FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Retired Old Rat]

I think the fact that TDT and AO (not even from an MIAC school) are the -k leaders indicates that we Johnnie's are equal opportunity smiters.   

Hamms, fishing, soccer sucks, St. Glenn is the best D3 coach of all time, etc., etc., etc.
(Just trying to boost my karma)

[DuffMan]

Duff, no getting worked up...I assure you. Just keep the hits coming please!

Alas!  I can only ding you once every 24 hours! 

[bennie]

I had a father of an incoming student in my office today. After teasing me that I had the wrong football team on my screen saver (red and white doesn't look anything like yellow and green), he asked which team it was. Turns out he played football for Central College (IA) and remembered playing the Johnnies in the play-offs back in the day. It is a small world!!!

[BDB]

bennie, you should plan for "Hockey Day in Minnesota" next year when SJU plays my Blue Devils at the X-Cel Energy Center. I'll be there and I hope to see some of the MIACPP regulars there as well.

[badgerwarhawk]

Some  believe the WIAC is the best DIII conference in the country.  I think they're wrong.  Clearly the MIAC is vastly superior. Why I know for a fact that the last place team in the MIAC could easily beat the first place team in the WIAC.  There's no doubt about it.  It wouldn't even be close.  In fact it should be forbidden in the name of sportsmanship if for no other reason.  This is true not only in football but in every other sport that matters and those that don't matter too.  It isn't easy to confess this.  It's taken me a long time to come to this point.  But I just can't deny it and look at myself in the mirror any longer.  All hail the MIAC.  The rest of us are just pretenders.





If this doesn't increase my karma I give up.

[DuffMan]

Finally, some sense from the WIAC! 

[D3MAFAN]

Finally, some sense from the WIAC! 

Didn't say common.

[OzJohnnie]

Some  believe the WIAC is the best DIII conference in the country.  I think they're wrong.  Clearly the MIAC is vastly superior. Why I know for a fact that the last place team in the MIAC could easily beat the first place team in the WIAC.  There's no doubt about it.  It wouldn't even be close.  In fact it should be forbidden in the name of sportsmanship if for no other reason.  This is true not only in football but in every other sport that matters and those that don't matter too.  It isn't easy to confess this.  It's taken me a long time to come to this point.  But I just can't deny it and look at myself in the mirror any longer.  All hail the MIAC.  The rest of us are just pretenders.





If this doesn't increase my karma I give up.

I gave you a +k, but seeing as passive/aggressive is so much damned fun I think you'll find a few pings coming your way from the WIAC denizens.  If they can read, of course.

[sju56321]

No doubt Hamline would put the hurt on UWW-in much the same way the Bears will put the hurt on the Packers. Quit ducking Hamline UWW!

[Tom Thumb]

My goodness. Brenton looks like he put on 15 pounds from last season. He should be a beast this year.

https://twitter.com/UST_Football/status/360565453988429824/photo/1

[Tom Thumb]

MIAC players on the D3football.com Preseason All America Team:

First Team
TE   Adam Carl, Sr., Augsburg
LB   Seth Mathis, Sr., Bethel

Second Team
LB    Tremayne Williams, Sr., St. Thomas
P      Garrett Maloney, Sr., St. Thomas

A few thoughts.

• As strong as the MIAC is right now, this seems like lower representation than we've had in the past (NB: I didn't actually look it up). Maybe we're under-represented. Maybe there's just been a significant improvement in your 'average' MIAC starter. Maybe both.
• I applaud Pat, Keith & Co. for keeping their teams to 11 men per side of the ball. The proliferation of positions is silly. Make the teams a legit honor. They do it the right way, having 4 'teams' named All America at the end of the season. This recognizes the exclusivity of the award as well as the fact that D3 has at least double the amount of players of most other divisions with two or three teams.
• I expect we'll see a few more Tommies (gag) at the end of the season. They have a lot of young talent, some of which was hurt last year.
• To any MIAC player pumped (or disappointed) to (not)make the Preseason Team. You haven't earned or missed out on an honor yet. The real one is after the year. So don't get an inflated ego, simply recognize the spotlight is on you, now do the most with it. And stop reading this board, every minute you're on here listening to a bunch of chubby middle aged guys pontificate is a minute you should be watching film, lifting and just soaking up the finite amount of time you get to be a college football player.

Finally, here's who I'd put on my MIAC watch list. Guys not named Preseason who I think have a chance to be on one of the teams come seasons end:

Asp, St. Olaf, WR - Needs to play up to his potential. New coach and new QB are his biggest hurdles
Scott, Augsburg, QB - If he makes the improvement most guys make in year two as a starter, he could be scary good this year. Shouldn't get denied a spot just because he's a soph
Hallstrom, Bethel, WR - He's a talent. Physical, imposing, athletic with a great set of hands. Peterson having a year under his belt only makes him a greater threat.
Pitera, UST, OLB - He'll be one of the leaders on a great D
Ferrazzo, UST, WR - All the talent, tons of speed, solid QB. Could have a breakout year.
Braddock, UST, RB - Maybe still a year away from AA honors, but the potential is there
Insert Name, UST, DL - They've got some hosses up front. Some big names graduated, I'm guessing one of the new guys makes a name for himself

Who'd I miss?

I may have to throw Sean Hamlin, DB in there. I think he will have a great year.

Also, with respect to the RB situation at Bethel, who do you think will be the front-runner? Marquardt or Phenow?

[art76]

I may have to throw Sean Hamlin, DB in there. I think he will have a great year.

Also, with respect to the RB situation at Bethel, who do you think will be the front-runner? Marquardt or Phenow?
[/quote]

I think Marquardt will if he can keep his knees healthy. But with the addition of the Klitzke kid at the end of the season last year, there is now a terrible trio of RBs that Bethel can go to (with more in the wings). If the O Line can move folks out of the way, all three of these guys could have 700 or 800 yard years - one might even break 1000 with a few scampers.

And on a personal note, I played with the dads of Marquardt and Klitzke back in the day - yeah, I'm old as dirt.

[DuffMan]

There was a fall-like chill in the air this morning.  It'll be football season before you know it...bittersweet. 

[hazzben]

Also, with respect to the RB situation at Bethel, who do you think will be the front-runner? Marquardt or Phenow?

Klitzke actually led the team in rushing last year as a freshman. And by a decent margin along with 5.7 ypc. I'll be interested to see what a year in the weight room does for him, he showed last year that he had the foot speed and instincts.

If I had to prognosticate, with zero insider information, I'd say I see all three getting a fair share of touches. But Marquardt has proven to be very good as a receiver, so I wonder if they might throw in some wrinkles with him lined up outside.

With how banged up Marquardt and Phenow were last year, it certainly doesn't hurt to have the options. Hopefully they can all stay healthy. If they do, then I think it'll be a bit of pick your poison. Phenow to pound away, Marquardt for his versatility, Klitzke as a quick, elusive change of pace (although I think he's good between the tackles as well).

The key will really be up front though. They graduated some talent. They've got some experience returning and the guys they are hoping to pump in have strong potential (I think they also got a transfer from Auggie in Sioux Falls). But the Oline is a spot that needs to gel in a unique way for a good season. If they do, we've got the potential for the most balanced offense Bethel's had since probably 2003 between Peterson, Hallstrom, Hilbrands and the RB's.

A fun one to watch is going to be Bryce Marquardt at WR. He's got a chance to get on the field as a frosh. He had a phenomenal baseball season and so they almost lost him late in the game to another offer. But he'll be a key addition in terms of depth and I'd bet probably lots of action as a return man.

[Johnnie Red]

Bennie, you talk about the small world and meeting a former Central player. I had a comparable experience this past spring when I was in Reno, Nevada for the National Judicial College. There was a judge from Iowa in attendance who was in my group. Turns out he played football for Simpson and got to play the Johnnies in the Mineral Water Bowl in 1969.