FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[CardinalAlum]

For the past few years the NCC fans have been saying, "hey how about something for the effort here."  There will be no money, no adulation but you will recieve total consciousness the next time you get beaten by Wheaton.

Perhaps you should have chosen your words more wisely!!   Here's what we have for you, GT:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahL4wvjoARs

[matblake]

For the past few years the NCC fans have been saying, "hey how about something for the effort here."  There will be no money, no adulation but you will recieve total consciousness the next time you get beaten by Wheaton.

Perhaps you should have chosen your words more wisely!!   Here's what we have for you, GT:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahL4wvjoARs

Wow, a great guy movie quote to combat another great guy movie quote.  May I join in?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-m5fwjjob4&NR=1
 

[matblake]

I love the playoffs.  You get to see teams that you normally don't get to see.  Trine appears to be a team that could cause Wheaton some trouble.  Here are some good reviews from the MIAA board.  Thanks to usee for soliciting some comments over there.

Trine is a very stout team.  Having only seen them play once against Adrian I dont have the best overall insight on them.  But in talking to others ive been able to piece together more.  Their defense appears to be farther along than their offense with the ability to put pressure on the passing game as well as to shut the running game down very well.  They held an Adrian team that had been averaging 240 rushing yards or so a game to 122 total yards in their MIAA championship matchup.  The strong D which ranked second in the MIAA was complimented well by an offense that takes opportunity of other teams mistakes having a +12 turnover margin on the season, they averaged over 28 a game on the season but lack consistency at times and have had dry stretches followed by explosions of scoring (see the Kzoo game).  Their main strengths lie in the physical nature of both sides of the ball they are a very good running team with a QB who despite not looking overly athletic will surprise with what he can do, complimented by a passing game that can hurt you if you let it.  Their coaching staff is very young and imaginitive, having come from the highschool ranks as well as Arena football, Coach Land their head coach was formerly the head coach for the Fort Wayne Freedom in IN.  One thing to look out for is their pass rush, Wheaton has struggled with that at times on the season and Trine has 29 sacks on the season through 9 games, their last game not being recorded at this point.  They can rush the passer and make the offense make mistakes which could be a huge factor in the game on saturday.  Tough running game, physical OL and an opportunistic defense that will punch you in the mouth, thats a good expectation for this Saturday from Trine i would expect.

I will just add to DAWG's comments that Trine has a good passing attack; their QB has a great release, similar to Dan Marino's style QB/WR combo has a great timing especially on long routes.  TE is good also.  I was impressed with the overall speed and size of Trine when they played Hope.  Overall, I can see it being a potential tight game unless Trine succumbs to the "first time jitters" and Wheaton blows it open early.  Of course, I'm rooting for Trine as our MIAA representative (sorry you Wheaton guys!   )

[DIIIinVA]

Thanks for the history lesson/dissertation on the '88 Wheaton D, Mugsy!

I arrived at Wheaton in '89 so a lot of those guys were still there, but the '88 D remained the standard against which all the Wheaton D's were measured while I was on the team.  The hardest hit I ever took on a football field was from Jeff Frazier when I was running as the scout team RB and we had fooled him on a misdirection handoff (I think we were preparing for Augie so running their plays).  He screamed "run it again!" and the coaches nodded "run it again."  He wasn't fooled the 2nd time, and I can only hope he hit the Augie RB in the game half as hard as he hit me.  To top it off our facemasks stuck together so when he got up I was groggily dangling from his facemask, and he freed himself from me with an open-hand slap to the side of my helmet.  Fun.  

But seriously, my memory of those guys is pretty much as you type it.  I recall Millikin being very rugged on D and Augie of course.  But if any stop unit in the CCIW has topped Thorson, Ritchie, Frazier, Parrish, et al. for a combo of across the board athleticism and hard hitting, that would be one impressive D-III defense.  I now live close to Salem, VA so I get to watch the Stagg Bowl annually and have to say that Mt. Union (and often their opponents in the big game) are at a level above what I recall from my days in the CCIW.  Good luck to NCC and Wheaton in the playoffs - one of these days the CCIW will break through to the big game.

[matblake]

To top it off our facemasks stuck together so when he got up I was groggily dangling from his facemask, and he freed himself from me with an open-hand slap to the side of my helmet.  Fun.  

I laughed out loud at that one, DIII.  Got a weird look from the person who sits next to me. 

Jeff Frazier was on the wrestling team through some strange 5th year eligibility scenario when I was a freshman.  Fortunately, being roughly a third of his size at the time, and the use of weight classes, I was able to steer clear of having to take him on. 

[matblake]

For those planning to make the trip to Trine, remember that they are on Eastern Time.  Wouldn't want you to make the journey, only to arrive late.  See here, at the bottom:  http://www.trine.edu/about_trine/map_directions/

[CardinalAlum]

For the past few years the NCC fans have been saying, "hey how about something for the effort here."  There will be no money, no adulation but you will recieve total consciousness the next time you get beaten by Wheaton.

Perhaps you should have chosen your words more wisely!!   Here's what we have for you, GT:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahL4wvjoARs

Wow, a great guy movie quote to combat another great guy movie quote.  May I join in?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-m5fwjjob4&NR=1
 

One of my favorites!!  +K 

[Mugsy]

The hardest hit I ever took on a football field was from Jeff Frazier when I was running as the scout team RB and we had fooled him on a misdirection handoff (I think we were preparing for Augie so running their plays).  He screamed "run it again!" and the coaches nodded "run it again."  He wasn't fooled the 2nd time, and I can only hope he hit the Augie RB in the game half as hard as he hit me.  To top it off our facemasks stuck together so when he got up I was groggily dangling from his facemask, and he freed himself from me with an open-hand slap to the side of my helmet.  Fun.  

I can relate very well.  I had Andy McGown use my helmet as a shovel every practice during wrap drills.  You know... the drill where LB's warm up for practice or games by getting some contact and practice form tackling. 

Typically this drill was meant to be half speed where you split into 2 parallel lines and one person acts like a ball carrier and runs toward the LB on a 45% angle each way and then once head on.  The LB chops his feet, sinks his hips, gets his helmet in the correct location for the tackle and then drives through the ballcarrier.  You know, the basic tackling drill you learn from early on.

This was my least favorite drill of all-time even though it was warm up and half speed.  Thorson and Richie would be paired together, but I would always get paired with Andy.  Difference was that Andy was 5 to 6 inches taller than I and had about 40lbs on me.  To make it worse, Andy didn't understand half speed.  Here I am jogging at him and he would come flying at me.  The placement of his helmet into my sternum at near full speed would cause my heart to skip a beat, not to mention evacuate nearly all air from my collapsing lungs.  As part of a textbook tackle, he would obviously drive upwards from his initial helmet placement in my sternum to the next obstacle - my chin.  This upward momentum resulted in the crown of his helmet piercing the underside of my chin.  Under normal conditions that feels lovely... but imagine if you will in late fall when there is a nice "chill" in the air...  It would take a full 10 minutes before I no longer felt my pulse in the severed capillaries of my chin.  Recalling that Andy was 5 to 6 inches taller than I, the full extension of his form tackle would drive my head backwards to the point of seeing stars (both figuratively and literally), coupled with the crushing vice-grip wrapup, I'm now nearly bent over backwards with my feet barely on the ground.  So... no air left to even whimper, head all the back with Andy's helmet applying enough pressure to put it at risk of popping off all together, spine torqued backwards, all forward momentum at a screeching halt and 240lbs of South Carolina good ole boy barreling forward, all energy was now directed downward.  Head first, feet and legs dangling towards the sky, Andy would drive my helmet into the ground like a spade.  In the fall, it wasn't too bad - I kinda liked it.     Come late fall and the tundra-like conditions of Lawson field, it was like driving a wet spagetti noodle into granite.     Where upon I would excavate my head from the turf, struggle to gain my breath, move my sternum back into place, re-adjust my chin strap from my nose to my throbbing chin, drag my carcass back to the line while Andy giggles, just to do it all over again.  I'm certain I lost an inch or two over my last two years, along with a couple of million brain cells in the process due to this daily ritual... but I'd do it all over again if I could.

On a positive note, this usually ticked me off so much on gameday that come kickoff time I was ready to take out my frustration on somebody.

[HScoach]

....I now live close to Salem, VA so I get to watch the Stagg Bowl annually and have to say that Mt. Union (and often their opponents in the big game) are at a level above what I recall from my days in the CCIW......

Like all levels of football (HS to college to NFL), D3 as whole has improved a ton since I started following MUC before they were The Machine.  The size, speed and strength of today's players is well ahead of those just 10 ago.  

The amount of weight and speed training that is done at the HS level amazes me anymore.  Back in the day, baling hay in the summer was our pre-season workout.

[Mr. Ypsi]

I'm certain I lost an inch or two over my last two years, along with a couple of million brain cells

Ahh ... this explains a lot!

[Sorry, CardAlum, I beat ya to it! ]

[cardinalpride]

Yes, congrats to NCC on a clean sweep of the awards! This question may have been asked and answered already but has any other team pulled off the clean sweep with in the last 20 years?

Augustana in 1986 & 1994
IWU in 1996
North Central this year.

*Augie in 1986 and this year's NCC threesome were the only ones where none of the 3 awards were shared!

CA,
Thanks for your input.  I figured Augie would have done it during the mid 80's that's why I wanted to go back only 20 years.

Yes, congrats to NCC on a clean sweep of the awards! This question may have been asked and answered already but has any other team pulled off the clean sweep with in the last 20 years?

Augustana in 1986 & 1994
IWU in 1996
North Central this year.

*Augie in 1986 and this year's NCC threesome were the only ones where none of the 3 awards were shared!

Augie also did it in 1984 with Greg King as Co-OPOY, Joe Wheeler as DPOY and Bob Reade as Co-COY.

Augie,
Thanks to you also!  Based on what has been said about the '86 Augie team, it appears that team is the greatest CCIW team the last 30 years.  Is there a consensus agreement on that?  Are there any other teams with in the last 30 years, CCIW or national, that rank up there with Augie '86? 

[CardinalAlum]

I'm certain I lost an inch or two over my last two years, along with a couple of million brain cells

Ahh ... this explains a lot!

[Sorry, CardAlum, I beat ya to it! ]

There's always somebody that has to wreck my fun!!

+K for the shot at Mugsy though!!!

[Wags]

Article in today's Sun-Times
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/1289860,CST-SPT-small20.article

[robertgoulet]

Article in today's Sun-Times
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/1289860,CST-SPT-small20.article

Thanks, Wags.

Boy, Wenger turned into what I thought another former Dakota HS linebacker was going to be in the early 2000s 

[Wags]

And who would that be?