FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCC2010]

yes, walker did come back in the game.  however, he also did leave the game a series or 2 before the rest of the starters on defense were pulled.  He was on crutches with ice on his ankle/foot on the sidelines.  definitely could've been precautionary and due to the score of the game, but groark played a couple series with the rest of the starting defense.

[Cardinal773]

duel threat

Whoa!  That's a different game entirely. 

You got me.  Good eye.

As for playing in the Perk to make up for 2010...  Yes please!  For starters it means we got past UWL.  More importantly, it might get some of the UWW fans to just shut up about it.  Can you do a search for "2010" in post-patterns?  I bet you'd find more 2010s in 2023 than you did in 2010.  And I bet it's all over the WIAC page.

[Cardinal773]

Walker returned to Trinity game after leaving I heard.

Barring really bad unforeseen absences in the game, NCC will win. I am saying it. UWL doesn't even have an Alma chance in Alliance.

That's a good one.  I'm gonna use that!

Groark seemed to step in nicely when Walker left the game.  Hey everybody, let's let UWL find out about Walker on Saturday around 12:05.  No need to give 'em a heads up.

[New Tradition]

Yeah, I also thought Walker came back in the game.  I remember being surprised by that because he left the field in a way that is usually not indicative of a guy who is coming back in.  Maybe I was wrong?  New Tradition might have a better memory on this.

He came back in for a bit, then was unable to continue after a while. He was on crutches with ice on his ankle after that. That's all the info I have at current. Hopefully he's ok, but Mr. Groark stepped up very nicely in his place. They definitely challenged him and he absolutely answered.

[bleedpurple]

duel threat

Whoa!  That's a different game entirely. 

You got me.  Good eye.

As for playing in the Perk to make up for 2010...  Yes please!  For starters it means we got past UWL.  More importantly, it might get some of the UWW fans to just shut up about it.  Can you do a search for "2010" in post-patterns?  I bet you'd find more 2010s in 2023 than you did in 2010.  And I bet it's all over the WIAC page.

Hey, leave us out of this. 

[USee]

A special group of seniors capped off their careers last Saturday for the Thunder. It was a fun group to watch and easy to root for. In particular a few players were noteworthy:

Giovanni Weeks, who had one of the single best seasons in Wheaton history, is now the record holder for many of Wheaton's rushing and scoring records, surpassing some long time greats like Sola Olateju, Pedro Arruza and even Chuck Schoenner. School records Gio now holds:

-Single season rushing, 1,687 yards
-single season touchdowns, 25
-single season points, 125
-points per game career, 12.4 (11th all time in D3 history)
-career points, 422 (25th all time in D3 history)
-career touchdowns, 70
-career rushing yards, 4,397
-career all purpose yards, 5,540
-career yards per carry, 6.98

[USee]

The other play I really enjoyed watching this year was QB Ben Thorson. In the post game presser from Janesville last week Thorson mentioned it was difficult last year to be told he would be a backup after transferring in to finish his career. He backed up Gagliardi semi finalist and 1st team all CCIW QB Will Bowers. But after perservering and continuing to work hard and be the consummate teammate, Ben produced his own record year this year.

By way of comparison:

Will Bowers: 249-326-6 INT, 32 TD's, 2,829 yds, 257 yds per game
Ben Thorson: 252-373-2 INT, 36 TD's, 3,279 yds, 273 yds per game

Has to be the best 2nd team All conference QB in the nation no?

Records Thorson now holds:
-single season Touchdowns, 36
-single season pass yards, 3,289 (Breaking Keith Bishops long time record from 1983)
-fewest INT's in regular season, 0
-fewest INT's in single season, 2

Thorson also ran an offense that set records for single season total yards, 6,012, and yards per game, 501.

What made Ben special is his clear command of the offense and knowledge of where to go with the ball, combined with exceptional footwork and mechanics. You never saw him throw off balance or without setting his feet and squaring his shoulders. He demonstrated that precision last week @UWW. He has great footwork and throws the ball on time, which is hard to to. E.G. on the second drive last week Wheaton faced a 2nd and 5. Ben Bonga had single coverage by AA DB Egon Hein. Hein is good because he has incredible speed and athleticism. When you are open, its usually only for a split second. Bonga ran a comeback route with Hein all over him. On the break, Bonga was open by about a yard for a split second. Thorson had the ball in the air while Bonga's back was still to the QB and Hein in tight coverage. As Bonga turned, he was open briefly and the ball arrived at that split second as Egon pushed Bonga out of bounds for a first down that ultimately resulted in Wheaton's first score. Bonga had 8 catches with 2 TD's Saturday, most of them just like that first one against one the nations premier cover corners. Credit Bonga for his precision but those completions only happen with a QB who is decisive, has great mechanics, knows the coverage, and gets the ball out to the right spot, which Thorson did regularly this season. You don't go through a regular season with zero interceptions by accident. Thorson will be missed and very hard to replace.

Another player I will mention is Trevor Gabrielle. As a returning AA to the Wheaton OL, this dude switched from guard to center this year. Very hard transition to make due to the prevalance of shotgun snaps as well as the fact that Wheaton still runs a fair amount of offense under center. The ability to snap the ball accurately (which was in question in the pre season) while maintaining proper footwork, is a difficult skill to master with little experience at the position. Gabrielle excelled this year and was an absolutely dominant blocker for this record setting Wheaton offense. Of note, he had a block on Ben Juska's touchdown screen pass last Saturday that was incredible. After snapping the ball and blocking his man for a count, he released to the side of the screen and sprinted 15 yards downfield where UWW safety (and one of UWW's leading tacklers) Kyle Koelblinger was reacting to the play and TG blocked him in space to free Juska for his 55 yd run. Very difficult to do. Gabrielle was a special OL for Wheaton. Paul Fay, also a dominant, AA quality LG and 5th year senior Elijah Nitz will be missed!

[Cardinal773]

Great post, USee!  Weeks was a pleasure to watch.  A great RB and, by all accounts, an outstanding person.  Same with Thorson.  He was scary good!*  For the voters to deny him 1st team status when deciding to have two QBs in that slot was a total slap in the face.  I suppose one reason for the 2nd team thing was just some sort of split vote thing and not some collusion on the part of the selectors.  At least that's what I'm thinking.

At any rate I'm not in Ben Thorson's head, but if I could pretend to be, I suppose he's the kind of guy that will use the omission for motivation or -- more likely -- he's the kind of guy that doesn't give a damn.  He was there for his teammates.  That's probably more than enough reward.

I was [gulp] rooting for the Thunder this year.  I never thought I would put that in writing!  It's sad that that group didn't have another week together because they really were fun to watch.

In your post you mentioned Pedro Arruza.  What a stud he was!  I noticed that he's the head coach of Randolph-Macon.  All the best to him and his team as they play JHU!


*He's great, actually.  But for the record, USee, please understand that it's actually not that hard to throw 0 INTs in the regular season.  I did it.  Practically everyone I know has done it.  You're such a homer. 

[USee]

Pedro is a wonderful human being, family man, and coach. He is also an intense competitor, always has been. I remember his playing days well! He had some monster games against NCC  ! I am absolutely rooting for him to get to Salem. Rod Sandberg is also a Wheaton alum and got Whitworth to the second round vs Wartburg.

Fun times!

[wally_wabash]

Definitely fire up this week's bonus ATN pod (tomorrow I think) for more Pedro Arruza. 

[Gregory Sager]

Just as an FYI: If anybody's interested in hearing Kyle Rooker's thoughts about North Park's genuine breakthrough season this fall (and about what he foresees on the horizon for NPU football in 2024), I'll be interviewing him at halftime of the Carroll @ North Park men's basketball game this evening.

https://boxcast.tv/channel/mkfk0h71h07ygfgcyby1

[emma17]

duel threat

Whoa!  That's a different game entirely. 

You got me.  Good eye.

As for playing in the Perk to make up for 2010...  Yes please!  For starters it means we got past UWL.  More importantly, it might get some of the UWW fans to just shut up about it.  Can you do a search for "2010" in post-patterns?  I bet you'd find more 2010s in 2023 than you did in 2010.  And I bet it's all over the WIAC page.

What the heck kind of post is this? UWW fans won't shut up about 2010? Maybe I missed the rant from all those grudge-holding Warhawk fans.
If anything, UWW fans almost entirely empathize w NCC and acknowledge the seeding was wrong. If NCC advances and UWW is fortunate to advance, the game should absolutely be played in Naperville.

[bleedpurple]

I saw a stat on Twitter that North Central has scored a touchdown on 68 of 75 first half possessions. 

Is that good?

[Cardinal773]

Emma.  Dude.  It's just an online football forum.  We're all having fun here.  No biggy.

Bleed.  I see what you did there.  Well played!  Hey, did you guys know that Lehnen has only 41 incomplete passes and....

[wally_wabash]

I saw a stat on Twitter that North Central has scored a touchdown on 68 of 75 first half possessions. 

Is that good?

Unfortunately for everybody else, that's room for improvement.