FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[AndOne]

To the victorious team go the (individual) spoils? 🎖 🏆 🏈

[USee]

To the victorious team go the (individual) spoils? 🎖 🏆 🏈

Usually, but not always. Last year Sam Frasco is a good example as OPOY. If Wheaton had won against NCC I think Broc Rutter would still be the favorite for OPOY. Right now I don't see one dominant defender among the Cardinals, and by Jeff Thorne's own words they are a great defense without a dominant defender. The Thunder on the other hand are #17 in the nation in total defense, #2 in the nation in run defense #2 in sacks and have a guy currently ranked #8 in total sacks in Chase Greenlee. There is a week to go so we will see where it ends up. Right now I think it's a toss up between those two and Douds, by virtue of a win, may have the edge.

[USee]

Looking forward at possible playoff scenarios (which will be well documented on the boards this week) for the CCIW. If Wheaton wins out and gets a Pool C (their SOS is going to drop precipitously playing Carroll--.520 range-- and if IWU doesn't get into the RR I am not as confident as I would otherwise be) but assuming they get a bid and maintain their current #3 spot with North Central #2 here are a pool of possible opponents:

CCIW teams could get put into brackets around UWW and/or ST Thomas (maybe even Mt Union but they may be the center of an east oriented bracket). That North Central, as a 2 seed, wouldn't face UWW or STT until round 3 but Wheaton would face one of them in round 2 most likely. Wheaton and NCC would likely host a first round game.

NCC (who would face 2 of these teams before facing a 1 seed) and Wheaton would probably face a team from these groups:

West oriented (STT or UWW as 1 seed)
Coe, Monmouth, Northwestern, Lakeland, St Johns

North oriented bracket (UWW or Mt Union as 1 seed)
Rose Hulman, Olivet, Wittenberg, Franklin/Wabash

Wash U or CWRU could also geographically fit with one of these brackets.

[Neverwas]

Is this actually a year where the CCIW would prefer to go to Mount instead of a North/West oriented bracket?  They seem to be a relative unknown compared to years past.  From reading the OAC board they seem to be slightly down on the 9-0 team.  Maybe the JCU result will change the thinking but it seems possible for the first time it might be the case.  I would think that would be the CCIW pool C team, Wheaton.  Tough to imagine NCC as two seed going to Mount in the quarters?  I am just guessing. 

[USee]

Is this actually a year where the CCIW would prefer to go to Mount instead of a North/West oriented bracket?  They seem to be a relative unknown compared to years past.  From reading the OAC board they seem to be slightly down on the 9-0 team.  Maybe the JCU result will change the thinking but it seems possible for the first time it might be the case.  I would think that would be the CCIW pool C team, Wheaton.  Tough to imagine NCC as two seed going to Mount in the quarters?  I am just guessing.

NCC as a two seed is going to play either St Thomas, UWW, or Mt Union in the 3rd round. I think that's a certainty unless one of them loses. Wheaton is going to face one of those three either in round 2 (probable) or round 3 (if they end up as a 4 seed in a bracket). If Wheaton ends up as a 4 seed they will have to face, potentially, a consecutive week gauntlet (rounds 2 and 3) of UWO then STT, UWO then UWW, or NCC then UMU/UWW. Last year they faced a UWW then UWO as a 2 seed.

[Neverwas]

Is this actually a year where the CCIW would prefer to go to Mount instead of a North/West oriented bracket?  They seem to be a relative unknown compared to years past.  From reading the OAC board they seem to be slightly down on the 9-0 team.  Maybe the JCU result will change the thinking but it seems possible for the first time it might be the case.  I would think that would be the CCIW pool C team, Wheaton.  Tough to imagine NCC as two seed going to Mount in the quarters?  I am just guessing.

NCC as a two seed is going to play either St Thomas, UWW, or Mt Union in the 3rd round. I think that's a certainty unless one of them loses. Wheaton is going to face one of those three either in round 2 (probable) or round 3 (if they end up as a 4 seed in a bracket). If Wheaton ends up as a 4 seed they will have to face, potentially, a consecutive week gauntlet (rounds 2 and 3) of UWO then STT, UWO then UWW, or NCC then UMU/UWW. Last year they faced a UWW then UWO as a 2 seed.

I follow and that makes sense.  After the first round it is hard no matter where you are and a gauntlet likely awaits.  I am just wondering if instead of hoping to avoid the altar CCIW teams go to die, we may actual prefer the road.  It likely doesn't make much difference in the end but those teams you listed in the Northish/Eastish teams seems less difficult.  Mount Union will always be Mount Union and they are likely never "down" but hey, one can dream.

Basically, home, Mount, NCC, whoever (getting way ahead of myself here...) might be preferable to UWW/UWO/STU combo platter. 

[thunderdog]

Looking forward at possible playoff scenarios (which will be well documented on the boards this week) for the CCIW. If Wheaton wins out and gets a Pool C (their SOS is going to drop precipitously playing Carroll--.520 range-- and if IWU doesn't get into the RR I am not as confident as I would otherwise be) but assuming they get a bid and maintain their current #3 spot with North Central #2 here are a pool of possible opponents:

CCIW teams could get put into brackets around UWW and/or ST Thomas (maybe even Mt Union but they may be the center of an east oriented bracket). That North Central, as a 2 seed, wouldn't face UWW or STT until round 3 but Wheaton would face one of them in round 2 most likely. Wheaton and NCC would likely host a first round game.

NCC (who would face 2 of these teams before facing a 1 seed) and Wheaton would probably face a team from these groups:

West oriented (STT or UWW as 1 seed)
Coe, Monmouth, Northwestern, Lakeland, St Johns

North oriented bracket (UWW or Mt Union as 1 seed)
Rose Hulman, Olivet, Wittenberg, Franklin/Wabash

Wash U or CWRU could also geographically fit with one of these brackets.

USee,

Assuming Wheaton beats Carroll and receives a Pool C, it seems you're locking them in at a #4 seed in whichever region they get seeded. Am I being too optimistic in thinking they could actually receive a #3 seed? Thus face a #2 seed (most likely) in round 2 on the road? Maybe even a round 2 grudge-match in Napertucky against SoDup?

[USee]

No, I think Wheaton is likely headed to a 3 seed, the regional rankings already have them there. We could end up as a 4 seed if we get coupled with a west oriented bracket that includes STT and UWO or Linfield. So we could easily get a 3 v 6 matchup followed by a 2 v 3 matchup. I mis-typed as a 4 seed would get the 1 seed in round 2. Wheaton stands to be on the road in week 2 vs a two seed. 

[ncc_fan]

I'm hoping NCC and Wheaton end up in different brackets.  That happened to the CCIW playoff teams in 2010, 2011, and 2012, but in 2013 the committee placed both IWU and NCC in the Bethel bracket. 

[wally_wabash]

Not to say that it won't happen this year, but because Wheaton and North Central are pretty flexible from a geographic perspective, it's pretty easy to split them up into different quadrants in a way that is much more difficult for multiple teams from the MIAC and (obviously) the ASC.  We'll see if Pat splits them up in his first mock later this week. 

[markerickson]

I did not see Saturday's game with the Vikings.  After checking the box score, I wonder why the league's best receiver, NPU's Childress, had only 77 receiving yards on only six receptions.  Throwing to him is how you are going to win.  In seeing previous games this year,  I have questioned NPU's approach to passing, given the fact that the running game is abysmal.

[izzy stradlin]

Not much mention of this last week on here but John Thorne went into the NCC HOF.  Kind of a big deal and well-deserved.

Here is a nice little interview with him:
http://www.nctv17.com/cardinal-corner-conversation-with-john-thorne/

I enjoyed the interview and John Thorne is probably the opposing coach I respect the most all-time in any CCIW sport.  I really like what he said about academics and changing the football culture at NCC in that regard.  Plus I forgot that he was a Chemistry teacher in high school (my undergrad major).

Also, I took notice the part around 3:10 onward were he talks about his son and why he was a great quarterback and why NCC has had such great quarterbacks like Rutter, Kniss, Fanthorpe, Stanek----they all have "great vision".    Not great speed or a great arms, but great vision to see the defense, pass rush, secondary (it's easy to know where your offense is).   Wheaton coaches, you might want to listen to the old coach there.

[Gregory Sager]

I did not see Saturday's game with the Vikings.  After checking the box score, I wonder why the league's best receiver, NPU's Childress, had only 77 receiving yards on only six receptions.  Throwing to him is how you are going to win.  In seeing previous games this year,  I have questioned NPU's approach to passing, given the fact that the running game is abysmal.

Sigh.

We've been down this road before, Mark. NPU's two quarterbacks threw seventeen passes to Devin Childress on Saturday. Seventeen. Don't believe me? Check the play-by-play and see for yourself. You'll see this -- Conway, T.D. pass incomplete to Childress, D. -- nine times, and this -- Bankord, Jace pass incomplete to Childress, D. -- twice.

And that's in spite of the fact that the Pioneers were rolling up a safety on him most of the time, even when he was the lone wideout with trips on the opposite side.

There was nothing wrong with North Park's play-calling on Saturday. Nothing at all. I'm not saying that because I'm a shill for the NPU coaching staff. I'm saying it because it's true. Not only did the coaches know that the Vikings had a favorable mismatch with Devin Childress against any DB the Pioneers could put on him, T.D. Conway and Jace Bankord knew it as well ... and they acted accordingly.

The reasons why Childress only caught six of those seventeen passes -- aside from a couple of ugly and uncharacteristic drops by Devin in the first half -- are twofold. For one thing, neither QB was particularly accurate; Conway has really struggled with his accuracy this season, and Bankord's just not there yet in terms of his experience when it comes to reading and reacting, let alone hitting the target. The other reason is that NPU's young offensive line just has not performed well at all down the stretch. Their inability to win the line of scrimmage was a key factor in the offensive ineptitude that cost NPU a win against Augie last week, and this week they didn't do a good job of protecting the quarterback; Conway was hit three or four times as he was throwing, and it led to one underthrown interception that set up a Carroll touchdown and a loose ball at the NPU 3 that should've been called an incomplete pass but was instead ruled a fumble, which the Pioneers recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. The line's inability to establish dominance also explains the inability of the rushing game to get anything going; the Vikings have a really gifted running back in Moises Menendez, and on most plays he's basically struggling to get all of the yardage on his own because the O-line's just not giving him any room to work. Such is life when you have such a young line.

[DBQ1965]

Reading all the stuff about where North Central and Wheaton will end up ... as a one time Wheatie (I was not invited to return) I would say don't sweat what you can't control.

[markerickson]

A couple of years ago, such as when the older Conway was a sophomore, offenses were infatuated with the pass that went parallel to the line of scrimmage.  Throw in a trip formation and deploy two blockers, and it worked.  I've seen it in the NFL as well as at the D1 and D3 levels.  Defenses have since adjusted, and secondaries have on a regular basis just pounded defenseless receivers.  Offenses have been too slow to change now that defenses know the scheme.  I went to the Illini/MN game two weeks ago and Jeff George Jr., just like the younger Conway, attempted that throw too many times.  The Gophers were ready.  That play needs to be tossed in the circular file.  A fine tight end up the middle will help, which I said on this board two years ago.  How many passes has NPU completed to a TE this year?  JG2 completed, I believe, one to a TE versus the Gophers, but that was on a scramble, and he threw two passes to a WR that actually were ruled laterals/fumbles.  Offenses adjusted to the Tampa 2, and offenses need to again adapt.