FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[cardinaldad]

Cardinaldad- Very true.  I recall one questionable call where it appeared Demma hit Evans in the back of the end zone. He dragged his foot and (later on video) was indeed in, but oh well. You get some calls and you miss some calls.  That's life. 

I remember that play.  I went to high school with both Demma and Evans.  Todd is still HOT about that call.

Good memory 79JB, yeah that one had to be in 2003 if my memory serves, down in Naperville - Lester's second year as OC for the 'Jays.

Since we are revisiting the EC/NCC tilts of the last decade - the other one that broke the hearts of the EC faithful was in 2005 at Langhorst, the first playoff year in this current run for the Cards:  NCC was 6-0, had beaten the Wheaties and the Greenies already and EC was 5-1 with a win over Norm.  NCC got out early, then the 'Jays score right before the half to tie it up.  EC up 21-14 in the 4th, Kniss hit Stuedemann to tie it with 6 minutes left then converted a 3 and FOREVER (20+ yards) late, splitting the safeties and moving the sticks to set up his own winning TD run with 2 minutes left.  Great game.  NCC goes on to a 9-1 record and thus begins their dominant run.

That's why i love these boards...memories shared reminds me of the many CCIW fans that have lived the same experiences.

I vividly remember that play in Naperville and that game in Elmhurst. WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cardinaldad]

Nice article in the Sun Times today about the Cards and Joey Michals. Here is the link.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/15547152-419/north-central-soaring-after-rout-of-elmhurst.html

[NCF]

Nice to see both papers giving out some D3 love. Gallik and Michals also played against each in high school as well.

[USee]

Great game in Bloomington, I saw a definite improvement in attitude and play that has been missing over the last few years. Holmes was amazing and has really matured into a solid quarterback. Credit to the coaching staff for that also. This week will be a big barometer against NCC. Stinde ran on the D, and he is a beast, lets see how they handle Kukoc and company. It will also be interesting to see how the offense stacks up against the NCC D, but I definitive see a team with the arrow pointing up. As for the questions on the 2 point conversion, Coach Etherton answers that in the linked article below.


http://herald-review.com/blogs/millikin_sports/etherton-s-reaction-to-wesleyan-game-we-re-moving-on/article_ff1cec8a-0ce0-11e2-bcd0-001a4bcf887a.html

Thanks for sharing, oldnuthin.

"At the end of the game, they scored first in overtime. I told (Millikin assistant) coach (Tim) Connell, as soon as they scored and kicked the extra point, that, 'Hey, we're going for two. So get a two-point play ready.' So we scored, we lined up, ran a play and got a defensive holding penalty on their guy, which was right by us. We lined up for another one, ran the play and just didn't execute the way we were supposed to. It was the right play call to make. It's easy to second-guess, it's easy to sit around and watch the film (and second-guess), but it was the right play. We had a guy open, we just didn't get it done. We had zero regrets.


I gotta believe that is a pretty heavy dose of "coach speak."  I just can't buy the statement that they have "zero regrets" about that play call.  I think there is a better chance the MU coaching staff lost some sleep over it.

And the Offensive coordinator was prepared for the 1st 2pt conversion. The play they ran their was a slant/pick play which is a good call on the goal line from a spread set. Millikin got the holding call. The reality was the coaching staff was not ready for the 2nd play call and made a bad choice. Your play call from the 2 yd line is actually much different than your play call from the 1. (just like 4th and 2 is much different than 4th and 1.) I have seen teams line up for an extra point and get a penalty that moved it to the 1 and bring their offense out to go for 2. The percentages from the 1 are much higher than they are from the 2 yard line.

I would have said line up in a running set and pound it in, or run a play action that gets your mobile qb on the perimieter with a run/pass option. If you think a fade is the right call, Line up in a goal line set with you best WR outside and run the fade. You don't run the fade on the goal line from a no backs set in a "execute or lose" scenario IMO.

[79jaybird]

I remember bits & pieces of almost all the games on the air from 01-11.  All too often I saw 4th quarter leads/ties fizzle away at Langhorst and on the road.  Hopefully someday these close encounters will result in more W's for Elmhurst.    I.E. the Augie game where Elmhurst had a big lead (2TD's I think?) only to see Augie come back and win.  They are always fun memories and those see-saw battles were the best to call on the air.  Everybody is up or down on every play.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park is going to get a W soon.  I hope this happens this year.

I hope they get one soon, as well.  79JB - we are definitely in agreement in our hope for the Vikes - heck, i played on the last EC team to get beat by NPU!

The one that really got away was last year - Redmen score 31 2nd half points and take their first and only lead with 35 seconds left in the game to avoid a spooky Halloween weekend on Foster Ave.

The worst part was the fact that NPU had the ball in Carthage territory and was driving with just over three minutes left in the game when the Vikings fumbled away the ball. All they had to do was hang on to the ball, pick up another first down (it was 2nd and 4 when the Vikings fumbled), and the Gatorade bucket would've gone up over Scott Pethtel's head.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

W&J may not be in the conference, but please keep the team, players, coaches, student body, and especially the player's family in mind during this horrible time: http://www.d3football.com/notables/2012/10/washington-and-jefferson-player-dies

[NCF]

W&J may not be in the conference, but please keep the team, players, coaches, student body, and especially the player's family in mind during this horrible time: http://www.d3football.com/notables/2012/10/washington-and-jefferson-player-dies

So sad, will keep his parents and family in my prayers.

[New Tradition]

Most likely Top 25 team to get upset

Ryan's take: No. 11 North Central. Yes, I know one of my colleagues picked on North Central last week, too, but when you play in a conference as good as the CCIW, every week will be treacherous. A 3-1 opponent like Millikin that played Illinois Wesleyan to the bone will be no exception.

That's 2 weeks in a row!  Here's hoping for the same result.  Also, (and not that I'm complaining about such a high compliment to the conference) isn't the recent buzz about how the CCIW has weakened?

[NCF]

Most likely Top 25 team to get upset

Ryan's take: No. 11 North Central. Yes, I know one of my colleagues picked on North Central last week, too, but when you play in a conference as good as the CCIW, every week will be treacherous. A 3-1 opponent like Millikin that played Illinois Wesleyan to the bone will be no exception.

That's 2 weeks in a row!  Here's hoping for the same result.  Also, (and not that I'm complaining about such a high compliment to the conference) isn't the recent buzz about how the CCIW has weakened?

I was thinking the same thing. As long as we keep on winning-please pick us every week

[iwu70]

Very sad case at W&J.  Senseless violence drastically changing the lives of talented young people, his family, and the entire W&J program and community.

RIP#5.

IWU70

[AndOne]

Naperville Sun article on tomorrow's North Central @ Millikin game.

Noteworthy is the fact the Cardinals have, due to injuries, yet been unable to have their entire starting offensive line on the field at the same time. Last week they were minus 2 starters on the left side of the O line, including pre-season All-American Jace Werkheiser who has only been able to play part of one game so far this season.   

http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/sports/15536436-419/college-football-north-central-faces-cciw-test-at-millikin.html

MU will certainly present a stern challenge to the Cardinal flock, especially with home field advantage. It seems Millikin is, quite possibly, the team Elmhurst thought it was.
The game will feature Millikin's #1 ranked total offense vs NCC's #1 ranked total defense. 

Some keys for NCC:

1. When in the shotgun or wildcat, hike the ball to the intended target rather than to the ground or the air.
2. Limit MU's top ranked rushing offense
3. Play a good mental as well as physical game and eliminate the penalties
4. When in punt formation the Cardinals must block effectively, and the gunners must not miss 1st tackle opportunities. MU is #1 in punt return average.
Good special teams play, or lack thereof, could be the difference in a close ballgame.

[AndOne]

Most likely Top 25 team to get upset

Ryan's take: No. 11 North Central. Yes, I know one of my colleagues picked on North Central last week, too, but when you play in a conference as good as the CCIW, every week will be treacherous. A 3-1 opponent like Millikin that played Illinois Wesleyan to the bone will be no exception.

That's 2 weeks in a row!  Here's hoping for the same result.  Also, (and not that I'm complaining about such a high compliment to the conference) isn't the recent buzz about how the CCIW has weakened?

Don't know how others feel, but its interesting how it can be said by a staffer that "when you play in a conference as good as the CCIW, every week can be treacherous," and yet an ATN ranking of the conferences puts the CCIW, with 3 teams in the nation's top 20, at #7 nationally. 
Maybe he meant to say "when you play in a pretty good conference like the CCIW."   
I know, top to bottom, top to bottom. My bad. 
JMHO

[Langhorst_Ghost]

Saturday's EC/Augie game will be available on our live video webcast (as all the Bluejay home games are) at http://www.bluejaytv.com/

This one might have a little more spice to it than the records might suggest (3-1 vs. 1-3).  Both teams are looking to get their conference trains back on the tracks after derailing last week in two blowout losses, so it will be interesting to see where the players' heads are at this week on both sides of the field.  Pair that with the way last year's contest finished in Rock Island (missed 2 pt conversation late) and the 'Jays snapping the 3 decade long losing streak in 2010, and this one has the storyline and the subtext for a good one at 1:00 in the western suburbs.

'Jays need to rebound and get refocused, its a long CCIW season and one game doesn't define the campaign.  With the Wheaties looming next week, EC can't overlook an Augie squad looking for a little redemption.  This one will be defined as much by the mental and emotional maturity we see from the 'Jays as much as their schematic and physical efforts.  Should be a good one!

[cardinaldad]

Saturday's EC/Augie game will be available on our live video webcast (as all the Bluejay home games are) at http://www.bluejaytv.com/

This one might have a little more spice to it than the records might suggest (3-1 vs. 1-3).  Both teams are looking to get their conference trains back on the tracks after derailing last week in two blowout losses, so it will be interesting to see where the players' heads are at this week on both sides of the field.  Pair that with the way last year's contest finished in Rock Island (missed 2 pt conversation late) and the 'Jays snapping the 3 decade long losing streak in 2010, and this one has the storyline and the subtext for a good one at 1:00 in the western suburbs.

'Jays need to rebound and get refocused, its a long CCIW season and one game doesn't define the campaign.  With the Wheaties looming next week, EC can't overlook an Augie squad looking for a little redemption.  This one will be defined as much by the mental and emotional maturity we see from the 'Jays as much as their schematic and physical efforts.  Should be a good one!

I'm going with the Birds in this one! (.....not to the birds)