Spartans passed their first WIAC test in their opener, as Dubuque picked up a road victory over UW-La Crosse, 35-24.

Outlook: The Spartans will need their defense to play much better all-around this season to have a chance to knock off the nationally-ranked Pioneers. Coach Stan Zweifel hopes a talented offense can keep pace with the help of a rowdy Spartan crowd at Chalmers Field. New quarterback Bryan Bradshaw will get a real test, as even the talented Wyatt Hanus couldn't keep up with this UW-P offense last season. Most of the offensive weapons are back for UW-P, and they'll even throw in the wrinkle of rotating quarterbacks at the Spartans. Both John Kelly and Bryce Corrigan will again see mulitple series' as coach Mike Emendorfer attempts to set a starter before WIAC play begins in two weeks. The return of a healthy Trevor Whitehead at wide receiver will only help the explosive Pioneers.

And...

Last year: Loras beat Rockford, 28-14, at the Rock Bowl to post one of its two wins in 2012.

Last week: The Duhawks dropped a 35-9 decision at Elmhurst, while Rockford lost, 49-20, to UW-Stevens Point.

Outlook: Both teams are hungry for a win coming off of disappointing season openers. The Duhawks gave up 28 second-half points after trailing at halftime, 7-3. The Regents gave up 552 yards, including a whopping 350 on the ground, in a 49-20 loss to UW-Stevens Point. ... On the flip side, Loras running backs were held to 56 yards rushing, led by sophomore Nate Carrier's 52 yards and one touchdown. ... Quarterback Dylan Jones played effectively, going 17 of 32 for 211 yards. Nate Even caught eight passes for 114 yards. ... The Loras defense, led by Calvin Harridge's 11 tackles, played well for one half but needs to put four quarters together. ... The Loras secondary needs to come prepared as Rockford quarterback Aabed Nekrawesh completed 16 of 29 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns. ... If the Duhawks can find some balance on offense and perform consistently for four quarters they should be able to even their record against the Regents.

[doolittledog]

And the Dubuque entrance video...I only include it because they show my old frats cannon...and DBQ1965 was once their faculty rep 

http://youtu.be/ijC50OebmTY

[notlongago]

While I still think UD will win the conference. I think the platteville game could turn ugly for the Spartans. But then again, I suck at pickin games ;-)

[shepherd]

Luther looking pretty good.  Definitely not the same team from last year.  From an old wishbone option pulling guard they do know how to run the option correctly which includes the blocking schemes.  Coach comes from an option family at William Penn.  Should be a more exciting season for the Luther fans.

[notlongago]

Luther looking pretty good.  Definitely not the same team from last year.  From an old wishbone option pulling guard they do know how to run the option correctly which includes the blocking schemes.  Coach comes from an option family at William Penn.  Should be a more exciting season for the Luther fans.

Good win by Luther. St Olaf is a traditionally a solid team. Surprised by the Wartburg score. I figured bethel would win but not by 2 TDs.

[Gray Fox]

And Luther did it without any Texas players.

[5 Words or Less]

And Luther did it without any Texas players.

Note to self:  GET TEXANS

[5 Words or Less]

Luther looking pretty good.  Definitely not the same team from last year.  From an old wishbone option pulling guard they do know how to run the option correctly which includes the blocking schemes.  Coach comes from an option family at William Penn.  Should be a more exciting season for the Luther fans.

Thrilling game ... students rush field!

[hazzben]

Surprised by the Wartburg score. I figured bethel would win but not by 2 TDs.

It was actually worse than the score appears. Bethel was up 30-3 at the start of the 4th before they got a little sloppy with the ball. Credit Wartburg's offense for continuing to fight all the way to the end, but the outcome never felt like it was in doubt.

Nice win for Luther. Nice outing by BV. I realize they'd have liked the W, but they've been much more competitive through 2 games this year. Bethel will need to bring their A game to Storm Lake next week.

[notlongago]

A very up and down day for the IIAC on the whole.

Good: everyone was competitive. Luther pulling out a good win. Central pulling out a decent win. Coe playing much better than I (and some others) anticipated.
Bad: 4-4 overall. Wartburg getting worked by bethel. Then the conference favorite (in my opinion :-) ) can't hang with a WIAC favorite which just shows the IIAC may still be a ways behind the super conference.

Overall the day I'd as a B. thoughts?

[doolittledog]

A very up and down day for the IIAC on the whole.

Good: everyone was competitive. Luther pulling out a good win. Central pulling out a decent win. Coe playing much better than I (and some others) anticipated.
Bad: 4-4 overall. Wartburg getting worked by bethel. Then the conference favorite (in my opinion :-) ) can't hang with a WIAC favorite which just shows the IIAC may still be a ways behind the super conference.

Overall the day I'd as a B. thoughts?

Sounds about right.  Could be better, could be worse.

Luther might not be dead and buried after all.
Central has looked very good this season.
BVU is playing tough, but has a monster non-con schedule.
Simpson??  Not sure what to make of them.
Loras...about what I would expect so far from the Duhawks.
Wartburg?  Pretty much a repeat of last year at this point.  We shall see what the rest of the season brings us.
Coe...looks like they came out of the gates slow last week and for a half this week.  They might have turned into the Kohawks of last season this afternoon.  We shall see.
Dubuque?  Offense isn't quite where I would like them to be.  Defense seems to be ahead of last year.  And for tonights game the Spartans defense started 7 sophomores, 2 juniors, 2 seniors.  I see improvement on both sides of the ball for UD as the season progresses. 

I don't think the IIAC is as strong of a conference as they were a decade ago, compared to other conferences around us, and it hurts to go 4-4 most weeks in the non-con.  But I see some possibilities for some improvement.  Over half the conference has a legit claim to be a title contender this year.  That, for me, is more exciting than just figuring whoever wins between Central/Wartburg goes to the playoffs as the conference winner.  It will be fun to see how it plays out.  Then we will see how our conference stacks up against others.  Hopefully, our conference champ won't have to go on the road in the 1st round to a top 6 team in the nation like UD had to a couple of years ago. 

[D3Dutchman]

A very up and down day for the IIAC on the whole.

Good: everyone was competitive. Luther pulling out a good win. Central pulling out a decent win. Coe playing much better than I (and some others) anticipated.
Bad: 4-4 overall. Wartburg getting worked by bethel. Then the conference favorite (in my opinion :-) ) can't hang with a WIAC favorite which just shows the IIAC may still be a ways behind the super conference.

Overall the day I'd as a B. thoughts?

Looks like the Dutch were dominant...I like what I see so far. 

[D3Dutchman]

Of note...Oskosh handled NAIA #2 and defending national champion Marian 34-13.  I know there were a few questioning whether or not they had taken a step back from last year, but this seems to go along ways towards confirming that they were still a very salty opponent. 

[DutchFan2004]

From what I heard the Dutch have played well the first two weeks.  Hanging with and could have beat Oshkosh week 1 and handling Augustana last night bodes well for a much improved team from last season.  A tough non con schedule in my opinion has and will help the Dutch in the IIAC campaign.