FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[mr_b]

Final from Indiana: North Park 27, Manchester 0.  It looks like this was the first shutout win by the Vikings since a 30-0 victory over Concordia (IL) back in 1999.

[lmitzel]

Other two games:

Illinois College 31, Millikin 0
Augie 49, Simpson 27

I'll take a 5-2 opening week.

[mwunder]

Carthage is certainly in a down cycle, no doubt about it.

Their up-cycle is usually very short-lived and historically, once a generation.  One double-digit win season since 1895.  One season of more than 9 wins since 1971 and two total in 125 seasons.

[WUPHF]

I would have had Carthage on an up-cycle in 2016 and 2017 at 7-3, but then again, my favorite team has only had 9 wins a few times since they first started playing in city parks and baseball stadiums around the city of St. Louis.

[79jaybird]

Congrats to Mike Murray and the Bluejays on their opening day win.  The Jays Lb's looked pretty good.   
It's only 1 game and it was against a weaker team,  but a building block and something to build on.   IMO, we will know if the
Jays are legit in 2 weeks when they travel to Augie and face stronger competition.   First 1-0 start since 2018 so a flicker of hope. 

[Gregory Sager]

Carthage is certainly in a down cycle, no doubt about it.

Their up-cycle is usually very short-lived and historically, once a generation.  One double-digit win season since 1895.  One season of more than 9 wins since 1971 and two total in 125 seasons.

I would have had Carthage on an up-cycle in 2016 and 2017 at 7-3, but then again, my favorite team has only had 9 wins a few times since they first started playing in city parks and baseball stadiums around the city of St. Louis.

Hold my beer ...

* no .500 season since 1993
* only two four-win seasons since the Nixon Administration
* only three winning seasons ever (7-1 in 1958, 6-1-1 in 1959, and 6-3 in 1968, the latter being the only winning season North Park has had since joining the CCIW in 1961)

[WUPHF]

Hold my beer ...

* no .500 season since 1993
* only two four-win seasons since the Nixon Administration
* only three winning seasons ever (7-1 in 1958, 6-1-1 in 1959, and 6-3 in 1968, the latter being the only winning season North Park has had since joining the CCIW in 1961)

That is tough.  At least the department is in an up-cycle so you have that.

[mwunder]

Carthage is certainly in a down cycle, no doubt about it.

Their up-cycle is usually very short-lived and historically, once a generation.  One double-digit win season since 1895.  One season of more than 9 wins since 1971 and two total in 125 seasons.

I would have had Carthage on an up-cycle in 2016 and 2017 at 7-3, but then again, my favorite team has only had 9 wins a few times since they first started playing in city parks and baseball stadiums around the city of St. Louis.

Hold my beer ...

* no .500 season since 1993
* only two four-win seasons since the Nixon Administration
* only three winning seasons ever (7-1 in 1958, 6-1-1 in 1959, and 6-3 in 1968, the latter being the only winning season North Park has had since joining the CCIW in 1961)

I don't profess to know your pain and would never besmirch your alma mater.  Carthage has had one glorious season to speak of since the 2000's...down cycles seem to be the only cycle.

[Gregory Sager]

Hold my beer ...

* no .500 season since 1993
* only two four-win seasons since the Nixon Administration
* only three winning seasons ever (7-1 in 1958, 6-1-1 in 1959, and 6-3 in 1968, the latter being the only winning season North Park has had since joining the CCIW in 1961)

That is tough.  At least the department is in an up-cycle so you have that.

True. As a North Park fan I have quite a bit for which to be thankful at the moment.

[NCC2010]

Game notes for week 1 vs Roosevelt.  Hopefully a good test for the Cards in week 1.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/northcentralcardinals.com/documents/2023/8/29/20230902_roosevelt_notes__2_.pdf

For those who wallow in this sort of thing, North Central's two deep is in the notes that CardinalAlum posted.  Two observations:

1. Unsurprisingly, this is still a very very Illinois-centric roster.  The Cardinals' recent playoff success may mean the coaching staff is landing kids they weren't previously landing, but it has not led to an expanded geographic footprint.

2. Not surprisingly, there are only a few freshmen on the two deep coming into the first week, with only one WR and some special teamers starting the year atop the depth chart.

The WR section of that 2 deep makes me smile.  Of the 4 starters, only Hardy was healthy the entire back half of last year including the playoffs.  Also interesting to note that the young Rummell shows that he has worked his way into a starting role.

The WRs/passing definitely stood out in the first game.  Having the older Rummel as basically the WR5 this year after playing as the 2 in the playoffs last year is a huge upgrade.  I think with the depth at WR and the loss of Greenfield, NCC will be closer to 60/40 run-pass or 50/50. Also, Lehnen's 3rd year in the system so I assume they will open it up a bit more as well.

The other players that flashed in the first game were the 2 new (listed as freshman) RBs, Sean Allen and Charles Coleman.  Both only had a few touches, but i thought both looked really talented and could see them carving out bigger roles as the season moves on. 

[New Tradition]

Game notes for week 1 vs Roosevelt.  Hopefully a good test for the Cards in week 1.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/northcentralcardinals.com/documents/2023/8/29/20230902_roosevelt_notes__2_.pdf

For those who wallow in this sort of thing, North Central's two deep is in the notes that CardinalAlum posted.  Two observations:

1. Unsurprisingly, this is still a very very Illinois-centric roster.  The Cardinals' recent playoff success may mean the coaching staff is landing kids they weren't previously landing, but it has not led to an expanded geographic footprint.

2. Not surprisingly, there are only a few freshmen on the two deep coming into the first week, with only one WR and some special teamers starting the year atop the depth chart.

The WR section of that 2 deep makes me smile.  Of the 4 starters, only Hardy was healthy the entire back half of last year including the playoffs.  Also interesting to note that the young Rummell shows that he has worked his way into a starting role.

The WRs/passing definitely stood out in the first game.  Having the older Rummel as basically the WR5 this year after playing as the 2 in the playoffs last year is a huge upgrade.  I think with the depth at WR and the loss of Greenfield, NCC will be closer to 60/40 run-pass or 50/50. Also, Lehnen's 3rd year in the system so I assume they will open it up a bit more as well.

The other players that flashed in the first game were the 2 new (listed as freshman) RBs, Sean Allen and Charles Coleman.  Both only had a few touches, but i thought both looked really talented and could see them carving out bigger roles as the season moves on.

In my best Emperor Palpatine: "Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen."    Lehnen looked really comfortable in the pocket and going through is reads, relying less on his legs and trusting his arm more. 

[devildog29]

Small sample size overreaction after 1 half of IWU-Central, IWU looks like a 2-3 win team this season.  Poor interior play on both sides of the ball. 

[Crusader92]

Wheaton wins a tough fought battle against a quality Wisconsin Oshkosh team 30-21 at McCully Stadium. Some first game mistakes to correct for the Crusaders, but an overall impressive performance given the team they were up against today.

[Schipper Strong]

Small sample size overreaction after 1 half of IWU-Central, IWU looks like a 2-3 win team this season.  Poor interior play on both sides of the ball.

Central fan here. Central had a big advantage in having played a game. I was impressed by how often the IWU defense got to our QBs. I think they will learn a lot from this game. I don't know enough about your conference below North Central and Wheaton to say if you are right or wrong, but we had a game under our belt. Good luck to your teams. At least until the playoffs.

[iwu70]

Central over IWU 38-13.   IWU played poorly.  No running game at all -- Albin with 9 yards on 8 carries.  He had a nice 99 yard kick return for a TD, but that was about all.  Titans with 4 TOs, and pretty much nothing down the field.   Central played very well, with an offense that had the Titans confused and on their heels most of the day.   IWU had their left handed QB rolling right all day, throwing across his body, with little positive results.  I don't get the play calling, I have to admit. 

If IWU plays like this, yes, I could see a 3-5 win season.  They will have to improve dramatically.  And they have Wheaton next week at home.  I'd say Wheaton by 40 at this point. 

Norm got totally out-coached by one of his former assistants today.

IWU'70