FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[CardinalAlum]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WKBwTizvVM&feature=youtu.be

"John Thorne in Naperville"  --Swider is ready for bell week?

"in Naperville"  You know, where the Bell resides!!   

[izzy stradlin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WKBwTizvVM&feature=youtu.be

"John Thorne in Naperville"  --Swider is ready for bell week?

Coach Eash responds:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=751502958226844&set=vb.176950935682052&type=2&theater

[USee]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WKBwTizvVM&feature=youtu.be

"John Thorne in Naperville"  --Swider is ready for bell week?

Coach Eash responds:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=751502958226844&set=vb.176950935682052&type=2&theater

This is awesome. Kudos for these coaches to get in on the fun. Great team builder and friendly rivalry. Come on Thorne!

[wheels81]

So has NPU now a Mormon institution or did the influx of Samoan players not get off the plane in Utah or Hawaii?
Let's see Swedish soccer players (Hockey should be in their "wheelhouse" too), Samoan football players, ....Dominican baseball players next?

[markerickson]

Not only is Millikin's leading rusher not returning, but the same is true for NPU.  Magwood accounted for a majority of the rushing yards last year as a frosh.

There's a lot of Samoan beef on that roster!  At least Conway is tall enough to see over his blockers.  I suspect Coach Conway, as a former D2 coach, has contacts far and wide.  I guess these kids have been convinced that North Park and Chicago combined is a great place to receive a postsecondary education, just like the Swedes.

I would expect North Park's recruitment of Samoans has totally abided by NCAA rules and regs, and I have full trust in AD Jack Surridge.  In this connection, a CCIW institution got the NCAA to investigate - fairly recently - the legitimacy of NPU's Swedish soccer players.  The NCAA deemed North Park in full compliance.

[Gregory Sager]

So has NPU now a Mormon institution

Mormons are a minority in American Samoa. Congregationalists (Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i Amerika Samoa) outnumber them by a 2-to-1 margin. Since the Congregationalists gave early support to the Swedish immigrant churches that eventually founded the Evangelical Covenant Church, particularly by opening a Swedish department at Chicago Theological Seminary (prior to the ECC creating its own seminary at North Park), we're still sort of keeping it in the family.

or did the influx of Samoan players not get off the plane in Utah or Hawaii?

Southern California actually has the largest population of Samoan-Americans in the U.S.; one-third of the Samoan-American population of approximately 180,000 people lives in SoCal. But these aren't Samoan-Americans. This burgeoning new group of NPU students is Samoan, no hyphen. They come from the islands, and are U.S. nationals rather than U.S. citizens.

Let's see Swedish soccer players (Hockey should be in their "wheelhouse" too),

Definitely. Alas, hockey is an incredibly expensive sport to operate at the D3 level, and NPU simply doesn't have the kind of money that would allow the school to add two hockey teams (since the women would have to get a team, too).

Samoan football players, ....Dominican baseball players next?

I'll mention it to NPU baseball coach Luke Johnson. I'm sure that he wouldn't have a problem at all with adding Dominicans to the baseball program. However, Dominican baseball players might have a problem with the frigid weather that usually accompanies at least the first half of baseball season around here, just as our Swedish soccer players tend to really dislike the hot weather in Chicago (like today) at the start of soccer season.

Not only is Millikin's leading rusher not returning, but the same is true for NPU.  Magwood accounted for a majority of the rushing yards last year as a frosh.

D.J. Jones did a really nice job for the Vikings last year as the other featured running back, and I suspect that he's going to have a fine year for the Vikings if he stays healthy. He's certainly hard to bring down, that's for sure. Drew Walkington is back as well, and keep an eye on the new Samoan RB, Filo Langklide, a sophomore transfer from D1-FCS Austin Peay.

There's a lot of Samoan beef on that roster!  At least Conway is tall enough to see over his blockers.  I suspect Coach Conway, as a former D2 coach, has contacts far and wide.  I guess these kids have been convinced that North Park and Chicago combined is a great place to receive a postsecondary education, just like the Swedes.

NPU is beginning to develop a Samoan community within the student population that goes beyond the football team, just as the Swedes on the soccer team are not the only Swedish nationals on campus. There's even a Samoan on the volleyball team.

I would expect North Park's recruitment of Samoans has totally abided by NCAA rules and regs, and I have full trust in AD Jack Surridge.  In this connection, a CCIW institution got the NCAA to investigate - fairly recently - the legitimacy of NPU's Swedish soccer players.  The NCAA deemed North Park in full compliance.

Yes, and for the sake of Christian charity we won't mention the name of the CCIW rival that tried to stir up trouble with the NCAA for NPU's completely legal recruitment of Swedes.

[ncc_fan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WKBwTizvVM&feature=youtu.be

"John Thorne in Naperville"  --Swider is ready for bell week?

Coach Eash responds:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=751502958226844&set=vb.176950935682052&type=2&theater

This is awesome. Kudos for these coaches to get in on the fun. Great team builder and friendly rivalry. Come on Thorne!

NCC camp starts today.  I expect we'll see something from Coach Thorne soon.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park beat Olivet Nazarene in a scrimmage tonight, 27-16. The NPU defense looks like it's ahead of the offense at this point. In fact the first-string Vikings D pitched a shutout, and Philip Pendleton had a terrific runback of an interception of about 70 yards for a touchdown. The offense had trouble finding a rhythm, although D.J. Jones broke off a few good runs. Special teams looked problematic, but, then again, the coaching staff has barely touched upon special teams work yet in practice.

All in all, it was nice to see the guys out there in pads hitting people who were wearing a different uniform color. It really brought home the point that football season is now upon us.

[Titan Q]

Article outlining some of IWU's position battles, including QB...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/hook-warner-battling-for-iwu-quarterback-nod/article_f88759d6-632d-5101-99ba-e5fde04acbc7.html

Here are some senior year highlights for Jack Warner, the Hersey H.S. grad in the starting QB mix - http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1607095/highlights/152807376.  He's a quick, little mobile guy type.

Two very different types of QB competing for that job.  6-5 junior Tyler Hook is a pure pocket passer. 

[Titan Q]

Sounds like the Titans have an impact transfer in Luke Roth, a redshirt freshman LB from Drake (Naperville Central H.S.), who is in the mix to start.

http://www.godrakebulldogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15700&ATCLID=209133445

[markerickson]

Drake's football team participates in an athletic conference, the Pioneer League, that does not permit the granting of athletic scholarships to players.  Butler, U of San Diego, and Davidson are a couple of other teams in the league.

[markerickson]

I assume, Greg, your reference to the health of DJ Jones pertains to his stature.  He is no doubt the smallest college football player I have ever seen.  He's listed at 5'2" 175, but I think he's closer to 5'2" 135.  Big kudos to him for being in uniform.  I can't wait to see him take swing passes and make three guys miss on long scampers.

[CardinalAlum]

Sounds like the Titans have an impact transfer in Luke Roth, a redshirt freshman LB from Drake (Naperville Central H.S.), who is in the mix to start.

http://www.godrakebulldogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15700&ATCLID=209133445

Great kid and great family!  I wish Luke the best! 

[CardinalAlum]

I assume, Greg, your reference to the health of DJ Jones pertains to his stature.  He is no doubt the smallest college football player I have ever seen.  He's listed at 5'2" 175, but I think he's closer to 5'2" 135.  Big kudos to him for being in uniform.  I can't wait to see him take swing passes and make three guys miss on long scampers.

5'2 and 135lbs?   Very tough to compete physically at that size for an entire season but I hope he does as it would be fun to watch!

[AndOne]

Sounds like the Titans have an impact transfer in Luke Roth, a redshirt freshman LB from Drake (Naperville Central H.S.), who is in the mix to start.

http://www.godrakebulldogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15700&ATCLID=209133445

Great kid and great family!  I wish Luke the best!

In addition to his football skills, I believe this young man was a conference championship wrestler @ Naper Central.