FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[USee]

Just had a look at the teams and I agree with the coaches on the top four in the conference.

North Central
Wheaton
IWU
Elmhurst

In that order. I took a look at what each of them has returning and their prospects for this year.

For North Central, I think they lost a lot of playmakers and return a few. This may be a reload year for them and we will get a chance to see just how deep a powerhouse Thorne has built as they will need some young players to step up. Offensively they will be a run-oriented team just as they were a year ago. I think losing Dicken hurts them. No one really remembers much about Stanek but I watched him play a lot 2 years ago. He is an athletic qb but had some really painful turnovers at some key times 2 years ago. He didn't have much patience to stay in the pocket and be a true passer, but he is very capable. The RB situation is stacked with Kukuc and Tassio both back. Losing the big, fast receiver is a blow so with 4 OL returning I expect the Cardinal to be a run dominant offense with a big play action passing game.

Defensively, there is no replacing the likes of Bulandr, Garza and Hayes but they do return a really solid defenive backfield and several other players with key experience. NCC didn't like to blitz and Wabash used that against them by keeping 7 blockers in to give them time against a fierce pass rush. It will be interesting to see if NCC plays more man to man coverage and blitzes more than last year. If they don't have the same pass rush they will have to rely on more pressure. The emergence of their new DL and the play of their QB will be a key. I don't see them beating the conference teams by 20 this year but they are the clear cut favorite.

Wheaton is stacked on offense with 4 OL, 2 stud qb's and a stable of RB's better than they have had in several years. Hiben is the best WR in the conference and Cook, along with Luke and Hunter Thorson (TE) will make them the largest receiving corp the conference has ever seen. I think the shortes receiver in that group is 6-4. Defensively, Dykstra is the NT and he is as good as their is in the league but the other DL is a big question mark. Their LB's should be very good with Dandsdill and Anderson, Vanheest and Higgins. Big questions at the corner. If Wheaton's front 7 can stop the run it will allow Swider and Sandberg to play more zone. If they have to play man coverage to get extra run defenders or blitz to get pressure, you will see opponents make big plays on that secondary. the Kicking game is a question with no Scott Roche on the roster so extra points and FG's could be thrilling for the fans.

IWU is going to be good on offense. Gallik has a year of experience and their WR corps is strong. (what happened to Dayton Burnett?). 3 of the 5 OL are returning along with their TE. Defensively the return of 5th year Sr's Cunningham and Blodgett is absolutely huge. Those two are very good players and they will need to protect a young LB core that has very little game experience. I am not sure about their secondary as I thought Eric Bushong and Scott Wenzel were both JR's but I don't see them in Q's list. Defensively they will need time to find the right players.

Elmhurst has the most returning starters in the league including 4 OL to make holes for the best RB in the conference Scottie Williams. If Elmhurst is going to make a move on the top 3 this is the year. they open conference play at night in Naperville and get both Wheaton and IWU at home. It wouldn't surprise me if they beat 1 or more of those 3 teams this year.

I look for North Park to break their conference ineptitude this year with Millikin, Augie (both in Chicago) and Carthage the likely suspects.

I think NCC will struggle with their preseason slate and it would not surprise me if they lost 1 or even 2 of those games. I expect them to struggle to win the conference but I think they will win the league as they get Wheaton, IWU and Elmhurst in Naperville this year.

Should be a fun fall.

[NCF]

Just had a look at the teams and I agree with the coaches on the top four in the conference.

North Central
Wheaton
IWU
Elmhurst

In that order. I took a look at what each of them has returning and their prospects for this year.

For North Central, I think they lost a lot of playmakers and return a few. This may be a reload year for them and we will get a chance to see just how deep a powerhouse Thorne has built as they will need some young players to step up. Offensively they will be a run-oriented team just as they were a year ago. I think losing Dicken hurts them. No one really remembers much about Stanek but I watched him play a lot 2 years ago. He is an athletic qb but had some really painful turnovers at some key times 2 years ago. He didn't have much patience to stay in the pocket and be a true passer, but he is very capable. The RB situation is stacked with Kukuc and Tassio both back. Losing the big, fast receiver is a blow so with 4 OL returning I expect the Cardinal to be a run dominant offense with a big play action passing game.

Defensively, there is no replacing the likes of Bulandr, Garza and Hayes but they do return a really solid defenive backfield and several other players with key experience. NCC didn't like to blitz and Wabash used that against them by keeping 7 blockers in to give them time against a fierce pass rush. It will be interesting to see if NCC plays more man to man coverage and blitzes more than last year. If they don't have the same pass rush they will have to rely on more pressure. The emergence of their new DL and the play of their QB will be a key. I don't see them beating the conference teams by 20 this year but they are the clear cut favorite.

Wheaton is stacked on offense with 4 OL, 2 stud qb's and a stable of RB's better than they have had in several years. Hiben is the best WR in the conference and Cook, along with Luke and Hunter Thorson (TE) will make them the largest receiving corp the conference has ever seen. I think the shortes receiver in that group is 6-4. Defensively, Dykstra is the NT and he is as good as their is in the league but the other DL is a big question mark. Their LB's should be very good with Dandsdill and Anderson, Vanheest and Higgins. Big questions at the corner. If Wheaton's front 7 can stop the run it will allow Swider and Sandberg to play more zone. If they have to play man coverage to get extra run defenders or blitz to get pressure, you will see opponents make big plays on that secondary. the Kicking game is a question with no Scott Roche on the roster so extra points and FG's could be thrilling for the fans.

IWU is going to be good on offense. Gallik has a year of experience and their WR corps is strong. (what happened to Dayton Burnett?). 3 of the 5 OL are returning along with their TE. Defensively the return of 5th year Sr's Cunningham and Blodgett is absolutely huge. Those two are very good players and they will need to protect a young LB core that has very little game experience. I am not sure about their secondary as I thought Eric Bushong and Scott Wenzel were both JR's but I don't see them in Q's list. Defensively they will need time to find the right players.

Elmhurst has the most returning starters in the league including 4 OL to make holes for the best RB in the conference Scottie Williams. If Elmhurst is going to make a move on the top 3 this is the year. they open conference play at night in Naperville and get both Wheaton and IWU at home. It wouldn't surprise me if they beat 1 or more of those 3 teams this year.

I look for North Park to break their conference ineptitude this year with Millikin, Augie (both in Chicago) and Carthage the likely suspects.

I think NCC will struggle with their preseason slate and it would not surprise me if they lost 1 or even 2 of those games. I expect them to struggle to win the conference but I think they will win the league as they get Wheaton, IWU and Elmhurst in Naperville this year.

Should be a fun fall.

Very fun!

[matblake]

Good analysis as usual USee.  Glad to see you're still around.

Like you, I'm much more fearful of the NCC running game than the passing game.  I honestly think they will use the pass primarily for keeping defenses honest.  That said, they have so many guys that you just don't know if someone will emerge from the wings.

I'm also very leery of IWU.  NCC and Wheaton get the pub, but in recent memory IWU has been a conference leader as well.   

Other than NCC being the favorite, you have to go back several years to find a time with the bottom portion of the league being so up for grabs.  North Park blowing it against Carthage/Carthage taking advantage of an opportunity really gave me confidence that the traditionally lower ranked teams in the league are beginning to compete on a more equal level. 

Last year's playoff run (or lack thereof) from the CCIW was dismal, I'm glad the league will get the opportunity to redeem itself. 

It's almost time!

[79jaybird]

I'm not jumping on the Elmhurst bandwagon just yet.  I have seen a number of good Elmhurst teams on paper heading into the season and even after the non-conference slate, only to see them go 3-4 in conference and end up 5-5 or 6-4 at best.  Until they actually DO beat the top 3 teams (of given year) and put together the consistency to beat the top 3 teams,  I don't see them climbing any higher that 4th place.  Last year when I saw NC they looked like the men compared the to boys of the other 7.  Until somebody beats them, I still see this "gap" in place.  Any given Saturday...  but NC still looks pretty strong to win the conf and go 2-3 rounds (or more) in the playoffs.

[NCF]

I'm not jumping on the Elmhurst bandwagon just yet.  I have seen a number of good Elmhurst teams on paper heading into the season and even after the non-conference slate, only to see them go 3-4 in conference and end up 5-5 or 6-4 at best.  Until they actually DO beat the top 3 teams (of given year) and put together the consistency to beat the top 3 teams,  I don't see them climbing any higher that 4th place.  Last year when I saw NC they looked like the men compared the to boys of the other 7.  Until somebody beats them, I still see this "gap" in place.  Any given Saturday...  but NC still looks pretty strong to win the conf and go 2-3 rounds (or more) in the playoffs.

I'm hoping for more

[Langhorst_Ghost]

This from Kickoff 2012's Keith McMillan - Elmhurst: The only thing that makes me more giddy for a breakout season than 17 or more returning starters is continuity on the offensive line. The Bluejays have all but their left guard back to clear a path for Scottie Williams. Quarterback Joe Furco has nearly three seasons of starting experience, and nine starters are back in Elmhurst's 3-3-5 defense. Last year the perennial knocking-on-the-door team to break through was Centre. This year, with Illinois Wesleyan, Wheaton and North Central all needing to break in mostly new defenses (none has more than three starters back), it's Elmhurst's turn.

Keith sums up the optimism we TRUE Bluejay supporters share for 2012 - Go 'Jays!

[CardinalAlum]

This from Kickoff 2012's Keith McMillan - Elmhurst: The only thing that makes me more giddy for a breakout season than 17 or more returning starters is continuity on the offensive line. The Bluejays have all but their left guard back to clear a path for Scottie Williams. Quarterback Joe Furco has nearly three seasons of starting experience, and nine starters are back in Elmhurst's 3-3-5 defense. Last year the perennial knocking-on-the-door team to break through was Centre. This year, with Illinois Wesleyan, Wheaton and North Central all needing to break in mostly new defenses (none has more than three starters back), it's Elmhurst's turn.

Keith sums up the optimism we TRUE Bluejay supporters share for 2012 - Go 'Jays!

NOBODY is more of a "TRUE" Bluejay supporter than Jaybird! 

[NCF]

This from Kickoff 2012's Keith McMillan - Elmhurst: The only thing that makes me more giddy for a breakout season than 17 or more returning starters is continuity on the offensive line. The Bluejays have all but their left guard back to clear a path for Scottie Williams. Quarterback Joe Furco has nearly three seasons of starting experience, and nine starters are back in Elmhurst's 3-3-5 defense. Last year the perennial knocking-on-the-door team to break through was Centre. This year, with Illinois Wesleyan, Wheaton and North Central all needing to break in mostly new defenses (none has more than three starters back), it's Elmhurst's turn.

Keith sums up the optimism we TRUE Bluejay supporters share for 2012 - Go 'Jays!

NOBODY is more of a "TRUE" Bluejay supporter than Jaybird!

That's for sure!

[Gregory Sager]

I look for North Park to break their conference ineptitude this year with Millikin, Augie (both in Chicago) and Carthage the likely suspects.

We've heard that refrain before. Yes, NPU came very, very close to beating Carthage and Augie, and having 20 seniors on the squad is practically unprecedented by NPU football standards, at least by my memory. I'm very hopeful that the Vikings will snap the streak this season and make some more forward progress as a program. But I've been down this road too many times, and I'm not going to count any chickens before they're hatched.

I think NCC will struggle with their preseason slate

Yes, but how will the Cardinals do in their non-conference slate?

This from Kickoff 2012's Keith McMillan - Elmhurst: The only thing that makes me more giddy for a breakout season than 17 or more returning starters is continuity on the offensive line. The Bluejays have all but their left guard back to clear a path for Scottie Williams. Quarterback Joe Furco has nearly three seasons of starting experience, and nine starters are back in Elmhurst's 3-3-5 defense. Last year the perennial knocking-on-the-door team to break through was Centre. This year, with Illinois Wesleyan, Wheaton and North Central all needing to break in mostly new defenses (none has more than three starters back), it's Elmhurst's turn.

Keith sums up the optimism we TRUE Bluejay supporters share for 2012 - Go 'Jays!

NOBODY is more of a "TRUE" Bluejay supporter than Jaybird!

That's for sure!

Langhorst_Ghost, trust me ... you do not want to get into a p***ing match with 79jaybird as to which of you is more of a "true Bluejay supporter." You will lose that contest, I guarantee it. Anyone who has followed d3boards.com over the past dozen years or listened to an Elmhurst game on the radio will vouch for him, too.

[matblake]

Langhorst_Ghost, trust me ... you do not want to get into a p***ing match with 79jaybird as to which of you is more of a "true Bluejay supporter." You will lose that contest, I guarantee it. Anyone who has followed d3boards.com over the past dozen years or listened to an Elmhurst game on the radio will vouch for him, too.

Anybody who is willing to share that their mascot used to be the "Goldenrods", as jaybird has done in the past, is a true fan. 

[Gregory Sager]

Yep. And true fan =/= drinking the kool-ade.

[79jaybird]

goldenrod ah,  now that brings back some memories during the game. 
Yes, For 10 years we had a good run and had great memories (wish there were more but ____ reason that won't be possible) promoting a college I loved and team that hoped would succeed.

Goldenrod,  Augie's Tukes Ayangible (SP?), the "Monsoon Game" EC vs. IWU 9-6 (score?), that prompted us to look at investing into the Astroplay surface, and broadcasting a game at Benedictine in a makeshift rail car after a summer fire,  are some of the vivid memories, that immediately come to mind.

Good times. Wish there more.  M

[02 Warhawk]

Does NCC provide Live Video of its home games? If so, is there a link?

[Pat Coleman]

Does NCC provide Live Video of its home games? If so, is there a link?

http://www.d3football.com/teams/North_Central_%28Ill.%29/2012/index has all the video links that North Central has posted.

[02 Warhawk]

Does NCC provide Live Video of its home games? If so, is there a link?

http://www.d3football.com/teams/North_Central_%28Ill.%29/2012/index has all the video links that North Central has posted.

Yea, I saw that...I was more specificaly wondering about the UWL game. I assume it'll be available, because it's available for all other home games.