FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[D3soccerwatcher]

That was clearly the worst game the Thunder have played this season which is distressing since its halfway through. The defense had horrific tackling. I really believe they should have shut out Augie because the Viking offense is not very good. If Wheaton makes tackles they would have shut them out. 293 total yds for Augie and probably over 100 of that after hits at the LOS that should have stopped the play.

Wheaton's offense was really awful. Only 28 yds of offense in the second half and 35 rushes for 68 yds. To Augie's credit, they played 7-8 men in the box and really stuffed the run and Wheaton QBs could not complete anything. I think the rotating QB mentality really hurt Wheaton today. Butler played off and on in the first half but not at all in the 2nd half. Bowers was very quick to pull the ball down and run, even with open WRs. He also did not set his feet on several throws and missed open WR's badly.

I actually don't think the fake punt was that bad of a decision. If you are going to do it, that was a great place to do it with Wheaton (and all of us) really expecting a PR situation. I just thought the play selection was poor and the execution was awful. If they block the one guy who made the tackle, the fake works.

Wheaton can beat the lower half of the conference but they won't come close to NCC and will struggle with IWU based on what I saw today. I agree with Augie6, no fear from any defensive players. I would blitz Bowers on every 3rd down. He panicked under pressure.

Lots of work to do for the Thunder.

Oh I think you are grossly underestimating Coach Swider and the Thunder.  Good teams find ways to win even when they play poorly...and that's exactly what Wheaton did today.  Oh and did I mention the Thunder are 5-0?  I think they will have very good showings against NCC and IWU - they may or may not win, but they will be close games.  I think your contention that Wheaton "won't come close to NCC and will struggle with IWU" is very harsh.  Time will tell.

If Wheaton only put up 33 yds of offense in the second half of a game they were losing  against Augustana, I don't think it's a stretch to wonder what's going to happen against North Central in 2 weeks.

USee didn't "wonder" how Wheaton might do against NCC, he said..."they WON'T come close to NCC and WILL struggle with IWU".  Sounds like more than wondering.  He must be a fortune teller.  Let's see if he is correct on both counts.

I think what USee said was "..based on what I saw today".   Wouldn't it be fair to say if Wheaon puts up 33 yds in the second half against IWU or NCC they might "struggle" and "not come close".?

He seems pretty reasonable to me.

It doesn't seem reasonable to base sweeping assumptions on one half of one game on one Saturday afternoon.

[USee]

That was clearly the worst game the Thunder have played this season which is distressing since its halfway through. The defense had horrific tackling. I really believe they should have shut out Augie because the Viking offense is not very good. If Wheaton makes tackles they would have shut them out. 293 total yds for Augie and probably over 100 of that after hits at the LOS that should have stopped the play.

Wheaton's offense was really awful. Only 28 yds of offense in the second half and 35 rushes for 68 yds. To Augie's credit, they played 7-8 men in the box and really stuffed the run and Wheaton QBs could not complete anything. I think the rotating QB mentality really hurt Wheaton today. Butler played off and on in the first half but not at all in the 2nd half. Bowers was very quick to pull the ball down and run, even with open WRs. He also did not set his feet on several throws and missed open WR's badly.

I actually don't think the fake punt was that bad of a decision. If you are going to do it, that was a great place to do it with Wheaton (and all of us) really expecting a PR situation. I just thought the play selection was poor and the execution was awful. If they block the one guy who made the tackle, the fake works.

Wheaton can beat the lower half of the conference but they won't come close to NCC and will struggle with IWU based on what I saw today. I agree with Augie6, no fear from any defensive players. I would blitz Bowers on every 3rd down. He panicked under pressure.

Lots of work to do for the Thunder.

Oh I think you are grossly underestimating Coach Swider and the Thunder.  Good teams find ways to win even when they play poorly...and that's exactly what Wheaton did today.  Oh and did I mention the Thunder are 5-0?  I think they will have very good showings against NCC and IWU - they may or may not win, but they will be close games.  I think your contention that Wheaton "won't come close to NCC and will struggle with IWU" is very harsh.  Time will tell.

If Wheaton only put up 33 yds of offense in the second half of a game they were losing  against Augustana, I don't think it's a stretch to wonder what's going to happen against North Central in 2 weeks.

USee didn't "wonder" how Wheaton might do against NCC, he said..."they WON'T come close to NCC and WILL struggle with IWU".  Sounds like more than wondering.  He must be a fortune teller.  Let's see if he is correct on both counts.

I think what USee said was "..based on what I saw today".   Wouldn't it be fair to say if Wheaon puts up 33 yds in the second half against IWU or NCC they might "struggle" and "not come close".?

He seems pretty reasonable to me.

It doesn't seem reasonable to base sweeping assumptions on one half of one game on one Saturday afternoon.

I see your point. USee is pretty much a jerk anyway. He is always saying stuff like that. How about we vote him off the island?

[New Tradition]

That was clearly the worst game the Thunder have played this season which is distressing since its halfway through. The defense had horrific tackling. I really believe they should have shut out Augie because the Viking offense is not very good. If Wheaton makes tackles they would have shut them out. 293 total yds for Augie and probably over 100 of that after hits at the LOS that should have stopped the play.

Wheaton's offense was really awful. Only 28 yds of offense in the second half and 35 rushes for 68 yds. To Augie's credit, they played 7-8 men in the box and really stuffed the run and Wheaton QBs could not complete anything. I think the rotating QB mentality really hurt Wheaton today. Butler played off and on in the first half but not at all in the 2nd half. Bowers was very quick to pull the ball down and run, even with open WRs. He also did not set his feet on several throws and missed open WR's badly.

I actually don't think the fake punt was that bad of a decision. If you are going to do it, that was a great place to do it with Wheaton (and all of us) really expecting a PR situation. I just thought the play selection was poor and the execution was awful. If they block the one guy who made the tackle, the fake works.

Wheaton can beat the lower half of the conference but they won't come close to NCC and will struggle with IWU based on what I saw today. I agree with Augie6, no fear from any defensive players. I would blitz Bowers on every 3rd down. He panicked under pressure.

Lots of work to do for the Thunder.

Oh I think you are grossly underestimating Coach Swider and the Thunder.  Good teams find ways to win even when they play poorly...and that's exactly what Wheaton did today.  Oh and did I mention the Thunder are 5-0?  I think they will have very good showings against NCC and IWU - they may or may not win, but they will be close games.  I think your contention that Wheaton "won't come close to NCC and will struggle with IWU" is very harsh.  Time will tell.

If Wheaton only put up 33 yds of offense in the second half of a game they were losing  against Augustana, I don't think it's a stretch to wonder what's going to happen against North Central in 2 weeks.

USee didn't "wonder" how Wheaton might do against NCC, he said..."they WON'T come close to NCC and WILL struggle with IWU".  Sounds like more than wondering.  He must be a fortune teller.  Let's see if he is correct on both counts.

I think what USee said was "..based on what I saw today".   Wouldn't it be fair to say if Wheaon puts up 33 yds in the second half against IWU or NCC they might "struggle" and "not come close".?

He seems pretty reasonable to me.

It doesn't seem reasonable to base sweeping assumptions on one half of one game on one Saturday afternoon.

I see your point. USee is pretty much a jerk anyway. He is always saying stuff like that. How about we vote him off the island?

I say we give him one more chance.  But we need to warn him against drawing logical conclusions based on personal observations and statistics.  We don't stand for that stuff in here...

[Gregory Sager]

I don't mean to over simplify or place too high an emphasis on it, but today I was left wondering how much the CCIW struggles are due to very average (perhaps even below average) QB play.  There don't seem to be any game changing QB's in the conference this year.  Someone who is going to take over a game in a critical point.

Conway seems to have the skills, but is on a team that is still growing and not contending.

T.D.'s still growing as a quarterback, too. And keep in mind that he's been without his favorite target -- older brother Dakota -- over the past three games, although the hope at Foster & Kedzie is that Dakota will suit up when NPU travels to Elmhurst next Saturday.

Nevertheless, 349 yards through the air and four touchdown passes -- three against the first-teamers -- versus the best team in the league is not a bad afternoon for a growing quarterback.

[CardinalAlum]

I see your point. USee is pretty much a jerk anyway. He is always saying stuff like that. How about we vote him off the island?

I'm voting to keep USee!  This board would be awfully dull without him!

[AndOne]

I second CardinalAlum's idea. USee stays. 
However, if, in addition to his encyclopedic knowledge of football, he starts claiming to know anything about basketball, we reserve our right to reconsider at a later date. 

[USee]

I have to believe something is wrong with Andrew Bowers. Whatever kept him out of the NPU second half must be lingering. That is the only explanation for the rotating qbs and the poor play at that position. Bowers and Butler were a combined 0-8 against Augie in the second half. The fact they only threw it 8 times tells me something is amiss. Augie stacked the box and dared them to throw and they still didn't. When they did it wasn't close to a completion. This was a complete aberration from previous games.

Defensively the Thunder played outstanding in the second half. With the offense giving Augie many opportunities, the Wheaton D shut out the Vikes in the second half. Their tackling was much better as well. It was missed tackles in the first half that allowed Augie to make the plays to score 13 pts.

I think the Thunder issues are fixable. Either way I'll be watching the game in Decatur this week very closely.

the other games this week:

NCC hosts Carthage
IWU hosts Augie
Elmhurst hosts NPU

[iwu70]

Looking forward to seeing the TITANS again in person this weekend, vs. Augie, for Homecoming.  Perhaps the QB will again be a game-time decision.  LOL.  Mono, emergency surgery, what next?  At least the Titans can rely on good D and a great group of receivers.  Still need more from Roberts and the running game.  Hope they can have a good win, get things further back on track.  It doesn't get easier vs. WC and NCC in upcoming weeks.

IWU70

[Mr. Ypsi]

Anyone have an update on Warner?  When I heard it was mono, I wrote him off for the season - but a fan can always hope for a very light case!

[79jaybird]

Elmhurst has quietly flown under the radar and surprisingly 2-0 with NPU at home for HC.  Would love to see Elmhurst be 3-0 heading down to IWU.  The NPU game strikes me as one of those "trap games" for Elmhurst.  Very easy to overlook NPU and easy to get distracted with all the HC festivities in an around the game.  Couple of things have to happen for Elmhurst.  A) Establish a ground game and try to gobble up the TOP.  B) I think their DL is going to have to mount a pass rush and not let the Vikes QB feel comfortable and C) Play 4 quarters. I think Elmhurst is struggling to sesstain the pressure from start to finish. 

[matblake]

I'm wondering if Wheaton is either just not that good, or if they are currently the type of team that plays to the level of their competition.  Outside of the Augie game (horrific), and the second half of the Coe game (poor coaching decisions mixed with lack of execution), I wouldn't say the Thunder have looked terrible, just more mediocre or uninspired.  What concerns me is that for 6 quarters out of 20 they just have not looked very good.

I do agree with USee that the issues we have seen so far are fixable.  Now they just need to fix them. 

[Gregory Sager]

NPU simply needs to get healthy, period. As I was afraid would happen, starting the CCIW slate with Wheaton and North Central really took a toll on NPU, healthwise. The Vikings are very banged up, and the program hasn't reached the point yet where the two-deep consists entirely of veterans. There's a lot of freshmen getting playing time right now for the Park, and while that may bode well for the future -- as long as retention's good, that is -- right now the Vikes are suffering from a lack of experienced players at multiple positions.

I'm hoping that a number of key North Park players will recover enough from their injuries by Saturday to suit up and be effective against Elmhurst. I've mentioned one already -- Dakota Conway -- but he's got a lot of company that's lining up to get attention over in the NPU athletic training center this week.

[USee]

I'm wondering if Wheaton is either just not that good, or if they are currently the type of team that plays to the level of their competition.  Outside of the Augie game (horrific), and the second half of the Coe game (poor coaching decisions mixed with lack of execution), I wouldn't say the Thunder have looked terrible, just more mediocre or uninspired.  What concerns me is that for 6 quarters out of 20 they just have not looked very good.

I do agree with USee that the issues we have seen so far are fixable.  Now they just need to fix them.

Their defense has been very good, save some tackling issues against Augie they have played very consistently. The offense has been sporadic and I am not sure why, though I suspect stability at the QB position is to blame. If Bowers is healthy and can get a good week in this week, they should be ok.

[iwu70]

Not sure who will start at QB this week.  Doubt if Bolden or Warner are back.  IWU will have the some distractions this week, as it is Homecoming and there's always a lot of hoopla on campus about that -- esp. this year, with a huge turnout, as it is the 150th Anniversary of the IWU School of Music.  Many good concerts and performances all weekend by current students and Music School alums.  A great legacy and tradition around IWU.  Should be a really great weekend, with nice fall weather, the Quad all bedecked and colorful in full Fall foliage regalia.  Let's hope the Titans focus and get things further back on track vs. an admittedly weak Augie side.

Happy Homecoming to all TITANS, current and returning!  Go Green!

IWU70

[AndOne]

While not having insider info on IWU, which might make a difference in my thinking, it seems like they might want to stick with the kid who did so well just last week. It doesn't appear he gave the coaches much reason to question his abilities after turning what many thought might be a pretty close game into a comfortable victory.