FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[thunderdog]

I hate to get off topic of the CCIW, but the #3 Linfield traveling to #5 Mary-Hardin Baylor game is going to be a good one. I watched a good chunk of their quarterfinal matchup last year in which Linfield won in a back-and-forth game, 38-35. Talk about 2 incredibly athletic teams, Holy Buckets! I like UMHB in this grudge match, mostly because of home-field advantage. The CRU hasn't lost at home in over 10 years...

P.S. I've been known to have a very Castanza-like affect on all my picks, so aplogies to the UMHB fans in advance...

[USee]

I hate to get off topic of the CCIW, but the #3 Linfield traveling to #5 Mary-Hardin Baylor game is going to be a good one. I watched a good chunk of their quarterfinal matchup last year in which Linfield won in a back-and-forth game, 38-35. Talk about 2 incredibly athletic teams, Holy Buckets! I like UMHB in this grudge match, mostly because of home-field advantage. The CRU hasn't lost at home in over 10 years...

P.S. I've been known to have a very Castanza-like affect on all my picks, so aplogies to the UMHB fans in advance...

Sorry to rain on your parade but the CRU lost to Linfield at home in Belton, Tx in 2014 playoffs 28-31.

http://d3football.com/seasons/2014/boxscores/20141129_2vki.xml

I am going with the 'Cats in this one.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I hate to get off topic of the CCIW, but the #3 Linfield traveling to #5 Mary-Hardin Baylor game is going to be a good one. I watched a good chunk of their quarterfinal matchup last year in which Linfield won in a back-and-forth game, 38-35. Talk about 2 incredibly athletic teams, Holy Buckets! I like UMHB in this grudge match, mostly because of home-field advantage. The CRU hasn't lost at home in over 10 years...

P.S. I've been known to have a very Castanza-like affect on all my picks, so aplogies to the UMHB fans in advance...

Sorry to rain on your parade but the CRU lost to Linfield at home in Belton, Tx in 2014 playoffs 28-31.

http://d3football.com/seasons/2014/boxscores/20141129_2vki.xml

I am going with the 'Cats in this one.

thunderdog had it ALMOST right - the Cru hasn't lost a regular season game at home since UWW beat them 7-3 in 2004.

And he totally nailed it about the game - should be one of the best regular season games in years in D3.  I go back and forth on who will win, so I'll not jinx either team!

[AndOne]

As far as IWU's Jack Warner is concerned. If he JUST got his stitches out after a "knee surgery this summer" that implies the surgery is only a couple weeks old and there is no way he is playing within a month of that I would guess. I would bet it's fairly unlikely we see him against Cardinals this weekend.

Unless you're Superman, recovery/rehab should take longer than that.
However, I don't think it matters one bit. Warner wasn't/isn't Superman.
The guy that's currently playing QB for the Green Weenies seems to be handling things quite well.
He sure did a he🏒🏒 of a job in the 2nd half vs NWU in Lincoln.
When you ask "what have you done for me lately?" he's got a good answer. He seems quite capable.

[USee]

That's true but if I'm Norm Eash I would much rather have a guy w two years of starting experience back there.

[Titan Q]

As far as IWU's Jack Warner is concerned. If he JUST got his stitches out after a "knee surgery this summer" that implies the surgery is only a couple weeks old and there is no way he is playing within a month of that I would guess. I would bet it's fairly unlikely we see him against Cardinals this weekend.

I assume Jack Donegan will start again. 

Donegan isn't flashy and not really a huge play guy, but he also seems to make most of the plays he's supposed to and he doesn't make a lot of mistakes.  He was very good in the 2nd half vs Nebraska Wesleyan.

Donegan was a 3-year starter at 8A Marist H.S., throwing for over 3200 yards and 33 TDs his senior year in 2013.  He went to Division III John Carroll before transferring to IWU.

http://www.jcusports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6014&path=football

http://www.iwusports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5031&path=football

[USee]

As far as IWU's Jack Warner is concerned. If he JUST got his stitches out after a "knee surgery this summer" that implies the surgery is only a couple weeks old and there is no way he is playing within a month of that I would guess. I would bet it's fairly unlikely we see him against Cardinals this weekend.

I assume Jack Donegan will start again. 

Donegan isn't flashy and not really a huge play guy, but he also seems to make most of the plays he's supposed to and he doesn't make a lot of mistakes.  He was very good in the 2nd half vs Nebraska Wesleyan.

Donegan was a 3-year starter at 8A Marist H.S., throwing for over 3200 yards and 33 TDs his senior year in 2013.  He went to Division III John Carroll before transferring to IWU.

http://www.jcusports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=6014&path=football

http://www.iwusports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=5031&path=football

My question is: Who is the flashy big play guy on this offense? Last year it was Checchin. Shoemaker-Gilmore has some of that in him but I think this offense needs Jack Warner and his ability to make plays with his feet. I really don't know how to evaluate IWU based on their first two opponents but we will get a strong idea after this weekend. For the Titans, on offense I know they have a great running back. I don't know what else they have and if their OL is good enough to compete with NCC. On defense, I know KVH is a player and those three LB's are all conference quality. I have concerns about the defensive backfield, only because they are unknown quantities. Norm might have recruited well and these guys are ready. They also have a new OC (but I assume the same system) so we go into this weekend with the most unknowns about IWU in recent memory.

My guess is that NCC has too much firepower for the Titans to stay in this one til the end. The Cardinals are loaded but they do have a rookie QB that hasn't played in a big game on the road.

[AndOne]

With regard to the Cardinals rookie QB that hasn't played in a big game on the road, I'd venture a guess that both freshman QB Broc Rutter, and the NCC coaches considered his first game as the NCC starting QB was indeed a "big" game. And, while it was not a conference game, it was on the road against a team of scholarship players as was his second (home) game this past Saturday.

In those games he went 38 for 52 (73.1%) for 572 yards with 7 TDs, and an efficiency rating of 206.1. I sense the jitters are gone.
However, as we know, its a team game. Accordingly, much of a QBs success is attributable to how well the O line can protect him.

[USee]

With regard to the Cardinals rookie QB that hasn't played in a big game on the road, I'd venture a guess that both freshman QB Broc Rutter, and the NCC coaches considered his first game as the NCC starting QB was indeed a "big" game. And, while it was not a conference game, it was on the road against a team of scholarship players as was his second (home) game this past Saturday.

In those games he went 38 for 52 (73.1%) for 572 yards with 7 TDs, and an efficiency rating of 206.1. I sense the jitters are gone.
However, as we know, its a team game. Accordingly, much of a QBs success is attributable to how well the O line can protect him.

You don't have to keep reciting his stats. He is a rookie QB who has never played in a CCIW game on the road. That isn't a subjective discussion it is a fact. And that's what I was pointing out.  I don't have a clue if either of those NAIA teams are any good. Almost all of the players on those teams you call "scholarship players" are on partial scholarships and we have seen that our best beats their best. Your boy will get his chance soon enough to show how good he is.

[AndOne]

I just don't believe that if the Cardinals lose it will primarily be because their "boy," as you refer to him, got the jitters due to playing his first conference road game. If he was going to be nervous, it would have been in the first game of his NCC career which was also on the road. He handled that assignment pretty well. And, if he does falter, for whatever reason, the Cards have a backup who is good enough to have started as a freshman last year. 

[USee]

It's not about nerves.  It's about decision making.  And NCC is playing a team that knows their offense pretty well. If IWUs defense is as good as some think it is, it may be the best defense Rutter has seen to date.  Maybe not. But if it is his stats from the last two games aren't going to be relevant. I think NCC is a 14+ pt favorite in this game but there are a lot of unknowns. 

[Gregory Sager]

That was the only way I'd ever get credit for anything when I played DB back in Pop Warner.

Certainly only because teams were afraid to throw or even run much in your direction! 
Accordingly, with little opportunity, a lack of statistical data to prove your worth!   

Is there such a thing as a shutdown free safety?

With regard to the Cardinals rookie QB that hasn't played in a big game on the road, I'd venture a guess that both freshman QB Broc Rutter, and the NCC coaches considered his first game as the NCC starting QB was indeed a "big" game.

Yeah, but was it a signature game?

(Sorry. )

[USee]

GS

Let the record show that I awarded you your 2,000 karma for that one.  Well played.

[Gregory Sager]

[CardinalAlum]

Awesome!