By Clyde Hughes
D3sports.com

Ask Wheaton coach Mike Swider what team he is most worried about this year as the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin opens league play this week and he will say "everyone." In fact, Swider said it quite empathically this week.

So, just why the Wheaton Thunder would be worried about its conference opener at Millikin, a team that may be decent, but doesn't bring the same fear factor as North Central and Augustana, which were both nationally ranked earlier this year, or Carthage, which is undefeated this year?

"To say one team over another is looking past somebody," said the veteran coach of the No. 21 Thunder. "You can't look pass anyone in this conference. If you do that here, somebody's gonna whack you in the head. Our conference is good from top to bottom. Thinking anything else will get you beat."

Swider and Wheaton can speak from experience. A national ranking and a possible CCIW title shot pass the Thunder by last year when they were beaten 23-14 by Illinois Wesleyan, a team that recorded only two conference victories and three overall wins last season.

But Wheaton is playing like a team that wants to reclaim its position as CCIW champions this season. It's not just the 3-0 start for the Thunder. The Thunder had a similar start last year before losing to North Central and Augustana and missing the playoffs for the first time in four years.

The Thunder have been impressive in its wins. Everyone knew Wheaton would play great defense this year and it has. Wheaton has not given up a point in the first half of its games this year and has outscored its opponents 68-0 over the first 30 minutes of play.

"We're getting off to quick starts and have played hard right from the start," Swider said. "In all three of our games we've come out ready to play. They know they have to come out and come out fast. That has really been impressive."

Offensively, quarterback Jeremy Chupp has competed 37 of 62 passes for seven touchdowns while averaging 176.3 yards per game. His favorite targets have been Chris Fossum, who has had 16 receptions for 252 yards, and Noah Dreyer, who has scored four touchdowns in the first three games. On the ground, Chaz Black is averaging 94.7 yards per game and 5.9 yards per carry.

"We're throwing it well and we have receivers who can catch the football," Swider said. "We don't have just one guy. We have four or five guys who can play. Jeremy Chupp is playing well at quarterback and our No. 2 guy is playing great as well."

On defense, Wheaton is led by the country's No. 1 sack leader in defensive end Andy Studebaker, who has recorded seven sacks in the first three games. Cornerback Pat Ittersagen has two interceptions and 17 tackles out of the defensive backfield. Swider also points to outside linebacker Jonathan Toal and cornerback Tim March, both seniors, as bedrocks to the Wheaton defense as well.

"We believe we have a defense that is athletic and can run pretty good," Swider said. "We've got a little speed on that side of the football, so we try to put them in positions where they can make plays."

Swider said the winning tradition Wheaton has built over the last decade is tempered by its three conference losses a year ago. The CCIW preseason poll picked Wheaton to finish no better than third place this year behind North Central and Augustana. Swider said the first matter of business is winning another conference title and making the playoffs once again.

"I don't think as coaches we've highlighted that, but when you win three consecutive championships and then it doesn't happen, it stinks," Swider said. "Our players realize that. As coaches, we don't have to reinforce it. When you're use to getting there and you don't get there, it hurts.

"There is a resolve with this football team to get back there. There's no doubt about it. When you've tasted it and tasted it for a number of years then all of a sudden, it's not there, you can get hungry in a hurry."

But what about the conference poll?

"The only poll that counts is how you finish because you have control over that poll," Swider said. "You don't have any control over someone's opinion. I don't worry about someone's opinion about us. I worry about us establishing a reputation. If we're picked third and that was the opinion of some people, it's America, and you can have any opinion you want. It doesn't bother me. It's just an opinion. When the season is over, we'll find out."

Swider said his team seems committed -- almost down to the water boy -- to returning to the playoffs this season. It's that commitment that has him confident about this season.

"We have a team that has bought into the concept that if we're going to be successful, it's going to take all 95 guys, everyone from the scout team to the special teams, have to step up," Swider said. "When Saturday comes, it's time to turn it on. We've challenged our kids all season that way."

Midwest first-quarter honor roll

Let's start with running backs, as Aaron Gillespie, of Concordia (Wis.) is ranked No. 3 in the nation averaging 165 yards a contest in his first three games. Dante Daniels, of Monmouth is right behind at No. 4, averaging 162.3 yards in his first four games. Honorable mention honors go to Mike Lovell, of Mount St. Joseph, averaging 131 yards over three games and Franklin's R.J. Hartsfield, with a 120-yard average.

Speaking of the undefeated Franklin Grizzlies, sophomore quarterback Chad Rupp has a passing efficiency rating of 176.2 per game, ninth best in the country. He has passed for 571 yards and thrown six touchdown passes with only one interception. Jeremy Chupp, of Wheaton follows with a 165.4 rating, including seven touchdown passes against one interception, and Cody Craig, of St. Norbert, (161.1 rating) is one of six quarterbacks in Division III who have passed for more than 1,000 yards already this season.

Craig's main target, Judd O'Connell, has caught 23 of Craig's passes for a whopping 493 yards and four touchdowns over four games. Monmouth's Daniels has scored nine touchdowns this season to rank in the top 10 scorers in the country. Only six wide receivers have scored more points than Jon Collier, of Concordia (Wis.), who has scored five touchdowns this year.

Gillespie is averaging 208 yards in all-purpose yards to date, ranking him No. 5 in the country, just head of Franklin's Danny Sears with a 199.3-yard average. Sears has gained an eye-popping 361 yards in kickoff returns in three games this year.

Anderson linebacker Jonathan Powers is averaging 16 tackles a game for the Ravens while Hanover defensive back Jason Allen and Franklin linebacker Lance Pickrell are both making 13 tackles per contest.