FB: Midwest Conference

[Kilts and Bagpipes]

As a HS basketball coach myself, I give my teams a goal every year.  I think about what we should be able to hold the other team to and what we should be able to score a game.  For instance

Defense allows no more than 50, Offense scores more than 50.

Obviously, you aren't going to meet both goals every game.  If you did, well like you said, you would never lose.  But if you meet at least one of those goals every game, you should win a majority. If my team holds the other to 40 and we only score 45 we still win.  I know it seems obvious but it puts a team goal in to measurable numbers for the players.

As a defensive oriented coach, I play by the philosophy of if they don't score at all, you can't lose.  I set much lower goals.  If I have a high powered offense, my numbers are higher.  I think every coach goes into a game saying, if we score 35 points or we hold them to 20, we win.

That being said, you can't stress these as the end all and be all of the game because what if they give up 35 points in the first half, they might think, well, we didn't reach our goal, this one is over.  But when you meet those goals, you have to point them out.

[Redhawk Sighting]

I completely understand what you are saying I was a high school football coach and college basketball coach also.  I was more or less getting at there needs to be a number out there where you go back to the drawing board and say, "we scored 35 points but gave up 42 we need to concentrate on Defense a little more this week".  Obviously then the offensive coordinator is telling the offense that we need to score more points, so there can't be a set in stone number, because you are correct in saying you don't want a side of the ball giving up if they hit their goal to early, I am more looking at it as a coach, on what side needs more work...  At the end of the day it's a team sport and you can't put blame on one side or the other.  This was more to get people talking and see where some people stand.

[scottie]

I would like to know what, exactly, this all has to do with Monmouth College Football?     Sorry couldn't resist....

Hey, The Roop, are you out there?  It's been awhile and I figured you must have been finalizing the Iran hiker negotiations.  Well done!   

[Redhawk Sighting]

When is an app going to be available for the smart phones?  Would make updating during games a lot smoother...... 

[Moncolfan]

No matter if its a one loss Norbert's or one loss Monmouth team or an undefeated IC or Ripon its not going to matter, ranked or not.  The MWC champ will be going on the road to play a 1-4 seed at their place. 

[Redhawk Sighting]

No matter if its a one loss Norbert's or one loss Monmouth team or an undefeated IC or Ripon its not going to matter, ranked or not.  The MWC champ will be going on the road to play a 1-4 seed at their place.

Random....

[The Roop]

I would like to know what, exactly, this all has to do with Monmouth College Football?     Sorry couldn't resist....

Hey, The Roop, are you out there?  It's been awhile and I figured you must have been finalizing the Iran hiker negotiations.  Well done!   

Just awaiting the GOW (Beloit @Knox) Saturday. Fortunately I work so I won't have to see it.

[TitanPride]

IC does have a freshman starting quarterback -- Michael Bates.  He played his high school ball in Auburn, IL.  Thus far, he has thrown for 9 TDs against only 1 interception and looks incredibly confident and steady with the ball in his hands. 

Through three games, IC looks very vunerable against the pass (a scary thought with Monmouth coming to town) and special teams play remains a huge issue. 

[Pat Coleman]

When is an app going to be available for the smart phones?  Would make updating during games a lot smoother...... 

For the boards? There's a mobile version of the boards already. Click the WAP link at the bottom of the page.

[The Roop]

Looks like the MWC is maintaining a non-conference game for next season. So any divisional play schedules that have been rumored are not so. It's still a 9 game conference schedule, teams will simply not play one member school on a rotating basis. Beloit for example does not play Lake Forest next year.

The schedule gets flipped around a bit but it did that every 5th year anyway.

[Maverick]

Week 4 Picks

Lake Forest @ Grinnell - GC
Beloit @ Knox - BC
Monmouth @ Illinois C. - MC
St. Norbert @ Lawrence - SNC
Ripon @ Carroll - RC

Good luck Fighting Scots!

[Woodsy76]

Week 4 Picks

Lake Forest @ Grinnell:
LF has played their opponents close so far and Grinnell has faced some tough offenses.  Grinnell's offense looks good in this one but isn't enough in the end.  Foresters squeak by the Pioneers in a close one.

Beloit @ Knox:
So far both teams have struggled offensively and defensively.  Beliot has the advantage on defense as these to bottom feeders fight each other to not be the last man on the totem pole.  The Bucaneers add one to the win column as their defense plays better than the Knox offense.

St. Norbert @ Lawrence:
St. Norbert the clear winner in this one as their defense holds tough against this Lawrence offense that hung 60+ on Knox, but St. Norbert isn't Knox. Their offense finally works the kinks out and might score 60+ on Larry as the Vikings don't show up to play.  St. Norbert wins no contest.

Monmouth @ Illinois C.:
The Scots look to keep their win streak alive against the Blue Boys (last 15 years).  And the Blue boys look good with their Freshman QB, however Monmouth puts on a seminar for IC's offense and defense.  Showing the Blue boys how far they still have before they get to the top.  Monmouth airs it out winning big.

Game of the Week:

Ripon @ Carroll:
Ripon has out scored opponents so far this season 2:1.  But Carroll always seems to play well at home.  This one will be a great game, but Ripon's option game will allow them control the clock and the game.  Ripon improves to 4-0 after a tough one in Waukesha.

[hazzben]

Defense allows no more than 50, Offense scores more than 50.

Not much margin for error 

[hickory_cornhusker]

Looks like the MWC is maintaining a non-conference game for next season. So any divisional play schedules that have been rumored are not so. It's still a 9 game conference schedule, teams will simply not play one member school on a rotating basis. Beloit for example does not play Lake Forest next year.

The schedule gets flipped around a bit but it did that every 5th year anyway.

That can't work. One team has to have an extra conference game. Or one less. 11 teams playing 9 conference games equals 99 results. You can't have an odd number of results. The number of league wins has to equal the number of league losses. 99 results makes that impossible.

[Pat Coleman]

The MAC did this and it was a pain in the rear -- I don't think Presto or Sidearm will be able to handle the standings if they go this way.