FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[bluenote]

Think St. Thomas feeds their O line Iowa corn... not surE!

[OzJohnnie]

Massey currently has the Johnnie/Tommie game as a near 50/50 split.  The excitement builds.

https://www.masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=300937&t0=St+John%27s+MN&h=1&s1=300937&t1=Saint+Thomas+MN

[MiacMan]

Massey currently has the Johnnie/Tommie game as a near 50/50 split.  The excitement builds.

https://www.masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=300937&t0=St+John%27s+MN&h=1&s1=300937&t1=Saint+Thomas+MN

Well, they both have hurdles to clear before that game. UST this week vs. Cobbers, SJ2 the next week vs. BU, both teams on the road.

[miac952]

Massey currently has the Johnnie/Tommie game as a near 50/50 split.  The excitement builds.

https://www.masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=300937&t0=St+John%27s+MN&h=1&s1=300937&t1=Saint+Thomas+MN

It will be a defensive battle, based on early results and where the teams currently sit in Hansen and Massey. Concordia has a very highly rated defense as well. I wouldn't sneeze at potential roadblock road trips for UST and SJU to Concordia and Bethel.

The SJU schedule is pretty backloaded. 4 of their last 6 are against likely top 30ish team in DIII. Bethel, UST, CCM, and Thomas More. St Thomas has to go on the road against the other big three in the conference: Concordia, SJU, and Bethel.

The only common opponent between UST and SJU going into the clash is Augsburg, so we probably wont have much to go in the way of transitive properties.

[jamtod]

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/9/19/17878958/california-hs-football-quarterback-kneel-strip-la-jolla-scripps-ranch

In California HS football, the defense successfully disrupted a QB kneeldown, stripped the ball, and then scored to win the game. Nobody tell the Tommie coaching staff 

[GoldandBlueBU]

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/9/19/17878958/california-hs-football-quarterback-kneel-strip-la-jolla-scripps-ranch

In California HS football, the defense successfully disrupted a QB kneeldown, stripped the ball, and then scored to win the game. Nobody tell the Tommie coaching staff 

That has to be about the laziest effort I've seen on a victory formation...granted they're high schoolers, but still.  yikes.

[badger1845]

In the WIAC (at least when I was there) there's a 100 man roster cap.  If you're not one of the 100 then you aren't on the team.  So instead of saying SJU and UST need to go up.  Why not put a roster cap and then you have some guys going elsewhere instead of sitting on a bench even though they may have been promised playing time.  If a kid still went there and didn't make it fine don't have to transfer but if they really want to play they see where they actually stand instead of what's promised.  For some that may mean going to a different program which may help some of these other MIAC schools.  For others they may just stay for the academics.  I get it's D3, but if the MIAC is so worried about the other teams keeping up I think this would at least to some extent help spread the talent a little.  The top, SJU and UST, would still have the top guys they want but it would make them decide which guys they actually want to have and to play instead of just hording talent to the sidelines.  The other nice thing would be kids wouldn't have to tell their parents, "I'm the 4th number 8."  Again this is just my thoughts from stuff I've been reading on here.

[GoldandBlueBU]

In the WIAC (at least when I was there) there's a 100 man roster cap.  If you're not one of the 100 then you aren't on the team.  So instead of saying SJU and UST need to go up.  Why not put a roster cap and then you have some guys going elsewhere instead of sitting on a bench even though they may have been promised playing time.  If a kid still went there and didn't make it fine don't have to transfer but if they really want to play they see where they actually stand instead of what's promised.  For some that may mean going to a different program which may help some of these other MIAC schools.  For others they may just stay for the academics.  I get it's D3, but if the MIAC is so worried about the other teams keeping up I think this would at least to some extent help spread the talent a little.  The top, SJU and UST, would still have the top guys they want but it would make them decide which guys they actually want to have and to play instead of just hording talent to the sidelines.  The other nice thing would be kids wouldn't have to tell their parents, "I'm the 4th number 8."  Again this is just my thoughts from stuff I've been reading on here.

Might help a little, probably not a lot?  I'm curious what the shift is from the #'s that a team opens with, vs where they are by mid-season.  I'm sure there's some attrition with those high numbers, and the kids that leave would probably not be contributors anywhere else anyway, so it might be a moot change.

[WaHooWa]

No roster caps in the WIAC any longer. 
Largest roster at start of camp was 148, smallest at 111. 
Largest roster at week 1 was 122, smallest at 99.

[badger1845]

In the WIAC (at least when I was there) there's a 100 man roster cap.  If you're not one of the 100 then you aren't on the team.  So instead of saying SJU and UST need to go up.  Why not put a roster cap and then you have some guys going elsewhere instead of sitting on a bench even though they may have been promised playing time.  If a kid still went there and didn't make it fine don't have to transfer but if they really want to play they see where they actually stand instead of what's promised.  For some that may mean going to a different program which may help some of these other MIAC schools.  For others they may just stay for the academics.  I get it's D3, but if the MIAC is so worried about the other teams keeping up I think this would at least to some extent help spread the talent a little.  The top, SJU and UST, would still have the top guys they want but it would make them decide which guys they actually want to have and to play instead of just hording talent to the sidelines.  The other nice thing would be kids wouldn't have to tell their parents, "I'm the 4th number 8."  Again this is just my thoughts from stuff I've been reading on here.

Might help a little, probably not a lot?  I'm curious what the shift is from the #'s that a team opens with, vs where they are by mid-season.  I'm sure there's some attrition with those high numbers, and the kids that leave would probably not be contributors anywhere else anyway, so it might be a moot change.

I'm just saying if they actually had to tell kids that they wouldn't make the 100 they might think twice about just going to the top team if they know there's a chance they won't make the cut.  If a kid knew they had a choice between possibly being cut and a team that only had 60 to 70 players, but more chance of playing they might make a different decision.  Plus after a few years who knows how good the kid will really be.  It's like D1 where not all 5* recruits turn into amazing players.  Some kids are late bloomers and if they were to happen to end up at any other MIAC school it gives that school a very good player that they may not have had.  And as people can see at the end of current games the 3rd and 4th string are sometimes better than the other teams best.  So like I said it would be a slow process but I do think it would level out the playing field a little.

[Redtooth]

In the WIAC (at least when I was there) there's a 100 man roster cap.  If you're not one of the 100 then you aren't on the team.  So instead of saying SJU and UST need to go up.  Why not put a roster cap and then you have some guys going elsewhere instead of sitting on a bench even though they may have been promised playing time.  If a kid still went there and didn't make it fine don't have to transfer but if they really want to play they see where they actually stand instead of what's promised.  For some that may mean going to a different program which may help some of these other MIAC schools.  For others they may just stay for the academics.  I get it's D3, but if the MIAC is so worried about the other teams keeping up I think this would at least to some extent help spread the talent a little.  The top, SJU and UST, would still have the top guys they want but it would make them decide which guys they actually want to have and to play instead of just hording talent to the sidelines.  The other nice thing would be kids wouldn't have to tell their parents, "I'm the 4th number 8."  Again this is just my thoughts from stuff I've been reading on here.

Might help a little, probably not a lot?  I'm curious what the shift is from the #'s that a team opens with, vs where they are by mid-season.  I'm sure there's some attrition with those high numbers, and the kids that leave would probably not be contributors anywhere else anyway, so it might be a moot change.

I'm just saying if they actually had to tell kids that they wouldn't make the 100 they might think twice about just going to the top team if they know there's a chance they won't make the cut.  If a kid knew they had a choice between possibly being cut and a team that only had 60 to 70 players, but more chance of playing they might make a different decision.  Plus after a few years who knows how good the kid will really be.  It's like D1 where not all 5* recruits turn into amazing players.  Some kids are late bloomers and if they were to happen to end up at any other MIAC school it gives that school a very good player that they may not have had.  And as people can see at the end of current games the 3rd and 4th string are sometimes better than the other teams best.  So like I said it would be a slow process but I do think it would level out the playing field a little.

The issues of roster caps and travel roster increases were all discussed during the off season and fortunately were not supported by the ADs or Presidents.  For the schools in the MIAC (other than UST) enrollment of an ever shrinking pool of college age men is a real issue.  Telling a school that is tuition revenue dependent that they can't take additional paying customers because of an arbitrary number would be counter productive...One AD attempted to argue that the backups on the 100+ player teams would automatically select their school and make their team (which is dreadful) a contender.  The travel roster issue was simply one that was unaffordable for most of the MIAC.

The fact is the best teams in this league (which also happen to be national contenders) have SOLD themselves to prospective student athletes on having a PLAN and VISION for excellence, which excites young men that want to compete with the best.  They are coached by guys that know what they are doing and instill confidence in their recruits and players. 

The other issue here is football (and athletics in general) have dramatically changed.  Football is HARD and requires incredible work and dedication....it also needs depth and backups.  In 2018, Moms and Dads allow kids to quit things the moment it becomes tough or if Little Sammy is a backup we want to take his talents to another team where he can start...because being a backup is below him.  That has led to kids leaving the sport well before their full talents could be developed and extreme team talent differences.  Hell the #3 team at FCS had a 16-2 QB starter announce his plans to transfer after getting beat out by a true freshman....could have also happened at the #1 team, but Saban was able to navigate with Hurts better.

The conference currently has multiple tiers:
-Established National Title Contenders (UST and SJU)
-Once a decade Confernce Title Contenders (Cord, Bethel)
-Competitive (GAC)
-Up and Coming (STO) all driven by new coach and admistrative support
-Trending Down (AUG) need better players
-Dreadful and DGAS (HAM and CARL) very hard to not beat by 60+ if in the first two tiers

[GoldandBlueBU]

The conference currently has multiple tiers:
-Established National Title Contenders (UST and SJU)
-Once a decade Confernce Title Contenders (Cord, Bethel)
-Competitive (GAC)
-Up and Coming (STO) all driven by new coach and admistrative support
-Trending Down (AUG) need better players
-Dreadful and DGAS (HAM and CARL) very hard to not beat by 60+ if in the first two tiers

Makes sense!  I feel like the MIAC needs one more tier, though.  It's a bit wordy, so there's for sure some room for improvement.  Suggestions?

-Established National Title Contender UST
-Perennial Conference Title Contender, but hasn't been to a semi-final in the same time period that a team below them has been there twice, so while they're clearly a cut above the two below them, I don't know that they should be slotted in with UST: SJU
-Once a decade Confernce Title Contenders (Cord, Bethel)
-Competitive (GAC)
-Up and Coming (STO) all driven by new coach and admistrative support
-Trending Down (AUG) need better players
-Dreadful and DGAS (HAM and CARL) very hard to not beat by 60+ if in the first two tiers

[DuffMan]

Suggestions?

I suggest that you quit brown-nosing the dirty Tommies.

[GoldandBlueBU]

Suggestions?

I suggest that you quit brown-nosing the dirty Tommies.

That wasn't quite the constructive criticism that I had in mind. 

[faunch]

-Established National Title Contender UST
-Perennial Conference Title Contender, but hasn't been to a semi-final in the same time period that a team below them has been there twice, so while they're clearly a cut above the two below them, I don't know that they should be slotted in with UST: SJU
-Once a decade Confernce Title Contenders (Cord, Bethel)
-Competitive (GAC)
-Up and Coming (STO) all driven by new coach and admistrative support
-Trending Down (AUG) need better players
-Dreadful and DGAS (HAM and CARL) very hard to not beat by 60+ if in the first two tiers

I would move Gus Davis into the Trending Down group.