FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[NCF]

I think it's time.



Thing is, if you complain about a topic, the unofficial d3boards.com rule is that you have to provide an alternative one. So here's mine: Would anyone like to: a) predict the rankings in the CCIW preseason coaches poll; and/or b) make their own predictions?

It's about time!!! But, FWIW, I agree with Emma. My predictions:
1. Wheaton/ North Central
2. Wheaton/North Central
3. Elmhurst
4. IWU
5. North Park
6, 7 and 8 .........roll the dice.

Hard to believe it's the last Sunday in July  and school starts in three weeks!!!!

[USee]

based on who everyone has coming back, which is a big part of how the coaches vote, I would think the ballot looks like this:

Wheaton (5)
North Central (3)
IWU
Elmhurst
Augie
North Park
Carthage
Millikin

The question is who will surprise. The Wheaton/NCC vote is likely to be split as Wheaton narrowly beat NCC and the game this year is in Naperville. Wheaton has a lot of returning starters but NCC has Dylan Warden and a great OLine.  I would be surprised to see IWU any lower than 3rd in the coaches poll. Jack Warner is sophomore and they have some talent on offense around him. they also play Wheaton and NCC at home. The biggest question marks to me are Augie, with a new coach who brings a winning attitude, and North Park. I think there are things happening behind the scenes at NPU under Mike Conway that haven't happened in decades. Last year was a bit of a predictable relapse but they have continued to add talent to a solid base and NPU is going to have more returning starters than they have had in the past. I think Augie is going to be good again with their current coach. He has a plan and a track record.

My predictions for the conference at this way too early date are

Wheaton 10-0
North Central 8-2
IWU 8-2
Elmhurst 6-4
North Park 5-5
Augie 5-5
Carthage 3-7
Millikin 2-9

[USee]

Also worth watching are the D3 Football Pre-Season All-Americans from the CCIW:

1st Team:

Josh Williams, RB, Elmhurst
Adam Dansdill, LB, Wheaton

2nd Team:
Garrett Claxon, TE, Elmhurst
Matt Snebold, OT, Wheaton

I will say Claxon is a stretch as a TE. Elmhurst plays him as a wing mostly and he is their best receiving threat. At 5-11, 180 lbs he is not the size of a TE. But he is a good FB player.

The CCIW has some talent that will challenge those names for AA status at the end of the season: At TE I am most excited about Zach Lindquist at Wheaton. The 6-4 235 lbs Air Force transfer  had a great year last year and is poised to have a huge season this coming season for the Thunder. At RB Oshayne Brown, the lightning quick RB who stepped in for the injured Ryan Kent last season had a prolific partial season and, if healthy, will be a monster to deal with. At LB, Sean Garvey at IWU was their leading tackler a year ago and will be the focal point (along with dynamic DE Kyle Venhuizen) for the Titan D. And while Matt Snebold, at 6-4 302 is getting some NFL looks, Pat Bolger at North Central was dominant up front last year for the Cardinals and he is set to have an AA type senior year with the talent he is protecting.

[Mugsy]

Wheaton 2015 season preview: http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2015/7/27/FB_0727155751.aspx

[USee]

Wheaton 2015 season preview: http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2015/7/27/FB_0727155751.aspx

"I want our kids to remain humble and hungry. I want them to know that what they did last year is in the past and to succeed this year they have to be hungry. There can't be any sense of entitlement on their part. What I want the team to understand about 'humble and hungry' is that we were good last year, but we still came up short. I have challenged our kids with this: 'Is being an undefeated conference champion good enough or do you want more. Our kids want more – these players want to win a National Championship. I think if we play hard and remain focused that they can achieve their dream."

Head Coach Mike Swider

[izzy stradlin]

Wheaton 2015 season preview: http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2015/7/27/FB_0727155751.aspx

Sears mentions, "The quarterback position also returns two players who started in games in 2014 in Johnny Peltz (PICTURED RIGHT) and Andrew Bowers. Both players are juniors and will be key contributors to the success of our offense in 2015."

Here we go again.  Johnny Peltz is your QB.  Peltz's decision making is what got Wheaton playing well the 2nd half of the season last year.  If Bowers is so quick and fast, Peltz can hand the ball to him.   QB is a decision making position first and foremost.

[emma17]

Wow, Wheaton seems even better positioned for this season than I thought. 
I hope there isn't a QB controversy or a QB rotation.

There is a slight chance I'll get to see them live when Adrian comes to town. My nephew is a freshman to be at Adrian- he's a very athletic offensive player- but very small as well. He may need a couple years to fill out. Never know though.

[wally_wabash]

Wow, Wheaton seems even better positioned for this season than I thought. 
I hope there isn't a QB controversy or a QB rotation.

There isn't and there won't be.  Peltz is the best QB there and I don't think it's particularly close.  The only mystery is why it took six weeks to give him the ball in 2014. 

I also think Wheaton can be really, really good this fall.  In the "wouldn't it be fun to have a regional final between Wheaton and Mount Union...I'm not sure who I'd pick" kind of way. 

[AndOne]

Wheaton 2015 season preview: http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2015/7/27/FB_0727155751.aspx

Sears mentions, "The quarterback position also returns two players who started in games in 2014 in Johnny Peltz (PICTURED RIGHT) and Andrew Bowers. Both players are juniors and will be key contributors to the success of our offense in 2015."

Here we go again.  Johnny Peltz is your QB.  Peltz's decision making is what got Wheaton playing well the 2nd half of the season last year.  If Bowers is so quick and fast, Peltz can hand the ball to him.   QB is a decision making position first and foremost.

You can be the conference, region, or whatever level leader in making the right decision (keep it or pitch it, cut in or out, hit the post, hook, or slant receiver), but if you can't execute you are going to rank closer to the bottom of the stat lists than the top. 🏉 😯

[izzy stradlin]

Wheaton 2015 season preview: http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2015/7/27/FB_0727155751.aspx

Sears mentions, "The quarterback position also returns two players who started in games in 2014 in Johnny Peltz (PICTURED RIGHT) and Andrew Bowers. Both players are juniors and will be key contributors to the success of our offense in 2015."

Here we go again.  Johnny Peltz is your QB.  Peltz's decision making is what got Wheaton playing well the 2nd half of the season last year.  If Bowers is so quick and fast, Peltz can hand the ball to him.   QB is a decision making position first and foremost.

You can be the conference, region, or whatever level leader in making the right decision (keep it or pitch it, cut in or out, hit the post, hook, or slant receiver), but if you can't execute you are going to rank closer to the bottom of the stat lists than the top. 🏉 😯

Thanks for that. You taught me something.  I thought it was just like NCAA football on Xbox where you just press a button and it happens.

[markerickson]

Wheaton in first?  North Park not in last?  When did that combo last occur???

[USee]

Peltz is the QB. I think Peltz and Bowers both made it onto the field at the same time last year. I suspect Sears is not so much calling out a QB controversy as he is foreshadowing how he will use these guys.  I fully expect Bowers, who is an exceptional athlete, to be on the field as something other than a QB. He will also be the backup QB.

Can you imagine a jet sweep with a passing option? Should be fun.

[izzy stradlin]

Peltz is the QB. I think Peltz and Bowers both made it onto the field at the same time last year. I suspect Sears is not so much calling out a QB controversy as he is foreshadowing how he will use these guys.  I fully expect Bowers, who is an exceptional athlete, to be on the field as something other than a QB. He will also be the backup QB.

Can you imagine a jet sweep with a passing option? Should be fun.

Sounds good to me.  I like Bowers getting touches.  No question he is an athlete.  Wheaton will have lots of different weapons on offense and hopefully we won't need quite as many designed QB keepers from Peltz.

[USee]

Adam Dandsdill from Wheaton has a chance to do something that is very rare in the CCIW this year. Since 1977 there have been 5 players to win the DPOY award 2x. Dandsdill can become the 6th.
The repeat winners are:

1981-2 Jim Perryman, Millikin
1988-89 Chad Thorson, Wheaton
1994-95 Rusty VanWetzning, Augie
1996-97, John Munch, IWU
2008/2010 Matt Wenger, NCC

There are some really good players who only won it once. Including, Andy Studebaker, Pete Ittersagen, Lenny Radtke, and Lynn Thomsen. Dandsdill can put his name with some elite players if he can sustain his level of play for 2015. He will have some tough competition from the league including Sean Garvey and Kyle Vanhuizen from IWU, and Logan McRae and Mikey Swider, his teammates at Wheaton. In addition there are some very talented underclassmen on defense in the CCIW.

[robertgoulet]

NCC with some new alternate helmets for this season.