FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[Gregory Sager]

North Park has 55 tuition deposits in from newbies, with somewhere from 12 to 15 of them being transfers and the rest freshmen. The coaching staff is still hard at work on about 15 more potential transfers, so there's a chance that the newbie list could top 60 by the time camp starts.

(Of course, this is D3, so preseason rosters are etched in butter rather than in stone. As the saying goes, a D3 coach never really knows how many players he's got until he sees the whites of their eyes on the first day of preseason practice.)

Mike Conway is pretty excited about the quality of the newbies. Granted, every head coach in college football is talking up his recruits right now; it's part of the annual rites of summer if you're a college football fan. But, as he was going through the list of incoming players with me in his office this afternoon, he must've named a dozen and a half of them that he thinks can contribute this season on either a first-string or second-string level for NPU. So I think it's fair to take him at his word when he says that the program has significantly upgraded its talent level. Of course, time will tell.

Mike also estimates that about 45 of last year's Vikings will be returning, which means that this will be the largest NPU roster in quite some time. I'm really excited about that. I'm looking forward to the possibility that the NPU roster will be big enough so that players have to share numbers, and -- more importantly -- that there will be some JV games. Roster quantity isn't everything, of course, but it does mean that the program is drawing more interest.

[AndOne]

North Central is ranked in the preseason Top 10 by three separate football magazines;
9th by the Sporting News;
9th by USA Today;
10th by Lindy's Sports.

Wheaton is ranked 13th by Lindy's Sports, and 23rd by Sporting News.

Complete rankings:
http://www.northcentralcardinals.com/news/2014/7/2/FB_0702140547.aspx

The D3 Football preseason top 25 is up.  NCC is #6, Wheaton is #24, and IWU just misses at the equivalent of #27.

No other CCIW team received any votes.

The above for comparison.

Of course we all know that the D3 Football Poll is the most intelligent, and thus the most acurate predictor. 

Looks like it will be a real battle between the Orange and the Green to determine who is the 2nd best team in the conference behind NCC. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

North Park has 55 tuition deposits in from newbies, with somewhere from 12 to 15 of them being transfers and the rest freshmen. The coaching staff is still hard at work on about 15 more potential transfers, so there's a chance that the newbie list could top 60 by the time camp starts.

(Of course, this is D3, so preseason rosters are etched in butter rather than in stone. As the saying goes, a D3 coach never really knows how many players he's got until he sees the whites of their eyes on the first day of preseason practice.)

Mike Conway is pretty excited about the quality of the newbies. Granted, every head coach in college football is talking up his recruits right now; it's part of the annual rites of summer if you're a college football fan. But, as he was going through the list of incoming players with me in his office this afternoon, he must've named a dozen and a half of them that he thinks can contribute this season on either a first-string or second-string level for NPU. So I think it's fair to take him at his word when he says that the program has significantly upgraded its talent level. Of course, time will tell.

Mike also estimates that about 45 of last year's Vikings will be returning, which means that this will be the largest NPU roster in quite some time. I'm really excited about that. I'm looking forward to the possibility that the NPU roster will be big enough so that players have to share numbers, and -- more importantly -- that there will be some JV games. Roster quantity isn't everything, of course, but it does mean that the program is drawing more interest.

Great to hear this.  Roster quantity isn't everything, but it's an awfully big piece of the puzzle in reviving a moribund program.  I expect that NPU will remain on the rise, and would not be surprised to see them comfortably in the middle of the CCIW pack, likely well behind NCC, Wheaton, and IWU but certainly capable of beating or competing with everyone else. 

[Dr. Acula]

Good for NPU!  If they have enough kids to field a JV team that'd be huge for developing some depth.  The top incoming kids will be playing varsity I'm sure, but those JV game reps help build that underlying depth you need to be competitive for 10 games once injuries start depleting your team to some degree or another.

[79jaybird]

Happy to see North Park getting some momentum established and building.  I think that is a positive for the CCIW as a whole.    I think there is a clear #1 favorite but spots 2,3,4  could be any of 3-4 teams.  I foresee a lot of parity this year.

[Gotberg]

North Park has 55 tuition deposits in from newbies, with somewhere from 12 to 15 of them being transfers and the rest freshmen. The coaching staff is still hard at work on about 15 more potential transfers, so there's a chance that the newbie list could top 60 by the time camp starts.

(Of course, this is D3, so preseason rosters are etched in butter rather than in stone. As the saying goes, a D3 coach never really knows how many players he's got until he sees the whites of their eyes on the first day of preseason practice.)

Mike Conway is pretty excited about the quality of the newbies. Granted, every head coach in college football is talking up his recruits right now; it's part of the annual rites of summer if you're a college football fan. But, as he was going through the list of incoming players with me in his office this afternoon, he must've named a dozen and a half of them that he thinks can contribute this season on either a first-string or second-string level for NPU. So I think it's fair to take him at his word when he says that the program has significantly upgraded its talent level. Of course, time will tell.

Mike also estimates that about 45 of last year's Vikings will be returning, which means that this will be the largest NPU roster in quite some time. I'm really excited about that. I'm looking forward to the possibility that the NPU roster will be big enough so that players have to share numbers, and -- more importantly -- that there will be some JV games. Roster quantity isn't everything, of course, but it does mean that the program is drawing more interest.

Thanks for the update - first time I have ever really been excited about an upcoming North Park football season.  I was hoping to hear there were transfers, because I would guess that would help us progress faster with so many young players that need to develop. 

Quantity is important at d3 because they still pay tuition.

[matblake]

It is time for my yearly recommendation of the Kickoff publication.  First, it helps support the site, which remains free.  Second, I also really enjoy the national picture that it provides, and the profiles of coaches and athletes.   The rankings are always fun to look at, as is the conference comparisons.   Third, it is just a good way to get back into the swing of the D3 landscape.  I haven't been around as much due to Mrs. matblake's back surgery, but I'm looking forward to being more involved again.  Just my 2 cents.

[markerickson]

Please slow down with the Big Mo in Chicago.  The Vikings won three games last year, and none during nonconference play.  What are the odds of NPU winning three conference games this year?  And beating Augie two years in a row?  It will be hard for the Vikes to win more than one nonconference game in 2014.  They host Concordia who went 8-2 last year, averaging 43ppg.  In week two, my alma mater travels to Alma who went 1-9.  They lost to Olivet in OT; Olivet beat NPU last year.  Then the Vikes travel to Missouri to play Wash U who posted an impressive 8-2 record against superior opponents than Concordia.

The last time NPU won three nonconference games (under Robin Cooper) the Vikings won zero conference games.  Not trying to throw a wet blanket on the scene, just being cautious.

Funny story.  A high school friend of mine saw his daughter* and wife come to Chicago to scope out NPU last fall.  When they arrived on campus, admissions asked if they wanted tix to the men's soccer game.  They said no - they wanted tix to the football game.  The NPU rep replied, "We don't normally get requests for football tickets."  Let's hope the tide is turning!!

*Her brother was a freshman QB at Bethel last year, and Emma will be in Chicago this fall.

[Gregory Sager]

Please slow down with the Big Mo in Chicago.

Mark, I didn't make any predictions whatsoever about where NPU will finish this year, and I don't think that ExTartanPlayer or 79jaybird did, either.

The Vikings won three games last year, and none during nonconference play.

Different season, different team -- and, as far as the non-con foes are concerned, three different opponents.

What are the odds of NPU winning three conference games this year?

Who knows? As I said, nobody's made any predictions.

And beating Augie two years in a row?

Augie's not a powerhouse anymore, Mark. It's a second-tier program that has struggled in recent seasons. Not that NPU has passed up Augie in terms of program strength, but I think that you might be carrying around a little bit of the '80s Augie mystique in your head when you consider that matchup.

Augustana lost half of last year's starters; the Doggies will bring back five offensive starters and six defensive starters. But 29 Augustana letterwinners overall are gone this year, with only 32 returning, according to Dave Wrath's Augustana season preview. And four of Augie's five 2013 All-CCIW players have departed. NPU will return a considerably greater amount of last season's two-deep than will Augustana.

Nobody will take Augustana lightly, and that most certainly includes North Park. But Augie's not the big bad wolf you're making it out to be.

It will be hard for the Vikes to win more than one nonconference game in 2014.

OK, so you're the one who's gonna make the predictions.

They host Concordia who went 8-2 last year, averaging 43ppg.

Concordia (WI) will be a formidable opponent, no doubt about it. The Falcons return the NACC OPOY in QB Austin Damaschke, plus ten other All-NACC players. That will be a tough team to beat. But I'm not writing off the Vikings before the game's even a month away, either.

In week two, my alma mater travels to Alma who went 1-9.  They lost to Olivet in OT; Olivet beat NPU last year.

... all of which means nothing. I'm a lot less worried about Alma than I am about either CUW or Wash U.

Then the Vikes travel to Missouri to play Wash U who posted an impressive 8-2 record against superior opponents than Concordia.

WU will be a difficult opponent, especially in St. Louis. But, given your predilection for citing past outcomes as an indicator of future possibilities, I'm surprised that you didn't mention that the Vikings beat the Bears three years ago at Hedstrand Field.

The last time NPU won three nonconference games (under Robin Cooper) the Vikings won zero conference games.

Again, true but irrelevant. Nothing that the Vikings did or didn't do in past seasons will have an outcome upon the 2014 edition of the program.

Not trying to throw a wet blanket on the scene, just being cautious.

I think you're mistaking my enthusiasm for confidence, Mark. I haven't made any predictions about how the Vikings will fare this coming season, and I'm not going to. Believe me, I have a very good idea of what a steep hill the Vikings will have to climb in order to improve upon 2013.

[Captain_Joe08]

They host Concordia who went 8-2 last year, averaging 43ppg.

Concordia (WI) will be a formidable opponent, no doubt about it. The Falcons return the NACC OPOY in QB Austin Damaschke, plus ten other All-NACC players. That will be a tough team to beat. But I'm not writing off the Vikings before the game's even a month away, either.

In week two, my alma mater travels to Alma who went 1-9.  They lost to Olivet in OT; Olivet beat NPU last year.

... all of which means nothing. I'm a lot less worried about Alma than I am about either CUW or Wash U.

I think Mark here forgets that while CUW had an offense that pours on the points, their defense was nearly giving up the same amount at times (then again there was many a track meet in the NACC last year).

Then again who saw Olivet having a good season after a series of 1 or winless seasons in the past few years?

Overall I think NPU should be improved this season. IMO I think the CUW game is a tossup.

[USee]

North Central is ranked in the preseason Top 10 by three separate football magazines;
9th by the Sporting News;
9th by USA Today;
10th by Lindy's Sports.

Wheaton is ranked 13th by Lindy's Sports, and 23rd by Sporting News.

Complete rankings:
http://www.northcentralcardinals.com/news/2014/7/2/FB_0702140547.aspx

The D3 Football preseason top 25 is up.  NCC is #6, Wheaton is #24, and IWU just misses at the equivalent of #27.

No other CCIW team received any votes.

The above for comparison.

Of course we all know that the D3 Football Poll is the most intelligent, and thus the most acurate predictor. 

Looks like it will be a real battle between the Orange and the Green to determine who is the 2nd best team in the conference behind NCC. 

I haven't spent any time looking at the merits of each team (my August project) but I do know that Wheaton plays both NCC and IWU at home, which is a good thing.

[augiefan]

The once proud Augie FB program is rapidly becoming a joke. Augie has had poor coaches for  years and less incoming talent each year. Archaic offensive concepts are part of the problem.

The renovation of the FB facilities was a nice move, but a top flight head coach and staff is needed. North Central turned their moribund FB program into a conference power, when they hired Coach Thorne, a proven winner at WWS one of the premier high school programs in Illinois  Augie will be lucky to win 3 conference games this year.

NCC, Wheaton and IWU will dominate in FB as has been the pattern in recent years. Augie fans like Illini fans have to wait until the MBB season for something to cheer about.

[kiko]

On the topic of Viking mystique: North Central has now beaten the Augie Doggies eight years in a row, and the average margin of victory during that span has been 24.5 points.  And while logic would say this should be de rigueur by now, it never gets old.  They beat up on the Redbirds for so long that even if their program has descended into a  moribund state -- which it IMO has -- knowing that you can look South in the standings to find them is a nice feeling.

Rational or not, they are still a measuring stick.  Two decades of dominance will do that, I suppose.

[Kovo]

On the topic of Viking mystique: North Central has now beaten the Augie Doggies eight years in a row, and the average margin of victory during that span has been 24.5 points.  And while logic would say this should be de rigueur by now, it never gets old.  They beat up on the Redbirds for so long that even if their program has descended into a  moribund state -- which it IMO has -- knowing that you can look South in the standings to find them is a nice feeling.

Rational or not, they are still a measuring stick.  Two decades of dominance will do that, I suppose.

With a series record of 27-55-1 against Augie, I really appreciate the 8 in a row.  If we can just get 28 more in a row, and get back to even, I could start feeling some compassion toward the Vikings West.

[AndOne]

North Central is ranked in the preseason Top 10 by three separate football magazines;
9th by the Sporting News;
9th by USA Today;
10th by Lindy's Sports.

Wheaton is ranked 13th by Lindy's Sports, and 23rd by Sporting News.

Complete rankings:
http://www.northcentralcardinals.com/news/2014/7/2/FB_0702140547.aspx

The D3 Football preseason top 25 is up.  NCC is #6, Wheaton is #24, and IWU just misses at the equivalent of #27.

No other CCIW team received any votes.

The above for comparison.

Of course we all know that the D3 Football Poll is the most intelligent, and thus the most acurate predictor. 

Looks like it will be a real battle between the Orange and the Green to determine who is the 2nd best team in the conference behind NCC. 

I haven't spent any time looking at the merits of each team (my August project) but I do know that Wheaton plays both NCC and IWU at home, which is a good thing.

Yes, under the wonderfully absurd CCIW scheduling, NCC, after having visited North DuPage last season, gets to do it again this year. 
Hopefully, the contest will produce a similar result. 

Looking forward to USee's upcoming analysis.