FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[robertgoulet]

Late but better than never...Congrats to NCC on their season. What a ride. I have the DVR set for Wednesday.

[oldnuthin]

Wheaton loses a good coach

http://www.footballscoop.com/the-scoop

[(509)Rat]

The Whitworth release

http://whitworthpirates.com/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/201312162fphb8

Made the most sense considering the finalists.

All I want to know is, can he recruit? Will he be able to bring in the talent that it takes to beat Linfield? Tully got lucky and had a few really really good classes that won a few conference championships, but it was never sustained and his in-game management (X's and O's) was beyond bad. He was always good enough to keep his job and capitalized on PLU really struggling for a few years and Pacific not knowing they could actually field a football team.

Why is NCC consistently better than Wheaton lately? Facilities? Players? Coaching staff? Dumb luck? And why does Wheaton seem to drop a bad game or two every year? Especially in years where they've given NCC their only loss. Just trying to get info about the program Sandberg was a part of in general. Please don't take any offense, just want to see if I can decipher some strengths/weaknesses of what coach Sandberg is bringing to Spokane.

[Mugsy]

I played and coached with Rod Sandberg.  You will not find a better man to coach a program.  Well deserved opportunity for a great player and great coach. Wheaton will have a challenge ahead to fill his shoes.

[AndOne]

Wow. 19 years. It must have been hard for him to leave Wheaton.
The fact is, many assistant coaches desire to move up to the head job. Can't be mad, and shouldn't be surprised--even after 19 seasons.
Wheaton's been a good team for many of those seasons, so it would seem a large dose of talent is on its way west.

[NCF]

Congrats and good luck to him on the head coaching job!!!! 

[USee]

The Whitworth release

http://whitworthpirates.com/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/201312162fphb8

Made the most sense considering the finalists.

All I want to know is, can he recruit? Will he be able to bring in the talent that it takes to beat Linfield? Tully got lucky and had a few really really good classes that won a few conference championships, but it was never sustained and his in-game management (X's and O's) was beyond bad. He was always good enough to keep his job and capitalized on PLU really struggling for a few years and Pacific not knowing they could actually field a football team.

Why is NCC consistently better than Wheaton lately? Facilities? Players? Coaching staff? Dumb luck? And why does Wheaton seem to drop a bad game or two every year? Especially in years where they've given NCC their only loss. Just trying to get info about the program Sandberg was a part of in general. Please don't take any offense, just want to see if I can decipher some strengths/weaknesses of what coach Sandberg is bringing to Spokane.

Coach Sandberg is a big loss for the Thunder and a huge gain for Whitworth. Rod is a tireless recruiter and worker. By all accounts players love to play for him. His players know how to play the game and he is an excellent X/O guy. It's a great step for he and his family. He is a great leader for any program.

I don't know if he can bring in the talent to beat Linfield, but he is a good recruiter. The school has to do their part as well. Sandberg is not an offensive guy so he will need a strong O-Coordinator alongside him. It's hard to say whether Wheaton's success under Sandberg will transfer. So much of it relies on the chemistry between the school and the coaching staff. If he has the resources other teams have and he can attract a strong #2 as a coach, Sandberg will do well. No one is a one man band. Thorne did it at North Central with a strong commitment from the administration to have a great staff and bring in lots of players. If Sandberg gets a strong commitment, he will succeed.

[Neverwas]

The Whitworth release

http://whitworthpirates.com/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/201312162fphb8

Made the most sense considering the finalists.

All I want to know is, can he recruit? Will he be able to bring in the talent that it takes to beat Linfield? Tully got lucky and had a few really really good classes that won a few conference championships, but it was never sustained and his in-game management (X's and O's) was beyond bad. He was always good enough to keep his job and capitalized on PLU really struggling for a few years and Pacific not knowing they could actually field a football team.

Why is NCC consistently better than Wheaton lately? Facilities? Players? Coaching staff? Dumb luck? And why does Wheaton seem to drop a bad game or two every year? Especially in years where they've given NCC their only loss. Just trying to get info about the program Sandberg was a part of in general. Please don't take any offense, just want to see if I can decipher some strengths/weaknesses of what coach Sandberg is bringing to Spokane.

First things first.  As hard as it is for me to say, that was a GREAT game on Saturday.  To me, NCC looked the more physical team and that is something to hang your hat.  Congratulations on a great season.

These are very legitimate questions.  Questions Wheaton backers have been asking recently too.  I think it was mostly answered that you need help from the administration to be successful.  I believe NCC has more support, not that Wheaton doesn't have any, just more.  Also, there has been significant flux with regards to coaching at Wheaton.  Something that used to be a solid pitch to recruits.  Wheaton coaches used to point out the stability their staff had in comparison to most programs.  Swider, particularly, would point out he would coach until his kids graduated the program.  One has...  the next few years are going to be very interesting at Wheaton.   That is a different discussion.  To answer your question about coaching.  I still believe Wheaton coaching is superior to most D3 teams.

Dropping a game they shouldn't, seemingly each year, is probably more of a reflection of how hard it is to do what NCC does (or Mount to greater extent).  Winning 9 or 10 games is really hard.  It doesn't make it any less maddening.  Particularly when it keeps you from the playoffs which will only get more difficult as more pool C bids go away.

Again, these are questions a lot of Wheaton fans are asking but Sandberg was way more of a reason they were a top 25 team each year and not a problem.  I cannot wait to see what he does with the Whitworth football team.  I also cannot wait for a home and home!!

I would be interested to hear the more informed Wheaton posters weigh in on the future of the program as it is now the off season, unfortunately.   

[NCF]

Congrats to Rick Ponx on being named head coach at Aurora University!! Good luck to a great coach and a fantastic role model!

[Kovo]

Congrats to Rick Ponx on being named head coach at Aurora University!! Good luck to a great coach and a fantastic role model!

Good news.  I wonder if we will see Aurora on NCC's schedule in the near future?

[CardinalAlum]

Congrats to Rick Ponx on being named head coach at Aurora University!! Good luck to a great coach and a fantastic role model!

Good news.  I wonder if we will see Aurora on NCC's schedule in the near future?

Don't hold your breath.  That's not happening.

[Mugsy]

Coach Sandberg beat out some strong candidates for the Whitworth job.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/dec/12/sources-chris-tormey-in-mix-for-whitworth/

[Kovo]

Congrats to Rick Ponx on being named head coach at Aurora University!! Good luck to a great coach and a fantastic role model!

Good news.  I wonder if we will see Aurora on NCC's schedule in the near future?

Don't hold your breath.  That's not happening.

True.  But there would be some entertainment value.

[Stagg Again!!]

Congrats to Rick Ponx on being named head coach at Aurora University!! Good luck to a great coach and a fantastic role model!

This is great news for Rick and Aurora University.  As to whether it is great news for North Central or not... Time will tell.  If Ponx starts getting high caliber kids who would have otherwise worn cardinal, white, and black... Not so good.  If Ponx drives the Spartans to a couple more wins each year and a NATHC crown, it may help North Central' SOS numbers by improving OOWP.  Remember, Aurora has played at least one or two CCIW teams for at least the last six years. 

[NCF]

Congrats to Rick Ponx on being named head coach at Aurora University!! Good luck to a great coach and a fantastic role model!

This is great news for Rick and Aurora University.  As to whether it is great news for North Central or not... Time will tell.  Ponx starts getting high caliber kids who wouIf ld have otherwise worn cardinal, white, and black... Not so good.   If Ponx drives the Spartans to a couple more wins each year and a NATHC crown, it may help North Central' SOS numbers by improving OOWP.  Remember, Aurora has played at least one or two CCIW teams for at least the last six years.

That has to be one of his goals eventually.