FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[usee]

I have seen augie lose early in the season many a time and come back to win the conference. this one smells different to me. DanSand said it best...their OLine isn't THAT inexperienced. the pieces are in place for an Augie who has a full cupboard to reload and make another run. they have repeated as champs with far less coming back than they do this year. that they lost to a middle pack OAC and bottom pack WIAC team isn't as surprising as the WAY they lost. turnovers and losing the battle at the LOS. Their defense seems to be playing well so there is some reason for hope. I would not be at all surprised to see IWU win in rock island this weekend.

In fact the worse possible outcome is for Augie to end up really good and win our conference and get blasted in the playoffs. this will seal the deal on our conference on a downward trend. teams picked to win the CCIW simply do not lose to middle and bottom of the pack teams from other conferences. granted those are the two best conferences in D3 but our champion should always be able to beat those teams. If Augie does go on to win out that means our conference is substantively weaker. my hope is that Augie is awful this year and wheaton or carthage (even elmhurst) carry the torch and restore all of our collective hope in the competitive value of the CCIW.

bottom line is I think there is big trouble in Rock Island.

[CardinalAlum]

my hope is that Augie is awful this year and wheaton or carthage (even elmhurst)....

Uhhhh....did you forget someone? 

[matblake]

Who would he be forgetting???     Oh wait, you like North Central........

[Mugsy]

my hope is that Augie is awful this year and wheaton or carthage (even elmhurst)....

Uhhhh....did you forget someone? 

It does look like usee did make a serious mistake and overlooked North Central.  Great catch, CardinalAlum! 

I believe usee meant to say the following:

my hope is that Augie AND NORTH CENTRAL are awful this year and wheaton or carthage (even elmhurst)....

Right, usee?

[diehardfan]

my hope is that Augie is awful this year and wheaton or carthage (even elmhurst)....

Uhhhh....did you forget someone? 

IWU maybe? 

[diehardfan]

LOL... and now it's 3 vs 1.... if we can get usee and Jim to join in, Card Alum is going to be running for his momma

[TitanBacker]

AUGIE WEEK!!!

fightintitan reminded me of that this week (as if i didn't already know).  I still say it comes down to if IWU's defense can dominate the Augie O line and backfield.  If the defense can keep control of the run game, I'd be seriously frightened.  How are Augie's Dbacks?  Solid or not?  That could also spell trouble for Augie if IWU can get the ball in the air.  Wish I could be there this weekend!!!!

[CardinalAlum]

LOL... and now it's 3 vs 1.... if we can get usee and Jim to join in, Card Alum is going to be running for his momma

I am incredibly upset with the lack of support from my fellow Cardinals.  Here I am getting abused by a bunch of WHEATIES, 10 days before the Bell remains in it's comfortable surrounding of Naperville!

[dansand]

I have to qualify all my comments about Augie because, as I said before, I haven't seen them play, but here's maybe a little different take on what's gone on so far. I'm wondering if maybe they're putting too much on McGinnis, who, after all, is a first year starter with very limited experience at this level. That's not to say I don't think he can get the job done, just that maybe he's been more of a focal point in their play calling than he should be.

I say this not only because he's attempted almost 16 passes a game, but moreso because he's tied with their senior All-CCIW fullback Mike Guzman for the most carries on the team. I think Guzman's probably one of those guys who gets better the more carries he gets and he's only getting 12 a game right now. Maybe they're running too much option and not using the power running game enough. Just a thought. Then again maybe I'm whistling in the graveyard and usee's right about there being "big trouble in Rock Island."

[CardinalAlum]

LOL... and now it's 3 vs 1.... if we can get usee and Jim to join in, Card Alum is going to be running for his momma

Uhhh Mom....u there?    

[Mugsy]

LOL... and now it's 3 vs 1.... if we can get usee and Jim to join in, Card Alum is going to be running for his momma

I am incredibly upset with the lack of support from my fellow Cardinals.  Here I am getting abused by a bunch of WHEATIES, 10 days before the Bell remains in it's comfortable surrounding of Naperville!

My apologies CardinalAlum, we'll spread out the abuse to all NCC players and fans in 10 days so you won't feel so alone.   

[Mugsy]

I have to qualify all my comments about Augie because, as I said before, I haven't seen them play, but here's maybe a little different take on what's gone on so far. I'm wondering if maybe they're putting too much on McGinnis, who, after all, is a first year starter with very limited experience at this level. That's not to say I don't think he can get the job done, just that maybe he's been more of a focal point in their play calling than he should be.

I say this not only because he's attempted almost 16 passes a game, but moreso because he's tied with their senior All-CCIW fullback Mike Guzman for the most carries on the team. I think Guzman's probably one of those guys who gets better the more carries he gets and he's only getting 12 a game right now. Maybe they're running too much option and not using the power running game enough. Just a thought. Then again maybe I'm whistling in the graveyard and usee's right about there being "big trouble in Rock Island."

Good point... the thought of how an inexperienced QB affects the Augie offense in terms of reads, etc... did cross my mind last night.

[TitanBacker]

I have to qualify all my comments about Augie because, as I said before, I haven't seen them play, but here's maybe a little different take on what's gone on so far. I'm wondering if maybe they're putting too much on McGinnis, who, after all, is a first year starter with very limited experience at this level. That's not to say I don't think he can get the job done, just that maybe he's been more of a focal point in their play calling than he should be.

I say this not only because he's attempted almost 16 passes a game, but moreso because he's tied with their senior All-CCIW fullback Mike Guzman for the most carries on the team. I think Guzman's probably one of those guys who gets better the more carries he gets and he's only getting 12 a game right now. Maybe they're running too much option and not using the power running game enough. Just a thought. Then again maybe I'm whistling in the graveyard and usee's right about there being "big trouble in Rock Island."

Good point... the thought of how an inexperienced QB affects the Augie offense in terms of reads, etc... did cross my mind last night.

Inexperienced QB and OLine?  What has happened in Rock Island?  What year is McGinnis?  As you know, IWU has a first year starter as QB but he is a senior and seems to be a pretty good decision maker so far.

[usee]

my hope is that Augie is awful this year and wheaton or carthage (even elmhurst)....

Uhhhh....did you forget someone? 

It does look like usee did make a serious mistake and overlooked North Central.  Great catch, CardinalAlum! 

I believe usee meant to say the following:

my hope is that Augie AND NORTH CENTRAL are awful this year and wheaton or carthage (even elmhurst)....

Right, usee?

you should all know by now my use of the team name from the school in naperville is always intentional (recall i was the one who began the naperville backing on here over a year ago for 2005). I included in my previous post who I thought would compete for the CCIW title and I don't think a team who loses at home to an IBC team (i dont' care how good anyone thinks they are) can compete for a cciw title.

and let there be NO MISTAKE about where I stand on this: you better get your looks and licks in now because in 10 days the BELL IS COMING HOME BOYS AND GIRL!! AND IT WON"T BE CLOSE!!

[usee]

as for Carthage/Elmhurst:

this is definately the game elmhurst can make a statement to the rest of the conference that they have arrived under coach Journell. up in kenosha, under the lights, against a great defensive team and a great coach......the table is set.

these two teams appear very similar upon first glance. they play a good defensive game and rely on the opportunities created by dominating defense to create points, any points, that they turn into necessary margins for victory.

I think elmhurst has a more veteran defense but carthage's defense creates more problems for an offense.

I think carthage has a more veteran offense but elmhurst's offense appears to be more productive.

special teams on paper appear pretty equal.

I think this game comes down to who blinks first. whomever makes the key mistake will give the game away. be it special teams or turnovers, the winner of that battle wins the game.

If kudyba was the elmhurst qb I would definately be picking elmhurst in this game. without him its a tough proposition to go up to kenosha under the lights and face that defense for the first time live.

I give the edge to Carthage in this game by a slight margin. low scoring affair. 14-10 carthage.