FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[USee]

Matt Wenger was a dominant force at LB. As good as I have seen in the league and the sheer number of impact plays he made changed the outcome of games regularly. Lenny Radtke had more stats and was a phenomenal LB as well. Jake Beesley won't have stats to match those guys but he is in the conversation with the top 2-3 defensive backs to ever play in the CCIW in my opinion.

As much as NCC has returning (and there is a lot of talent) it's going to be hard to replace what Beesley did for that defense.

[wally_wabash]

Matt Wenger was a dominant force at LB. As good as I have seen in the league and the sheer number of impact plays he made changed the outcome of games regularly. Lenny Radtke had more stats and was a phenomenal LB as well. Jake Beesley won't have stats to match those guys but he is in the conversation with the top 2-3 defensive backs to ever play in the CCIW in my opinion.

As much as NCC has returning (and there is a lot of talent) it's going to be hard to replace what Beesley did for that defense.

Beesley's work in the Stagg Bowl was outstanding.  Of Kyle King's seven incompletions, five were Brandon Jordan targets where 21 was disruptive.  I know last Friday wasn't a banner day for NCC's secondary, but Beesley did extremely well to limit Jordan and make UMHB go elsewhere. 

[USee]

The Thunder have a new offensive coordinator and a familiar face: https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2021/12/23/football-andrew-bowers-promoted-to-offensive-coordinator-for-the-thunder-football-program.aspx

[BigRedScots]

The Thunder have a new offensive coordinator and a familiar face: https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2021/12/23/football-andrew-bowers-promoted-to-offensive-coordinator-for-the-thunder-football-program.aspx

What happened to Grahm?

Does Jesse Scott still call the plays?

[JShaffer1]

The Thunder have a new offensive coordinator and a familiar face: https://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2021/12/23/football-andrew-bowers-promoted-to-offensive-coordinator-for-the-thunder-football-program.aspx

What happened to Grahm?

Does Jesse Scott still call the plays?

Graham stepped down and is no longer coaching, but rather focusing on his insurance business in the Wheaton area.  Best of luck to him. A little over 4 years ago, he was eating dinner in our house recruiting my son.

I believe that coach Scott was calling the plays during the latter part of the season.   

[JShaffer1]

Agree with everything you said. Gotta add that both sides had to deal with injuries. It did not help Wheaton when its star RB had to leave the game for over a quarter because he was banged up. Even though Weeks ran for over 100 yds, he couldn't make his jump cuts and cut backs with his hip injury. Nor could he accelerate to his sprint level speed.

While the Thunder will lose all their 5th and 6th year seniors, there are some (not all) 4th year seniors coming back for their lost COVID year,  including some 2s on the defense, and what I'm hearing, at least one defensive starter.  Add to the fact that there are 2 second string juniors on the defense, it may not be quite as bad as you predicted in a previous post where you thought only 1 or 2 on Wheaton's 2-deep were coming back. I think they'll have alot of talented starters, but not nearly the upperclassman depth Wheaton's been blessed with the past 2-3 years.

It will certainly be interesting to watch the Thunder in September 2022.  The defense has been fortunate enough to have very impactful D1 transfers (e.g. McCrae, O'Connell, Corey Kennedy) over the past few years, so perhaps the Portal will yield some new gems.  I'm also curious to see what happens at QB, since I believe that Luke Anthony and Jeremiah Tucker both have eligibility remaining (not sure if both/either are planning to return), as well as Ben Thorson, WKU transfer/brother of Clayton.  IIRC TJ Williams may have eligibility left, but I'm not plugged in to know if that ship has sailed (just daydreaming about a Weeks/Williams 1-2 punch).

Your daydream may become a reality. I've heard some rumors that TJ is coming back for 2022 so there might be that Weeks/Williams 1-2 punch.  It wouldn't surprise me if Tucker comes back as well. If so, that is some incredible speed in Wheaton's backfield.

I'm also intrigued with some position moves that have been made. One in particular is Luke Davis who recently switched from QB to defensive back (which he also played in high school) because he got lost on Wheaton's loaded QB depth chart these past few years. He's extremely athletic with sprinter speed, being one of only few players that's faster than RB Giovanni Weeks on the Thunder.   Hoping Davis has success like UMHB's Tommy Bowden had when he switched from QB to defensive back after losing his starting role at QB to Kyle King during the spring football season of 2021.  Bowden came out of nowhere and was a key part of the defense in their championship win against North Central.

[BigRedScots]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

[D3fanboy]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

I have no idea whether Thorne would be a candidate or not, but it is so great that the stigma of "D3 coach" doesn't seem to be much of a thing anymore.  Great coaches are great coaches.  Thorne should 100% at least get a call. 

[WRMUalum13]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

I have no idea whether Thorne would be a candidate or not, but it is so great that the stigma of "D3 coach" doesn't seem to be much of a thing anymore.  Great coaches are great coaches.  Thorne should 100% at least get a call.

That type of move certainly wouldn't be unprecedented, UT- Chattanooga, in the same conference as EIU, hired former John Carrol Head Coach Tom Arth Several years ago.

[Marmac]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

EIU has been struggling financially, so I'm not sure he would increase his salary significantly. There's also the question of where he and his family want to live: Naperville or Charleston, IL? I suspect EIU would love to hire Thorne, but the job may not be appealing to him.

[BigRedScots]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

EIU has been struggling financially, so I'm not sure he would increase his salary significantly. There's also the question of where he and his family want to live: Naperville or Charleston, IL? I suspect EIU would love to hire Thorne, but the job may not be appealing to him.

That is my thought as well. But, if you want to make the jump from D3 to D1...you're going to have to take over a rebuilder.

[kiko]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

I have no idea whether Thorne would be a candidate or not, but it is so great that the stigma of "D3 coach" doesn't seem to be much of a thing anymore.  Great coaches are great coaches.  Thorne should 100% at least get a call.

As one example, San Diego Los Angeles Charger coach Brandon Staley, whose path is rather unconventional by NFL norms.  He's got a few D3 stops on his resume and the LAC gig is his first as a head coach:

Northern Illinois (2006–2008) - Graduate assistant
St. Thomas (2009) - Defensive line coach/special teams coach
Hutchinson Community College (2010–2011) - Associate head coach/defensive coordinator
Tennessee (2012) - Graduate assistant
John Carroll (2013) - Defensive coordinator/secondary coach
James Madison (2014) - Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach
John Carroll (2015–2016) - Defensive coordinator/secondary coach
Chicago Bears (2017–2018) - Outside linebackers coach
Denver Broncos (2019) - Outside linebackers coach
Los Angeles Rams (2020) - Defensive coordinator
Los Angeles Chargers (2021–present) - Head coach

[BigRedScots]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

Cushing was making north of 372k at EIU in 2019. Would assume Throne would more than dbl his salary.

IMO, no chance he takes it. Crazy if he doesn’t get a call though.

EIU has been struggling financially, so I'm not sure he would increase his salary significantly. There's also the question of where he and his family want to live: Naperville or Charleston, IL? I suspect EIU would love to hire Thorne, but the job may not be appealing to him.

[NCC2010]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

Cushing was making north of 372k at EIU in 2019. Would assume Throne would more than dbl his salary.

IMO, no chance he takes it. Crazy if he doesn’t get a call though.

EIU has been struggling financially, so I'm not sure he would increase his salary significantly. There's also the question of where he and his family want to live: Naperville or Charleston, IL? I suspect EIU would love to hire Thorne, but the job may not be appealing to him.

NCC just announced on Twitter Jeff Thorne is stepping down and Brad Spencer is taking over as head coach.

[CardinalAlum]

https://footballscoop.com/news/acc-duke-elko-hiring-fcs-head-coach

EIU's Head Coach is heading to Duke as OL Coach. Being that Jeff Thorne is an EIU grad...isn't this the perfect time for him to get a serious look at EIU? Would do a great job recruiting the state.

Would he take it?

Cushing was making north of 372k at EIU in 2019. Would assume Throne would more than dbl his salary.

IMO, no chance he takes it. Crazy if he doesn’t get a call though.

EIU has been struggling financially, so I'm not sure he would increase his salary significantly. There's also the question of where he and his family want to live: Naperville or Charleston, IL? I suspect EIU would love to hire Thorne, but the job may not be appealing to him.

NCC just announced on Twitter Jeff Thorne is stepping down and Brad Spencer is taking over as head coach.

He is taking a job at Western Michigan.