FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[ExTartanPlayer]

IMHO, and as someone who has watched virtually every game all be it on the net, it appears to me that JT and his staff try to work on areas at need improvement in the nonconference games.  Anyone who watched the UW-P game and the 1st half of St. N. could see that we need to get our QB going, and that may have been part of the plan.  Usually, it works---sometimes it backfires such as losses to ONU, Redlands, UW-L, Concordia and now UW-SP.

This is an under-recognized but useful stratagem.  I've told this story a few times before, but I remember getting into a "heated" (mildly) argument with my junior high coach.  At halftime of a game that we led 14-0 against a lesser opponent, I complained that we should have been running the ball more (we had passed an uncharacteristic amount in the first half).  Only afterwards, when my dad pointed it out, did it even occur to me that coach wanted us to work on the passing game in a live situation in case we needed it against a better team.  That's always stayed in my mind since.

I believe in the school of thought that says if you're good enough to make a truly deep playoff run, you're going to win your conference most of the time (acknowledging that 2008 Wheaton and 2013 St. John Fisher, to name just a few, have had deep playoff runs from Pool C before).  Thus, one should not tiptoe through nonconference  play with the sole intention of remaining undefeated, but rather one should 1) seek out challenging nonconference opponents and 2) use those games to work out the team's kinks and strengthen the team for bigger games down the line.

This approach, of course, only applies to top-25-caliber programs.  I'm not suggesting that North Park needs to schedule Mount Union.  But once you're on the cusp of being really, really good, I think the two things mentioned above are a good idea.

So, while it looks really strange that they passed so much and the star RB did not carry the ball a lot, perhaps there was a bit of "We know what Kent can do already, let's save him for the CCIW schedule and work on the passing game" in play here.

[02 Warhawk]

Interesting theory...I didn't consider that. Winning conference seems to be most team's #1 priority (unless you're Mount Union  ). After that then the second season begins.

I suppose the only downside is, NCC will have to go on the road come playoff time...if everything works out for them.

[robertgoulet]

Interesting theory...I didn't consider that. Winning conference seems to be most team's #1 priority (unless you're Mount Union  ). After that then the second season begins.

I suppose the only downside is, NCC will have to go on the road come playoff time...if everything works out for them.

Such a risky proposition. You have no room for error in conference play now, unless UWSP surprises and wins the WIAC)...and not only that but, as you said, you put yourself on the road in the playoffs.

[02 Warhawk]

Interesting theory...I didn't consider that. Winning conference seems to be most team's #1 priority (unless you're Mount Union  ). After that then the second season begins.

I suppose the only downside is, NCC will have to go on the road come playoff time...if everything works out for them.

Such a risky proposition. You have no room for error in conference play now, unless UWSP surprises and wins the WIAC)...and not only that but, as you said, you put yourself on the road in the playoffs.

Yep...might be good idea to control the game (and the lead)...then work on the passing game.

[MasterJedi]

Shocking news out of NCC there, did NOT see that coming. 

I'm curious as to why he announced it now and not before or after the season though. Win one for the gipper speeches?

[wally_wabash]

Interesting theory...I didn't consider that. Winning conference seems to be most team's #1 priority (unless you're Mount Union  ). After that then the second season begins.

I suppose the only downside is, NCC will have to go on the road come playoff time...if everything works out for them.

Such a risky proposition. You have no room for error in conference play now, unless UWSP surprises and wins the WIAC)...and not only that but, as you said, you put yourself on the road in the playoffs.

This is probably true, but you never know.  Every committee is different.  Last year Franklin got a home game for reasons that brushed aside logic.  Last year's committee loved them a team that played a big name, even if they got beat.  I think whether or not North Central goes on the road on the first weekend depends on 1) the mood of this year's selection committee and 2) what happens with Platteville and Stevens Point with regard to the regional rankings in November.  That's going to be a crowded house in the West rankings (Whitewater, Wartburg, Bethel, St. Thomas, St. John's, Concordia-Moorhead, Linfield, PLU...that's eight and I haven't even touched California or the MWC) and it's maybe tough to see both of them being in there at the end of the year- but if they both are in there at the end of the year I could see a 9-1 North Central team getting a home game and maybe even seeded ahead of a 10-0 (or 9-0 if it's Witt and we forget they played Butler) NCAC team.

[mr_b]

Shocking news out of NCC there, did NOT see that coming. 

I'm curious as to why he announced it now and not before or after the season though. Win one for the gipper speeches?

What is this shocking development?  I can't access the page.

[MasterJedi]

Shocking news out of NCC there, did NOT see that coming. 

I'm curious as to why he announced it now and not before or after the season though. Win one for the gipper speeches?

What is this shocking development?  I can't access the page because I'm out of the country.

Coach Thorne retiring at the end of the season, son Jeff taking over.

[79jaybird]

The news of Thorne retiring is not new to those who are not just on the "outside".  However, I agree the timing of his public announcement is rather odd.  Why not finish the year, and then make the announcement?

[ncc_fan]

The news of Thorne retiring is not new to those who are not just on the "outside".  However, I agree the timing of his public announcement is rather odd.  Why not finish the year, and then make the announcement?

How might the timing - before, during, or after the season - affect recruiting of new players and retention of current ones?  I have no answers, just musings.  Announce in July and risk defections from incoming freshmen?   Is an early season announcement, coming as 2015 recruits begin campus visits, better than December?

[formerd3db]

I agree with you that there is never an ideal time to make that type of announcement.  However, IMO, I've always been partial to waiting until right after the end of the season.  That makes the most sense to me so as to not cause any distractions for players, staff, etc.  Yet, I can also see where other may think an in-season announcement would not cause any distractions by getting it "out of the way" so that everyone could concentrate on the task at hand.

[Raider 68]

I agree with you that there is never an ideal time to make that type of announcement.  However, IMO, I've always been partial to waiting until right after the end of the season.  That makes the most sense to me so as to not cause any distractions for players, staff, etc.  Yet, I can also see where other may think an in-season announcement would not cause any distractions by getting it "out of the way" so that everyone could concentrate on the task at hand.

formerd3db,

I agree, the team does not need that especially in wake of a loss that most fans thought NC would have won.

[formerd3db]

I agree with you that there is never an ideal time to make that type of announcement.  However, IMO, I've always been partial to waiting until right after the end of the season.  That makes the most sense to me so as to not cause any distractions for players, staff, etc.  Yet, I can also see where other may think an in-season announcement would not cause any distractions by getting it "out of the way" so that everyone could concentrate on the task at hand.

formerd3db,

I agree, the team does not need that especially in wake of a loss that most fans thought NC would have won.

Raider68:

That is a good point also.  BTW, hope you are doing well.  It has been a while since our last correspondence.  I will try and email you later this week or weekend.  I assume you will be going to some additional Mount games also.

We play Albion this Saturday.  As I posted over on our MIAA board, I always enjoy going down there for the old yet revised stadium atmosphere and especially when it is great football weather with the fall colors i.e. as long as it doesn't rain.  Hope always has a tough time winning down there, but maybe we might be able to pull one off this year.  The weather is supposed to be good, at least by present anticipated reports, although we all know that could change on a daily basis.     

[Gregory Sager]

That's not to dismiss conference opponents -- just to say that in recent years the Cardinals have generally been a notch above.  If they play like they did this weekend in upcoming weeks, though, playoff opponents are not something North Central will have to worry about.

My response is that I think Naperick hit the nail on the head yesterday:

I'm sure the Cardinals will be fine.

What I think that you and perhaps some of the other Cardinals fans are forgetting, kiko, is that North Central doesn't exist in a vacuum as far as this league is concerned. There's seven other teams in this circuit, and, as a whole, they've looked very ordinary thus far. And I don't mean ordinary by CCIW standards; I mean ordinary by overall D3 standards. As I said yesterday, the CCIW went 12-12 in non-conference play. This is the worst mark that the league has forged since 1997, when the CCIW went a collective 5-11 and had no post-season participant (the playoff field only consisted of 16 teams back then). Every team in the league has lost at least once except for Wheaton, and Wheaton's definitely shown feet of clay by usual Top Three standards in its three rather pedestrian wins. For all of the talk about the MIAA being an inferior league -- you yourself were the one who pointed out that the CCIW gains nothing from the newly-instituted CCIW/MIAA crossover -- the MIAA actually beat the CCIW in the crossover, four wins to three.

This might be the perfect year for NCC to be down a notch while still keeping the consecutive-CCIW-championships skein going. Of course, I fully expect NCC to be a much better team in November than it is right now.

I'm not suggesting that North Park needs to schedule Mount Union.

Good, because I don't think that Mike Conway would be a receptive audience for that suggestion. The Vikings first need to learn how to not trip over their own shoelaces against non-con foes of the caliber of Alma.

Interesting theory...I didn't consider that. Winning conference seems to be most team's #1 priority (unless you're Mount Union  ). After that then the second season begins.

I suppose the only downside is, NCC will have to go on the road come playoff time...if everything works out for them.

Such a risky proposition. You have no room for error in conference play now, unless UWSP surprises and wins the WIAC)...and not only that but, as you said, you put yourself on the road in the playoffs.

This is probably true, but you never know.  Every committee is different.  Last year Franklin got a home game for reasons that brushed aside logic.  Last year's committee loved them a team that played a big name, even if they got beat.  I think whether or not North Central goes on the road on the first weekend depends on 1) the mood of this year's selection committee and 2) what happens with Platteville and Stevens Point with regard to the regional rankings in November.  That's going to be a crowded house in the West rankings (Whitewater, Wartburg, Bethel, St. Thomas, St. John's, Concordia-Moorhead, Linfield, PLU...that's eight and I haven't even touched California or the MWC) and it's maybe tough to see both of them being in there at the end of the year- but if they both are in there at the end of the year I could see a 9-1 North Central team getting a home game and maybe even seeded ahead of a 10-0 (or 9-0 if it's Witt and we forget they played Butler) NCAC team.

Again, I think that you're leaving out the mediocrity of the CCIW as part of your calculation. The CCIW may have the rep of a power conference, but it decidedly has not been one this year. And it isn't as though everyone has scheduled the likes of UWW, Mount Union, Linfield, Mary Hardin-Baylor, and Wesley, either. The UWSP team that beat North Central two days ago may be the best team that any CCIW squad has faced in September. Other than that, teams like Alma, Loras, and Trine have had their way against CCIW teams. St. Norbert, which had lost seven straight non-conference games, snapped that streak at Keller Field in Kenosha on opening day. I think it's just as likely that the committee might look at the OWP of a 9-1 North Central team and say, "Where's the proof that this particular team deserves a first-round home game?"

I agree with you that there is never an ideal time to make that type of announcement.  However, IMO, I've always been partial to waiting until right after the end of the season.  That makes the most sense to me so as to not cause any distractions for players, staff, etc.  Yet, I can also see where other may think an in-season announcement would not cause any distractions by getting it "out of the way" so that everyone could concentrate on the task at hand.

formerd3db,

I agree, the team does not need that especially in wake of a loss that most fans thought NC would have won.

My guess is that NCC's administration decided well in advance of last Saturday to announce this, making the outcome of Saturday's game against UWSP immaterial to the announcement.

[formerd3db]

You are right that none of us here know whether they made that decision well in advance or not.  However, I think his point was that in view of the loss, there is always the possibility that it might have some potential minor affect on some players with regard to future games i.e. it being in the back of their minds. Most likely, though, it won't have that affect in this situation.  We all know for the most part, teams and coaches put that aside and focus only on the next week of practice and the next game at hand.