FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[OzJohnnie]

give us the UMAC low down on Martin Luther.

Martin Luther can nail you 95 ways to Sunday.

[art76]

give us the UMAC low down on Martin Luther.

Martin Luther can nail you 95 ways to Sunday.

Ed - touche'  +K

[D O.C.]

Thoroughly enjoyed Redtooth's rantiness.
(and learned a new word!)

[bleedpurple]

Any chance (and yes, I finished some work that needed doing.  More to go in a minute.  I've got to rant.)   Any chance that the committee publishes the final regional rankings today?  It will certainly introduce even more controversy when UWW is above SJU and SJU has beaten 2, possibly 3, regionally ranked opponents, while UWW has beaten only 1, possibly none, regionally ranked opponents.  The holy number of SOS will only be applied in the west of course and hairs will be split to give it prominence while at the same time hairs not split to ignore common opponents.

I can understand the committee being forced to set matchups based on some money formula, but I can hardly believe that applies to #1 rankings as well.  If the purpose of the tournament is to set up the most purple in the semi finals then why even bother with 32 teams.  Much more money can be saved by not even bothering.

I'm from Wisconsin. I can get you some great cheese to go with that whine of yours. The committee correctly decided that UW-W is better than St. John's. Get over it already. Go beat the CRU and come take your shot at us. If your team is all that, just go win games. Show us. 

[OzJohnnie]

Any chance (and yes, I finished some work that needed doing.  More to go in a minute.  I've got to rant.)   Any chance that the committee publishes the final regional rankings today?  It will certainly introduce even more controversy when UWW is above SJU and SJU has beaten 2, possibly 3, regionally ranked opponents, while UWW has beaten only 1, possibly none, regionally ranked opponents.  The holy number of SOS will only be applied in the west of course and hairs will be split to give it prominence while at the same time hairs not split to ignore common opponents.

I can understand the committee being forced to set matchups based on some money formula, but I can hardly believe that applies to #1 rankings as well.  If the purpose of the tournament is to set up the most purple in the semi finals then why even bother with 32 teams.  Much more money can be saved by not even bothering.

I'm from Wisconsin. I can get you some great cheese to go with that whine of yours. The committee correctly decided that UW-W is better than St. John's. Get over it already. Go beat the CRU and come take your shot at us. If your team is all that, just go win games. Show us. 

Keep cowering behinds the gifts you're showered. I should be surprised that you feel the need to hide behind the committee's protections but I'm not.

[DuffMan]

Honestly, I'm fine with it.  Sure, a #1 seed would have been nice, but like Pat said, by the quarters, pretty much everyone is tough.  Even with a #1 seed, those quarterfinal games aren't easy.   The path to a national championship shouldn't be easy (that's why U$T and Bethel have none  ).

SJU gets a laughable first game, a very winnable second game, and then a chance at UMHB.  Just gotta go perform!

[DuffMan]

Honest question:  With U$T missing the playoffs, do they start the search to replace Caruso?

[retagent]

Any chance (and yes, I finished some work that needed doing.  More to go in a minute.  I've got to rant.)   Any chance that the committee publishes the final regional rankings today?  It will certainly introduce even more controversy when UWW is above SJU and SJU has beaten 2, possibly 3, regionally ranked opponents, while UWW has beaten only 1, possibly none, regionally ranked opponents.  The holy number of SOS will only be applied in the west of course and hairs will be split to give it prominence while at the same time hairs not split to ignore common opponents.

I can understand the committee being forced to set matchups based on some money formula, but I can hardly believe that applies to #1 rankings as well.  If the purpose of the tournament is to set up the most purple in the semi finals then why even bother with 32 teams.  Much more money can be saved by not even bothering.

I'm from Wisconsin. I can get you some great cheese to go with that whine of yours. The committee correctly decided that UW-W is better than St. John's. Get over it already. Go beat the CRU and come take your shot at us. If your team is all that, just go win games. Show us. 

Keep cowering behinds the gifts you're showered. I should be surprised that you feel the need to hide behind the committee's protections but I'm not.

The "Committee" pulled it out of their collective Posteriors. By what OBJECTIVE critria did they decide this? That is the question. Since the Johnnies beat 3 RRO's this year, and UWW didn't. Make your case.

[jamtod]

Honest question:  With U$T missing the playoffs, do they start the search to replace Caruso?

Yes.

As offensive playcaller. How much of that sweet sweet Tommie$ $$$$ would it take to hire Heckendorf away?

[GoldandBlueBU]

Honest question:  With U$T missing the playoffs, do they start the search to replace Caruso?

Wasn't there a formerly regular poster for the Tommies that would be a good fit for addressing that question?  Rev something?

Anyhow, congrats to the Johnnies, Royals, and even the Tommies as well. 

Roste has gotten better as the year has gone on - he's looking like a much more competent passer than he did against SJU, and the defense is locked in right now.  Excited to watch next weekend - might make the trip over to BU, we'll see, I'm lazy and like watching at home too.

SJU reminds me a bit of the 2011 Packers in terms of their offense / defense balance.  The GB defense wasn't bad in 2011, just wasn't great, or what won games for them...they made just enough plays.  It rarely mattered much, since Rodgers and the offense were just on fire that year and could bury other teams under a mountain of touchdowns.  I tend to think that SJU going to better weather for a big matchup tends to favor them.  Seems like one of the few things to slow them down would be poor weather impacting the aerial attack.  Are we 100% sure that Erdmann is a Junior?    I'd be fine with him running out of eligibility after this season.

UST seemed to be very good this year, and on the verge of great, but doesn't quite have they playmakers to get it going when one thing (Parks) goes poorly.  Perra looked great on a few passes - you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer looking throw than the TD pass to Green on the side of the endzone, but overall he didn't seem as good as last year?  Haven't seen enough UST to know if it was him, or the whole team.  I'm sure the Tommies will be back with a vengance next year.

KSTP has a good highlight video from BU - UST. 

https://kstp.com/sports/bethel-beats-st-thomas-to-likely-earn-diii-playoff-appearance/5140497/?cat=81

[bleedpurple]

Any chance (and yes, I finished some work that needed doing.  More to go in a minute.  I've got to rant.)   Any chance that the committee publishes the final regional rankings today?  It will certainly introduce even more controversy when UWW is above SJU and SJU has beaten 2, possibly 3, regionally ranked opponents, while UWW has beaten only 1, possibly none, regionally ranked opponents.  The holy number of SOS will only be applied in the west of course and hairs will be split to give it prominence while at the same time hairs not split to ignore common opponents.

I can understand the committee being forced to set matchups based on some money formula, but I can hardly believe that applies to #1 rankings as well.  If the purpose of the tournament is to set up the most purple in the semi finals then why even bother with 32 teams.  Much more money can be saved by not even bothering.

I'm from Wisconsin. I can get you some great cheese to go with that whine of yours. The committee correctly decided that UW-W is better than St. John's. Get over it already. Go beat the CRU and come take your shot at us. If your team is all that, just go win games. Show us. 

Keep cowering behinds the gifts you're showered. I should be surprised that you feel the need to hide behind the committee's protections but I'm not.

The "Committee" pulled it out of their collective Posteriors. By what OBJECTIVE critria did they decide this? That is the question. Since the Johnnies beat 3 RRO's this year, and UWW didn't. Make your case.

I'm not going to defend the committee. I can make the case why I believe UW-W is better than St. John's, but that will just make you angry.  But you guys have been around long enough to know this process. The degree of objectivity/subjectivity varies by year and even by region it seems.  There are quite a few examples of the criteria not being strictly followed. But in this case, UW-W has a stronger SOS. Either the committee put more weight on that than regionally ranked opponents or they subjectively decided UW-W is a stronger team this year.

Do you think there is a third reason UW-W is ranked higher?   I'd like you to offer it. The committee likes UW-W more than St. John's? Right. There is some sort of conspiracy to protect UW-W because we are just that good for D-III? UW-W fans are better looking so it behooves them to give us as much exposure as possible?

Seriously, what is your theory?

In the meantime, the point of my post wasn't whether or not the committee got it right. It was more about your reaction. We get it. Your pissed.  Do what we did in 2010. Go win games. If you had to be a two seed, you are better off going to UMHB than coming to WW anyway. Better weather and playing a lesser defense (I know it's not popular on these boards to suggest anyone is better at anything that UMHB or UMU, but I'm saying it).  Erdmann will have a greater chance to go off there. 

I'll be pulling for you.  If UW-W is able to win three, we'll be waiting for you and we can settle this. 

For the record, I DO think the Johnnies should be a #1 seed. Over Brockport. And I don't think it's close. UMU could have gone east, UW-W could have gone north. Then the four best teams in the country would have been one seeds.

[retagent]

Nothing there to be pissed at. You have purple glasses, I have red. I've seen both teams and I think that UWW is better on D than any team SJU has faced. I also think that SJU is much better on O than any team UWW has faced. Let's both hope they get to settle it on the field.

My take is that the committee put more emphasis on recent history. Which would be ironic, since about 12 - 13 years ago, many in UWW nation were claiming that that criteria was irrelevant

[miac952]

Honest question:  With U$T missing the playoffs, do they start the search to replace Caruso?

Yes.

As offensive playcaller. How much of that sweet sweet Tommie$ $$$$ would it take to hire Heckendorf away?

They need to do something there, and I wouldn't hesitate to call Heckendorf. The offense against Bethel Saturday reminded me of the Bethel playoff game years ago went Waldvogel went down. It was a game plan doomed to fail from the start. QB development has regressed too. Fenske elevates his game whereas Perra regressed. An autonomous O coordinator / QB coach much like Killian was, is absolutely necessary.

Furthermore the secondary may need some coaching adjustments. The upperclassmen secondary were the weak links on the defense. They were fairly unathletic and frequently out of position. These positions have had changes in coaching recently with a relatively young UST grad that played scout LB responsible for them. They may need more experience coaching there as well, given how poor the performance was and how strong the next wave talent that got playing time this year could be.

[art76]

As I have done in year's past, here is an assessment of "who has the tougher road to the Stagg Bowl." I take the posted NCAA bracket and add the D3 Top 25 ranking next to the teams name, then I simply add up the totals in each quadrant to determine who has the tougher road. Also, if a team was not ranked, it simply got the highest number possible when counting down through the end of those teams also receiving votes. That number this year is 35, and there are 12 teams with that number associated with them, 7 on the left side of the bracket and 5 on the right side.

Drum roll, please:

It is no surprise that Mary hardin-Baylor's pod has the lowest total at 147, or an average of 18.375 for team ranking.

Mount Union's pod is second with a total of 156, or an average of 19.5 for team ranking.

Whitewater's pod ends up third at 177, or an average of 22.125 for team ranking.

Finally, Brockport's pod has the "easier" road to the Stagg with a total of 188, or an average of 23.5 for team ranking.

Some other notes:

UMHB vs. Hardin-Simmons is #2 vs. #7 for the closest match-up in the first round.
W&J vs. Centre is #17 vs. #24.
RPI vs. Husson is #26 vs. #35.
Del-Val vs. Muhlenberg is #13 vs. #23.
Everything else is separated by at least 15 points.

The match-up with the most spread is UMU vs. Denison at 34 points of separation, what a surprise.

[SJUrube]

I can't imagine there are 3 better teams than the Jays, let alone 6 or 7 others, but I imagine the 1 seeds feel the same way. Would have been nice to get a chance for a few more home games but if the road brings us to warmer weather that could end up being a positive for the passing attack.

I don't know what to make about SOS and conference depth. I do know the top half of the MIAC is really strong. When talking about 1st to last depth I do think it's a little bit like having 2 QBs in that you don't have a true #1. UWW is a strong team but is the rest of the WIAC good or it just appears that way because of relative depth?

I think I mentioned this in a previous post but Gary has now led the Jays to the post season in 5 consecutive years. I didn't do an exhaustive search but I think he's only the 2nd MIAC coach to have a streak that long. John had a season of 6 consecutive playoff appearances followed immediately by another 5 year streak. Now's the time to add some playoff Ws to the resume.