FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[79jaybird]

On a side note,  very happy to see another school is joining the D-3 family!  St. Scholastica I see (on the front page)  is getting football.

[matblake]

Looks like the ladies will be happy now that a larger choice of men could be heading up to Duluth.  Currently 1389 women to 596 men. A potential 90 more men might be like the Gold Rush.

[dansand]

My rankings of best CCIW QB's of the last 25 yrs would be:

1. Keith Bishop Wheaton
2. Dave Weber Carroll
3. Lon Ericson IWU
4. Jeff Brown Wheaton
5. Kam Kniss NCC
6. Tom Monken IWU
7. John Rooney IWU
8. John Love NPU
9. Doug Moews IWU
10. Tim Hardy Wheaton
11. Tim Brylka Mill

Keith Bishop is a tough one. He is without question the tops based on stats alone but he was physically less talented than anyone else on this list. Very smart and accurate. Multiple 500+ yd passing games.

OK. I might as well add my "homeristic" opinions. Since we've used 25 years as the cut-off, I'll mention an Augie QB that just barely makes it. Lance Hofer '82 CCIW OPOY. Very good runner (15 rushing TD's as a senior), exceptional passer by Augie standards (18-4 TD to Int. over two seasons), and a winner (20-1 in two years with the only loss coming in Augie's first Stagg Bowl). I can't say where exactly he'd fit on the list, but I'd think he belongs in there somewhere.

As far as the All-CCIW running backs, I think they usually have three on the first team. I'd have no beef with Wallick, Black (assuming he plays in their last two games) and Sulo ahead of Guzman, but no way Dunlop. I realize he's not running behind the best offensive line (according to Go Thunder, Guzman is running behind the worst ), but his numbers at this point just don't justify putting him ahead of Guz.

[79jaybird]

MatBlake-- hehe very funny.  I was accepted at Winona St. and almost went there. At the time the ratio was 6-1  girls to guys.  1998 at Elmhurst the ratio was 4 to 1 girls -- guys.  I think that ratio is due to Education and Nursing being Elmhurst's 2 main Majors which historically have been Female dominated.
The recent running backs that I have kept my eye on are:
1) Kevin Burris
2) David Chorney
3) Nathan Wallick
4) Eric Luna
5) Dunlop
6) Black

These are the playmakers that I have seen both in my playing days and up in the booth.  I can recall David Chorney just laying into me on a block that had me seeing stars. 

[CardinalAlum]

MatBlake-- hehe very funny.  I was accepted at Winona St. and almost went there. At the time the ratio was 6-1  girls to guys.  1998 at Elmhurst the ratio was 4 to 1 girls -- guys.  I think that ratio is due to Education and Nursing being Elmhurst's 2 main Majors which historically have been Female dominated.
The recent running backs that I have kept my eye on are:
1) Kevin Burris
2) David Chorney
3) Nathan Wallick
4) Eric Luna
5) Dunlop
6) Black

These are the playmakers that I have seen both in my playing days and up in the booth.  I can recall David Chorney just laying into me on a block that had me seeing stars. 

No Holden?

[FormerCard]

Cardinalalum,
Did you play in the alumni game at homecoming?   We had a good turnout, I just dont know if you were there?

[CardinalAlum]

Cardinalalum,
Did you play in the alumni game at homecoming?   We had a good turnout, I just dont know if you were there?

Didn't make it this year.  Heard the turnout was good.  This old body would break down if I tried to go into a full sprint! 

[Augie6]

dansand,

My thoughts exactly as it relates to QB's over the past 25 years.  Lance graduated the year before I got there, but the guy obviously had some talent.  If I remember correctly, he was on scholarship at University of Illinois prior to transferring to Augie.  

I also agree that Keith Bishop would be at/near the top of the QB list.  No mobility, but he had the quickest release I've seen at this level.  The toughest thing to defend was the timing he had with his receivers.  I played against him for two years and he was able to deliver the ball with unbelievable accuracy as his receivers were coming out of their breaks.  Not the strongest arm I've seen, but more than adequate for DIII.  

As for the others that I played against (Weber, Rooney and Moews) none really impressed me in the games we played against them.  I know they were all good athletes and put up great numbers over their careers, I just didn't see those same abilities when they played against us.  I did see this when we played against Bishop and that's why I would rank him well above the others.

[CardinalAlum]

dansand,

My thoughts exactly as it relates to QB's over the past 25 years.  Lance graduated the year before I got there, but the guy obviously had some talent.  If I remember correctly, he was on scholarship at University of Illinois prior to transferring to Augie.  

I also agree that Keith Bishop would be at/near the top of the QB list.  No mobility, but he had the quickest release I've seen at this level.  The toughest thing to defend was the timing he had with his receivers.  I played against him for two years and he was able to deliver the ball with unbelievable accuracy as his receivers were coming out of their breaks.  Not the strongest arm I've seen, but more than adequate for DIII.  

As for the others that I played against (Weber, Rooney and Moews) none really impressed me in the games we played against them.  I know they were all good athletes and put up great numbers over their careers, I just didn't see those same abilities when they played against us.  I did see this when we played against Bishop and that's why I would rank him well above the others.

Let's be honest though, there weren't a whole lot of teams that probably would have impressed you guys with as strong a team as you had.  Well, except for Elmhurst in '86, probably.

[79jaybird]

1986  Elmhurst and Augie played (what I have heard many people say) a very boring game at 0-0 with both teams never really coming even close to scoring.  0-0 gosh,  how many times has a game ended 0-0 at any level?

[79jaybird]

This is rather odd.  I workout at a YMCA in the NW suburbs and one of the guys who lifts in the gym with us,  swam at Taft High School and was coached by Mike Swider's Father. He also knew Mike's Sister Nancy real well.  What a small world!

[CardinalAlum]

1986  Elmhurst and Augie played (what I have heard many people say) a very boring game at 0-0 with both teams never really coming even close to scoring.  0-0 gosh,  how many times has a game ended 0-0 at any level?

Those were two great defenses.  They were both extremely physical and strong.

[79jaybird]

"Those were two great defenses. They were both extremely physical and strong."
CardinalAlum-- Then why did Elmhurst finish 2-6-1 (2-5-1 CCIW) that year?
I am just asking because this was before my time at EC.  I know Elmhurst as a team was great from 1977-1987 before falling off the map from 87-1997.

[Augie6]

Jaybird,

I know your views come from your strong allegiance and support of the Elmhurst program and I can appreciate that.  However, many of your posts throughout the season you refer to Elmhurst (and I am paraphrasing here) becoming one of the upper echelon programs in the CCIW.  In a post earlier today you stated that "only recently have NC and EC become perenially strong".  I agree with that comment as it relates to NC, but it doesn't add up when you look at Elmhurst's program.  Would I classify Elmhurst as improved? Absolutely.  But when you look at the record, you can't make a case for them becoming perenially strong.  This year is the first in many that they have an opportunity to finish above .500 in the CCIW, and that's not guaranteed with still having to play Millikin.  When you look at the records of the past few years, playing sub .500 in the CCIW but beating up on some relatively weak non-conference teams (Benedictine, Concordia IL, Rockford, U of Chicago) to have a decent overall record doesn't prove to me that the program is headed to the level of Augie, Wheaton or NCC.  NCC is a new addition to this group and until they can show some staying power, I'm not ready to place them at the level of Augie or Wheaton.  I do believe they have a great chance to be good year in and year out based on the coaching staff they have in place.  

Until Elmhurst can actually finish above .500 in the CCIW, while beating one of the Big 3 (Augie, Wheaton, NCC), talk about them being a strong CCIW team is wishful thinking.

[79jaybird]

Augie6-- I agree with some of your points.  I and Tom Journell would say the same thing here:  Elmhurst hasn't beat the elite teams yet. (Augie/Wheaton)
When I said that they are becoming a perennially strong team,  I am looking at where they are now as compared to where they were for 16 years dating back to the late 80's.
Does EC have a long, difficult road ahead of them?  Sure they do. 
When I played on the team, we suffered through some lopsided affairs and there were games where we never had a chance.  Those days are gone.\
Case in point,  I agree that until Elmhurst knocks off Augie and Wheaton  (or whoever is near/at the top of that particular year)  consistently,  they aren't a 1-2 team, but they are still developing a program into a perennially strong team.