FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[formerd3db]

I'd rather have the 1994-1999 teams play Georgetown.

There's definitely a different situation between non-scholarship Butler and the Pioneer League and a 60-scholarship Patriot League team.

Got it!

For sure!   Still, a neat opportunity either way (IMO).

[OzJohnnie]

True but frustrations are still present from my point of view.

1.) Getting stopped on the 1 for the second consecutive game.
2.) Ball security. These young receivers are explosive, but holding onto the ball through the conclusion of the play is most crucial.
3.) Kicking game. 190 guys, you'd think one could be perfect in FGs under 35 yards and PATs.

Clean these things up before the meat of the season rolls around.

On 1, yes.  The O-line needs to get must more ornery.  I felt they played much better than in the first week, though.  Stout really gave them fits but GAC, who did well against the Stout line, were much less effective.  I don't rate this a hopeless cause and am looking for more improvement.

On 2, yes.  But they massively improved over the Stout game, actually sticking their catches and found space well.  They are a very young bunch and have to season very quickly.

On 3, like whenever has that been true for us?  We got spoiled by Barwick go gave us a reliable boot for the first time ever.  He was an anomaly and we now return to the normal.  I have low expectations here.

I would add two more:

4. The secondary is young and must season quickly just like the receiving corp.  It takes a lot of experience and wisdom to play both DB and WR and our boys are all newish there.  Lot's of wisening up to happen fast.  The good news is that Veldman and his receivers have given our guys plenty of good tape to study early in the season when there is still time to learn.

5. Penalties.  Execution must really clean up.  We had 6 for 73 yards (12.2 yards per penalty) against GAC and an outlandish 9 for 121 (13.4 yards per penalty!!!) against Stout.  Not only are we frequently shooting ourselves in the foot with the number of penalties but we're shooting ourselves with an elephant gun when you look at how many yards we give up on each one.

[OzJohnnie]

I just realised that both Linfield and Whitworth lost.  And then I checked the scoreboard and it was a bloodbath from positions 10 to 20 in the top 25. Positions 10, 11, 12, 16, 18 and 19 all lost.  13, 14, 15, and 20 all won but by seven or fewer points.  Only 17 won by more than seven points.

The pollsters have their work cut out for them this week.  It's more chaotic than in the first poll when no one has played a game.

[corn horn]

Re: all the talk about the MIAC having two-tiers or three tiers. I often feel that conversation gets wrapped up in maybe a 10 year lookback. Perhaps that is the most relevant for now, but I thought I would just throw the whole MIAC history out here for a bit of banter. I was at Concordia in a period when the Cobbers had three conference and two national championships (NAIA D2), so that has certainly shaped my bias. Gustavus ruled in the 50s. Obviously, the Johnnies have been a consistent front runner. St. Thomas' recent success hadn't been seen since the 40s. Bethel is, in the grand scheme of things, a recent contender.

MIAC Football Championship History
All-Time Football Championships   
Institution   Championships
Saint John's   33 (1932-35-36-38-53-62-63-65-71-74-75-76-77-79-82-85-89-91-93-94-95-96-98-99-2001-02-03-05-06-08-09-14-18)
Gustavus   22 (1926-27-33-35-36-37-40-45-46-50-51-52-53-54-55-58-59-67-68-71-72-87)
St. Thomas   20 (1922-29-30-39-41-42-47-48-49-56-73-79-83-90-2010-11-12-15-16-17)
Concordia   18 (1931-34-42-52-57-64-69-70-74-78-79-80-81-86-88-90-95-2004)
St. Olaf   6 (1922-23-30-35-78-79)
Bethel   5 (2000-01-06-07-13)
Hamline   5 (1920-21-66-84-88)
Minn.-Duluth   3 (1960-61-73)
Augsburg   2 (1928-97)
Carleton   2 (1924-92)
Macalester   2 (1925-47)
Saint Mary's   1 (1928)

The 1930's look like the Golden Age of conference parity with five teams taking the conference championship.

Ditto for the '80s, Oz...including the mighty Pipers!

[OzJohnnie]

Ha!  The mighty Pipers.  It's been a long time since that was not typed cynically on a football board.

EDIT:

And the 70's saw six different conference champions.

20's: eight champions
30's: five
40's: three
50's: four
60's: five
70's: six
80's: five
90's: three
00's: three
10's: three

[sjujohnnie]

St John's has two games & 3 weeks of practice before undoubtedly the two largest challenges of their season! This coming Saturday they travel to Northfield to face Carleton who is winless in the all-time series (0-36). The following weekend the Johnnies play host to Augsburg for Homecoming. Then #8 Bethel makes the trip up to Clemens Stadium followed by the Johnnie/Tommie game at Allianz Field in St Paul on October 19th. St Thomas is ranked 6th in the latest d3football.com poll. I'd agree with those that have pointed out that facing better competition in the non-conference schedule can help expose areas where we most need to improve & would say Stout did that. Undoubtedly helped to have two weeks to prepare for a very respectable Gustavus squad! I have faith that the team will continue to improve from week to week & hopefully be undefeated going into the Johnnie/Tommie matchup which I'm coming up for! Still wish the outcome of the Target Field game had been different! Wish Clark had been utilized more. Looking back since Gary took the helm, it is clear the growth & improvement that has been built upon from where we were. St Thomas being the measuring stick. A convincing win against St Thomas would have to pay dividends for the program I would imagine. Now to wait patiently for next Saturday! Glad I found this board to get me by from week to week!

[OzJohnnie]

Speaking of the top 25 poll...  (https://d3football.com/top25/2019/week3)

The Johnnies remain in fourth
The Tommies stay in sixth
The Royals creep up another spot to eighth

GAC, unfairly one could argue, has lost all it's votes and falls from the list
Concordia gets no votes either.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

Big East...really??
Now there's talk that the University of St. Thomas, ousted by the Division III MIAC, is exploring the Division I Big East Conference.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/09/21/charley-walters-its-vikings-fault-theyre-stuck-with-kirk-cousins/

Charley had thrown that option out originally over 2 months ago...when the hockey thing came up (teams leaving WCHA)... he later recanted it and apparently now regurgitated it.  Personally, I'm waiting for his "sources" to tell him UST is joining the Ivy League

[SaintsFAN]

I just realised that both Linfield and Whitworth lost.  And then I checked the scoreboard and it was a bloodbath from positions 10 to 20 in the top 25. Positions 10, 11, 12, 16, 18 and 19 all lost.  13, 14, 15, and 20 all won but by seven or fewer points.  Only 17 won by more than seven points.

The pollsters have their work cut out for them this week.  It's more chaotic than in the first poll when no one has played a game.

amen.

[AO]

Speaking of the top 25 poll...  (https://d3football.com/top25/2019/week3)

The Johnnies remain in fourth
The Tommies stay in sixth
The Royals creep up another spot to eighth

GAC, unfairly one could argue, has lost all it's votes and falls from the list
Concordia gets no votes either.

Gustavus and Concordia are both in the top 25 of the rankings system without the East Coast bias, the Hansen Ratings™!

[SagatagSam]

Big East...really??
Now there's talk that the University of St. Thomas, ousted by the Division III MIAC, is exploring the Division I Big East Conference.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/09/21/charley-walters-its-vikings-fault-theyre-stuck-with-kirk-cousins/

Charley had thrown that option out originally over 2 months ago...when the hockey thing came up (teams leaving WCHA)... he later recanted it and apparently now regurgitated it.  Personally, I'm waiting for his "sources" to tell him UST is joining the Ivy League

I'd pay somebody to go stand on the corner of Cretin and Summit and tell Charley that UST plans on joining the NFL just to see if he prints it.

[jamtod]

Big East...really??
Now there's talk that the University of St. Thomas, ousted by the Division III MIAC, is exploring the Division I Big East Conference.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/09/21/charley-walters-its-vikings-fault-theyre-stuck-with-kirk-cousins/

Charley had thrown that option out originally over 2 months ago...when the hockey thing came up (teams leaving WCHA)... he later recanted it and apparently now regurgitated it.  Personally, I'm waiting for his "sources" to tell him UST is joining the Ivy League

I'd pay somebody to go stand on the corner of Cretin and Summit and tell Charley that UST plans on joining the NFL just to see if he prints it.

How much?

[sowilson]

MIAC and WIAC are pretty stout when there are eight teams in Hansen's top 20

[AO]

MIAC PICK-EMS
WEEK 3 STANDINGS


WEEK 4 September 28th

Conference: 3pts
#4 St. John's @ Carleton (+50.5)
St. Olaf @ Augsburg (+28.5)
#8 Bethel @ Gustavus (+7.5)
Concordia @ Hamline (+50.5)

Non-Conference: 2pts
#6 St. Thomas @ UW-Eau Claire (+30.5)

National:1pt
#2 Mount Union @ #12 John Carroll (+21.5)

[finsleft]

3.) Kicking game. 190 guys, you'd think one could be perfect in FGs under 35 yards and PATs.

On 3, like whenever has that been true for us?  We got spoiled by Barwick go gave us a reliable boot for the first time ever.  He was an anomaly and we now return to the normal.  I have low expectations here.

Oz, your memory is shorter than your...well, it's short.

Don't forget about Russel Gliadon whose foot won some games.
Here's a link to one memorable game, youtube video is appropriately called, "The Kick".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zemXhIlLlfk

Enjoy your goosebumps.