FB: American Rivers Conference

[notlongago]

Congrats Knights.  You dudes were tough.  We were very fortunate to get a W out of it.  Good luck in the future.

Why do non team members/coaches use "we"? It's you, it's them.

[D3MAFAN]

Congrats to Wartburg on a great season, you guys played tough and in my opinion was the best team and think that if both teams were healthy and played 10 times, you would win 7 out of 10 on a neutral field. It was such a shame to see your quarterback get injured on the low hit, he is amazing. Your guys did not waiver until very late (kudos to UW-W for taking advantage). I was just wondering why the wide receiver became quarterback and not quarterback that could throw more effectively. I think putting the initial quarterback back in the game did not help at all. Nevertheless, great game, good luck going forward, hopefully you guys reload and continue defying odds.

[wartknight]

Congrats Knights.  You dudes were tough.  We were very fortunate to get a W out of it.  Good luck in the future.

Why do non team members/coaches use "we"? It's you, it's them.

He's just a fan/alum, etc of his school/team. Pretty sure I have used the term before & it has been more than awhile since I put the pads on. Geez!

[badgerwarhawk]

Why do non team members/coaches use "we"? It's you, it's them.

When "we're" winning it's "we" and "us."  When "they're" losing it's "they" and "them."   

[doolittledog]

Congrats Knights.  You dudes were tough.  We were very fortunate to get a W out of it.  Good luck in the future.

Why do non team members/coaches use "we"? It's you, it's them.

He's just a fan/alum, etc of his school/team. Pretty sure I have used the term before & it has been more than awhile since I put the pads on. Geez!

Such a long while...team photos were in black & white 

[bleedpurple]

Congrats Knights.  You dudes were tough.  We were very fortunate to get a W out of it.  Good luck in the future.

Why do non team members/coaches use "we"? It's you, it's them.

He's just a fan/alum, etc of his school/team. Pretty sure I have used the term before & it has been more than awhile since I put the pads on. Geez!

Well explained Wartknight. I doubt seriously any Knight players take issue with wartknight saying "we". I'm pretty sure no UW-W players take issue with BW or me saying "we". So, yeah, geez!

[Klompen]

Congrats to the knights on representing the conference so well in the playoffs.  Hope it helps bring back some respect to OUR conference.  From a non-team member or coach.

Time for basketball, where WE (The Dutch) are looking really good.  Oops, didn't play that sport either.  Don't care.  It's my team, I cheer them on so I hope WE win the conference again.

[NewKnightDad]

Congrats to Wartburg on a great season, you guys played tough and in my opinion was the best team and think that if both teams were healthy and played 10 times, you would win 7 out of 10 on a neutral field. It was such a shame to see your quarterback get injured on the low hit, he is amazing. Your guys did not waiver until very late (kudos to UW-W for taking advantage). I was just wondering why the wide receiver became quarterback and not quarterback that could throw more effectively. I think putting the initial quarterback back in the game did not help at all. Nevertheless, great game, good luck going forward, hopefully you guys reload and continue defying odds.

Jacobsmeier and Schrader used to work a 2 QB system at Wartburg I believe just last year.

[Spurrier]

Per ESPN...conference realignment has Cincinnati and Dubuque joining the big 12 as soon as next week.

[doolittledog]

2015 non-con that I could find on the conference website.  Update if you know more.

BVU
09/26 - Presentation

Coe
09/05 - Wheaton
09/12 - Cornell
09/19 - @ UW-Stevens Point
09/26 - BYE

Dubuque
09/05 - @ St Johns
09/12 - UW-Platteville
09/19 - @ Pacific
09/26 - BYE

Luther
09/12 - St Olaf
09/19 - @ Grinnell

Simpson
09/12 - UW-River Falls
09/19 - @ Illinois Wesleyan

Wartburg
09/05 - @ Augsburg
09/12 - @ Bethel
09/19 - UW-Stout
09/26 - BYE

[notlongago]

Now that the dust has settled, let's discuss biggest surprises, biggest disappointments, etc.

Preseason:

Rank   School (1st place votes)   Points   2013 Record
1    Wartburg (7)    56    9-3, 6-1 IIAC
T2    Coe    43    7-3, 4-3 IIAC
T2    Dubuque    43    5-5, 4-3 IIAC
4    Central (1)    37    6-4, 4-3 IIAC
5    Simpson    34    7-3, 5-2 IIAC
6    Buena Vista    33    4-6, 4-3 IIAC
7    Luther    20    2-8, 1-6 IIAC
8    Loras    14    1-9, 0-7 IIAC

Final
School   IIAC   Pct.   All   Pct.   Home   Away   Neutral   Streak
Wartburg -x (5/4)   7-0   1.000   12-1   0.923   7-0   5-1   0-0   L1
Central   6-1   0.857   8-2   0.800   4-2   4-0   0-0   W6
Buena Vista   4-3   0.571   5-5   0.500   2-3   3-2   0-0   L3
Coe   4-3   0.571   5-5   0.500   2-3   3-2   0-0   W1
Dubuque   3-4   0.429   4-6   0.400   3-2   1-4   0-0   L1
Luther   2-5   0.286   5-5   0.500   3-2   2-3   0-0   W1
Loras   2-5   0.286   3-7   0.300   2-2   1-5   0-0   L1
Simpson   0-7   0.000   3-7   0.300   2-4   1-3   0-0   L7


To me, Wartburg's success wasn't a surprise. Central finishing alone in 2nd was one of the bigger surprises to me, but the biggest surprise to me was seeing DBQ have such a poor season (then again, I guess I shouldn't be too shocked. Outside of a generational player, and another outstanding QB, DBQ has been bad or mediocre). I guess I thought Simpson would be a contender this year, and I was very wrong on that one.

[doolittledog]

Now that the dust has settled, let's discuss biggest surprises, biggest disappointments, etc.

Sounds a little strange to list the defending champ...and the team everyone picked to repeat as champ as the biggest surprise, but Wartburg does at least belong on that list.  From winning 3 tough non-con games, to dominating every conference game, to coming oh so close to winning @UW-Whitewater, I didn't see that coming.  The rest of the conference has some catching up to do to even get close to Wartburg this next season.  Better get recruiting and hitting the gym, because this team is built to repeat.

Biggest disappointment for me would be Simpson.  Alone in 2nd place last year, looked to be gaining on Central in reputation and recruiting, started off 3-0 against decent non-con teams, then goes 0-7 in conference play.  Not a good year to go 0-7 when your neighbor Central then went 6-1 in conference play.  That could set the Storm back a ways.

Honorable mention disappointment for me would be Dubuque.  I was expecting more than 3-4 in conference play.  The past 3 years the Spartans biggest conference loss had only been by 7 points and in each of their losses they had held 4th quarter leads.  I thought this might be the year they grew into a team that finished off those close games with wins.  Instead we saw 2 games where the Spartans were blown out, and numerous other games where the offense struggled or the defense that had been playing well would give up a stupid penalty to let a drive continue.     

[Outside the Crate]

It has to be said, UWW's victory in the Stagg Bowl really validates the exceptional quality of the Wartburg team, but I find myself still kind of depressed by the realization of what could have been...  In any case, this all elevates the Iowa Conference, too.  Like most others, Wartburg built this team around Iowans.

[warthog]

So what should it look like in the final D3 football rankings.

UWW obviously is #1

In their final three games UWW beat Wartburg by 4, Linfield by 6, Mount Union by 9.
In their first two playoff games they won by 53 & 24 points.

Mount Union won their first four playoff games by 60, 67, 8 (John Carroll), and 49.

Based on this it seems the West region was strong.  Some of the others, not so much.

One would have to feel Wartburg & Linfield need to be quite a ways up the pecking order in the final analysis. Maybe 3 & 4?

[wartknight]

So what should it look like in the final D3 football rankings.

UWW obviously is #1

In their final three games UWW beat Wartburg by 4, Linfield by 6, Mount Union by 9.
In their first two playoff games they won by 53 & 24 points.

Mount Union won their first four playoff games by 60, 67, 8 (John Carroll), and 49.

Based on this it seems the West region was strong.  Some of the others, not so much.

One would have to feel Wartburg & Linfield need to be quite a ways up the pecking order in the final analysis. Maybe 3 & 4?

2 & 2A