FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

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CardinalAlum

#38055
Wow!  Finally time to catch a breather after a couple of amazing days!   This was the ultimate dream for so many NCC football players, coaches, alumni, etc.  NCC faithful traveled fairly well, I believe, considering the distance and cost.  We have always sat here hoping that one day we would be fortunate enough to win a National Championship (Hate the term “Natty”) and it’s now a reality.   

As far as the game goes, USee told me it would come down to the battle on the LOS and he is rarely off on his assessments.  The offensive line for NCC playing well didn’t surprise anyone.  They’ve been playing at an elite level for weeks.  The defensive line for NCC was a force against a very good UWW offensive line.  That was an area that was a bit more in question on how this matchup would go.   We knew UWW would try to establish the run and they did.  Huge props to Dierking and his game plan.  Gilroy was a force, Martin and Ziegler controlled the inside.  Hyland, Rich and Ayhan (all 140# of him it seems) were also applying pressure all day.   

Offensively, what more can you say about the Cardinal “Trinity” as the ESPN guys called them.  Broc Rutter....Gagliardi, D3 Player of the year, D3 Career passing leader and National Champion!  Kamienski very easily could’ve been in the conversation for post season awards as well as Greenfield.   Two more years of Greenfield will be fun to watch, along with another year of Kamienski.   

Jeff Thorne did a masterful job this year holding the team together after the Wheaton game and deserved the D3 National Coach of the year award.  This team got better every week and also had some luck in terms of staying healthy and catching one of the last Pool C bids.  Brad Spencer has really mastered the offensive play calling for NCC.   

I’m going to enjoy this one for a while but I look forward to seeing the effects of this on recruiting, alumni engagement and continued facility improvements going forward! 
D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  ** D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **   D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 2022

CardinalAlum

Stagg must've shook off the weekend a little quicker than I did!   :D
D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  ** D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **   D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 2022

USee

Quote from: Stagg or Bust on December 22, 2019, 12:07:12 PM
Quote from: AndOne on December 21, 2019, 12:25:56 PM
In the 5 game playoff series NCC outscored it's opponents by combined scores of 227-109 with almost half (52) of the opposition points being scored in just one game. 🏈a

I'm glad you mentioned this AneOne.  While I was on the flight back from Texas, I was thinking about all of the top defenses I got the opportunity to see this year... Wheaton, Delaware Valley, Mount Union, Muhlenberg, Wisconsin Whitewater (and even Augustana and Illinois Wesleyan in the CCIW).  These groups were all ranked in the Top 75, and each had key strengths.  That said, I am not sure I saw a group that improved as much throughout the year or as good at the end of the season (when things actually mattered) as was North Central's own defense.  From the mid-point of the game against Mount game until the final whistle in Shenandoah the Cardinal's "no-name defense" was the defensive best unit on the field.  I will readily admit that I saw some phenomenal individual defenders (McRae, Nobile, Feaster, McGrath, Harris, James, Schwartz, Rowland, and Ford) that may have been better than anyone in a Cardinal uniform.  That said, the Cardinals ran a gauntlet of Top 10 opponents without giving up more than 14 points per game (or 1/2 game in the case out Mount)!  They outplayed opponent's OLs, shut down top tier running games, held passing games in check and bent, but never broke. 

So much credit for NCC's National Championship has gone to its offense (and deservedly so!), but I wanted to shine a little light on the Cardinal's underrated defensive unit and recognize the role they played in bringing the walnut and bronze to Naperville.  Thank you Gilroy, Rich, Ayhan, and Hyland for your aggressive pursuit of the QB and holding the edge.  Thank you Martin for Ziegler for stuffing the run, staying in your lanes, getting after the QB, and all of those TFLs.  Thank you Butler, Beauchamp, and Wong for filling the wholes, blitzing, and owning the middle of the field and flats.  Thank you Bell, Beesley, Cremeens, and Lindmark for the interceptions and passes defended.  I am looking forward to seeing this unit back in Naperville next fall as one of the top-ranked defenses in the country (with several pre-season All-Conference and All-American nods).

You should give a little credit to the NCAA Committee for giving you a bracket that had only 1 capable team that could pass the ball. That has a lot to do with the performance on defense during the playoffs IMO. But that defense was certainly under rated and did a great job during the playoffs.

USee

Nice job on the final podcast from Pat, Keith, Frank and Greg. They give some great highlights of the game and feature the performances of some of the better players as they discuss POY options. They also pontificate the final d3.com poll and how to approach it. Looks like after #1 it will be a crapshoot.

FWIW, Keith has this as his top 5.

NCC
Wheaton
UMU
Whitewater
St Johns


Dr. Acula

Quote from: USee on December 22, 2019, 01:53:17 PM
Quote from: Stagg or Bust on December 22, 2019, 12:07:12 PM
Quote from: AndOne on December 21, 2019, 12:25:56 PM
In the 5 game playoff series NCC outscored it's opponents by combined scores of 227-109 with almost half (52) of the opposition points being scored in just one game. 🏈a

I'm glad you mentioned this AneOne.  While I was on the flight back from Texas, I was thinking about all of the top defenses I got the opportunity to see this year... Wheaton, Delaware Valley, Mount Union, Muhlenberg, Wisconsin Whitewater (and even Augustana and Illinois Wesleyan in the CCIW).  These groups were all ranked in the Top 75, and each had key strengths.  That said, I am not sure I saw a group that improved as much throughout the year or as good at the end of the season (when things actually mattered) as was North Central's own defense.  From the mid-point of the game against Mount game until the final whistle in Shenandoah the Cardinal's "no-name defense" was the defensive best unit on the field.  I will readily admit that I saw some phenomenal individual defenders (McRae, Nobile, Feaster, McGrath, Harris, James, Schwartz, Rowland, and Ford) that may have been better than anyone in a Cardinal uniform.  That said, the Cardinals ran a gauntlet of Top 10 opponents without giving up more than 14 points per game (or 1/2 game in the case out Mount)!  They outplayed opponent's OLs, shut down top tier running games, held passing games in check and bent, but never broke. 

So much credit for NCC's National Championship has gone to its offense (and deservedly so!), but I wanted to shine a little light on the Cardinal's underrated defensive unit and recognize the role they played in bringing the walnut and bronze to Naperville.  Thank you Gilroy, Rich, Ayhan, and Hyland for your aggressive pursuit of the QB and holding the edge.  Thank you Martin for Ziegler for stuffing the run, staying in your lanes, getting after the QB, and all of those TFLs.  Thank you Butler, Beauchamp, and Wong for filling the wholes, blitzing, and owning the middle of the field and flats.  Thank you Bell, Beesley, Cremeens, and Lindmark for the interceptions and passes defended.  I am looking forward to seeing this unit back in Naperville next fall as one of the top-ranked defenses in the country (with several pre-season All-Conference and All-American nods).

You should give a little credit to the NCAA Committee for giving you a bracket that had only 1 capable team that could pass the ball. That has a lot to do with the performance on defense during the playoffs IMO. But that defense was certainly under rated and did a great job during the playoffs.

I must admit that watching the game Friday I couldn't help but wonder how they would have matched up with SJU.  It definitely would have been more entertaining as a fan with no rooting interest.  My gut is both teams are scoring 35+ in that game.

CardinalAlum

Quote from: USee on December 22, 2019, 02:01:24 PM
Nice job on the final podcast from Pat, Keith, Frank and Greg. They give some great highlights of the game and feature the performances of some of the better players as they discuss POY options. They also pontificate the final d3.com poll and how to approach it. Looks like after #1 it will be a crapshoot.

FWIW, Keith has this as his top 5.

NCC
Wheaton
UMU
Whitewater
St Johns


Wheaton was the most complete team NCC played all season.  Their defense was the best we saw by far. 
D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  ** D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **   D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 & 2022  **  D3 National Champions 2019 2022

Pat Coleman

Quote from: USee on December 22, 2019, 01:53:17 PM
Quote from: Stagg or Bust on December 22, 2019, 12:07:12 PM
Quote from: AndOne on December 21, 2019, 12:25:56 PM
In the 5 game playoff series NCC outscored it's opponents by combined scores of 227-109 with almost half (52) of the opposition points being scored in just one game. 🏈a

I'm glad you mentioned this AneOne.  While I was on the flight back from Texas, I was thinking about all of the top defenses I got the opportunity to see this year... Wheaton, Delaware Valley, Mount Union, Muhlenberg, Wisconsin Whitewater (and even Augustana and Illinois Wesleyan in the CCIW).  These groups were all ranked in the Top 75, and each had key strengths.  That said, I am not sure I saw a group that improved as much throughout the year or as good at the end of the season (when things actually mattered) as was North Central's own defense.  From the mid-point of the game against Mount game until the final whistle in Shenandoah the Cardinal's "no-name defense" was the defensive best unit on the field.  I will readily admit that I saw some phenomenal individual defenders (McRae, Nobile, Feaster, McGrath, Harris, James, Schwartz, Rowland, and Ford) that may have been better than anyone in a Cardinal uniform.  That said, the Cardinals ran a gauntlet of Top 10 opponents without giving up more than 14 points per game (or 1/2 game in the case out Mount)!  They outplayed opponent's OLs, shut down top tier running games, held passing games in check and bent, but never broke. 

So much credit for NCC's National Championship has gone to its offense (and deservedly so!), but I wanted to shine a little light on the Cardinal's underrated defensive unit and recognize the role they played in bringing the walnut and bronze to Naperville.  Thank you Gilroy, Rich, Ayhan, and Hyland for your aggressive pursuit of the QB and holding the edge.  Thank you Martin for Ziegler for stuffing the run, staying in your lanes, getting after the QB, and all of those TFLs.  Thank you Butler, Beauchamp, and Wong for filling the wholes, blitzing, and owning the middle of the field and flats.  Thank you Bell, Beesley, Cremeens, and Lindmark for the interceptions and passes defended.  I am looking forward to seeing this unit back in Naperville next fall as one of the top-ranked defenses in the country (with several pre-season All-Conference and All-American nods).

You should give a little credit to the NCAA Committee for giving you a bracket that had only 1 capable team that could pass the ball. That has a lot to do with the performance on defense during the playoffs IMO. But that defense was certainly under rated and did a great job during the playoffs.

UW-Whitewater had a little to do with keeping St. John's away. :)
Publisher. Questions? Check our FAQ for D3f, D3h.
Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

New Tradition

#38062
A lot of things bouncing around in my head after this weekend.  I'll try to make some sense of them and not sound like I'm rambling, but my brain definitely feels like it's rambling, so I apologize in advance.

1.   First, I want to congratulate this group, and in particular the seniors, for doing something that I never would have even dreamed possible when I chose to come play at North Central in the spring of 2002.  When I was making my choice, NCC was coming off of a 3-7 season.   They were in a lot of games but weren't able to really finish many of them.  My other top choice was Cornell College in Iowa, who was coming off of a 7-3 season.  I chose NCC because I liked the vibe there and really felt that I clicked with the players and feel of the school.  It was after I already made my choice that Coach DeGeorge was let go and Coach Thorne hired.  I had some brief second thoughts about playing at NCC when that happened.  Having played against Coach Thorne's teams in high school (and greatly disliking them because they were so good) and knowing that success at one level doesn't necessarily equate to success at the next, I had doubts.  In fact, if you had told me in 2002 that either Cornell or NCC was going to build a dynasty in their conference and win a national title, and asked me to guess which one it was, I'd have guessed wrong.  But I decided to stick it out and see what happened, and it turned out to be one of the absolute best decisions I've ever made in my life.
2.   I've had the incredible opportunity to play with some absolute greats!  3 NCC Hall of Famers in Lenny Radtke, Kam Kniss, and Tyke Spencer.  Steve Holden.  These guys, along with a few others that we played with, rewrote the NCC record books.  I never thought I'd have so much fun and be filled with so much pride watching records set by my teammates get absolutely obliterated by this group!  I know for a fact that the previous record holders and my teammates feel the exact same way.
3.   I was beyond thrilled and blessed that I got to witness all of this happen with my brother, my dad, my broadcast partner, and my teammates. 
4.   After winning the Stagg Bowl (I hate the term "natty" as well, CardinalAlum.  Is it because we're old?) my brother and I went to the hotel where the players were staying, who were all in the lobby having a great time and enjoying the title!  While conversing with them and congratulating them, every player asked when I played.  When I told them I had the honor and privilege of being a part of John Thorne's first recruiting class, each and every one of them, to a man, almost reverently, thanked ME for laying the foundation for what happened that night.  I'm still blown away by this.  These are young men who just reached the pinnacle of their sport at their level mere hours before, but were still thinking of others.  I'll say now what I said to them.  No, thank YOU for getting done what we didn't.  For finishing the dream.  For making it happen.
5.   Speaking of thinking of others, Greenfields MVP acceptance speech made me so proud I cried.
6.   Speaking of crying, watching John Thorn hoist the Walnut and Bronze also made me cry.
7.   And so did watching the team chant "I AM A NATIONAL CHAMPION AND I REFUSE TO LOSE."
8.   Going through both purple powers to get to the top of the mountain made this way sweeter.
9.   This has also been mentioned by others, but the defense was absolutely stellar from halftime of the Mount Union game on. 
10.   This has been briefly discussed elsewhere, but what was up with the lack of any kind of ceremony or reverence regarding the Gagliardi Trophy?  Just a quick "you got it" and interview in front of an ESPN sign taped onto a wall? 
11.   I'm incredibly jacked for next year.  So much of this team returns.  That's terrifying.  I'm very curious who the signal caller will be.  I've already seen a tweet detailing the start of offseason workouts that said the chili is HOT, and it feels like the returners are still hungry.  Kevin Jackman and I would love to get the chance to broadcast more home playoff games next year.  Let's go get a 1 seed!
12.    Thanks to Wally Wabash for asking me to contribute to Quick Hits!  That was a lot of fun.  Great meeting you in TX. 
13.    Pretty much all of the people who post on these boards, including rivals and opponents, have been pure class.  The environment here has been incredible.
14.  Contemplating a moniker change.  Coach Thorne made it a point to my class to be proud that we helped establish a New Tradition when we graduated in 2006, which is why I chose it as a moniker when I started posting here shortly thereafter.  The Tradition isn't New anymore, though--it's just THE Tradition.
15.   Thanks again to this group and the seniors.  Enjoy it—we certainly have!

I'll probably edit this a bunch as I have more thoughts pop up. 
I am a NATIONAL Champion, and I refuse to lose!

2015 CCIW Pickem Champ
2015 WIAC Playoff Pickem Champ

Pat Coleman

Expanding on the Gagliardi Trophy situation:

In Salem, Virginia, this was a big deal. The Salem folks embraced this and helped make it huge -- up until a decade ago, it was announced before the Stagg Bowl and presented at a luncheon on Friday afternoon before the Saturday game.

The Salem organizing committee and the J-Club from St. John's and the NCAA and football committee teamed up to make this more Heisman-like. Let's bring in four finalists, have a sitdown interview, a dinner, and award it to one of them live on stage. That was awesome. I enjoyed participating in that event, and I know Keith McMillan did before me, and Frank Rossi and Dave McHugh and our team enjoyed producing the online broadcast of the event.

The Shenandoah organizing committee wanted no part of this whatsoever. So the J-Club is kind of stuck in the middle. They don't have the resources to put on a big banquet without the cooperation and help from the local organizing committee. So, last year, we made an announcement online at the title game, since we believed that would be the biggest audience, and there was an actual awards ceremony later on campus.

This year, there will/can also be an actual award ceremony on campus. So although that was how Broc Rutter was informed, it's better than reading it in a tweet. At least, that was my thought. It was actually our team that got the fact that Rutter won the award into the ESPN broadcast at all -- they wouldn't have known if we hadn't made arrangements to interview him for our own pregame show about it.

Is this perfect? No -- definitely not. Hopefully, the Canton organizing committee will pick up some of the balls that Shenandoah dropped. And I'll be looking out for the date when Rutter is recognized at NCC, with hopes that perhaps I can get down there for it.
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Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

New Tradition

Quote from: Pat Coleman on December 22, 2019, 05:06:52 PM
Expanding on the Gagliardi Trophy situation:

In Salem, Virginia, this was a big deal. The Salem folks embraced this and helped make it huge -- up until a decade ago, it was announced before the Stagg Bowl and presented at a luncheon on Friday afternoon before the Saturday game.

The Salem organizing committee and the J-Club from St. John's and the NCAA and football committee teamed up to make this more Heisman-like. Let's bring in four finalists, have a sitdown interview, a dinner, and award it to one of them live on stage. That was awesome. I enjoyed participating in that event, and I know Keith McMillan did before me, and Frank Rossi and Dave McHugh and our team enjoyed producing the online broadcast of the event.

The Shenandoah organizing committee wanted no part of this whatsoever. So the J-Club is kind of stuck in the middle. They don't have the resources to put on a big banquet without the cooperation and help from the local organizing committee. So, last year, we made an announcement online at the title game, since we believed that would be the biggest audience, and there was an actual awards ceremony later on campus.

This year, there will/can also be an actual award ceremony on campus. So although that was how Broc Rutter was informed, it's better than reading it in a tweet. At least, that was my thought. It was actually our team that got the fact that Rutter won the award into the ESPN broadcast at all -- they wouldn't have known if we hadn't made arrangements to interview him for our own pregame show about it.

Is this perfect? No -- definitely not. Hopefully, the Canton organizing committee will pick up some of the balls that Shenandoah dropped. And I'll be looking out for the date when Rutter is recognized at NCC, with hopes that perhaps I can get down there for it.

I hear ya, Pat.  In no way am I laying this at your feet.  But something needs to be done--for all Broc has done, he certainly deserves it.  Hopefully if things line up I'll get a chance to say hello while you're there!
I am a NATIONAL Champion, and I refuse to lose!

2015 CCIW Pickem Champ
2015 WIAC Playoff Pickem Champ

Pat Coleman

Quote from: New Tradition on December 22, 2019, 05:16:14 PM
I hear ya, Pat.  In no way am I laying this at your feet.  But something needs to be done--for all Broc has done, he certainly deserves it.  Hopefully if things line up I'll get a chance to say hello while you're there!

I look forward to it. I really appreciated the things you put in the rest of your list as well! Just had to focus on the one part that I had more information about.
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Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

kiko

Two quick thoughts, and they won't be as eloquent as what you read above...

A) If you had told me when I graduated many eons ago that North Central's football team would finish higher on the national stage than its cross country team, my reaction would have been "oh... what a shame that the cross country program has fallen off from where it was".  The idea of hoisting the walnut and bronze was not remotely a consideration.  It's hard to have a playoff team in football given how scarce access to the postseason is.  It's *really* hard to reach the playoffs, let alone be competitive, on a regular basis.  And as NT alludes to above, competing with the purples is in another stratosphere.  Kudos to the current team, and to those who helped establish the foundation and build, brick by brick, the program to where it is today.  This one belongs to all of you.

B) I'm curious as to what other Cardinal supporters think, but IMO the five most important games in the Thorne era (and by extension, since little of note happened in this program prior to 2002, in program history) would be these:

1. 2019 - 59-52 win over Mount Union -- not many teams come out of Alliance with a win, and this opened up all that happened in the past month
3. 2019 - 41-24 Stagg Bowl win over Whitewater
2. 2004 - 31-10 win over Augustana... first proof point that things were different now... you just didn't beat Augie in that era
4. 2013 - 41-40 loss to Mount Union... going toe to toe against D3's alpha program when they blow out most non-purple opponents suggested the gap could be closed
5. 2005 - 21-19 loss to Capital... first-ever playoff game... reaching and being competitive in the playoffs  helped to reset expectations

New Tradition

Quote from: kiko on December 22, 2019, 05:46:35 PM
1. 2019 - 59-52 win over Mount Union -- not many teams come out of Alliance with a win, and this opened up all that happened in the past month
3. 2019 - 41-24 Stagg Bowl win over Whitewater
2. 2004 - 31-10 win over Augustana... first proof point that things were different now... you just didn't beat Augie in that era
4. 2013 - 41-40 loss to Mount Union... going toe to toe against D3's alpha program when they blow out most non-purple opponents suggested the gap could be closed
5. 2005 - 21-19 loss to Capital... first-ever playoff game... reaching and being competitive in the playoffs  helped to reset expectations

Wholeheartedly agree with this entire list!
I am a NATIONAL Champion, and I refuse to lose!

2015 CCIW Pickem Champ
2015 WIAC Playoff Pickem Champ

robertgoulet

NT, regarding who's going to be manning the helm for NCC next year: there's already rumors afoot of a transfer from a scholarship school.
You win! You always do!

New Tradition

Quote from: robertgoulet on December 22, 2019, 06:00:00 PM
NT, regarding who's going to be manning the helm for NCC next year: there's already rumors afoot of a transfer from a scholarship school.

The spot couldn't be any more attractive for someone considering.
I am a NATIONAL Champion, and I refuse to lose!

2015 CCIW Pickem Champ
2015 WIAC Playoff Pickem Champ