FB: American Rivers Conference

[doolittledog]

I didn't play football, so I can't be as technical as most of you about what Central needs to do to be successful.  Maybe I could take the scientific approach and say that we will be successful if we have one clone each of Tim Connell and Vance Schuring and three clones of Vern Den Herder.   

Central will need to get up to speed with a lot of new players real fast given that Wartburg is scheduled so early.  Finding strong replacements for Tim and Vance will be crucial to our success.  I know the coaches were excited about gettin Zack Bandow last year and Nate Snead this year.  Tim Connell was pretty much an untested quantity when he took over as a sophomore and he lead us to 3 straight championships, so I have faith that we will be in good hands again, I'm just not sure whose hands they will be.  Having watched Vance in HS, he was always something special, though prone to injury.  He reminded me a lot of Mark Kacmarynski, always ran tough and really made teams pay if they let him find a hole.  I have heard a lot of good things about the potential QB's, so I feel a bit more confident about that spot.  The backup tailbacks got lots of playing time while Vance was hampered by his nagging injuries last year.  He played most games, but clearly not at 100%.  But even at less than 100% he provided a spark that Veldhuizen and Zachary just didn't quite have.  I think they can both be good tailbacks, but I would rather have great again.     So I think the passing game may be crucial again this year. 

We have a lot more holes to fill and I can only hope that with 132 players on the team we can find the right guys for the right positions.  I think Spencer Remick will be outstanding on the line.  Cam Waugh could really open some eyes this year.  It will be interesting to see what the transfers bring to the table.  The one thing I have complete faith in is that Coach Mac will have them playing as a team, not for individual accolades and hopefully the returning players will still have that "find a way" mentality.  If we can't face WB at the end of the season, then it is good to have them right away.  We will be an unknown this year, which makes it harder to plan for. 

Plus, when WB loses early in the season, they have time to climb back up the ratings so two of us can go to the playoffs.   

Klompen,  You are so right about the Dutch playing as a team.  I don't think any of those guys over the past 3-4 years ever worried about getting recognition like MVP or all conference.  They went out there to do their jobs and win games.  That is what made those teams good.  You never knew from game to game who would pick the team up and make a play.  It could be on the offense, defense, or a special teams guy that made a play that turned the game around.  I think there are some good players waiting for their chance to fill those vacant shoes for the Dutch.  The coaching staff will have them ready and I think if they have the heart that the graduates have had they will be just fine.

Connell and Schuring have won the last 3 MVP awards and will be missed.  But I am wondering what Central fans are thinking of only having 2 returners on defense (according to this site)?  From what I am hearing on here that doesn't seem to be much of a concern!!!

[Klompen]

Klompen,  You are so right about the Dutch playing as a team.  I don't think any of those guys over the past 3-4 years ever worried about getting recognition like MVP or all conference.  They went out there to do their jobs and win games.  That is what made those teams good.  You never knew from game to game who would pick the team up and make a play.  It could be on the offense, defense, or a special teams guy that made a play that turned the game around.  I think there are some good players waiting for their chance to fill those vacant shoes for the Dutch.  The coaching staff will have them ready and I think if they have the heart that the graduates have had they will be just fine.

I agree completely.  Someone always came through last year.  Tim was always consistently great, but I can remember games where it seemed like he took it on himself to change the outcome for the better from the way things were going.  At the same time, when we needed better ball position, the punter would come up big, as would the players running to down the ball at the one.  When we had to get out of a game that seemed like it would never end, Jake Viggers got the job done, even if it meant bouncing the ball off the uprights and in.  (Sorry Doolittle)  When the team needed a big defensive play one or more players stepped up.  If the heart is there, there is enough talent on this team to be successful.  I don't think only one or the other is enough, but both can be pretty hard to beat.

[Klompen]

Connell and Schuring have won the last 3 MVP awards and will be missed.  But I am wondering what Central fans are thinking of only having 2 returners on defense (according to this site)?  From what I am hearing on here that doesn't seem to be much of a concern!!!

Well, we can't quake in our boots about everything!     We lost some great players on defense as well, particularly those 5th year seniors who wanted to make it worth coming back for that last semester and season of eligibility.  You know, if those guys had come to Central right out of high school or not been injured their first year at Central, we would not have had a 5-5 season. 

Anyway, it is a concern, and the defense has not been as stingy in allowing points in the past few years as they were say back in Skip's day.  Yet it seems like we are better able to replace the defensive players most years.  I'm not sure why I feel that way.  But I am hoping that the offense can have key replacements and keep the defense off the field as much as possible.  I am also counting on Brondyke to help the defense out. 

[doolittledog]

Defense doesnt have to be great as long as the offense can put up 35 per game 

Or your kicking game can bounce footballs off the uprights and in after having the ball deflected 

You just HAD to bring that up!!!

I was just curious if Central had a heavy rotation on defense last year and therefore had backups with plenty of game experiance, because nobody on here seems to be mentioning the Central D when it comes to their breakdowns of what the Dutch need to do this year. 

[DutchFan2004]

I didn't play football, so I can't be as technical as most of you about what Central needs to do to be successful.  Maybe I could take the scientific approach and say that we will be successful if we have one clone each of Tim Connell and Vance Schuring and three clones of Vern Den Herder.   

Central will need to get up to speed with a lot of new players real fast given that Wartburg is scheduled so early.  Finding strong replacements for Tim and Vance will be crucial to our success.  I know the coaches were excited about gettin Zack Bandow last year and Nate Snead this year.  Tim Connell was pretty much an untested quantity when he took over as a sophomore and he lead us to 3 straight championships, so I have faith that we will be in good hands again, I'm just not sure whose hands they will be.  Having watched Vance in HS, he was always something special, though prone to injury.  He reminded me a lot of Mark Kacmarynski, always ran tough and really made teams pay if they let him find a hole.  I have heard a lot of good things about the potential QB's, so I feel a bit more confident about that spot.  The backup tailbacks got lots of playing time while Vance was hampered by his nagging injuries last year.  He played most games, but clearly not at 100%.  But even at less than 100% he provided a spark that Veldhuizen and Zachary just didn't quite have.  I think they can both be good tailbacks, but I would rather have great again.     So I think the passing game may be crucial again this year. 

We have a lot more holes to fill and I can only hope that with 132 players on the team we can find the right guys for the right positions.  I think Spencer Remick will be outstanding on the line.  Cam Waugh could really open some eyes this year.  It will be interesting to see what the transfers bring to the table.  The one thing I have complete faith in is that Coach Mac will have them playing as a team, not for individual accolades and hopefully the returning players will still have that "find a way" mentality.  If we can't face WB at the end of the season, then it is good to have them right away.  We will be an unknown this year, which makes it harder to plan for. 

Plus, when WB loses early in the season, they have time to climb back up the ratings so two of us can go to the playoffs.   

Klompen,  You are so right about the Dutch playing as a team.  I don't think any of those guys over the past 3-4 years ever worried about getting recognition like MVP or all conference.  They went out there to do their jobs and win games.  That is what made those teams good.  You never knew from game to game who would pick the team up and make a play.  It could be on the offense, defense, or a special teams guy that made a play that turned the game around.  I think there are some good players waiting for their chance to fill those vacant shoes for the Dutch.  The coaching staff will have them ready and I think if they have the heart that the graduates have had they will be just fine.

Connell and Schuring have won the last 3 MVP awards and will be missed.  But I am wondering what Central fans are thinking of only having 2 returners on defense (according to this site)?  From what I am hearing on here that doesn't seem to be much of a concern!!!

The defense did lose all those starters and a couple of more seniors that played a lot but didn't start one being Mark Badeu he will be missed as well.  There were many young players that got significant PT filling for injuries and the line had other underclassmen that filled in and were rotated in to keep the line fresh so the cupboard is not as bare as the roster would indicated.  There will be new names on the starters list but not unfamiliar names as they have played.  The Dutch having had some injuries to fill in for while the starters were out and that will have helped them. 

[ShowMe]

I thought ShowMe might not get my reference to cloning Vern Den Herder, so I looked at his bio in the college football hall of fame.  Thought some of you might find it interesting.

http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=60072

We'll place an order for, let me do a little math, 135-64=71, 71 talented players for Cornell. If not available or have to back order, send what you can before the first game, we've got some hype to live up too 

[ShowMe]

Based on the teams strength and weekaness reports on the board, it appears that each teams has a chance to be competitive. I'm starting to think it will come down to which teams reaches their potential by the conference games or 1st challenging conference games. Since Wartburg is the favorite , they should be ready day sooner. I'm sure some feel their teams can defeat some of the schools without reaching the high performance stage.

I suggest we use the IIAC preseason coaches ratings as the official board team ratings as the basis for team ranking conversations. 

[Purple Heys]

Based on the teams strength and weekaness reports on the board, it appears that each teams has a chance to be competitive. I'm starting to think it will come down to which teams reaches their potential by the conference games or 1st challenging conference games. Since Wartburg is the favorite , they should be ready day sooner. I'm sure some feel their teams can defeat some of the schools without reaching the high performance stage.

I suggest we use the IIAC preseason coaches ratings as the official board team ratings as the basis for team ranking conversations. 

Ahhhhh!!!!  What do the coaches know?!?

We all know we can coach circles around every one of them!   

[Purple Heys]

Based on the teams strength and weekaness reports on the board, it appears that each teams has a chance to be competitive. I'm starting to think it will come down to which teams reaches their potential by the conference games or 1st challenging conference games. Since Wartburg is the favorite , they should be ready day sooner. I'm sure some feel their teams can defeat some of the schools without reaching the high performance stage.

I suggest we use the IIAC preseason coaches ratings as the official board team ratings as the basis for team ranking conversations. 

Ahhhhh!!!!  What do the coaches know?!?

We all know we can coach circles around every one of them!   

....errrrr...just kidding, Coach Dillon.  

[Willie University]

Just got done with my first NFL fantasy draft of the year.  I did bleed a little maroon and gold by drafting Freddie Jackson.

Speaking of Fantasy Football, has anyone ever thought of starting a fantasy league for IIAC posters from this board? My other leagues are of course "money" leagues but it would be fun to have a "fun" one also. I am not volunteering to commishion the league as I already 2 others but may be interested in playing if someone else wants to get one started.

Willie U

[Purple Heys]

Week 1 IIAC vs. MWC


Wartburg over St. Norbert's
Cornell over Grinnell

Monmouth over Loras...though I'm pulling for Loras.  Monmouth returns 10 and 10 on each side of the ball. 

[Walston Hoover]

Re: IIAC fantasy league. There has been some talk before, but the logistics are pretty tough as far as not enough players for the amount of people that were interested.

[storm_tracker65]

what do you all think of simpson this year? they will move up the standings for sure. new coach is getting it going and they have alot of experience returning plus the transfer qb is really good. had some tough losses last season but learned from em

Predictions:
1. Wartburg- defense will win this championship
2. Central- great tradition, but not enough to pull one off this year
3. Simpson- most improved and will beat central but will drop one somewhere
4. Dubuque- questions, questions.
5. Coe- usually find way to compete, but loss of coach to much
6. Buena Vista- best of the rest
7. Luther- lost too much offense
8. Loras- loosing streak will be 10 before they get 1st one this year and could get real bad if Cornell finds a way to get them
9. Cornell- not yet

[DutchFan2004]

what do you all think of simpson this year? they will move up the standings for sure. new coach is getting it going and they have alot of experience returning plus the transfer qb is really good. had some tough losses last season but learned from em

Predictions:
1. Wartburg- defense will win this championship
2. Central- great tradition, but not enough to pull one off this year
3. Simpson- most improved and will beat central but will drop one somewhere
4. Dubuque- questions, questions.
5. Coe- usually find way to compete, but loss of coach to much
6. Buena Vista- best of the rest
7. Luther- lost too much offense
8. Loras- loosing streak will be 10 before they get 1st one this year and could get real bad if Cornell finds a way to get them
9. Cornell- not yet

Welcome to the board.  Nice to have another IIACer.  Look forward to your posts. +k for joining.

[KCDutch]

3. Simpson- most improved and will beat central but will drop one somewhere

Well, I guess it could happen.  The Dutch are only 9-1 against Simpson the last 10 meetings, so Simpson has been victorious 1x in the last 10 years.