FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Titan Q]

IWU recruiting info...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2009/05/13/usports/doc4a0a26010adcb692427740.txt

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2009/05/13/usports/doc4a0a2754cb5ac346406803.txt

[usee]

Thanks Q. I take from this that Eash is considering moving Rooney from QB. I think that makes sense. He didn't strike me as a pure qb but is a great playmaker. I could see him playing tailback or slot and making a lot of plays. The Titans will be an interesting team this year. Whenever you have an experienced offensive and defensive line returning from a winning team you are almost always a contender if your skill guys are any good and IWU has some excellent skill players returning. Combine that with their summer trip to Europe and the extra practices they are getting and the Titans will be poised to make a run this fall. I think the CCIW continues to get stronger in depth and parity.

[devildog29]

For this year, I agree Usee that an experienced offensive line and a couple playmakers should keep us in most games.  However, I worry that being "selective" in the recruiting process is coachspeak for we had a bad year recruiting.  Crossing my fingers that I'm wrong, but we just seem to be on such a slippery slope over the last 7 or 8 years.

[CardinalAlum]

For this year, I agree Usee that an experienced offensive line and a couple playmakers should keep us in most games.  However, I worry that being "selective" in the recruiting process is coachspeak for we had a bad year recruiting.  

DD,

I couldn't agree with you more.  I was going to say the same thing, but didn't want to start my Norm bashing until the season starts!!   

[usee]

The thing about IWU is they have not consistently had top level "playmakers" like they used to have. Martin Ceisel was certainly in that category but I am talking about guys like Jeff Heinzl, Brad Andrekus, Lon Erickson, Kevin Kaplan, Jon Munch. These guys were all difference makers and when CCIW teams are winning the conference those teams usually have 3-5 of these guys on their team.  IWU's talent level has dropped considerably. It may have to do with the competitiveness in recruiting of NCC, Elmhurst, and Carthage in terms of talent. IWU will be good this year because they have a lot of returning starters. While there are a lot of variables that go into winning a CCIW title I still don't see them with enough difference makers to run the table and make noise in the postseason but I do think they could have a similar season to their 2007 run. 

If you look at NCC they return Sulo, Fanthorpe, Wenger, Sulo, Delancy, Janacek and others. IWU could have some studs coming up the pipeline like Travis Boothe, Keely Flood, Roman Hunter, Nick Nikolich, and Max Brooks, but those guys are going to have to step up and dominate consistently if IWU wants to make a run this year.

I also like what I am hearing coming out of Wheaton. I think they may be in a 'reload' vs 'rebuild' year but it's early for any concrete assessments.

[devildog29]

I've been living out of state for a while now, so I have only seen a handful of IWU games over the last few years, but the thing that really stood out to me compared to when I was there in the mid 90s is the lack of size on the line.  I'm not saying we were ever a power running team by any stretch, we've always been pretty much a finesse team, but lately that seems to be taken to an extreme.  We seem very undesized, especially on the D-line compared to what I remember.  Again, full disclosure, this is based on a very limited amount of games I've seen over the last 5 years.

[usee]

I've been living out of state for a while now, so I have only seen a handful of IWU games over the last few years, but the thing that really stood out to me compared to when I was there in the mid 90s is the lack of size on the line.  I'm not saying we were ever a power running team by any stretch, we've always been pretty much a finesse team, but lately that seems to be taken to an extreme.  We seem very undesized, especially on the D-line compared to what I remember.  Again, full disclosure, this is based on a very limited amount of games I've seen over the last 5 years.

That's a fair observation and I don't think the last 2 years is indicative of IWU's "typical" approach. I think since Norm Eash arrived the Titans have been more of a pro style offense utilizing stretch plays, draws, screens, and the vertical passing game. Their lineman have been big over the years but often athletic to protect a moving pocket (i.e. sprint out, bootleg, play action) as well as block in a zone running scheme. Defensively they have been a 4-3 team for years and have been most dominant when they have an athletic defensive front that can disrupt blocking schemes along with sure tackling, hard hitting db's.

Their average size on the offensive line last year was 6'4" 278 lbs which isn't small but is lighter than Wheaton or NCC's average size. But I would guess that is typical of an IWU Oline: tall and athletic. Wheaton tends to have shorter heavier linemen but they also run more of a power running game typically.

Defensively IWU averaged 239lbs across the Dline but they played with a lot of young guys due to injuries last year. Max Brooks is undersized at 245 lbs for a nose tackle but he is disruptive and athletic. Keep in mind IWU has had 3 defensive coordinators in 3 years. The 4-3 defense they play is usually best played by big defensive tackles who demand double teams and athletic defensive ends/linebackers. Mike Wagner used athletic defensive linemen who were playmakers historically. We haven't seen that as much from IWU defensive fronts the past couple years. I think they need to have continuity on their coaching staff defensively and recruit to a system before they can develop an identity.

[formerd3db]

Interesting stats, Usee.  Just out of curiosity, what was Wheaton's and NCC's avg sizes for both their offensive and defensive lines?  I know that on occasions, some teams in our MIAA have had some huge lines (for example, one year in the mid-90's, Alma's front lines averaged about 278 also).  However, in those years they tended not to have the skilled position players to go along with that and in other years, vice versa.

[SaintsFAN]

I also like what I am hearing coming out of Wheaton. I think they may be in a 'reload' vs 'rebuild' year but it's early for any concrete assessments.

USee,

Hope the offseason is treating you well.  As I said before, I was very impressed with Wheaton.  Good speed on defense and a QB that didn't quit trying to make plays when his receivers were dropping balls.  If they "reload", I look forward to seeing them deep in the playoffs again in 2009. 

I can also attest to the size of IWU back in the mid 90's... sounds like things have changed a bit since the days of Lon Erikson being under center-- when IWU and Albion were our toughest games on the schedule.

[oldnuthin]

I've been living out of state for a while now, so I have only seen a handful of IWU games over the last few years, but the thing that really stood out to me compared to when I was there in the mid 90s is the lack of size on the line.  I'm not saying we were ever a power running team by any stretch, we've always been pretty much a finesse team, but lately that seems to be taken to an extreme.  We seem very undesized, especially on the D-line compared to what I remember.  Again, full disclosure, this is based on a very limited amount of games I've seen over the last 5 years.

That's a fair observation and I don't think the last 2 years is indicative of IWU's "typical" approach. I think since Norm Eash arrived the Titans have been more of a pro style offense utilizing stretch plays, draws, screens, and the vertical passing game. Their lineman have been big over the years but often athletic to protect a moving pocket (i.e. sprint out, bootleg, play action) as well as block in a zone running scheme. Defensively they have been a 4-3 team for years and have been most dominant when they have an athletic defensive front that can disrupt blocking schemes along with sure tackling, hard hitting db's.

Their average size on the offensive line last year was 6'4" 278 lbs which isn't small but is lighter than Wheaton or NCC's average size. But I would guess that is typical of an IWU Oline: tall and athletic. Wheaton tends to have shorter heavier linemen but they also run more of a power running game typically.

Defensively IWU averaged 239lbs across the Dline but they played with a lot of young guys due to injuries last year. Max Brooks is undersized at 245 lbs for a nose tackle but he is disruptive and athletic. Keep in mind IWU has had 3 defensive coordinators in 3 years. The 4-3 defense they play is usually best played by big defensive tackles who demand double teams and athletic defensive ends/linebackers. Mike Wagner used athletic defensive linemen who were playmakers historically. We haven't seen that as much from IWU defensive fronts the past couple years. I think they need to have continuity on their coaching staff defensively and recruit to a system before they can develop an identity.

I took my son as a junior to watch NCC against IWU 2 years ago and agree with you regarding their D line as far as athleticism goes. they had 9 sacks that day and i was very impressed with their tackle hayland sp.? Very athletic and dsruptive and about 250 if my memory serves. I did go see wheaton play this year a couple of times and one was against IWU who started a d tackle listed at 200 lbs, I took at as a lack of depth He was seriously outmatched. Any word on when wheaton will post their incoming class?

[usee]

Interesting stats, Usee.  Just out of curiosity, what was Wheaton's and NCC's avg sizes for both their offensive and defensive lines?  I know that on occasions, some teams in our MIAA have had some huge lines (for example, one year in the mid-90's, Alma's front lines averaged about 278 also).  However, in those years they tended not to have the skilled position players to go along with that and in other years, vice versa.

Well, I must admit I am surprised by the results. I was thinking of guys like Wes Welnack and Josh Delancy when I went to calculate NCC's Oline but I forgot about Balducci, Larson and Schaub. On defense I thought Janacek was big but he is only 230 lbs. Wheaton is also not as big as IWU on the OLine. Here are the numbers:

NCC Oline: 6'2" 258 lbs
NCC Dline: 6'3" 245 lbs (they only play 3 DL)

Wheaton Oline: 6'2.4" 267 lbs
Wheaton Dline: 6'3" 265 lbs

The numbers are pretty surprising. I remember one of Wheaton's OLine in the 2002 time period averaged close to 300 lbs but they aren't as big now.

[formerd3db]

Thanks for the follow-up Usee.  Yes, interesting #'s.  Certainly many of the current DIII teams don't have the larger size linemen that they have sometimes had in the past - probably what you list for NCC and Wheaton is the "norm" for most teams.  However, perhaps the most impressive line I've ever seen in all my years as both a DIII player and fan inclusive, was the Mount Union line the year they beat Bridgewater (Va) in the Stagg Bowl.  That year, as I recall, all the Mount starting linemen except for one were over 300 lbs with the overall combined average being about 302, which was just slightly under the Ohio State lines average of 304 lbs per man.  Those Mount linemen were not slow at all either and I really believe they could have played at some DI schools.  Anyway, an interesting topic.  Later, friends.

[Titan Q]

On IWU's trip to Europe...

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2009/05/26/usports/doc4a1c7bb28d61c594039912.txt

[usee]

Update on Andy Studebaker with the KC Chiefs:

http://www.chiefsgab.com/2009/05/26/chiefs-lb-andy-studebaker-right-place-at-the-right-time/

[devildog29]

IWU defeats 2008 European Club Champion Vienna Vikings this evening 64-14.