FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[Buzz]

Part of DC's improvement has been that its young and injured O-Line has gotten healthy and experience. With that, Powell has looked much better as well...and Kuesel has really been running strong and like he's healthy for the first time since his freshman year.

With that said, my opinion is that DC's potential 7-3 record would be misleading, as outside of Franklin.... no other HCAC squad looks impressive at all. It's a really bad year around the league. MSJ is way down, Rose is struggling after a few good years, Manchester's rise was short-lived and Anderson has just been horrendous....Bluffton is better but still Bluffton and Earlham is the new Bluffton. So who does that leave? DC and Hanover looking better than they are, bc the schedule is so weak.

[Jackets Backer]

Well said Buzz. Let's be honest, those who follow the HCAC know that outside of Franklin, the HCAC is just pitiful.

As DC fans we can say the Jackets have improved since getting whacked by Franklin, but I'll chalk it up as playing a bunch of cupcakes. Most teams are going to look better when they play Anderson (with 16 kids suspended and their best offensive weapon hurt), MSJ (as bad a team as they've had in Delhi in a long time), Earlham and Rose with Manchester and Bluffton still to come. Most average to below average teams are going to roll through that stretch without much trouble.

All you need to know is this: By far the two best teams Defiance played this year were Franklin and Adrian. DC lost to those two teams by a combined 82-21. There's still a major gap between Franklin and the rest of the HCAC, even more so now with the Mount having a lean year.

[dc_has_been]

I agree the conference is weak and Franklin is far better than every team in the HCAC, but the thing I'm looking at is how much better DC is this year.  Plus, DC will bring back tons of players that have contributed this season.  Tag a 7-3 record. a new field house, and the President wanting to expand the enrollment, if DC plays their cards right they will be a much better team years to come.

[Jackets Backer]

Honestly, I can't say if DC has improved or not this season.

They've lost to the same good teams on their schedule every year over the past few seasons (mainly Adrian and Franklin and also the Mount when they've been good and in the HCAC title hunt).

They need to start beating some better than average teams before I'll say they're improving.

Totally agree the opportunity is there with the fieldhouse and what the prez is doing. If they play their cards right, you'll start seeing better football.

[70_dc_alum]

great story...as someone who last a parent to Cancer i think this is really cool that Leonard allowed this.

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/midwest/2010/right-on-the-numbers

[dc_has_been]

Looking at the NCAA's second regional rankings I do not see a chance for Franklin to host a game, even if they move "The Mount" out of region to the east.  I do see them possibly landing Trine or maybe ONU for a first round game, possibly the CCIW pool C bid.  

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Assuming Mount goes East, then North Central would probably get the 1 seed (assuming they beat Wheaton).  If Trine and Witt win out (likely) then they should get the 2 and 3.  That leave Wheaton or ONU as the 4.  For some reason I see FC getting the 5 and going to ONU/Wheaton (awfully tough to win). If FC gets the 6 then a trip to Trine or Witt (more winnable).

One question that I have:  will an undefeated Trine get a better seed than ONU or Wheaton.  IMO ONU or Wheaton would beat Trine.  Trine is a 5 or 6 IMO.

I don't see Case getting better than a 7 and couldn't tell you who would be 8.

fun to speculate.

[cave2bens]

Speculation is fun - what if UWW remains in the north due to a very strong St. Thomas contingent out of the MIAC as a western preference? 

As was mentioned earlier, there is a lot to play out over the next couple of weeks and might be a bit hesitant to be penciling Witt into a drivers seat just yet - the Witt-Bash rivalry clash over has come down to last minute (including two last plays) over the past three years.  Imagine this weeks' hype had Wabash not suffered cerebral flatulence at games' end in St Louis?  Wooster has proven to be a thorn in the Tiger sides particularly with the pipes and drums in Wayne County and Witt has been less than impressive on the road this season with Obie and Allegheny. 

Meanwhile, there's also a fourth-ranked, in region, southern squad awaited by 12,000 rabid fans at the Monon Bell game (with a series record of 54-53-9) where anything can/will happen.  What of an opportunity for WashStL to pull off another surprise on CWRU.    There will be some SOS reshuffling in the north, based on those outcomes and the NW suburb clash in the CCIW.

As a technically-inept curmudgeon, it appears both Franklin and Trine just need to concentrate on beating their hapless opposition into submission and sit back like the rest of us and watch pieces fall into place.

[GRIZ_BACKER]

I agree Cave. Thats all that FC can do.  As long as they arent 8th to start out I will be happy.  Playoff football is just plain fun.

[altor]

great story...as someone who last a parent to Cancer i think this is really cool that Leonard allowed this.

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/midwest/2010/right-on-the-numbers

Somebody should tell Leonard that whatever Kosar did after he left Cleveland doesn't count.  Kosar's number will always be #19.

I remember saying to my dad when we watched DC/FC that #26 was a strange number for a QB.  Now I know why he was wearing that number.  Thanks for posting the article.

[SaintsFAN]

70s and has_been,

didn't one of the retards you guys had at QB in the mid to late 90s wear a number in the 20s??  I think I remember this being true..

[wabashcpa]

great story...as someone who last a parent to Cancer i think this is really cool that Leonard allowed this.

http://www.d3football.com/columns/around-the-region/midwest/2010/right-on-the-numbers

Somebody should tell Leonard that whatever Kosar did after he left Cleveland doesn't count.  Kosar's number will always be #19.

I remember saying to my dad when we watched DC/FC that #26 was a strange number for a QB.  Now I know why he was wearing that number.  Thanks for posting the article.

Kosar wore #20 at the University of Miami - pretty sure in the NFL QB's can only have uniform numbers between 1-19.

The QB at WashStL - Sherman - I think wears #25 - at least he did last year.

[formerd3db]

Hey, you HCAC guys!  I know this is not football, but Franklin College is playing Indiana University (yes, of the Big Ten) in basketball live right now on TV!  It is early in the game, but they are hanging tough so far with the "big boys".  Awesome - I like to see this kind of early season games.

Remember about 3-4 years ago, Wheaton played at Northwestern and lost to them at the buzzer (or in OT - I can't remember which) in front of a full house packed crowd at Northwestern.

[formerd3db]

Oops!  The FC vs. Indiana game was played yesterday.  It is a re-run on the Big Ten network tonight right now.  Anyway, I still think it is neat, even though it was an exhibition game and FC eventually lost 89-37 I'm told.

[dc_has_been]

I agree that DIII school play the Big Ten schools even though they are usually blow outs.  I went to see DC play Indiana in baseball one year and it was a fun experience.  I would be intrigued to see how Anderson would be against a Indiana since they are suppose to be our top team in the HCAC?