I watched only the second half of the Stagg Bowl. Going into the game, NCC had to know they faced the top D3 football player.  NCC just didn't seem to have an answer for Blaha - same defensive scheme.  NCC did not respond well to altering formations in the second half.  And then the INT!  So happy I got to see it live!  NCC looked confused on O, and River Falls' D and coaches deservedly won the game by pitching a shutout against a team that averaged 52-5ppg during the regular season.

Chomp, chomp...I am eating shorts right now.  After Vuckovic suddenly burst onto the scene, I posted that NPU needed Kolden V to be the team's leading scorer by the 10 game mark.  Otherwise, I presumed the Vikings would have been an average team.  At 10-3, excluding tonite's victory at NCC...in which Vuckovic had the game hi, the V backcourt tandem averages 36ppg (MV at 21 and KV at 15).  I note that the pair also averages 12 rpg.  In addition, they have dished 141 assists!

Glad I missed the first 10 minutes tonite.  The rest certainly kept my attention!

I went to the NPU game with a friend who knows more about hoops than I.  Regarding Greenville, Ron said they were a "bad team playing bad basketball."  NP consistently and fairly easily passed the ball past midcourt with designed rotations.  Then the FG% went waaay up:  Vance has so many EASY buckets.  Not a competitive game for over 75% of the time.

"Physicality" should never be used, but I'm old. 6-7.

A couple weeks ago I heard Tom Brady say "evolutionized" during a MN Viking game.

Here's my hard take on the CCIW requiring football to sustain membership.

https://www.eastportlandblog.com/

How many minutes did Richardson guard Grieger?  Did he consistently slash the zone for open jumpers? Grieger went 0-2 from trey land.

Transfer-laden North Park appeared to lack continuity whereas UWL returns three starters from last year's EE team, including the best player on the court. Grieger shined last night.

Like Greg said, UWL got hot from downtown in the last quarter of the game whereas NP failed.  Oddly, the Vikings seemed hesitant, especially the V Brothers after each made his first attempt.  The undersized Vikings repeatedly penetrated the paint, ending with a blocked shot. 

NP kept this game interesting until the last nine minutes or so.

North Park punting netted two kicks inside the 20 while Wheaton had only one.  NP punted for an average of 38 yards on five kicks whereas the Sonic Atmospheric Disturbance averaged a measly 24 on two.

NP rushed the ball 33 times for 26 yards with total O reaching 133 yards on 59 plays. Wheaton had fewer plays (54), but five times more yardage.

Viking Vuckovic scored a grand total of 12 points last year.  He has 62 points this year in two games.

Vanlandingham must be the Vikings' leading scorer by game ten for this team to compete in the conference tourney.  Topping Vuckovich's 38 could come in game nine against Greenville.

On the 98 yard TD, Green threw deep to Ombogo, just like I designed.

NPU's head coach landed 47 freshmen for the fall 2021 season. Four academic years later, in spring 2025, I believe only 11 (23%) graduated. I never previously crunched graduation numbers, but I know NPC/U has always had its football roster heavily consist of freshmen and sophomores. Rooker's 2025 team is no different with a roster that  comprises approximately 26% of juniors and seniors.  This is not the path to "keep momentum going," per the NPU press release, following a 5-5 season.

Stellar WR Jereme Ombogo graduated (one year of eligibility left) with High Honors while performing extremely well in track.
https://athletics.northpark.edu/news/2025/1/28/ombogo-tabbed-as-csc-academic-all-american-first-for-npu-football-since-1987.aspx  This season's QB must learn quickly to throw the ball deep to Ombogo, a sprinter.  And not just once per half.

Three teams below North Park in the coaches' poll?!  NPU lost a great pair of linebackers and its four-year starting QB.

I've seen a whole lotta Julian, but not one who is 6'8".

North Park announced its transfer class on X. Former Carthage big man Julian Campbell; Jerome Smith (LA Tech); Jalen Houston (IU NW); Tyvin Garrison (Lincoln U); Lazario Cornish (Spoon River CC); Rasmus Westerlund (Calumet CC); Katrell Weekley (Roosevelt U); Raz Orbach (College of Canyons); Joe Kone (John Melvin U); and Matt Neal (Kennedy King CC).  Five are listed between 6'5" and 6'8".  Is Mr. Campbell really 6'8"?

I searched only one player's history - Orbach. Born in Israel, then to CA where he averaged 10ppg as a 6'3" guard who shot under 25% and under 50% from beyond the arc and within, respectively.  First team AC last year as a sophomore.