FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCF]

Statistically the NCC D is not as good. (About 25 yds per game worse). The returning players along w the new guys are better but you cannot replace #40.  The conference is decidedly worse at running the ball as well so this D has not been tested on the ground like they will be in the playoffs.

The only thing that matters is keeping the opponent off the scoreboard. Didn't several posters think that IWU and Wheaton would be able to put up at LEAST two scores on this D. The conference hasn't run much period this year and the teams that did try to run were not successful (and by successful I mean puting the ball in the end zone). This group will be ready for anything come play-off time. Statistics don't win ballgames, players do. Two long weeks to go...

[USee]

Hmmmm. I am never one to let the facts get in the way of a good story but:

NCC scoring defense in 2010: 9.1 ppg

NCC scoring defense in 2011: 12.1 ppg

Keep drinking the kool aid though.

[NCF]

Hmmmm. I am never one to let the facts get in the way of a good story but:

NCC scoring defense in 2010: 9.1 ppg

NCC scoring defense in 2011: 12.1 ppg

Keep drinking the kool aid though.

Hmmmmmmm three points? You're going to quibble about three points? The only thing that matters is the final score and as long as ours is up by 1 or more the rest doesn't matter.We'll have to wait and see how everything plays out. The red kool-aid does taste the best Looks like yours might be a little green

[Stagg Again!!]

Statistically the NCC D is not as good. (About 25 yds per game worse). The returning players along w the new guys are better but you cannot replace #40.  The conference is decidedly worse at running the ball as well so this D has not been tested on the ground like they will be in the playoffs.

I agree to a point.  NCC has, however, stopped the run when needed.  Case in point:

Scottie Williams has rushed for 1,192 total yards through nine games for an average of 132.4 yards/game.

Against IWU, Williams rushed for 127 yards or 4.5 yards per carry.  126 of Williams' yards were in the first three quarters against IWU's starters.  Williams only had one carry for one yard in the 4th quarter.  IWU was leading 21-12 at the end of the 3rd quarter, but EC elected to principally pass the ball in the 4th quarter.

Against WC, Williams rushed for 194 yards or 7.5 yards per carry.  123 of Williams' yards were in the first three quarters.  Williams had 71 yards in the 4th quarter after the game was already out of hand as WC was leading 46-14 at the end of the 3rd quarter.  Presumably, WC had its second string in for the majority or all of the 4th quarter.

Against NCC, Williams rushed for 74 yards or 4.6 yards per carry.  2 of Williams' yards were in the first half and 17 of Williams' yards were in the first three quarters.  Williams picked up 57 yards in the 4th quarter (and 42 yards on the last two plays of the game) when the game was already out of hand as NCC was leading 30-3 at the end of the 3rd quarter. 

While this is only a sample size of one against three playoff-caliber teams, it is telling.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Hmmmm. I am never one to let the facts get in the way of a good story but:

NCC scoring defense in 2010: 9.1 ppg

NCC scoring defense in 2011: 12.1 ppg

Keep drinking the kool aid though.

Hmmmmmmm three points? You're going to quibble about three points? The only thing that matters is the final score and as long as ours is up by 1 or more the rest doesn't matter.We'll have to wait and see how everything plays out. The red kool-aid does taste the best Looks like yours might be a little green

Hmmmmmmm, that three point rise is 33%!  Last year at this time you were 9-0; this year 8-1.  Given what has happened since, Redlands may have been a 'fluke', but one fluke in the postseason and it is the offseason.

To think you could lose Wenger and be better this year reminds me of the (self-proclaimed, at least) Carthage bball fan who thinks they will be better this year because Steve Djurickovic graduated!

(And I am on record as saying I think you just may, overall, have caught up to the two-headed Purple monster.)

[CardinalAlum]

Well, when you beat every team in the CCIW (one of the top 3 conferences in the country) by more than 20 pts, I don't think that can be considered close. NCC is on a completely different level than every other CCIW team. I would love to see a Redlands/NCC rematch but the game I want this year is NCC @ Mt Union. That is a very winnable game for NCC in my opinion and North Central is one of the better bets to break the Purple strangle hold in Salem. I am not saying I would place a big bet on that but it is plausible.

I might drive out to Alliance to see this one......god forbid Mount plays a good team in the playoffs before the semi-finals.

I thought NCC would have beaten Mount last season, many of us UWW fans all agree on that.

I second that.  I don't know how Mt would have run the ball last year on the NCC D with the big nasty at MLB.  This year I'm not sure if the NCC run defense is as strong as last year (I'm sure someone will set me straight), but it's still very good.  IMO it comes down to whether NCC can score against a similarly good Mt defense.  A game worth driving to see.

Just as good and getting better every week.

Disagree.  No way a defense loses someone like Wenger and is just as good. 

[formerd3db]

Statistically the NCC D is not as good. (About 25 yds per game worse). The returning players along w the new guys are better but you cannot replace #40.  The conference is decidedly worse at running the ball as well so this D has not been tested on the ground like they will be in the playoffs.

The only thing that matters is keeping the opponent off the scoreboard. Didn't several posters think that IWU and Wheaton would be able to put up at LEAST two scores on this D. The conference hasn't run much period this year and the teams that did try to run were not successful (and by successful I mean puting the ball in the end zone). This group will be ready for anything come play-off time. Statistics don't win ballgames, players do. Two long weeks to go...

I realize I am jumping in here in the middle of the discussion, however, I couldn't resist. While that is true (keeping the opponent off the scoreboard), given the fact that situation will not always occur, would you not agree that perhaps the only thing that matters more than that is having the most points at the end of the game?!   The "win is the thing" to "piggyback" on that well-know piece of classic literature prose!

[Stagg Again!!]

Hmmmm. I am never one to let the facts get in the way of a good story but:

NCC scoring defense in 2010: 9.1 ppg

NCC scoring defense in 2011: 12.1 ppg

Keep drinking the kool aid though.

I like to compare apples to apples.  If you look at NCC's scoring defense v. its six CCIW opponents only in 2010 and 2011 you find that the Cardinals gave up:

           2010     2011
CC       8          0
AC      14         3
MU      7          14
IWU     7          0
EC       13         10
WC      6           7
Total   55          34
PPG     9.1        5.6

If you want to include the OC game (common opponent in both years), you get the following:
OC       9         14
Total    64       48
PPG     9.1      6.8

It gets a little dicey beyond that when you start throwing in different teams of different quality.  For example, NCC's starters stayed in the game collectively longer against Cornell last year than they did against Bethel this year (a review of the box score from the Cornell game will show you that it was 28-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter and most of the tackles in the 4th quarter were made by NCC's starters; while a review of the box score from the Bethel game this year will show that it was 49-10 at half-time, and that the only Bethel TD in the first half came on a Bethel INT run back to the NCC 3 yard line).  Including the additional points scored by Bethel over those scored by Cornell really only serves as an evaluation of last year's starters v. this year's second and third string.  As for comparing UWEC in 2010 and Redlands in 2011, it is night and day (third game of the year at home v. first game of the year on the road; running team v. passing team; good officiating v. ... ).   

[Stagg Again!!]

Statistics aside, there is certainly a difference in ILB between last year and this year.  Wenger was most likely the best defensive player in Cardinal history.  It is certainly hard to replace the DPOY!!

[robertgoulet]

Well, when you beat every team in the CCIW (one of the top 3 conferences in the country) by more than 20 pts, I don't think that can be considered close. NCC is on a completely different level than every other CCIW team. I would love to see a Redlands/NCC rematch but the game I want this year is NCC @ Mt Union. That is a very winnable game for NCC in my opinion and North Central is one of the better bets to break the Purple strangle hold in Salem. I am not saying I would place a big bet on that but it is plausible.

I might drive out to Alliance to see this one......god forbid Mount plays a good team in the playoffs before the semi-finals.

I thought NCC would have beaten Mount last season, many of us UWW fans all agree on that.

I second that.  I don't know how Mt would have run the ball last year on the NCC D with the big nasty at MLB.  This year I'm not sure if the NCC run defense is as strong as last year (I'm sure someone will set me straight), but it's still very good.  IMO it comes down to whether NCC can score against a similarly good Mt defense.  A game worth driving to see.

Just as good and getting better every week.

Disagree.  No way a defense loses someone like Wenger and is just as good.

Agreed. As stated previously, the defense is a little worse than last year, the offense is a little better.

[AndOne]

Holy crap guys!
As my spousal unit, the math professor, has told me 1000 times, you can make statistics say anything you want them to.

*It seems like there are some sour grapes being harvested. Maybe a little jealousy over the fact North Central rather than your team is the likely sole CCIW champion this year?
*OK, so last year the NCC scoring defense was 9.1 and this year its 12.1. As one of the board's math majors pointed out, THIS IS A 33% INCTREASE! Wooooooo Hoooooooooo!  SO GIVE EVERY NCC OPPONENT 3 MORE POINTS THIS SEASON. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS THE CARDINAL'S RECORD THIS YEAR. Just what is the purpose in pointing out the 3 point difference? And, as far as being able to make statistics say what you want them to, is pointing out that the difference between last year's numbers and this year's is 33% supposed to make anyone believe that this season's defensive unit is only two thirds as good as last year's? This is ludacris.
*If you want to play with numbers remember that a football team consists of 11 players and a basketball team only 5. Wenger is gone from the North Central football team, and Djurickovic from the Carthage basketball team. So, while we're at it, lets trot out some statistics pointing out Steve accounted for 20% of the Carthage basketball squad and Matt was about 9.1% of the NCC defensive unit. The argument could further be pressed that its easier to replace 9.1% than it is to replace 20%.

*In the end, the statistics don't mean crap. As someone said its the wins and losses that matter and at 8-1, and likely 9-1, NCC is the CCIW champion, the automatic qualifier, and in the playoffs. Three more points in every game wouldn't change that a bit. 
Math class dismissed. Enough foolishness.

[AndOne]

I think Garrett Meador continues to be the front runner for OPOY. He was responsible for 239 of Wheaton's 250 yards on Saturday throwing for 194 and he was the leading rusher with 45 yards. For the season he is completing 65% of his passes for 2,414 yards and 23 TDs with just 6 INT. He is averaging 268.2 yds per game.

Mark Hiben, the 6' 4" freshman reciever for Wheaton has had an awesome freshman year. He leads the conference in yds per game (90), TD's (8) and is second to teammate Teddy Watkins in receptions per game (5.43 to 6.00).  Against NCC he had 5 catches for 97 yds. Pretty impressive numbers for a freshman. I think he is a lock for 1st team All-CCIW.

Hiben exhibits skill far in excess of most freshmen, and is one of the most impressive 1st year players in recent memory. It would indeed be difficult to argue should he merit 1st team all-CCIW status.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Holy crap guys!
As my spousal unit, the math professor, has told me 1000 times, you can make statistics say anything you want them to.

*It seems like there are some sour grapes being harvested. Maybe a little jealousy over the fact North Central rather than your team is the likely sole CCIW champion this year?
*OK, so last year the NCC scoring defense was 9.1 and this year its 12.1. As one of the board's math majors pointed out, THIS IS A 33% INCTREASE! Wooooooo Hoooooooooo!  SO GIVE EVERY NCC OPPONENT 3 MORE POINTS THIS SEASON. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS THE CARDINAL'S RECORD THIS YEAR. Just what is the purpose in pointing out the 3 point difference? And, as far as being able to make statistics say what you want them to, is pointing out that the difference between last year's numbers and this year's is 33% supposed to make anyone believe that this season's defensive unit is only two thirds as good as last year's? This is ludacris.
*If you want to play with numbers remember that a football team consists of 11 players and a basketball team only 5. Wenger is gone from the North Central football team, and Djurickovic from the Carthage basketball team. So, while we're at it, lets trot out some statistics pointing out Steve accounted for 20% of the Carthage basketball squad and Matt was about 9.1% of the NCC defensive unit. The argument could further be pressed that its easier to replace 9.1% than it is to replace 20%.

*In the end, the statistics don't mean crap. As someone said its the wins and losses that matter and at 8-1, and likely 9-1, NCC is the CCIW champion, the automatic qualifier, and in the playoffs. Three more points in every game wouldn't change that a bit. 
Math class dismissed. Enough foolishness.

AndOne, I've defended you in the past; consider it the past.

Arguably your dumbest post ever.

BTW, the guy pointing out the 33% increase in scoring is a retired stats prof; I also pointed out that you are 8-1 instead of 9-0 for the season to this date; I also pointed out that I think (overall) you just might have caught up with the big two.

I also noted that the 'fluke' against Redlands (if it was), if repeated, would cause the postseason to become the offseason.

NCC won.  We all noticed that.  In fact the univesal reaction has been that NCC has moved to a different level.  For NCC's sake, don't be an a$$hole.

Try not to be such a buffoon.

[AndOne]

Holy crap guys!
As my spousal unit, the math professor, has told me 1000 times, you can make statistics say anything you want them to.

*It seems like there are some sour grapes being harvested. Maybe a little jealousy over the fact North Central rather than your team is the likely sole CCIW champion this year?
*OK, so last year the NCC scoring defense was 9.1 and this year its 12.1. As one of the board's math majors pointed out, THIS IS A 33% INCTREASE! Wooooooo Hoooooooooo!  SO GIVE EVERY NCC OPPONENT 3 MORE POINTS THIS SEASON. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE AS FAR AS THE CARDINAL'S RECORD THIS YEAR. Just what is the purpose in pointing out the 3 point difference? And, as far as being able to make statistics say what you want them to, is pointing out that the difference between last year's numbers and this year's is 33% supposed to make anyone believe that this season's defensive unit is only two thirds as good as last year's? This is ludacris.
*If you want to play with numbers remember that a football team consists of 11 players and a basketball team only 5. Wenger is gone from the North Central football team, and Djurickovic from the Carthage basketball team. So, while we're at it, lets trot out some statistics pointing out Steve accounted for 20% of the Carthage basketball squad and Matt was about 9.1% of the NCC defensive unit. The argument could further be pressed that its easier to replace 9.1% than it is to replace 20%.

*In the end, the statistics don't mean crap. As someone said its the wins and losses that matter and at 8-1, and likely 9-1, NCC is the CCIW champion, the automatic qualifier, and in the playoffs. Three more points in every game wouldn't change that a bit. 
Math class dismissed. Enough foolishness.

AndOne, I've defended you in the past; consider it the past.

Arguably your dumbest post ever.

BTW, the guy pointing out the 33% increase in scoring is a retired stats prof; I also pointed out that you are 8-1 instead of 9-0 for the season to this date; I also pointed out that I think (overall) you just might have caught up with the big two.

I also noted that the 'fluke' against Redlands (if it was), if repeated, would cause the postseason to become the offseason.

NCC won.  We all noticed that.  In fact the univesal reaction has been that NCC has moved to a different level.  For NCC's sake, don't be an a$$hole.

Try not to be such a buffoon.

Yes sir. Thank you sir! May I have another?   

[Mr. Ypsi]

^^ Sure.  Try not to be such a buffoon!

Happy now?