FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[matblake]

Re scheduling:I am a bit disapponted with the choice of Olivet. I think Wheaton should upgreade their pre-conf schedule and not be afraid to add a Whitewater or keep Bethel on the schedule. I think the CCIW basketball programs get it right by adding traditionally higher ranked regional opponents to their early schedule. The considerations for football are different with injuries and higher travel costs but whitewater s 90 min from wheaton. I wouldn't mind playing 2 WIAC teams and a 3rd like Hope or other traditionally top MIAA team.

I'm not too thrilled by the choice either.

I'm right there on the bus with you guys.  Why not try to schedule a tough IIAC, WIAC, or keep Bethel on the schedule, or another of the top MIAC teams.  I'd love to see the Thunder play the Johnnies.  And the board would be hopping before that one. 

Let's not forget OAC teams either.  Some good matchups to be had down there as well.

[robertgoulet]

Auggie recieved a rather big commitment, per the Daily Herald, from Palatine QB Matt Rossi.

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1604

[formerd3db]

Re scheduling:I am a bit disapponted with the choice of Olivet. I think Wheaton should upgreade their pre-conf schedule and not be afraid to add a Whitewater or keep Bethel on the schedule. I think the CCIW basketball programs get it right by adding traditionally higher ranked regional opponents to their early schedule. The considerations for football are different with injuries and higher travel costs but whitewater s 90 min from wheaton. I wouldn't mind playing 2 WIAC teams and a 3rd like Hope or other traditionally top MIAA team.

Olivet is a decent team.. not great like an Ohio Northern or UW school,  but it's not a pushover like some of the schools CCIW teams are playing.

Yes, upstate New York definitely gets my vote as some of the prettiest areas in the  Northeast.  As a hockey player we have played many tournies up that way on up to Canada.

Elmhurst has posted their 2009 schedule which is the same as 2008's just flip flopped. 

Re scheduling:I am a bit disapponted with the choice of Olivet. I think Wheaton should upgreade their pre-conf schedule and not be afraid to add a Whitewater or keep Bethel on the schedule. I think the CCIW basketball programs get it right by adding traditionally higher ranked regional opponents to their early schedule. The considerations for football are different with injuries and higher travel costs but whitewater s 90 min from wheaton. I wouldn't mind playing 2 WIAC teams and a 3rd like Hope or other traditionally top MIAA team.

I'm not too thrilled by the choice either.

Re scheduling:I am a bit disapponted with the choice of Olivet. I think Wheaton should upgreade their pre-conf schedule and not be afraid to add a Whitewater or keep Bethel on the schedule. I think the CCIW basketball programs get it right by adding traditionally higher ranked regional opponents to their early schedule. The considerations for football are different with injuries and higher travel costs but whitewater s 90 min from wheaton. I wouldn't mind playing 2 WIAC teams and a 3rd like Hope or other traditionally top MIAA team.

I'm not too thrilled by the choice either.

I'm right there on the bus with you guys.  Why not try to schedule a tough IIAC, WIAC, or keep Bethel on the schedule, or another of the top MIAC teams.  I'd love to see the Thunder play the Johnnies.  And the board would be hopping before that one. 

While Olivet traditionally has not been one of the MIAA's top tier teams, in recent years it has markedly improved to be so, with the exception of this past season 2008.  You guys forget that Olivet won the MIAA in 2007 beating Hope; nor did my alma mater Hope do too well either this year as you recall.  Traditionally, Hope has had a great rivalry with Wheaton, although Wheaton has had Hope's "number" quite well in recent years.  Olivet has improved their program tremendously like jaybird says and yet, while they may not be a powerhouse, they still will be a good and tricky team to play and beat, especially if they return to their better form like 2007 this year.  I will say, though, that Wheaton is currently a very tough team as you all well know and that regardless of who they play in the MIAA as a non-conference opponent (whether Hope, Albion, Alma, Adrian, Trine or Olivet) they will still probably beat them - unless we all improve well above the level we were this past season.   Anyway, just my $0.02 worth! 

[WahooThunder]

CCIW football can't come soon enough right now.

[HScoach]

Re scheduling:I am a bit disapponted with the choice of Olivet. I think Wheaton should upgreade their pre-conf schedule and not be afraid to add a Whitewater or keep Bethel on the schedule. I think the CCIW basketball programs get it right by adding traditionally higher ranked regional opponents to their early schedule. The considerations for football are different with injuries and higher travel costs but whitewater s 90 min from wheaton. I wouldn't mind playing 2 WIAC teams and a 3rd like Hope or other traditionally top MIAA team.

I'm not too thrilled by the choice either.

I'm right there on the bus with you guys.  Why not try to schedule a tough IIAC, WIAC, or keep Bethel on the schedule, or another of the top MIAC teams.  I'd love to see the Thunder play the Johnnies.  And the board would be hopping before that one. 

Let's not forget OAC teams either.  Some good matchups to be had down there as well.

Mount Union is still looking for an opener in '10/'11.  That might be considered an upgrade.   

[usee]

Given a choice, I think we would prefer to play them in December. 

[Neverwas]

http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2009/3/19/FB_hardy.aspx

Looks like Wheaton is going to be looking for a new offensive coordinator for this year...
What do you all think about this?  How will this affect Wheaton next year?  I expect them to be down anyways but this might be a tough obstacle to overcome.

As for the Olivet scheduling...
I know it is hard for Wheaton to find teams that will play them for our non-conference games.  I don't think I would want to play more WIAC schools than needed.  Asking to play UWW would put a lot of pressure on the conference season.  Especially if Wheaton schedules them in the first week (usually their opponents 2nd game) where Wheaton traditionaly doesn't play well.  I agree that the MIAA isn't the best competition.  I would like to see more MIAC schools or OAC schools or move the Wabash scrimage to the regular season or Depauw or any of the Indiana teams Wheaton played in the playoffs.  I think Wheaton can find better competition without having to schedule a game against a top 5 team.  The CCIW is tough enough.

[usee]

I think the loss of Tim Hardy is a big one for the Thunder. Offense is their strength going in to 2009 and now they have lost the continuity of their biggest asset. Long term its a bigger problem its not easy to find excellent coaches who know wheaton as well as an alum and bleed the Orange and Blue. Tim was a big reason for Wheatons success the last several years since JR Bishops retirement and replacing him will be no easy task for swider. Many of the logical candidates are already at bigger jobs (pedro aruzza, neal neathery, etc)

[Ralph Turner]

I think the loss of Tim Hardy is a big one for the Thunder. Offense is their strength going in to 2009 and now they have lost the continuity of their biggest asset. Long term its a bigger problem its not easy to find excellent coaches who know wheaton as well as an alum and bleed the Orange and Blue. Tim was a big reason for Wheatons success the last several years since JR Bishops retirement and replacing him will be no easy task for swider. Many of the logical candidates are already at bigger jobs (pedro aruzza, neal neathery, etc)

Oh well, he will just extend another branch of the Wheaton pipeline to the Atlanta suburbs.

[79jaybird]

IMO, I think we will only see 1 CCIW team in the preseason Top 25.  I think NC will be the lone CCIWster and probably between 5-10 I would say.  God, it's going to be tough to be those guys this year with all their talent returning. 

Sorry to read about CC dropping football but honestly, I am surprised we aren't seeing/hearing more of this with the tough economic conditions.

[usee]

Jbird,

I think NCC is a legit top 5 team this season. They were #2 for much of last year and they have everyone back. I would put them at #4 behind uww, muc and umhb.

I also think Wheaton will likely be ranked in the top 25 at first. Not sure they will end up there but they have 9 starters back on a pretty good offense that went to the semis last year. That's worthy of some top 25 love IMO.

[Redmen96]

This is the worst time of year for me.  No Football.  No Baseball.  And to tell the truth I only use baseball to get me through until Football Season.  And yes I know baseball is close but you rarely see great games until the teams get in their grooves.

[79jaybird]

Usee, we must think alike.  IMO  I had wheaton as "Also receiving votes" primarily because I am skeptical on their defense. I know their offense has a lot of talent returning, but their defense could be a problem. 
Way early but I would venture to say it's going to be 1)NC 2) AC 3) WC  in no particular order, but I don't see NC losing many (if any) CCIW games.

[usee]

I didn't have Wheaton as "ARV" I have them as a Top 25 team. In fact I would put them in the #15-20 range at the start of the season. Their offense is pretty good and even with a mediocre defense (do you really think the cupboard is dry on D in Wheaton?) they are a 7-3 team IMO.

I would be surprised if NCC loses any games during the conference season. I think this is going to be a year where they are on a different tier than the others. Augie and Wheaton are the next tier and I believe Elmhurst and Carthage have a chance to be in that group this year. I don't have a good feel for what is going on at IWU right now to put them in the hunt but as the season approaches I am hoping more information is available.

[79jaybird]

Right now I would have it
1) NC 2) AC  3) WC 4)EC 5) CAR 6) IWU 7) MU 8) NPU

Again, so many "ifs" can happen this point in the off season.

For EC, I think it is going to be tough to get 7-8 wins (or more) with the talent they lost to graduation.

For WC I don't think there puddle is dry, but I do think that side of the ball is where they will lose some of the close games.