FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[washdupcard]

Cardinal dad,

You are obviously new to North Central...if you think the program is going down.

[Pat Coleman]

thanks Pat. very appropriate action. I don't think this guy is representative of the Cardinal Fans that post on here.

Newbies should really read the board for a while before posting just to see what the tenor of the conversation is like.

[TitanBacker]

For those at the game, did the Titans just have trouble sealing the game and sort of expect Carthage to roll over and die after being down 19?  Or did Carthage up their game and become more passionate as they saw a CCIW championship slipping away by having two losses in conference play?  Sad day for IWU.

TitanBacker:
This question might be better answered by another Titan supportor, but as I view it IWU in no way expected Carthage to roll over and die. I think the on-side kick with a 14-3 lead mid-way through the third qtr shows that IWU wanted to or felt they needed to put more points on the board. For sure the Red Men felt their season was slipping away. The senior offensive lineman were challenged at halftime to make something happen and they responded to the challenge. To me, the entire Carthage team stepped up their game as offense, defense and special teams all made big plays that led to the comeback. Each unit fed off the success of the previous unit. Confidence and momentum grew with every series. This is why I stated earlier that this was a defining game for Carthage this season. They proved that they have that next gear to shift to when the game is on the line. I do think the Titan defense was worn down in the 4th qtr as they were on the field a lot during that final stretch.

Thanks for the synopsis, Tailgater.  It seems like IWU just couldn't finish the game and Carthage played very well. 

[79jaybird]

Tailgater--   Yes, Carthage proved that they have a heart of a lion Saturday.
Augsportsfan-- I didn't know that Guzman was banged up.  I knew about McDowell's injuries.  Still, a fine showing by McGinnis who really killed us in the 2nd half.
Anybody with half a brain can see that John Thorne and the Cardinals have revitalized a program.  They are coming off a great season (best in school history), made the playoffs for the 1st time ever, and their only loss was to Augie who made the 2nd round of the playoffs.  Last time I checked, that is a pretty good year. 
The simple fact comes into play again and again, the CCIW is a 7-week brawl and anybody can beat anybody.  Elmhurst and NC lost, but I still think these two and Carthage, are going to join Wheaton/Augie for a run at the top 2 slots.  I know the non conf. season's records aren't great, but I still think the CCIW will get 2 teams into the NCAA's.

[augiefan]

Augie played its best all around game of the season yesterday and won their first significant victory of the season as a result. Despite the RBs being banged up the offense did just enough to win, while the defense was tough when it had to be. Definitely a good day for the Vikings. Things get a lot tougher next week though. Wheaton still looks like they're the pick of the litter in this year's CCIW.

It is true that FB parity in the CCIW is almost a reality. Only NPU continues to struggle for respectability. Of the up and comers I still think NCC is ahead of Elmhurst and Carthage. As I've said before I consider Coach Thoren to be a great coach. As long as he stays at NCC, they will be a contender most years.

Go Vikes!

[RedmenFB44]

RedmenFB44-  Did you hear the score of the Grayslake Central/Grayslake North game?  I can't find it on the IHSA website.  I was wondering who was closer, you or me?  COngrats to Carthage too.  That takes guts.

TitanBacker -

I believe the score in the Grayslake Central/Grayslake North game was:

Central - 38
North - 10

I think I was a bit closer but I haven't checked 

[Mr. Ypsi]

augiefan,

Glad to see that you are not yet consigning IWU to the NPU level (though you DID say yesterday's win was Augie's first significant win of the season, so we must have sunk ALMOST that far)!

I go back-and-forth on whether to be encouraged that IWU led Carthage by 19 with 7 minutes to go, or appalled that they still lost!  I'll still pick them over NPU, and hold out hope that they will stun SOMEONE else before the year is out (like they did to Wheaton last year), but I have no clue which other team they might beat.  I fear they are headed for 1-6, with 2-5 only slightly more likely than 0-7.

[augiefan]

I just remember the days when IWU was Augie's biggest rival on the FB field and a really tough match up. I fear that is not the case anymore, as our teams have both slipped a little, while Wheaton has moved to the head of the pack, while NCC, Carthage and Elmhurst are far more competitive than the "old days." I'm not forgetting Millikin, which remains in the top 4 most years and has probably changed the least in recent years.

[usee]

Cardinal dad,

You are obviously new to North Central...if you think the program is going down.

I agree. In fact I was impressed with some of the younger ncc players and I thought they would be down more this year given who they have lost. NCC is in fine shape right now in their trajectory as a program. the tailback mugsy mentioned is going to be very good. their offensive line was much better than I thought they would be. the cupboard is not bare in naperville.

[washdupcard]

Usee,

I don't think we have disagreed yet....maybe there is hope for peace in Iraq.

[Dennis_Prikkel]

The thread that runs through NP's first two games is the 2nd half collapse of the defense.

If your offense runs three plays and out on successive possessions or surrenders the ball on a turnover on sucessive possessions the defense is on the field a lot.  Granted.  But these guys had their hands on their knees in the 2nd quarter.

In the 2nd half versus Millikin the defense collapsed completely.  Coaches do NOT rotate players in on defense and the starters play like marathoners and just reach the point of exhaustion before someone comes in for them.  North Park has no players worthy of being called linebackers.

It's very sad that NP has to use a quarterback as a running back - and they may finish the season without any runningback reaching a 100 yards rushing for the season.  The offensive line opens huge holes only to see the running back never get going out of the backfield.

When the Vikings use the shotgun, which is a lot, the snap from the center is too slow back to the QB.

The Vikings do run some excellent passing routes, but the QB is usually running for his life in the backfield because their is absolutely no threat of a run.  If the receivers had hung on to just half the balls they dropped NP might have had the lead vs the Big Blue.

It was very sad to see the players on the Millikin special teams were bigger than any of North Park's starters.

Same old, same old.

MW

[Mr. Ypsi]

I just remember the days when IWU was Augie's biggest rival on the FB field and a really tough match up. I fear that is not the case anymore, as our teams have both slipped a little, while Wheaton has moved to the head of the pack, while NCC, Carthage and Elmhurst are far more competitive than the "old days." I'm not forgetting Millikin, which remains in the top 4 most years and has probably changed the least in recent years.

Augie's mystique is largely based on their incredible run from 1981-1994 - won or shared 12 of the 14 titles, went 102-6-1 in conference, not to mention the 4 straight national titles!  Since then, they've won 60 games, but Wheaton has won 62.  In fact, from 1995-2001, Augie was actually THIRD: IWU 39-10, Wheaton 38-11, Augie 36-13.  

Alas, IWU seems to have fallen out of the mix, but Augie remains a contender virtually every year (just not a dominator).

As an alum of a Big Four school, I kinda miss those days, but I'm sure it is better for the CCIW that we are no longer predictably Big Four-Little Four!

I'm obviously hoping for an IWU turnaround, and think that NPU WILL make a breaktrough within a year or two.  Having ALL eight truly fight it out would be fun!  (Though it might be hell on pool C bids!)

[RedmenFB44]

Some stats for the Carthage/IWU game:

Final Score:
Carthage - 31
IWU - 28

First Downs:
Carthage - 16
IWU - 15

Total Rushing Yards (leading rusher):
Carthage - 138 (Mengel 20-41, 3TD's)
IWU - 100  (Dunlop 18-63, TD)

Total Passing Yards (leading passer):
Carthage - 198 (O'Boyle 17-27, 198 1TD 1INT)
IWU - 193 (Panno 12-23, 193 2TDs 1INT)

Turnovers:
Carthage - 1
IWU - 4

TOP:
Carthage - 31:20
IWU - 28:40

3rd Down Conversions:
Carthage - 7 of 15
IWU - 3 of 11

HAHA the red and green makes it look like Christmas 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Everything looks mighty even except turnovers!

Would people who were there characterize these as take-aways or give-aways?

[usee]

Augie played its best all around game of the season yesterday and won their first significant victory of the season as a result. Despite the RBs being banged up the offense did just enough to win, while the defense was tough when it had to be. Definitely a good day for the Vikings. Things get a lot tougher next week though. Wheaton still looks like they're the pick of the litter in this year's CCIW.

It is true that FB parity in the CCIW is almost a reality. Only NPU continues to struggle for respectability. Of the up and comers I still think NCC is ahead of Elmhurst and Carthage. As I've said before I consider Coach Thoren to be a great coach. As long as he stays at NCC, they will be a contender most years.

Go Vikes!

Augie definately made a statement win in Elmhurst Saturday. winning on the road in the cciw is really difficult and as big as elmhurst's win over carthage in kenosha was last week, augies win in elmhurst is just as big. the cciw chase comes down to this weekend in rock island where wheaton shows if it can be a road warrior. win and the have a stranglehold on the league with a home game vs elmhurst and IWU and a road game up in kenosha left on their schedule (other than at np).