FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[nccsports891]

What kind of team is NCC up against this weekend?

[footballfan413]

Vikes35-- Right.  Incorporating more passes keeps the defense honest, not to mention more "exciting" football than running every play/every down.

Regarding the passing/running topic back a page or two, I used to believe completely that if you could get 3-4 yards every time you touch the ball, you control the clock, the line of scrimmage and win games.  That is true but hard to do when the defense doesn't have to guess.  UWW was always known as a run-first team and post season success eluded them.  Last season, a marked change happened and the approx. 50/50 balance offensive attack took them all the way to the Stagg Bowl.  I am a convert now and believe that
if you have the talent to execute it, (key) a team needs both to compete with those top teams and top defenses in the play-offs.  Augie will only benefit by improving their passing game. 

[ncc58]

What kind of team is NCC up against this weekend?

Concordia is a solid team, usually a playoff contender. CU-W is a step up from the non-conference games that NCC has played in the past. CU-W is a run oriented team. NCC is claiming that their strength this season will be the defense. We'll know early. If NCC can't control the CU-W running game, they have little hope against Augie.

[ncc58]

Vikes35-- Right.  Incorporating more passes keeps the defense honest, not to mention more "exciting" football than running every play/every down.

Augie needs to do more than just pass the ball. They can throw every down with a 35 point lead, but will anyone care? You still have to stop the Augie running game. If Augies passes with success in runing situations early in games against quality opponents, then the other CCIW contenders will have to respect the ability of Augie to pass. I'm sure Augie is trying to break their tendencies to not pass, and would like to be more successful passing. But if it's late October, I still expect Augie to run, run, run.

Of course, I'm sure they would like to model Mount Union who can run through everyone but it also gives them lots of man to man coverage. And since they do throw the ball some/enough, they can recruit very good wide receivers.

[ncc58]

It's early September. And the CCIW teams are playing mostly (winnable) non-conference games.

By October 1, we'll know who the real contenders are and the trash talking will resume.

[matblake]

Wheaton has posted an interview with new offensive coordinator Tim Hardy on http://www.wheaton.edu/Athletics/.   Click on "The Thunder Sports Report" in the blue box in the center of the screen and it will direct you to the page where you can select the Tim Hardy interview.  Pretty good interview, but he does seem to think that the interviewer does have a lot of great questions.  Just an FYI, the interview is 11 minutes long.

[footballfan413]

Absolutely nothing wrong with a, "We're running the ball, try and stop us," mentality but when teams put 8 in the box, you needs to be able to take advantage of that with a, "Take what the defense give us," mentality as well. But it goes without saying that if the defense can't stop the run, why throw it.  My point was that against top teams in the playoffs, the defenses tend to be pretty good at stopping the run.     Justin Beaver is a great, record breaking RB but he couldn't have done it without two things:  The Offensive Line and UWW's passing game! 
 

[nogloves4]

Does anyone have predictions for this full weekend of football in the CCIW?

Here are my predictions:

Wheaton 24 - Albion 7
Milliken 10 - Ohio Northern 21
N. Central 35 - Concordia 14
Augie 14 - B.W. 7
North Park 21 - Eureka 7
Elmhurst 17 - Chicago 14
Carthage 21 - Lakeland 14
Wesleyan 14 - Olivet 10

I think that most of the games will be low scoring affairs.  However, I am not too familiar with some of these teams so I am pretty much quessing.

It's been a while since I have posted and I am glad to be back.

[BluPhi35]

i was in the middle of doing something yesterday.  that BU and NPU is going to be great match up.  I was trying to make a point of don't expect a blowout of any sort because those boys can "ball" up there in Mich.  i'm not from Mich but i do know that Olivet got some pretty good athletes.

[BluPhi35]

What kind of team is NCC up against this weekend?

NCC's going to see a variation of wing-t option football.  CUW is good at running the ball but they are balanced.

[mr_b]

Does anyone have predictions for this full weekend of football in the CCIW?

Here are my predictions:

North Park 21 - Eureka 7

North Park plays at Benedictine this week and Eureka next weekend at home.

[washdupcard]

Concordia is the best team of the Illini-Badger Conference.  They are not pushovers.  However...they are not a top tier team in the CCIW.

[diehardfan]

Pretty good interview, but he does seem to think that the interviewer does have a lot of great questions.

Well, Coach Hardy always struck me as a very positive guy. 

Thanks for the heads up.

[CardinalAlum]

What kind of team is NCC up against this weekend?

NCC's going to see a variation of wing-t option football.  CUW is good at running the ball but they are balanced.

It's tough to be a balanced wing-T option football team.

[touchdownjesus]

The CUW / NC game should be a great match up.  CUW runs a very similar offense to Augie, but definately throws the ball better.  In my opinion CUW and Lakeland would very much hold their own in the CCIW.  The key to the game is the same whenever to contrasting offensive schemes match up.  Whoever controls the ball will win.   If CUW rushes the ball and keeps NC's offense off the field; CUW wins.  If NC can maintain field position (needed to beat a unbalanced wing-t option attack- like CUW/Augie) and mix it up enough to consistanly move the sticks; NC wins.

These two schools carry their respective conference banners into battle.  Should be a great, hard hitting game.  It is the game to watch in the area - two play-off type teams early in the season.  Doesn't get any better than that.