FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[art76]

Game of the week was in Arden Hills - at least for the MIAC this week. If I was a nail biter by habit I might be typing now with nubbins - it was a very back and forth game. Seeing that O'Connell got benched gives us some insight about where the Tommies are as a program. Being down 21 to 0 and putting in the number 2 QB could be interpreted as an acceptance that the Tommies realized that they weren't going to win the game and may not even make the play-offs - let's take some time and develop next year's starter. I don't know how many more seasons Gould has, but he definitely sparked a renewal - or the coach did in the locker room - something changed though.

Would love to see the film on that on-side kick, as it looked to me like the kicking team touched the ball incidentally before it went ten yards. What happened after that has already been mentioned. The fans sitting around me could not believe the call - it seemed a bit "over the top". We all noticed that the officials were really watching closely during ensuing kick-offs.

Lastly, "penalty-itis" has crept back into Bethel's on-field operations - and it's killing them.

[RoyalsFan]

Lastly, "penalty-itis" has crept back into Bethel's on-field operations - and it's killing them.

I think you are being a little too critical here - 3 penalties for 35 yards doesn't constitute 'penalty-itis' IMO. So which penalties really hurt them? The first one was a block in the back and they got a first down and then a td after that, no harm there. The roughing the passer was the only one that kind of hurt them, but UST had momentum and was moving the ball anyway. The other one was a holding call on the secondary, and it was on a 1st down play, so overall I didn't think the penalties killed them. 

[DuffMan]

Carleton was way over-matched today, but SJU looked good.   My only complaint was stupid penalties--easily cleaned up, though.  SJU was 8 for 8 on trips to the red zone today.  What a difference from 2013 when SJU had problems finishing drives.  The blocked punt was sweet.  Those are always fun to see.  My favorite play of the game occurred in the late 3rd or early 4th quarter.  Backup QB Johnny Benson leveled a Carleton LB lead blocking on a sweep.

I was relieved to meet OzJohnnie and verify that we're not all being "catfished" by some slack-jawed yokel in Long Prairie.

Go Johnnies!

[hazzben]

Lastly, "penalty-itis" has crept back into Bethel's on-field operations - and it's killing them.

I think you are being a little too critical here - 3 penalties for 35 yards doesn't constitute 'penalty-itis' IMO. So which penalties really hurt them? The first one was a block in the back and they got a first down and then a td after that, no harm there. The roughing the passer was the only one that kind of hurt them, but UST had momentum and was moving the ball anyway. The other one was a holding call on the secondary, and it was on a 1st down play, so overall I didn't think the penalties killed them.

Yeah, 3 penalties for 35 yds is hardly anything. The roughing the passer was questionable and a pretty bang, bang play, IMO. I didn't see the hold on Treimer, a few UST fans commented they didn't see it either. Of course,it happened 15 yds from the end of the route, so who knows how many people were actually watching the DB/WR at the point the flag was thrown.

But it's far from 'Killing them.' That, and last week they had zero against Chicago.

[Pat Coleman]

I was going to post before the games today that I was really surprised no one on Triple Take took St. Thomas v Bethel as the Game of the Week. Keith did say Bethel was most likely to get upset, with the caveat he was really just saying it would be a very competitive game, not necessarily that he was picking the upset.

In hindsight, these two might not have been the best Triple Take picks we've ever seen:

Game of the week
Keith's take: No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor at Texas Lutheran.
We hear this all the time: "You guys don't give us any respect." "No love for my team in the top 25?" Here's the thing: Respect is earned, not given. That's the difference right now between the two 6-0 teams in Texas, but what a giant opportunity this is for Texas Lutheran, which was 0-10 before coach Danny Padron was hired in 2010 following a highly successful run coaching in high school. UMHB is one of the five most successful programs in D-III over the past 10 or 15 years, and this year's squad is well worth its No. 2 ranking. Both teams come in top 5 nationally in scoring offense, averaging more than 49 points per game. Defense is where the separation is; UMHB allows 11.5 points per game, TLU 26.3. That puts the spotlight on a Bulldogs defense led by DBs Drake Dowling and Michael Wall, although seniors Adam McGuire, Joey Meza and Ethan Powell have a chance to leave a mark. The crazy thing is TLU doesn't even have to win to earn respect, move up in the top 25 or preserve its playoff hopes. They're in front of their home crowd, and UMHB is expected to win, and maybe win big. It's an opportunity.

Pat's take: No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor at Texas Lutheran.
Sorry, I have to repeat Keith's pick here because it's just a game that can swing a lot of things: UMHB's hopes at a top seed, Texas Lutheran's playoff hopes (and perhaps the hopes of others) as well as rankings for both of them. Texas Lutheran has been through a few changes recently: leaving the ASC for the SCAC, leaving a local high school stadium for a more intimate stadium of its own on campus ... oh, and it's started winning more games. TLU has a lot of former Mary Hardin-Baylor players and coaches on its sidelines as well, in case anyone needs any extra motivation.

Result
UMHB: 72
Texas Lutheran: 16   

Well, it was a very important game because it determined whether or not Texas Lutheran was going to take up a Pool B bid. Even if it wasn't competitive, the outcome was important to have. If anything because it will silence the Texas Lutheran fans who don't understand why they were ranked in the coaches' poll and not in ours. (Short answer: Because that's what the coaches do -- rank unbeaten teams regardless of quality.)

[AO]

I was relieved to meet OzJohnnie and verify that we're not all being "catfished" by some slack-jawed yokel in Long Prairie.

Yokels?  In Long Prairie, the Paris of the Midwest?  sartell would make more sense.

[OzJohnnie]

Carleton was way over-matched today, but SJU looked good.   My only complaint was stupid penalties--easily cleaned up, though.  SJU was 8 for 8 on trips to the red zone today.  What a difference from 2013 when SJU had problems finishing drives.  The blocked punt was sweet.  Those are always fun to see.  My favorite play of the game occurred in the late 3rd or early 4th quarter.  Backup QB Johnny Benson leveled a Carleton LB lead blocking on a sweep.

I was relieved to meet OzJohnnie and verify that we're not all being "catfished" by some slack-jawed yokel in Long Prairie.

Go Johnnies!

Yes, I had a great time meeting everyone.  Duffman (thanks for the seats), 105, ROR, Veek, JJR and Charlie.  I'm sorry I got separated, duff, when I stopped to talk to some friends.  It was a beautiful day with great company and a double monkey stomp. A guy couldn't ask for more.

[hazzben]

Well, it was a very important game because it determined whether or not Texas Lutheran was going to take up a Pool B bid. Even if it wasn't competitive, the outcome was important to have. If anything because it will silence the Texas Lutheran fans who don't understand why they were ranked in the coaches' poll and not in ours. (Short answer: Because that's what the coaches do -- rank unbeaten teams regardless of quality.)

I don't disagree it was an important one. I was just surprised to see both of you pick the same game. Especially when it meant no one picked UST v. Bethel.

But the other pick for Game of the Week certainly didn't disappoint!

[BDB]

I was relieved to meet OzJohnnie and verify that we're not all being "catfished" by some slack-jawed yokel in Long Prairie.

This line needs to be immediately sent over for induction into the MIACPP Museum of Hall of Fame posts!

[sjusection105]

Nice to see Oz Johnnie again to drink beer and tell lies. You picked a good game to attend for two reason,the weather didn't suck and the Johnnies took care of business on the field. It would have been bad news to fly half way around the world to see the boys come up on the short side of the scoreboard.

[sjusection105]

For those in attendance in Arden Hills yesterday did Caruso have any meltdowns on the sidelines?
Are the Tommies at a tipping point? Is the bloom off the rose? Is this the point where recruits,who 5 or 6 years ago, would choose UST over another MIAC school,and Caruso was the X Factor-are the current recruits  opting for other MIAC schools because of the coaching style of Caruso? I have no idea, I'm asking the question. It seems that the Tommies are good but not great as in years past. Let's open the floor to discuss and give viewpoints for and against the Caruso coaching style model.

For those who don't know what "coaching style model" I am referencing it's the model of getting into the face of a player or assistant coach and screaming for 3-5 minutes, then going to the rest of the group and start talking schemes,then stopping to get back into the face of said player or assistant coach and screaming again for another 3-5 minutes.

It's pretty impressive when you are hosting 50+ high school recruits as was the case during the SJU-UST the past 2 years.

[BDB]

You are not being sarcastic, are you 105? 

[art76]

Lastly, "penalty-itis" has crept back into Bethel's on-field operations - and it's killing them.

I think you are being a little too critical here - 3 penalties for 35 yards doesn't constitute 'penalty-itis' IMO. So which penalties really hurt them? The first one was a block in the back and they got a first down and then a td after that, no harm there. The roughing the passer was the only one that kind of hurt them, but UST had momentum and was moving the ball anyway. The other one was a holding call on the secondary, and it was on a 1st down play, so overall I didn't think the penalties killed them.

Perhaps I am expecting too much from where I sit. While the first one only slowed them down to an eventual score, the two on defence definitely made it easier on the Tommies. Killers may have been an overstatement I'll concede, as none of them "cost them the game".

Now the "rest of the story". Providentially, we happened to be sitting right next to a neutral fan that came out to watch the match-up. What made it even more fun to sit next to this guy was the fact that he had just retired this past year as an official in the MIAC and he was here to also catch up with his old crew. So at half-time he was down there rubbing elbows with those guys. During the first half he commented and pointed out where both sides were doing things that could have drawn penalties. He did not sit next to us in the second half.

We all noticed that both sides were holding inside - the jersey pulling was clearly evident. Both sides were bumping too far off the line and there was contact when the ball was in the air. But it was all happening away from the play and not affecting the outcome of the game.

I wonder how far North Central and St. Thomas drop in the polls?

[GoldandBlueBU]

For those in attendance in Arden Hills yesterday did Caruso have any meltdowns on the sidelines?
Are the Tommies at a tipping point? Is the bloom off the rose? Is this the point where recruits,who 5 or 6 years ago, would choose UST over another MIAC school,and Caruso was the X Factor-are the current recruits  opting for other MIAC schools because of the coaching style of Caruso? I have no idea, I'm asking the question. It seems that the Tommies are good but not great as in years past. Let's open the floor to discuss and give viewpoints for and against the Caruso coaching style model.

For those who don't know what "coaching style model" I am referencing it's the model of getting into the face of a player or assistant coach and screaming for 3-5 minutes, then going to the rest of the group and start talking schemes,then stopping to get back into the face of said player or assistant coach and screaming again for another 3-5 minutes.

It's pretty impressive when you are hosting 50+ high school recruits as was the case during the SJU-UST the past 2 years.

Didn't notice any major blow ups out of GC.  Normal stuff when he wanted a penalty a couple of times, but nothing that you don't see out of most coaches.

I was wondering the same in regard to the direction of UST...next week vs CORD will tell a lot since ust is effectively out of the playoffs, and Concordia is likely in as a 1 loss team if they win out.

I remember when rev MIAC would come on here and post questions about the dominance of UST...I'd be curious to ask him what he thinks has led to the recent decline.  They seem to be getting quality recruits...lots of very good athletes on the field, fancy facilities, and lots of "need based" money to throw around.  So is Caruso just an inferior coach?  He left 6 points off the board yesterday by going for it on 4th down in situations where they could've taken a field goal.  No telling how that could have effected the game, but it was on him. 

Is the average UST player going into the game with the expectation that they deserve to win, then when they face a quality team like SJU or BU, they don't know how to handle themselves?

It's kind of shocking how this team was in the national championship two years ago, same qb, lots of young players on the field, and now they'll miss the playoffs two seasons straight.

[sjusection105]

You are not being sarcastic, are you 105? 

How long have you known me.... 10 years perhaps? Me, sarcastic.... you must be joking