FB: Midwest Conference

[rome]

Congratulations to Coach Brann and the Beloit Staff
10-0 victory on Saturday.

Now go to Carrol and get the Trophy back!

[KnightsBackOnTop06]

If anyone listened to the Norb's game, they simply dominated both sides of the ball, for the most part.  The defense seemed strong, and got some help by ONU by dropping some balls, including an early touchdown.  Like I thought, the Knights had trouble starting the run game, but got enough going to keep ONU's safeties in the box to open up the top for O'Connell and Forstrom.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and say O'Connell will come from nowhere and turn into the best receiver in the league this year, if the Knights can balance their attack and get some help from the other receivers.  I believe he ended yesterday with 6 rec., 209 yds, and a TD.  Like I said before the game, Craig has matured tremendously and made a ton of wise decisions yesterday, and the team functioned well at the mid point of the game.  The Knights had the ball twice inside the 15 in the first quarter and fumbled and had a field goal blocked, but the drives that got them there were impressive for the first couple on the year.  I think, more than anything, that game should come as a message to the MWC, Norbert's isn't dropping talent wise and are out to get their title back...

[PapaSmurf]

If anyone listened to the Norb's game, they simply dominated both sides of the ball, for the most part.  The defense seemed strong, and got some help by ONU by dropping some balls, including an early touchdown.  Like I thought, the Knights had trouble starting the run game, but got enough going to keep ONU's safeties in the box to open up the top for O'Connell and Forstrom.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and say O'Connell will come from nowhere and turn into the best receiver in the league this year, if the Knights can balance their attack and get some help from the other receivers.  I believe he ended yesterday with 6 rec., 209 yds, and a TD.  Like I said before the game, Craig has matured tremendously and made a ton of wise decisions yesterday, and the team functioned well at the mid point of the game.  The Knights had the ball twice inside the 15 in the first quarter and fumbled and had a field goal blocked, but the drives that got them there were impressive for the first couple on the year.  I think, more than anything, that game should come as a message to the MWC, Norbert's isn't dropping talent wise and are out to get their title back...

I watched the game and agree that SNC looked good but ONU was pretty unimpressive.  The running game was passable but needs to improve.  I think the O-line(no returning starters) will open up a lot more holes for the backs as the season progresses and they did well by not allowing any sacks.  Cody Craig did well with over 300yds passing and no int's.  Judd O'Connell made some great catches.  The SND played tough allowing less than 80 yds rushing with three picks.  I would have liked to have seen a few sacks and a shut out though.   

[Maverick]

I think, more than anything, that game should come as a message to the MWC, Norbert's isn't dropping talent wise and are out to get their title back...

Not trying to be a wise-ass, but has there been talk by people about SNC's talent level dropping recently?  I hadn't thought anything like that and hadn't heard it from anyone else that I can remember either.  If there has been, I don't know where it would come from...I mean, it's not like they lost a bunch of MWC games last year that would make people think that way--just the one against Monmouth and that was a close game.

[JUSTINTYEM]

Norbert doesnt need to send a message.People know what they've done.But I will say this,i think other teams are starting to catch up to them.Its more of what the other teams are doing now,not what Norb's isnt doing.Norbert people need to get off thier HIGH horse and start respecting everyone else.

[fightintitan2006]

As much as I enjoy being able to come on these message boards and converse about football at this level we love, d3football.com can be a real joke at times...for instance, the first paragraph from the headline story on the site today reads "UW-La Crosse struck a blow for Division III on Saturday night, upsetting Division I South Dakota State"

I didn't realize the football crusades had begun and DIII football was out to smite the other larger NCAA divisions for their years of injustice...when did this war begin???
what's wrong with just plain being good in division III, do teams really strive for some sort of validation by beating a larger division team

Good luck to D3football.com, the WIAC and Mount Union on their conquest to overtake college football ...hopefully some schools will petition to play up in the DII playoffs this year and bring home a DI-AA title by 2012, so all of DIII football can bask in its glory...go on and fight mighty crusaders

[Pat Coleman]

What's wrong with celebrating an accomplishment for the Division as a whole? You do understand, right, that the rest of college football tends to think of D-III as a joke? Shouldn't we honor that which makes the entire Division look good?

Also, to the "blue stud" from Illinois College who attempted to register with a fake e-mail address -- seriously, read the directions. We aren't joking.

[coocooforcoekohawk]

d3football.com can be a real joke at times…

Sour grapes from the MWC, what a shock.


When your best team can't beat the third best team in another conference of course you are going to feel inadequate.  Don't let the lack of talent in your conference begrudge another team from another conference for beating a good team that shouldn't have any business losing to a DIII institution.

Here is the headline D3football.com should have gone with.

"MWC once again proves it is a less than mediocre conference."

As far as an assesment of the WIAC goes all I can say is, looking good Ripon.

[PapaSmurf]

d3football.com can be a real joke at times...

Sour grapes from the MWC, what a shock.


When your best team can't beat the third best team in another conference of course you are going to feel inadequate.  Don't let the lack of talent in your conference begrudge another team from another conference for beating a good team that shouldn't have any business losing to a DIII institution.

Here is the headline D3football.com should have gone with.

"MWC once again proves it is a less than mediocre conference."

As far as an assesment of the WIAC goes all I can say is, looking good Ripon.

Maybe this conference should drop football altogether.  Competion being what it is, the only thing that matters is winning.  From what I've seen a lot of the fans of DIII football don't appreciate or understand the spirit of it.  I don't think DIII's intention was to try and compete in the other divisions and if a DIII team is good enough to compete at the next level it should move there.  I know this won't happen because the guys at the top of the small DIII hill like it there.  Of course, I could be wrong I have been before.  I have more respect for someone who suits up week after week for a Knox or Grinnell than anyone who does the same for Mt Union or St Johns.  But these are the "mediocre""less than mediocre" players no one needs, aren't they?     

[The Observation Deck]

When the Midwest Conference drops down to D4, you won't have to worry about what the D3Football.com headlines are.

Also, coocoo, they could have used your headline, but that isn't exactly NEWS, is it? 

[PapaSmurf]

When the Midwest Conference drops down to D4, you won't have to worry about what the D3Football.com headlines are.

Also, coocoo, they could have used your headline, but that isn't exactly NEWS, is it? 

Thank you for reaffirming my observations of DIII fans, not necessarily on the whole, mostly the ones who post on this site.

[The Observation Deck]

Thank you for reaffirming my observations of DIII fans, not necessarily on the whole, mostly the ones who post on this site.

Sounds like you would be happier playing intramurals like the NESCAC. Division III doesn't exist in a vacuum, there's plenty of other schools on the planet to draw comparisons to.

[The Roop]

Not sure what to think of Beloits 10-0 win. To be honest it was a tough game to watch, so tough to watch that I left at the half. No ground game to speak of until they got out of the spread so I think that might be wise thinking for the rest of the season. Keep some blockers in and go out of the I or a split backfield. Rankinen is pretty mortal when he's met at the line by multiple defenders.

The O line is on the small size and I'm not sure what can be done about that. Let them grow a couple years and this could be a contending team. The talent is there just not the size or experience. I doubt they are an 8th place team as the coaches poll suggests, but if you're not 1st or 2nd you don't play in the championship game.

For now I'd say dance with the one that brung ya, i.e. run the ball, and worry about a new system later. Then of course keep Mount Union off the schedule for a year or two for obvious reasons.

Work will determine whether I can go to Carroll or not, but I'd like to. Not once in all my years of following the Bucs have I been to an away football game. There's an Apple store one exit away from Carroll and it's a pay day weekend, so there is an alterior motive. LOL.

[KnightsBackOnTop06]

I was just pointing out that when SNC lost their stranglehold on the conference last year, even if just by one game, and then graduated almost their entire offense, you cannot help but to see how skeptics and fans alike were left with question marks on how the team could react and play this year with an unproven and unexperienced offense, moreover the offensive line.  SNC fell off the D3 map with their 2 loss season last year in the preseason poll, while that certain other team got 10 votes.  When you graduate your school's all-time leading rusher and his line, it is a huge void to fill.  I was just saying that the team responded well, and even though they have much to improve on, the offense looked good for their first game together.  The other teams around the MWC are raising their talent level also, that is becoming evident, but I'm so sick of the MWC vs. WIAC fights that are always on this board.  Its beating a dead horse.  Yes, historically, the WIAC has had the stronger conference over the past decade or more, but they also don't have the $30,000 private school tuition and selective ACT admission scores.  With all respect to Ripon, they have not been listed with the powerhouses of the conference, so to use their game vs. UWO as a barometer of MWC vs. WIAC isn't really realistic.

I think, more than anything, that game should come as a message to the MWC, Norbert's isn't dropping talent wise and are out to get their title back...

Not trying to be a wise-ass, but has there been talk by people about SNC's talent level dropping recently?  I hadn't thought anything like that and hadn't heard it from anyone else that I can remember either.  If there has been, I don't know where it would come from...I mean, it's not like they lost a bunch of MWC games last year that would make people think that way--just the one against Monmouth and that was a close game.

[The Roop]

With the high octane/"system football"  Monmouth Scots getting blanked I see no reason why St. Norbert shouldn't be considered the favorite this year. However, while the MWC may be improving I still  think we're a first round bye for whomever we meet in the playoffs. I wish that would change but I've wished that for a long time.