FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[SaintsFAN]

"Success is what happens when preparation  meets opportunity."  Congrats to Studebacker on a stellar NFL debut.  Vrabel better watch himself!   

and he did it against the Steelers --- which is awesome.  That helps Cincy stay in 1st place with their loss to da Raidas (the D2 version)

[Pat Coleman]

Adding to the Studebaker coverage:

Kansas City Star piece (also added to What We're Reading).

Included in a photo gallery.

[Tailgater]

Carthage College wide receiver Jeff Koeneman (Sr., Barrington, Ill./Palatine-Fremd, 103.1 receiving yards per game) was named 2009 Wisconsin Private College "Football Player of the Year" and Tim Rucks Wisconsin Private College "Football Coach of the Year."

Congratulations to both on well deserved honors!!

[Tailgater]

Carthage College football wide receiver Nick Merchut (Sr., Bartlett, Ill.) was invited to play in the "D3 Senior Classic" in Salem, Va., on Dec 5. Sponsored by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL), the event pits 90 players from 238 NCAA Division III football programs in North vs. South format all-star game. The game will be played at the Salem Stadium, site of the annual Stagg Bowl, the title game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

Congratulations Nick. I know you'll represent the CCIW and Carthage well.

[Son of Tailgater]

Carthage College football wide receiver Nick Merchut (Sr., Bartlett, Ill.) was invited to play in the "D3 Senior Classic" in Salem, Va., on Dec 5. Sponsored by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL), the event pits 90 players from 238 NCAA Division III football programs in North vs. South format all-star game. The game will be played at the Salem Stadium, site of the annual Stagg Bowl, the title game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

Congratulations Nick. I know you'll represent the CCIW and Carthage well.

Awesome to see the all-star game back after the Alamo Bowl went away. Best of luck to Nick and all playing in that game.

[FormerCard]

Carthage College football wide receiver Nick Merchut (Sr., Bartlett, Ill.) was invited to play in the "D3 Senior Classic" in Salem, Va., on Dec 5. Sponsored by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL), the event pits 90 players from 238 NCAA Division III football programs in North vs. South format all-star game. The game will be played at the Salem Stadium, site of the annual Stagg Bowl, the title game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

Congratulations Nick. I know you'll represent the CCIW and Carthage well.

Awesome to see the all-star game back after the Alamo Bowl went away. Best of luck to Nick and all playing in that game.

Did you mean the Aztec Bowl?

[Titan Q]

Not sure what any of this means in terms of the 2010 season, but for what it's worth, returning all-conference players...

(Offense/Defense/Specialists)

Illinois Wesleyan: 6 (2/4/0)
Millikin: 6 (3/3/0)
North Central: 6 (3/3/0)
Elmhurst: 4 (1/3/0)
Carthage: 3 (2/1/0)
Wheaton: 3 (2/1/0)
North Park: 2 (0/1/1)
Augustana: 1 (1/0/0)

http://www.cciw.org/fall_football/09_fballconf.htm

[Carthage Fan]

Linebacker Andy Studebaker, making his first NFL start, picked off Roethlisberger's pass 2 yards deep in the end zone in the third quarter and motored to the Steelers 8 before running back Rashard Mendenhall dragged him down.

Well, I suppose it is forgivable that a running back caught him after 94 yards!
Now if anyone else had caught him ...
[/quote]
My son played in some 7 on 7's against Mendenhall in high school, the kid is a stud and was a man among boys.
Nice to see Studebaker making an impact! 

[Carthage Fan]

Carthage College wide receiver Jeff Koeneman (Sr., Barrington, Ill./Palatine-Fremd, 103.1 receiving yards per game) was named 2009 Wisconsin Private College "Football Player of the Year" and Tim Rucks Wisconsin Private College "Football Coach of the Year."

Congratulations to both on well deserved honors!!

Great Job!  I have always had a great amount of respect for Koeno after the shots he took and that he just kept getting back up and doing it again and again.

Nice award for Rucks having put together a nice season!

[Carthage Fan]

Carthage College football wide receiver Nick Merchut (Sr., Bartlett, Ill.) was invited to play in the "D3 Senior Classic" in Salem, Va., on Dec 5. Sponsored by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL), the event pits 90 players from 238 NCAA Division III football programs in North vs. South format all-star game. The game will be played at the Salem Stadium, site of the annual Stagg Bowl, the title game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

Congratulations Nick. I know you'll represent the CCIW and Carthage well.

Nice for Nick, congrats....any NFL looks? 

[Carthage Fan]

Just an FYI, Cary-Grove #1 seed plays Providence Catholic #2 seed in the 6A championship game in Champaign on Saturday at 1.  CG is appearing in their 2nd final after losing to Libertyville 13-3 in 2004 and of course Provi is going for their 10th State title and their first appearance in the final since they won #9 in 2004.

CG has scored 546 points and only allowed 111 with 6 shutouts and runs the option about as good as you can.  Provi's opponents had records of 56 and 25 with 7 going to the playoffs, has a stud RB and great experience in Champaign.

This will be a very good high school football game.  My son and I will be there cheering on CG but have very good friends who will cheer for Provi....neutral tailgating is in order.

Other game of note 7A Glendard West and WWS the only other #1 and #2 seed final. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

[oldnuthin]

Not sure what any of this means in terms of the 2010 season, but for what it's worth, returning all-conference players...

(Offense/Defense/Specialists)

Illinois Wesleyan: 6 (2/4/0)
Millikin: 6 (3/3/0)
North Central: 6 (3/3/0)
Elmhurst: 4 (1/3/0)
Carthage: 3 (2/1/0)
Wheaton: 3 (2/1/0)
North Park: 2 (0/1/1)
Augustana: 1 (1/0/0)

http://www.cciw.org/fall_football/09_fballconf.htm

Great stuff Q. if you add Wenger and Sulo to NCC for next year their number jumps to 8

[usee]

Not sure what any of this means in terms of the 2010 season, but for what it's worth, returning all-conference players...

(Offense/Defense/Specialists)

Illinois Wesleyan: 6 (2/4/0)
Millikin: 6 (3/3/0)
North Central: 6 (3/3/0)
Elmhurst: 4 (1/3/0)
Carthage: 3 (2/1/0)
Wheaton: 3 (2/1/0)
North Park: 2 (0/1/1)
Augustana: 1 (1/0/0)

http://www.cciw.org/fall_football/09_fballconf.htm

A couple things it may mean: first it means IWU won the conference this year and got the most all conference players elected. I think you also have to look at who these players are that are coming back. As Oldnuthin notes NCC gets Wenger and Derek Sulo back as well as a healthy Champion. Wheaton also returns Tyler Langs and a healthy Rocky Gingg (both 2008 ALL CCIW players). I also believe Freddy Ellis will return for the Thunder. IWU returns Brien Rooney who was pretty good down the stretch as well. If I was handicapping next years CCIW race based on who is coming back overall I would say:

North Central
Wheaton
IWU
Millikin
Augie
Carthage
Elmhurst
NPU

That said I think Elmhurst has done a nice job recruiting and if there are other underclassmen like Scottie Williams RB and Jon Janus DB then Elmhurst will surprise some people. One thing is certain, the CCIW won't be any easier from top to bottom and the non conference opponents will have a hard time beating many of these teams.

[Son of Tailgater]

Carthage College football wide receiver Nick Merchut (Sr., Bartlett, Ill.) was invited to play in the "D3 Senior Classic" in Salem, Va., on Dec 5. Sponsored by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL), the event pits 90 players from 238 NCAA Division III football programs in North vs. South format all-star game. The game will be played at the Salem Stadium, site of the annual Stagg Bowl, the title game of the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

Congratulations Nick. I know you'll represent the CCIW and Carthage well.

Awesome to see the all-star game back after the Alamo Bowl went away. Best of luck to Nick and all playing in that game.

Did you mean the Aztec Bowl?

Yup. It felt wrong when I typed it but couldn't find it anywhere on D3. Thank you for the correction.

[Mugsy]

Not sure what any of this means in terms of the 2010 season, but for what it's worth, returning all-conference players...

(Offense/Defense/Specialists)

Illinois Wesleyan: 6 (2/4/0)
Millikin: 6 (3/3/0)
North Central: 6 (3/3/0)
Elmhurst: 4 (1/3/0)
Carthage: 3 (2/1/0)
Wheaton: 3 (2/1/0)
North Park: 2 (0/1/1)
Augustana: 1 (1/0/0)

http://www.cciw.org/fall_football/09_fballconf.htm

A couple things it may mean: first it means IWU won the conference this year and got the most all conference players elected. I think you also have to look at who these players are that are coming back. As Oldnuthin notes NCC gets Wenger and Derek Sulo back as well as a healthy Champion. Wheaton also returns Tyler Langs and a healthy Rocky Gingg (both 2008 ALL CCIW players). I also believe Freddy Ellis will return for the Thunder. IWU returns Brien Rooney who was pretty good down the stretch as well. If I was handicapping next years CCIW race based on who is coming back overall I would say:

North Central
Wheaton
IWU
Millikin
Augie
Carthage
Elmhurst
NPU

That said I think Elmhurst has done a nice job recruiting and if there are other underclassmen like Scottie Williams RB and Jon Janus DB then Elmhurst will surprise some people. One thing is certain, the CCIW won't be any easier from top to bottom and the non conference opponents will have a hard time beating many of these teams.

As implied the number of returning All-CCIW players gives part of the picture for expectations in 2010.  One aspect that is not visible are the players who were young, but there are high expectations.  

For instance, Wheaton had 5 or 6 sophomores starting on defense this year.  Very, very uncharacteristic of Wheaton teams to be so young.  Many of those players have potential to be All-CCIW calibur players in the next 2 years (McMullen was 2nd team this year).  Other teams may have similar scenarios with solid returning players on the verge of breakout years that is not reflected in looking only at returning All-CCIW players.

USee,  I second the notion of seeing a healthy Rocky Gingg in 2010.  His injury in 2009 clearly impacted his ability to play.  You don't go from 1300 yards, 15 TD's and 4.6 yards per carry to 538 yards, 4 TD's and 3.8 yards per carry without some significant issue limiting your ability.  A negative for 2009 could prove to be a huge positive for 2010.  While Gingg was hampered all year, it allowed us to see what Charlie Velling (So., RB) could do.  Velling had nearly 700 yards, 6 TD's and 5.1 ypc as sub and earn 1st Team All-CCIW.  This means Wheaton returns 2 1st Team All-CCIW RB's in 2010.