FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[robertgoulet]

For the all-conference awards, it was obviously the North Central and Wheaton show with 17 and 15 players respectively. Looking a little deeper, the classes for the awards between those two are like this:

North Central (17 total):
Seniors 6
Juniors: 5
Soph: 3
Frosh: 3

Wheaton (15 total):
Seniors: 12
Juniors: 3
Soph: 0
Fresh: 0

It's no secret the Thunder are built to win this year, North Central is going to be scary for a while. I know the Thunder have some great young talent so they will drop off next year but will still be in the mix. North Central's dominance is scary as 11 of those 17 all conference players return next year.

Honestly didn't realize Greenfield was back next year until I read the all conference list.

[New Tradition]

For the all-conference awards, it was obviously the North Central and Wheaton show with 17 and 15 players respectively. Looking a little deeper, the classes for the awards between those two are like this:

North Central (17 total):
Seniors 6
Juniors: 5
Soph: 3
Frosh: 3

Tickles me that 3 of these 6 are offensive linemen.

[USee]

HansenRatings first round numbers for various games:

Bethel @Central -9.3
Lake Forest @St Johns -22.5
Carnegie Mellon @North Central -34.4
Aurora @Wheaton -28.5
Greenville @UWW -52.4

Isthmus Bowl:
WashU v UWRF -14.0

[CardinalAlum]

For the all-conference awards, it was obviously the North Central and Wheaton show with 17 and 15 players respectively. Looking a little deeper, the classes for the awards between those two are like this:

North Central (17 total):
Seniors 6
Juniors: 5
Soph: 3
Frosh: 3

Wheaton (15 total):
Seniors: 12
Juniors: 3
Soph: 0
Fresh: 0

It's no secret the Thunder are built to win this year, North Central is going to be scary for a while. I know the Thunder have some great young talent so they will drop off next year but will still be in the mix. North Central's dominance is scary as 11 of those 17 all conference players return next year.

Coaches did a wonderful job building off of the 2019 title in their recruiting.  Have to ride those waves while you can.

[New Tradition]

HansenRatings first round numbers for various games:

Bethel @Central -9.3
Lake Forest @St Johns -22.5
Carnegie Mellon @North Central -34.4
Aurora @Wheaton -28.5
Greenville @UWW -52.4

Isthmus Bowl:
WashU v UWRF -14.0

Having seen both teams, I feel it's off by 25 points in the Wheaton game.  I don't know enough about CM to comment on that spread, but I suspect Logan's model undershot a bit there, too.  Still the best model out there and I love that he does it. 

[CardinalAlum]

HansenRatings first round numbers for various games:

Bethel @Central -9.3
Lake Forest @St Johns -22.5
Carnegie Mellon @North Central -34.4
Aurora @Wheaton -28.5
Greenville @UWW -52.4

Isthmus Bowl:
WashU v UWRF -14.0

Bethel and Central should be a great game on paper.  Give me Bethel and the points. 

Seems like a tough draw after the season Lake Forest had to get sent to Johnnyville!  Can't imagine that goes well for the Foresters.  Johnnies to cover.

The AU Beebe's are going to quit coming into DuPage county for games after Saturday.  The team I saw in week 1 vs NCC goes down big vs the Thunder.  Wheaton is on a mission and playing very well.

Not sure what to make of Carnegie Mellon. Their defense is highly ranked. Looking at their defensive size, I have to believe the Cards will run the ball plenty with Greenfield and Hill.  We will see how this goes but I think Cards cover the 35.

[izzy stradlin]

For the all-conference awards, it was obviously the North Central and Wheaton show with 17 and 15 players respectively. Looking a little deeper, the classes for the awards between those two are like this:

North Central (17 total):
Seniors 6
Juniors: 5
Soph: 3
Frosh: 3

Wheaton (15 total):
Seniors: 12
Juniors: 3
Soph: 0
Fresh: 0

It's no secret the Thunder are built to win this year, North Central is going to be scary for a while. I know the Thunder have some great young talent so they will drop off next year but will still be in the mix. North Central's dominance is scary as 11 of those 17 all conference players return next year.

Only caveat to this would be that Wheaton and North Central list classes differently.  North Central lists class by athletic eligibility while Wheaton goes with academic class.  They counted the COVID year differently regardless of whether the players plan to use the eligibility.  North Central is still younger as it relates to the all conference team though. 

[WashedUpCard]

Cool story.  Not many brothers get to play college ball together...

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/highschoolsports/2021/11/coury-twins-making-football-magic-for-carnegie-mellon.html

[USee]

HansenRatings first round numbers for various games:

Bethel @Central -9.3
Lake Forest @St Johns -22.5
Carnegie Mellon @North Central -34.4
Aurora @Wheaton -28.5
Greenville @UWW -52.4

Isthmus Bowl:
WashU v UWRF -14.0

Having seen both teams, I feel it's off by 25 points in the Wheaton game.  I don't know enough about CM to comment on that spread, but I suspect Logan's model undershot a bit there, too.  Still the best model out there and I love that he does it.

The big difference between Wheaton and NCC vs Aurora is that NCC's defensive strength is their secondary and they dominated against Aurora. Wheaton's strength is the front 7 and, while their secondary has made dramatic improvements during the year, Aurora's QB can be effective as a runner, which has proved difficult for Wheaton. The matchups are a little different so it could pose some problems for the Thunder.

On the other side Aurora's defense gives up 25pts a game and Wheaton has averaged north of 40 a game. Aurora is actually 55% run and 45% pass through the course of the season. But in their first two losses (St Johns and NCC) they were 40/60. I think Zimbelman is really good and he has some talented WR's, I don't see Aurora matching up well up front on either side. Their offense is gonna struggle to run it (Zimbelman is an X factor here) and on defense they are going to end up playing a lot of man in order to get more people involved in the run game, which will open things up for Petersen and Terrini to make some big plays.

This Wheaton team might be the best I have ever seen upfront overall. There have been individual players and units that have been as good or better, but I don't remember a combined group this good. They are gonna run the ball and stop the run. For someone to beat them, they are going to have to be as good at this or better. 

[Next Man Up]

Wheaton by a minimum of 44. 

[Next Man Up]

North Central is fortunate to have the gifted Andrew Kamienski leading it's receiving corps, and D'Angelo Hardy has also done a fabulous job. While it's difficult to find even minor flaws or small nicks or scratches in the armor of the nation's number one team, one thing that I sense might be of additional benefit to the Cardinals on the offensive side is to more deeply incorporate Blake Williams into the game plan/attack. Playoff opposition, even in the first round, is a much tougher road than the majority of the regular season. Competition is stronger beginning in game one, and only increases with each successive game. There is little doubt that in obvious passing situations, playoff opponents will be casting much of their attention in the direction of Kamienski and Hardy. As such involving Williams, a talented receiver in his own right, more would likely result in less attention/pressure being able to be applied to the other receivers, and would open more areas of the field that the Cardinals could attack. Also, at 6'5" Williams often towers over defenders, and would definitely provide an advantage in jump ball tape passing situations. Just another possibility to make the Cardinals even more dangerous, not that Coach Thorne needs any help from me.   

[CardinalAlum]

North Central is fortunate to have the gifted Andrew Kamienski leading it's receiving corps, and D'Angelo Hardy has also done a fabulous job. While it's difficult to find even minor flaws or small nicks or scratches in the armor of the nation's number one team, one thing that I sense might be of additional benefit to the Cardinals on the offensive side is to more deeply incorporate Blake Williams into the game plan/attack. Playoff opposition, even in the first round, is a much tougher road than the majority of the regular season. Competition is stronger beginning in game one, and only increases with each successive game. There is little doubt that in obvious passing situations, playoff opponents will be casting much of their attention in the direction of Kamienski and Hardy. As such involving Williams, a talented receiver in his own right, more would likely result in less attention/pressure being able to be applied to the other receivers, and would open more areas of the field that the Cardinals could attack. Also, at 6'5" Williams often towers over defenders, and would definitely provide an advantage in jump ball tape passing situations. Just another possibility to make the Cardinals even more dangerous, not that Coach Thorne needs any help from me.   

Jump ball passing situations?  Oh boy. Have to disagree, my friend. Don't believe we have many of those!  Routes that NCC runs are meant to generate after the catch yardage.  Few catches are made with the receivers not in motion.  Timing.  It's an important part of the process.  Go Cards!  We can talk through the full X's and O's some time!

[Stagg Again!!]

HansenRatings first round numbers for various games:

Bethel @Central -9.3
Lake Forest @St Johns -22.5
Carnegie Mellon @North Central -34.4
Aurora @Wheaton -28.5
Greenville @UWW -52.4

Isthmus Bowl:
WashU v UWRF -14.0

Having seen both teams, I feel it's off by 25 points in the Wheaton game.  I don't know enough about CM to comment on that spread, but I suspect Logan's model undershot a bit there, too.  Still the best model out there and I love that he does it.

The big difference between Wheaton and NCC vs Aurora is that NCC's defensive strength is their secondary and they dominated against Aurora. Wheaton's strength is the front 7 and, while their secondary has made dramatic improvements during the year, Aurora's QB can be effective as a runner, which has proved difficult for Wheaton. The matchups are a little different so it could pose some problems for the Thunder.

On the other side Aurora's defense gives up 25pts a game and Wheaton has averaged north of 40 a game. Aurora is actually 55% run and 45% pass through the course of the season. But in their first two losses (St Johns and NCC) they were 40/60. I think Zimbelman is really good and he has some talented WR's, I don't see Aurora matching up well up front on either side. Their offense is gonna struggle to run it (Zimbelman is an X factor here) and on defense they are going to end up playing a lot of man in order to get more people involved in the run game, which will open things up for Petersen and Terrini to make some big plays.

This Wheaton team might be the best I have ever seen upfront overall. There have been individual players and units that have been as good or better, but I don't remember a combined group this good. They are gonna run the ball and stop the run. For someone to beat them, they are going to have to be as good at this or better.

I love it when USee talks about NCC's defense .  Oddly enough, NCC only allowed 28.2 yards per game and two rushing TDS more than Wheaton did during the regular season... and the Cardinals had a slightly stronger SOS due, ironically, to their early season matchup against the same AU team that the Crusaders will see Saturday.  Make no mistake folks, I have much respect for Wheaton's DL, and would go so far as to say that it is one of the four best that I have seen in 20 years.  That said, OLs and RBs playing against NCC over the next five weeks should take note of the 67.4 yards per game and 2.29 yards/rush.  As good as NCC's secondary is, their blue collar DL led by Gilroy, Martin, and Rich, has been equally as impressive all season long... but that's just my opinion!

[Next Man Up]

North Central is fortunate to have the gifted Andrew Kamienski leading it's receiving corps, and D'Angelo Hardy has also done a fabulous job. While it's difficult to find even minor flaws or small nicks or scratches in the armor of the nation's number one team, one thing that I sense might be of additional benefit to the Cardinals on the offensive side is to more deeply incorporate Blake Williams into the game plan/attack. Playoff opposition, even in the first round, is a much tougher road than the majority of the regular season. Competition is stronger beginning in game one, and only increases with each successive game. There is little doubt that in obvious passing situations, playoff opponents will be casting much of their attention in the direction of Kamienski and Hardy. As such involving Williams, a talented receiver in his own right, more would likely result in less attention/pressure being able to be applied to the other receivers, and would open more areas of the field that the Cardinals could attack. Also, at 6'5" Williams often towers over defenders, and would definitely provide an advantage in jump ball tape passing situations. Just another possibility to make the Cardinals even more dangerous, not that Coach Thorne needs any help from me.   

Jump ball passing situations?  Oh boy. Have to disagree, my friend. Don't believe we have many of those!  Routes that NCC runs are meant to generate after the catch yardage.  Few catches are made with the receivers not in motion.  Timing.  It's an important part of the process.  Go Cards!  We can talk through the full X's and O's some time!

I didn't mean to imply that I wanted or even expected to see many jump-ball situations. But should the occasion arise—Lehnen hit as he throws, last play of the half or game a necessary 4th down throw into the end zone, underthrown ball—that type of play, I'd think Blake would be a prime asset in such cases. Additionally, I think we've seen him catch a pass and pick up a nice chunk of yardage after the catch. Just an extra weapon to take some of the pressure/possible double teams off Kamienski and Hardy and open the field a little more. 

[Ccrfer]

Update your bracket CMU Covid forfeit
NCC advances