FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[grboob]

Back to the CCIW and DIII  Who is the new Elmhurst coach going to be?  Guesses ?

[Gregory Sager]

As of now, this is the only speculation we have on that topic:

Heard that Tim Rucks (Carthage) and Ron Planz (Minnesota State) are the favorites for the job

Planz looks like a logical candidate. He's currently the DL coach and special teams coordinator for a D2 program that went 11-1 this past season. His recruiting area for Minnesota State consists of Chicagoland and southeastern Wisconsin, so he's already working Elmhurst's recruiting turf. And he's a D3 guy; he served as an assistant coach at UWEC (where he got his master's degree) and at Manchester. Plus, he knows the league, since he played for Carthage from 1997-2001.

As for his former coach, Tim Rucks ... that remains an intriguing prospect. Is Tim really considering a return to coaching? Is his health up to it?

[Titan Q]

On IWU's new offensive coordinator...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/iwu-names-taylor-as-offensive-coordinator/article_75c9bc0a-df6b-5d73-9765-c247186b2a4f.html

[formerd3db]

What about Plantz as head coach and Rucks as an assistant?

Looks like a good hire for IWU.  My only question is why would he want to leave DI for DIII as he has essentially been a DI level coach for his career?  I can understand the academic aspects/reasons (which I think we all agree), however, the salary is a different story.

[USee]

What about Plantz as head coach and Rucks as an assistant?

Looks like a good hire for IWU.  My only question is why would he want to leave DI for DIII as he has essentially been a DI level coach for his career?  I can understand the academic aspects/reasons (which I think we all agree), however, the salary is a different story.

This move is an upgrade for him. He is an "offensive assistant" which isn't much better than a graduate assistant. Usually part time, less pay and long hours. Offensive Coordinator at a D3 school is more money, more opportunity. This is a good move. Looks like a great hire for IWU.

[oldnuthin]

Millikin Schedule is up for next year and they show 2 night games. Looks like they are going to get that new turf, I wonder if it will be blue, and obviously lights. I sure am going to miss the crown of that field , though I really enjoyed the mud bowl versus the green weenies last fall.

[Gregory Sager]

Millikin Schedule is up for next year and they show 2 night games. Looks like they are going to get that new turf, I wonder if it will be blue, and obviously lights. I sure am going to miss the crown of that field , though I really enjoyed the mud bowl versus the green weenies last fall.

The crown made Lindsay Field unique and a great conversation piece, but as a broadcaster I absolutely hated it. You simply couldn't tell from the press box when or where a player had run out of bounds on the far side of the field, because you could only see the upper half of his body due to the extreme slope of the field.

[grboob]

Anyone here any Elmhurst rumors?

[Langhorst_Ghost]

Anyone here any Elmhurst rumors?

Official word will hit the wire very soon.

Go Jays.

[79jaybird]

Ron Planz named new HC at Elmhurst.   Good to see he has some CCIW experience and knows the capsule of D-III.  Hopefully Planz can build up a program that can consistently compete.

[Gregory Sager]

After looking at his resume and posting it here a month ago, I had a pretty strong suspicion that Planz would get the hire. ON the face of it, he appears to be tailor-made for the Elmhurst job.

[USee]

Strong resume. Has the essential experience of success at a larger school mixed with an understanding of D3 and life in the CCIW. Good hire for Elmhurst. This should keep them setteld for at least a couple years! 

[Gotberg]

Follow-up on what Greg already mentioned:

http://www.samoanews.com/?q=node/79943

[Gregory Sager]

Given the large number of football players of Samoan extraction to grace major-college and NFL rosters over the years, I'm surprised that Mike Conway is the first-ever college football head coach to actually set foot in American Samoa and recruit in person. Of course, Samoa is slightly off the beaten path as far as typical recruiting trips go -- even for big-bucks D1 programs.

I would love to see NPU get the same sort of pipeline going with Samoan players for the football program that it has with Swedish players for the soccer program.

[Gotberg]

Given the large number of football players of Samoan extraction to grace major-college and NFL rosters over the years, I'm surprised that Mike Conway is the first-ever college football head coach to actually set foot in American Samoa and recruit in person. Of course, Samoa is slightly off the beaten path as far as typical recruiting trips go -- even for big-bucks D1 programs.

I would love to see NPU get the same sort of pipeline going with Samoan players for the football program that it has with Swedish players for the soccer program.

Any word on how recruiting has been going for NPU?