FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[DuffMan]

Just caught up since last Friday.  Congrats to the Toms.  Though I hate St Thomas, I'm very impressed by their dominance this year.  That being said, I look forward to their dream season crashing very soon.

Go Raiders!

[nkwest]

You'd think I'd be gun-shy by now, but I'm not - after this weekend's results I'm leaning towards a Tommie win. I'm also hoping for a better (read closer) game on Friday night. I just think that even though Mount is "that good" this year, I don't think they'll have quite enough to get by the Tommies.

UST's best is enough, based on what I've seen this season, and it's going to take their very best to beat Mount Union. UST cannot afford the same level of anxiety they experienced in '12 to fuel similar self-inflicted mistakes (misalignments, missed assignments, dropped passes) this week; the margin of error simply isn't there against this championship-caliber opponent.

The biggest question for me will be whether or not they can get off the field on defense. Both UW-W in the '11 Semis and Mount Union in the '12 Final were able to put together multiple long drives resulting in points, the kind of drives that made it clear UST wasn't yet on their level. Methodical, professional, downright enviable drives that left the UST offense sitting on the sideline when it needed as many chances against those great defenses as it could get.

[faunch]

End the speculation - USD names Bob Nielson head coach.

http://www.goyotes.com/news/2015/12/14/FB_1214155957.aspx

[Toph]

Seems like the proper time to spin the tale that is "Saint Glen".

It's 2011, and Mount had just lost to UWW for the third time in a row.  Caruso had been in Salem for a few days, as one of his players was up for the Gagliardi trophy.  He heads to Mount's locker room, and encounters Larry Kehres.  Coach Kehres, after just losing the national championship game, sits with Caruso for around 45 minutes to let him pick his brain, talk football, etc...  LK leaves that meeting thinking that Caruso is a pretty good guy.

Jump forward a year, and it's the Tommies vs. Mount in the Stagg Bowl.  Caruso was acting ummm..."jerky" all week (insert your own word here), and then came the game.  As well documented, Mount has an insurmountable lead, and as per usual classy LK style, starts to take a knee knowing the game is over.  First time they do it, here comes the Tommies through the line wacking the QB.  Caruso calls time-out, gets his men together, and everyone assumes it to tell them to chill out and stay classy.  BUT NOOO...he pretty much tells them to "play to the end of the whistle", and they hit the QB again.  Now LK is totally pissed, and we then run a play.  The Mount players were besides themselves, and wanted to either punch one in the end zone, or punch a certain coach and some of this players. 

After the game LK was hot, and really didn't want to shake Caruso's hand, or hear anything he had to say.  VK will have that memory running through his head this week, so it could get really interesting in the Stagg.  With the Tommies showing they play to the very "end of the whistle", I can see this game getting chippy pretty quickly.  VK might just rip off Caruso's head if that crap happens again.

Like I said...should be fun!

I know we went through this 3 years ago on the OAC board, but who goes into victory formation before they know they can run out the clock?

I think the proper question is: Who is so bush league that he would tell his players to disrupt a victory formation when a team that was beating his brains in was trying to let him lose with some dignity?

But I guess we already know the answer to that one...

[miac952]

Seems like the proper time to spin the tale that is "Saint Glen".

It's 2011, and Mount had just lost to UWW for the third time in a row.  Caruso had been in Salem for a few days, as one of his players was up for the Gagliardi trophy.  He heads to Mount's locker room, and encounters Larry Kehres.  Coach Kehres, after just losing the national championship game, sits with Caruso for around 45 minutes to let him pick his brain, talk football, etc...  LK leaves that meeting thinking that Caruso is a pretty good guy.

Jump forward a year, and it's the Tommies vs. Mount in the Stagg Bowl.  Caruso was acting ummm..."jerky" all week (insert your own word here), and then came the game.  As well documented, Mount has an insurmountable lead, and as per usual classy LK style, starts to take a knee knowing the game is over.  First time they do it, here comes the Tommies through the line wacking the QB.  Caruso calls time-out, gets his men together, and everyone assumes it to tell them to chill out and stay classy.  BUT NOOO...he pretty much tells them to "play to the end of the whistle", and they hit the QB again.  Now LK is totally pissed, and we then run a play.  The Mount players were besides themselves, and wanted to either punch one in the end zone, or punch a certain coach and some of this players. 

After the game LK was hot, and really didn't want to shake Caruso's hand, or hear anything he had to say.  VK will have that memory running through his head this week, so it could get really interesting in the Stagg.  With the Tommies showing they play to the very "end of the whistle", I can see this game getting chippy pretty quickly.  VK might just rip off Caruso's head if that crap happens again.

Like I said...should be fun!

I know we went through this 3 years ago on the OAC board, but who goes into victory formation before they know they can run out the clock?

I think the proper question is: Who is so bush league that he would tell his players to disrupt a victory formation when a team that was beating his brains in was trying to let him lose with some dignity?

But I guess we already know the answer to that one...

A bit of smug hyperbole with the beating the brains in comment. 340-210 in total yards. 20-15 in first downs. MU was clearly better that day, but not to the degree of your definition. It's not how Inepuld have described either of the last two UST playoff wins even though those margins of victory were larger.

Reflecting back that was a very odd sequence. UST punting. MU taking a knee early. I think if the coaching staff at UST had a chance to do it all over again they might have tweaked some things at the end. First time at the Stagg at the time and a maturation process was still happening within the program.

I know there is nothing but gigantic respect from the UST Stagg for MU and the Kehres family. Listen to a couple of the interviews and the podcast today and that will become clear.

Should be a good one Friday. I think both defenses get discredited a bit, compared to the high power offenses.

[OldAuggie]

Hazzben hit the nail on the head last week. This match up does remind me of the scope of dominance of Augsburg and Wartburg wrestling where one of those two schools has won the National Championship since 1995. The take away for me is just how difficult it is to dethrone one of the Giants, in this case Mount Union. UST will need to play a flawless game I think. The stranglehold on this run of National Championships by MU is impressive. If they win, they will have 12 I think which is exactly the number of National Championships the Auggie wrestlers have won which is also a record number. This only happens with extremely deep and established programs like Mount Union. Its hard to understand how some schools dominate for so long in football or wrestling. The numbers dont lie though, this has been a long run for MU and UWW. I hope UST is up to the task. Good luck Tommies!  Hold them to 11 and bring this home for the MIAC.

[ChicagoTommie]

Hazzben hit the nail on the head last week. This match up does remind me of the scope of dominance of Augsburg and Wartburg wrestling where one of those two schools has won the National Championship since 1995. The take away for me is just how difficult it is to dethrone one of the Giants, in this case Mount Union. UST will need to play a flawless game I think. The stranglehold on this run of National Championships by MU is impressive. If they win, they will have 12 I think which is exactly the number of National Championships the Auggie wrestlers have won which is also a record number. This only happens with extremely deep and established programs like Mount Union. Its hard to understand how some schools dominate for so long in football or wrestling. The numbers dont lie though, this has been a long run for MU and UWW. I hope UST is up to the task. Good luck Tommies!  Hold them to 11 and bring this home for the MIAC.

YEAH BUDDY!

I wish the same! ... Tommies leave tomorrow, I hope they have a nice send off!!!

GO TOMMIES!!!

[jamtod]

Congrats to the Tommies! As a Johnnie, I usually hate the Tommies. But this team isn't hard to root for.

The coach, on the other hand...Anyone catch Glenn on SId's show this morning? DId a good job figuring out what the hell Sid was trying to say, but bristled when Dave Lee suggested that their facilities had anything to do with his success. Then he rambled about how he wants recruits to get a feel for the place..blah blah blah. You better not dare question that recruiting and facilities have lead to his success - it's all Glenn .

Link to listen?  Would love to hear for my own ears the part where he bristles.

I tracked down the link and I am about to listen:
http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/audio/sports-huddle-with-sid-and-dave/

[wm4]

Congrats to the Tommies! As a Johnnie, I usually hate the Tommies. But this team isn't hard to root for.

The coach, on the other hand...Anyone catch Glenn on SId's show this morning? DId a good job figuring out what the hell Sid was trying to say, but bristled when Dave Lee suggested that their facilities had anything to do with his success. Then he rambled about how he wants recruits to get a feel for the place..blah blah blah. You better not dare question that recruiting and facilities have lead to his success - it's all Glenn .

From the show, re: facilities

"I understand we have them, I love 'em, they're fantastic...but this program is not a 'stuff' program...this program is a 'heartbeat and people' program"

Turns out "blah blah blah" actually contributed good context to his full answer.

[jamtod]

Congrats to the Tommies! As a Johnnie, I usually hate the Tommies. But this team isn't hard to root for.

The coach, on the other hand...Anyone catch Glenn on SId's show this morning? DId a good job figuring out what the hell Sid was trying to say, but bristled when Dave Lee suggested that their facilities had anything to do with his success. Then he rambled about how he wants recruits to get a feel for the place..blah blah blah. You better not dare question that recruiting and facilities have lead to his success - it's all Glenn .

From the show, re: facilities

"I understand we have them, I love 'em, they're fantastic...but this program is not a 'stuff' program...this program is a 'heartbeat and people' program"

Turns out "blah blah blah" actually contributed good context to his full answer.

He's nothing if not consistent with that response at least.

[faunch]

Congrats to the Tommies! As a Johnnie, I usually hate the Tommies. But this team isn't hard to root for.

The coach, on the other hand...Anyone catch Glenn on SId's show this morning? DId a good job figuring out what the hell Sid was trying to say, but bristled when Dave Lee suggested that their facilities had anything to do with his success. Then he rambled about how he wants recruits to get a feel for the place..blah blah blah. You better not dare question that recruiting and facilities have lead to his success - it's all Glenn .

From the show, re: facilities

"I understand we have them, I love 'em, they're fantastic...but this program is not a 'stuff' program...this program is a 'heartbeat and people' program"

Turns out "blah blah blah" actually contributed good context to his full answer.

So does the giant video board fit in the "stuff" or heartbeat and people category? 

[DuffMan]

I'd love to see a VK/GC cage-match!

[AO]

Congrats to the Tommies! As a Johnnie, I usually hate the Tommies. But this team isn't hard to root for.

The coach, on the other hand...Anyone catch Glenn on SId's show this morning? DId a good job figuring out what the hell Sid was trying to say, but bristled when Dave Lee suggested that their facilities had anything to do with his success. Then he rambled about how he wants recruits to get a feel for the place..blah blah blah. You better not dare question that recruiting and facilities have lead to his success - it's all Glenn .

From the show, re: facilities

"I understand we have them, I love 'em, they're fantastic...but this program is not a 'stuff' program...this program is a 'heartbeat and people' program"

Turns out "blah blah blah" actually contributed good context to his full answer.

So does the giant video board fit in the "stuff" or heartbeat and people category?

Video boards are popping up all over the metro.  Prior Lake, Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Minnetonka.   Don't think that has much of a wow factor anymore.  Especially not when they don't use it for a Kiss Cam during timeouts!

[wm4]

Congrats to the Tommies! As a Johnnie, I usually hate the Tommies. But this team isn't hard to root for.

The coach, on the other hand...Anyone catch Glenn on SId's show this morning? DId a good job figuring out what the hell Sid was trying to say, but bristled when Dave Lee suggested that their facilities had anything to do with his success. Then he rambled about how he wants recruits to get a feel for the place..blah blah blah. You better not dare question that recruiting and facilities have lead to his success - it's all Glenn .

From the show, re: facilities

"I understand we have them, I love 'em, they're fantastic...but this program is not a 'stuff' program...this program is a 'heartbeat and people' program"

Turns out "blah blah blah" actually contributed good context to his full answer.

So does the giant video board fit in the "stuff" or heartbeat and people category?

That thing was absolutely stunning on Saturday, with the ESPN feed. 

[hazzben]

I'd love to see a VK/GC cage-match!

My money is on Ramses