FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[FormerCard]

Trying to get stats on the North Central/North Park game.  Website seems to be down or it is not recognized?     

I see Ittersagen had another 12 tackles today along with 4 pass break ups.  Anyone at the game that can tell me why are they even throwing at him 4 times?  Were those stats inflated?  I would guess that going away from him would be a better idea, but that is an observation that most anyone could make.

One more thought came to mind...  as impressive as Ittersagen's pass defending ability (as seen by INT's and passes defended), he has to be one of the most sure, pure tacklers in the open field.   Not only does he make the open field tackle, it is usually a perfect form tackle (not the lame dive at the legs kind).  His ability to make the sure tackle reminds me of Matt Steir (OLB in the early 90's).

I would say you are right on there.   I have seen him play a few times and I think he can get 3-4 solo tackles a game just as a gunner on the punt team.

Lets try and keep you over 100 Mugsy

[Pat Coleman]

BP: We saw UMHB triple-teaming UWW DT Ryan Kleppe in 06.

Was it in a goal line situation?

No.

[FormerCard]

BP: We saw UMHB triple-teaming UWW DT Ryan Kleppe in 06.

Was it in a goal line situation?

I have never heard of an Offensive Coordinator designing a play devoting three players to one guy.  A lot of double teams are created to block down on a D-lineman or chip-off in order to get to the second level (Zones, Power Gs and some Traps), but with three guys, how would you block that? 

Let's be real here, how often does this happen?  Anybody with O-line coaching or Offensive Coordinator experience want to chime in here?

In a passing situation, the tight end can stay home and he and the tackle can double team the d end.  If there is no blitzing backer and the running back pass protects to the strong side...there is your triple team.   The RB becomes especially important against a good end when he takes outside route to the QB.
We arent talking about a good D End..we are talking about a 1st team all-american with the potential to play at the next level

[Mugsy]

Lets try and keep you over 100 Mugsy

lol... I'm sure I'll say something stupid at somepoint to bring it back down a notch or two.

[Pat Coleman]

No, not coming to this year's NCC/Wheaton game. Staying "local" (four-hour drive) this weekend and will be in DuPage County next week with Keith for Wheaton/Augustana.

[SonsofThunder]

Trying to get stats on the North Central/North Park game.  Website seems to be down or it is not recognized?     

I see Ittersagen had another 12 tackles today along with 4 pass break ups.  Anyone at the game that can tell me why are they even throwing at him 4 times?  Were those stats inflated?  I would guess that going away from him would be a better idea, but that is an observation that most anyone could make.

I strongly doubt the stats are inflated... I've been surprise how much teams have been throwing to Ittersagens side all year.

One other stat I'm not too thrilled with... Wheaton QB's were sacked 7 times today.  Not good at all.

from CCIW website...

PASSES DEFENDED    Team Cl  G Brup  Int Total Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------
1. Ittersagen, P.. WHEA JR  3    7    3    10  3.33
2. Langs, Tyler... WHEA SO  3    4    1     5  1.67
    Paul, Dane..... ELMH FR  3    2    3     5  1.67
4. Estell, JR..... NPU  JR  3    3    1     4  1.33
    Lynch, Billy... AUGI JR  3    4    0     4  1.33
    Weil, Josh..... NCC  SR  3    2    2     4  1.33
7. Maple, Kyle.... ELMH SR  3    2    1     3  1.00
    Osburn, Bo..... IWU  SR  3    3    0     3  1.00
    Fortney, Brad.. CART FR  3    3    0     3  1.00
    Slette, Mark... AUGI SR  3    1    2     3  1.00

This was as of last weeks game...

Those are impressive numbers.  All-american numbers I would say.  Add 4 pass breakups to that stat. 

Is Studebaker seeing double or triple teams this year?

Triple teams...  I'll play 10 on 8 any day.  Just for the record, no offensive coordinator purposely designs a triple team against one player.

Offensive coordinators do what ever it takes to score.  Guys don't get triple teamed over and over by accident.

[WahooThunder]

No, not coming to this year's NCC/Wheaton game. Staying "local" (four-hour drive) this weekend and will be in DuPage County next week with Keith for Wheaton/Augustana.

We will be honored to have you.  I trust you will not be disappointed, I am excited to see the kind of buzz that will surround this game as it is the first Wheaton/Augie night game ever and also the first game with the new Jumbo-tron fully operational.  On that note, if there is anything we can do to make your visit more enjoyable please let us know. 

[burly]

BP: We saw UMHB triple-teaming UWW DT Ryan Kleppe in 06.

Was it in a goal line situation?

I have never heard of an Offensive Coordinator designing a play devoting three players to one guy.  A lot of double teams are created to block down on a D-lineman or chip-off in order to get to the second level (Zones, Power Gs and some Traps), but with three guys, how would you block that? 

Let's be real here, how often does this happen?  Anybody with O-line coaching or Offensive Coordinator experience want to chime in here?

In a passing situation, the tight end can stay home and he and the tackle can double team the d end.  If there is no blitzing backer and the running back pass protects to the strong side...there is your triple team.   The RB becomes especially important against a good end when he takes outside route to the QB.
We arent talking about a good D End..we are talking about a 1st team all-american with the potential to play at the next level

Fair, but this is still first threat protection.  And, if there is no threat, that back is going to release.  My only point is that a designed triple team is pretty rare.  Moving on...

[burly]

Lets try and keep you over 100 Mugsy

lol... I'm sure I'll say something stupid at somepoint to bring it back down a notch or two.

You two are cute together.

[FormerCard]

Lets try and keep you over 100 Mugsy

lol... I'm sure I'll say something stupid at somepoint to bring it back down a notch or two.

You two are cute together.

A lot of guys read while they play, and then sign up when they are done.  Not saying that is necessarily the case with Radio, but I know that I read religiously for the 4 years I played before I created an account for myself.

Al Gore had not yet invented the Internet when I was in school, so we didn't get to even be readers.

BP, you have written a lot of good stuff since you joined this party. Perhaps, your karma will rise on its merits if you stop talking about it so much.

Thanks MWFB - I'll stop.  (Between the two of us, I'm just trying to get to 200 as quickly as possible.)

Not as cute as you guys..when you say "between the two of us", are you referring to a little pillow talk?   moving on...

[matblake]

And now, a moment of silence for Mugsy as he misses the Little Brass Bell Game.

[matblake]

Thank you.  And now back to our regularly scheduled message board.

[DIIIinVA]

Mugsy, interesting comparison of Ittersagen to Stier.  Shortly after Matt graduated, I heard Swider say that he was the best pure football player Swider had ever coached (up to that time).   A typical D-III star in that he was a bit undersized to have starred at division one or to have an NFL future.  Not as much of a physical specimen as a Chad Thorson or Andy Studebaker, for example.  But in terms of football instincts, Matt was as good as they come.  Not telling you anything you don't know I'm sure, since you were a coach then.  I'd really like to get to see Ittersagen and Studebaker play live, but the only way that will happen is if the Thunder make it down here to Salem for the Stagg Bowl.

In terms of rotating the secondary to force a choice between Ittersagen's side of the field vs. a more heavily defended area, I didn't mean it as extreme as my post a few pages back made it sound.  Sometimes it can be as subtle as simply having the deep safety(ies), shade a step or two or threee toward the other side of the formation in their alignment.  I think that can be done and still remain fundamentally sound.  But you would be in a position to know whether Swider ever does that kind of thing or not.  It would be tempting, with a talent like Ittersagen.

[Mugsy]

And now, a moment of silence for Mugsy as he misses the Little Brass Bell Game.

Ouch... not what I wanted to read with my Monday morning coffee.  I hope to use the hotels internet feed to at least hear the game from the city.  Can't tell you how bummed I am that I have to miss the big game in Naperville.

[Mugsy]

Mugsy, interesting comparison of Ittersagen to Stier.  Shortly after Matt graduated, I heard Swider say that he was the best pure football player Swider had ever coached (up to that time).   A typical D-III star in that he was a bit undersized to have starred at division one or to have an NFL future.  Not as much of a physical specimen as a Chad Thorson or Andy Studebaker, for example.  But in terms of football instincts, Matt was as good as they come.  Not telling you anything you don't know I'm sure, since you were a coach then.  I'd really like to get to see Ittersagen and Studebaker play live, but the only way that will happen is if the Thunder make it down here to Salem for the Stagg Bowl.

In terms of rotating the secondary to force a choice between Ittersagen's side of the field vs. a more heavily defended area, I didn't mean it as extreme as my post a few pages back made it sound.  Sometimes it can be as subtle as simply having the deep safety(ies), shade a step or two or threee toward the other side of the formation in their alignment.  I think that can be done and still remain fundamentally sound.  But you would be in a position to know whether Swider ever does that kind of thing or not.  It would be tempting, with a talent like Ittersagen.

As you say, yes the secondary can shade or adjust alignments subtly when you have a talent like Ittersagen - nothing drastic.  At least while I coached, Swider didn't make pass coverage adjustments based on talent.  He did blitz from the secondary a bit more with the likes of Mike Yamamoto, Brian Lazaer, etc...  Hmm... I should say there was one game that Swider might adjust the scheme to use the talent level of his safety position - Augie.  Whenever Wheaton had a safety who could "bring the lumber"; guys like Dale Scales, Paul Thomas, Mike Yamamoto, he would align them in the box against Augie.  If you look at the box scores for those games, you would see huge numbers for tackles by the safeties against Augie.  Scales had over 20 tackles against Augie in 1986.

The overall scheme might change a bit in terms of how often Wheaton would rotate the secondary to the field, etc... but not much in terms of alignment based on individual talent.  Most often the scheme was dictated by what offensive schemes were implemented by the opponent and where their strengths/weaknesses exist.

Coming into the season, it seemed Wheaton's secondary was a bit of a question.  Yes there were several experienced and talented safeties returning (McKenney, Woodward, Tokar), but the main issue was Ittersagen's recovery from a very serious ankle injury and who would be the "other corner".  Obviously Ittersagen appears to have recovered completely and Tyler Langs has proven to be a very good CB.  Langs has shown he is a strong coverage CB and that he isn't a "soft spot" in the Wheaton defense.  Therefore teams can't blindly say... "we need to attack Langs in our passing game".

If you have reasonable internet connectivity (DSL or cable), you might want to check out the WETN video broadcasts.  At least you can kinda see the games live that way...