FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[USTBench]

It's official. UND coach Chris Mussman is now FORMER UND coach Chris Mussman. Steve Johnson and Gary Fasching to be considered leading candidates for the job.

My sources say that Caruso went immediately from UST's game on saturday to look for homes in the Grand Forks area, and that after UST didn't make the playoffs, they put in a full price offer on a property near the university...

It's the NCAA mandated day off, as such it's no surprise I have spotted Steve Johnson talking to UND AD Brian Faison in a booth at the Red Pepper. They were sharing a grinder and looking pretty chummy.

I again sparked my make-believe-but-should-actually-have-merit rumors about Caruso to Columbia today when I wrote about the sorry state of the Lions' program.

Obviously I'm mostly joking. But totally serious about how he would be a good fit there but also just how bizarre some college hirings are. Columbia, of course, has been mostly terrible forever, with a few okay years thrown in. Two years ago they fired their coach after a 1-one season and brought in the Ivy equivalent of Tim Brewster, an old coach named Pete Mangurian, who most recently had been like a receivers coach with Tampa. People at the time thought, huh? Rumors back then said the coach at Don Bosco -- one of best programs in country -- was interested in the job but Columbia didn't even approach him. And you just look at someone like Caruso, who had experience at bigger levels as an assistant and then did a great job at a moribund program and then turned a moribund program into a national power, plus has the enthusiasm and drive to succeed wherever he goes, and wonder what colleges see when they hire some of these guys.

Now Columbia's in open revolt but it sounds like the president will refuse to fire him. If he does can him...I have a candidate for the Lions.

Here's the main fan blog. Tell me GC couldn't do some good in our little village of NYC.

http://culions.blogspot.com/

Hmmm...3 kids and a wife on an FCS non-scholarship salary, in NYC. Don't see it.

Honestly, I would hate to see Caruso leave UST for obvious and selfish reasons. But if he does go, I sure hope it's UND, again, for selfish and obvious reasons. One stipulation I would have is that Wallie Kuchinski just get promoted to HC. I don't know if he has the same out-in-front charisma that GC has, but he's obviously extremely good at what he does.

[ChicagoTommie]

A disappointing end to a disappointing season seeing a beast from the east two-loss team with an inflated SOS from the pathetic east (a program the Tommies monkey-stomped 2 years ago) get the last bid.  From a "you've gotta be kidding me" standpoint it would have been nicer to see a one-loss squad get in.  Turns out you can't overcome a firstfull of turnovers and missed kicks against Johnnie Sorcery. 

Reload and refire next year, Tommies!

Don't get the SJF boys started. It's all just a race to see who gets pounded by UMHB in that region anyway.

Hard to say this will be "good" for UST, but it just goes to show you that you can't talk about home-field advantage in the playoffs in August. "One game at a time" should be a more overstated theme from here on out.

Thanks to those seniors for some awesome memories, 3 conference titles and a National Championship appearance is something to be very proud of. Special shout out to Garrett Engelhardt. Never met the guy, but just to stick it out for the duration of a career with that kind of talent as competition just goes to show you that UST has the right type of kids in the program.

Yes I totally agree!  The Tommie's have recruited well in the last 2 years... they have some great talent to reload with, they have an arsenal of D Line and O line players just chomping at the bit to get on the field, plus they are very deep with QB talent to fill the void if Matt O'Connell does not make it back from that horrifying injury (compound fracture to his lower leg).  The only thing positive about UST not making the playoffs is the pain the kids feel now... Embrace the suck and remember how it feels now when you hit the field next fall!  I am very optimistic for next year and I love the fact that UST will have a lot to prove in the MIAC next fall.

The off season training has started a lot of the kids are already in the gym doing what they can to improve, "really nice to hear about", Anyway I  feel very strongly that with all the returning talent we should be in a great position to take back the title next year!

Also I hope Bethel goes all the way!!! I will be watching and cheering them on...Take Pride & Good Luck in representing the MIAC in the Playoffs. 

[GoldandBlueBU]

As a form of an extension to the Pick 'em season, I'd encourage all to fill out a bracket for the D3 football playoffs at http://d3photography.com/bracket_challenge/

I wish you all luck, as I'd feel a bit greedy winning the whole contest two years in a row.... 

Additionally, it would be awesome to see this guy carrying the ball somewhere in D3...

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/meet-tony-picard-gigantic-high-school-running-back-111613

[faunch]

As a form of an extension to the Pick 'em season, I'd encourage all to fill out a bracket for the D3 football playoffs at http://d3photography.com/bracket_challenge/

I wish you all luck, as I'd feel a bit greedy winning the whole contest two years in a row.... 

Additionally, it would be awesome to see this guy carrying the ball somewhere in D3...

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/meet-tony-picard-gigantic-high-school-running-back-111613

Reminds me of Sweeny from UWEC.  Thank God he was a senior.

[faunch]

It's official. UND coach Chris Mussman is now FORMER UND coach Chris Mussman. Steve Johnson and Gary Fasching to be considered leading candidates for the job.

My sources say that Caruso went immediately from UST's game on saturday to look for homes in the Grand Forks area, and that after UST didn't make the playoffs, they put in a full price offer on a property near the university...

Happened to snap this picture as I drove past Coach C's block today...I'm not sayin'....

[OzJohnnie]

Fixed it for you.

[sfury]

Fixed it for you.

How I admire those with photoshop skills.

[SagatagSam]

Oz works wonders like that with Photoshop.

I was having troubles getting hits on my online dating profile before he helped me fix my image:

[faunch]

Fixed it for you.

How I admire those with photoshop skills.

You probably should have edited out the green leaves and green grass too...things are starting to look kind of brown in Highland. 

[BDB]

[  The only thing positive about UST not making the playoffs is the pain the kids feel now... Embrace the suck and remember how it feels now when you hit the field next fall!  I am very optimistic for next year and I love the fact that UST will have a lot to prove in the MIAC next fall.

CT, you do have a way with words.

[wartknight]

Fixed it for you.

Too funny! Good job OZ!

[RoyalsFan]

It was miserable for those of us not sitting in the luxury boxes (sjusection105), and with the the way the game was unfolding, I am not surprised that a lot of folks emptied out at the half.  Had I brought my family, I certainly would have, too, but I stuck it out to the bitter end.  The boys on the field fought hard, and they deserved our hearty appreciation.  It took me a few hours to dry out and warm up afterwards despite being well-prepared!  The upside of the attendance was that parking was easier than normal as was the exit from campus. 

I would pick watching the game in Collegeville with Saturday's weather over 60 degrees and sunny in Arden Hills any day of the week!

It turns out that the doc that will be delivering our baby is a Bethel grad.  Should I be worried??? 

Wow - you must have some really bad memories from Arden Hills. 

[art76]

Sharing a little exercise I've done the last couple of years, but never posted here on this board (that I can recollect).

I took the playoff bracket and simply put the final top 25 ranking from D3 football next to each team. For teams not in the top 25 but still receiving votes, I simply continued counting down until there were no more teams with votes. Finally, if a team received no votes they got the highest number, which this year is a 39. There are 6 39 teams this year, 3 on each side of the bracket. Here are the results:

184 UWW
180 BU
178 UMHB
155 UMU

These numbers say that the "toughest" bracket is Mount Union's - but don't be fooled by the total numbers. If we take just the top two teams in each bracket we come up with these numbers:

11 UMU
11 UMHB
10 BU
7 UWW

Finally, taking the top 4 teams in each bracket we get these numbers:

45 UMHB
40 UWW
38 UMU - two of these teams play in the first round, effectively making it a three horse race in the second round.
31 BU

Being a BU fan is not the reason for my saying the following, but it seems pretty obvious that the BU bracket looks the toughest to get through, regardless of what team you are rooting for in the finals.

Go Royals!

[DuffMan]

Wow - you must have some really bad memories from Arden Hills. 

More that I just think it's a terrible place to watch a game.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Wow - you must have some really bad memories from Arden Hills. 

More that I just think it's a terrible place to watch a game.

Just curious, what makes it such a bad place to watch a game?  I'll give you that it is one of the lesser setups in the conference, and that it is basically a HS stadium, but what about it makes it terrible?