FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[ncc58]

I find that SOS is a number that is hard to use. The CCIW plays non-conference games, some conferences only play one, at least one  plays 4. The CCIW feasted in non-conference play with 20 wins however my opinion is that the only quality win was Wheaton over Bethel.

I'm not picking on Elmhurst but their overall record seems repectable at 4-6. Yet, they only had one conference win. Their other three wins came against weak non-conference opponents. They won two close games against Olivet and Benedictine who were obliterated by NCC. Hope finished at 3-7 with three losses to CCIW teams. What does that mean? I don't know, nothing?

In order to effectively apply the SOS, you have to closely examine the numbers - how many NC games and how those teams placed in their conference.

NCC and ONU have split the last two years, with the home team winning. What does it mean? You want to schedule good non-conference teams, but not too good. If you can't get into the playoffs with two losses, don't expect a CCIW team to play upper level WIAC teams anytime soon (which WIAC would love to see).

Coe barely edged Augie in week 1. IWU, NCC, and Wheaton beat Augie decisively. Does that mean they are better than Coe? Probably, but we'll never know for sure.

There's plenty of time to overanalyze 2010 schedules.

[usee]

Midwest-

IWU beat Augie 7-0 and Wheaton beat them with a TD pass with 18 seconds left. I wouldn't call either of those "decisive" .

[Pat Coleman]

I am a bit intrigued by the NCAA selections process.  Clearly, the committee looked primarily at won-loss record and didn't pay as much attention to strength of schedule.  The following chart shows the SOS for the Pool B/C teams v. those of NCC and Ohio Northern:

                                 Reg. Win %     O Win %    OO Win %
Huntingdon                   1.000              .589           .568
Case                           1.000               .402           .545
St. Thomas                  .900                 .528           .528
Coe                            .900                 .504           .530
W&J                           .900                  .400           .499
Wabash                      .889                  .531           .518
Mississippi College         .889                 .482           .496
MHB                           .875                 .451            .487

NCC                           .800                .575            .568
ONU                           .800                .544             .524

I'm Just trying to reconcile how four teams with Opponents' Winning % below .500 got into the tournament while NCC and ONU did not, given their SOS.  After all NCC was the CCIW co-champion and ONU was #2 in the OAC.  Speaking of that, it is interesting to see that the OAC (6-4 v. non- OAC teams), WIAC (18-6 v. non-WIAC teams), and CCIW (20-4 v. non-CCIW teams) only got one team each into the field while the ASC (7-11 v. non-ASC teams), NCAC (13-17 v. non-NCAC teams) and PAC (10-7 v. non-PAC teams) each got two teams in.  Finally, is it more than 500 miles from Mary Hardin Baylor to Central?  Can someone provide me with a bit more clarity on these issues?  What message is the NCAA sending regarding scheduling difficult out-of-conference games when you play a tough OAC/CCIW schedule?

Mississippi College was not a Pool C team. It got an automatic bid.
Case was not a Pool C team. It was a Pool B team. Pool C teams are not eligible for Pool B selection, so there's no comparison made.

[oldnuthin]

There is till hope if you have any eligibility left

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/10355288/61-year-old-kicks-extra-point-in-Div.-III-game

[wheels81]

Big day for Andy Studebaker vs the Oakland Raiders in a win for Kansas City

5 solo tackles and an assist.  By far his most productive game since becoming an NFL player

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/gamecenter/live/NFL_20091115_KC@OAK


and Garcon is having a good night too..   Its really neat to see these guys doing what they are at the next level.

It was probably the first game he started and had significant playing time.  His regular position was only on special teams.  He also was credited with a pass defensed.

Garcon also had a strong game even the catch out of the endzone was impressive though called incomplete.  I thought the announcers were a little tough on him though as they kept saying him and Collie were playing like rookies and not making the big plays.  Of course that was before his touchdown catch.

[FormerCard]

Any thoughts on COY, OPOY or DPOY? i thought if Millikin could beat Augie coach Neighbur would be a lock for COY. now I think it will probably go to Coach Easch. As for the other 2 i don't know enough to comment.

My opinions are

COY -  Eash
OPOY-  Fanthorpe
DPOY-  Nikolich

[iwu4ever]

Any thoughts on COY, OPOY or DPOY? i thought if Millikin could beat Augie coach Neighbur would be a lock for COY. now I think it will probably go to Coach Easch. As for the other 2 i don't know enough to comment.

My opinions are

COY -  Eash
OPOY-  Fanthorpe
DPOY-  Nikolich

COY - Eash
OPOY - Fanthorpe or how about Jones
DPOY - Nikolich

also noticed IWU has 6 punt blocks this year. Is there anyone who keeps that stat nationally...couldn't find it on ncaa stats page?

[FormerCard]

Any thoughts on COY, OPOY or DPOY? i thought if Millikin could beat Augie coach Neighbur would be a lock for COY. now I think it will probably go to Coach Easch. As for the other 2 i don't know enough to comment.

My opinions are

COY -  Eash
OPOY-  Fanthorpe
DPOY-  Nikolich

COY - Eash
OPOY - Fanthorpe or how about Jones
DPOY - Nikolich

also noticed IWU has 6 punt blocks this year. Is there anyone who keeps that stat nationally...couldn't find it on ncaa stats page?

I can appreciate people pointing out how good Jones has been this year for the Redmen.  He was top 5 in the nation in passing yards per game and total passing yards and threw 32 TD's with 14 Ints.    He definitely made the Carthage offense go.

I do believe you have to give the nod to Fanthorpe however.  You saw how important he was to NCC's offense when he went out against IWU in the second half and the Cards eventually lost that game. 

Besides leading the Cardinals to a Co-Conference Championship in the CCIW......

He was the #2 most efficient quarterback in the Nation    http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2009&rpt=III_playerpasseff&site=org&div=III&dest=O   for the #1 Ranked Scoring offense http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2009&rpt=III_teamscoroff&site=org&div=III&dest=O  and lost his backfield mate (Dominic Sulo) halfway through the season as well..  He delivered timely passes all season and accounted for 7 RUSHING touchdowns and 28 passing TDs with only 7 picks.  He completed a CCIW leading 68.3% of his passes.

With all respect to the other offensive players this year, I think the award has to go to the two time reigning OPOY, Aaron Fanthorpe.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Not nominating him, specifically, for OPOY (he probably missed too much time to be seriously considered), but anyone want to comment on Kraig Ladd?  When he was knocked out early against Millikin, they suffered their only loss.  After two games won mainly by the defense, he returned and ruined NCC's season.  While Brien Rooney has been a wonderful surprise as a fill-in, the Titan offense is a whole different animal when Ladd is in.

I've been warning Wabash that they have to prepare for two completely different offenses depending on who is on the field.

[usee]

Statistically the thing that would set Fanthorpe apart from Evan Jones is his efficiency rating. It's a sick number and may be the reaso he gets the OPOY. That said, I think Evan Jones numbers can't be ignored along with how far he has come this year. I am not sure they will award Co-OPOY but this year there may be a strong case for it.  In any case, Evan Jones is NOT a 2nd team All CCIW QB in my book. He deserves some kind of 1st team recognition. I also think Fanthorpe is the leading candidate for OPOY. If I had a vote I would vote for Fanthorpe as POY and would put Evan Jones as the 1st team QB.

As far as Kraig Ladd, he was on track to force his way into the conversation but he ended up missing most of 4 conference games. Injuries aside, there is no doubt he has had an outstanding senior campaign and I am sure Fanthorpe and Jones would trade their POY consideration for a chance to play in the NCAA tournament this weekend.

[RedBear1107]

Midwest-

IWU beat Augie 7-0 and Wheaton beat them with a TD pass with 18 seconds left. I wouldn't call either of those "decisive" .

USee-

I would call the IWU win over Augie decisive, primarily because it got the Titans back on track after a terrible loss to Millikin.  The IWU offense may have been held in check most of the game, but the IWU defense played superbly, forcing 3 and outs or turnovers every time Augie threatened to score.  I would call the win decisive solely because of the fact that it got the Titans defense and team as a whole into a rhythm, not because of the score.

[usee]

Midwest-

IWU beat Augie 7-0 and Wheaton beat them with a TD pass with 18 seconds left. I wouldn't call either of those "decisive" .

USee-

I would call the IWU win over Augie decisive, primarily because it got the Titans back on track after a terrible loss to Millikin.  The IWU offense may have been held in check most of the game, but the IWU defense played superbly, forcing 3 and outs or turnovers every time Augie threatened to score.  I would call the win decisive solely because of the fact that it got the Titans defense and team as a whole into a rhythm, not because of the score.

RedBear-  You seem to be measuring the quality of the win and it's impact, which I understand. I don't know what MWFB meant by "decisive" but I took it to mean "dominant" and no one would view a 7-0 win as dominant under the conditions it was played. Holding NPU to -6 yds offense is dominant. Certainly shutting out Augie at their place is a dominant defensive pereformance but the total effort can't be construed as "decisive" in my book.

[Tailgater]

Midwest-

IWU beat Augie 7-0 and Wheaton beat them with a TD pass with 18 seconds left. I wouldn't call either of those "decisive" .

USee-

I would call the IWU win over Augie decisive, primarily because it got the Titans back on track after a terrible loss to Millikin.  The IWU offense may have been held in check most of the game, but the IWU defense played superbly, forcing 3 and outs or turnovers every time Augie threatened to score.  I would call the win decisive solely because of the fact that it got the Titans defense and team as a whole into a rhythm, not because of the score.

You're playing a game of semantics and twisting the reference made in the original post that USee responded to concerning the word "decisive". The original post was using "decisive" to specifically describe the margin of victory. You can certainly interpret the word how you wish. "Decisive"; that settles or can settle a dispute, question, etc... I don't think a 7-0 win over a team that finishes with a record in the middle of the conference settles the question that IWU would or could defeat the top 2 teams in the CCIW and secure a share of the conference title. It merely shows they have the resilience to put a disappointing loss behind them and do enough to be successful in a "must win" game against a traditional top tier team in the CCIW.

[Stagg Again!!]

My picks are the same as everyone else's --

COY -   Eash, IWU (What do we need to say -- he got the job done!!)
OPOY-  Fanthorpe, NCC  (He guided the top offense in the country without Sulo for most of the season.  Jones would get more votes if he had fewer picks -- wait 'til next year, I think the award will be his to lose.)
DPOY-  Nikolich, IWU (Top defensive player on the number one defensive unit in the CCIW.)

[usee]

To elaborate on the Jones v Fanthorpe debate here are the numbers:

PASSING AVG      Team Cl   G  Att   Cmp Int  Pct.  Yds  TD Avg/G
-------------------------------------------------------------
1. Jones, Evan.... CART JR 10 464 309  14  66.6 3554 32 355.4
3. Fanthorpe, A    NCC  SR 10 208 142   7  68.3 2096 28 209.6

TOTAL OFFENSE    Team Cl G  Rush Pass Plays Total Yds/G
---------------------------------------------------------
1. Jones, Evan.... CART JR 10  101 3554   524  3655 365.5
2. Fanthorpe, A    NCC  SR 10  330 2096   274  2426 242.6

PASS EFFICIENCY Tm   Cl  G   Att Cmp Int  Pct.   Yds   TD  Eff.
-------------------------------------------------------------
1. Fanthorpe, A  NCC  SR 10 208 142   7   68.3 2096 28 190.6
2. Jones, Evan...CART  JR 10 464 309  14  66.6 3554 32 147.7

I would argue that Evan Jones was as important or more to Carthage as Fanthorpe was to NCC. Without Fanthorpe NCC still got the game vs IWU to OT. Without Jones, Carthage certainly probably finishes with a losing record. (By the way, Jones had 7 more INT than Fanthorpe but he also threw the ball 256 more times  )

To say it another way, Evan Jones accounted for 79% of his teams' offensive production over the course of the whole season (3,655 yds/4,639 yds). Aaron Fanthorpe accounted for 50% of NCC's offense (2,426 yds/4,879) which is very good but Jone's numbers are ridiculous. To put it into perspective, Mt Union's Greg Micheli accounted for 53% of their offense through 15 games last year on their way to the National Championship. He was the Gagliardi award winner.