FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[CruFrenzy]

Congrats Cardinals on an impressive season. I think the NCC offense is still the best offense we played this year. Looking forward to seeing what each program does in the coming years.

[umhb2001]

Great game NCC. Your team is legit. That WR should play at the next level, and that RB is a load.

The way they stood on the field to take it all in...big moment.

That CB shut down Jordan pretty well. I think he got away with a couple holds, but for the most part, he was very clean with his approach.

Looking forward to next season already. Blessings to all.

[kiko]

The board has gone a bit quiet since yesterday, so I will offer my 30,000 foot thoughts a few hours removed from the Stagg Bowl.

Yesterday was in some ways a bit of a reality check.  As good of a team as the Cardinals are, UMHB was simply better in essentially all phases of the game, and while there was a smattering of positives, the Cardinals had some unforced errors offensively, defensively, and on special teams.  It felt like North Central was chasing the game from the beginning, and outside of a brief point in the second quarter, that the Cardinals were reacting to rather than controlling the game.  UMHB did that to a lot of teams this year, just like the Cardinals did throughout the season leading up to yesterday.

It's clearly not the outcome that I or anyone else in Cardinal Nation wanted.  And while you never want to lose, I think 57-24 can be a good thing for the program in the long run as it can shine a light on the work that needs to be done to both maintain and continue to build the program.  I'm sure nobody was satisfied with yesterday, and that those who return next year will want to use this as a building block.  I loved seeing the team stay on the field after the game yesterday, as painful as it may have been.  Aside from showing some healthy respect to UMHB as they enjoyed their moment, watching first-hand while someone else celebrates in that context can be a good motivator for the time ahead.

It is easy to take for granted the massive sustained effort it took from scores of individuals over two decades to push the program from moribund obscurity to a consistent winner and playoff qualifier and then to a point where North Central has legitimately held its own with the purple powers since 2019.

The program has come so, so, so far both since the start of the Thorne era in 2002 and in the five years that this year's seniors settled into their college experience as freshmen.  The expectations are in the stratosphere compared to where they were even a few years ago.  Points on the spectrum where the program once met resistance in its progress can now become a baseline, with the key word being 'can', as there's of course no guarantee that a team will stay at an elite level.  We rightly think of Mount and Whitewater as two elite D3 programs.  Whitewater hasn't won a Stagg Bowl since 2014, and absent any weird situation involving sixth-year returnees, in a few months Mount will graduate anyone on its team with Stagg Bowl winning pedigree.

John Thorne often talked about how important it was for Kam Kniss and the first couple of recruiting classes to buy into his vision for the program.  And one of my favorite posts on this board, long buried a few hundred pages back, was from an anonymous North Central professor talking about how differently the football players engaged in the classroom after Coach Thorne arrived, and how they had become his favorite students.  There is a line that threads from those early steps in changing both the culture and the results on the field to today.  Those who played their last collegiate game yesterday -- and in virtually all cases, the final competitive game of their football careers -- can walk off the field with their heads held high over what they have collectively accomplished, and can know that they have more than done their part to further extend that thread over the past five years.  This program used to struggle to win two in a row in Lisle.  Now Benedictine looks elsewhere for games, and this year's seniors have won twice in a row in Alliance.

All of this is to say, in a longwinded way:  while none of us wanted to come up on the short end of the scoreboard yesterday, this was an outstanding season that all but one D3 team would grab in a heartbeat.  And I look forward to that thread of progress extending forward in 2022 and beyond.

[D O.C.]

kiko . . . may NCC be put in the Western Bracket next year by the august NCAA. That will hone the team's competitive skills. We're sorry you had to have a bye in the 2021 Playoffs.

[hazzben]

Belated congrats to NCC on a really great season that came up just a little short. UMHB was just a buzzsaw. Greenfield and Kamienski were impressive as always, and played with a ton of heart (the whole team kept battling). But Jake Beesley, my goodness. Shoutout to USee for calling out how good he was. I hadn't really focused on him in particular the other 3 times I watched NCC play. What. A. Talent!

[USee]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

[NCC2010]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

I'd go as far to say Beesley is the 2nd best defensive player ever at NCC.  Matt Wenger would be #1 (and imho the best D3 defender i've seen)

I'd also say I consider Beesley the 2nd best CCIW CB i have seen in the past 20 years (Pete Ittersagen would be #1)

[SpartanHouse]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

I'd go as far to say Beesley is the 2nd best defensive player ever at NCC.  Matt Wenger would be #1 (and imho the best D3 defender i've seen)

I'd also say I consider Beesley the 2nd best CCIW CB i have seen in the past 20 years (Pete Ittersagen would be #1)

pretty impressive for a DB who came in as a WR.

[hazzben]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

This was my exact thought. He all but shut down Jordan, but they needed 3 clones because UMHB had 2 other guys who were balling at an elite level as well.

I'd be interested what his 40 and pro agility times come in at. His height and weight plus strong testing times will get him a look IMO. Get the camp invite, ball out, and let the chips fall where they may.

[Toby Taff]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

This was my exact thought. He all but shut down Jordan, but they needed 3 clones because UMHB had 2 other guys who were balling at an elite level as well.

I'd be interested what his 40 and pro agility times come in at. His height and weight plus strong testing times will get him a look IMO. Get the camp invite, ball out, and let the chips fall where they may.

Jordan caught 4 for 66 and a TD. Not his best stats of the year, but not really shut down. Also, if people actually watched UMHB they would know the offense really runs through KJ Miller. He had 21 more receptions on the year than Jordan. Jordan is utilized and became more and more of a threat as the year went on, but KJ is always there and they find ways to get him the ball because when the ball is in his hands magic can happen. He's sure handed, fast, elusive and can throw darts (we saw this several times this year.) Everyone is so enamored with Jordan's size and stats in the playoffs, they completely forgot about KJ and Brenton Martin. And o yeah, #4, Aaron Sims, also a former D3 all-American.

Find some of my thoughts on the play-offs and you will find that I said more than once Jordan isn't always the most focused. I think he learned how to focus better in the playoofs, but the receiving corps has been fire all season. The one thing I wanted to see that never happened was to put all of the speed guys out there in a spread formation and send them. Coach Lee joked that UMHB was going to start a track team because of the speed, because there are at least 4 dudes that can flat out fly. Sims, Miller, Martin and Tommy Bowden (#16 Toomy Bowden was 4th in state in the 110m hurdles his senior year). UMHB was never a 1 trick pony, and even after graduation, they are stacked again next year.

[robertgoulet]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

This was my exact thought. He all but shut down Jordan, but they needed 3 clones because UMHB had 2 other guys who were balling at an elite level as well.

I'd be interested what his 40 and pro agility times come in at. His height and weight plus strong testing times will get him a look IMO. Get the camp invite, ball out, and let the chips fall where they may.

Texted a buddy of mine in the 2nd half and said "I don't think they've dropped a pass all night" which is something you don't often see at this level. All their pass catchers were at another level.

If your defense is set up to stop the big play this level you can do a lot simply because most offenses are going to make mistakes/drop balls and get off schedule. If the offense doesn't drop balls it's big trouble little canton.

[NCC2010]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

This was my exact thought. He all but shut down Jordan, but they needed 3 clones because UMHB had 2 other guys who were balling at an elite level as well.

I'd be interested what his 40 and pro agility times come in at. His height and weight plus strong testing times will get him a look IMO. Get the camp invite, ball out, and let the chips fall where they may.

Jordan caught 4 for 66 and a TD. Not his best stats of the year, but not really shut down. Also, if people actually watched UMHB they would know the offense really runs through KJ Miller. He had 21 more receptions on the year than Jordan. Jordan is utilized and became more and more of a threat as the year went on, but KJ is always there and they find ways to get him the ball because when the ball is in his hands magic can happen. He's sure handed, fast, elusive and can throw darts (we saw this several times this year.) Everyone is so enamored with Jordan's size and stats in the playoffs, they completely forgot about KJ and Brenton Martin. And o yeah, #4, Aaron Sims, also a former D3 all-American.

Find some of my thoughts on the play-offs and you will find that I said more than once Jordan isn't always the most focused. I think he learned how to focus better in the playoofs, but the receiving corps has been fire all season. The one thing I wanted to see that never happened was to put all of the speed guys out there in a spread formation and send them. Coach Lee joked that UMHB was going to start a track team because of the speed, because there are at least 4 dudes that can flat out fly. Sims, Miller, Martin and Tommy Bowden (#16 Toomy Bowden was 4th in state in the 110m hurdles his senior year). UMHB was never a 1 trick pony, and even after graduation, they are stacked again next year.

Jordan had 3 of his catches while being guarded by other players.  Beesley also had a sack/forced fumble. He had a great game.  Miller and Martin both were far too fast/good for the NCC D to handle.

[robertgoulet]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

This was my exact thought. He all but shut down Jordan, but they needed 3 clones because UMHB had 2 other guys who were balling at an elite level as well.

I'd be interested what his 40 and pro agility times come in at. His height and weight plus strong testing times will get him a look IMO. Get the camp invite, ball out, and let the chips fall where they may.

Jordan caught 4 for 66 and a TD. Not his best stats of the year, but not really shut down. Also, if people actually watched UMHB they would know the offense really runs through KJ Miller. He had 21 more receptions on the year than Jordan. Jordan is utilized and became more and more of a threat as the year went on, but KJ is always there and they find ways to get him the ball because when the ball is in his hands magic can happen. He's sure handed, fast, elusive and can throw darts (we saw this several times this year.) Everyone is so enamored with Jordan's size and stats in the playoffs, they completely forgot about KJ and Brenton Martin. And o yeah, #4, Aaron Sims, also a former D3 all-American.

Find some of my thoughts on the play-offs and you will find that I said more than once Jordan isn't always the most focused. I think he learned how to focus better in the playoofs, but the receiving corps has been fire all season. The one thing I wanted to see that never happened was to put all of the speed guys out there in a spread formation and send them. Coach Lee joked that UMHB was going to start a track team because of the speed, because there are at least 4 dudes that can flat out fly. Sims, Miller, Martin and Tommy Bowden (#16 Toomy Bowden was 4th in state in the 110m hurdles his senior year). UMHB was never a 1 trick pony, and even after graduation, they are stacked again next year.

Jordan had 3 of his catches while being guarded by other players.  Beesley also had a sack/forced fumble. He had a great game.  Miller and Martin both were far too fast/good for the NCC D to handle.

I admittedly didn't know much about MHB's skill position players outside of Jordan, but if I had I would have thought it was a terrible matchup for NCC after watching Stutzman run rampant for UWL. Luckily he dropped some passes. Not so vs MHB.

[Toby Taff]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

This was my exact thought. He all but shut down Jordan, but they needed 3 clones because UMHB had 2 other guys who were balling at an elite level as well.

I'd be interested what his 40 and pro agility times come in at. His height and weight plus strong testing times will get him a look IMO. Get the camp invite, ball out, and let the chips fall where they may.

Jordan caught 4 for 66 and a TD. Not his best stats of the year, but not really shut down. Also, if people actually watched UMHB they would know the offense really runs through KJ Miller. He had 21 more receptions on the year than Jordan. Jordan is utilized and became more and more of a threat as the year went on, but KJ is always there and they find ways to get him the ball because when the ball is in his hands magic can happen. He's sure handed, fast, elusive and can throw darts (we saw this several times this year.) Everyone is so enamored with Jordan's size and stats in the playoffs, they completely forgot about KJ and Brenton Martin. And o yeah, #4, Aaron Sims, also a former D3 all-American.

Find some of my thoughts on the play-offs and you will find that I said more than once Jordan isn't always the most focused. I think he learned how to focus better in the playoofs, but the receiving corps has been fire all season. The one thing I wanted to see that never happened was to put all of the speed guys out there in a spread formation and send them. Coach Lee joked that UMHB was going to start a track team because of the speed, because there are at least 4 dudes that can flat out fly. Sims, Miller, Martin and Tommy Bowden (#16 Toomy Bowden was 4th in state in the 110m hurdles his senior year). UMHB was never a 1 trick pony, and even after graduation, they are stacked again next year.

Jordan had 3 of his catches while being guarded by other players.  Beesley also had a sack/forced fumble. He had a great game.  Miller and Martin both were far too fast/good for the NCC D to handle.

no doubt Beesly is a great player.

[New Tradition]

I think Jake Beesley was NCC's very best player. Kamienski, Greenfield, Clarke, all are faboulous first team AA type players but Beesley and his ability is what made that team go in my opinion. His performance in Stagg was elite. Unfortunately they needed 4 Jake Beesley's back there. His size and speed will get him a look at the next level I think.

I'd go as far to say Beesley is the 2nd best defensive player ever at NCC.  Matt Wenger would be #1 (and imho the best D3 defender i've seen)

I'd also say I consider Beesley the 2nd best CCIW CB i have seen in the past 20 years (Pete Ittersagen would be #1)

Everyone always sleeping on Lenny Radtke.  Still the all time program leader in tackles (466)--and that was only in 41 games since he only played in 1 playoff game.  That's NCC's best defensive player ever.  (And one of only 2 all-time records left standing from my time there, the other being Ben Hare's sack record.)