FB: American Rivers Conference

[Charlie Kohawk]

Congrats to the Knights! Now, how was the turkey?

[DBQ1965]

In a note of interest to Wartburg fans concerning the D-II playoffs.  Grand Valley State and their four former Wartburg football coaches lost in overtime to Minnesota-Duluth coached by former Wartburg head-coach Bob Nielsen.

I was at the Grand Valley/Minnesota-Duluth game today.  Double overtime victory for the Bulldogs ... nice to see another "underdog" win.  M-D plays good defense and could easily be playing in the championship game in two weeks.

[BoBo]

I was also very surprised that Monmouth didn't kick the field goal on that last 4th down.  

That whole sequence of events has to make it tough to sleep tonight for Monmouth fans. Third and 1 on the eleven and the Knights out of time outs. A false start, delay of game and two incomplete passes. Forget the field goal, two running plays and it's doubtful the Knights have time to score.

IMO, that's probably something Monmouth gets away with 10 times out of 10 in a regular season game - they don't play in many close games - in that situation, someone needed to be proactive and remind the coach that they were playing in the second round of the national playoffs.     Wartburg is more battle tested and prepared for it.

By comparison in Salem, Oregon today, Whitewater was at the Willamette 1 yard line with time running out, leading by 3 and WU out of timeouts.  Rather than risk anything more than a bad exchange on the snap, not even trying to score, the Warhawk's QB Jeff Donovan just took a knee and the game was over.  Wasn't it the NY Jets a number of years ago who tried to hand the ball off to the RB, only to fumble and the Eagles DB scouped it up and ran it back for the game winning TD. 

Tough to play your heart out, only to lose on a blunder like that. The better teams capitalize on mistakes like that and Wartburg sure did today.

[DutchFan2004]

I was also very surprised that Monmouth didn't kick the field goal on that last 4th down.  

That whole sequence of events has to make it tough to sleep tonight for Monmouth fans. Third and 1 on the eleven and the Knights out of time outs. A false start, delay of game and two incomplete passes. Forget the field goal, two running plays and it's doubtful the Knights have time to score.
It would have been equally tough for Knight fans if they hadn't pulled it out, with all the points they left on the field today. From the missed pick six on the first drive  to the wide open drop to the turnover in the red zone and just getting 3 off the fumble recovery at the five.

I thought Wartburg had one timeout left when they got the ball to start the last drive.  Maybe my mind is not clear, but I thought they did.

[DutchFan2004]

You were correct just went to the IIAC site for the recap.  That pass on third down did cost them 40-50 seconds as the clock would have stopped on 4th down but they could have got it down under a minute if they would have run on 3rd down. 

[BB]

Great win for the Knigthts today!!  It was great to see everyone at the game and it was especially sweet to shut the mouths of the Monmouth fans...pure silence as we were leaving the stadium!    

The Monmouth coaches should really think about how to manage a game...3 and 1 with 1:30 left and Wartburg has no timeouts left.....why not run the ball, at worst they get stopped and the clock goes well under a minute.  Instead they false start on an empty set and then get a delay of game...oh yeah, kick the field goal!!!!!!  

Go Knights!!!!!!!!!!!

[orsky]

I think the comment earlier was dead on.  Monmouth should have run the ball twice and Wartburg would not have been able to move the ball 80+ yards in the remaining 15-20 secs that would have been left.  The QB for the Scots was awesome.  Both teams played well today and I believe Monmouth was the better team, but Wartburg did what they needed to given the opportunity they had.

[coocooforcoekohawk]

Congrats to the Knights!

Ditto.

[dbljay21]

Great win for the Knights on Saturday.  Congrats to Willis and the boys from the 'Burg.  Way to represent the IIAC.  Keep on rollin...

[mcwaterboy]

its tough to lose a game like that... but im sure it feels awesome as a fan and a player to win one like that... congrats on taking advantage.... ur team is fast and sometimes speed skills.  good luck against Whitewater... Of course I gotta root for you... if the team that beat us with 7 seconds left wins we know we could have... congrats and good luck....

p.s. next time how about you have parents sit on our sidelines not a bunch of students

[DutchFan2004]

its tough to lose a game like that... but im sure it feels awesome as a fan and a player to win one like that... congrats on taking advantage.... ur team is fast and sometimes speed skills.  good luck against Whitewater... Of course I gotta root for you... if the team that beat us with 7 seconds left wins we know we could have... congrats and good luck....

p.s. next time how about you have parents sit on our sidelines not a bunch of students

If MC spent some money and built some more visitors seating you may not have that problem. 

[coco]

Good job, guys! Too bad you've got another long road trip this time.

Warty, will you be going again?

[warthog]

p.s. next time how about you have parents sit on our sidelines not a bunch of students

Actually what you had in the northeast section of the stands were; former players, former players' wives/fiancees/girl friends, parents, former parents, coaches' families, and a couple Monmouth fans who came along for the ride.

[Warhawk 96]

I was also very surprised that Monmouth didn't kick the field goal on that last 4th down.  

That whole sequence of events has to make it tough to sleep tonight for Monmouth fans. Third and 1 on the eleven and the Knights out of time outs. A false start, delay of game and two incomplete passes. Forget the field goal, two running plays and it's doubtful the Knights have time to score.

IMO, that's probably something Monmouth gets away with 10 times out of 10 in a regular season game - they don't play in many close games - in that situation, someone needed to be proactive and remind the coach that they were playing in the second round of the national playoffs.     Wartburg is more battle tested and prepared for it.

By comparison in Salem, Oregon today, Whitewater was at the Willamette 1 yard line with time running out, leading by 3 and WU out of timeouts.  Rather than risk anything more than a bad exchange on the snap, not even trying to score, the Warhawk's QB Jeff Donovan just took a knee and the game was over.  Wasn't it the NY Jets a number of years ago who tried to hand the ball off to the RB, only to fumble and the Eagles DB scouped it up and ran it back for the game winning TD. 

Tough to play your heart out, only to lose on a blunder like that. The better teams capitalize on mistakes like that and Wartburg sure did today.

Yes but it was the Giants and it was recovered and returned by a promising young defensive back named Herm Edwards.

[warthog]

coco:

Yes, I plan to be on the road again next weekend.  I have an ultimatum however.  The Christmas Tree and the outdoor lights must be up before Friday night or Mrs. Warthog will revoke my passport to enter Wisconsin.

The kids have headed home and our farewells included; "See you next weekend.", so I guess a road trip is in the works.

The trip won't be too bad.  Google Map says it is 200 miles from our house to UWW.  All but 7-8 miles are Interstate.  It is a little further and less Interstate from Waverly.  

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving.  We had a great holiday.  The Waterloo branch of the clan left right after we got back from Monmouth yesterday and the Waverly branch left this morning.  The house sure is quiet now, but we can still hear the echoes of all the festivities of the three previous days.