FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Boys of Fall]

A few thoughts for me after one game for each MIAC team:

Concordia is the one team from year to year that is hardest to gauge going into a new season.  Maybe this is because they're further up north and I don't hear as much about them, but this could be a tough year for them.  Their first loss to Jamestown in 90 years might indicate trouble for them.

Bethel's switch to the hurry up offense puts a lot more pressure on their defense, and in most year's that wouldn't be a problem, but apparently might be this season.  If they can make some adjustments to their defense they still might be able to give fits to the Tommies or the Johnnies with their different style of play.

GAC seems to have made better switch in eras that has AUG.  Not sure if this Veldman team will compete for a conference championship (at least this season), but they've seemed to move on from the Hendricks and Boyce brothers teams fine.  Not so with AUG.  The move away from Scott, Sonnenfeld, and Martin might not be pretty.

The Johnnie defense seems to be the real deal.  Be interesting to see if they can stand up to the bigger UST offensive line and Roberts.  The offense showed promise (against an undermanned Scholastica team), the next week will be critical to see if the new pieces can show continued improvement.

The Tommies remain the team to beat.  While it might not have been a dominating performance for them in the first week, especially the first quarter, as the game went on they played more like themselves.

Over the last few years I thought the conference was getting more competitive with Bethel, GAC, and AUG making some noise.  After last weekend and some the scores that might not be the case this season.

[OldAuggie]

The AUG offense was just not on track last weekend. Northwestern had a good defense dialed up for them and with the new players on the  O line and a new QB and receivers it never came together at the right time for the offense. The defense was fine really, and to give up only 14 points is not that bad but everyone is calling for the sky to fall. AUG has some good young players on the O line and a very athletic receiver who is new but it will take time to get them all on the same page. I was thinking that Go K Nights was getting the last laugh because  he called this mess! Oh well, I am eating crow all week and it does not taste too good at all. 

Programs like AUG just need time to re-build. Maybe GAC is in a better situation to do so, who knows. We will find out. I think I heard GAC had 130 kids on the team this year compared to 108 for Bethel and 100 or something for Concordia. AUG has 98 or so.

[Go K Nights]

OldAuggie, I'm eating crow as well, as I thought the Knights would roll through Macalester.  Another lackluster offensive showing (reminded me of 2014), 5 turnovers in Macalester territory and only 7 points to show for it, not good!

[badger1845]

A few thoughts for me after one game for each MIAC team:

Concordia is the one team from year to year that is hardest to gauge going into a new season.  Maybe this is because they're further up north and I don't hear as much about them, but this could be a tough year for them.  Their first loss to Jamestown in 90 years might indicate trouble for them.

Bethel's switch to the hurry up offense puts a lot more pressure on their defense, and in most year's that wouldn't be a problem, but apparently might be this season.  If they can make some adjustments to their defense they still might be able to give fits to the Tommies or the Johnnies with their different style of play.

GAC seems to have made better switch in eras that has AUG.  Not sure if this Veldman team will compete for a conference championship (at least this season), but they've seemed to move on from the Hendricks and Boyce brothers teams fine.  Not so with AUG.  The move away from Scott, Sonnenfeld, and Martin might not be pretty.

The Johnnie defense seems to be the real deal.  Be interesting to see if they can stand up to the bigger UST offensive line and Roberts.  The offense showed promise (against an undermanned Scholastica team), the next week will be critical to see if the new pieces can show continued improvement.

The Tommies remain the team to beat.  While it might not have been a dominating performance for them in the first week, especially the first quarter, as the game went on they played more like themselves.

Over the last few years I thought the conference was getting more competitive with Bethel, GAC, and AUG making some noise.  After last weekend and some the scores that might not be the case this season.

No thoughts on Hamline or the Northfield squads?

[sowilson]

Programs like AUG just need time to re-build. Maybe GAC is in a better situation to do so, who knows. We will find out. I think I heard GAC had 130 kids on the team this year compared to 108 for Bethel and 100 or something for Concordia. AUG has 98 or so.

GAC has 107 on the roster at the start of the season, as usual a few were lost during camp.  Looking at the GAC - Westminster game it looks like the defense has improved over last year and that the offense is good, although different than last year.  GAC had a good 50/50 balance with a total offense of 479 yards (275 p, 204 r). Luke Martinez had a good day running the ball  considering he was out with an injury last season. Michael Veldman had a good day at QB going 21-25.  GAC may not put up the gaudy numbers of last year but having a better balance and a much improved running game may lead to better time of possession numbers which will help the defense.

The Augsburg - Gustavus and Concordia - Bethel games on the 17th will be very interesting early season indicators on who might emerge to challenge St. John's and St. Thomas.

[DuffMan]

No offense to Gustavus, but I have to think that the majority of MIAC squads would thoroughly drub Westminster.  Bethel might give up 70 points, but they'd probably still beat them. 

[Boys of Fall]

No thoughts on Hamline or the Northfield squads?
[/quote]
No.

[sjusection105]

KOOL TV  SJU Coaches Show with Gary Fasching... what gives?

[DuffMan]

KOOL TV  SJU Coaches Show with Gary Fasching... what gives?

Is it not on, or what?

[BDB]

And the Johnnies and the Tommies will roll again against their opponents, the Beavers and the Blue Devils, respectively.

UW-Stout (+35.5) @ #4 St. Thomas

Surprising to me the predictions being made on the UW-Stout vs. UST game Saturday. A 5 touchdown spread? Maybe that's how it will turn out, we'll see.

But it's not like my squad will be rolling down Summit Ave. with a Pop Warner team not used to playing tough competition.

[sjusection105]

KOOL TV  SJU Coaches Show with Gary Fasching... what gives?

Is it not on, or what?

Yea, some gardening show was on.

[DuffMan]

Yea, some gardening show was on.

Well, was it any good? 

[MIAC23]

Concordia is the one team from year to year that is hardest to gauge going into a new season.  Maybe this is because they're further up north and I don't hear as much about them, but this could be a tough year for them.  Their first loss to Jamestown in 90 years might indicate trouble for them.

A few thoughts on the Cobber game. Everything that could go wrong, pretty much did. Many procedural penalties on offense with the wingback motions. Cobbers bring back Qb and RBs so that was a bit surprising. Hopefully these things get corrected, as the young and inexperienced defense was on the field way too much, for a team that relies on time of possession. A couple untimely turnovers in the first half had the Cobbers down at the half. I thought they panicked a little bit in the second half and dug themselves a hole they couldn't get out of. Hopefully things turn around against Eau Claire this weekend.

[jamtod]

And the Johnnies and the Tommies will roll again against their opponents, the Beavers and the Blue Devils, respectively.

UW-Stout (+35.5) @ #4 St. Thomas

Surprising to me the predictions being made on the UW-Stout vs. UST game Saturday. A 5 touchdown spread? Maybe that's how it will turn out, we'll see.

But it's not like my squad will be rolling down Summit Ave. with a Pop Warner team not used to playing tough competition.

I'm planning to be there on Saturday and expect a tougher matchup with Stout than UW-EC. What can you tell me about your team? Who should I be watching out for?

[OzJohnnie]

And the Johnnies and the Tommies will roll again against their opponents, the Beavers and the Blue Devils, respectively.

UW-Stout (+35.5) @ #4 St. Thomas

Surprising to me the predictions being made on the UW-Stout vs. UST game Saturday. A 5 touchdown spread? Maybe that's how it will turn out, we'll see.

But it's not like my squad will be rolling down Summit Ave. with a Pop Warner team not used to playing tough competition.

I'll be cheering for your guys, Bob. If the tommies avoid the slow start they had against UWEC, however, it will be a challenging day.