By John Regenfuss
D3sports.com
It is difficult to believe but the 2003 Division III football season has already drawn to a close. It was a memorable year fraught with fantastic games, outstanding individual performances by some remarkably-talented players, great coaching efforts, controversy over debatable NCAA policies (from my perspective, anyway), and, finally, one amazing finish.
For me, personally, this season will always be special because it represents my first year of affiliation with D3football.com. That is an aspect of which I am particularly proud and deeply appreciative. With the locker rooms now cleaned out, the playing fields empty, and the stands silent, it is time to pause, reflect, and take stock of lessons learned from a year of coverage of Division III's Midwest Region. Thus, for my final effort, I will endeavor to inventory and describe the pearls of wisdom I obtained from following football from around the region and the nation for the last four months.
From the 2003 season, I have learned that...
... amassing a 13-0 record, outscoring your opponents by an average of 50-6, and humiliating a team in the semifinals 66-0 doesn't mean squat if you can't seal the deal with a win in the championship game.
Ok, so this topic has little or nothing to do with the Midwest Region in 2003, but you didn't think I would let last week's shocker in Salem slip past without making any comments, did you? I watched the game from beginning to end and I am still asking myself, how could this have happened? All the credit in the world must be heaped upon head coach John Gagliardi for his brilliant game plan and his St. John's team for its gritty, determined effort. Words cannot do justice in describing the Johnnies' unforgettable performance last Saturday.
Similarly, though, equal amounts of disdain must be placed upon Mount Union. It typically receives all the praise and accolades, so now it is time for it to accept some well-deserved criticism. What transpired versus St. John's should never, ever have happened to a team that talented and well-coached. The Purple Raiders flat-out choked. For the first time all season, a team stood up to the Mount Union legend, to its streak, and to its much-publicized reputation and said 'We will not be intimidated' and what did the Purple Raiders do? They folded. The championship game was the only occasion I had this season to see Mount Union play, but I am not sure if it counts as such, because I am still waiting for it show up in Salem.
I will not listen or give credence to the argument that a 13-1 record is still a great season for Mount Union. Because the standard for winning has risen to such a high level in Alliance that anything less than a national championship is and should be considered a complete and total failure. Congratulations to St. John's and shame on Mount Union.
... the NCAA's Division III playoff system is nearly as distasteful and misguided as Division I-A's Bowl Championship Series.
To begin, in my opinion, Pool B and Pool C should be eliminated. After the 19 automatic bids are awarded, the remaining invitations should go to the next top nine teams, regardless of their conference affiliation (or lack thereof) and even if they have two losses (sacrilege, I know). As logical as this sounds, though, this raises another point of contention. I have very serious doubts that, using its current selection criteria, the NCAA has the capability to discern which the remaining nine-best teams would be. Its reliance on regionality is borderline fraudulent and a blatant travesty. It is nearly unfathomable, for instance, that UW-Stout's solid win over Hardin-Simmons and UW-La Crosse's dominant victory over Howard Payne would be meaningless to the NCAA in factoring its strength of schedule index simply because each school went out of its region to play a quality team. Also, there is no credit given to Division III teams who play and beat Division II or non-scholarship Division I-AA teams. It is mildly understandable why the NCAA would not give consideration for games such as these, after all they are not wins over Division III teams, but doesn't logic tell you that it is fairly impressive that UW-La Crosse beat South Dakota and UW-Stevens Point hammered Butler?
... that the Midwest Region was replete with gifted quarterbacks in 2003.
Below I have listed this season's standout signal-callers from the Midwest Region and their impressive statistics and accomplishments.
Scott Krause, UW-Stevens Point
37 TD, 9 INT, 2,963 passing yards
D3football.com 1st team All-American
National Player of the Year finalist
1st team All-WIAC
WIAC Player of the Year
Nation's second-leading quarterback in passing efficiency (180.0), 6th in total offense (328.5 yds./game)
Rob Purlee, Monmouth
25 TD, 10 INT, 2,561 passing yards
Finished third in the nation in passing efficiency (165.8)
MWC Player of the Year
1st team All-MWC
Brett Dietz, Hanover
39 TD, 16 INT, 4,031 passing yards
1st team All-HCAC
The nation's leader in total offense (380.5 yds./game)
Joel Steele, Anderson
31 TD, 15 INT, 3,659 passing yards
Three-time HCAC Offensive Player of the Year
Finished second in the nation in total offense (366.4 yds/game)
Chad Bradley, Wheaton
20 TD, 8 INT, 3,102 passing yards
CCIW Offensive Player of the Year
1st team All-CCIW
2nd team All-region
... the WIAC is the nation's most competitive conference and that the much-maligned MWC is improving.
Actually, the 2003 season confirmed what I already knew, that there is no more deep and cutthroat league in Division III football than the WIAC. From top to bottom, no conference in the country can match the WIAC's talent level and competitiveness. On an annual basis, a WIAC team claims victory over a Division III powerhouse or a Division II or I-A opponent. Also, the conference is as close to a NFL pipeline as there is in Division III.
St. Norbert's postseason win against Simpson, the Midwest Conference's first in more than 20 years, did a world of good in terms of boosting the MWC's national perception. Also, SNC's 38-13 playoff loss to St. John's doesn't look so bad considering what the Johnnies did to D-III titan Mount Union. The Green Knights were clearly the class of the Midwest Conference in 2003 and have been for five consecutive seasons. As for the future of the league, always count St. Norbert to be in the mix but keep an eye on up-and-comers and traditional top competitors Monmouth, Ripon, and Lake Forest.
... the competitive gap between the top and the bottom teams in the Midwest Region in 2003 was mammoth.
For example, Eureka (1-9) lost to Lakeland (8-2), 51-0. Lakeland was defeated by Concordia (Wis.) (9-2), 41-20. Concordia (Wis.) was beaten by UW-La Crosse (10-2), 52-13. I won't conjecture what score a Eureka-UW-La Crosse matchup would render.
... Division III football fans are among the best and most passionate in college sports.
On an almost weekly basis I was reminded of this fact from the numerous emails I received. Most of the messages were positive but some were negative; I am equally thankful for both. It was great just to know that someone out there is paying attention and shares my love for Division III football. These emails came from a variety of people from alumni to parents and from players to coaches, but they all had one thing in common -- they exuded enthusiasm and passion for the sport at this level. That is why I was so thrilled to share this season with the readers of D3football.com and the followers of Division III football.
