FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Mr.MIAC]

Bench, good analysis.

The narrative last week was how much Dubuque had improved since the first game of the season against St. Johns.  I posted that the improvement made by St. John's were not being taken into consideration.

So, we see from Saturday's outcome the Johnnies have indeed improved significantly.

Question is, has UST made an equivalent improvement?

This is hard to quantify. I want to say yes, but they've just been so cohesive throughout the year it's hard to tell where they have improved and where they have dropped off. I think if you were to say what games they were at their best against quality opponents, I'd say SJU, GAC, Augsburg and Bethel. They were sluggish and not playing up to their potential against La Verne and Concordia.

So, they've had some rough starts to games recently, but this team has some sort of zen-like approach to the game that minor adversities really don't seem to phase them at all. After half time of the SJU game they just seemed so, calm. As in, they were relaxed, joking with each other, even during the game. Not in a, "We're not taking them seriously" kind of way, but more a confident, like, we've got them figured out and now we know what to do, kind of way. If that makes sense. Same with the Concordia game, where the Cobbers were making it interesting, then they sort of regrouped and put it away.

Perfect adjective to describe the Tommies' first quarter play last week. From my vantage point in the stands, even Caruso seemed to lack his usual intensity early in the game. Any thoughts on why this was the case? 

[Pat Coleman]

Super vanilla play-calling early on, too, especially on that first trip into the red zone.

[D O.C.]

My take could be wrong. (Really?) Style points are what a team needs to impress the NCAA for the regional rankings to get into the playoffs.

Once seeded #1, scoring big on a team becomes less important than using effective offense to win (don't show anything you may use expressly for your next potential opponent) and, of course, a tight defense.

HOWEVER, LINFIELD just might have to show an ankle here and there to the NCAA to get a home game in the semi-finals should they and Tomcats win out.

non?

[Boys of Fall]

Perfect adjective to describe the Tommies' first quarter play last week. From my vantage point in the stands, even Caruso seemed to lack his usual intensity early in the game. Any thoughts on why this was the case?
[/quote]
It could have been the Tommies overlooking Laverne to the Johnnie game.  I don't need a lot of bashing saying this is overinflated ego on the part of the Johnnies.  This second round game is bigger for each of these teams than the first round game was.  Nothing either team needs to explain, they both got the job done against inferior teams in round one.

I think there are two keys to Saturday's game.  Can the Tommies continue their second half running attack behind their big o-line or will the Johnnie defense do a better job slowing that down, and can the the Johnnie offense execute a more diverse offensive attack as they had the two prior games.

[Mr.MIAC]

My take could be wrong. (Really?) Style points are what a team needs to impress the NCAA for the regional rankings to get into the playoffs.

Once seeded #1, scoring big on a team becomes less important than using effective offense to win (don't show anything you may use expressly for your next potential opponent) and, of course, a tight defense.

HOWEVER, LINFIELD just might have to show an ankle here and there to the NCAA to get a home game in the semi-finals should they and Tomcats win out.

non?

You make an interesting point about strategic planning for the playoffs...

Coach Caruso often talks about playoff preparation during the regular season. When this preparation is manifested in regular season games, the result can be embarrassing for opponents. Caruso has plenty of critics, especially amongst certain MIAC teams, who try to discredit his approach. I don't think these critics are most upset by the blowouts, trick plays, or hand-holding. I think it's that these things combined with the playoff preparation talk create a narrative they find distasteful. I'm not sure what specifically characterizes this narrative or how it's received exactly, but in general I think critics see the Tommies viewing other MIAC teams as simply a means to an end. The perception is that the Tommies view other MIAC teams as practice squads, there to help them prepare for the playoffs, rather than as equals to meet on the field. I'm not saying perception is reality, but I can see how this would rub some people the wrong way.

So here are my questions: How do other perennial powerhouses (MU, UWW, Linfield, etc.) operate during the regular season? Do their conference opponents feel like they're being cast in the practice squad role? If not, what are these teams doing differently?

[ChicagoTommie]

Nice well said! +k!!!!

[Pat Coleman]

Gagliardi Trophy semifinalists are out: http://www.d3football.com/notables/2015/11/gagliardi-semifinalists-announced

We host the fan voting this year, once again! You may cast one vote per device.

[hazzben]

The perception is that the Tommies view other MIAC teams as practice squads, there to help them prepare for the playoffs, rather than as equals to meet on the field. I'm not saying perception is reality, but I can see how this would rub some people the wrong way.

So here are my questions: How do other perennial powerhouses (MU, UWW, Linfield, etc.) operate during the regular season? Do their conference opponents feel like they're being cast in the practice squad role? If not, what are these teams doing differently?

I don't think the top programs in the MIAC think UST views them as practice squads. I've never heard someone utter this non-sense.

What rubs people the wrong way is more likely the reality that you continually seem to think you guys are God's gift to football and tradition. I can see the comparison to Linfield, over the past 5-7 years you've had comparable success. But in what alternative universe is UST to be mentioned as a 'perennial powerhouse' alongside Mount and UWW?!?

If you posed this question to NCC, Linfield and, let's say Wesley, it would at least have some basis in reality. It'd still smack as pretty arrogant, but to be expected. But seriously, Mount and UWW...com' on man!!  Win at least 2 Stagg Bowls before you start talking about being a perennial powerhouse and dynasty. 

[OzJohnnie]

Johnnie/Tommie II: Coed confusion ("You mean we're filming a football game?")

[hazzben]

I will say this. In 1995 I watched UND beat NDSU for the Nickel Trophy on November 4, 21 to 7.  Two weeks after UND won the Nickel Trophy they found out they would be hosting the Bison at the old Memorial Stadium in Grand Forks. It wasn't the same atmosphere, maybe it was the weekend before Thanksgiving and there weren't nearly as many students, or maybe it was because it was an NCAA game and students had to pay, or possibly because it was really cold. Back then, the opposing team got dressed in the old Ralph Engelstad Arena and WALKED THROUGH THE UND TAILGATE to get to the stadium. This is where I learned how to curse. I remember Bison CB Jerome Cheatham (Who's brother James was a 2 time All-American safety for UND) walking through our tailgate screaming, "Y'all can keep the f**king trophy, we're taking this one." Long story short, the Bison won 41 to 10. UND has always had a tradition of running the UND flag around the stadium after every touchdown. Some brave Bison fan decided to mock that tradition in the second half after NDSU was up big. He got hit by about 9 million snowballs and then tackled by UND PD to cap it off.

So, in short, UST better not take SJU lightly because of what happened earlier this year.

I think part of this is often owing to the fact that the team the loses one of these games tends to scour itself a little more fully.

It's just human nature. You win big in a rivalry game and you're going to be pretty pumped and pleased. You'll watch the film and look to improve, but you also know you won the game. When you're on the losing side of one of these efforts, there's usually an entirely deeper level of scrutiny that takes place. You're asking the questions about how to get over the hump, what to change, what has to improve. For the coaching staff that's willing to take the hard look in the mirror, it can be a defining moment in a season. See OSU last year following V-Tech. Or for a better analogy, Bama vs. LSU a few years back. LSU wins rd one in a defensive battle, but Bama comes back and wins the title.

Not saying UST will lose Saturday, but I think Bench brings up valid points. And its obviously always hard to beat a very good team twice. SJU is a very good team. It will be nice for UST to get to play this at home this time around as well.

[Mr.MIAC]

The perception is that the Tommies view other MIAC teams as practice squads, there to help them prepare for the playoffs, rather than as equals to meet on the field. I'm not saying perception is reality, but I can see how this would rub some people the wrong way.

So here are my questions: How do other perennial powerhouses (MU, UWW, Linfield, etc.) operate during the regular season? Do their conference opponents feel like they're being cast in the practice squad role? If not, what are these teams doing differently?

I don't think the top programs in the MIAC think UST views them as practice squads. I've never heard someone utter this non-sense.

What rubs people the wrong way is more likely the reality that you continually seem to think you guys are God's gift to football and tradition. I can see the comparison to Linfield, over the past 5-7 years you've had comparable success. But in what alternative universe is UST to be mentioned as a 'perennial powerhouse' alongside Mount and UWW?!?

If you posed this question to NCC, Linfield and, let's say Wesley, it would at least have some basis in reality. It'd still smack as pretty arrogant, but to be expected. But seriously, Mount and UWW...com' on man!!  Win at least 2 Stagg Bowls before you start talking about being a perennial powerhouse and dynasty. 

Well, I'll clarify then. I don't think top teams in the MIAC think UST views them as practice squads. I'm talking about some of the more vocal UST critics who support the teams. I'm also talking only about the Caruso era so seven years. I'm not saying UST (or Linfield) has been in the same league as MU or UWW during that period. I'm talking about being a powerhouse within one's own conference during that period. I could have thrown a bunch of other teams in that bin, but thought listing a few top-ranked teams and an "etc." covered the bases.

[Retired Old Rat]

Since 2010*, when the modern age of DIII football dawned, the visiting team in the SJU/CST matchup has won 5 out of 6 games.

* The year the Toms broke the Johnnies victory streak at 12.

[Mr.MIAC]

Since 2010*, when the modern age of DIII football dawned, the visiting team in the SJU/CST matchup has won 5 out of 6 games.

* The year the Toms broke the Johnnies victory streak at 12.

I thought we were already in a postmodern age of DIII football, where the off-field banter is viewed as just as important to constructing social reality as the play on the field.

[OzJohnnie]

Powerhouse, ROR, powerhouse. Dynasty!  Let's keep saying it until we believe it. And one day we might earn it.

[Mr.MIAC]

Powerhouse, ROR, powerhouse. Dynasty!  Let's keep saying it until we believe it. And one day we might earn it.

Somehow I knew that postmodern joke would tease you out of the woodwork.