FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[WRMUalum13]

I won't retype what I said on the ARC board. But Wartburg is a really intriguing matchup. They are hype-disciplined and experienced and just know how to make plays. For a team to beat NCC, they'll need to be flawless. Wart is probably the most capable team of that type of game in the field. I don't think they're the most explosive team NCC could have faced, but they are the definition of complementary and balanced. Really intrigued if they can give NCC a game into the 4th. UWL was in it, but as was stated, they never were within a score where the game felt in doubt. I'd guess that's what we see again this weekend, smart money is still on NCC. But if Wart can stay close, they've shown they can win a game that needs a whole bunch of people to make plays down the wire. I'm excited to see it play out!

I haven't watched much of Wartburg but their computer metrics on D look really impressive. Hopefully (for those of us who want to see a competitive game) they'll be more disciplined than UWL when it comes to tackling. Several plays NCC players were able to break through arm tackles (especially Saccos 80 yard TD that should have been stopped in the backfield).

[emma17]

Like my mother used to say "Mikey, life's like a bucket of s**t w the handle on the inside- sometimes you have to just reach in and grab it" (trying to keep it going for USee).

I'm curious about the repeated comment that the game wasn't ever in doubt/jeopardy. With 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, UWL brought the score to 41-35, a six point differential. Is it because you have all seen NCC score at will so often that a six point difference in the fourth quarter didn't put the game in doubt?

[cciwman]

Was curious from the comments I heard on Pat's podcast, NCC was upset over someone recording signals during the UWL game.  Any more to this?  Was the individual talked to or stopped?  Haven't see it mentioned anywhere else. 

[USee]

Like my mother used to say "Mikey, life's like a bucket of s**t w the handle on the inside- sometimes you have to just reach in and grab it" (trying to keep it going for USee).

I'm curious about the repeated comment that the game wasn't ever in doubt/jeopardy. With 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, UWL brought the score to 41-35, a six point differential. Is it because you have all seen NCC score at will so often that a six point difference in the fourth quarter didn't put the game in doubt?

Emma, I am sure I would love your mother!

As for the UWL/NCC game, 41-35 with 11min left, then what happened? Length of the field drive for a TD to make it 2 scores again. If UWL had forced a TO or a punt and got the ball back, I would have felt differently. At no point in that game do I feel like UWL could stop NCC's offense if they had to....and they didn't. That's why I never felt the game was in jeopardy. For NCC, someone within a stop of getting the ball and taking the lead is as close as its been all season so I get the optimism. But UWL's defense is so porous I just didn't think they had a chance.

[WRMUalum13]

Like my mother used to say "Mikey, life's like a bucket of s**t w the handle on the inside- sometimes you have to just reach in and grab it" (trying to keep it going for USee).

I'm curious about the repeated comment that the game wasn't ever in doubt/jeopardy. With 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, UWL brought the score to 41-35, a six point differential. Is it because you have all seen NCC score at will so often that a six point difference in the fourth quarter didn't put the game in doubt?

Emma, I am sure I would love your mother!

As for the UWL/NCC game, 41-35 with 11min left, then what happened? Length of the field drive for a TD to make it 2 scores again. If UWL had forced a TO or a punt and got the ball back, I would have felt differently. At no point in that game do I feel like UWL could stop NCC's offense if they had to....and they didn't. That's why I never felt the game was in jeopardy. For NCC, someone within a stop of getting the ball and taking the lead is as close as its been all season so I get the optimism. But UWL's defense is so porous I just didn't think they had a chance.

There's a huge difference between 1 score game, and having the ball in a 1 score game. UWL never had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the second half, and as mentioned earlier NCC was pretty much scoring at will.

[ncc_fan]

At 4:40 of the 3rd quarter UWL got the ball, trailing by 20 points. Over the next 8 1/2 minutes UWL scored twice, on drives of 66 and 48 yards, and held the NCC offense to a 3-and-out possession.  So when NCC got the ball again at 11:10 of the 4th quarter I felt pretty nervous. For me the game felt in jeopardy at that point. But within a few plays I felt better as the NCC offense started to pick up chunks of yards again.

[robertgoulet]

Like my mother used to say "Mikey, life's like a bucket of s**t w the handle on the inside- sometimes you have to just reach in and grab it" (trying to keep it going for USee).

I'm curious about the repeated comment that the game wasn't ever in doubt/jeopardy. With 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, UWL brought the score to 41-35, a six point differential. Is it because you have all seen NCC score at will so often that a six point difference in the fourth quarter didn't put the game in doubt?

Emma, I am sure I would love your mother!

As for the UWL/NCC game, 41-35 with 11min left, then what happened? Length of the field drive for a TD to make it 2 scores again. If UWL had forced a TO or a punt and got the ball back, I would have felt differently. At no point in that game do I feel like UWL could stop NCC's offense if they had to....and they didn't. That's why I never felt the game was in jeopardy. For NCC, someone within a stop of getting the ball and taking the lead is as close as its been all season so I get the optimism. But UWL's defense is so porous I just didn't think they had a chance.

Pretty much the same. I had a friend text me "I'm nervous" after they cut the lead to 6 and I told him I wasn't and wouldn't be unless they held NCC on the next drive, which they didn't. They were going to need to keep NCC from scoring a TD on 3 straight drives in the 2nd half to win that game and I never felt like that was possible.

[emma17]

As we are talking about feelings (the game not in doubt), I realize I can't change what many of you experienced on Saturday. I'm just looking at it from a practical standpoint.
UWL is within 6 points starting at 11 mins left until about 6 mins left. Of course NCC had the ball that entire time. However, surely there is some chance NCC could fumble. Or maybe a receiver drops a ball that ends up in UWL possession, isn't there?

The other oddity to this incredible confidence many have is: NCC's recent track record assured you they could score when needed. Yet, NCC also had a recent track record of not allowing any team to be within 6 points so late in a game, yet that didn't seem to weigh in on the feeling the game was never in doubt.

It seems I'm incapable of grasping such certainty. Like my grandma said to me many times, "get it through your head you dupa yash."

[Cardinal773]

D3Football Region 5 Coach of the Year: Kyle Rooker, North Park

Congrats to coach Rooker, his staff, and his players.  Well earned!  Many deserving coaches throughout the CCIW and I'm sure there are plenty of good arguments for them all, but the NPU story this year was a good one.  It's nice that the D3FB folks were able to look beyond the W-L and get to the heart of it.


Oh, yeah.  Luke got an OPOY nod.  Yawn.  Seriously though.  Combine the things that kid can do on a field with what he means to his men on the sidelines, the locker room, classroom, campus....  jeez.  If anyone doubts what that kid means to that team, look no further than his last snap in the IWU game and the team's reaction.  There was absolutely no mercy from that point onward.

[robertgoulet]

At 4:40 of the 3rd quarter UWL got the ball, trailing by 20 points. Over the next 8 1/2 minutes UWL scored twice, on drives of 66 and 48 yards, and held the NCC offense to a 3-and-out possession.  So when NCC got the ball again at 11:10 of the 4th quarter I felt pretty nervous. For me the game felt in jeopardy at that point. But within a few plays I felt better as the NCC offense started to pick up chunks of yards again.

Walker had come out of the game by this point, and I believe Egbo came out during the 66yd drive. Losing your best pass rusher and best DB when you know the other team is going to be throwing to catch up is not ideal.

[robertgoulet]

At 4:40 of the 3rd quarter UWL got the ball, trailing by 20 points. Over the next 8 1/2 minutes UWL scored twice, on drives of 66 and 48 yards, and held the NCC offense to a 3-and-out possession.  So when NCC got the ball again at 11:10 of the 4th quarter I felt pretty nervous. For me the game felt in jeopardy at that point. But within a few plays I felt better as the NCC offense started to pick up chunks of yards again.

Walker had come out of the game by this point, and I believe Egbo came out injured (looked like he got rolled up on) towards the beginning of the 48yd drive. Losing your best pass rusher and best DB when you know the other team is going to be throwing to catch up is not ideal.

I think against the rush this weekend NCC will be fine but I do worry about their ability to rush the passer to help a possibly Walker-less secondary. They were already missing Lester and now may be without Egbo. Best way to help the secondary is by putting pressure on the QB.

[Gregory Sager]

Big congrats to Kyle Rooker for winning the D3football.com Region 5 Coach of the Year award, and to Jaydin Miller for making the All-Region second team for Region 5.

https://athletics.northpark.edu/news/2023/12/6/football-coach-rooker-jaydin-miller-represented-on-d3football-com-all-region-list.aspx

D3Football Region 5 Coach of the Year: Kyle Rooker, North Park

Congrats to coach Rooker, his staff, and his players.  Well earned!  Many deserving coaches throughout the CCIW and I'm sure there are plenty of good arguments for them all, but the NPU story this year was a good one.  It's nice that the D3FB folks were able to look beyond the W-L and get to the heart of it.

The W-L record is the heart of it. This season represents the first time in 30 years that the Vikings did not have a losing season. NPU's five wins is the most recorded by the program in 55 years, and this is the first North Park team to beat four CCIW opponents in a season in 44 years.

These streak-snapping matters of wins and losses are the very reason why Pat and his cohorts gave Kyle the award.

[Pat Coleman]

100% -- part of a coach of the year decision is how a coach and team did relative to expectations. We don't always give the nod to the coach of a team with the best record (although we often do), and national coach of the year at the end of the season is not dependent on winning a regional coach of the year nod.

[Cardinal773]

All of the talk about how he has improved the culture and his investment in his student athletes is what impresses me.  The wins are a product of this brand of holistic coaching and mentoring.  The accolades are a product of the wins.

There are examples of this positive coaching throughout the conference (and region).  Thank you, Greg, for sharing Park's experience with coach Rooker.

[D3Navy]

I won't retype what I said on the ARC board. But Wartburg is a really intriguing matchup. They are hype-disciplined and experienced and just know how to make plays. For a team to beat NCC, they'll need to be flawless. Wart is probably the most capable team of that type of game in the field. I don't think they're the most explosive team NCC could have faced, but they are the definition of complementary and balanced. Really intrigued if they can give NCC a game into the 4th. UWL was in it, but as was stated, they never were within a score where the game felt in doubt. I'd guess that's what we see again this weekend, smart money is still on NCC. But if Wart can stay close, they've shown they can win a game that needs a whole bunch of people to make plays down the wire. I'm excited to see it play out!

I haven't watched much of Wartburg but their computer metrics on D look really impressive. Hopefully (for those of us who want to see a competitive game) they'll be more disciplined than UWL when it comes to tackling. Several plays NCC players were able to break through arm tackles (especially Saccos 80 yard TD that should have been stopped in the backfield).

Trinity struggled with the same issue.  Makes one wonder if it might be that NCC just gets into the secondary so quickly that DBs are already on their heels trying to get all the way across the field to try to make plays.