FB: American Rivers Conference

[Norsedad]

Norsedad,

There was a lot of unnerved stuff I was hearing related to the assistants.  Would they be back next year?  How hard would they have to work in the film room and in recruiting?

I can understand being very concerned about keeping your job, but it bothers me if some of the assistants went for Durnin more than Zweifel because they didn't want to "break down film like a scholarship program."

Everyone involved with Norse Football should want what is best for the program even if it not always completely in their own best interest.  A structured environment in which an experienced successful coach is demanding hard work should be what athletes and assistant coaches want when they sign up to be a part of college football.

Sorry it took so long to post...I had a physical therapy appt.

I agree with all of the above Floyd.....and I think that it is good to challenge the players.  And as some have posted it is odd he didnt get the UWW head coach job.  Personally....and from my own experience.....(only HS...and why I defer to you guys that have played D3 or coached)....I liked a coach that pushed me hard...but I did have 1 coach who never had anything good to say and was forever degrading the players.....he got so mad at us at half time one game he said that he wanted nothing to do us and went to the bus.  We coached ourselves the 2nd half and tied up the game and he came back to the sidelines in the 4th Q...when he did we tanked.  I know it is alot different at the college level....I am sure there is no real comparision...just that there must have been some reservations about Zweiel and Durnin was a better fit.  Lets get behind the man and see what he can do. 

[Wartburg Fan]

I believe a big reason Lounsberry went to Simpson is that his mother is still living in the McCallsburg area and he wanted to be closer to her. I believe she is in her 80's. I bet he thought he could end up with the HC job at Simpson and retire there. He's a great recruiter, too bad his coaching didn't work out as well.

I had heard that Lounsberry was brought in to be the next head coach. I don't know if there is any truth to this all I'm saying is this is what I heard. If that is the case what happen ?

[Floyd in Iowa City]

Lets get behind the man and see what he can do. 

It probably won't take me too long to get on board since I really don't have much of a choice.  I just have to tell everyone to return the Stan Zweifel books and videos that I was going to get for Christmas!

Nice Florida tournament for the Norse Wrestlers!

Go Norse!

[Thunderbolt]

 Norsedad, I don't think you have to worry about everyone getting behind Durnin. That will happen. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of coaches in the running. The D. Cordinator from St. Norberts seems to be a solid young guy, who will make somebody a great head coach, in the near future. I was/am a big fan of Hefty. I would have been completely satisfied if he would have stayed. This program is not one in shambles. There is several good coaches and a pretty fair amount of talent returning. It's a little ironic (in my opinion) that Simpson and Luther will be expected to finish in the upper half of the League, with new coaches.

[Thunderbolt]

 Before anyone cracks me on Luther and Simpson in the top half of the conference next year, I have it on good authority, both schools hired new head cooks, that specialize in Dutch humble pie.

[Thunderbolt]

 Did anyone else have a problem with the timing of the Luther announcement. It seemed a little A-Rodesque to me. Could it be that's why D-3 Football has kind of ignored it to this point, I wonder out loud?

[Norsedad]

It will be interesting to see where Simpson and Luther finish next year.  My guess would be near the same records as this year.  The Simspson/Luther game this year was the most entertaining game I have seen in 3 years.  (The most satisfing was victory over Wartburg in 2005) But I know the O line and D line next year will not be the same caliber.  We do have a couple of running backs that will make some noise but what about QB?  And dont forget there will be some who may choose to transfer for whatever reasons....rumblings that started right after Hefty resigned.  I will however be at Carlson Stadium many times next fall with my Norse Football hat and whatever other Norse accoutrement's needed for the weather....do they have Norse sunscreen???...I could have used that many times this year.  

[Norsedad]

Before anyone cracks me on Luther and Simpson in the top half of the conference next year, I have it on good authority, both schools hired new head cooks, that specialize in Dutch humble pie.

I so want to ask where is Lightfoot?

[Thunderbolt]

Before anyone cracks me on Luther and Simpson in the top half of the conference next year, I have it on good authority, both schools hired new head cooks, that specialize in Dutch humble pie.

I so want to ask where is Lightfoot?

Last seen in a bar, singing about a boat on Lake Superior.

[Thunderbolt]

 The strength of the Norse Defense was their D-Line, where they return all the starters and at least six bodies that rotated regularly. They lose Stavast & Sadler which hurt for sure, but rumor has it , Big Tex may be back to take advantage of a medical red shirt, and they also rotated several players regularly there. I don't see the line play falling off that far.

[Norsedad]

Im pretty sure that we will lose at least 1 to a transfer on the O line...but you are right about the D line.  I thought the L backers did good job this year but we lacked a little at the corners and Safety.  The D was certainly our strength this year.  Also if I am not mistaken the IIAC has finally jumped in on spring practice as there will be 8 practices next year.  A good way for Durnin to evaluate talent and get to know the guys.


Hmmm Lightfoot is singing in a bar...I thought he died as Clint drove off into the sunset.

[Klopenhiemer]

Im pretty sure that we will lose at least 1 to a transfer on the O line...but you are right about the D line.  I thought the L backers did good job this year but we lacked a little at the corners and Safety.  The D was certainly our strength this year.  Also if I am not mistaken the IIAC has finally jumped in on spring practice as there will be 8 practices next year.  A good way for Durnin to evaluate talent and get to know the guys.


Hmmm Lightfoot is singing in a bar...I thought he died as Clint drove off into the sunset.

Wow, I missed the boat on this one.  I did not realize that the IIAC had finally joined the 21st century and started allowing spring practice.  This is outstanding.  I had a hard time swallowing this when the fine people running the IIAC voted against this.  8 practices would be outstanding to evaluate talent and get the kids around a football again before the fall. 

BTW good luck to the new Norse coach.  I hope they make a run at the top while being cut off by the Beavers

[Floyd in Iowa City]

The strength of the Norse Defense was their D-Line, where they return all the starters and at least six bodies that rotated regularly. They lose Stavast & Sadler which hurt for sure, but rumor has it , Big Tex may be back to take advantage of a medical red shirt, and they also rotated several players regularly there. I don't see the line play falling off that far.

Tex Allan is a captain for 2008 and is the only captain from the offensive side of the ball.  I don't know why any legit OL player would leave the program because of the coaching change as jobs are open for the guys that waited in the wings this year.  The center for next year would be a returning starter as would Tex at RT.  The potential LG is a good 1B in baseball and has started games at LG.  The potential RG next year also played when Stavast got hurt a couple times this year.

The DL needs to be one of the real strengths of the team next year.  It was pretty good this year.  Hopefully Rickertson gets healthy for next year and the Decorah ends continue to get better and better.  Webb was fun to watch this year.

Klein played very well at LB the first half of the season before playing dinged up later in the year.  I can't say that I know much about the other potential LBs right now.

The secondary returns one player that I like, but I think next year the secondary is the question on defense just like it was going into this year.  This used to be a strength of the team around those 2003-2005 seasons.

What defense will the Norse run in 2008?  Will they play four on the DL or stick to the 3-front with Klein roaming at LB?

Will the newcomer from Colorado be the QB heading into spring practice?  The Norse return one productive WR and two experienced RBs.  QB development and a 2nd WR will be huge for next year.  Can Bass catch the ball well enough to be used in some of the ways that Suckow was used at Coe?  Lamos and Bass were productive together at the end of 2006 and Lamos was solid again this year.

It will be interesting to see how strong the coaching staff is going to be.  If players were thinking about leaving after Hefty resigned, they would be smart to wait until the new staff is assembled.  The staff could be a deeper and stronger staff overall as I thought the Norse staff the last couple of years wasn't as strong as a few years earlier.

[Purple Heys]

Thinking back to the debate as to why players go to a given school.

The concept of any Luther or Simpson players jumping ship with the prospect of reduced PT with an incoming regime would seem to exemplify my point as to why a kid at the D3 level would choose to be a spectator on Saturday as opposed to being in the game.

Clearly for those players, playing, not school would be the primary reason to be at a college.

[Alfredeneumann]

Waterloo Courier article on Durnin
http://wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/12/18/news/breaking_news/doc47673994c5280573974497.txt