FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[TheChucker]

Game notes!

https://gojohnnies.com/documents/2019/12/4//120719_WheatonNCAA_GameNotes.pdf?id=1426


What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? We'll find out this Saturday. The Johnnies currently rank second in NCAA Division III in passing offense (370.9 yards), fourth in total offense (535.2 yards) and sixth in passing efficiency (184.9). Individually, senior quarterback Jackson Erdmann leads Division III in passing yards (4,291) and passing yards per game (357.6). Wheaton, meanwhile, boasts college football's (across all divisions) top scoring defense (6.8 ppg.), total defense (186.7 ypg.) and pass-efficiency defense (75.3).

In reading the notes about the CCIW, I was reminded that Augustana IL was in that conference. Those guys completely dominated D3 in my day. I'm curious as to what happened with that program? Teams that strong don't often drop into obscurity like they did.

They ran that ball control double tight wing T until 2005, which is also the last year they won the conference.  They were having a hard time recuriting to fit that scheme because, even in rural areas, nobody in high school runs that offense anymore.  The flip side to running that type of scheme is having a monster defense.  I think they're having a hard time getting the ball rolling because its hard to recruit to the quad cities when you don't have a winning tradition to sell, and when there are winning teams in gorgeous towns elsewhere in the CCIW.  Their downfall also corresponds directly with the rise of NCC

There's plenty of talent in that area of the tri-state for Augustana to remain mildly competitive. A lot of the successful programs in that area (Lena-Winslow, Forreston, Geneseo, Rockridge, etc.) still run that as their base offense. Their biggest issue has been a lack of commitment to scheme. Following decades of wing T and option offense, their next coach implemented the spread west coast offense, which coming from the wing T, Augustana clearly did not have the athletes to execute. Just as they were getting the athletes in place to match the system, they made another coaching change that led Augustana to more of a spread option offense, which again the athletes did not match. By the time those athletes were in place, another coaching change had come about. In the midst of the Augie churn, NCC elevated itself as a program and became the bigger presence.

Up here in Eastern MA, the Wing T has almost disappeared.  Although the clear #1 team in MA runs a Tight Double Wing package and I've noticed that a few "spread" teams here that win state championships consistently at every level often have a double wing package as well.  Just looking online through national HS coaching circles I follow I had the impression that many teams around the country (including the football heavy South) run the Wing T or a version of it.

What Augie was doing was a little different, though.  It was double tight wing t with a fullback and o linemen in 4 point stances.  They would throw the ball (not exaggerating) 1-2 times per game, and only when they felt that they'd lulled the DB's to sleep by pounding their infamous double dive 40 times.  You're right--I've seen many teams use it as a package and even as their base o, but only 1 other team I've ever seen used it like that, and that was a high school team in AZ on an Indian reservation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7yVKwzAOkU

Holy **** you're right.  I've never seen anything like this before.  This looks like Wing T but the Wing is like 4 yards in the backfield instead of the regular "slot".  A lot of 2 TE sets too.

Go to 1:09:50.  Almost like the transition between the 1960s T formation into the Wing T......

That video brings back nightmares. The next year after that, Concordia got down 21-0 on them in a blink of the eye (opening kickoff for a TD and the next 2 punt returns for TDs on a mud field) and there was no way a team was gonna come back with that ball control offense and tough D.

[desertcat1]

Pat Coleman:  Always a Johnnie naysayer. 

Only in Minnesota do people think that!

That's not true. 

You think I'm a Johnnie naysayer?

Yes.              To say no . 

[OzJohnnie]

https://gojohnnies.com/news/2019/12/6/football-no-8-sju-and-no-3-wheaton-collide-saturday-in-ncaa-quarterfinals.aspx

PRE-GAME SOCIAL: All Johnnie fans are invited to a pre-game social on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. at the Sheraton Lisle-Naperville Hotel (3000 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Ill.). The hotel is approximately 10 minutes from the stadium.

[sjusection105]

https://gojohnnies.com/news/2019/12/6/football-no-8-sju-and-no-3-wheaton-collide-saturday-in-ncaa-quarterfinals.aspx

PRE-GAME SOCIAL: All Johnnie fans are invited to a pre-game social on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. at the Sheraton Lisle-Naperville Hotel (3000 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Ill.). The hotel is approximately 10 minutes from the stadium.

I'm on it.....you know me & free beer!
We land at 8:50a.m. plenty of time for pre-game festivities.

[Gregory Sager]

I've heard from an inside source that Macalester's affiliate status for football has not been renewed by the MWC, which means that the Scots will have to leave that league after the 2020 season. There's a good chance that the Scots will return to the MIAC for football as soon as it becomes feasible for the league to add them. I can't imagine where else they'd go, unless the UMAC would be willing to add a tenth team for balance and Macalester would prefer to hook up with that circuit rather than come back to the MIAC.

[Veek]

https://gojohnnies.com/news/2019/12/6/football-no-8-sju-and-no-3-wheaton-collide-saturday-in-ncaa-quarterfinals.aspx

PRE-GAME SOCIAL: All Johnnie fans are invited to a pre-game social on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. at the Sheraton Lisle-Naperville Hotel (3000 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Ill.). The hotel is approximately 10 minutes from the stadium.

I'm on it.....you know me & free beer!
We land at 8:50a.m. plenty of time for pre-game festivities.

105 - We land at 7:50 AM CST.  Make sure you are on the right flight because we are not going to wait around. 

[Veek]

This is football related but more of a personal story in my family.  My brother's only son, Scott, just completed his 14th and final radiation treatment yesterday.  A news station in Fargo / Moorhead produced a story about Scott's journey and the support he has received from his fellow teammates and classmates.  Here is the link: https://www.inforum.com/news/4808644-Moorhead-teen-surprised-by-outpouring-of-support-on-last-day-of-cancer-treatment#.XepQHGkM2_c.link

It is worth watching.

Go Johnnies!!!

[OzJohnnie]

This is football related but more of a personal story in my family.  My brother's only son, Scott, just completed his 14th and final radiation treatment yesterday.  A news station in Fargo / Moorhead produced a story about Scott's journey and the support he has received from his fellow teammates and classmates.  Here is the link: https://www.inforum.com/news/4808644-Moorhead-teen-surprised-by-outpouring-of-support-on-last-day-of-cancer-treatment#.XepQHGkM2_c.link

It is worth watching.

Go Johnnies!!!

Good luck to your nephew, Veek. I wish him well.

[OzJohnnie]

I’m listening to the Football Weekly interview (which is particularly good this week. A really good discussion of Wheaton by Gary. Wheaton fans may be interested to listen) and I paused to post because of a comment by VOJ. VOJ was talking about the Jays possibly having to entertain travel to places like Cal Lutheran because of the “possible loss of St Thomas; it’s not totally official yet.”  Was that just a VOJism or is there some undercurrent of happenings?

hazzben, you’re pretty connected. Is there a chance that UST stays?

EDIT: The comment is at the 32 minute mark if anyone wants to follow along.

[Retired Old Rat]

VOJ being VOJ.

UST is out of here.

[Pat Coleman]

UST is definitely gone from the MIAC. It's only the destination that is TBA. However, if they aren't accepted into D-I, perhaps the teams might remain on each other's schedule for a short period.

Besides, looks like you guys will get to replace that great game with beatdowns of Macalester.

I've heard from an inside source that Macalester's affiliate status for football has not been renewed by the MWC, which means that the Scots will have to leave that league after the 2020 season. There's a good chance that the Scots will return to the MIAC for football as soon as it becomes feasible for the league to add them. I can't imagine where else they'd go, unless the UMAC would be willing to add a tenth team for balance and Macalester would prefer to hook up with that circuit rather than come back to the MIAC.

Makes sense for the MWC at this point. Macalester in 2021 would be an 11th team, and there's little point in having an 11th football team if you don't also have a 12th.

[Retired Old Rat]

Dear God, please don't make us play Mac.  We have too many cream puffs already.  No entertainment value and does not help make the team better.  Unless you are talking about the 3rd string.

[Pat Coleman]

Dear God, please don't make us play Mac.  We have too many cream puffs already.  No entertainment value and does not help make the team better.  Unless you are talking about the 3rd string.

Suppose SJU could always join the WIAC?

[Baldini]

I've heard from an inside source that Macalester's affiliate status for football has not been renewed by the MWC, which means that the Scots will have to leave that league after the 2020 season. There's a good chance that the Scots will return to the MIAC for football as soon as it becomes feasible for the league to add them. I can't imagine where else they'd go, unless the UMAC would be willing to add a tenth team for balance and Macalester would prefer to hook up with that circuit rather than come back to the MIAC.

IMO, I think Macalester would be a good fit for football in the UMAC. The UMAC was a 10 team league until Eureka left for the NACC a few seasons ago, but Macalester's location would fit in better for the Minnesota schools. The program also seems to be on par competition wise with the teams that have been at the top of the UMAC standing the past several seasons. I know it would be football only, but I do like the idea of them being added there.   

[MUC57]

GO JOHNNIES!  GOOD LUCK !