FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[hazzben]

UST took it on the chin from a D2 team that was 3-8 last year IIRC. That's ... not a good look. Maybe UST is a lot better this year, but for a program with aspirations of being a Top 25 FCS team and getting into the Valley ... 

I think Caruso has had some coordinator turnover the last few years. Wonder if the shine is coming off a bit. Time will tell.

They're still a non-scholarship team going up against a scholarship team. This is just more evidence that they should have kept playing Johnnie/Tommie.

You're not wrong on the athletic scholarship component, though UST's aid packages are doing just fine. But no one at UST was looking at USF as the favorite in this one. They are an FCS team, that skipped the D2 level. Caruso isn't working to put D2 talent on the field, he's pitching that UST is legit FCS and becoming playoff caliber. Maybe not a UNI, NDSU, or SDSU yet, but give them time. And this wasn't GVSU, Pitt St, or Colorado School of Mines. USF got their doors blown off every time they faced top D2 teams last year. You can't even argue they're an atypical or elite D2 team as the excuse. UST got bloodied by a very average D2 team, it's not a good look.

[Robert Zimmerman]

WJON article and interview with Gary:

https://wjon.com/nationally-ranked-st-johns-football-starts-their-season-saturday/

[AO]

UST took it on the chin from a D2 team that was 3-8 last year IIRC. That's ... not a good look. Maybe UST is a lot better this year, but for a program with aspirations of being a Top 25 FCS team and getting into the Valley ... 

I think Caruso has had some coordinator turnover the last few years. Wonder if the shine is coming off a bit. Time will tell.

They're still a non-scholarship team going up against a scholarship team. This is just more evidence that they should have kept playing Johnnie/Tommie.

You're not wrong on the athletic scholarship component, though UST's aid packages are doing just fine. But no one at UST was looking at USF as the favorite in this one. They are an FCS team, that skipped the D2 level. Caruso isn't working to put D2 talent on the field, he's pitching that UST is legit FCS and becoming playoff caliber. Maybe not a UNI, NDSU, or SDSU yet, but give them time. And this wasn't GVSU, Pitt St, or Colorado School of Mines. USF got their doors blown off every time they faced top D2 teams last year. You can't even argue they're an atypical or elite D2 team as the excuse. UST got bloodied by a very average D2 team, it's not a good look.

Massey did have USF as the favorite. The only scholarship teams the Tommies have beaten is Michigan Tech twice and Black Hills State once. I firmly believe they could have beaten those teams with their D3 rosters. They do have some D2 talent on the roster, but again that's nothing different than what they had 10 years ago.

[Retired Old Rat]

I wonder what the NIL situation is at UST.  Anyone have insight?

[Boys of Fall]

If Auggie Tech beats scholarship Valley City on Friday night are they better than U$T who lost to scholarship USF??

[Translucent Steed]

The people want game lines for the MIAC this week.

[carletonknights]

Carleton travels to California to take on the SCIAC team Pomona-Pitzer. Carleton seems to be actively challenging themselves to get better to get into the top tier of the MIAC. Last year the Sagehens went 6-4, so I suspect the Knights will prevail on the road this week.

A poster on the SCIAC boards believes that Pomona will win by four scores.

Carleton 14 @ Pomona 35 - Well coached Pomona team and travel for Carleton will make it tuff for Carleton to win

Personally, with all of Carleton's returning starters and a full year of starting experience for Jack Curtis, I expect the score will look a lot closer to last year's game when the Knights won 45-24.

[AO]

The people want game lines for the MIAC this week.

twist my arm, I'll put up the lines for the pick-ems but since it's so late in the week we may call this an exhibition week if we don't get many pickers.

WEEK 1
Valley City State (+3.5) @ Augsburg - FRIDAY NIGHT GAME
UW-Eau Claire (+5.5) @ Concordia
Carthage (+35.5) @ #14 St. John's
Whitworth (+3.5) @ Gustavus
Carleton @ Pomona-Pitzer (+10.5)
Hamline @ Crown (+30.5)
Macalester @ Minnesota-Morris (+10.5)
St. Olaf @ Northwestern (+18.5)
Northern Iowa @ St. Thomas (+35.5)
#17 UW-River Falls @ #7 Alma (EVEN)
#8 Johns Hopkins @ #20 Ithaca (+3.5)

[GoldandBlueBU]

As always - thank you AO!

[DuffMan]

Duff Jr had his first 7th-grade game last night.  There are a lot of things they need to improve on--our boys got the ball inside the 10-yard line 4 times and came away empty each time. 
The opposing coach was Ryan Keating, so I now know how the rest of the MIAC (and D3) felt getting pummeled by Keating. 

[faunch]

Duff Jr had his first 7th-grade game last night.  There are a lot of things they need to improve on--our boys got the ball inside the 10-yard line 4 times and came away empty each time. 
The opposing coach was Ryan Keating, so I now know how the rest of the MIAC (and D3) felt getting pummeled by Keating. 

Was Keating coaching for Tonka?

[faunch]

A couple observations of the game notes/
1. Johnnies are starting a couple of small receivers...one of which didn't have a catch last year. Conversely the offensive line looks bigger than ever.
2. Caden Wheeler's foot injury means Quinn Christofferson will srart at running back ...he's listed at 200 lbs...hoping that big o-line and him can grind out some yards on the ground. He didn't have many carries last year.
3. The defense has a lot the same guys. Hoping they've got some things assignment and position stuff figured out and maybe got stronger over the off season.

[sjujohnnie]

Any idea how soon following the game Saturday that we'll be able to access it "On Demand"? I purchased the season pass. This is my 5th year volunteering to help with religious ed (my 3rd year helping with Confirmation) & there's a retreat from 10:00-4:30 on Saturday that, as a result, I'm committed to. Really hate doing anything on Saturday's in the fall that interferes with watching football, but hopefully God will have mercy on me when my time's up!

[sjusection105]

I wonder what the NIL situation is at UST.  Anyone have insight?

Great question. I would certainly believe that have some sort of a NIL Coordinator out hustling for deals to set up athletes with NIL $$$- they'd be crazy if they don't.

[faunch]

Any idea how soon following the game Saturday that we'll be able to access it "On Demand"? I purchased the season pass. This is my 5th year volunteering to help with religious ed (my 3rd year helping with Confirmation) & there's a retreat from 10:00-4:30 on Saturday that, as a result, I'm committed to. Really hate doing anything on Saturday's in the fall that interferes with watching football, but hopefully God will have mercy on me when my time's up!

No idea...i noticed the "On Demand" too but i don't recall that actually being available before. It should be available immediately after the game. NSPN.tv makes their games available immediately after games are completed.