FB: American Rivers Conference

[BB]

DF2004,

Good point, they may very well be saving something for the rest of the season.  That brings up an interesting thought, do you hold things back in the first couple games even if it MAY cost you in those games?

[doolittledog]

Doolittle family now back home after a fun weekend.

My wife and I went to the Cornell game where Heys hosted us at the parents tailgate and we got to meet some great parents of Cornell kids.  There were some parents that looked a little confused with us wearing name tags supporting Heys Jr. because my wife and I are both about a foot shorter than anyone in the Heys family, I think that gave us away weren't actual family

As far as the Cornell game.  The Rams D was missing 2 linemen and I hope their return might tighten things up for them.  Grinnell seemed like they had 3rd and 8 or longer the entire afternoon and consistantly were able to get 1st downs and keep drives alive.  The Cornell D looks a bit small and I suspect that beefier IIAC offenses might be able to smashmouth their way to some points.  

The Cornell O seems to have some talent.  I have some issues with their play calling.  Hardman is a good RB that most IIAC teams would love to have playing for them.  Once Grinnell stuffed the box and put Cornell into obvious passing situations it seemed like they put their QB Bush into the pocket and had him keep throwing 40 yds down field.  With Bush's speed, I think they should have rolled him out of the pocket and look for 15 yrd passes and if no one was open use the spread out D to his advantage and use his speed to run for big yardage.  



We then headed up an hours drive to Dubuque to see Dubuque vs. Rockford.  It was really something for me, who was used to crowds of 300 people, to see traffic cops directing traffic and finding full parking lots.  It was also nice to take an elevator up to the stands, a standing and loud student section, and a packed stadium.  Heys and his son and his roomate made it up to the game as well.  Note to other posters out there...if your school throws t-shirts and water bottles and seat cushions into the stands after your school scores it would be to your advantage to have Hey's Jr. sitting next to you to grab stuff for you!!!  He snared 3 seat cushions, 2 t-shirts and a water bottle for us...he told us it would look bad if he came back to Mt. Vernon with a bunch of UD stuff

As far as the game.  UD looks good.  Hansen is the real deal at QB, he has a great arm and can put his head down and run when needed to.  New RB Jamar Curry got a bunch of yards.  WR and TE had speed and good hands.  I was most worried about the O-line coming into the game and they seemed solid.  This was just Rockford...but the 49 points the Spartans put up is better than the 38 they put up against Rockford last season.  

I was impressed with the UD D-Line.  They have more size than in previous years and have good speed.  Lots of sacks and tackles-for-loss and 1 safety.  I don't have much to report on the secondary because they weren't asked to do much in the game.  

Special teams returned a kickoff for a TD and also broke off some long gains.  They only punted twice, once for big yards and the second one was downed inside the 2 yard line.  The kicking game is a worry.  2 missed extra points and Rockford often started drives near the 50 yard line due to short kickoffs.  That won't do against better IIAC offenses.  

[Charlie Kohawk]

DF2004,

Good point, they may very well be saving something for the rest of the season.  That brings up an interesting thought, do you hold things back in the first couple games even if it MAY cost you in those games?

I wasn't asked, but I'll answer. Of course you hold things back in non conference. That's a no-brainer. That's not what Auggie did, in my view. I'm not sure the spread works to the advantage of a 5-5 buck-50 QB, which they may be realizing. They didn't seem committed to it at all against Coe.

I see two possibilities here. Either, they're not real confident in their execution and will milk it along as the season goes, but never fully switch offenses until they recruit the personnel to run it. Or they're going to introduce some hybrid system, mixing the two as it best suits them. Wouldn't that be interesting?

I don't think we need to hang our heads over a loss to Augustana -- it wasn't Grinnell, after all -- but a loss is a loss. Look out Gusties!

[doolittledog]

Here is my "haven't really read up much" take on this weekend.  

I suspected the BV game might come down to the wire and could go either way.  Was hoping for a BV victory and only dissapointed in the way they lost...don't like to see 4th quarter losses.  

I was expecting a monkey stomp by Simpson...maybe wanting a monkey stomp by Simpson.  I have my issues with NAIA fans thinking their you know what doesn't stink.  After thinking about it some more.  The Storm did pretty good.  

Looks like things are going just fine thank you very much in Pella.  Lose 9 starters on D and pitch a shut out.  Lose 2 conference MVP's on O and the Dutch put up 38 points...hmm, I guess the Dutch really do deserve their #9 ranking!!!

Cornell is definatly a work in progress.  Or at least a team in need of figuring some things out.  Maybe not as bad a team as losing to Grinnell might suggest.  But they will struggle to get a win this year.  

Wartburg.  Big win against a good opponant.  My only surprise is I thought the Knight O would struggle to put points on the board and their D would hold St. Norbert to single digits.  

Luther I thought might struggle.  Sounds like the O struggled some in the 1st half but it sounds like the Norse did alright...or at least better than I was thinking they might do.  

Loras I thought would struggle against a good Monmouth team and they kept it to a 7 point game...which on the face of it seems pretty good.  But they lost this game like they lost most games last year.  Costly mistakes in the 2nd half...fumbles, picks...the Duhawks seem to not be able to figure out how to win a game.  That isn't a good thing.

Dubuque...I am probably too biased to speak very accuratly here    The Spartans looked good.  They still run the spread...just not as much QB run option.  

At this point I still think it is Central and Wartburg for the title...Dubuque ready to make some noise...jury still out on Coe and Simpson.  BV and Luther possibly just a notch below that.  Loras and Cornell another step below.  

Lets get some IIAC wins next week!!!

[DutchFan2004]

DF2004,

Good point, they may very well be saving something for the rest of the season.  That brings up an interesting thought, do you hold things back in the first couple games even if it MAY cost you in those games?

I don't think so.  I would not but that is probably why I am not a coach.   

[Old Dutch]

How about them BEARS!  Swarming defense, and actual running threat, and Orton even looked like a real NFL QB.  (I didn't say real GOOD NFL QB)

A couple reports indicate DBQ is the real deal again this year.  Don't know anything about Rockford, but they've certainly got some excitement going on over there.

[koekrazy87]

From what I heard Augie didn't run the spread hardly at all.  It was mostly the old wing T for them.  After all the hype of switching to a new offense it was the same old same old.  They did run the spread however it was only a few times.  The spread was not their main offense.

[TrainsEqualCrowdNoise]

The Cornell O seems to have some talent.  I have some issues with their play calling.  Hardman is a good RB that most IIAC teams would love to have playing for them.  Once Grinnell stuffed the box and put Cornell into obvious passing situations it seemed like they put their QB Bush into the pocket and had him keep throwing 40 yds down field.  With Bush's speed, I think they should have rolled him out of the pocket and look for 15 yrd passes and if no one was open use the spread out D to his advantage and use his speed to run for big yardage.  

doolittledog you are my new favorite.  You in a nutshell just explained my grief with the offensive coaching staff at Cornell and their seemingly inability to adapt to the personnel they have to work with.  You can say whatever you want, that it was 3rd and long, and that players were dropping balls, or whatever.  But time and again the same things happen with different young men, thus leading me to believe that the coaches are not putting the young men in situations to use their strengths.  I am no means calling for anyones head, just hoping that they read this and figure out that they need to take a step back, and focus on calling/designing plays that use the strengths of their athletes, not what is their traditional play call style.  It is still on the players to preform, but at some point the coaching staff has to take responsibility as well.

Maybe I'm being overly harsh and a little negative, but I couldn't keep this one tucked away any longer.

[Kohawk Krazy]

From what I heard Augie didn't run the spread hardly at all.  It was mostly the old wing T for them.  After all the hype of switching to a new offense it was the same old same old.  They did run the spread however it was only a few times.  The spread was not their main offense.

I would disagree with this. 

The spread was their main offense, but they didn't pass out of it hardly at all.  Most of the night, they were running out of the spread.  They went to the Wing T probably 30% of the time.

By no means did they run a "true" spread offense though.

[DutchFan2004]

Looks like things are going just fine thank you very much in Pella.  Lose 9 starters on D and pitch a shut out.  Lose 2 conference MVP's on O and the Dutch put up 38 points...hmm, I guess the Dutch really do deserve their #9 ranking!!!


The Dutch O put up 34 points the D had a pick six.  Just clearing the air not picking on you.  I did not expect the O to put up so many points and was more worried about the defense being able to stop somebody let alone return to their scoring ways.  I would say that the Dutch have done a good job replacing their losses from graduation.  Having said that Lakeland is not a Wartburg, UD, or Coe.  They will have to improve each week to keep up the winning ways.  That has always been coach Mc's philosophy and it is a good one and is working.  GO DUTCH!

[Klopenhiemer]

How about them BEARS!  Swarming defense, and actual running threat, and Orton even looked like a real NFL QB.  (I didn't say real GOOD NFL QB)

A couple reports indicate DBQ is the real deal again this year.  Don't know anything about Rockford, but they've certainly got some excitement going on over there.

Come on now.  I am not going to turn this into an NFL board but lets give Orton some credit.  One because hes from Iowa and 2 because he played very well considering the circumstances.  This only got 2 chances last year and the pervious year did not start a game.  The year before that he was a game manager but still won 10 games!  The Bears history shows that Jimmy Mac was the most flavorful QB that they have ever had.  I think Orton has the ability to be a very solid NFL QB in the Bears system.  I hear all the bantering regarding the Bears on a daily basis and I can not understand what the fans want.  You could have Rex back in the game thinking about the after party while throwing up 65 yard hail marrys to no mans land. 

[DutchFan2004]

How about them BEARS!  Swarming defense, and actual running threat, and Orton even looked like a real NFL QB.  (I didn't say real GOOD NFL QB)

A couple reports indicate DBQ is the real deal again this year.  Don't know anything about Rockford, but they've certainly got some excitement going on over there.

Come on now.  I am not going to turn this into an NFL board but lets give Orton some credit.  One because hes from Iowa and 2 because he played very well considering the circumstances.  This only got 2 chances last year and the pervious year did not start a game.  The year before that he was a game manager but still won 10 games!  The Bears history shows that Jimmy Mac was the most flavorful QB that they have ever had.  I think Orton has the ability to be a very solid NFL QB in the Bears system.  I hear all the bantering regarding the Bears on a daily basis and I can not understand what the fans want.  You could have Rex back in the game thinking about the after party while throwing up 65 yard hail marrys to no mans land. 

A W is a W and he got the job done.  That is the bottom line.  You don't have to be flashy to get it done.  Sounds like an IIAC team that is near and dear to my heart.   

[dutchfan1]

Also, as long as I can remember- ('98-) WB-Central game  has always been the 2nd to last game of season correct?
Pretty interesting(huge understatement of day)  that it's the first conference game of the season.  
Does the conference  think it's more advantageous for the loser to try to obtain an at large bid with not such a recent loss on the playoff committee's minds?

Devine, I'd wondered the same thing....if both Central and Wartburg's records are spotless except for Wartburg's one early season loss to Central  , I think it may build a better playoff resume for the post season. (The team with a loss can build a case for "showing improvement" throughout the season.) I wonder if that played into moving the game to earlier in the season.....

It's not impossible for a couple of teams from a conference to be invited to the dance -- our neighbors to the north have been inviting two teams for the last few years now. But, their conference has a pretty strong reputation. I hate to say it, but the IIAC will strengthen its reputation (top to bottom) by beating non-con opponents.....

[DutchFan2004]

Also, as long as I can remember- ('98-) WB-Central game  has always been the 2nd to last game of season correct?
Pretty interesting(huge understatement of day)  that it's the first conference game of the season.  
Does the conference  think it's more advantageous for the loser to try to obtain an at large bid with not such a recent loss on the playoff committee's minds?

Devine, I'd wondered the same thing....if both Central and Wartburg's records are spotless except for Wartburg's one early season loss to Central  , I think it may build a better playoff resume for the post season. (The team with a loss can build a case for "showing improvement" throughout the season.) I wonder if that played into moving the game to earlier in the season.....

It's not impossible for a couple of teams from a conference to be invited to the dance -- our neighbors to the north have been inviting two teams for the last few years now. But, their conference has a pretty strong reputation. I hate to say it, but the IIAC will strengthen its reputation (top to bottom) by beating non-con opponents.....

I do think that strength of conference has something to do with it, but more than that is the records of the teams being selected.  Last year you can not make the case that Wartburg belonged in the playoff feild when two teams from the MIAC had better records and both of those teams beat a team that Wartburg lost to.  If there are two teams from the IIAC with 10-0 and 9-1 records they will get serious consideration.  It will depend on the rest of the teams in D3 and there records.  I think the IIAC has enough respect to get two into the playoffs but not if they have more that 1 loss and the Champ is not undefeated.  The WIAC and MIAC are tough and they will get the nod.  The AQ that the NWC will hurt getting a second team in the playoffs from the IIAC unless the MIAC and WIAC beat up on each other.  The other thing that would help the IIAC is if the NCAA moves a West team out then another spot could open up.  That all depends how the other teams do across the country.  The game in two weeks is an important one to be sure.  It is not the end all though.  It will give the winner the leg up on the AQ but there will still be 7 games for Wartburg and 8 for Central and much can happen in that amount of time. 

[Airborne Dutch]

DF2k4, you made a great point. We lose a lot and come out and slam the door on Lakeland. Granted, they weren't a Wartburg, Coe, or Dubuque, but it was a very strong opening statement. I think what you are seeing is good vision by the Dutch staff to make sure the cupboard is stacked every August.