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D3 football

I 100% it was about getting more exposure especially to Chicago area, but the talent of kids they have recruited the past 4-5 years wasn’t what was needed to compete at all in the CCIW. I’m also an alum btw so I want to see them succeed

100% agree the days of not spending anytime recruiting and playing Lawerence are gone the CCIW is different animal. It won’t be easy but if they want compete they have to get higher level athletes and more of them. Some of their other sports have made the transition to the CCIW just fine so there is hope.
 
As a parent of three children who all played NCAA D3 sports (football, basketball, ice hockey), I am sharing my thoughts on it.
The absolute best thing about D3 college sports participation is that it allows the student-athlete to step away from the sport on his or her terms rather than on the calendar's terms.

I'll echo an already great point made by olderbytheminute, and I'll add what I've long thought is important at all levels of college football-or other sports for that matter. College sports does allow you an opportunity to walk away on your own terms. For some athletes, at all levels, the end of college isn't a point where all are ready to walk away. As a parent myself, I encourage the heightened awareness of what can be former student athletes struggling with walking away. Many turn to other sports, eventually. But it may take some years to find that new hobby that feeds the competitive spirit. I'm grateful my kids have found competitive sports as enjoyable. I, myself, am a proponent of finding my kids a lifelong sport now they can enjoy, post high school-college career to help with that transition. (Golf, tennis, martial arts, swimming, running, biking, etc.) Excellent post olderbytheminute!
 
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Neuqua and NCCs very own. Up for the Gagliardi Trophy.....the DIII Heisman. Get em Broc!

Manteno & Aurora University's Gavin Zimbelman is a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy as well, after leading the country in touchdown passes with 51 in the regular season, amongst other leading statistics...
 
NC 28
Mount Union 20

10m left to go in 2nd

Rutter 8-11 186yd 3 3tds
Kaminski (S. Elgin) 4 receptions 84 yards 2tds

there will be 100 points scored.
 
After watching AU almost taking down St Johns...I think Wheaton is a 10+ favorite.

Wheaton is AWESOME this year.
 
St John's / Wheaton is really a semi final worthy game in my view. Definitely will give the edge to Wheaton, playing at home, how they've handled the playoffs so far, etc. I do think SJU will be the best team Wheaton has faced all year, and Erdman is every bit as good as Rutter. Wheaton's secondary will be tested.

One thing to note, St John's kicking game has been brutal all season. Many missed extra points, no FG kicking to speak of. Desperate to fix this, they made a switch in mid November then got a kid back on the roster who wasn't even on the team at the beginning of the year. I suspect the Johnnies will going for it on 4th down when in plus territory.

I like Wheaton here, something like 31-26.
 
St John's / Wheaton is really a semi final worthy game in my view. Definitely will give the edge to Wheaton, playing at home, how they've handled the playoffs so far, etc. I do think SJU will be the best team Wheaton has faced all year, and Erdman is every bit as good as Rutter. Wheaton's secondary will be tested.

One thing to note, St John's kicking game has been brutal all season. Many missed extra points, no FG kicking to speak of. Desperate to fix this, they made a switch in mid November then got a kid back on the roster who wasn't even on the team at the beginning of the year. I suspect the Johnnies will going for it on 4th down when in plus territory.

I like Wheaton here, something like 31-26.

I think that Wheaton has already played and beat a better team than St. John's, North Central. Based on what I saw Aurora do to St. John's defense, I don't see them being able to stop Wheaton. I don't think St. John's has seen a defense as good as Wheaton's is this year and I think they will hold SJU well under their season average of 43 points per game. I see Wheaton winning by two TD's.
 
Hate to burst bubbles around here but the quality of the D3 conferences that are played in by Illinois teams are bad. North Central and Wheaton are the only decent teams in Illinois or any of the conferences played in by Illinois teams.

North Central beat the #1 team in D3 this past weekend.. Put up 56 pts
 
Congrats to Wheaton College on a terrific season. Unfortunate that it ended today, but great things ahead for this program. Was great to see Wheaton and Aurora have such great seasons. Congrats to North Central College on advancing. What an accomplishment!
 
Congrats to Wheaton College on a terrific season. Unfortunate that it ended today, but great things ahead for this program. Was great to see Wheaton and Aurora have such great seasons. Congrats to North Central College on advancing. What an accomplishment!

The ending of the Wheaton games was brutal scoring with 8 seconds left only to get a stupid celebration penalty and miss the extra point twice after St Johns roughed the kicker.
 
Yes it was. I feel really bad for the one who scored, and the one kicking the xp. In terms of a celebration, that wasn't what it could have been. Sad to see the zebras step into the spotlight there. I hope he's an underclassmen. Not the way you want to end a senior year.
 
Yes it was. I feel really bad for the one who scored, and the one kicking the xp. In terms of a celebration, that wasn't what it could have been. Sad to see the zebras step into the spotlight there. I hope he's an underclassmen. Not the way you want to end a senior year.

Zebras didn’t step in... that penalty is as automatic as it gets. Even saw on Twitter the Wheaton college broadcast of the play and they had no beef with call they referenced it as really bad on part of the player who spiked ball. The fact that Wheaton even got second kick was a bit of luck. If you watch replay, Kicker did a good job of keeping his kicking leg up in air for multiple seconds after the kick was off to draw the penalty.... and he made the kick it wouldn’t have mattered because the offense also had a penalty on the play with a substitution infraction.... that’s why the second kick was also longer and not back at the normal distance. Then he missed on the second try too... it was debacle after debacle at the end.
 
Like I said in the other post I am absolutely heart broken for Wheaton!
 
Coach Swider will be missed. An outstanding coach and even better Christian man. We got to know him years ago during the recruiting process. This really caught me by surprise. Best wishes to him and his family
 
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Manteno & Aurora University's Gavin Zimbelman is a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy as well, after leading the country in touchdown passes with 51 in the regular season, amongst other leading statistics...

Zimbelman has been named the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Director's Association) 2019 Academic All-America football D3 First Team All-America QB.
 
Neuqua and NCCs very own. Up for the Gagliardi Trophy.....the DIII Heisman. Get em Broc!

Manteno & Aurora University's Gavin Zimbelman is a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy as well, after leading the country in touchdown passes with 51 in the regular season, amongst other leading statistics...

Rutter and Zimbelman have progressed from Gagliardi semi-finalists, a field of 12, to the final group of 5...Winner to be announced next Friday the 20th...
 
Played at Aurora the year that it came back in 86. Had a great experience. Met guys from all over the state and got to see parts of the midwest I otherwise would not have seen. Liked it so much stayed and coached for a couple of years before moving on to high school level.
Have encouraged many athletes, that if they wanted to continue to play, D3 was the way to go.
Go Spartans this weekend against the Johnnies!
I played at AU in 86 also #74 Tackle for coach Jim Scott!
 
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