FB: American Rivers Conference

[TheOne89.1]

I have to assume a certain measure of Pat's success comes from the fact that he sat next to me in "Coaching Theory of Football" class back in the fall of '03.   

So who ended up winning between you two when you went head-to-head at NCAA Football on PS2?

I never did get to take that class.  Ended up with "Coaching Theory of Volleyball" and "Coaching Theory of Wrestling".

[Ram2]

I have a question. I have a cousin who starts at Receiver at UGA, and I was talking to him and he wanted to know the difference between Division III and Division I football.

I told him that there is an obvious talent level difference, but the gap isn't as big as he might think. I told him if he were to take some of the top teams in DIII they could defenitly beat some DII schools and prob. some of the smaller DI schools. Alot of the guys who play DIII are players who could prob. play at the DI level but want to stay close to home, go to a smaller school, etc. Then I told him if I was to compare the IIAC to a conference on his level I told him the ACC or possibly even the Big East.

Was I wrong with these answers? let me know what you think

[doolittledog]

I have a question. I have a cousin who starts at Receiver at UGA, and I was talking to him and he wanted to know the difference between Division III and Division I football.

I told him that there is an obvious talent level difference, but the gap isn't as big as he might think. I told him if he were to take some of the top teams in DIII they could defenitly beat some DII schools and prob. some of the smaller DI schools. Alot of the guys who play DIII are players who could prob. play at the DI level but want to stay close to home, go to a smaller school, etc. Then I told him if I was to compare the IIAC to a conference on his level I told him the ACC or possibly even the Big East.

Was I wrong with these answers? let me know what you think

From talking to some former players.  Some decide on D3 because they know they have a pretty good chance to start for 3 or 4 years where if they went D1 they might not make it past special teams play.  For them, they preferred getting playing time at the D3 level than standing on the sidelines at D1.  Also, some have gone D3 because they could play a position they wanted where a D1 or D2 school wanted them for another position.

There have also been D1 and D2 transfers to most all of the IIAC schools that came in and didn't necesarily set the world on fire.  Dubuque has had some that didn't even earn starting positions.  They got plenty of playing time but were not stars. 

I would say comparing the IIAC in D3 to the ACC or the Big East is probably fair.  You would probably have to put the OAC and the WIAC ahead of everybody else.  But I think the IIAC compares favorably to most everyone else. 

[Purple Heys]

I have a question. I have a cousin who starts at Receiver at UGA, and I was talking to him and he wanted to know the difference between Division III and Division I football.

I told him that there is an obvious talent level difference, but the gap isn't as big as he might think. I told him if he were to take some of the top teams in DIII they could defenitly beat some DII schools and prob. some of the smaller DI schools. Alot of the guys who play DIII are players who could prob. play at the DI level but want to stay close to home, go to a smaller school, etc. Then I told him if I was to compare the IIAC to a conference on his level I told him the ACC or possibly even the Big East.

Was I wrong with these answers? let me know what you think

From talking to some former players.  Some decide on D3 because they know they have a pretty good chance to start for 3 or 4 years where if they went D1 they might not make it past special teams play.  For them, they preferred getting playing time at the D3 level than standing on the sidelines at D1.  Also, some have gone D3 because they could play a position they wanted where a D1 or D2 school wanted them for another position.

There have also been D1 and D2 transfers to most all of the IIAC schools that came in and didn't necesarily set the world on fire.  Dubuque has had some that didn't even earn starting positions.  They got plenty of playing time but were not stars. 

I would say comparing the IIAC in D3 to the ACC or the Big East is probably fair.  You would probably have to put the OAC and the WIAC ahead of everybody else.  But I think the IIAC compares favorably to most everyone else. 

I am not sure what you are saying here...

Are you saying the IIAC is to the WIAC or OAC as the ACC or Big East is to the SEC?  I tend to agree with that.

The IIAC is not comparable directly even, say, to the Mountain West Conference, let alone the ACC.  85 scholarships draws across the board athleticsm and size that you don't see much of in the IIAC.

[Purple Heys]

Don't get me wrong...sprinkled within the rosters of a great deal of D3 rosters there are football players who could and would start at the D1 level.  Circumstances otherwise have them at D3 schools.

[Purple Heys]

...And a kid moving down is not necessarily a lock to excel at a lower level.

[doolittledog]

I have a question. I have a cousin who starts at Receiver at UGA, and I was talking to him and he wanted to know the difference between Division III and Division I football.

I told him that there is an obvious talent level difference, but the gap isn't as big as he might think. I told him if he were to take some of the top teams in DIII they could defenitly beat some DII schools and prob. some of the smaller DI schools. Alot of the guys who play DIII are players who could prob. play at the DI level but want to stay close to home, go to a smaller school, etc. Then I told him if I was to compare the IIAC to a conference on his level I told him the ACC or possibly even the Big East.

Was I wrong with these answers? let me know what you think

From talking to some former players.  Some decide on D3 because they know they have a pretty good chance to start for 3 or 4 years where if they went D1 they might not make it past special teams play.  For them, they preferred getting playing time at the D3 level than standing on the sidelines at D1.  Also, some have gone D3 because they could play a position they wanted where a D1 or D2 school wanted them for another position.

There have also been D1 and D2 transfers to most all of the IIAC schools that came in and didn't necesarily set the world on fire.  Dubuque has had some that didn't even earn starting positions.  They got plenty of playing time but were not stars. 

I would say comparing the IIAC in D3 to the ACC or the Big East is probably fair.  You would probably have to put the OAC and the WIAC ahead of everybody else.  But I think the IIAC compares favorably to most everyone else. 

I am not sure what you are saying here...

Are you saying the IIAC is to the WIAC or OAC as the ACC or Big East is to the SEC?  I tend to agree with that.

The IIAC is not comparable directly even, say, to the Mountain West Conference, let alone the ACC.  85 scholarships draws across the board athleticsm and size that you don't see much of in the IIAC.

That is what I am getting at.  I am saying the WIAC and the OAC are the SEC of D3.  I would put the IIAC a notch below them but still a BCS conference, like the ACC.  I would compare the Midwest Conference in D3to a non-BCS conference...something like what the MAC or the Sun Belt are for D1!!!

[Ram2]

Purple Heys,

I don't mean that we(IIAC) compare, meaning we could play with those conferences, but if you were to compare the impact the conference has on it's respective level,we would compare with the ACC or Big East.

hope that clears it up.

[Ash Park]

 I would agree with that as well.

[dutchfan1]

I have a question. I have a cousin who starts at Receiver at UGA, and I was talking to him and he wanted to know the difference between Division III and Division I football.

I told him that there is an obvious talent level difference, but the gap isn't as big as he might think. I told him if he were to take some of the top teams in DIII they could defenitly beat some DII schools and prob. some of the smaller DI schools. Alot of the guys who play DIII are players who could prob. play at the DI level but want to stay close to home, go to a smaller school, etc. Then I told him if I was to compare the IIAC to a conference on his level I told him the ACC or possibly even the Big East.

Was I wrong with these answers? let me know what you think

D3 is different from D1 because the players are playing for the love of the game. There are zero athletic scholarship dollars on the field each Saturday. D3 athletes are not looking to be drafted to the NFL. They are looking to get a good job after graduation. Because of this, D3 recruits a different type of athlete -- they recruit student-athletes. Calling their ability level less is insulting to the players and the conferences. D3 is not a glorified high school program, or an intramural program as so many people believe.

Do the players look different at the D3 and the D1 level? Of course they do. Premier D1 level programs encourage their players to eat, sleep and drink football -- in that atmosphere, you churn out a certain breed of athlete. D3 takes a more balanced approach, which results in more balanced men. I'm tired of people believing that playing at the D1 level is better than playing at the D3 level -- personally, I think it's the other way around.

[New Storm]

Purple Heys,

I don't mean that we(IIAC) compare, meaning we could play with those conferences, but if you were to compare the impact the conference has on it's respective level,we would compare with the ACC or Big East.

hope that clears it up.

You have a done a master full job of explaining We all know D3 can not play with D1

[the_mayne_event]

I have a question. I have a cousin who starts at Receiver at UGA, and I was talking to him and he wanted to know the difference between Division III and Division I football.

I told him that there is an obvious talent level difference, but the gap isn't as big as he might think. I told him if he were to take some of the top teams in DIII they could defenitly beat some DII schools and prob. some of the smaller DI schools. Alot of the guys who play DIII are players who could prob. play at the DI level but want to stay close to home, go to a smaller school, etc. Then I told him if I was to compare the IIAC to a conference on his level I told him the ACC or possibly even the Big East.

Was I wrong with these answers? let me know what you think

D3 is different from D1 because the players are playing for the love of the game. There are zero athletic scholarship dollars on the field each Saturday. D3 athletes are not looking to be drafted to the NFL. They are looking to get a good job after graduation. Because of this, D3 recruits a different type of athlete -- they recruit student-athletes. Calling their ability level less is insulting to the players and the conferences. D3 is not a glorified high school program, or an intramural program as so many people believe.

Do the players look different at the D3 and the D1 level? Of course they do. Premier D1 level programs encourage their players to eat, sleep and drink football -- in that atmosphere, you churn out a certain breed of athlete. D3 takes a more balanced approach, which results in more balanced men. I'm tired of people believing that playing at the D1 level is better than playing at the D3 level -- personally, I think it's the other way around.

there are, however, some "diamonds in the rough" playing from D3 in the NFL.
i am fully aware of the for the love of the game aspect, but you have to admit that there are players at all levels have to love the game. 
if you're being asked to think football 25 hours a day, and you are a scholarship athlete or not, you have to love the thing you are doing.  they have to study too (unless they are the ones biding their time leaving early).  if they get a free education out of the deal as well, good for them, then they aren't 30k in debt or so when they are graduated.  there are also, people only there for the free ride to declare as soon as they are dont after their junior year.  i also think that if a player at the D1 level, with how much more demanding it is at taht level compared to D3, that they can become a lawyer, doctor, what-have-you, is very impressive.

[Pat Coleman]

Remember there are 29 conferences in Division III, so if you're the Big East then likely someone else is, too.

It might be a stretch to call the IIAC the Big East. However, there's a big drop off in Division I between the haves and the have-nots. In Division III we have haves and have-nots as well, but we also have some leagues in between. I think the IIAC is in that group.

[Klopenhiemer]

Remember there are 29 conferences in Division III, so if you're the Big East then likely someone else is, too.

It might be a stretch to call the IIAC the Big East. However, there's a big drop off in Division I between the haves and the have-nots. In Division III we have haves and have-nots as well, but we also have some leagues in between. I think the IIAC is in that group.

I have to agree with Pat on this one.  I am indifferent on whether a d3 team could beat d1 team.  I'd like to say that UWW could have hung with Buffalo last season, but still they would be playing against full scholorship players!

[DutchFan2004]

Remember there are 29 conferences in Division III, so if you're the Big East then likely someone else is, too.

It might be a stretch to call the IIAC the Big East. However, there's a big drop off in Division I between the haves and the have-nots. In Division III we have haves and have-nots as well, but we also have some leagues in between. I think the IIAC is in that group.

I have to agree with Pat on this one.  I am indifferent on whether a d3 team could beat d1 team.  I'd like to say that UWW could have hung with Buffalo last season, but still they would be playing against full scholorship players!

What about the Duke Blue Devils?