FB: American Rivers Conference

[lorbec47]

If anyone in here thought UD had talented players last year, you haven't seen anything yet. That Beleus (Spel?) had 237 all-purpose yards against Loras. I'm not even joking. He's the fastest D-3 kid probably in the country. It's not a surprise he was returning kicks for Iowa.

KoHawk--Hall played the whole game, and I saw him 2 hours after the game and he was walking around fine. I'm assuming he's fine, but I haven't heard anything further.

[Walston Hoover]

I'm still thinking what I was thinking last night.
I was pretty happy with the overall performance Saturday, minus the penalties.
Negative-fumbles
Positive-No luther touchdowns after the sudden change
I thought the defense flew to the football very well and is one of the faster units that we've had the past few years.  A lot of guys getting there first chance there so I think the sky is the limit for our D.
142 of Luther's yards came on the first and last drive of the game.
The first drive I thought we were flat and Luther had some nice running plays (Maybe due to the 20 minute delay for the ambulance to leave with the Luther Cheerleader (is she alright, btw?)
The last drive when the game was already out of reach.
I felt like Wartburg dominated the second half, and I really think credit goes to the coaching staff for that. I felt like Luther was totally outcoached in the second half and was very dissappointed with the playcalling for the Norse. (A swing pass on 4th and 8?)
ALthough the final stats don't show it, I felt Luther really struggled to run the football which (pardon the cliche) really made them one-dimensional.
Lamos had 4 carries for 54 yards on the first drive and had 6 carries for 5 yards the rest of the game.
With the exception of chucking the ball up to the tall receiver, I just didn't think Luther had playmakers on offense.
I am very pleased with Bauder as QB so far. Nothing flashy at all, but doesn't force too much and very efficient. Very safe throws and although not Vince Young, adds the ability to make something happen with his feet.
For the second game in a row, the O line wore down the defense. Of course having a 2-1 advantage in TOP the second half will help that.
Kicking game has improved 10 fold from last year and still can be better. WIth the exception of one bad kickoff that led to a good return, our coverage was solid, we had decent returns on punt and kickoff, and made our extra points. We could be looking at the other side of the coin and be in Luther's special teams room this week.
Bottom line is we handled a team that felt they would be the favorites to win the conference this year and presumable was fighting for their lives for a chance yet.
As it is, Luther is now 1-3 and certainly won't finish better than 6-4 and I would guess 5-5. I guess things aren't as good up north as some would try to have us believe.
THoughts on Central later. I can't wait, but this game scares me.

[dbljay21]

As it is, Luther is now 1-3 and certainly won't finish better than 6-4 and I would guess 5-5. I guess things aren't as good up north as some would try to have us believe.

One point to make here, Walston.  Tyler Sherden is not playing this season after having surgery in the summer (I forget what he had surgery on but he chose to have it in the summer so he could run track this season).  I am not making an excuse for the Norse, they got outplayed by the Knights on Saturday, but I know anyone on this board who has seen Sherden run the ball would agree that he is a playmaker and the Norse offense would have a completely different look with #28 in the backfield.  He has received a medical redshirt for this season and will be eligible to play next year.  Hopefully the Norse will be able to rebound from the two early conference losses and finish strong.

[lboogie99]

Lorbec,
My little bro plays for Loras, and he is pretty good friends with your brother
plus i was a Sr when you bro was a Fr, and i thought he was a pretty good player then

[Walston Hoover]

I think Sherden is an excellent player. But wasn't it pretty common knowledge that he wouldn't be around this year? at least around June or so. I think that was when I heard it. I thought Lamos was supposed to be very good as well, and he was stellar on the first drive, when Luther OL seemed to be creating some holes. I thought they played very poorly after that first drive though, certainly not like a team with their backs against the wall conference-wise.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I felt like Wartburg dominated the second half, and I really think credit goes to the coaching staff for that. I felt like Luther was totally outcoached in the second half and was very dissappointed with the playcalling for the Norse. (A swing pass on 4th and 8?)
ALthough the final stats don't show it, I felt Luther really struggled to run the football which (pardon the cliche) really made them one-dimensional.
Lamos had 4 carries for 54 yards on the first drive and had 6 carries for 5 yards the rest of the game.
With the exception of chucking the ball up to the tall receiver, I just didn't think Luther had playmakers on offense.
Bottom line is we handled a team that felt they would be the favorites to win the conference this year and presumable was fighting for their lives for a chance yet.
As it is, Luther is now 1-3 and certainly won't finish better than 6-4 and I would guess 5-5. I guess things aren't as good up north as some would try to have us believe.

Who said Luther would be the favorites to win the league, Walston?  I had the Norse rated somewhere around 3rd or 4th in the league, and the IIAC preview had the Norse rated 4th.  It has even been pretty consistent on this board that Central and Coe are the favorites this year. 

The Luther Offense did not block, throw the ball, or call plays like an offense that was 0-1 in the league and playing a rival that would actually throw a bomb on the last play of the game.  It looked like the Luther Offense was just content in the 2nd quarter to be in the game instead of attacking the Knights around the Wartburg 40 just before the half.

Congrats to the Knights on the win though.

[lorbec47]

Ok Boogie--Now I got ya. It's good to see your bro back on the field! That's tough getting injured that early in camp, but at least he's got the majority of his senior year left. I know working at the Loras camp this summer I saw him out on the track many mornings putting in his time. I sure hope it pays off, and he stays injury-free the rest of the way.

Loras definitely needs to play a controlled ball game again this Saturday. It will be a tough one. Forcing 5 turnovers would certainly help that along, although I saw that Coe didn't commit one against BV this past week.

[dbljay21]

Yeah it was known that Sherden wasn't going to be around this year.  The point I was making is that you can't replace the production you get from a talent like Sherden.  Sherden is one of those guys that is a threat to score every time he touches the ball from anywhere on the field.  Lamos is a very good back, but Sherden is a difference maker.    

[lorbec47]

Picks for the week--

I'm going to go gut this weekend--

BV puts together some 'O' against Cornell
UD doesn't turn it over 5 times and beats Luther
Central uses the 2 weeks prep to beat Wartburg
Loras sneaks one out against Coe.

I'm going against the grain with some of these, but what the heck.

[Cochuck]

As it is, Luther is now 1-3 and certainly won't finish better than 6-4 and I would guess 5-5. I guess things aren't as good up north as some would try to have us believe.

One point to make here, Walston.  Tyler Sherden is not playing this season after having surgery in the summer (I forget what he had surgery on but he chose to have it in the summer so he could run track this season).  I am not making an excuse for the Norse, they got outplayed by the Knights on Saturday, but I know anyone on this board who has seen Sherden run the ball would agree that he is a playmaker and the Norse offense would have a completely different look with #28 in the backfield.  He has received a medical redshirt for this season and will be eligible to play next year.  Hopefully the Norse will be able to rebound from the two early conference losses and finish strong.

Why do we always have to here about Sherden?  Can't Luther get some other guys to start making some plays?  Coe looses their starting 1st Team all-conference QB in the preseason and you don't see them making excuses.  They just keep on keep'n on........

[Walston Hoover]

Consistent on this board, yes. Consistent in other places I've heard things from? Not so much.
What's wrong with throwing the ball on 3rd and 7?

[Floyd in Iowa City]

I think Sherden is an excellent player. But wasn't it pretty common knowledge that he wouldn't be around this year? at least around June or so. I think that was when I heard it. I thought Lamos was supposed to be very good as well, and he was stellar on the first drive, when Luther OL seemed to be creating some holes. I thought they played very poorly after that first drive though, certainly not like a team with their backs against the wall conference-wise.

I agree that Sherden is not an excuse this season.  His situation was known on the Luther campus since last spring.

Only 6 carries for the starting RB after the 1st drive had to be very frustrating since it was only a 14-3 game late in the 4th quarter.  They ran for 150 as a team, but that does not tell the story of how that game went.  WR Pearson also had to be frustrated since some things really were not sharp in the passing game around the pocket as many of his routes were open.  I am trying to be reserved in talking about the Norse Offense.  No one should be happy with what happened to drop the team to 1-3.

They have played a front-heavy schedule, but they haven't beaten anyone that was tough.

St. Olaf is still the best team and clearly the best offense that Luther has played this year, but I thought the Knight Defense was the better than the Ole Defense and that the Knight Secondary was clearly better than the Oles.  

The Luther Defense came to play against both Coe and Wartburg.  I didn't go to the Coe game, but the Luther Defense played pretty well against Wartburg as both the Knights and Norse struggled on offense for most of the game.  Wartburg had 104 yards and 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter while Luther had 127 yards and 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter.  This was really a 14-3 game and neither offense should feel very good about how they are going to match up with Central.  Wartburg should feel a little better though since they won the game.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

As it is, Luther is now 1-3 and certainly won't finish better than 6-4 and I would guess 5-5. I guess things aren't as good up north as some would try to have us believe.

One point to make here, Walston.  Tyler Sherden is not playing this season after having surgery in the summer (I forget what he had surgery on but he chose to have it in the summer so he could run track this season).  I am not making an excuse for the Norse, they got outplayed by the Knights on Saturday, but I know anyone on this board who has seen Sherden run the ball would agree that he is a playmaker and the Norse offense would have a completely different look with #28 in the backfield.  He has received a medical redshirt for this season and will be eligible to play next year.  Hopefully the Norse will be able to rebound from the two early conference losses and finish strong.

Why do we always have to here about Sherden?  Can't Luther get some other guys to start making some plays?  Coe looses their starting 1st Team all-conference QB in the preseason and you don't see them making excuses.  They just keep on keep'n on........

Not till someone beats you guys, then I am sure someone will say something.   Luther fans have had plenty of time to talk about Sherden since they have already lost three games.

I haven't talked about Sherden in reference to these games all year.  There is enough talent on the Luther team to be at least 2-2 right now and 1-1 in the league.  1-1 at this point was my realistic goal coming into the season since the schedule was tougher at the start.

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Consistent on this board, yes. Consistent in other places I've heard things from? Not so much.
What's wrong with throwing the ball on 3rd and 7?

It is not unusual for a few fans or even a couple players to talk about a championship before the season as many schools have hopes.  The main thing I have seen is people like me thinking Luther was going to be a tough team to beat on a weekly basis.  I think title talk at Luther has been pretty quiet this year compared to going into 2005 when Luther was picked 2nd based on Sherden and Pearson and what they did in 2004.  Title talk for football on the Luther campus has actually been pretty quiet for about 15 years, and rightly so.

If the tables were turned and Luther was throwing a bomb with 23 seconds left up 11 points, I am sure the Wartburg crowd and team would have been going nuts and talking about how classless Luther and Coach Hefty are.  That's okay with me that Wartburg did that as the Norse only have themselves to blame for being behind 11 points.

Illinois used to do that stuff to Iowa in football, but Iowa doesn't let it happen anymore since the Illini have lost four in a row to the Hawks.

[lboogie99]

Lorbec,
 Thanks it definitely is good to see him playing again, cause he did bust his ass.  Well let's hope both our bros stay healthy and LC can keep rolling out W's