FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[BashBacker#16]

GrizzBacker,

Ok, "blast" was too strong.  Just don't group the NCAC with the HCAC.  I think Wabash and Wittenberg have more than held their own in past playoff appearances.

NCAC Playoff Wins (since '99) = 17-14
HCAC Playoff Wins (since '99) = 5-13

...back to the regularly scheduled program... North Central College vs Wabash College this Saturday.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

GrizzBacker,

Ok, "blast" was too strong.  Just don't group the NCAC with the HCAC.  I think Wabash and Wittenberg have more than held their own in past playoff appearances.

NCAC Playoff Wins (since '99) = 17-14
HCAC Playoff Wins (since '99) = 5-13

...back to the regularly scheduled program... North Central College vs Wabash College this Saturday.

By around 3 on Saturday stats most likely wont matter for Franklin or Wabash. Keep on tabulating.

[Mugsy]

I think USee said it best on Saturday (11/19) on the NCAC Boards when he said, "The biggest challenge is figuring out how to score points against them (NCC)."  On my count, NCC has seen five better offenses than they will see on the field this coming Saturday.

(DIII Rankings)     SOS        Rushing       Passing          Total Offense     Points Scored
Redlands              #30        #41            #87               #37                  35  (SCIAC)
MU                      #2          #57           #107             #61                  14  (CCIW)
Elmhurst               #147      #28            #57              #22                  10  (CCIW)
Wheaton              #32        #160           #18              #40                  7  (CCIW)
Dubuque               #189      #77             #4               #2                    13 (IIAC)
Wabash                #114      #83            #129            #117                 TBD (NCAC)

The Bash Defense and Special Teams have combined for 11 TDs this season. I don't think I can emphasize enough how much of an impact those components of the team have had on our offensive numbers. It's been staggering the extent that the games have been dictated and won without major contribution from the offense. They haven't needed to do much. Tons of short field opportunities.

Against Depauw, our offense didn't touch the ball for three consecutive series. At the end of the game, we'd thrown for like 12 yards. No-one I know was bummed about that. It didn't mean our offense was terrible. It meant everything else was so good.

I believe that points from turnovers may be more difficult to come by this coming Saturday.

(DIII Rankings)     SOS        Turnover Margin    Fumbles Lost   INTs Thrown
NCC                     #28        #5 (+1.7)             7                    4
Wabash                #114      #11 (+1.3)           10                   5

I should note that NCC's opponents had an average net turnover margin of 0.0 while Wabash's had an average net turnover margin 0f -.67.  So, the teams that Wabash played were prone to turnovers while the teams that NCC played were not.

What about points from short field position? What about the one or two that-never-happened-to-us-before plays that'll happen on Saturday? What about Chamblee or a blocked punt? What about the Wabash offense actually being asked to win a game and for only the second time all season?

Look, I pour over stats as much as the next guy. They're a lot of fun and, if you find the right collection of them, they offer a pretty good picture of how two teams stack up. Our offensive numbers, I'm just telling you, are not indicative of the offense. They're just not. We play a ****ty schedule and our defense has dominated.  It took us 5 games to figure out what to do with that from an offensive stand-point and our identity, today, is run the zone option w our athletic QB and ask him to throw deep a couple of times a game. That's it. Low risk offense. They won't be able to do that Saturday and I think they'll be just fine. They've got offensive players that can beat good teams, I promise.

"Your Honor, I strenuously object!!"

Lol... another great movie quote rebuttal.

[gobash83]

I have always respected the level of Football IQ and the actual content on the CCIW Board.  Every member of the conference, that I have been around or watched games at, have all been class.   Any chance of the CCIIW?   

That would be something!  You'd have to bring DePauw with so we get a little of that hatred going!   

I assume your question was posed with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but I'd be actually be OK with the C²I²W.  It would certainly make travel easier for the LGs & Tigers.  Didn't Wabash & DePauw inquire about CCIW membership back in the late '90s when they were looking for a new conference home?  I've always wondered why it didn't happen then.   

As I understand it, Wabash did explore joining the CCIW before it joined the NCAC.  From what I have been told (from a good, but not impeccable, source), one of the CCIW member schools objected to adding Wabash due to the fact that it was all-male.  So, it didn't get any traction. 

[Mugsy]

I have always respected the level of Football IQ and the actual content on the CCIW Board.  Every member of the conference, that I have been around or watched games at, have all been class.   Any chance of the CCIIW?   

That would be something!  You'd have to bring DePauw with so we get a little of that hatred going!   

I assume your question was posed with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but I'd be actually be OK with the C²I²W.  It would certainly make travel easier for the LGs & Tigers.  Didn't Wabash & DePauw inquire about CCIW membership back in the late '90s when they were looking for a new conference home?  I've always wondered why it didn't happen then.   

As I understand it, Wabash did explore joining the CCIW before it joined the NCAC.  From what I have been told (from a good, but not impeccable, source), one of the CCIW member schools objected to adding Wabash due to the fact that it was all-male.  So, it didn't get any traction.

I can't comment to that truthfullness of statement above, but the topic of possible CCIW expansion has come up numerous times each year.  Each year regardless of the school in the discussion and the relative merits of the proposal, I believe it ultimately comes down to the fact the CCIW does not want to add another school.  8 schools is viewed as the perfect number for most sports.  Plus many of the schools mentioned do not participate in the full range of women's and men's sports.

Others closer to the various institutions could comment much more indepth and intelligently than I.  Or someone could search the CCIW football or bball boards for a detailed post on this topic from the past year.  As I mentioned this is a common topic on CCIW boards.

[ncc58]

RG,

I really doubt the guy leading the team in number of catches and TD's will be forgotten by the LG's.  I really hope come Saturday that we are not wondering which receiver is going to be the star of the game for us as that won't be a good sign for us!  We have to continue to move the ball on the ground.

Understood, but 23 catches really doesn't scream "We really have to shut this guy down or he will kill us".

I hope the same, I'd much prefer us running it down their throats like we did in quarters 2-4  of the 1st rd game. Obviously Wabash's D is a completely different animal, though.

Fiedorowicz did not play against Wheaton, but caught a TD pass in each of the last two games. I believe that teams get "films" of the last three games, but their are plenty of highlights available on youtube for teams. I don't think you have to see Fiedorwicz to catch many passes to realize what an impact he can have.

[ncc58]

I'm laughing that the Whitewater guys are the overconfident ones in here!!     We appreciate the confidence coming from the Warhawk Nation!

We were duly impressed with the Cardinals last year and many of us have been following NC this year fairly closely, especially those of us who live in Illinois, not far from Naperville.  Overconfident in NC, not really, just recognition of the improvement NC has had over the last several years.


WarhawkDad

Well, UWW has Franklin who they already beat 45-0. They have nothing to discuss but deer hunting and DMZ Balls. Plus, NCC and UWW are on opposite sides of the bracket. At this time last year, UWW venom was headed directly at NCC. This year's bracket was reallly mellowed the Warhawk Nation.

[New Tradition]

So a couple of months ago I was consulting for a client and looking at a possible sponsorship opportunity with the NHL's Florida Panthers down here in S. Florida.   The representative I dealt with in the Panther's Business Office was Brandon Lott, former NCC player and alum.

Going to try and get him to come up and watch the game with some Bash folk at a sports bar near my house that lets me hook my laptop up to a 60" big screen.....  Anyone on here know Brandon?

I played with B-Lott! Super nice kid. I think he was 08 or 09. He was an undersized o-lineman who worked his tail off and would do anything to help anyone who needed it. Liked to wear t-shirt sleeves on his head and chase after loose change on the ground. Lol. I haven't talked to him in ages! Glad to hear he's doing well.

[cardfan86]

So a couple of months ago I was consulting for a client and looking at a possible sponsorship opportunity with the NHL's Florida Panthers down here in S. Florida.   The representative I dealt with in the Panther's Business Office was Brandon Lott, former NCC player and alum.

Going to try and get him to come up and watch the game with some Bash folk at a sports bar near my house that lets me hook my laptop up to a 60" big screen.....  Anyone on here know Brandon?

I played with B-Lott! Super nice kid. I think he was 08 or 09. He was an undersized o-lineman who worked his tail off and would do anything to help anyone who needed it. Liked to wear t-shirt sleeves on his head and chase after loose change on the ground. Lol. I haven't talked to him in ages! Glad to hear he's doing well.

Brandon is awesome! I graduated with him in 09. I totally forgot about the T-shirt sleeve thing! Super awesome young man, and NT is right he would do anything for anyone at anytime. I remember him also telling me that when he has a kid, no matter if it's a boy or girl that he is naming it "Parking". I think I fell onto the dining hall floor when he told me that.

[wabndy]

As I understand it, Wabash did explore joining the CCIW before it joined the NCAC.  From what I have been told (from a good, but not impeccable, source), one of the CCIW member schools objected to adding Wabash due to the fact that it was all-male.  So, it didn't get any traction.

In the late 90s, Wabash, Rose Hulman, and DePauw were desperately trying to find greener pastures than the old ICAC (now HCAC). That conference had a huge academic disparity between the top and bottom and the consensus was that the more academically challenging schools preferred to be in a league with peers. DePauw and Rose jumped first. I think the fact that they joined the SCAC, a new region, and signed up for regular plane flights to Colorado and Texas for conference games tells you how ready they were to leave. Wabash had to wait a few years to land in the NCAC. There was some concern too about long travel (western Indiana to eastern PA). Time has shown it to be the better choice since DePauw is now in the NCAC and Rose is back in the HCAC.
As for objections to joining a conference for being all-male. Not surprised if there were. Having an all-male school adds some not in significant scheduling challenges for most sports, and creates a disparity in the number of conference teams for men and women. I believe there were concerns in the NCAC as well when we joined. In exchange, Wabash had to give up ever being competitive for the NCAC's one all-sports trophy. The ICAC had separate men's and women's trophies.

[Always.A.Titan]

Congrats to the Gagliardi Finalists

http://d3football.com/notables/2011/11/gagliardi-trophy-finalists

[USee]

One of the bigger stats from Mugsy's stat page is the sack totals. Wabash has given up 24 sacks in 11 games (which would be the worst total in the CCIW for reference and among the 2-3 worst in most conferences). North Central has 36 sacks through 11 games. That is an impressive number. (Wabash has 27, Mt Union has 26 and UWW has 26). What's more impressive is the distribution of sacks. Bulandr has 9, Garza has 8, Hayes has 7, and Tripp has 6. Wabash has one player with 6.5 and the next two have 5 and 4. Mt Union has a player with 5.5 and another with 5. UWW has a player with 5.5. Keep in mind North Central plays 6-8 defensive linemen regularly.

The NCC pass rush (they don't blitz much) is about as strong as you will ever see on a d3 team. And Wabash, as a team that hasn't done a great job protecting their qb, will have their hands full. This could be a huge factor on Saturday.

I continue to think Wabash is going to have a very difficult time scoring points and the Bash D, while very good, has a much steeper hill to climb to keep the NCC offense out of the endzone.

[02 Warhawk]

I'm laughing that the Whitewater guys are the overconfident ones in here!!     We appreciate the confidence coming from the Warhawk Nation!

We were duly impressed with the Cardinals last year and many of us have been following NC this year fairly closely, especially those of us who live in Illinois, not far from Naperville.  Overconfident in NC, not really, just recognition of the improvement NC has had over the last several years.


WarhawkDad

Well, UWW has Franklin who they already beat 45-0. They have nothing to discuss but deer hunting and DMZ Balls. Plus, NCC and UWW are on opposite sides of the bracket. At this time last year, UWW venom was headed directly at NCC. This year's bracket was reallly mellowed the Warhawk Nation.

Very true. Last year we were fired up when receiving the #2 seed in the bracket.

[MasterJedi]

I'm laughing that the Whitewater guys are the overconfident ones in here!!     We appreciate the confidence coming from the Warhawk Nation!

We were duly impressed with the Cardinals last year and many of us have been following NC this year fairly closely, especially those of us who live in Illinois, not far from Naperville.  Overconfident in NC, not really, just recognition of the improvement NC has had over the last several years.


WarhawkDad

Well, UWW has Franklin who they already beat 45-0. They have nothing to discuss but deer hunting and DMZ Balls. Plus, NCC and UWW are on opposite sides of the bracket. At this time last year, UWW venom was headed directly at NCC. This year's bracket was reallly mellowed the Warhawk Nation.

Very true. Last year we were fired up when receiving the #2 seed in the bracket.

Can also be applied to the Wabash faithful this week as well. RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!

[robertgoulet]

I'm laughing that the Whitewater guys are the overconfident ones in here!!     We appreciate the confidence coming from the Warhawk Nation!

We were duly impressed with the Cardinals last year and many of us have been following NC this year fairly closely, especially those of us who live in Illinois, not far from Naperville.  Overconfident in NC, not really, just recognition of the improvement NC has had over the last several years.


WarhawkDad

Well, UWW has Franklin who they already beat 45-0. They have nothing to discuss but deer hunting and DMZ Balls. Plus, NCC and UWW are on opposite sides of the bracket. At this time last year, UWW venom was headed directly at NCC. This year's bracket was reallly mellowed the Warhawk Nation.

Very true. Last year we were fired up when receiving the #2 seed in the bracket.

Can also be applied to the Wabash faithful this week as well. RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!

MasterJedi - Best post I have ever seen on this board. +K for you. I wanted to make that comment but didn't think anyone would get it!