D50,

My name is pretty fitting.  Much of the information I have posted is common knowledge, but a little research doesn't hurt.  Bottom line, I could give 2 cents about Dan Sullivan or Kurt Barth.  The point of the matter is Dan Sullivan's 3 wins in 2+ seasons is par for the course for Eureka.  Per the D3 website, since 99 you have won an average of 1.9 games a year!  Kurt's average win total is 2 games a year, so I guess it is an upgrade per EC standards.

My only comment about this hire is EC had an opportunity to go out and get a coach with proven success either over a short or long period of time.  They failed to do this and for whatever their motives were hired Mr. Barth.

AB,

Take stats for what they are worth as it is all relative.  EC plays in one of the worst conferences in D3.  I would state EC needs a lot of work in a number of areas.  Only time will tell.

L79,

It is my understanding Eureka was NAIA and offered scholarships.  However, when they went D3 they quit offering scholarships, but those scholarship players remained in the program.  Bottom line, the point I was making is it took money to draw folks (quality players) to Eureka regardless of who the coach was. 

D50,

I am glad he was able to motivate you to a 8-22 record.  More of the same, the 2008 squad scored the most points in a season since '97, which is nothing to brag about.  If he was such a great motivator, why aren't we seeing it in his records/statistics as a coach. 

"Foot in the door", "cross country"?  Come on, excuses are like a-holes and everyone has one and they all stink.  Can someone tell me the last time a cc runner was great football player?  They run cc for a reason.  Doesn't Eureka coop?  Did someone put a gun to Kurt's head and say he had to take the Eureka job?  I know of 10 jobs in the last 4 years, which have opened up, which are better the EHS.  Why didn't he hired for one of those? 

I could really care less what conference they are in.  He was only in the conference for the last 4 years, not 8.  Let's face it, Central Catholic over the last 4 years has been the only consistent team.  Each of the other remaining schools has had up and down years or below average teams.  PC, U-High, Rantoul, Olympia are all winnable games.  Their non-conference game should be a winner.  Bottomline, good coaches come up with 1-2 wins a year where they should not have won the game.

I will let the Eureka followers state their case for their new HC, but we will have this same discussion in a few years despite being in one of the worst conferences in D3.

Eureka followers,

Let's not kid ourselves.  The Barth hire is obviously as a result of lack of options.  When a press release talks about a coaches former playing days rather than his successes as a coach, such leads one to wonder.  8 wins in 3 years at EC as Asst Coach/Coordinator.  1 winning season in the last 4 as a HS Head Coach.

The only time EC has been successful is when they were NAIA or D3 (playing with NAIA scholarship players - Barth era).  Bottom line, unless they go back to NAIA, EC is a place where they will have a new coach every 3-4 years and get average players.

Gentlemen, Gentlemen...

I am glad I got a few of you stirred up for certainly all the wrong reasons.  But, it opens up some good discussion. 

ftballfan09 - It doesn't matter really who I am and you don't have to believe me.  My comments below are simply my opinion.  You are correct the IBFC had its trouble (Greenville, Mac, Eureka, CUC, Benedictine).  The NAC is really no different (Rockford, Maratha, etc.).  Until each one of NAC institutions makes football a priority, they will remain behind the curve of conferences like the CCIW, OAC, NCAC, MIAA and IIAC.

I would like you to expand on your comment "things to work on" and let me know how long each of things would take to complete.  I can tell you I have told my alma mater these things and things have certainly changed around D3 football since I played.  My loyalty is with the NAC, but changes need to be made.


baseman201 - Facilities is more than a football field.  CUC maybe won an average of 1 game a year with their new field.  Granite, most schools in the NAC have a quality football field/stadium.  But, what school doesn't these days.  Those schools in the conferences I noted above fill their stadiums on Saturdays for 3-5,00 people.  The NAC does not.  Do any of the NAC schools have new indoor facilities, weight rooms, etc..  If they possess these items, do they have a stable coaching staff, quality jv program, financial aid, etc..  Bottom line, the NAC in most institutions does not provide a big time atmosphere to attract the top players or put themselves in a position to attract these players.

I could certainly go on, but I hope you understand the point I am trying to make.  I think it is ironic my comments are taken the way they are when both of you stated the conference has no shot at winning a playoff game.  If you have no shot at winning a playoff game, win a conference/national title, why even participate for any of the NAC schools.  If your response is, "I love playing the game", then once again my point exactly.

iitwi88,

I wouldn't say it doesn't matter who they get.  If they get NC, it could get ugly; but otherwise depending on their draw, it could be closer game than you expect.  Only time will tell.

Nuts and Old 40,

I think it is fair to say the NAC schools are 10 years behind the curve with athletic facilities, programs, etc. from a football standpoint.  It is unfair to compare the NAC schools to the WIAC schools from a facility standpoint.  I think those NAC schools which get creative with their costs, financial aid, etc. given the economy over the next few years could close the gap from an athlete standpoint, but still need to generate money to develop better facilities.

I'll bet AU gets North Central in the first round.  Based on the regional rankings, I believe Mt. Union will head to the east once again, leaving NC the top seed in the Midwest and your classic #1 v #8.

Insight on the OAC board has Lakeland and Aurora's HCs with ties to the opening at Capital.  It wouldn't hurt my feelings to see the AU coach go, but then again why would Capital hire a coach who has never had a winning record?

cudub- trust me, I am not bitter.  I would love to see CUW and the IBFC win a playoff game.  But, CUW's history in the playoffs, the way they have played this season and especially the last 3 games, I can't imagine them keeping the game within 6 TD.  If they do, I will certainly eat my words.  I don't eat my words often though.

For those talking about a perfect game, they haven't played a perfect game yet this year in one of the worst conferences in a D3.  What makes anyone believe they will play a perfect game to one of the best teams in the country???

I agree with each of Spartan's comments.  GP, trust me, but being "the man" presently in the IBFC is nothing to brag or write home to mom about.  Good luck, CUW you are going to need it.  I would say you are 6 TD underdog.

Falcfb - I can tell you I do know how to count.  I was giving CUC the credit for their three wins this year.  When was the last time they won three games?  This point here indicates they have not consistently won and the odds they will consistently win are slim to none given the current regime.

I didn't realize I was talking about your playing days at CUW.  I believe the entire conversation is focused on CUC.  Thus, they were upset by EC this year and your beloved Falcons were also upset this year by GC.  Thus, the reason for my comments upsets can happen.

I cannot comment on the recruiting tactics of either school, but one thing you need to keep in mind is perhaps BU would like to run the spread offense and thus they are selling such to recruits.  But, if they are unable to recruit the athletes to execute such an offense, then you must install an offense which will enable you to be successful.

Your opinion regarding the upside of CUC over BU is slightly skewed given your relationship with the CUC program.  Both programs are fairly young and when I compare scores to other programs in the league, BU has the edge.  BU also has a new football stadium to market while CUC has not seen the benefits of its stadium.   

Falcsfb - CUC will never win consistently and in fact this is the first time the program has won more than 2 games in how long?  Sure they upset BU, EC upset you, GC upset CUW.  Upsets happen every Saturday.   Bottomline, the BU program has more upside than does CUC.  Also, I did say compete and not win, which are two different ideas.  Look at this this way, if you didn't upset BU at the beginning of the season, they would have been competing for the conference championship Saturday vs CUW.

I think most "believers" and I would be ecstatic with a 5 win season, given the fact you play a cupcake non-conf schedule.

Fatal - It is quite obvious you post on emotion rather than fact.  First you claim "unsportsmanlike behavior" on LC and then change it to the "disobedient coach".  In fact, if you would have watch the situation play out at the end of the game, it became apparent the player called the "fake punt" rather than the coaching staff.  Furthermore, the LC head coach had the player apologize to the AU head coach for his actions.   The fake punt didn't hurt a thing.  LC didn't score.  I think if LC wanted to rub it in.  They would have kept #1 in the game and threw the ball to him until they put another TD on the board.  Bottom line, if AU was upset, why didn't the players do anything about it.

This situation kind of reminds of the NE Patriots supposedly running up the score on its opponents.

XCoach44 - I agree Benedictine needs to make some changes on their offense.  If they make some changes, BU could compete for a conference championship.

Believers, let me offer some advice.  Until you WIN on the field, nobody is going to believe anything you have to say.  Coach Pries may be pointing your group in the right direction, but your institution's philosophy will prevent you from doing anything.  I would say the same thing for Mac and GC, but they are headed to a new conference next year.

Fatal - What are you talking about?  There wasn't one unsportsmanlike penalty today.  MadFrog is correct, the better team won today and AU was dominated from start to finish.  Rather than worrying about how Lakeland's squad supposedly acted, AU may want to work on completing passes to their own team (4 INTs, 1 loss fumble) and convert a 3rd down (4 of 14).

Fatal - AU had opportunities to win the game yesterday, but certainly did not deserve to win the game.  As a neutral observer, it appeared the AU coaching staff got outcoached from the last few minutes of the first half through the game winning field goal?  What type of coach does not put points on the board (field goal) during overtime when the opposition hasn't even had the ball yet?....Wait I know, a coach who needs to go!

For those who say he didn't have confidence in the kicking the field goal from the 10 yd line, which is an extra pt, then he should have maybe went for 2 in the first OT.  Just a thought, but some changes need to be made on the AU staff.

Old 40 - I would not say AU has a good defense when it comes to D3 football, but they have a good defense when it comes to playing the teams in the IBFC.

I guess I should have been more specific when it comes to the time frame.  The IBFC became a D3 conference only in 98 and thus I am looking for players from the 98 season to the present.  Before 98, the conference consisted of NAIA, D2 and D3 schools.

FatalImpact,

I don't think I would put Nick on the list as he wasn't ever the OL of the Year.  Was he even 1st team All-Conf?

Fishguy,

I believe Novara preceded the the new IBFC, but certainly correct me if I am wrong.

Anyone else have any suggestions.