FB: American Rivers Conference

[Purple Heys]

Let the debate begin and the fur fly...these are my predictions, not any intent to diss your favorite school.

IIAC Leading Rusher:  Schuring, Central.  Hard to expect anyone else will even get close.  Even if Suckow is the #1 RB at Wartburg, numbers and yards/carry don't suggest he will challenge.  Hardman at Cornell will surprise some folks because I think their O-Line is improved, but the Wing-T spreads the ball around.

IIAC Leading Passer:  Whoever is playing QB at Luther...or maybe Jackson, UD.  Nobody else throws very much in the Black and Blue Conference of D3.  You'd think the ghosts of Hayes and Schembechler spend their eternal Saturdays watching IIAC football, the way it was meant to be played

IIAC Leading Receiver:  Whoever is catching the ball from the Luther QB...see above.

Leading Tackler: Mashburn, DU; Pierce, BV; Gustafson, Cornell...last years leaders, no reason to expect any dropoff from any of these young men.


More on next post...

[Purple Heys]

Replying to Davedevine about the Wing-T minicircus.

See, I used to think the same thing about the Wing-T.  When I was a kid playing Pee Wee football I actually played against teams that played the Single Wing!

I have seen all sorts of gadget offenses.  My college team played against Mouse Davis' Portland State team the year after he put in the Run-n-Shoot.  Talk about a mincircus.  They scored over 100 points in a game that year.

Later, as a coach and I reflected on those things, it taught me that you need to coach to your personnel.

The Wing-T is an offense that does not depend on having a behemoth O-Line or a QB that can throw the ball like Elway.  The Wing -T is an execution, misdirection offense.  Teams like the Air Force Academy ran it because they could get the kind of athletes that other D1 schools get and therefore could not compete nose up.  They had to attack at angles...classic military strategy when your strength is not overwhelming to your opposition.

High School is the same way...most teams don't recruit, so they play with what they've got...the Wing-T is a good fit.

Cornell is a perfect candidate for the Wing-T.  They seem to not, typically, get the same type of players the other schools are (for now) getting.

But they've got intelligent kids and since many High School run that offense, there is a steady supply of more that type of player available to Coach Dillon.

I used to not like it...but then somebody put a Wing-T seed pod next to my bed one night and now it seems so reasonable to me....

[MNbeev]

New to the postpatterns, so I am gonna take a dabble and give a reply to the questions above.

Who's gonna be the leader rusher in the IIAC?   Schuring from Central, they are gonna give him the ball to do what he does best.  and stepping out on a limp here, but McCarron or Clayton, either of the two have potential.

Leading passer?  I agree, who ever is QB at Luther, also keep your eyes on Hawkins from BV.  Tons of returning WR's, but needs protection.

Leading receiver?  Kaufmann from BV, McIntosh from Dub. 

Leading tackler? Pierce from BV.

Who are the players to watch.  Pierce BV, Jamar Jackson (fun to watch and play against), Suckow.

How about IIAC order of finsh and records...anyone care to go out on a limb on that?
I need more time to ponder this one.

[DutchHawk]

Rusher - Schuring, I just dont think there is anyone near his caliber as a proven RB in the league this year with Hammes gone and Sherden coming off that much down time and a serious hamstring injury.

Passer - I dont think you cant grant it to Luther just because they had an exceptional QB/receiver combo last year, I think Jackson from DBQ takes this.

Receiver - Duchman maybe if they find someone to get him the ball, otherwise I dont know many big name receivers. Huisman from Central has ability.

TAckler - Mashburn, Pierce, the kid from cornell, and Lehn Central.

[knightlife06]

Rusher- Sherdon, yeah he had a year off but with Luther's inexperienced QB they will be back to the way they were WITH Sherdon in '05.  I like Schuring but Central has more weapons.

Passer- Jackson, UDub does a nice job of dumping the ball downfield.  I don't think the new Luther QB will be as successful as last year's.

Reciever- McIntosh from UDub.  He's a real nice weapon for the Spartans.

Tackler- Pierce, I'm not sure if BV's SID pads these guys' stats or what but it always seems like there's a Beaver at, or near the top, in tackles.  I think Lehn is the best, and we'll see how good Suckow will be at Wartburg (Iowa transfer) but Pierce will be on the field longer.

[Spartan111]

Rushing - I'll take Schuring from Central as he as the experience and a solid o-line to go with it

Passer - Jackson from UD or whoever is running the show at Luther as they seem to like to spread the ball out

Receiver - McIntosh or Suckow

Tackler - Hurts to say it, but I'll take Brock Hall from Loras, seems he's forgotten about while playing for the DuHawks.  single handedly won the game for Loras last year and a few others from what I hear 

[KoHawk01]

Rushing - Schuring .... obviously lol

Passing wise I think I have to go with Jermar Jackson from UD as he has McIntosh to throw the ball to, one heck of a weapon

Receiving - McIntosh

Defensively - I like Hall from Loras, I think he's the most dominant of the LB's in the conference

ONLY A FEW MORE WEEKS!

[DutchHawk]

Maybe we could get some of our preseason picks going on here. Who will finish where and what not. Might as well even through in preseason MVP and COY just  for the heck of it??

2 WEEKS!!

[davedevine]

Walston, I'm watching NFL Network and Jim Mora is on talking right now. I read your post about playoffs and started laughing because my friends and i always make fun of Mora's press conference when asked about his team making the playoffs... 
To the state's credit, they aren't calling the first round of what we used to call "playoffs" the "Playoffs".][/quote]

everyone has to know what i'm talking about with Mora. "Playoffs!? Playoffs!?, we're talking about the playoffs?! "  granted reading it on a chat board isn't nearly as funny as watching and hearing it on TV..

when i was in school i thought it was 8 districts of 8 teams in 1A,2A, &3A and 4A used to be like 48 schools?  regardless, if they think having 1/2 of the teams qualify for the playoffs is a good thing, I sure don't see it. 

Taylor Anderson who I played with at WB is the son- in -law of the IAHSAA president, so maybe i'll get some info from him. 
dutchhawk, you were partially correct.  Denver was 2A my Freshman & Sr. year and 1A soph/jr years.. they were always on the border when districts were alligned every 2 years.. i believe AP and Dike were in similar situations

[Walston Hoover]

When you and I were in school Dave, there were 12 districts of 8 teams in 1A and 2A which made 12 auto and 4 at-large in the playoffs which is how the point system came about. 3A and then I believe A had 8 districts so all champs and runners up got in.
Due to sharing arrangements and 8-man football, there are a LOT fewer schools in 1A and 2A now.
I was in 2A all 4 years at A-P but since a year after I graduated I believe they have been 1A.

[Charlie Kohawk]

Hey, how about some actual IIAC football talk?   Enough of the who's academics are better already.

Amen to that, and other things.

Who's gonna be the leader rusher in the IIAC? If you mean leading rusher, I'll take Schuring, but Sherden scares me.
Leading passer? Andy Tekippe baby! Caught a bit of practice this AM and he looked sharp.
Leading receiver? Kelvin Lee.
Leading tackler? Tate Harrison.
Who are the players to watch? Tommy Brietbach.

How about IIAC order of finsh and records...anyone care to go out on a limb on that? Despite what you may think, Coe will contend.

[DutchFan2004]

Charlie,

I think Coe will put a good fight with everyone.  I don't think that one player means doom for the Kohawks at all.  Tekippe scares me he did a good job two years ago before being injured.  The unknown there to me is if Coe can replace the lineman they lost.  If that happens and Tekippe has some time then he can find an open guy IMHO.

Rusher  Schuring

Passer to many to pick Tekippe, Jackson, and Connell will put up some numbers too.

Tackler Lehn

Receiver  tuff choice but the Mcintosh kid from DU

Players to watch I will put Brett Doud out there.  Returns and d back. 

[orange]

Rusher:  Schuring - Central
Passing:  Jackson - Dubuque
Receiving:  McIntosh - Dubuque
Tackling:  Pierce - BV

Most interesting to watch :  Neil Suckow - Wartburg 

Most underestimated team (thus far, except by Wartburg):  Dubuque

[DutchHawk]

The great thing about the IIAC is that anyone can be anyone on any given week. I dont believe there is an understimated team, especially after DBQ beat wartburg at the burg to close outlast season.

[warthog]

Walston & Dave:

I for one don't like the expanded playoff plan, particularly in 4A.  With only four conferences in this group there is bound to be a couple losing records in the mix. 

Over here in the MAC the season takes on high drama for the teams setting at 5-3 or 6-2 going into the last game.  7-2 gets you in, but 6-3 might not  Last year for instance, the 45-44 overtime final game of the regular season pitting Muscatine and Davenport Assumption became a classic. Two 6-2 teams going toe to toe realizing a win puts you in the dance, but a loss might not.  As scores came trickling in from around eastern Iowa, the fans in the stands knew the losing team was out of the playoffs.  I don't know if the coaches in the booth knew the scores of other games. If they did know the other scores, was that information transferred to the sidelines?  Would this game (A win for the Muskies) became such an event if both teams coming in had known a winning record was a guarantee for the playoffs?  I would like to think so, but if you are planning a five day turn around before the next game - maybe not.