FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

North Central picked to win their 8th straight CCIW title-but not by much. The coaches poll had North Central first with 47 pts. and Wheaton a close second with 45 pts. 3. IWU-35, 4. Augie-28, 5. Elmhurst-27, 6. Millikin-20, 7. Carthage-15, 8. North Park.

1. I think NCC has a lot to replace. No question they can live up to the ranking IF the new starters step up to the level of play of their predecessors.
2. I agree WC should be right there. However, the loss of Hiben might prove bigger than people expect.
3. Little surprised at the 10 point gap between WC and IWU. Suspect if Gallik and Stinde can return to full strength the gap will quickly narrow.
4. EC picked for 5th after last year's tie for the championship? Hmmmmmm. Too much reliance on one player?

[Gregory Sager]

4. EC picked for 5th after last year's tie for the championship? Hmmmmmm. Too much reliance on one player?

Elmhurst lost more than just Scottie Williams from last year's team, Mark. A lot more.

Didn't you read Wednesday's CCIW coaches chat? Mention was made of all the graduation losses that Elmhurst suffered.

[79jaybird]

4. EC picked for 5th after last year's tie for the championship? Hmmmmmm. Too much reliance on one player?

I disagree with this comment about the reliance on Williams.  Scotty was all everything but IMO this was the first TEAM we had since the late 80's where every position had a capable player.  Plus where would Williams be without an O-Line and 10 other guys contributing?   As Greg pointed out,  Elmhurst has a number of blocks to replace.  My question is (like Carthage a few years back when Washington & Co. graduated),  can Elmhurst replenish and get back to the top 3 slots,  or fall back to the middle/bottom of the pack like Carthage (unfortunately) has shown?   

[NCF]

4. EC picked for 5th after last year's tie for the championship? Hmmmmmm. Too much reliance on one player?

I disagree with this comment about the reliance on Williams.  Scotty was all everything but IMO this was the first TEAM we had since the late 80's where every position had a capable player.  Plus where would Williams be without an O-Line and 10 other guys contributing?   As Greg pointed out,  Elmhurst has a number of blocks to replace.  My question is (like Carthage a few years back when Washington & Co. graduated),  can Elmhurst replenish and get back to the top 3 slots,  or fall back to the middle/bottom of the pack like Carthage (unfortunately) has shown?   

I thought Carthage was a pretty decent team in '09, but have gotten worse each year since, definitely more toward the bottom of the pack. I'm not sure Elmhurst will fall that far. Winning gets your program noticed and brings in better recruits. From reading Adams' comments  during the chat, it sounds as if he and his staff are ready to roll.

Comment From Joe Adam
"I don't put a lot of stock into polls as we were picked to finish fourth last season. There are a lot of things that happen in a football season and I expect our team to compete in every game this fall."
Comment From Joe Adam
"It was a magnificent season; but that was last year. We had a great experience in Europe this spring and I was happy with the execution level of our team. Everyone in our program is looking forward, not behind. The CCIW is a great league, filled with tremendous coaches and players. The competition is fierce and any play can determine the victor. When I came here 5 years ago the hardest thing we did was change the culture. We were "hoping" to be in games. The biggest change now is that our coaching staff and players "expect" to compete, expect to be victorious. In the CCIW, I consider it a 7 game playoff. Every opponent is a great matchup on any given weekend. What I have challenged our players with is to raise the bar and set our expectations higher by focusing on our attitude, effort and performance. Ultimately, those are the only things that we truly have control over. "

Here is the link to the 2013 football coaches chat:
http://www.cciw.org/sports/2013/7/23/FB_0723133431.aspx?id=835&;

[markerickson]

North Park hosts Olivet.  Sweet.

[Gregory Sager]

I really hope NPU could get a W and get competitive in the league. I have been saying this for years even going back to '01 when I started on the air for EC.  They have come close a couple of times at beating us.  I recall one (circa '05 or '06) in Chicago where they had the lead on us late in the 4th and somehow stole defeat from the jaws of victory.

I don't envision NPU winning a CCIW game this year. Of course, I'd love to be proven wrong about that. You'd never see a person happier to wear egg on his face if the Park was able to break that stupid losing streak this season. But I just don't see it happening. The Vikes are simply too lacking in CCIW-grade speed and quickness at almost every position to hang with anybody in this league.

What I would like to see is last season's regression reversed. That's do-able, I think. In 2011 the Vikings were ahead of Carthage by four points and had the ball in Red Men territory with under four minutes remaining in the game when they spit out the bit by fumbling the ball away and giving up the game-deciding touchdown with 35 seconds left. They also lost to Augie by only three, although that wasn't nearly the heartbreaker that the Carthage loss was. And they were only down six to Millikin at Lindsay Field deep into the fourth quarter. But last year the Vikings didn't come close against anybody in league play, and their CCIW scoring margin declined by 55 points. Five of their seven CCIW opponents beat them by bigger scores in 2012 than in 2011, several by much bigger scores.

I'd like to see this year's Vikings shave a touchdown or two off of all seven of last year's losing margins. I'd be happy if they forced their CCIW opponents to keep their regulars in the game into the fourth quarter, and I'd be very happy if they were competitive enough to force them to play their regulars all the way to the final gun. And I'd really like to see NPU reverse the 2012 team's outcomes against Hope and Benedictine and go 3-0 in non-conference play. (I'm pretty sure that the game against Olivet will be a walkover for the Park.) It's only fair to give Mike Conway a mulligan for this season, so even if the Vikes regress even further in 2013 it won't be the kind of thing that'd make me angry. Still, it'd be good for him to make a statement in his first year here that he's not just another dead man walking in the North Park graveyard of coaches.

It's all about keeping expectations realistic and modest at this point.

[matblake]

It's all about keeping expectations realistic and modest at this point.

Greg, I think you hit the nail on the head.  I think the non-conference portion of Hope and Benedictine will be the most telling.  You'll be dealing with top tier/competitive with top tier teams from other conferences and in the past the Vikings have been successful in non-conference play.  If they can show they can compete we'll know that the Park is in pretty similar circumstances as in the recent past IMO. 

I think defense not offense needs to be the NPU focus.  Shutting down the other team will be key for them to remain in games.  What do they have coming back on defense Greg?  I don't see a season preview posted yet on the NPU site.

[markerickson]

My interpretation of North Park's offense over the last couple of years was a scheme to keep the ball away from the opponent.  Run, run, run, and maybe get a first down as the clock ticks.  Incomplete passes grant the opponent more time to run roughshod over the Vikes.

I have no idea what kind of O the Vikes will deploy this year.

[bluejay4ever]

The poll seems to be similar every year. It really does not matter as we all know. I think Elmhurst unlike in the past now has top of conference talent and depth. For the first time they have graduated enough seniors to develop talent and keep the talent even if they were not playing yet. That being said as Coach Adam mentioned in the chat, this conference is very tough. Injuries play a huge roll also at this level and I would argue even more at division III then other levels. Quality depth is what makes the top 3 to 5 teams in this conference compete every year. It is going to be fun to see how it plays out. Getting wins and staying healthy during the non-conference schedule is going to be key for the eventual champion or as we have seen co-champions.

That being said I look forward to purchasing my back to back champion t shirt. 

Good Luck to all this year just not against my Jays. 

[NCF]

CCIW FOOTBALL RECORDS 2005 TO PRESENT

http://northcentralcardinals.com/sports/2013/6/20/FB_0620132812.aspx?path=football

That is a great link for comparisons. But just got this information today:
CCIW ELEVEN YEAR RECORDS
1. North Central 63-14
2. Wheaton        61-16
3. Augie             52-25
4. IWU               40-37
5. Carthage        34-43
6. Elmhurst        32-45
7. Millikin           26-51
8. North Park       0-77

CCIW FIVE YEAR RECORDS
1. North Central  33-2
2. Wheaton         26-9
3. IWU               22-13
4. Augie             19-16
5. Elmhurst        18-17
6. Carthage        13-22
7. Millikin             9-26
8. North Park        0-35

CCIW THREE YEAR RECORDS
1. North Central    20-1
2. Wheaton           17-4
3. Elmhurst           13-8
    IWU                 13-8
5.Augie                10-11
6. Carthage            6-15
7. Millikin               5-16
8. North Park          0-21

The top two teams just keep rolling. Will any other team in the near future be able to challenge them consistently?

[Gregory Sager]

My interpretation of North Park's offense over the last couple of years was a scheme to keep the ball away from the opponent.

That wasn't the primary purpose of the triple option, but it was a significant secondary consideration.

I have no idea what kind of O the Vikes will deploy this year.

Mike Conway is scrapping the option. Given the presence of his talented sons at QB and WR, I'm guessing that the offense will be more of a pro set.

It's all about keeping expectations realistic and modest at this point.

Greg, I think you hit the nail on the head.  I think the non-conference portion of Hope and Benedictine will be the most telling.  You'll be dealing with top tier/competitive with top tier teams from other conferences and in the past the Vikings have been successful in non-conference play.  If they can show they can compete we'll know that the Park is in pretty similar circumstances as in the recent past IMO. 

I think defense not offense needs to be the NPU focus.  Shutting down the other team will be key for them to remain in games.  What do they have coming back on defense Greg?  I don't see a season preview posted yet on the NPU site.

Six defensive starters graduated. There are ten players eligible to return who registered double digits in tackles last season. But I'm uncertain how many of the defensive players who saw extensive playing time in 2012 will return, or which ones. All I know at this point is that 40 of Scott Pethtel's 2012 Vikings will be in camp next week.

[NCF]

My interpretation of North Park's offense over the last couple of years was a scheme to keep the ball away from the opponent.

That wasn't the primary purpose of the triple option, but it was a significant secondary consideration.

I have no idea what kind of O the Vikes will deploy this year.

Mike Conway is scrapping the option. Given the presence of his talented sons at QB and WR, I'm guessing that the offense will be more of a pro set.

It's all about keeping expectations realistic and modest at this point.

Greg, I think you hit the nail on the head.  I think the non-conference portion of Hope and Benedictine will be the most telling.  You'll be dealing with top tier/competitive with top tier teams from other conferences and in the past the Vikings have been successful in non-conference play.  If they can show they can compete we'll know that the Park is in pretty similar circumstances as in the recent past IMO. 

I think defense not offense needs to be the NPU focus.  Shutting down the other team will be key for them to remain in games.  What do they have coming back on defense Greg?  I don't see a season preview posted yet on the NPU site.

Six defensive starters graduated. There are ten players eligible to return who registered double digits in tackles last season. But I'm uncertain how many of the defensive players who saw extensive playing time in 2012 will return, or which ones. All I know at this point is that 40 of Scott Pethtel's 2012 Vikings will be in camp next week.

So will there be a batttle for the QB spot or is Tyler Krebs out?

[Gregory Sager]

So will there be a batttle for the QB spot or is Tyler Krebs out?

Krebs was moved to slotback in the middle of last season. Given his diminutive size, he's not really suited for QB in any system other than the triple option. His gifts lie in running with the football, not in throwing it or trying to read defenses. My guess is that he'll most likely either be a RB or a WR this season.

Jon Williams is the incumbent starter at quarterback for NPU. But T.D. Conway has the ideal size (6'5, 230), arm strength (pro baseball scouts were checking him out when he was a high school pitcher), and credentials (D2 football scholarship), and my guess is that he may be the front-runner for the QB job this coming season. Two other QBs who saw time last year were Ruben Cruz and Austin Mowatt, with Cruz starting the final game against Wheaton due to Williams being out with an injury. Again, I don't know which of last year's players will be back and which ones won't, so my ability to comment upon the quarterback situation for NPU is limited. All I know for sure is that T.D. Conway is going to play for the Vikings.

[NCF]

So will there be a batttle for the QB spot or is Tyler Krebs out?

Krebs was moved to slotback in the middle of last season. Given his diminutive size, he's not really suited for QB in any system other than the triple option. His gifts lie in running with the football, not in throwing it or trying to read defenses. My guess is that he'll most likely either be a RB or a WR this season.

Jon Williams is the incumbent starter at quarterback for NPU. But T.D. Conway has the ideal size (6'5, 230), arm strength (pro baseball scouts were checking him out when he was a high school pitcher), and credentials (D2 football scholarship), and my guess is that he may be the front-runner for the QB job this coming season. Two other QBs who saw time last year were Ruben Cruz and Austin Mowatt, with Cruz starting the final game against Wheaton due to Williams being out with an injury. Again, I don't know which of last year's players will be back and which ones won't, so my ability to comment upon the quarterback situation for NPU is limited. All I know for sure is that T.D. Conway is going to play for the Vikings.

With that size, my money's on Conway.

[markerickson]

A football lifer calls his kid T.D.  Nice.  The son also has baseball skills!  (Calling Coach Johnson.)
http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmonvalley/1318616-87/california-conway-football-baseball-9-0-batting-career-coach-hartman-season#axzz2bWo2ez8v  Get ready to run, T.D. 

Circa 2005 NP had a 6' 5" QB with a strong arm named Mike Haehn who had a precarious life behind the O-Line.

Hopefully Krebs will become the DIII version of Wes Welker!  Conway will definitely need that type of outlet.