Observations from NCC's game against Millikin...
This was probably the best the run game has looked all season. Starting center Jorge Ortiz was benched after an early holding penalty in the second quarter, and sophomore Bennett Gorgal came in and played the rest of the way with the starters. Ortiz then returned to action with the 2nd team offense, which leaves me wondering if that is a permanent change they will keep moving forward. The broadcast team mentioned that Coach Spencer brought up Gorgal's name during their pregame meeting before the Carthage game. Gorgal is now the fourth different center to snap with the 1st team offense this year. Another difference with the offense this week was that normal starting tight ends Will Diamond and Dawson Trebolo were both in uniform, but neither played a snap. Instead, Parker Spellacy, a senior transfer from Cornell, and Rowan Kallall, a freshman, handled all of the tight end snaps with both the starters and the 2nd team. I'm not sure if Trebolo and Diamond were banged up or what the situation is. Either way, I thought the offensive line looked the best it has all year blocking once Gorgal came in alongside these two tight ends.
On the defensive side of the ball, I was very impressed by Millikin's quarterback, Sylas Gomez, and wide receiver, Amir Nixon. Millikin became the first offense to score 2 TDs in the first half against NCC this year, and only the 3rd offense to score twice against the starting defense all season (Wartburg scored their 2nd offensive touchdown with 12 seconds left, and Bethel scored theirs with one minute left in the third quarter while trailing 34-7). Almost all of Nixon's catches came on vertical, 1-on-1 routes, and he even dropped another 50 yard TD that would have made his stat line look even better. That has proven to be the best way to attack the NCC defense this year. Throwing deep outside when their corners are left on an island. Wheaton was able to hit 3 of those in their final 3 drives.
On special teams, Sean Ryniec had his first missed FG attempt of the season, missing wide left from 45 yards out, though he did convert kicks from 39 and 46 yards as well. Kaleb Stumpenhorst punted in place of Chip Dose, who still played as the holder, so it isn't clear if an injury is what prevented Dose from punting. Freshman Alex Anderson, who has been a standout running back on the JV squad, was inserted as the kick returner and looked explosive, averaging 30 yards on his three returns.
Does anyone know what injury Mark Forcucci has? I noticed he did not play against Elmhurst. Hopefully, it's nothing substantial, and they were just giving him a rest week before the playoffs begin.
Looking ahead to the Illinois Wesleyan game this week, I watched a portion of their matchup against North Park and noticed they are now rotating Smyth and Beaty at QB. Smyth is essentially operating as a Wildcat QB, running the ball 12 times while attempting only one pass. It should be very interesting to see how they both perform against the NCC defense. Smyth was very elusive last year, and Beaty practiced against this defense all of last season and through the spring as a member of the Cardinals.
This was probably the best the run game has looked all season. Starting center Jorge Ortiz was benched after an early holding penalty in the second quarter, and sophomore Bennett Gorgal came in and played the rest of the way with the starters. Ortiz then returned to action with the 2nd team offense, which leaves me wondering if that is a permanent change they will keep moving forward. The broadcast team mentioned that Coach Spencer brought up Gorgal's name during their pregame meeting before the Carthage game. Gorgal is now the fourth different center to snap with the 1st team offense this year. Another difference with the offense this week was that normal starting tight ends Will Diamond and Dawson Trebolo were both in uniform, but neither played a snap. Instead, Parker Spellacy, a senior transfer from Cornell, and Rowan Kallall, a freshman, handled all of the tight end snaps with both the starters and the 2nd team. I'm not sure if Trebolo and Diamond were banged up or what the situation is. Either way, I thought the offensive line looked the best it has all year blocking once Gorgal came in alongside these two tight ends.
On the defensive side of the ball, I was very impressed by Millikin's quarterback, Sylas Gomez, and wide receiver, Amir Nixon. Millikin became the first offense to score 2 TDs in the first half against NCC this year, and only the 3rd offense to score twice against the starting defense all season (Wartburg scored their 2nd offensive touchdown with 12 seconds left, and Bethel scored theirs with one minute left in the third quarter while trailing 34-7). Almost all of Nixon's catches came on vertical, 1-on-1 routes, and he even dropped another 50 yard TD that would have made his stat line look even better. That has proven to be the best way to attack the NCC defense this year. Throwing deep outside when their corners are left on an island. Wheaton was able to hit 3 of those in their final 3 drives.
On special teams, Sean Ryniec had his first missed FG attempt of the season, missing wide left from 45 yards out, though he did convert kicks from 39 and 46 yards as well. Kaleb Stumpenhorst punted in place of Chip Dose, who still played as the holder, so it isn't clear if an injury is what prevented Dose from punting. Freshman Alex Anderson, who has been a standout running back on the JV squad, was inserted as the kick returner and looked explosive, averaging 30 yards on his three returns.
Does anyone know what injury Mark Forcucci has? I noticed he did not play against Elmhurst. Hopefully, it's nothing substantial, and they were just giving him a rest week before the playoffs begin.
Looking ahead to the Illinois Wesleyan game this week, I watched a portion of their matchup against North Park and noticed they are now rotating Smyth and Beaty at QB. Smyth is essentially operating as a Wildcat QB, running the ball 12 times while attempting only one pass. It should be very interesting to see how they both perform against the NCC defense. Smyth was very elusive last year, and Beaty practiced against this defense all of last season and through the spring as a member of the Cardinals.