FB: American Rivers Conference

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Turnovers bite UD once again.  6 turnovers week 1, 5 turnovers today against Luther.  Not sure what to make of that. 

BVU has gone 4-3 in conference play each of the past 2 seasons.  I think it's their typical slow start to their seasons that people don't see them in a more positive light. 

I think the only thing standing in the way for Wartburg is themselves.  We shall see. 

Spots 2-7 should certainly be an interesting battle this year. 

I suspect Loras will be in for another long conference portion of the season.

A couple of the turnovers were very negative plays for the Spartans.  It is hard to win when you have even 3 turnovers.

However, one INT was a pick right at the half trying to hit a big play when the Spartans really had no chance to score.  At the end of the game the Spartans threw another pick with like 10 seconds left with them down 28-14.  In fact, Luther had already tried to kill the clock inside the Spartan 10 just a few seconds earlier.

Luther moved the ball well almost all day, and that combined with a couple big turnovers really never let momentum get back on the Dubuque sideline.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I still think Dubuque can go 3-4 or 4-3 in the IIAC.  The league race for 2nd seems to be wide open right now.

For those that have seen Central the last two seasons, how does the Dutch compare on both sides of the ball to the 2013 edition?

Was Wartburg going to run away with the game on Saturday anyway, or were the missed Dutch FG attempts big momentum plays?

Can B.V. end up being 4-3 in the league?

[D3Dutchman]

A few  oobservations from Pella...

1.  Central's strategy was to try to keep the game close by running the ball and clock.  They got off to a good start, and had a chance to go up 14 - 0.  Curious call on 3rd and short resulted in a sack and a missed field goal (wind was howling out of the west, making kicking tough).  Would have been interesting to see how close they could have kept it had they been able to go up 14-0. 

2.  Wartburg looks the part of a very good football team.  Central would have had to play flawlessly to beat them.  Not sure how we find ourselves at that sort of disadvantage.

3.  Central has no ability to stretch the field. 

4.  Central has a sweet new video board that doesn't show replays (I'm assuming other conference video boards do?)...this is new to me, so I really don't know. 

5.  The college continues to put on as poor of a game day experience as they possibly can.  No pre-game atmosphere promoted, no excitement in game (pep band plays "one-liners" exclusively now...they may as well not be there).  Very poor concessions.  I could go on.  The program deserves better. 

6.  Central may have the ability to win out, but it will be tough, and the loss at home to what should have been an inferior team from an inferior conference pretty much dooms any hope of making the playoffs.  Wartburg won't be challenged, let alone beaten twice. 

[notlongago]

A few  oobservations from Pella...

1.  Central's strategy was to try to keep the game close by running the ball and clock.  They got off to a good start, and had a chance to go up 14 - 0.  Curious call on 3rd and short resulted in a sack and a missed field goal (wind was howling out of the west, making kicking tough).  Would have been interesting to see how close they could have kept it had they been able to go up 14-0. 

2.  Wartburg looks the part of a very good football team.  Central would have had to play flawlessly to beat them.  Not sure how we find ourselves at that sort of disadvantage.

3.  Central has no ability to stretch the field. 

4.  Central has a sweet new video board that doesn't show replays (I'm assuming other conference video boards do?)...this is new to me, so I really don't know. 

5.  The college continues to put on as poor of a game day experience as they possibly can.  No pre-game atmosphere promoted, no excitement in game (pep band plays "one-liners" exclusively now...they may as well not be there).  Very poor concessions.  I could go on.  The program deserves better. 

6.  Central may have the ability to win out, but it will be tough, and the loss at home to what should have been an inferior team from an inferior conference pretty much dooms any hope of making the playoffs.  Wartburg won't be challenged, let alone beaten twice.

You're about everything except #6. Central was the inferior team vs Monmouth. Central was dominated by them and would be in 7/10 games. Simply put, Central is just not very good right now. They don't have one single unit that can be called a strength.

[Willie University]

Notlongago, I may not like everything you say but you are pretty spot on with most stuff 

[Phred]

The last few posts give a mediocre view of the current DUTCH team.  This week they play Luther which folks have laughed at as a "throw-back" to a bygone era.  UD radio, I was told by an alum, kept putting down the Norse for the first half (score LC 21-UD 7). 

Luther plays Central for their Homecoming.  DUTCH have had trouble at LC for the Homecoming game on occasion.

So.......Norse will win over Dutch on Saturday.....a grind it out game.

Other prophecies coming.......

[doolittledog]

The last few posts give a mediocre view of the current DUTCH team.  This week they play Luther which folks have laughed at as a "throw-back" to a bygone era.  UD radio, I was told by an alum, kept putting down the Norse for the first half (score LC 21-UD 7). 

Luther plays Central for their Homecoming.  DUTCH have had trouble at LC for the Homecoming game on occasion.

So.......Norse will win over Dutch on Saturday.....a grind it out game.

Other prophecies coming.......

Well now I'm going to have to listen to the UD broadcast to see if what you are saying is true.  It's archived on their site.  I suspect it's a case of someone hearing what they wanted to hear so they could take offense.  Last year the UD radio guys really talked Luther up, while they did say it was an offense from a bygone era they also said it's a tough offense to prepare for because no one else runs it.  The color guy told the pbp that while it might make him nostalgic for old Oklahoma and Nebraska games, it was a nightmare for coaches because so few of their players have ever seen that offense run.   

[D3Dutchman]

A few  oobservations from Pella...

1.  Central's strategy was to try to keep the game close by running the ball and clock.  They got off to a good start, and had a chance to go up 14 - 0.  Curious call on 3rd and short resulted in a sack and a missed field goal (wind was howling out of the west, making kicking tough).  Would have been interesting to see how close they could have kept it had they been able to go up 14-0. 

2.  Wartburg looks the part of a very good football team.  Central would have had to play flawlessly to beat them.  Not sure how we find ourselves at that sort of disadvantage.

3.  Central has no ability to stretch the field. 

4.  Central has a sweet new video board that doesn't show replays (I'm assuming other conference video boards do?)...this is new to me, so I really don't know. 

5.  The college continues to put on as poor of a game day experience as they possibly can.  No pre-game atmosphere promoted, no excitement in game (pep band plays "one-liners" exclusively now...they may as well not be there).  Very poor concessions.  I could go on.  The program deserves better. 

6.  Central may have the ability to win out, but it will be tough, and the loss at home to what should have been an inferior team from an inferior conference pretty much dooms any hope of making the playoffs.  Wartburg won't be challenged, let alone beaten twice.

You're about everything except #6. Central was the inferior team vs Monmouth. Central was dominated by them and would be in 7/10 games. Simply put, Central is just not very good right now. They don't have one single unit that can be called a strength.

Yeah, I'm not saying they are better than Monmouth.  While I didn't see the game, I believe you.  I'm just saying Central should be be better 10/10 times every year.  Makes me wonder what some of the root issues are. 

[Floyd in Iowa City]

The last few posts give a mediocre view of the current DUTCH team.  This week they play Luther which folks have laughed at as a "throw-back" to a bygone era.  UD radio, I was told by an alum, kept putting down the Norse for the first half (score LC 21-UD 7). 

Luther plays Central for their Homecoming.  DUTCH have had trouble at LC for the Homecoming game on occasion.

So.......Norse will win over Dutch on Saturday.....a grind it out game.

Other prophecies coming.......

Well now I'm going to have to listen to the UD broadcast to see if what you are saying is true.  It's archived on their site.  I suspect it's a case of someone hearing what they wanted to hear so they could take offense.  Last year the UD radio guys really talked Luther up, while they did say it was an offense from a bygone era they also said it's a tough offense to prepare for because no one else runs it.  The color guy told the pbp that while it might make him nostalgic for old Oklahoma and Nebraska games, it was a nightmare for coaches because so few of their players have ever seen that offense run.   

It has been fun to watch so far this season!  I still wonder how they will recruit over the long haul, but I had those questions when they were running "modern" offense under Coach Durnin.

Navy seems to do well running option these days.

Those Oklahoma and Nebraska teams played GREAT offense until they played each other or played Miami in the Orange Bowl.

I am not a Nebraska fan, but I loved the hammer job that they put on Florida for the national title around 1995.  Physical football versus Spurrier's throwing team.  Florida was a little hyped that season as well.

The only non-Midwest game from that time that tops that game was when Alabama under Gene Stallings with a great defense just whipped Miami for the national title in the Sugar Bowl around 1992.  That was the beginning of the end for Miami.  They were also a little hyped that season.

Central leads Luther something like 55-22-1 in the all-time series, so the Norse need to play well.

[Klompen]

Central had one bright spot on Saturday and that was an exceptional fake hand off for a long TD to get things started.  That was the best play I have seen from Central in years and was executed flawlessly. 

After that there were some missed opportunities, but Central will rarely be the better team on the field this year.  I think I said earlier that this could be the first season below .500 and I stand by that.  We do have some young talent with great potential, but they are young.  The defense has a lot of work ahead of them in closing holes big enough for an entire offense to run through.  I don't mean to be down on the Dutch, but my red blinders are a bit broken.  Someone asked how this team compared to last year's and right now, they are not as good.  Again, they have some excellent young players that will bode well for the future, but this is not going to be an easy year for us Dutch fans.  This will be the year that Satan has to shovel snow as the Dutch will actually look forward to the end of the football season and the start of men's basketball.  Schipper and Levick are gone and the schools are getting confused on their identity.

But I still love football the most, so am hoping those young players step up quickly.  You know, like the TD pass reception by Sam Markham in the second half.  Also have to give props to Eiseler who was back in starting QB shape at the start of the game and kept getting banged up and limping again, but kept going back in and made it to the start of the line for shaking hands after the game when he had to be hurting physically and emotionally.  Nice that his parents were there to see that awesome fake hand off TD though.

[Phred]

A shot in the dark....

BV over Loras.  Loras is still coming, but Bobby Brown,s arm will win it.  Loras will throw a ton of passes.

WARTBURG over COE.........Knights keep rolling for now.  Will they ever slip?  Good team !!

Norse over Dutch.  Central has been the better team by far over the years.  But Norse have surprised them at Luther,s Homecoming game.

Simpson over Dubuque.  Spartans still reeling from last week.  Storm should win but game is in Dubuque making it close.

[footballdaddy]

Just popping back in after a way too long if an abscence. Very pleased with Wartburg's performance this year. Very puzzled with Central's. Any ideas why?

[doolittledog]

A shot in the dark....

BV over Loras.  Loras is still coming, but Bobby Brown,s arm will win it.  Loras will throw a ton of passes.

WARTBURG over COE.........Knights keep rolling for now.  Will they ever slip?  Good team !!

Norse over Dutch.  Central has been the better team by far over the years.  But Norse have surprised them at Luther,s Homecoming game.

Simpson over Dubuque.  Spartans still reeling from last week.  Storm should win but game is in Dubuque making it close.

BVU/Loras Sounds about right

Wartburg/Coe...sounds about right.  Undefeated non-con + road wins against Central and Coe would have to make the Knights feel pretty good about life and their place in the universe

Norse over the Dutch???  That sounds plausible

Simpson over Dubuque???  Sadly, that sounds like a good pick.  My hopes are Stan lights a fire under his team + me and the Mrs in attendance + UD homecoming leads to a Spartan victory.  We'll have a good time with friends either way 

[doolittledog]

Just popping back in after a way too long if an abscence. Very pleased with Wartburg's performance this year. Very puzzled with Central's. Any ideas why?

Any Wartburg old timers going to be around for the Wartburg/Dubuque game?  My sons football season will be over by then and my daughter is demanding I take her to another game in Waverly!

[warthog]

I can understand St. Ambrose leaving their current NAIA conference. It is fairly weak. I wish instead of joining the Chicagoland Conference, they had bitten the bullet, become a NCAA institution, and joined the  Iowa Conference. It would have been a good move for all concerned. The IIAC would have gained an outpost here in SE Iowa and SAU could have improved their athletics.

Now that Morningside is doing well in NAIA football, is there any chance they would leave and become NCAA D3? It would be great to have the far east and the far west sides of the state covered by IIAC teams.

St. Ambrose moving to the NCAA would also provide the opportunity for Augustana and St. Ambrose to play non-conference games on a regular basis. This would be great for the colleges and for the Quad Cities.