FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

TALE OF THE TAPE--NCC VS IWU

SCORING OFFENSE          G   TD  XP 2XP DXP  FG Saf  Pts   Avg
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central........  7   44  39   0   0   2   0  309  44.1
3. Illinois Wesleyan...  7   33  30   1   0   6   0  248  35.4

SCORING DEFENSE          G   TD  XP 2XP DXP  FG Saf  Pts   Avg
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central........  7   12  11   0   0   1   0   86  12.3
3. Illinois Wesleyan...  7   13  12   0   0   4   0  102  14.6

PASS OFFENSE             G   Att  Cmp Int  Pct.  Yds  Avg TD Yds/G
------------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central........  7   192  143   3  74.5 1877  9.8 21 268.1
3. Illinois Wesleyan...  7   201  129  12  64.2 1627  8.1 18 232.4

PASS DEFENSE             G   Att  Cmp Int  Pct.  Yds  Avg TD Yds/G
------------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central.........  7   183   89  10  48.6  968  5.3  5 138.3
5. Illinois Wesleyan....  7   226  123   6  54.4 1333  5.9  6 190.4

KICKOFF RETURNS          G   Ret  Yds   TD   Avg
------------------------------------------------
1. Illinois Wesleyan...  7    21  661    0  31.5
8. North Central........  7    13  145    0  11.2

PUNTING                  G  No. Yards Avg/P   PR  Avg  TB Net/P
---------------------------------------------------------------
1. Illinois Wesleyan...  7   20   826  41.3   43  2.2   1  38.2
8. North Central........  7   19   637  33.5   57  3.0   4  26.3

TURNOVER MARGIN          G  Fum Int Tot Fum Int Tot Mar  Per/G
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central........  7    5  10  15   5   3   8  +7  +1.00
8. Illinois Wesleyan...  7    6   6  12   7  12  19  -7   -1.00

RUSHING OFFENSE          G    Att   Yds   Avg  TD  Yds/G
--------------------------------------------------------
2. North Central........  7    329  1818   5.5  22  259.7
3. Illinois Wesleyan...  7    249  1445   5.8  14  206.4

RUSHING DEFENSE          G  Rushes  Yards  Avg.  TD  Yds/G
----------------------------------------------------------
1. Illinois Wesleyan...  7     240    527   2.2   7   75.3
2. North Central.......  7     263    760   2.9   3  108.6

TOTAL OFFENSE            G  Rush Pass Plays Yards Avg/P TD Yds/G
----------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central........  7  1818 1877   521  3695   7.1  43   527.9
2. Illinois Wesleyan...  7  1445 1627   450  3072   6.8  32   438.9

TOTAL DEFENSE            G  Rush Pass Plys Yards  Avg  TD Yds/G
---------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central........  7   760  968  446  1728  3.9   8  246.9
2. Illinois Wesleyan...  7   527 1333  466  1860  4.0  13 265.7

PUNT RETURN AVG          G   Ret  Yds   TD   Avg
------------------------------------------------
4. North Central.......  7    26  262    1  10.1
7. Illinois Wesleyan...  7    14   62    0   4.4

PASS EFFICIENCY          G   Att  Cmp   Pct  Int  Yds TD Effic
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central.......  7   192  143  .745    3  1877  21  189.6
2. Illinois Wesleyan...  7   201  129  .642   12 1627  18  149.8

PASS DEF EFFICIENCY      G   Att  Cmp  Int  Pct.  Yds TD Effic
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. North Central........  7   183   89   10  48.6  968  5  91.2
4. Illinois Wesleyan....  7   226  123    6  54.4 1333  6 107.4

FIRST DOWNS              G  Rush Pass Pen Total
-----------------------------------------------
1. North Central.......  7    97   88   5   190
4. Illinois Wesleyan...  7    61   75   9   145

OPPONENT 1ST DOWNS       G  Rush Pass Pen Total
-----------------------------------------------
1. North Central.......  7    43   44   5    92
3. Illinois Wesleyan...  7    40   66   8   114

SACKS BY                 G  Sacks
---------------------------------------
1. Illinois Wesleyan...  7     22   
2. North Central.......  7     19   

PENALTIES                G   No  Yds Avg/G
------------------------------------------
2. North Central........  7   48  372  53.1
3. Illinois Wesleyan...  7   44  387  55.3

PASS EFFICIENCY     Team Cl  G Att Cmp Int  Pct.  Yds   TD   Eff.
-------------------------------------------------------------
1. Stanek, Spencer.. NCC  SR  7 173 132   1  76.3  1815  20  201.4
2. Gallik, Rob......... IWU  SR  7 193 124  11  64.2 1586  18  152.7

FIELD GOALS        Team Cl  G   FG  FGA  Pct. 
---------------------------------------------------
2. Kelley, Michael. IWU  SO  7    6    9  66.7 
6. Dace, Nick....... NCC  SR  7    2    9  22.2

[79jaybird]

And all these stats mean very little on Saturday. It's going to be who executes and makes the plays

[HoosierRedMan]

Congrats to the NPU faithful on the win this weekend. This of course is going to have a lot of conversation and is well deserved. IWU winning at home against weekend was not a shocker to me but is going to set the stage for an excellent game next week at NCC. Elmhurst and Millikin.....well somebody had to win but I am still in shock that Elmhurst isn't at least competing in the top 4 this year.

I did finally attend a CCIW game finally this year and went to the NCC homecoming game vs my Alma-Mater Carthage. Disappointed is the best word to describe what I saw sitting on the Carthage sideline on Saturday The 72-20 score was nothing of what the game could and should have been as I left at halftime when the score was 55-0.

The disappointing word to describe Carthage is not that I expected them to win but it was that Carthage didn't seem to want to be there. There was no emotion, no leaders (both coaches and players) and everyone was simply going through the motions. The lack of pride, bringing up your teammates (heck I'd even go for yelling at your teammates) and wanting to improve just wasn't there.

Carthage is at the lowest point that I have seen them since I started following and playing for them in 2002. I don't have the answers but there needs to be drastic changes to the attitudes and mind sets of the Carthage football program. Have some pride these last three games and work hard on building for the future. Remember in 2003 we were 3-7 and in 2004 we went 11-2.

Very disheartening to hear your report SoT.  My son played from '08 thru '11 and they always played hard.  Just couldn't seem to beat the top conference teams, but with Evan Jones they were in all their games.

It's hard to figure out why they have fallen so far.  The facilities are top notch, so why can they not get talent to Kenosha seems strange.  With Coach Rucks retiring and the new staff taking over, do you think that is what might have hurt the type of player now going to Carthage? 

They way they seem to be playing right now, just going through the motions as you described, I would not be bit surprised if they finished 1-9.

[iwu70]

AndOne, all useful stats.  Pretty even for the most part, with some small advantage to NCC, it would appear.  Thanks.  It should be a great game.  I still have the line at NCC by one TD or a bit more.  Let's hope the Titans play very well and pull off the upset.

I'm all for a "Greg Sager Day," should NP go 4-3 in CCIW play this season.  Anyone who has been as long-suffering and loyal as Greg should surely have his day!

I'm also hoping for a "Quillman Center for the Performing Arts" or some such at IWU . . . and, if I win the lottery, IWU will surely have a Sheldon Center for Media and the Performing Arts, by the next year. 

Q very likely has a better chance of being an IWU "major donor," than your humble servant, IWU70.  At least my heart is in the right place, always pumping green.

IWU70

[AndOne]

iwu70

I just posted many of the stats for general interest and comparison sake.
79jaybird  has it right in that, come kickoff time, you can probably throw most of the stats out the window.
I think rushing, passing, and defense against both the rush and pass will likely be a wash or close to it.
The stats that, to me at least, stick pout the most show that NCC has kicking, punting, and kickoff return problems and IWU can't return punts, is a little suspect with regard to pass coverage. Galliik's 11 INTs also seems potentially significant.
I feel field position/kicking and kick coverage, time of possession, penalties, and especially turnovers, or lack thereof will ultimately be the telling factors. 

[iwu70]

Agree with you, IWU seems to have an advantage in FG kicking and it could come to that in a close game, but also has turned it over, had key penalties at crucial times.  Really think IWU has to play its best game of the year, pretty much, close to error/TO free to beat NCC this weekend.  Both are excellent teams.  But, until someone really takes down NCC, they are still the defending champs, many times over.  I hope the Titan D is able to get some pressure on the NC QB, otherwise could be a long afternoon.  Same with Gallik, as when he gets into a rhythm and has time, the IWU receivers are awfully good this year. 

Should be a wonderful afternoon of D3 football on Saturday -- you know where.

IWU70

[AndOne]

Very disheartening to hear your report SoT.  My son played from '08 thru '11 and they always played hard.  Just couldn't seem to beat the top conference teams, but with Evan Jones they were in all their games.

It's hard to figure out why they have fallen so far.  The facilities are top notch, so why can they not get talent to Kenosha seems strange.  With Coach Rucks retiring and the new staff taking over, do you think that is what might have hurt the type of player now going to Carthage? 

They way they seem to be playing right now, just going through the motions as you described, I would not be bit surprised if they finished 1-9.

HRM----

The answer to your question is probably multifaceted, but I have a theory that, in part, may explain at least part of the problem.
Many people will probably consider this looney which is fine. There are other answers. But consider the possibility---For most "small" colleges, the major recruiting territory is fairly local. Some schools range a little farther out from their home base, but unless you're a school with special considerations like religious orientation or specialized course offerings of one type or another, your recruiting territory is not going to be national in scope, or even encompass most of your region for that matter. In Carthage's case, other than schools in Milwaukee and its suburbs, perhaps in the Kenosha and Racine areas, and in the Chicago suburban area, I would guess many of the high schools in their primary recruiting area are fairly small and naturally don't have a ton of potential recruits. Being in Wisconsin, I also think a big factor might be the presence of the Wisconsin State schools who draw potential recruits away from Carthage especially when they can offer a much lower in-state tuition cost. D2 UW-Parkside is practically in Carthage's backyard, and major player UW-Whitewater constantly lurks close by. Do I attend Carthage and pay $44,350 a year for tuition, a double room, and a 13 meal a week plan, or do I attend Whitewater for $15,130 for tuition, a double room, and a 14 meal a week plan? Aren't some Carthage recruits going to UWW (or another UW school with similar costs)?   

[ncc58]

Looking at the two deep chart in the Game Program on Saturday, Carthage had no Seniors and only a few Juniors. The depth chart was mostly Sophomores with several Freshmen in the mix as well. There may be no leadership because many of the players are young, first year starters who haven't had any success yet.

Conversely, NCC, IWU, and Wheaton have heavy concentrations of seniors, with several fifth year seniors. 

Congrats to the NPU faithful on the win this weekend. This of course is going to have a lot of conversation and is well deserved. IWU winning at home against weekend was not a shocker to me but is going to set the stage for an excellent game next week at NCC. Elmhurst and Millikin.....well somebody had to win but I am still in shock that Elmhurst isn't at least competing in the top 4 this year.

I did finally attend a CCIW game finally this year and went to the NCC homecoming game vs my Alma-Mater Carthage. Disappointed is the best word to describe what I saw sitting on the Carthage sideline on Saturday The 72-20 score was nothing of what the game could and should have been as I left at halftime when the score was 55-0.

The disappointing word to describe Carthage is not that I expected them to win but it was that Carthage didn't seem to want to be there. There was no emotion, no leaders (both coaches and players) and everyone was simply going through the motions. The lack of pride, bringing up your teammates (heck I'd even go for yelling at your teammates) and wanting to improve just wasn't there.

Carthage is at the lowest point that I have seen them since I started following and playing for them in 2002. I don't have the answers but there needs to be drastic changes to the attitudes and mind sets of the Carthage football program. Have some pride these last three games and work hard on building for the future. Remember in 2003 we were 3-7 and in 2004 we went 11-2.

Very disheartening to hear your report SoT.  My son played from '08 thru '11 and they always played hard.  Just couldn't seem to beat the top conference teams, but with Evan Jones they were in all their games.

It's hard to figure out why they have fallen so far.  The facilities are top notch, so why can they not get talent to Kenosha seems strange.  With Coach Rucks retiring and the new staff taking over, do you think that is what might have hurt the type of player now going to Carthage? 

They way they seem to be playing right now, just going through the motions as you described, I would not be bit surprised if they finished 1-9.

[Gregory Sager]

Game story in the QC Times.

Augustana head coach Rob Cushman said he warned his players in advance that they couldn't take Saturday's game lightly.

"I tried to tell our guys that's not the old North Park," Cushman said. "I'm not sure I got through to them."

What's funny about this is that the Augie of today is taking anyone lightly!   

Mike Conway wasn't really pleased with that quote, because it smacked of disrespect. The implication behind Rob Cushman's statement is that if he had been able to "get through" to his players that NPU needed to be taken seriously as an opponent, the outcome of the game would've been different. I think Mike's right. Just say that you were beaten and tip your cap to the other team, Coach Cushman, and let it go at that. It's a stark contrast to John Thorne, who sent yet another congratulatory e-mail to Mike Conway after Saturday's game. The fact that the one coach in this league who has more of a right than anybody else to look down on NPU football is instead the one coach who has repeatedly applauded what the Vikings have done this year speaks volumes about the character of John Thorne.

And to be frank back its always bugged me when they say "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim," and saying "at Tucci Stadium at Wilder Field" sounds like another case of confusion. The Angels can't play in LA and Anaheim at the same time, and neither can the Green Weenies play in 2 places at the same time! 

Furthermore, as defense exhibit #1, I submit----> From IWU's own athletic web site:

What's Next?
The Titans meet No. 4-ranked and also unbeaten North Central next Saturday at 1 p.m. at Tucci Stadium. Thats Tucci Stadium PERIOD. 

I'd imagine then you get really confused when attending basketball games at Gregory Arena @ Merner Field House, or outdoor track events at the Jay and Dot Buikema Track @ Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.

Nope, because while the official name might be Gregory Arena and it might be in (not @) Merner Fieldhouse, all anyone ever calls it is Merner, or simply, "the gym." And on D3Hoops, its usually affectionally referred to as "The Hangar." 
As far as attending games in the "football stadium." I don't do track, so no confusion there. 

That's perfectly reasonable, because Merner Fieldhouse and Gregory Arena aren't synonymous. The latter is located inside the former, as Merner Fieldhouse has other things inside the building besides the basketball gym. Similarly, on the air I always refer to North Park's football and soccer field as Hedstrand Field, because that's the name of the field (and because I was a student of the late, great Ted Hedstrand when he taught at NPC). The name of the facility as a whole, including the softball and baseball diamonds that share only part of the real estate of Hedstrand Field, is the Holmgren Athletic Complex. When I do play-by-play for NPU baseball and softball, I call the home field "Holmgren".

iwu70---

Of course you know that part of my job description is to give people who wear several shades of green a hard time as often as possible. 
As far as yourself, personally, it comes naturally to me to give you the hardest time concerning this issue when everyone else, including IWU itself, seems to just say the games are @ Tucci Stadium PERIOD. 

You know, Mark, if you'd stop baiting him like that, he wouldn't have an excuse to go on and on and on and on with his interminable eight-paragraph commercials for Illinois Wesleyan, in which we have to hear all about the IWU professors and the IWU glee club and the new drapes in the IWU library and whatever. Not that he really needs to be prompted in order to post that stuff, of course. Just say'in.

Again, my congrats to NP for their big win @Augie.  Stunning.

I do think they have a pretty good shot at going 4-3 in CCIW play this year.

IWU70

Ditto to NPU.
That the eastern Vikings might now finish above .500 in the conference seems a pretty good possibility indeed.
They should definitely be rated the favorite at home against Elmhurst, and, at worst, a tossup against Millikin even on the road given their success against their western namesakes.
Should they finish with that 4-3 record, Rahm Emanuel will probably declare it NPU Day in Chicago. Or would that be Greg Sager Day?   

Thanks, but I won't lose sleep over that possibility. I'm just the play-by-play announcer. If the Bears win the Super Bowl -- not that that's gonna happen anytime soon -- nobody's gonna declare it Jeff Joniak Day in Chicago. If NPU finishes 4-3 and Rahmbo decides to declare it Mike Conway Day in the Windy City, I'll get behind that 100%. And that will probably be the first time that I get behind anything that Rahmbo has done as mayor.

Congrats to the NPU faithful on the win this weekend. This of course is going to have a lot of conversation and is well deserved. IWU winning at home against weekend was not a shocker to me but is going to set the stage for an excellent game next week at NCC. Elmhurst and Millikin.....well somebody had to win but I am still in shock that Elmhurst isn't at least competing in the top 4 this year.

I did finally attend a CCIW game finally this year and went to the NCC homecoming game vs my Alma-Mater Carthage. Disappointed is the best word to describe what I saw sitting on the Carthage sideline on Saturday The 72-20 score was nothing of what the game could and should have been as I left at halftime when the score was 55-0.

The disappointing word to describe Carthage is not that I expected them to win but it was that Carthage didn't seem to want to be there. There was no emotion, no leaders (both coaches and players) and everyone was simply going through the motions. The lack of pride, bringing up your teammates (heck I'd even go for yelling at your teammates) and wanting to improve just wasn't there.

Carthage is at the lowest point that I have seen them since I started following and playing for them in 2002. I don't have the answers but there needs to be drastic changes to the attitudes and mind sets of the Carthage football program. Have some pride these last three games and work hard on building for the future. Remember in 2003 we were 3-7 and in 2004 we went 11-2.

Dude, I feel for you.  I don't enjoy seeing the Carthage faithful suffer (especially the player alumni), because I know all too well how it feels to see your team get whipped on the gridiron every week. And the worst is when you see a dead sideline and know that the coaches and players have tuned each other out and are just playing out the string. Been there, done that, too. At least a lively sideline would give a fan some hope for the future, because football is a game that demands emotion and enthusiasm from those who play it and coach it.

But I would imagine that the loss of starting QB A.J. Simoncelli on Saturday against NCC -- how long is he out? Anyone know? -- only makes things worse.

Congrats to the NPU faithful on the win this weekend. This of course is going to have a lot of conversation and is well deserved. IWU winning at home against weekend was not a shocker to me but is going to set the stage for an excellent game next week at NCC. Elmhurst and Millikin.....well somebody had to win but I am still in shock that Elmhurst isn't at least competing in the top 4 this year.

I did finally attend a CCIW game finally this year and went to the NCC homecoming game vs my Alma-Mater Carthage. Disappointed is the best word to describe what I saw sitting on the Carthage sideline on Saturday The 72-20 score was nothing of what the game could and should have been as I left at halftime when the score was 55-0.

The disappointing word to describe Carthage is not that I expected them to win but it was that Carthage didn't seem to want to be there. There was no emotion, no leaders (both coaches and players) and everyone was simply going through the motions. The lack of pride, bringing up your teammates (heck I'd even go for yelling at your teammates) and wanting to improve just wasn't there.

Carthage is at the lowest point that I have seen them since I started following and playing for them in 2002. I don't have the answers but there needs to be drastic changes to the attitudes and mind sets of the Carthage football program. Have some pride these last three games and work hard on building for the future. Remember in 2003 we were 3-7 and in 2004 we went 11-2.

Very disheartening to hear your report SoT.  My son played from '08 thru '11 and they always played hard.  Just couldn't seem to beat the top conference teams, but with Evan Jones they were in all their games.

It's hard to figure out why they have fallen so far.  The facilities are top notch, so why can they not get talent to Kenosha seems strange.  With Coach Rucks retiring and the new staff taking over, do you think that is what might have hurt the type of player now going to Carthage?

I've heard from people involved with other sports at Carthage that the price structure for a Carthage education -- either tuition or the availability of financial aid -- has changed recently in a way that has adversely affected recruiting for athletics. This is hearsay, so I won't stand fully behind that assertion. I'm just repeating what I've heard.

[formerd3db]

Hey Gregory:

I totally understand where you are coming from i.e. just reporting what you've heard.  It would be interesting to hear from someone there who would know more of the "inside details".  Yet, at the same time, I can't imagine their problem is any different than some of the other DIII schools that have faced this such as our Olivet and Kalamazoo in the MIAA in regards to some of the difficulties in recruiting athletes due to the financial aid requirements/availability and other involved policies.  Hopefully, they can get whatever needs to be rectified worked out.

[AndOne]

Do I attend Carthage and pay $44,350 a year for tuition, a double room, and a 13 meal a week plan, or do I attend Whitewater for $15,130 for tuition, a double room, and a 14 meal a week plan? Aren't some Carthage recruits going to UWW (or another UW school with similar costs)?   

In reference to Greg Sager's last entry above.

[Gregory Sager]

The answer to your question is probably multifaceted, but I have a theory that, in part, may explain at least part of the problem.
Many people will probably consider this looney which is fine. There are other answers. But consider the possibility---For most "small" colleges, the major recruiting territory is fairly local. Some schools range a little farther out from their home base, but unless you're a school with special considerations like religious orientation or specialized course offerings of one type or another, your recruiting territory is not going to be national in scope, or even encompass most of your region for that matter. In Carthage's case, other than schools in Milwaukee and its suburbs, perhaps in the Kenosha and Racine areas, and in the Chicago suburban area, I would guess many of the high schools in their primary recruiting area are fairly small and naturally don't have a ton of potential recruits. Being in Wisconsin, I also think a big factor might be the presence of the Wisconsin State schools who draw potential recruits away from Carthage especially when they can offer a much lower in-state tuition cost. D2 UW-Parkside is practically in Carthage's backyard, and major player UW-Whitewater constantly lurks close by. Do I attend Carthage and pay $44,350 a year for tuition, a double room, and a 13 meal a week plan, or do I attend Whitewater for $15,130 for tuition, a double room, and a 14 meal a week plan? Aren't some Carthage recruits going to UWW (or another UW school with similar costs)?   

Carthage has always been an Illinois-centric school, at least over the three and a half decades that I've followed the CCIW. A majority, or at least a plurality, of the resident student body has consisted of kids who hail from south of the cheddar curtain, and it's always seemed as though at least two-thirds of every Carthage athletic roster has consisted of Illinoisians, most of them from the same northwestern and western Chicagoland suburbs from which most of the other CCIW schools draw their student-athletes. This was possible because Carthage matched the state aid offered by Illinois to its college students who attended in-state schools. Thus, while Carthage has always had an inimical relationship to the WIAC schools -- to the point where for a while Carthage coaches were encouraged by the school's administration not to schedule WIAC opponents -- the presence of an entire league full of cheap and athletically competitive Wisconsin state schools hadn't hurt the Carthage athletic department that much, because Red Men coaches had a reasonable shot at attracting recruits from Chicagoland suburbia, which is a much, much larger demographic pool than that of southeastern Wisconsin.

But if the tuition structure and/or financial aid at Carthage has changed lately -- and, as I said in my previous post, I'm not 100% sure of the facts about that -- I could see how Carthage could be a harder draw for Illinois suburbanites, which would make the in-state presence of the WIAC schools a bigger problem.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Greg, you do realize, of course, that your complaint about my former classmate's 8-paragraph posts (don't recall any than ran more than 4 or 5, but oh well) was imbedded in (including quoted material) about a 20-25 paragraph post!

[iwu70]

Greg, what are you talking about???  My wonderful commercial for IWU was only three paragraphs!!!     A good liberal education allows for clarity and brevity of language, even in commercials.  Just try'in to educate you narrow jocks.  It's a long term, ongoing process, to be sure. 

And the drapes here in Ames (actually sun shades) are quite nice, thank you very much!

Sounds like the Carthage program is in some serious trouble.

IWU70

[Gregory Sager]

Greg, you do realize, of course, that your complaint about my former classmate's 8-paragraph posts (don't recall any than ran more than 4 or 5, but oh well) was imbedded in (including quoted material) about a 20-25 paragraph post!

It was more of a complaint about content than about length. After all, I'm hardly one to be able to complain about the length of anybody else's posts. It's just as easy to scroll past an eight-paragraph post about IWU's Department of Widgets being moved to Whatever Hall than it is to scroll past a two-paragraph post about the same.

Do I attend Carthage and pay $44,350 a year for tuition, a double room, and a 13 meal a week plan, or do I attend Whitewater for $15,130 for tuition, a double room, and a 14 meal a week plan? Aren't some Carthage recruits going to UWW (or another UW school with similar costs)?   

In reference to Greg Sager's last entry above.

And, as I said, that hasn't been that much of a problem for Carthage in the past, because the school matched Illinois's in-state aid and allowed Carthage coaches to concentrate upon recruiting suburban Chicagolanders.

Hey Gregory:

I totally understand where you are coming from i.e. just reporting what you've heard.  It would be interesting to hear from someone there who would know more of the "inside details".  Yet, at the same time, I can't imagine their problem is any different than some of the other DIII schools that have faced this such as our Olivet and Kalamazoo in the MIAA in regards to some of the difficulties in recruiting athletes due to the financial aid requirements/availability and other involved policies.  Hopefully, they can get whatever needs to be rectified worked out.

It is a little different for Carthage than it is for Olivet or Kalamazoo, though. If Olivet or Kalamazoo drew most of their student-athletes from northern Indiana because Michigan had a D3-based system of University of Michigan branches, or because Indiana had a vast metropolis right across the border (picturing metro South Bend/Mishawaka/Elkhart with eight million people makes me chuckle ), then the analogy would be a bit more airtight.