FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[JacketsFan]

... and now we've lost to Manchester and the question looms, "What do we do to fix this train wreck and make the train run on time again?" I think the answer's obvious. Clear the rails, haul off the wreckage, put a new locomotive on the train, stoke the boilers, find an engineer who eats coal and shytes fire and a crew that thinks Casey Jones was a puss. Then hit the road and collar every hungry, bad-ass kid who craves to play college football from schools outside the realm of Division III football land, where all the hype and attention is on the kids who are obvious Division 1 candidates. Show them game film of some of the good seasons of yore when the roster was full of players who were proud of being the dirtiest, meanest bastards in the HCAC and let these new recruits understand that it can all be theirs if they're willing to come and sweat and bleed and suffer through some hard training and maybe a tough first year. That's the only thing that's gonna work now and I think we all need to start being honest and admit it. Sorry to mix my metaphors here, but the best fighter jet out there won't fly if even one wing is removed. Someone said DC should go out and get a Defensive Coordinator who's the real deal. A flash. They had one. Adam Baumgartner. The man was a defensive genius and they let him go because they got stupid. Look around at the coaching staff lineup and start comparing wins and see if you notice any trends.

I hate to sound like the doomsday machine here but I said it earlier in the season to someone and I'll say it again. Barring a miracle, this is probably going to be an 0-10 season. Surely no better than 1-9. I hate to see that happen but it might end up being a blessing in disguise.

For cave2bens: "Three, five and seven lift the heaviest load."

Cockle-doodle-doo.

[SaintsFAN]

You're absolutely right about the schedule. MSJ's nonconference schedule isn't bad other than Wilmington. I'd like to see a Wittenberg, Wabash, Capital, ONU type game on there though.

Lakeland is also garbage.  In d3, you don't have to make the schedules out years in advance like an Ohio State or Notre Dame.  I'd like to see MSJ step up... but I also would like to see Thomas More continue to improve and make MSJ's non-conference look stronger. 

[dc_has_been]

One of the many things that confuse me about DC is, what happened to their run game???  That was suppose to be their bread & butter. 

[JacketsFan]

dc_has_been, Caralla is the real deal, probably the best running back they've seen in awhile. But with an O-line that won't or can't make holes for him to run through, he doesn't have much to work with.

[Adam Sayer]

Lakeland isn't terrible (this year they are, but overall, they haven't been that bad). They've been #1 or 2 in their conference 4 of the last 5 years and their conference is comparable with the HCAC in terms of competitiveness. They aren't a top 40 team by any means either, but they are better than Wilmington.

I said before, Wilmington was an important game because MSJ recruits the same area but now that MSJ has gotten better and has beaten Wilmington 6 straight games, the Wilmington game isn't as important.

[dc_has_been]

I would bet that if you put Wilmington in IBC they would be one of the top two teams in that conference.  Also, saying their conference is comparable to the HCAC is not saying much considerning or conference is know for being a bottom dweller in DIII.
The only decent nonconference team MSJ will play is TMC & even though they are playing well, they'll likely finish 7-3, but could really prove me wrong & do better than that.
In regards to other HCAC teams, depending on well Trine finishes, Franklin as the toughest nonconference schedule. 

[dc_has_been]

Current nonconference opponents combined records & record against.
Anderson 6-10 1-2
Bluffton 8-8 1-2
Defiance 11-4 0-3
Franklin 11-4 2-1
Hanover 10-6 0-2 Butler was still tallied in even though they did not play.
Manchester 7-9 2-1
MSJ 8-7 2-0
RHIT 3-13 2-1
10-12 overall against nonconference teams with 1 left to played (MSJ vs. TMC). 

[SaintsFAN]

I would bet that if you put Wilmington in IBC they would be one of the top two teams in that conference.  Also, saying their conference is comparable to the HCAC is not saying much considerning or conference is know for being a bottom dweller in DIII.
The only decent nonconference team MSJ will play is TMC & even though they are playing well, they'll likely finish 7-3, but could really prove me wrong & do better than that.
In regards to other HCAC teams, depending on well Trine finishes, Franklin as the toughest nonconference schedule. 

So you think they'll upset Franklin, has_been??

[cave2bens]

dc_has_been, Caralla is the real deal, probably the best running back they've seen in awhile. But with an O-line that won't or can't make holes for him to run through, he doesn't have much to work with.

"Devil may care but you wish for the best,"  Is it proper to pass the bong to the left or the right?    Links for Amy Vanderbilt or Emily Post?

All this bellicose blather and multiple posts, Mr. P - must be a federal holiday and you'd (me as well) rather be fishin'!   

[SaintsFAN]

Lakeland isn't terrible (this year they are, but overall, they haven't been that bad). They've been #1 or 2 in their conference 4 of the last 5 years and their conference is comparable with the HCAC in terms of competitiveness. They aren't a top 40 team by any means either, but they are better than Wilmington.

I said before, Wilmington was an important game because MSJ recruits the same area but now that MSJ has gotten better and has beaten Wilmington 6 straight games, the Wilmington game isn't as important.

Adam, I agree with you about your Wilmington thoughts... NOW, though I think MSJ has moved on from targeting Clinton County football players.  We'll see...

Lakeland is only going to get worse..  the new conference they are in...is one step above Division 4.  Franklin would be untested and their starters wouldn't see the field in the 2nd half of any of the conference games, were they in that conference.  Lakeland WAS very good when they had Zebrowski at the helm from 2003-2006.. he's now Offensive Coordinator at UW-Whitewater.  He was in charge of Millkin's resurgence prior to that as offensive coordinator.

[Pat Coleman]

I would bet that if you put Wilmington in IBC they would be one of the top two teams in that conference. 

They better be. They would be the only team in the conference if they joined today.

[Adam Sayer]

So the HCAC isn't a traditionally bottom dwelling conference? D3 has us ranked at the bottom just about every year. Last year was a vast imporvement as both Franklin and MSJ got into the playoffs, and  competed in the playoffs rather than getting blown out like we did from 2004-2006 (it helps when you don't have to play MUC or Wheaton).

How about non-scholarship DI (Dayton, Valpo, etc.). How are they in comparison with D3 on a yearly basis?

[SaintsFAN]

Nice, Pat.  How is Minna-SOTA treating you and the fam?

I would say traditionally, yes...the HCAC has been bottom dwelling... but not as bottom dwelling as the old IBC or whatever they are calling themselves today.  I would also argue that the Heartland, with MSJ, Franklin and Defiance playing well...is a top-15 conference.   I'd rank them near the President's Athletic Conference from what I've seen.  But thats WITH those three schools playing well. 

You still need to come get that catalog... before I use it.

[dc_has_been]

I would bet that if you put Wilmington in IBC they would be one of the top two teams in that conference. 

They better be. They would be the only team in the conference if they joined today.

My bad, Wilmington in the NATHC would be one of the top two teams in the conf.

Sayer- you bring up a valid point about last year & the HCAC, but this year is showing why we are towards the bottom.  10-12 in nonconference action with most of the games against the MIAA (8), or teams like Earlham 0-5 & played 3 HCAC oppenents. 
Right now I'm hoping Franklin runs the table & their defense does improve, b/c they would have the best shot winning in the playoffs & helping the HCAC get some respect.

SaintsFan- agreed! 

[Adam Sayer]

I told the guy that I had been to Eddie Lane's place in Montgomery and explained Eddie Lane's a Purcell Grad. I think I made him nervous because afterwards, he gave me a price on a 1.01 karat diamond, that is an F in color (still colorless on the scale) and SI 1 clarity for $3,800. I was shown a very similar (almost exact) diamond at Eddie Lane's place for $5,100. I got a $1,300 discount. I won't be needing the book. I appreciate the offer though. The whole ring is 2.11 karats and is costing me $5,000, $100 less than the single diamond would have cost me at the other place. Not bad methinks.

I had the Dean of students yell at me today because I was putting together the O-line's scouting report during the resource bell instead of doing something constructive. Last time I checked, coaching football was one of my responsibilities here???