FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

Anyone know if there are any general implications/penalties involved with breaking a contract in D3land? Maybe it depends on the individual contract between the 2 schools.

There aren't any formal penalties, but coaches talk. If word gets around that you're the type of coach who will weasel out of a commitment because you think you're going to get pounded, other coaches will be a lot less likely to sign a contract with you.

[Pat Coleman]

Anyone know if there are any general implications/penalties involved with breaking a contract in D3land? Maybe it depends on the individual contract between the 2 schools.

Yep, that's basically the way it goes. Sometimes there's a buyout, etc., but it's been a long time since I was involved in those sorts of things.

[augiefan]

Any Augie fans out there that can give me any kind of idea about what is going on in Rock Island?

Actually Augie FB has been on the decline for a number of years now, pretty much dating back to when NCC got serious about FB and hired Coach Thorne. Since that hiring NCC, Wheaton and IWU have been consistently the best FB programs in the CCIW with everyone else but Augie and Millikin improving during that time..

As for this year's Augie FB team, things are pretty bleak. For the record the teams they have played are a collective 8-1, but there is no reason for them to be losing to teams like Dubuque and Adrian on their home field. Yesterday's loss was a particular disaster as Augie had driven inside the Adrian 30 yard line with 22 seconds to go only to have Nate Pena fumble the ball away. Instead of having a reasonable shot at a game winning FG, Augie allowed Adrian to complete a long pass putting them in the position to kick the game winning 45 yard FG. The same Adrian kicker had missed a 19 yard FG a few minutes earlier. A critical fumble in Dubuque territory in the 4th quarter of the first game also killed an Augie drive that could have turned that game around. The bottom line is that Augie will be lucky to win 2 or 3 games this year, as everyone else in the conference looks improved over last year. I figure they will end up 2-8.

Of greater concern to Augie fans should be the overall decline in athletics in general at Augie under the current administration and AD. Other than MBB Augie has not been a serious contender for CCIW titles in any sports in recent years. Some of the programs (track, baseball and softball are reasonably sound) but most of the rest have become woefully bad. There was a time when Augie won the informal CCIW all sports competition on a regular basis, but the athletic programs overall at NCC, Wheaton, IWU, Carthage are all performing far better than Augie in recent years. NCC's development of their athletic programs in the last 10 years has been particularly impressive. College is primarily about academics but Wheaton and IWU seem to do quite nicely in maintaining both high academic and athletic standards.

It is certainly not much fun being an Augie fan these days, but I doubt much will change as long as the current President and Athletic Director remain on the scene in Rock Island. At least the Illini made it a good weekend on the big school scene.

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[Mugsy]

The CCIW went 5-2 for the day.

Eh... not bad, but a far cry from last year when the CCIW lost only 2 or 3 games over the entire non-conference schedule.

[formerd3db]

AndOne:

Class post and +k for you.  That is nice to hear about the Olivet people and I'm sure they appreciate that as well.  Some people, unfortunately, look down at Olivet's program in our league, which is simply unfounded IMO.  Anyway, they play Wheaton next week.  They are obviously in a rebuilding mode right now with a second year head coach and as expected by many here, it will take them a couple of years to get back to the competiveness that they enjoyed at the beginning of this decade.  Your comments are a refreshing reminder to us all in regards to what this really is all about.  Thanks.

[Mugsy]

New top 25 poll out.  Wheaton remains at #7, North Central moves up to #11. No one else receiving votes.

[NCF]

New top 25 poll out.  Wheaton remains at #7, North Central moves up to #11. No one else receiving votes.

Here's to the Cards continuing the uphill climb!!

[79jaybird]

Elmhurst losing to Chicago tells me that Elmhurst is not yet ready to jump into a 1-2 slot in the CCIW.  Chicago while 3-0 and pretty decent,  is not a Wheaton/NC/ and IWU (on a good day).  This is a game I marked as a W and for them to lose it, just tells me EC is still building.  Good teams don't surrender 17 point leads.

I can't speak internally for Augie, but I think one of the reasons why Augie is not as good, and having trouble recruiting like they did in the 80's,  is the rise of Wheaton, Elmhurst, NC, Carthage,  even Benedictine in the NAC.  For years Chicago suburban kids had to go to the perimeter schools (3hrs away) to join a winning program.  Now you have well known coaches with good winning reputations, close by, that allow kids to excel on the field and in the classroom. 

[NCF]

Elmhurst losing to Chicago tells me that Elmhurst is not yet ready to jump into a 1-2 slot in the CCIW.  Chicago while 3-0 and pretty decent,  is not a Wheaton/NC/ and IWU (on a good day).  This is a game I marked as a W and for them to lose it, just tells me EC is still building.  Good teams don't surrender 17 point leads.

I can't speak internally for Augie, but I think one of the reasons why Augie is not as good, and having trouble recruiting like they did in the 80's,  is the rise of Wheaton, Elmhurst, NC, Carthage,  even Benedictine in the NAC.  For years Chicago suburban kids had to go to the perimeter schools (3hrs away) to join a winning program.  Now you have well known coaches with good winning reputations, close by, that allow kids to excel on the field and in the classroom.

Very true. Exactly the reason my son chose NC, good coaches and the opportunity to compete in two great programs at a school close to home.

[Pat Coleman]

You may be right, 79jaybird, but I would take Wheaton out of that comparison. They are not relying on the Chicagoland kids to build rosters.

[joelmama]

Elmhurst losing to Chicago tells me that Elmhurst is not yet ready to jump into a 1-2 slot in the CCIW.  Chicago while 3-0 and pretty decent,  is not a Wheaton/NC/ and IWU (on a good day).  This is a game I marked as a W and for them to lose it, just tells me EC is still building.  Good teams don't surrender 17 point leads.

I can't speak internally for Augie, but I think one of the reasons why Augie is not as good, and having trouble recruiting like they did in the 80's,  is the rise of Wheaton, Elmhurst, NC, Carthage,  even Benedictine in the NAC.  For years Chicago suburban kids had to go to the perimeter schools (3hrs away) to join a winning program.  Now you have well known coaches with good winning reputations, close by, that allow kids to excel on the field and in the classroom.

small correction Chicago is 2-1

[Always.A.Titan]

At least the Illini made it a good weekend on the big school scene.

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Unless you are a Northwestern fan and had to watch them fall to the painfully slow death caused by the Army Triple Option

[shepherd]

Elmhurst losing to Chicago tells me that Elmhurst is not yet ready to jump into a 1-2 slot in the CCIW.  Chicago while 3-0 and pretty decent,  is not a Wheaton/NC/ and IWU (on a good day).  This is a game I marked as a W and for them to lose it, just tells me EC is still building.  Good teams don't surrender 17 point leads.

I can't speak internally for Augie, but I think one of the reasons why Augie is not as good, and having trouble recruiting like they did in the 80's,  is the rise of Wheaton, Elmhurst, NC, Carthage,  even Benedictine in the NAC.  For years Chicago suburban kids had to go to the perimeter schools (3hrs away) to join a winning program.  Now you have well known coaches with good winning reputations, close by, that allow kids to excel on the field and in the classroom.

Don't forget that the WIAC rosters are full of dupage area players also.

[Gregory Sager]

At least the Illini made it a good weekend on the big school scene.

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Unless you are a Northwestern fan and hand to watch them fall to the painfully slow death caused by the Army Triple Option

As a big fan of both the option and the service academies, I took a break from my usual disdain of D1 football to note that win with pleasure.

[Always.A.Titan]

At least the Illini made it a good weekend on the big school scene.

(modified by GS for formatting)

Unless you are a Northwestern fan and hand to watch them fall to the painfully slow death caused by the Army Triple Option

As a big fan of both the option and the service academies, I took a break from my usual disdain of D1 football to note that win with pleasure.

On the note of service academy games...has anyone ever been to the Army-Navy game?