FB: American Rivers Conference

DutchFan2004 · August 03, 2007, 08:29:13 PM

The qb's will be in no special order.

Jackson Dubuque, Tekippe Coe, Connell Central, and everyone else fighting for 4-9. The reason I say that is I am not sure there are any more known QB's I think BV's is known but BV hasn't really produced a lot of yards lately. Hawkins is the BV QB I think. Wartburg is unsettled. Luther has to replace their QB. Loras has not thrown the ball effectively. Simpson rotated some last year. Cornell with the Wing T is more of a running O so he doesn't get huge stats. I think Jackson and Connell will lead the QB rushing. Jackson has had two good years in the past. Tekippe did well two years ago before getting hurt, But that was with Northern, Suchow, and a good O line. Replacements will have to be found but Tekippe is a good QB if Coe can replace the lost players. Connell improved last year and seniors usually are better. All three of the above mentioned are going to be seniors so thats why I feel that they will do well.

DoubleOT · August 03, 2007, 09:04:12 PM

Well it is hard to say who will be the best QB but like Dutchfan said Jackson, Tekippe, and Connell are going to be fighting for the top spot.

Though Luther is going to put out a good QB...I do know they recurited a kid from a top highschool program in CO...and they are known to produce good football players and are all well coached, so he could step right in and be a very productive starter.

Cornell is definitly a more running/misdirection team, and depending on the WR and TE recruits they still may not have too many good players to throw to.

Loras has to get a passing attack first.

Simpson, may be a blackhorse b/c their QBs do have experience, so they could come in and be a top 5 passer...

Wartburg has potential, but thats all it is right now...

BV still needs help in the department, but if Hawkins (if thats who it is) steps up then he can be a force...

warthog · August 04, 2007, 01:24:03 PM

OK, there is much to cover.

Yes, Coe and Cornell have been good additions to the IIAC. Coe provides a competitive athletic program to give the haves a good test in most sports. Cornell provides a non-competitive athletic program to give the have-nots the chance for a win in most sports. I for one would still like Upper Iowa in the league. I wish they had waited just a year or two to see if their campus improvements made a difference in attracting student/athletes and making them a more competitive athletic program. Lets face it, they were holding their own in selected sports (baseball/wrestling). The Peacocks just were not able to maintain a full IIAC slate of competitive teams.

Obviously it is preseason time around here. We get our annual "Cornell will be a force this year." postings. This reminds me, someone posted earlier about how the Rams would be better because such a large percentage of their players were working hard in the weightroom. Excuse me, but why aren't 100% working hard in the weightroom? Perhaps the players at Cornell haven't heard the phrase about championships being earned in the off-season.

Good news for the golfers at the Wartburg Open this week. Team Warthog has been broken up, so some other teams may have a chance to win the putting contest.

I sure hope the predictions for a season ending Central/Wartburg championship game are correct. If the weather holds that would be a great game with a super D3 atmosphere. For sure the Wartmobile will be heading to that one. We could be having the tailgate to end all tailgating experiences.

Speaking of tailgating, what does anyone know about Monmouth and pre-game opportunities? The Wartmobile will be making a season opening trek across the Mighty Mississippi for the contest. I know not all campuses are as receptive to early Saturday pregames as Wartburg, Luther and Loras are.

warthog · August 04, 2007, 01:53:01 PM

CollegeFootballFan:

When a student/athlete chooses his college because he would prefer being a starter to being a winner, it is likely he will be neither.

DoubleOT · August 04, 2007, 03:01:48 PM

As I understand it, Cornell's football team has had 100% commitment duing the 2nd semester, on rare occasions players missed, but it was usually due to illness or academics. Because Cornell gets a large percentage of their players out of state, not as many players would be able to stick around in Mt. Vernon. The question is how many players have been working during the summer. We will just have to wait and see this next year.

Also Warthog, no one has said "Cornell is going to be a force" most of the postings have said the Rams are going to be more competitive this year, and if you look back on last year compared to previous years it is very likely true. Last year the Rams were in many of the conference games, which could prove positive for this next year...

wartknight · August 04, 2007, 03:22:02 PM

Quote from: warthog on August 04, 2007, 01:53:01 PM
CollegeFootballFan:

When a student/athlete chooses his college because he would prefer being a starter to being a winner, it is likely he will be neither.

Warthog - good response - you beat me to the punch. The student athlete needs to determine if the school is a good fit for him taking all things into consideration, not just if he will play right away. I assume that most kids want to play right away, many are just not ready.

CollegeFootballFan · August 04, 2007, 04:12:58 PM

Wart****

Thanks for the advice.

Athletics is not the only consideration. It's just one piece to the puzzle. This board specializes in football athletics. We wanted opinion to gather some background information. We did not mention the other considerations, there are many. We are looking for a match. Things are not simple anymore, they are complex. Now we must find a simple answer.

We want play in a college football program and win as a team. When one of us win, we all win. That's our motto. The program doesn't have to be a winning team now. We will face the challenges with character. We will accept the challenge to earn a position on the field. We are confident in our ability to play football. We don't want to be the best on the team, we want to be the best in the nation. Hopefully somewhere between, we will find happiness.

DoubleOT · August 04, 2007, 04:19:09 PM

I also wanted to just say Good Luck CollegeFootballFan, it sounds like you understand there is a lot to consider, and I hope you find the best fit.

Ash Park · August 04, 2007, 10:27:37 PM

You know I have been reading this site for a long long time and just started posting last year and I have never ever read that someone said that Cornell is going to be a force. Do I want Cornell to be a force? Yes I do and trust me 100% of the players there NOW know since Dillon has taken over, that the off-season is where you win championships. It also helps that Cornell now has one of the best strength coaches in all of D3. Of coures that is my opinion and I'm sure warthog will disagree without even knowing who the guy is or how good of a coach he is.(He is a world power lifting champion by the way) When Reasland was there I bet there were maybe 10-15 guys that actually knew that you had to work in the off-season and busted their asses and tried to get the rest of the team to realize that but the rest of the guys on those teams were like you said just there to play and would just show up and try to start.

Ash Park · August 04, 2007, 10:31:53 PM

Quote from: Ash Park on August 02, 2007, 11:44:03 AM
Yes the commitment from the players this year is something that has not been around for awhile. In years past there was probably a group of 10 guys that were truly committed to the weight room and conditioning, now from what I have seen and heard it is every guy on the team. They had a good number of guys stick around for the summer and working out with the strength coach. They will be a much stronger and more physical team this year.

Notice how I said a good number or how you said it warthog was a large percentage pertained to guys sticking around for the summer. Also note that I said every guy on the team is committed to the weight room and conditioning. That would mean 100% and sorry I didn't clarify but by a much stronger and a more physical team I was saying they will be a much improved team.

Walston Hoover · August 04, 2007, 11:09:03 PM

Tell us more about this "one of the best strength coaches in all of D3".
Does being a world power lifting champion make him that or does he have some coaching accomplishments?
I'm also curious as to what the general feelings are on your head coach after 1 season. You still seam awefully high on a guy that has a losing record his last 3 years of coaching HS ball and won 0 conference games his first year of college.

warthog · August 04, 2007, 11:22:24 PM

AshPark:

Actually the bio on your strength trainer seems impressive. I hope he helps build the Rams into something other than the fulltime conference doormat. It isn't good for the IIAC to have the same college with dismal teams in practically every sport. Dubuque got tired of the distinction and has made some changes to see it doesn't happen to them again.

It is possible I may be mistaken, but I think your strength coach may have been with a group of Cornell staff down at the NCAA D3 wrestling championships in Dubuque. A former member of your Cornell Board of Regents introduced me to several Ram athletic department people between sessions on Saturday. I seem to recognize the person in the web-site picture. Everyone in the Cornell contingent seemed to be very professional & polite people. I know your former regent is pleased to see the committment to the strength program.

Ash Park · August 04, 2007, 11:36:56 PM

Like I said that is my opinion and many others around the program. Those are obviously biased opinions.Last year was his first head job so he hasn't had a chance to have all the accomplishments. I believe the guys is only 25 or 26 yrs old. From what I have seen and talking with others in the area this guy is for real and he is a good coach. Before last season he was a grad assistant for all 17 sports at Illinois State. He has also worked with Coach Doyle down at Iowa.

I would say the general feelings on Dillon are that he is the guy to turn the program around. If after 3 seasons there is no improvement then obviously he isn't the guy and I am wrong. I don't think anyone is going to bail on the guy after 1 season. I don't believe his last 3 years of coaching hs ball were losing seasons. I'm pretty sure he left dowling after 04 then in 05 went to Georgia to take over a HS team that hadn't won a game in two years. He won three games in his 1 year there starting 2 freshmen, 9 sophmores, and 6 juniors against some very good high school talent.

Ash Park · August 04, 2007, 11:44:39 PM

Warthog:

Yeah that is basically all I have been saying that the right changes are being made and there is actually a push for the athletics now to be successful.

DoubleOT · August 04, 2007, 11:47:05 PM

In my opinion the #1 thing that can be said about Coach Dillon, is that he has changed the attitude at Cornell...and that is not just the team, it is the alumni, and the other students. Having only 1 winning season in 8 years, before he came in, that creates a very negative attitude in the players, and school body itself.

Coach Dillon changed that attitude into a positive one. All the players really began believing they could beat any team in the conference, which hasn't been the case in a long time. One of the changes which is happening on campus is that Cornell is putting together a pep band to play at football games, and potentially some basketball games. I know many of the players are looking forward to this, and it is just one way they are getting the students back to the games.

The Rams new strength coach is Jeremy Frey, he has helped with the players commitment in the offseason, and has made many of the players faster and stronger, below is Cornell's webpage on him.

http://cornellcollege.edu/athletics/strength/Coachingstaff.shtml