FB: American Rivers Conference

[Fannosaurus Rex]

St. John's has won ten straight games against the IIAC over the last 20 years, all playoff games.  At some point the streak has to be broken. Is it this year?  In my opinion the fate of the Johnnies rests on Kofed's shoulders.  If he throws the ball well (sets up) and  is relatively mistake and  turnover free I think the Johnnies win easily 35 -14.  Kofed to me is two difference quarterbacks.  When he has good mechanics he does well.  If he tries to do too much and gets sloppy on his throws, (which he has a tendency to do) he will give away field position and points and  it will be a close game.     The  Johnnie  D is always tough in the post season especially in the red zone and will keep the game close.   

I didn't check your "ten straight" fact however, this year is the 20th anniversary of Central's 13-3 quarter-final play-off win over St Johns.  Please try to be precise in the five remaining days you have in THE CENTRAL BRACKET.

[DuffMan]

From the sounds of it, it might be the Johnnie fans who are going in overconfident. 

Good thing we have no bearing on the game, eh?

[SJU09]

I didn't check your "ten straight" fact however, this year is the 20th anniversary of Central's 13-3 quarter-final play-off win over St Johns.  Please try to be precise in the five remaining days you have in THE CENTRAL BRACKET

1989 SIMPSON, Iowa W, 42-35
1989 at Central, Iowa W, 27-24
1991 COE, Iowa W, 75-2
1993 COE, Iowa W, 32-14
1994 WARTBURG, Iowa W, 42-14
1996 SIMPSON, Iowa# W, 21-18
1999 CENTRAL, Iowa W, 10-9
2000 at Central, Iowa W, 21-18
2002 COE, Iowa W, 45-14
2006 at Central, Iowa W, 21-13

[oldbeake]

St. John's has won ten straight games against the IIAC over the last 20 years, all playoff games.  At some point the streak has to be broken. Is it this year?  In my opinion the fate of the Johnnies rests on Kofed's shoulders.  If he throws the ball well (sets up) and  is relatively mistake and  turnover free I think the Johnnies win easily 35 -14.  Kofed to me is two difference quarterbacks.  When he has good mechanics he does well.  If he tries to do too much and gets sloppy on his throws, (which he has a tendency to do) he will give away field position and points and  it will be a close game.     The  Johnnie  D is always tough in the post season especially in the red zone and will keep the game close.   

A lot of Central's fate will rely on their ability to capitalize on mistakes, while (let me put on my Captain Obvious hat) not making any on their own.  Last year's Central squad played relatively mistake-free during the regular season, but St. John's brought out the worst of the Dutch.  Will the same thing happen this year?  Are the Flying Dutchmen getting hot at just the right time?  I mean, hell...after last Saturday...the Dutch have finally out-gained their opponents...by one yard.  Regardless...I'll take the 'W.'  Winning ugly isn't anything about which to be ashamed...as long as you keep on winning.  I am enjoying the statistics and history being thrown out there at us...while this year's Central squad has defied statistics and history in almost every game.

Go Dutch!

[oldbeake]

For Simpson, the RUMORS I've heard are Swenson (Valley) and Marv Cook, but these ARE just rumors I've heard.

While in school, and missing many a class to play Techmo Super Bowl...one of my roommates (a West Branch native) always played with the Patriots...just so he could run the curls and exclaim, "Marv Cook, West Branch native" every time he completed the pass.

I haven't read or heard that name in a long time...cracked me up.

Perhaps we can get an IIAC Hooverball league started with Marv at Simpson.

[KCDutch]

I didn't check your "ten straight" fact however, this year is the 20th anniversary of Central's 13-3 quarter-final play-off win over St Johns.  Please try to be precise in the five remaining days you have in THE CENTRAL BRACKET

1989 SIMPSON, Iowa W, 42-35
1989 at Central, Iowa W, 27-24
1991 COE, Iowa W, 75-2
1993 COE, Iowa W, 32-14
1994 WARTBURG, Iowa W, 42-14
1996 SIMPSON, Iowa# W, 21-18
1999 CENTRAL, Iowa W, 10-9
2000 at Central, Iowa W, 21-18
2002 COE, Iowa W, 45-14
2006 at Central, Iowa W, 21-13

Coe wasn't a member of the IIAC in 1991 or 1993. So, I guess SJ's hasn't won 10 straight against the IIAC, hopefully your predictions are as good as your stats/posts.

[SJU09]

So... no matter what, this game is in the control of SJU.  Now that is what WE like to hear in Iowa.  From the sounds of it, it might be the Johnnie fans who are going in overconfident

I can assure no one at St. John's is over confident gong against Central.  It's usually a close game.    However the point remains that St. John's has had its way with teams from the IIAC for a long time.  Sure Central can win this  game Saturday, but history has showed that no team from the IIAC has come out and dominated the Johnnies in the playoffs, very few have except for  (Mount Union (twice) and  Whitewater (once) in the last 20 years.  Until that happens I think its St. John's game to lose.  I can see the Johnnies blowing out Central, but I don't see Central blowing out the Johnnies. Central may win but I would bet it would be very close. 

[KCDutch]

So... no matter what, this game is in the control of SJU.  Now that is what WE like to hear in Iowa.  From the sounds of it, it might be the Johnnie fans who are going in overconfident

I can assure no one at St. John's is over confident gong against Central.  It's usually a close game.    However the point remains that St. John's has had its way with teams from the IIAC for a long time.  Sure Central can win this  game Saturday, but history has showed that no team from the IIAC has come out and dominated the Johnnies in the playoffs, very few have except for  (Mount Union (twice) and  Whitewater (once) in the last 20 years.  Until that happens I think its St. John's game to lose.  I can see the Johnnies blowing out Central, but I don't see Central blowing out the Johnnies. Central may win but I would bet it would be very close. 

But have the Johnnies dominated the Dutch in any of the games??? 

[Klompen]

I could be wrong, but isn't the biggest margin of victory between the Johnnies and the Dutch the 10 point win by Central?  And is any Dutch follower even suggesting that we are going to blow out the Johnnies?  We just hope to do the same thing we have done against every team that brought their A game to Central this year and that is "find a way".  We don't care about stats or blowouts, we just want the W on the way to the next game.

[Walston Hoover]

Has anyone heard names for the Simpson or Luther job?

For Simpson, the RUMORS I've heard are Swenson (Valley) and Marv Cook, but these ARE just rumors I've heard.

Marv Cook, the coach with 1 year HS experience??? Swensen would be a great candidate.

[KCDutch]

Has anyone heard names for the Simpson or Luther job?

For Simpson, the RUMORS I've heard are Swenson (Valley) and Marv Cook, but these ARE just rumors I've heard.

Marv Cook, the coach with 1 year HS experience??? Swensen would be a great candidate.

Never said it was a good option or good rumor....Perosnally, I'm hoping Simpson makes a horrible hire and they continue to be in the bottom half of the conference!

[Walston Hoover]

I just did some calling around and have it on pretty good authority that the job is Swensen's if he wants it.

[dutchfan1]

I could be wrong, but isn't the biggest margin of victory between the Johnnies and the Dutch the 10 point win by Central?  And is any Dutch follower even suggesting that we are going to blow out the Johnnies?  We just hope to do the same thing we have done against every team that brought their A game to Central this year and that is "find a way".  We don't care about stats or blowouts, we just want the W on the way to the next game.

Klompen -- welcome aboard!

I agree -- if Linfield's motto a few years ago was "Leave No Doubt" Central's 2007 motto has to be "Find a Way." It's what the Dutch have been doing all season!

[Walston Hoover]

Has anyone heard names for the Simpson or Luther job?

For Simpson, the RUMORS I've heard are Swenson (Valley) and Marv Cook, but these ARE just rumors I've heard.

Marv Cook, the coach with 1 year HS experience??? Swensen would be a great candidate.

Never said it was a good option or good rumor....Perosnally, I'm hoping Simpson makes a horrible hire and they continue to be in the bottom half of the conference!

I'll be curious to see how he does at the next level. I have no doubts he is an excellent coach, however he has been playing for a several years with superior talent and depth to any of his opponents so we'll see how he does when that is most likely not the case.

[D1HawkD3CUI]

I think that would be a good hire for Simpson. Does he have any collegiate coaching experience at any point in his career? I'm not real familiar with him other than Valley.

Back to more immediate developments, I don't think either team walks away with a big win. I think it's going to be close and I like Central's chances in a close game. What NCAA team has won more close games in the last 2 years? I doubt anyone has even been involved in that many. That's a team that is going to be mentally tough enough to win a big game down the stretch.

How about the physical part of the game? Not much has been said about the big uglies up front? Will Central have success running the football? Schuring I think is close to 100% and may finally be playing up to his ability. He deserves a big day after an injury-plagued year. Of course I know the records and the success of St. Johns, but how can a team that doesn't even tackle in practice play physical in games? Doesn't make sense to me. And how do you learn to play to the whistle if there are no whistles in practice? And how do you find a date at an all male college? (just kidding, I get there is an all girls school right there, right?)