FB: Midwest Conference

[lumbercat]

Gbpuckfan-
Although the SNC athletic department evidently manages personnel changes like the Kremlin you will not be "kicked off the Internet" for expressing your opinion.

SNC has had 9 coaches since they began the football program in 1930 and I thought they had a fine respected tradition.....They bring in Opegnorth last year as their new Head Coach with fine credentials and lot of energy.....He goes 6-4 and he "resigns" according to the SNC Athletic Department with no explanation whatsoever, really?

Evidently no one involved in or around the SNC Football program is asking any questions.....all gone ice fishing......  Isn't there any passion or pride in this program - nobody cares and those who do are afraid of being kicked off the Internet....Wisconsin or Russia?

[gbpuckfan]

I was not referring to the SNC athletic department in any way, shape or form.

I was trying to be funny and it didn't work, I guess... Chat boards seemed to be filled (sometimes, at least) with NOTHING BUT random speculation, rumor-mongering, false information and just plain ol' lies. By refusing to 'go there' I was joking I could be kicked off the net...

I certainly have some various ideas on what it could be, but haven't heard enough of anything from anyone to back them up. Until I do, I'm just not going there. It's not Russia; it's taking responsibility for my posts.

In this case, I have no information. And while I won't bore you with the mundane details of my life, I haven't been able to poke around any or get to other sporting events to ask.

That said, the ice is really too thin in most parts to do any fishing... 

[lumbercat]

Thanks Puckfan
My post also alittle tongue in cheek.
It's certainly not your job to report on Football devlopments at SNC. I was referring to the overall SNC athletic community who seem apathetic or indifferent to a significant personnel change in a fine Football program.
I won't probe any further- maybe its a hush-hush thing if the details involve something sticky.

[fulbakdad]

How are you guys looking for next year?

We had our end of year banquet last weekend and it only solidified my thought that Lake Forest is looking good for the future.  When my son got there 4 years ago, there were 61 players that showed up for camp in August.  Going into next season, there are 73 Freshman and Sophomores!  There has been a total culture change there and we are proud to have been part of it.  I know the coaches have been hitting the highway recruiting since the last game, so I'm looking forward to viewing the new guys highlight films.

[grboob]

Alex  Tanney  has signed up with the Tenn. Titans, practice squad.  Hope he can stay in the league  into 2015-2016

[wnc52]

How are you guys looking for next year?

We had our end of year banquet last weekend and it only solidified my thought that Lake Forest is looking good for the future.  When my son got there 4 years ago, there were 61 players that showed up for camp in August.  Going into next season, there are 73 Freshman and Sophomores!  There has been a total culture change there and we are proud to have been part of it.  I know the coaches have been hitting the highway recruiting since the last game, so I'm looking forward to viewing the new guys highlight films.

I still think Illinois College has recruited well enough over the years to be pretty good next fall.  Of course, the QB position is the big caveat with Bates moving on.

[fulbakdad]

There are a number of players from the MWC playing for team Stars and Stripes down in Mexico Saturday.  There are players from Knox, Cornell, Lake Forest and Lawrence.  There is going to be a Webcast, although it will be in Spanish, you can get it here:

http://www.tvudlap.mx/

[Maverick]

How are you guys looking for next year?

We had our end of year banquet last weekend and it only solidified my thought that Lake Forest is looking good for the future.  When my son got there 4 years ago, there were 61 players that showed up for camp in August.  Going into next season, there are 73 Freshman and Sophomores!  There has been a total culture change there and we are proud to have been part of it.  I know the coaches have been hitting the highway recruiting since the last game, so I'm looking forward to viewing the new guys highlight films.

I still think Illinois College has recruited well enough over the years to be pretty good next fall.  Of course, the QB position is the big caveat with Bates moving on.

I feel the same way about Monmouth going into next season, minus the QB part since both guys who played there this year will be back.  There will some holes to fill on both sides of the ball, but there are plenty of starters coming back and some young players who got great experience this season when guys went down with injuries.

[Maverick]

Anyone have thoughts on tonight's championship game?  I'm taking the Purple Raiders to win it--look like they're on a mission.

Mount Union 31
UW-Whitewater 20

[Maverick]

Anyone have thoughts on tonight's championship game?  I'm taking the Purple Raiders to win it--look like they're on a mission.

Mount Union 31
UW-Whitewater 20

If Mount Union doesn't turn the ball over 19 times tonight, I don't think I would've been too far off with my score...

[gbpuckfan]

Lawrence hires coach:

APPLETON, Wis. — Rob McCarthy is the new head football coach at Lawrence University, Director of Athletics Mike Szkodzinski announced today.

McCarthy, the defensive line coach at Carleton College and former long-time defensive coordinator at St. Olaf College, becomes the 28th head coach in Lawrence's 122-year football history. A native of Deer River, Minn., McCarthy brings 25 years of coaching experience to Lawrence.

"I just think it's a great, great opportunity," McCarthy said of coming to Lawrence. "During my visits, I found a great excitement for football and a passion for excellence among the administration, faculty and alumni. That made me really want to be part of Lawrence's rich football tradition."

McCarthy said his first priority will be to build the Lawrence football family, and he wants to see greater depth in the program.

"No. 1, we want to build a football family where I is replaced by we, team is replaced by family. We will provide Lawrence student-athletes with a great experience. Winning will be a byproduct of doing things the right way," McCarthy said.

"In addition, recruiting will be a priority. We have to get the numbers up to provide a quality experience. We want to recruit young men who want excellence in their lives, both in academics and athletics. We will recruit the top student-athletes from the Fox Valley, the state of Wisconsin and the country."

Lawrence President Mark Burstein praised McCarthy's commitment to the student and the student-athlete.

"One of the distinctive aspects of Rob's candidacy was his strong support of students' interest to pursue more than one passion or – as we like to say – multi-interested students," Burstein said. "To reinforce this commitment, Rob has served through most of his career as the assistant men's and women's track coach where his student athletes have had significant success."

Szkodzinski said McCarthy emerged from a talented group of candidates to be the next leader of Lawrence's football program. A committee consisting of Lawrence administrators, faculty, students, trustees and alumni considered more than 100 applicants identified in a national search.

"We are very excited to welcome Rob to our staff as the next head football coach," Szkodzinski said. "The applicant pool was tremendously competitive and Coach McCarthy distinguished himself as one of the top recruiters in our pool."

Szkodzinski added that bringing McCarthy to Lawrence serves the best interests of the program and will keep the team moving forward. With the hiring of the McCarthy and the renovation of the Banta Bowl taking place this year, Szkodzinski reiterated the administration's commitment to football and the Department of Athletics as a whole.

"Rob's connections throughout the Midwest, Florida and nationally will serve our program well," Szkodzinski said. "Not only will he be able to attract tremendous student-athletes to Lawrence, as he has at other excellent institutions, his experience as a coordinator led us to believe that he has the tools to help us succeed on the field as well. We know Coach McCarthy will be an asset to the entire department and look forward to watching our program move back toward the top of the Midwest Conference."

This past fall was McCarthy's first at Carleton after spending the previous 12 seasons at St. Olaf College. While at St. Olaf, McCarthy was part of a coaching staff that put together the best 12-year record in school history with a 73-47 mark. McCarthy was responsible for bringing a number of stellar players to St. Olaf, including one (Horace Gant Jr.) that went on to play in the NFL, a number of All-Americans and many All-West Region and first-team All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference picks.

McCarthy served in a variety of roles, most notably as defensive coordinator, for the Oles. He also worked as the special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator for St. Olaf, which won eight games in four different seasons during that 12-year span.

McCarthy began his coaching career at Concordia (Minn.) College, where he earned a bachelor's degree with a double major in English and speech, communications and theater arts in 1989. A standout defensive lineman for the Cobbers, McCarthy earned All-MIAC honors and helped his team to conference championships in 1986 and 1988.

After serving as an assistant coach at Concordia for the 1989 season, McCarthy moved to the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) in 1990. He served with the Tommies for five seasons and helped them win the MIAC championship in 1990. McCarthy then coached at Northwestern (Minn.) College and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire over the next five seasons. He helped Northwestern win the 1995 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference title and was part of the UW-Eau Claire team that took the 1998 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship.

McCarthy earned his Master of Science of Education in learning disabilities from UW-Eau Claire in 2000. He then returned to coach for one season at St. Thomas and one season at Pensacola (Fla.) High School before moving to St. Olaf.

After coaching for most of his career in Minnesota, McCarthy said Lawrence provided him exactly the opportunity he was seeking, both for himself and his family. McCarthy and his wife, Angie, have three children.

"It's a great place to raise a family," McCarthy said. "I wasn't just going to leave. It needed to be the right program. When this came up and everyone raved about Appleton and Lawrence, we knew this was the one."

Lawrence has been playing varsity football since 1893 and ranks third in Midwest Conference history with 16 league championships. The Vikings have won 496 games during their storied history, and that includes the distinction of being the first Midwest Conference team to host, and win, a NCAA Division III playoff game.

Lawrence has nearly 450 All-Midwest Conference selections since the league began choosing teams back in 1937. The Vikings have 66 All-America selections, starting with Claude Radtke in 1949. Lawrence also is the only school in the Midwest Conference to have a player, Scott Reppert in 2003, selected for the College Football Hall of Fame.

[scottie]

The Good Guys will be looking to reload from the top.  Good luck and Thank You to Coach Bell!

http://www.athletics.augustana.edu/news/2015/1/9/FB_0109151657.aspx

The Question:  How attractive would you rate the MC job, given their track record?

[warthog]

The Good Guys will be looking to reload from the top.  Good luck and Thank You to Coach Bell!

http://www.athletics.augustana.edu/news/2015/1/9/FB_0109151657.aspx

The Question:  How attractive would you rate the MC job, given their track record?

I feel the Monmouth job would be one of the top two MWC football head coach positions.

I've only seen the Fighting Scots play home games against Wartburg and St. Norbert.  Both of these teams travel well, but at these games Monmouth appeared to have plenty of support from students and alumni.  At least to the point where the visitors didn't outnumber the home crowd.

Coach Bell has proven a coach can recruit to a small college in west central Illinois.

The Fighting Scots have decent facilities that would indicate institutional support.

It isn't probably a coaching matter, but I would like to see Monmouth ease up a bit and allow game days to take on a more festive atmosphere with tailgate parties and such being part of the event.

Now for what might be the controversial comment.  The MWC itself might be a problem for an up and coming young coach.  It doesn't appear that most of the conference feels strongly about athletic excellence. There is the opinion out there that winning in the MWC doesn't mean much on a regional or national level.  A MWC team that wins 2/3 of their conference games probably would win less than 1/2 in other midwestern conferences such as the CCIW, MIAC, WIAC, or the IIAC.  This might or might not be reality, but it is what I believe to be the perception. This perception was strengthened when Cornell came back to the MWC and has been respectable in football after having been an IIAC doormat for over a decade.

Regardless of this, I hope Monmouth gets a great coach.

[scottie]

Good analysis, Hog.  MC has a new president, so MAYBE things will relax a bit on the festiveness of campus on game day -  or lack thereof.  And, I suppose it didn't help the MWC reputation after Macalester came in and won the league in year one (but they didn't play the REAL Scots, so there are always going to be some "what ifs"). 

[scottie]

Continuity!  http://monmouthscots.com/news/2015/1/12/FB_0112154834.aspx