FB: American Rivers Conference

[LCNorse]

Luther season preview

http://sports.luther.edu/men/football/season/2009/news/2009preview.htm

[DBQ1965]

Luther season preview

http://sports.luther.edu/men/football/season/2009/news/2009preview.htm

So ... who in the IIAC, besides UD, doesn't have their season preview out yet?

[desertgator]

Cornell...

[Purple Heys]

...Not counting Augsburg...

Howls of derisive laughter...  

Not counting IIAC games...Cornell has a .667 winning percentage over the last three seasons

A mark bettered only by Central in that time

Well played, sir!   

[Purple Heys]

Cornell...

Cornell's should come 1 week after Media Day...if history holds.

[Purple Heys]

Cornell...

Cornell's should come 1 week after Media Day...if history holds.

This actually makes some sense in that it gives some opportunity to take stock of the incoming class.   

[desertgator]

That still doesn't satisfy the fact that I want it now!    ha ha

[Purple Heys]

It gives them a chance to gather plenty of nice things to say about our new stud QB...   

[Purple Heys]

That still doesn't satisfy the fact that I want it now!    ha ha

Buy D3 Football's Kickoff and get something on the 25th

[desertgator]

I bought it the other day and thought it was already out.  When it went back to my 2008 login I thought I screwed it up but then I saw it was suppose to come out later.  My wifes birthday is the 26th, maybe I can give her a subscription for her b'day!

[5 Words or Less]

I've been itchin' to dig in to this season for quite some time, and now that 5 Words or Less has gone to work, I can stir the pot to my heart's content.  So here's my preliminary take on things ...

BUENA VISTA has UW Plattville lined up as it's first opponent.  This is the second meeting between these two schools in as many years with last year's contest going to the Pioneers 21-14.  Many of us on the IIAC board had predicted the demise of the Beaver football program in our pic-ems and even though BV came up short on the scoreboard, we should have realized that something was abrew in Storm Lake by looking at the box score.  Looking back at last year, the Beavers lead 14-0 going in to the 4th.  Unfortunately, Plattville picked apart the Beaver secondary rolling up over 200 yards of offense with three scoring strikes of 19, 25 and 70 yards.  But that's not the half of it, BV fumbled the ball twice inside the 5 in the second quarter and ended the game on UW-P's 1-yard line as time expired.  They say that you learn from your mistakes and the Beavers certainly must have done that as they finished the season with an impressive 81% red-zone scoring rate (30 scores in 37 chances). 

I had the opportunity to watch the Beavers in action a month later on October 18th.  BV was in the driver's seat for the Conference crown by being 4-0 in the IIAC and having had defeated Wartburg just two weeks prior.  The visiting Norse were seen as underdogs because of their anemic 1-10 record in games involving over-night hotel stays.  To make a long story short, the game was a defensive struggle with Luther holding on to a narrow 6-3 victory on a pass break-up in the end zone to end the game.  What impressed me about the Beavers was the speed of their linebackers who repeatedly caught the Luther backs behind the line after crashing the ends on counter plays.  Linebacker Michael Sly graduates, but Junior Ben Hansen the freshmen Travis Forkner, Alan Bladt were equally as good.  I was also impressed at the improved play of the O-Line, which yielded only 2 sacks as compared to the 4.2 sacks allowed per game in 2007.  This allowed the steady QB, Matt Pearey (Sr.), time to hit WR Eric Bertelsen (Sr.) on crossing patterns virtually at will.

Fast forward to 2009.  Gone are Sly, Pearey, Bertelsen (4th fastest man in D3 100m outdoor T&F) along with 4 other all-conference performers in a talented senior class.  Two players return with all conference honors from last year, Cory Donscheski (2nd Team RB) and Ben Hansen (Hon. Mention LB).  The excitement of being in the title hunt during the entire 2008 season is sure to inspire more off-season training.  Will the Beavers contend for another title? - Time will tell.  I believe the defense will be the strength of the team but foresee Coach Anderson's biggest challenge as being putting points on the board.

Respectfully submitted - 5 Words or More

[Klopenhiemer]

I've been itchin' to dig in to this season for quite some time, and now that 5 Words or Less has gone to work, I can stir the pot to my heart's content.  So here's my preliminary take on things ...

BUENA VISTA has UW Plattville lined up as it's first opponent.  This is the second meeting between these two schools in as many years with last year's contest going to the Pioneers 21-14.  Many of us on the IIAC board had predicted the demise of the Beaver football program in our pic-ems and even though BV came up short on the scoreboard, we should have realized that something was abrew in Storm Lake by looking at the box score.  Looking back at last year, the Beavers lead 14-0 going in to the 4th.  Unfortunately, Plattville picked apart the Beaver secondary rolling up over 200 yards of offense with three scoring strikes of 19, 25 and 70 yards.  But that's not the half of it, BV fumbled the ball twice inside the 5 in the second quarter and ended the game on UW-P's 1-yard line as time expired.  They say that you learn from your mistakes and the Beavers certainly must have done that as they finished the season with an impressive 81% red-zone scoring rate (30 scores in 37 chances). 

I had the opportunity to watch the Beavers in action a month later on October 18th.  BV was in the driver's seat for the Conference crown by being 4-0 in the IIAC and having had defeated Wartburg just two weeks prior.  The visiting Norse were seen as underdogs because of their anemic 1-10 record in games involving over-night hotel stays.  To make a long story short, the game was a defensive struggle with Luther holding on to a narrow 6-3 victory on a pass break-up in the end zone to end the game.  What impressed me about the Beavers was the speed of their linebackers who repeatedly caught the Luther backs behind the line after crashing the ends on counter plays.  Linebacker Michael Sly graduates, but Junior Ben Hansen the freshmen Travis Forkner, Alan Bladt were equally as good.  I was also impressed at the improved play of the O-Line, which yielded only 2 sacks as compared to the 4.2 sacks allowed per game in 2007.  This allowed the steady QB, Matt Pearey (Sr.), time to hit WR Eric Bertelsen (Sr.) on crossing patterns virtually at will.

Fast forward to 2009.  Gone are Sly, Pearey, Bertelsen (4th fastest man in D3 100m outdoor T&F) along with 4 other all-conference performers in a talented senior class.  Two players return with all conference honors from last year, Cory Donscheski (2nd Team RB) and Ben Hansen (Hon. Mention LB).  The excitement of being in the title hunt during the entire 2008 season is sure to inspire more off-season training.  Will the Beavers contend for another title? - Time will tell.  I believe the defense will be the strength of the team but foresee Coach Anderson's biggest challenge as being putting points on the board.

Respectfully submitted - 5 Words or More

I could have not have said  this any better myself.  I have been gone for a while so I am going to break in slow.  Life changes and job changes have kept me burning the midnight oil, but Klopenhiemer will come through this okay!

5WOL you said what I tried say so many times but it never was put this well.  I to, believe that something special is still brewing in Storm Lake, and with last seasons success/short comings along with a strong 2 year recruiting class, I look for them to compete again. 

[DutchFan2004]

I know he hasn't posted on here much this summer, but hopefully we'll get an update from DutchFan2004 sometime soon.  Sounds like Eldora got lit up pretty good by the storms last night, and hopefully everything's good with his clan.

Well I moved to Marshalltown about 6 years ago.  I have spent the better part of the last two days up there in Eldora helping former neighbors and friends clean up there yards.  It is not total destruction like Parkersburg, but in a way its just as bad or somehow even worse.  What I mean is that with Parkersburg you were flattened and could start over.  Some of the homes are beat up pretty bad and the repairs will take just as long as if you could build a new home.  Pretty much the North and West sides of the homes are really beaten up.  I know one friend that lost windows and the rain and hail came through the home soaking the floors and wound up soaking his finished basement.  So the clean up from that and the possible mold issues are a scare.  So it will take a long time for the town to recover.  The one thing that was brought out in Parkersburg is about the Iowa resolve to get back to normal and recover. Not the wining like New Orleans about where is the government.  People were out cleaning up and saying well lets get back to normal as best and as fast as we can.  I have some pics wish I knew how to post them I would.  SK if you can tell me how in a PM I will. 

[DutchFan2004]

Any Ram fans from this board going to Grinnell?

I might make the trip out.

Might be some Eddie's Carne Asada in it for you...

Are you going to be in Grinnell?  Talking to my son he suggested not making the long trip North to Lakeland.  With that being said Grinnell is a whole lot closer and cheering for the IIAC over the NWC is something that interests me.  If you are there it might make the trip to Grinnell worth it. 

[DutchFan2004]

I also found it interesting that Central is expecting 50 recruits this year. That nimber is 10-15 more that what coach Mac was saying was their ideal number when recruiting three years ago.I realize one can't stop anyone from going out, but Coach Mac was very clear about not just having recruits to just have them.

I think you raise a somewhat valid point about that.  I think all coaches see the attrition factor.  Wartburg comes to mind with classes of 90 I think a few years ago.  As talked about before D 3 is not like other divisions.  Recruiting of players is much different as the FA packages are way different than scholarships and a defined number or dollar amount.  The players are recruited invited to apply and visit.  As it was explained to me by Central and the Wartburg staff when my son was recruited the coaches recruit say maybe 6 QB's 5-10 linebackers or what ever the number is at a certain position is.  Then what happens if the staff and college does a great job of recruiting against the other IIAC schools, NAIA, D2, etc and 5 of the 6 QB's show up.  I think if you look 15-30 seniors are left at most schools of the players that start.  Some more some less but there is some weeding out of players, injuries, and other changes to players that happen that affect the number left in the program.  I think if a program is going to be successful they need about 15-20 seniors left every year to keep them at the top.  


Edit:  forgot the whole point of the rambling you cant control the final number like the scholarship divisions (i know there are walkons too)  But at this level if you do a good job of recruiting the number you end up with may be above what your ideal number is.