IN MY OPINION: It's time for Leipold to get his due

I'm not sure it's been said enough: Lance Leipold is an excellent football coach.

When Coach Bob Berezowitz retired following the 2006 season, UW-Whitewater Athletic Director Paul Plinske conducted a national search to find his replacement. Many close to the UW-W program thought the search was more window dressing than substance. In many circles, the obvious man for the job was long time assistant Stan Zweifel, who had coached at UW-W since 1991. "Coach Z" was well known for being a master of the zone blocking scheme and rightly given much credit for the prolific offense UW-W had built.

However, as the search progressed another viable candidate emerged. Lance Leipold, a former UW-W quarterback and assistant coach. Leipold played four years at Whitewater, two each under Forrest Perkins and Bob Berezowitz. In addition, Leipold had been coaching since his playing days including stints as assistant coach for the Wisconsin Badgers and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

It seems Plinske had a win-win situation on his hands. In the end, he went with Leipold. Upon the hiring, Plinske said: "Lance Leipold brings a unique dynamic to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, its athletic department and Warhawk football," Plinske said. "Not only will his temperament and background help him funnel the gifts and abilities of a highly successful program, but they will bring us new ideas and a different perspective."

Leipold was able to bring the "new ideas and a different perspective" and still have the respect of the alumni because he was part of the "Warhawk family". He understood and appreciated the UW-W tradition.

When Leipold was hired, the Warhawks had been to two consecutive Stagg Bowls, but had never won a National Championship. Upon taking the job, Leipold said, "The bar has been raised here the last couple of years." Leipold said. "No matter what those last couple of seasons have been, my goal within the program is that we improve daily. We try to get better every day in every little thing that we do, then those other things will take care of themselves. We have to start with the immediate goal of winning the conference championship, being a consistent playoff participant, and then winning that national championship."

"My goal is to be the third-best football program in this state year in and year out," Leipold added. "One plays on Sunday in Lambeau, one plays in Camp Randall and the third plays in Perkins Stadium."

Mission Accomplished. And he's just getting started.

In three seasons, Leipold's record is an astonishing 42-3. In the WIAC, widely regarded as one of the premiere Division 3 conferences in the nation, the Warhawks are 20-1 under Leipold. All told, UW-Whitewater has 3 WIAC Championships, 2 National Championships, and one National Runner-up in his three seasons.

I'm not sure it's been said enough: Lance Leipold is an excellent football coach.

Yes, he was chosen over a popular, long time assistant. Yes, he came into a program that had an excellent tradition and foundation. And yes, any coach who experiences early success is subject to, "but these aren't his recruits" arguments.

However, make no mistake about it. This IS Lance Leipold's team. Levell Coppage broke Justin Beaver's all time UW-W Career TD record. And he is a sophomore! Leipold's recruit. Aaron Rusch is the the all time UW-W leader in pass receptions. And he is a junior! Leipold's recruit. The quality of athlete Leipold's Warhawks are attracting to UW-Whitewater is not getting worse, it's getting better.

I'm still not sure it's been said enough: Lance Leipold is an excellent football coach.

DRIVE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP

There will be more reflection on the season in the coming days and weeks. There will be dissecting of the 2009 Stagg Bowl in the upcoming days. But for now, a look at a seven play sequence that proved pivotal in determining the outcome of one of the best played Stagg Bowls in history.

1. 3rd and 10, Mount Union on their own 31 yard line. 4:10 remaining in the game.

Kurt Rocco dropped back into a 5 step drop. Linebacker Max Ford, blitzing from the right side got an arm on him and forced him to step up into the pocket. But as he stepped up, he drifted slightly to his left and was almost immediately met head on by Lane Olson for a loss of 6 to his own 25.

2. 4th and 16, Mount Union on their own 25. 3:29 remaining in the game.

Jay Carpenter launched a punt 46 yards which Aaron Rusch fielded on his own 29. Kyle Miller flew downfield and was the only Purple Raider within 5 yards of Rusch. But Rusch slipped inside of him, and veered right and found some open space before Arthur Smith brought him down on the UW-W 42.

3. 1st and 10, UW- Whitewater on their own 42. 3:16 remaining.

Jeff Donovan lined up in a shotgun 5 yards behind the line. Levell Coppage lined up 2 yards behind Donovan, offset 2 yards to the left. UW-W lined up two receivers to the left and Aaron Rusch to the right. Rusch went in motion back left, causing cornerback Ryan Renbarger to creep in just a couple of steps. Donovan took the snap and rolled left and and gave the ball to Coppage with an inside handoff on a sprint-out draw. Coppage attacked the middle, but bounced right. Renbarger was caught just a bit inside and Coppage got the edge, gaining 11 yards before Renbarger recovered and knocked him out of bounds.

4. 1st and 10, UW-Whitewater on the Mount Union 47. 2:50 remaining.

UW-W shifted into power set on the left side with a tight end, a fullback just a yard behind the tackle, and a tight flanker just a yard behind and two feet outside the tight end. Donovan lined up in the shotgun 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Coppage lined up directly behind Donovan 9 yards behind the line of scrimmage. In a power play, Coppage went to the strong side, veered inside and pushed the pile forward for a 4 yard gain.

5. 2nd and 6, UW-Whitewater on the Mount Union 43. 2:11 remaining.

Donovan lined up in the shotgun again. Coppage was even with him offset to the right. On the left side, Corey Robinson lined up 2 yards off the ball in the slot and Aaron Rusch lined up wide. Robinson motioned further inside and Donovan hit Rusch at the 36. Rusch made a nice catch on a ball thrown slightly high and then split CB Chaz Jordan and S Drew Mcclain for additional yards until Mcclain dragged him down near the left sideline at the 29.

6. 1 and 10, UW-Whitewater on the Mount Union 29. 1:40 remaining.

Donovan mishandled the snap and fell on the ball at the 31. UW-W was called for an illegal shift on the play. Mount Union refused the penalty.

7. 2nd and 12, UW-Whitewater on the Mount Union 31. 1:32 remaining.

With the ball placement on the left hash mark, UW-W spread out the MUC defense by putting three receivers very wide to the right. As MUC shifted, only 5 players were left on the left 2/3 of the field within 4 yards of the line of scrimmage. Another was 7 yards deep and the free safety was 9 yards deep. Donovan operated out of the shotgun, with Coppage 4 yards directly behind him. James Herbert, who was playing off the ball on the defensive right side did a middle stunt and hit the hole and met Coppage three yards behind the line of scrimmage. But Coppage left him reaching for air as he juked left. Tackle Matt Weber and tight end John Novak executed amazing seal blocks and when Coppage broke toward the left sidelines, there were no Purple Raiders to be found. Safety Alex Ferarra took too narrow of an angle and bumped into the referee and Cornerback Ryan Renbarger came all the way from the right hash mark but all he could do was push Coppage at the goal line and Coppage tumbled into the end zone with 1:18 remaining in the game, giving UW-W the lead for good.

Obviously there were a lot of plays that were pivotal throughout the game. But this seven play sequence was huge to the Warhawks 2009 D3 Championship. It should be noted that the alignments, the motion, the skill players and the execution of the offensive line all worked together to make the drive successful. I included the Lane Olson sack and the Aaron Rusch punt return because they were key in giving UW-W the ball and excellent field position respectively.

In the last three games of the championship drive, when the game was on the line, the team executed brilliantly. After leading Wittenberg by only one point with 16 minutes left in the quarterfinal game, the Hawks outscored the Tigers 17-0 the rest of the way. After trailing Linfield 17-10 early in the fourth quarter, UW-W outscored the Wildcats 17-0 the rest of the way. And when the Championship was on the line with a tie game and 4:10 remaining, the Warhawks executed brilliantly outscoring Mount Union 10-0 and brought home the National Championship.

Congratulations to the 2009 UW-Whitewater Warhawks:

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

My next write up will be coming soon. I flew to Detroit for a funeral on Sunday. Plenty of thoughts upcoming!

The Case for Each Team to Win the Stagg Bowl

It is said a good attorney is able to effectively argue each side of a case. Putting on my best Perry Mason suit, I will attempt to present a reasoned argument as to why each side should be favored to win the Stagg Bowl tomorrow.

THE CASE FOR MOUNT UNION.

The Purple Raiders have an astounding 139-4 record since the year 2000. It is inconceivable that Larry Kehres and MUC should be underdog in ANY football game until their program comes back to earth, at least a little bit. Much has been made about MUC's losses of All Americans RB Nate Kmic and QB Greg Micheli. Understandably, many wondered how the Purple Raiders would handle the loss of the best passer and the best running back in the nation. This year, Kurt Rocco stepped in at QB and leads the nation in QB Efficiency Rating. Wide Receiver Cecil Shorts is considered by many to be the most prolific receiver in the nation. So Mount went from having the best QB and best RB in the nation to having the best QB and best WR in the nation. Not exactly a transition that would cause the bottom to drop out.

UW-Whitewater features a balanced attack which can beat an opponent either on the ground or through the air. For most defensive coordinators, it's a matter of "picking your poison". However, Vince Kehres, has the most talented defense in the nation at his disposal. MUC ranks #1 in the nation in scoring defense, #2 in the nation in overall defense, #1 in the nation in defending the run, and #5 in the nation in sacks. Last week, UW-W's Rbs Levell Coppage and Antwan Anderson carried the ball a combined 22 times against Linfield's 62nd ranked defense against the run. Only 5 of their 22 carries resulted in gains of more than 5 yards. The going figures to be even tougher against the #1 ranked Purple Raiders.

The Purple Raiders have the #2 ranked scoring defense in the nation, averaging 46.5 points per game. Their Average margin of victory is nearly 39 points per game. Whereas Whitewater was embattled in close games the last two weeks, MUC hammered their quarterfinal and semifinal opponents by a combined score of 79-10. While last week's game was a tight 10-7 heading into the fourth quarter, the Purple Raiders outscored the #3 team in the Nation 14-0 in the final quarter with their starting quarterback out with injury.

Mount Union has the higher ranked defense, the most explosive player on the field, a head coach with an overall record of 289-21-3, the nation's #1 scoring defense, and 10 National Championships. Purple Raiders fans have plenty to be confident about when the ball is teed up Saturday morning.

THE CASE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- WHITEWATER

This game has been the motivating factor behind all of the extra sprints, the extra lifts, the extra drill work, the extra EVERYTHING this Warhawks football team has put in for the last year. When these teams met last year, MUC scored two early long TD passes putting UWW into a deep hole the rest of the day. Instead of folding, the Warhawks outscored the Raiders 26-17 over the last 54:45 of the football game. In the second half, the UWW offensive line appeared to control the line of scrimmage as RB's Antwan Anderson and Levell Coppage were sprung for gaines of 7,8,8,9,12,15, and 18 yards among their 20 second half rushes. For the game, UWW had 31 first downs to Mount's 15. But none of it was enough in a bitter 31-26 defeat to a Mount Union team boasting two of the best players in D3 football history in RB Nate Kmic and QB Greg Micheli. UWW returns 19 of 22 starters from Stagg Bowl 36.

This year's UWW team has shown incredible offensive balance, having gained 3221 yards passing and 2940 yards rushing. In 14 games, UWW has gained more yards passing 8 times and more yards rushing 6 times. Either element is fully capable of carrying the load, depending on what the defense tries to take away. A 14-0 record clearly establishes that either recipe is a winning one. Which one will Mount Union try to take away? If the UWW offensive line begins to take control as they did last year, what will Mount Union do to stop the running attack? Will they sneak an 8th man in the box? If so, Jeff Donovan, who has completed 72.8% of his passes is fully capable of gashing the MUC defense.

In 228 carries, Levell Coppage has gained an incredible 1996 yards and scored 32 touchdowns. In the top 15 rushers in terms of yards per game, no one has averaged as many yards per carry as Coppage's 6.9.

Defensively, Mount Union has not played a team ranked as high as UWW in terms of defending the run. UWW, playing in the rugged WIAC, has given up only 78.9 yards per game. Wesley, is not far behind UWW at 81.0 yards per game. Mount gained 208 yards against Wesley, but 98 yards of those were gained by Cecil Shorts, the All America wide receiver who played quarterback most of the second half. The Mount Union passing attack, which averages 284.6 yards per game, gained only 113 yards through the air with the combination of Rocco, freshman Neal Seaman, and Shorts.

The snowstorm has already begun in Salem. The weather could be a definite factor as the teams battle Saturday morning. The general consensus is that UWW would be MUCH more comfortable relying on their rushing attack to win a game than the Purple Raiders.

Percentages tell us that the team that wins the turnover battle has the greatest chance to win the football game. UWW has been amazing at taking care of the ball this year. They have turned the ball over only 12 times in 14 games. MUC has turned the ball over 23 times. Also, UWW has fumbled only 8 times all year compared to 22. Statistics would tell us Mount Union is far more likely to turn the ball over than the Warhawks. And in a snow game, that could spell disaster for the Purple Raiders.

In a sense, UW-Whitewater has worked and played for this moment all year long. They have risen to the occasion with each and every challenge. As Warhawk fans wake up Saturday morning, they have every reason to be excited. There is every reason to believe this team will finish the task they started a full year ago.

How Well Do You Know the Teams?

As we draw closer and closer to kickoff, the adrenaline of fans from both teams is beginning to pump pretty hard. To take a proverbial deep breath, I thought it would be fun to offer a quiz to see how well you know the UW-Whitewater and MUC football teams. Obviously, the statistics are available online, so NO PEEKING! So take your deep breath and see how you do!

1. Which team had a higher punt return average?

2. Which team had more rushing attempts?

3. What are the last names of each team's second leading rusher?

4. In terms of completion percentage, how do the following players rank?

Kurt Rocco, Neal Seaman, Jeff Donovan, Matt Blanchard

5. Who had more receptions, Vince Petruziello or Jordan Wells?

6. Who had more interceptions Troney Shumpert or Drew Mcclain?

7. Which team tried more on-side kicks?

8. Who has more rushing touchdowns: Morring + Lemmon + Panchik or Coppage?

9. Who averaged more yards per catch, Cecil Shorts or Adam Brandes?

10. Which team gave up a higher "yards per catch" average?

Jot down your answers and see how you do! I will be editing this post sometime Friday afternoon with the answers. Game day is getting closer! Keep breathing.....

ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ:

1. MUC (11.6-8.5)

2. MUC (602-573)

3. PANCHIK and ANDERSON

4. 1. DONOVAN, 2.BLANCHARD 3. ROCCO 4. SEAMAN

5. JORDAN WELLS (59-53)

6. DREW MCCLAIN (4-3)

7. MUC (1-0)

8. MORRING+ LEMMON + PANCHIK (33-32)

9. ADAM BRANDES (17.8-17.2)

10. MUC (10.3-9.8)

Beyond the Marquee

Kurt Rocco. Jeff Donovan. Levell Coppage. Cecil Shorts. Those are probably the four players squarely on the radar as we approach the 2009 Stagg Bowl. But an interesting angle to think about as we approach THE GAME, is which players beyond those four could be the difference maker in the determining the 2009 National Champion. Of course anyone on the field could make "the difference" by coming up with a big play at the right time. But, I've chosen three players on each side who I think could make a big difference in the outcome on Saturday's title game.

MOUNT UNION

1. #89 Kyle Miller. 6'6" 260 lbs. Tight End. Elida, OH.

At 6'6", Miller presents matchup problems for most linebackers. Although Miller has caught only 2 passes for 36 yards in the playoffs, over the course of the regular season he was one of Kurt Rocco's favorite red zone targets with 8 of his 17 catches being for TD's. Miller can also sneak deep as two of his touchdowns went for 36 and 52 yards. When the Purple Raiders move inside the red zone, look for them to look for big #89

2. #12 Lambert Budzinski. 6'3" 240 lbs. Sr. Defensive Tackle. Canton, OH

Although just having a defensive tackle wearing #12 is itself interesting, Budzinski's story goes far beyond that. He was a backup defensive lineman and special teams standout up until the past two weeks. However, he has always come up big. Budzinski was involved in one of the biggest plays of the Purple Raiders' season. In Mount's closest game this season, Capital had a 1st and 10 on the Mount Union 47 with less than 6 minutes left in the game and the score tied 21-21. Budzinski recovered QB Marty Assman's fumble on the 49. MUC scored on the ensuing possession, ensuring a 28-21 victory. Since being inserted in the starting lineup two games ago, all Budzinski has done is rack up 8 tackles, 5 assists, and 6.5 sacks! If UWW Jeff Donavan is sacked or UWW puts the ball on the ground, don't be surprised if Lambert Budzinski is on the bottom of the pile.

3. #40 Judd Lutz. 6'1" 230 lbs. Sr. Linebacker. Tiffin, OH

Lutz probably shouldn't be considered beyond the Marquee since he is Mount Union's nominee and a Top 10 Finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, the award for the finest Division 3 football player. Lutz leads the Purple Raiders #1 ranked scoring defense in tackles with 87. Lutz was named to the Ohio Athletic Conference all acedemic team. If Mount Union is able to be successful in limiting the rushing attack of UW-Whitewater, you can be sure Lutz will be a big part of that success.

UW-WHITEWATER

1. OFFENSIVE LINE.

OK, this is probably cheating, but with line play, one man breaking down can cause the whole operation to fall out of synch. Mount Union will be the most talented defensive line UWW has faced this year. If the Warhawks are going to establish drives and spring their playmakers, the offensive line MUST win the battle up front. Make no mistake, if Jeff Donovan or Levell Coppage win the Stagg MVP, the real heros will likely be the men in the trenches for UWW.

2. #82 Adam Brandes. 6'3" 194 lbs. Jr. WR. Burlington, WI

Third on the team in receptions, Brandes leads the Warhawks receiving corp by averaging 17.8 yards per catch. Brandes has a significant size advantage over the MUC cornerbacks, Chaz Jordan (5'8" 170 lbs) and Ryan Renbarger (6'0" 180 lbs). In the last three playoff games, Brandes has caught 12 passes for 231 yards (19.25 ypc) and 2 TD's. If UWW needs a big play late in the game, don't be surprised if they call upon #82 to "go up and get one".

3. #17 Lane Olson. 5'10" 210 lbs. Jr. LB Racine, WI

I looked all over the internet to find the correct height and weight for "Lane Train" Olson. I just can't believe he isn't 6'2" 230 lbs. Because, believe me, that's how he plays. Full of energy and capable of devastating hits, Olson plays a crucial role in the hard hitting Warhawks defense. Having the ability to sack the quarterback, dump the running back in the backfield, defend the pass, and deliver the big blows, Lane is capable of generating the big play the UWW defense will be looking for on Saturday.

There are so many more players that could have been noted and that will probably make a big difference on Saturday. In fact, this list doesn't represent a "second tier" of any kind. Just look at it as a thought of who you may want to watch for as you enjoy the game on Saturday.

Goliath vs Goliath

As Yogi Berra would say, "It's deja vu all over again". Purple vs Purple V. However you want to describe the 2009 Stagg Bowl, the participants remain the same as the past five years: The UW-Whitewater Warhawks and the Mount Union Purple Raiders. The Purple Raiders and Warhawks have been ranked #1 and #2 by D3football.com since the preseason poll. Both have held up their ends of the bargain and each enter the Stagg Bowl with a 14-0 record. Again.

And as much as D3 Nation tires of seeing these two behemoths play the pinnacle game each year, the 32 team playoff provides ample opportunity for a changing of the guard. While no system is perfect, nearly everyone associated with Division 3 football treasures the landscape of a season concluding with a Champion determined by a playoff.

Defending National Champion Mount Union advanced to the Championship game by defeating:

#20 Washington and Jefferson

#24 Montclair State

unranked Albright

#3 Wesley

UW-Whitewater advanced to the Championship game by defeating:

unranked Lakeland

#14 Illinois Wesleyan

#12 Wittenberg

#5 Linfield

Saturday's showdown brings plenty of intrigue to Salem, VA. First off, Mount Union QB Kurt Rocco's status has not officially been determined. He left last week's semi-final game with a reported concussion and did not return. Rocco is the highest rated passer in the nation, completing 70.5% of his passes for 3,546 yards and 39 TD's. Freshman Neal Seaman has been Rocco's primary backup this season, but was pulled after five ineffective possessions and Wesley drawing to within 10-7 in last week's semifinal game. So who did the Purple Raiders turn to? Division 3 AFCA All America wide receiver Cecil Shorts.

Shorts, a quarterback in high school, stepped in at QB with 4:05 left in the 3rd quarter and Mount Union clinging to that 10-7 lead. He led the Purple Raiders on their next 5 possessions. He basically took over the offense carrying the ball 16 times for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns in those possessions. He went 0-2 throwing the ball. Terrance Morring was the only other Purple Raider to carry the ball after Shorts took over at QB. He carried 3 times for 2 yards. In other words Shorts and the Purple Raiders defense took over when the game was on the line.

Credit Coach Larry Kehres, whose overall record is an incomprehensible 289-21-3, for having the foresight to go to Shorts, possibly the best athlete in all of D3 football. "Cecil is an elite athlete who is smart and has great leadership skills," said Kehres, according to Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. "People just gravitate to him. This was our biggest game of the season, and I wanted him to lead our huddle. The guys trust him. I consider him my security blanket." Credit Kehres also for reportedly giving QB snaps weekly to Shorts in practice in spite of having the nation's leading passer and a freshman backup to develop.

Not surprisingly, not much information has surfaced from Alliance as to who will start at QB for the Raiders on Saturday. UWW will have to be prepared for both the leading passer in the nation and perhaps the nation's best athlete.

As for UWW, they are coming off their two biggest tests of the season. Saturday, they trailed Linfield College 17-10 in the fourth quarter before scoring the final 17 points of the game to secure a 27-17 victory. In that victory, UWW gave up a season high 278 yards passing. However, Linfield paid a price for the aerial assault as UWW also picked off 3 passes. In addition, UWW's quarterfinal opponent, Wittenberg, threw for 261 yards. However, the Tigers couldn't get anything going on the ground as they were held to 21 yards on 31 attempts.

The passing yardage giving up by the Warhawks the last two weeks adds to the intrigue of Rocco's playing status. Rocco to Shorts certainly seems more dangerous to the UWW title hopes than Shorts to...well...Shorts. However, with a week to prepare, one of the nation's greatest athletes coached by the nation's most renowned coach cannot be taken lightly.

It will be incredibly interesting to see how Saturday plays out. And even though these teams have battled for the championship for each of the past five seasons, there's nothing ho-hum about what we will witness in Salem, Va. The uniforms will look familiar. But the intrigue and circumstances surrounding this Stagg Bowl has it's own unique flavor. Again.

Closest Win, Most Impressive

The UW-Whitewater Warhawks are used to walking off the field on Saturday afternoons feeling pretty darn good about themselves. At least they should be. When a team's average margin of victory over the course of 14 games is nearly 32 points a game, the sweet sense of being dominant has to permeate a team's persona on late Saturday afternoons in the fall. And then the coaches get ahold of them, show them how they aren't so special after all, correct mistakes, and coach them up to focus on the next week's opponent.

Fans are used to walking out of Perkins Stadium having spent a worry free afternoon enjoying their beloved Warhawks dismantling another game, but outmatched opponent. Aside from those annual forays to Virginia, where the same goliath-like opponent waits year after year, there have been precious few mettle testing moments over the past several years.

On Saturday, UWW fans got to experience a college football game between two pretty darn equal teams. The sense of relief was thick in the air as the students rushed the field in UWW's last 2009 home game. The sense of dominance was noticeably absent. And in my mind, that is a VERY good thing.

Linfield College is a great football team. And when UWW trailed 17-10 one play into the fourth quarter, the first serious test of the UWW character presented itself. The week before, Wittenberg issued a challenge by staying within a point of the Warhawks for 44 minutes. That was unchartered ground and UWW responded by outscoring the Tigers 17-0 over the final 16 minutes.

As Linfield lined up for the kickoff with 14:55 left in the fourth quarter. They had the momentum and the confidence that comes with a 12-0 record behind them. And UWW got a chance to see how their team would respond to a fourth quarter deficit. Senior Jordan Wells took that fourth quarter kickoff and broke through for a 41 yard return to the Wildcat 47. That was a huge play in this game at a critical moment. However, Linfield responded to that punch by defending the pass on the next two plays from scrimmage. UWW was left with a 3rd and 10, trailing by 7 in the fourth quarter. If a handful of plays determine the outcome of a football game, this next play surely was one of them. Jeff Donovan drifted back to pass. Adam Brandes a 6'3" junior, who is building quite a reputation for making the spectacular catch streaked down the left sideline. On an afternoon Donovan had a number of throws he would like to have back, Jeff threw a beautiful pass into tight one on one coverage. Brandes went up with the defender and did what Brandes does. He came down with the ball firmly gripped and tumbled to the ground at the Linfield 12. However, the proud Cat defense wasn't ready to concede a thing. They held firm the next three plays and the Hawks settled for a Jeff Schebler FG drawing the score to 17-13 with 12:36 left in the game.

On the ensuing drive, the Wildcats moved the ball to midfield, before a false start penalty backed them up into a 1st and 15 situation. Aaron Williams was held to no gain. And at 2nd and 15, the game had unfolded into one of those "momentum changing" situations. Would the Rocketman, Aaron Boehme find one of his talented receivers to keep the drive going? Or would someone step up and make a play for the UWW defense? Boehme dropped back and backup defensive lineman Jon Baldwin broke through and dumped Boehme for a 9 yard loss, effectively killing the drive. After a 12 yard gain on a short pass, the Wildcats punted and Whitewater took over at their own 23, trailing 17-13 with 8:29 left in the game.

These are situations in which champions are made. This was also a situation UWW hasn't faced all year. Jeff Donovan promptly hit UWW's all time leading receiver Aaron Rusch for 8 to the right sideline. On 2nd and 2, Donovan found Wells downfield. Wells broke the initial tackle and streaked down the sideline before he was dumped out of bounds by safety Drew Fisher just short of the goal line. Coach Lance Leipold looked to power back Antwan Anderson on the next play and Anderson drove into the endzone, giving UWW the lead with 7:34 left in the game.

As UWW led 20-17, they held Linfield on downs on their own 49 yard line the next series. UWW was then forced to punt and Linfield took over at their own 19, trailing by 3 with 3:10 left in the game. Once again, coming to a pivotal point in the game with a trip to the Stagg Bowl on the line. After gaining a first down at their own 32, Boehme threw 3 straight incomplete passes. On fourth down Boehme was intercepted by senior cornerback Jeremy Diebert, giving UWW the ball on the Linfield 45. Two plays later, Levell Coppage went up the middle into a stack of Linfield defenders, he bounced it outside and found nothing but green. He outran everyone to the end zone putting an exclamation point on a hard fought 27-17 UWW victory and a 5th straight visit to the Divsion 3 National Championship game.

There was no feeling of dominance as folks left the Perk on Saturday. But there was a tremendous sense of satisfaction having survived a challenge from an excellent football team. Coming into the last two weeks, the fact that the Warhawks are are a really big, really fast, really talented Division 3 football team was a given. But UWW fans learned a couple of things the last couple of weeks. First, there are some very good football teams out there that don't wear purple. Secondly, this big, fast, talented team of ours has another component that will go a long ways towards achieving their ultimate goal next week. The Warhawks have heart. The Warhawks have character. Those components can be overlooked when games are won by 32 points. But they are essential in football games that hinge on key moments.

Beating an inferior team by 32 points is fun and relaxing for fans. The sense of dominance is great to relish when you back a team as good as the Warhawks. But in my mind, Saturday's win was the most impressive of the season. They played a team that was good enough to beat them. But they didn't let them do it.

Next Saturday, UWW will be facing a team every bit as big, fast, and talented as they are. But having been battle tested the last two weeks will only help the Warhawks. There has never been one ounce of panic from the UWW team or staff in the crucial moments when everything was on the line. And when it was all on the line, every single big play was made by UWW. Now THAT'S impressive.

LINFIELD AT UWW: KEYS TO VICTORY

After a week of preparation, and months and months of hard work by players on both teams, the UW-Whitewater Warhawks and the Linfield Wildcats will put their dreams on the line when the ball is teed up at noon on Saturday at Perkins Stadium in Whitewater. The air will be appropriately chilled for a December Saturday in Wisconsin as kickoff temperature is expected to 26 degrees with a 15 degree wind chill. Here is what I see as the keys to victory at the Perk on Saturday:

LINFIELD WILDCATS KEYS TO VICTORY

1. Establish a running game. UWW (ranked 10th) will only be the second team this year the Cats have faced who rank in the top 25 nationally in stopping the run. Against UMHB (ranked 5th), the Cats managed just 70 yards in 33 carries. Considering the conditions, establishing some semblance of a running game will be important for Linfield to be able to open things up for the passing game.

2. Slow down the UWW running game. The Cats' own the 47th rated defense in the nation in stopping the run. UWW features Levell Coppage, who ranks 4th in the nation in rushing with 145 yards per game and 30 TD's rushing. Last week, the Cats' faced the 5th leading rusher in the nation in Ben Wartman. Wartman gained 143 yards and a TD in 27 carries.

3. Score TD's once in the Red Zone. UWW is 9th in the nation in Red Zone Defense and the Cats offense is 25th nationally in Red Zone Offense. If the Cats are to keep up with the potent UWW offense, they must make the most of their appearances in the Red Zone. UWW scores 88% of the time in the Red Zone to rank 12th nationally. The Cat defense ranks 101st in Red Zone Defense. So the Linfield offense MUST make the most of their opportunities to keep pace.

WHITEWATER WARHAWKS KEYS TO VICTORY

1. Ball Security. Linfield is a team that thrives on the takeaway. The Cats leads all of NCAA D3 football in takeaways with 47. On the other hand UWW has turned the ball over only 12 times in 13 games. Linfield ranks only 94th in scoring defense and 47th in overall defense giving up 300 yards per game. By contrast the UWW defense ranks #2 in scoring defense and #5 in overall defense in the D3 national rankings. If UWW doesn't turn the ball over, they will likely score plenty of points on Saturday.

2. Disrupt Aaron Boehme's rhythm. Boehme has thrown for 2983 yards and 32 TD's this year. In the Quarterfinals, Aaron Huffman completed 11 of 12 passes for 139 yards before leaving with an injury in the 2nd Quarter. To keep this game from being a track meet, UWW must use pressure packages to throw off Boehme's rhythm or risk turning this game into an unwanted track meet.

3. Pound the Rock. Last week, the Wittenberg Tigers brought the #1 defense in the land into Perkins Stadium. The Tigers fought valiantly for 41 minutes staying within 1 point of UWW at 14-13. However, the Warhawks ultimately wore down Wittenberg and outscored them 17-0 in the game's final 19 minutes. The UWW offensive line outweighs the Cat's defensive line by an average of 32 pounds per player. Staying patient with the running game could pay off huge dividends in the 4th quarter.

PREDICTION

There is little question that this is the strongest opponent either team has faced this season. The Wildcats come into the game battle tested, having defeated 6 teams ranked in the top 25 already this year. However, the reality is that none of those six plays at the level of UWW this year. The most likely scenario I see playing out is a very close first half. Look for the UWW offense to begin to click significantly in the 3rd quarter and for the Cats to be worn down by the 4th quarter. In a game that may well "feel" closer than the final score indicates, I'll call it UWW 38, Linfield 24.

UWW Quarterfinal Conclusions

The UW-Whitewater Warhawks faced their greatest challenge to date when they defeated the Wittenberg Tigers 31 to 13 in the D3 National Playoff Quarterfinals on Saturday. UWW led only 14 to 13 until the last minute of the third quarter in a game that was much more competitive than many Division 3 observers expected. What can be learned from what happened on Saturday? What conclusions can be drawn? What questions have arisen? What does Saturday's result mean for UWW's title hopes? My take on what happened Saturday and what it means:

What can be learned from what happened Saturday?

The Wittenberg Tigers are a good football team. They came prepared, focused, and with a plan. They executed very well for the most part. Their precision passing game had the UWW defense on their heels for 82 yard (65 passing) and 79 yard(74 passing) consecutive drives in the first half.

Does Saturday expose UWW as vulnerable against the pass?

After thinking long and hard about this, I would answer with a very conditional yes. UWW, as most teams, has some vulnerability against an extremely proficient passing game featuring a hot quarterback and excellent route running receivers. Quarterback Aaron Huffman was playing at an extremely high level on Saturday. Receivers Michael Cooper, P. Williams, and Josh McKee were executing precise routes and developed a rhythm with Huffman that was very difficult to defend. The Tigers were left with a handful of "what if's" when Huffman was injured and went out of the game in the 2nd quarter. However, with halftime adjustments, the pressure was increased on the Witt QB. It simply isn't known how Huffman would have performed against the UWW defense that had made adjustments to the Tigers plan of attack.

In the final analysis, I think much credit should be given to Wittenberg's passing offense. UWW will be vulnerable if a team can come in and execute a near flawless passing attack for 60 minutes. However, does that mean a weakness was exposed in the UWW pass defense? Not by a long shot.

Does the close game with Wittenberg put to rest the "inevitability" of a UWW/Mount Union Stagg Bowl?

Has the close game with the NCAC Champion eroded the 'mystique' of the 2009 UWW football team? Does it dent the popular notion that Division 3 Football has two levels: the top level being UWW and Mount Union, the next level being everyone else? Obviously opinions will vary. But in my opinion, it should probably change that notion to a degree. The Wittenberg Tigers were within 1 point of UWW with less than a minute left in the third quarter. The Warhawks dominated the final 19 minutes of the game (adding back in the time of the UWW 3rd quarter scoring drive). UWW outscored Wittenberg 17-0 to close out the game. UWW never trailed in the game.

I believe that what this game showed is that UWW must bring their best game to the table to win their next two games. Personally, I believed they played well on Saturday. But give Wittenberg credit. They are a good football team. Lost in surprise of the first 41 minutes of the game is that this game did end as an 18 point UWW victory against a worthy opponent.

Does the nature of the quarterfinal game help or hurt the UWW 2009 title chances.

The win over Wittenberg can only be good for the Warhawks. They were able to stare a challenge in the face and they responded by exerting their will over the Tigers. While Linfield may be encouraged by the fact that a team "hung around" UWW for almost three quarters, they will find out on Saturday they are playing a team with very few weaknesses.

My guess is that the Wittenberg game will sharpen the UWW focus. It will provide confidence should UWW face adversity during the next two ball games. I believe that this game happened at the perfect time for the Warhawks. Battle tested and closer than ever to the season goal of a National Championship, look for the Warhawks to come out firing on Saturday.

Statistics that Separate

In analyzing an upcoming football game, it can be valuable to take a look "inside the numbers" to get some idea of how the game may turn out. When two teams play in different conferences, with only one common opponent, all statistics are wisely looked at with a measure of caution. Trying to find a significant advantage "in the numbers" between teams as dominant as the Linfield Wildcats and the Whitewater Warhawks can be precarious to say the least. And in looking at all statistics, one knows that they all will be thrown out the window once the ball is teed up at noon Central Standard Time in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Competitive football games are often won or lost by big plays and performance in critical situations. With that in mind I have isolated 4 Statistical Categories to look at as we draw within three days of the showdown in Wisconsin:

1. Turnovers

2. Quarterback Sacks

3. 3rd and 4th down conversion rates

4. Offensive and Defensive performance in the Red Zone.

TURNOVERS

One of the most critical aspects of winning a football game is winning the turnover battle. The Linfield Wildcats lead all of Division 3 football in turnover margin with a +2.42 per game margin in 2009. The Wildcats have forced an amazing 47 turnovers this season, 6 more than any other defense in Division 3 this year. The Wildcats have turned the ball over themselves 18 times (tying them for the #67 national ranking in Division 3) for a season margin of +29.

UW-Whitewater ranks 23rd in the Nation in turnover margin per game at +1.08. The UWW defense has 26 takeaways (tied for 42nd nationally) and the offense has committed just 12 turnovers in 13 games (ranking #8 in the nation in taking care of the ball) for a season margin of +14.

When the dust settles in this category, a huge key to the game emerges. Will UWW be able to play mistake free football against the ball hawking Linfield Wildcats?

Quarterback Sacks

Although QB pressure is not an official D3 statistic, clearly pressuring the QB can lead to turnovers, sacks, incomplete passes, and disrupted drives. What IS measured, is QB Sacks. The Linfield Wildcats defense ranks 26th in the nation, averaging 2.92 sacks per game. They will be facing a UWW offense that ranks 4th in the nation giving up only 0.46 sacks per game. UWW's defense ranks 104th nationally, with 2.08 sacks per game. Linfield, meanwhile ranks 15th in protecting their QB, allowing only 0.75 sacks per game.

The numbers would suggest that UWW could have a difficult time applying pressure on Wildcat QB Aaron Boehme. If that proves to be the case, the Linfield passing game could put a lot of pressure on the UWW secondary. In a statistical oddity, Linfield ranks #33 in passing offense and UWW ranks #33 in passing defense.

The other side of the ball will be an interesting battle. The UWW offensive line has superbly protected QB Jeff Donovan all season long. If the Wildcats cannot be more successful than previous teams in pressuring Donovan, the #3 ranked passer in D3 (passing efficiency) could gash Linfield, who ranks #100 defensively in defending the pass.

Clearly, both defenses have their work cut out for them on Saturday. Whichever defense is more able to pressure and disrupt the other offense will go a long way in determining the winner of Saturday's game.

Keeping the Drive Going

In a highly competitive game, there are some plays that serve as tipping points, giving one team the momentum. These plays often come when a team faces a 3rd or even 4th down, when a conversion is necessary to keep a drive alive. Here is a chart as to how the offensive and defensive units of the Wildcats and Warhawks fare on third and fourth down:

OFFENSE Linfield Wildcats UW-Whitewater Warhawks

3rd down % 66 for 153 (43%) 81 for 147 (55%)

4th down % 13 for 17 (76%) 12 for 13 (92%)

UWW leads the nation in 3rd down conversion, converting an incredible 55% of their 3rd down situations. Linfield ranks 59th nationally in converting 3rd downs.

DEFENSE Linfield Widcats UW-Whitewater Warhawks

3rd down % 69 for 166 (42%) 58 for 184 (32%)

4th down % 10 for 23 ( 43%) 12 for 35 (34%)

UWW ranks 42nd nationally in 3rd down defense. Linfield checks in at 169th in the nation in terms of stopping opponents in 3rd down situations.

It will be critical to Linfield's chances to be able to control the ball and keep it away from the UWW offense. To do that, they will likely have to perform better on 3rd down than they did last week against St. Thomas. Against the Tommies 62nd rated 3rd down defense, the Cats converted only 4 of 16 third down opportunities.

Another question that emerges in looking at the conversion charts is whether Linfield will be able to get off the field by stopping UWW on 3rd down. The statistical mismatch in the numbers is UWW's #1 rated 3rd down conversion offense against the 169th rated 3rd down conversion defense. If the Cats don't find a way to buck the trend in this statistic, UWW may be successful in controlling the ball and keeping it away from the potent Linfield offense. Last week Wittenberg brought the #3 rated 3rd down defense to Perkins Stadium. UWW converted 7 of 12 third down opportunities.

FINISHING

Holding on to the ball and driving down the field is one important aspect of a football game. But even more important is whether the drive is converted into points. Red Zone Offensive and Defensive performance figures to be another key in Saturday's outcome. The Charts below show the Wildcats' and Warhawks' Offensive and Defensive performances in the red zone this year.

OFFENSE Linfield Wildcats UW-Whitewater Warhawks

Red Zone Score % 53 for 62 (85%) 56 for 64 (88%)

Red Zone TD % 42 for 62 (68%) 49 for 64 (77%)

Both Linfield (25th) and UWW (12th) rank in the top 25 in the nation in Red Zone efficiency. Both teams do a great job in getting points once they make it in the Red Zone. UW's higher ranking is because of their greater propensity to turn the Red Zone possession into a TD rather than a field goal.

Defense Linfield Wildcats UW-W Warhawks

Red Zone Score % 34 for 46 (74%) 12 for 22 (55%)

Red Zone TD % 30 for 46 (65%) 10 for 22 (45%)

UWW ranks 9th nationally in Defensive Red Zone Efficiency. Linfield ranks 101st in Defensive Red Zone Efficiency.

Both teams have offenses that have been successful in the Red Zone this year. The question becomes how each will perform now that they have advanced to Semi-final weekend. The numbers would seem to say that Linfield could have the tougher task in converting Red Zone appearances into points. Linfield's 101st national rating against teams in the Red Zone would seem to indicate that they need to step up their game once UWW moves into scoring position. One other point to consider in evaluating the two defenses. The Defensive Red Zone Efficiency Rating is based on percentages only. They don't even consider the fact that Linfield's defense has allowed teams to enter the Red Zone more than twice as many times as UWW's defense has.

What does it all mean?

Again, all of these statistics will be thrown out the window once the ball is teed up on Saturday. However, statistics can be valuable in looking at plausible outcomes. The Linfield offense and the UWW defense are both very good units. It is plausible each will win their share of their battles. In a sense, Linfield has been feeding off defensive takeaways this year. They have not been especially good on stopping teams either on third down or in the Red Zone. One plausible opinion is that UWW will have an excellent chance of winning this football game if they take care of the ball. Considering the Hawks have only 12 turnovers in 13 games, their chances look very good if things play out "true to form".

WITTENBERG NO PAPER TIGERS

The Wittenberg Tigers came to play in Saturday's quarterfinal D3 playoff game at UW-Whitewater. Some of the players made that clear as they mixed it up with some of the Warhawks before the game even started. They never stopped fighting until the game's final whistle. Although on the short end of a 31-13 score, the Tigers won plenty of respect at Perkins Stadium on Saturday.

The Tigers played UWW toe to toe for longer than many expected in a game that was a one point game until a 28 yard touchdown pass from Jeff Donovan to Adam Brandes increased the gap to 21-13 with 51 seconds to play in the 3rd quarter. At that point, the offense and defense of UWW both exerted their will on the Tigers, creating the separation between the two teams.

After the Brandes touchdown. The UWW defense forced a punt on the ensuing series. Taking over on their own 15 with 11:41 left in the game, the Warhawks drove to the Tigers 17. Levell Coppage carried 7 times on the drive and gained 49 yards. Jeff Donavan went 3-4 on the drive for 19 more yards. When the drive stalled, Jeff Schebler kicked a 35 yard field goal, but not before the drive erased 5:53 off the clock. That moved the score to 24-13 with 5:48 remaining in the game.

On the next series, senior all WIAC cornerback Troney Shumpert came up big as he intercepted a pass on the sideline near the UWW bench and streaked down the sideline 36 yards to the Tigers 12. Three more handoffs to Coppage and the UWW lead increased to 31 to 13 with 3:35 left in the game.

On the first series of the game, UWW drove 45 yards to the Wittenberg 20, but when the drive stalled, Jeff Schebler missed a 37 yard field goal attempt after coming into the game 10-11 on field goals this year. Wittenberg then moved the ball 43 yards to the UWW 34 before QB Aaron Huffman was sacked by Wesley Hicks to stop the drive.

UWW then drove 63 yards, capped by a 23 yard TD pass from Jeff Donovan to Aaron Rusch and a 7-0 lead with 14:17 left in the 2nd quarter. Wittenberg responded with an 82 yard drive, capped by a 2 yard TD run by QB Aaron Huffman. However, Justin Ankley blocked the extra point and UWW held a 7-6 lead.

UWW then drove 66 yards as Antwan Anderson scored from 7 yards out and a 14-6 lead with 8:29 left in the 2nd period. QB Aaron Huffman led the Tigers right back with precision passing. Huffman completed 5 of 6 passes on the drive, taking WC to the UWW 8. However, what happened next may have changed the complexion of the game. Huffman took the snap from the shotgun position and took a step forward. It looked like a QB draw, which had been utilized several times already. However Max Ford and Lane Olson came in clean from the edges and converged on Huffman, simultaneously hitting him with full force. Huffman was attended to for several minutes before wobbling off the field with assistance. He left having completed 11 of 12 passes for 139 yards, but he was done for the day. Ben Zoeller replaced him and promptly threw an 11 yard TD pass to Michael Cooper, reducing the UWW lead to 14-13 with just 31 seconds left in the half. That score would stand until the final minute of the third quarter, when UWW began to take control.

After the game, UWW Coach Lance Leipold felt good about how his team responded to adversity. "To survive and move on when maybe it's not your 'A' game in some areas, it's a testament to our team. It's funny because I heard one of their fans (at halftime) say, 'Let's see how they play when it's close.' And (that's) true." said Leipold, according to warhawkfootball.com.

With the win, the Warhawks advance to the national Division 3 semifinals, hosting the undefeated Linfield Wildcats, who defeated St. Thomas 31-20 on Saturday.

BP QUARTERFINAL PROJECTIONS

ALBRIGHT AT MOUNT UNION

The Albright College Lions make a surprise appearance in the D3 National Playoff Quarterfinals on Saturday as they visit the defending National Champion Mount Union Purple Raiders in Alliance, Ohio. The Lions were arguably underdogs in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs. In round one, they traveled to and defeated Alfred 35-25. In round two, the Lions avenged an earlier defeat by downing Delaware Valley College 27-3. The Lions threw for over 300 yards in each game, but was ineffective on the ground, averaging less than 100 yards per game. This lack of balance will cost the Lions dearly as they step up to face the most dominant program in Division 3 Football over the past 20 years. Mount Union is strong in every facet of the game and has shown the consistency of a champion since the middle of October. The Albright run ends here: Mount Union 52 Albright 10.

JOHNS HOPKINS AT WESLEY COLLEGE

The Johns Hopkins Blue Jays are another surprise survivor of the round of 16 and into the quarterfinals. In Round One, the Blue Jays turned in a dominating defensive performance in winning at Hampden-Sidney College 23-7. The Blue Jays gained 303 yards through the air and 128 on the ground as they held HS-C to 199 total yards. In the second round Johns Hopkins went on the road again and surprised Thomas More 31-29. Junior kicker Alex Lachman nailed a 43 yard field goal as time expired to give the Blue Jays the win. Johns Hopkins gained 414 yards in total offense, but survived 4 interceptions to gain the last second win. The Wesley College Wolverines enter the game at 12-0 and seeded 1st in the bracket. The Wolverines won their first two games easily, defeating North Carolina Wesleyan 55-23 and Mississippi College 43-9. Wesley College has been dominant all season outscoring their opponents 454-134. The Wolverines have a high powered attack averaging 37.8 points per game. They have amassed 235.6 passing yards per game and 196.7 rushing yards per game. Defensively, they give up a stingy 2.1 yards per carry on the ground and are ball hawks with 21 interceptions. Wesley College is dominant due to superior line play on both sides of the ball. This is likely to wear down the Cinderalla Blue Jays. Wesley College 38 Johns Hopkins 21

WITTENBERG AT UW-WHITEWATER

Much has been written in this blog about this matchup already. Wittenberg brings in the number #1 ranked defense in the nation into Perkins Stadium on Saturday. However, most likely they will not be the best defense on the field against the talented and hard hitting Warhawks. The Wittenberg offense does not have enough to stay with the potent and balanced attack UWW brings to the table. If the Tigers play well, they keep it close for a little over a quarter. If not, things will get real ugly. UW-Whitewater 45 Wittenberg 7.

SAINT THOMAS AT LINFIELD

This is a clash of two different style football teams and is likely to be the most competitive game on the board Saturday. The Tommies come into the game with impressive wins over Monmouth (43-21) and Coe (34-7). The Wildcats are coming off the most impressive win in this year's playoffs so far, a 53-21 dismantling of highly regarded Mary Hardin -Baylor. Linfield beat California Lutheran in the opening round 38-17. The Tommies are a physical, run oriented team who average 257.9 ypg and 6.2 ypc on the ground. In spite of being "ground heavy" the Tommies have averaged an impressive 40.7 points per game. Defensively, St. Thomas completes a great formula for victory by stopping the run extremely well. They have given up only 2.8 ypc on the ground. The Linfield Wildcats come in averaging 42.7 points per game and have not scored fewer than 30 in a contest all year. The Wildcats average 169.5 ypg on the ground and 273.8 ypg through the air. Look for this game to be a lot of fun to watch for fans from both teams. Look for the scoreboard to be lit up in this one:

LINFIELD 42 ST. THOMAS 38.

How will Wittenberg attack UWW?

Much has been made of the Wittenberg Tigers #1 ranked defense as they prepare to visit Perkins Stadium on Saturday. And there's no question that the matchup between the Tigers defense and the UWW high powered offense offers plenty of intrigue. However, another question will be answered Saturday when Wittenberg has the ball: How will Wittenberg's offense attack the powerful UWW defense?

Wittenberg comes into the game with an incredibly balanced offense:

RUSHING: 2746 yards and 31 TD's

PASSING: 2723 yards and 29 TD's.

In the playoffs, the Tigers opening opponent was Mt. St. Joseph, a team that had given up 145 YPG and 3.9 YPC on the ground. Wittenberg went heavy on the ground rushing 58 times for 324 yards and 5 TD's. In Round 2, The Tigers went against Trine who gave up 133.5 YPG and 3.7 YPC. Once again, the Tigers hit the ground game hard, carrying the ball 56 times for 260 yards. QB Aaron Huffman went 16-22, for 208 yds, 1 interception, and 5 TD's.

Leading rusher Corey Weber has rushed for 1145 yards this year, including 204 last week against Trine. Weber is spelled by Conner Warye ( 596 yards) and Jeff Wilbur (556 yards). In addition Aaron Huffman has rushed for 380 yards from the QB position.

Moving into the quarterfinals, Wittenberg will like deploy a vastly different strategy against the powerful UWW defense. UWW gives up a paltry 2.5 yards per carry against the run this season. Defensive End Anthony White, Linebacker Kyle Supionoski, and Cornerback Troney Shumpert, all First Team WIAC selections lead a defense that has not given up much on the ground all season long. In Round 1, the Warhawks defense held a weak running Lakeland College Muskies to 63 yards in 35 attempts. Last week Illinois Western University, the CCIW Champions, came into the game averaging 173.5 YPG on the ground. UWW held the Titans to 30 yards in 22 attempts. All season long, the UWW defense has been staunch, gap disciplined, and hard hitting. If Wittenberg is successful establishing a meaningful rushing attack, they will be the first to do so this year against the Warhawks.

The Tigers may well choose or be forced to take to the air against the Warhawks on Saturday.

Huffman has five receivers at his disposal who have caught at least 10 passes this year. The top three, Josh Mckee, Patrick Williams, and Michael Cooper have combined for 141 catches, 2106 yards, and 25 TD's.

Moving the ball through the air can be a dangerous proposition at the Perk. UWW has accumulated 8 interceptions in it's first two playoff games this year and is undoubtedly hungry for more. UW-Whitewater fans have watched a number of opponents have some success on certain plays through the air, especially early in the game. However, as the defense makes adjustments, they begin to successfully disrupt the offensive rhythm, and it is usually not too much longer before the interceptions start coming.

But first things first. UWW defensive coordinator Brian Borland will undoubtedly be stressing the importance of shutting down the Tigers running attack first. Making a team one dimensional goes a long way towards getting the all important takeaways. UWW will likely be the most talented and the most physical team Wittenberg has faced. Are they up to the challenge? We'll know in less than 48 hours.

Where Humility and Greatness Meet

The first college football game ever was held on November 6, 1869 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The game has evolved a ton since that day when 25 players from Rutgers beat the Princeton 25 by a score of 6-4. Scoring and rules have undergone dramatic changes in the ensuing years. But the passion, the love, and the history of college football continues to run deep.

Every autumn for the past 140 years, college football players have banded together and put their school pride on the line as they hit the gridiron. Thousands of players have distinguished themselves with incredible performances and careers. And in over 140 years of college football, no player has ever scored as many points with his foot than unassuming UW Whitewater kicker Jeff Schebler. It's almost hard to take in. No kicker who has ever stepped on the football field at any level of college football has ever scored as many points as Schebler's 446. Schebler broke the all division record on Saturday November 21, in UWW's first round playoff victory over Lakeland College at Perkins Stadium.

Schebler, who also owns the NCAA Division 3 record for most career field goals and highest field goal percentage, has nailed 10-11 field goals this season. Clearly, Schebler is a valuable weapon for the Warhawks as they advance deeper into the post-season.

Jeff takes it all in stride. He was asked to write a blog chronicling his college football experience for InsideWisconsinSports.com. The week after Jeff broke the D3 scoring record (against UW on October 17th) , he wrote this paragraph within his blog:

"In the game, my second extra point put me on top of Division III scoring for kickers. This is quite an honor to have. Kicking all of the extra points for four years and being able to kick field goals was what enabled me to become #1. A lot of what I have done through the years goes out to my teammates because without them, this accomplishment would never have even had a chance to happen. The offense has been able to put the ball in the end zone, and my snapper and holder have always done a great job since I have been here."

Along with properly crediting teammates for their share in his success, the noteworthy aspect of this paragraph is that it is the SECOND paragraph in his blog. The first paragraph talked about the conference victory, the fact that all WIAC teams are tough, and the strength of the UW Stout defense. In other words, he wrote about everything BUT Jeff Schebler. But that is the Jeff Schebler the folks at UWW have come to know.

Both of Jeff's college coaches used the same two words in their first sentence in describing him. Both current UWW coach Lance Leipold and former UWW coach Bob Berezowitz described Schebler as a "great kid". Berezowitz went on to say, "Jeff's the kind of friend you would want your son or daughter to have when you send them off to college.'

The UWW administration nominated Schebler for the prestigious Gagliardi Trophy. He is currently a top 10 finalist for the award that is presented to the outstanding D3 football player, honoring excellence in football, the classroom, and community service. A summary of all the top 10 candidates and the opportunity to vote can be found in the "Playoff Toolbox" on the front page of D3football.com.

Pound the Rock!

When the Warhawks host the Wittenberg Tigers in an NCAA D3 Quarterfinal matchup on Saturday, all eyes will be on Levell Coppage, Jeff Donavon, or a host of UWW receivers that can make big catches and huge plays. And rightfully so. UWW sports some of the most talented and athletic skilled position players in the nation. And when the high profile stars cross the goal line, Mike "The Cannon Guy" does his thing and the blast is heard throughout the Perk. But it's in the trenches where games are won and lost. When the big men up front are winning their battles and operating in synch, the skilled players are given the space to dazzle the crowd. Big plays, touchdowns, cannon fire, and roaring crowds have all been commonplace at the Perk over the past several years. And it all starts up front.

The UWW offensive line has done more than their share to propel the success of the 2009 Warhawks. Led by First Team All WIAC selections LT Robbie Ustruck (6'2" 306 lb Jr from West Allis, WI), LG Matt Weber (6'3" 285 lb Jr from Oregon, WI), and C Garth Coats (6'2" 280 lb Sr from Evansville, WI) the O-Line has been operating at a high level all season long. RG Mark Gawronski (6'0" 275 lb Jr from New Berlin, WI) and RT Grant Murray (6'2" 275 lb Jr from Waukesha, WI) round out the starters for one of the strongest offensive lines in the nation.

Jeff Donovan, the nations 3rd leading passer in efficiency rating, has been given incredible protection as he has completed pass after pass ( 73.5% completion percentage, 25 TD's, just 4 interceptions). The offensive line has given up only 4 sacks all season. Something will have to give on Saturday, as the Warhawks welcome the nation's #1 rated defense to Perkins Stadium. Wittenberg, led by All-America candidate DE Eddie Vallery (15.5 sacks), has sacked the QB 34 times this season.

Wittenberg's defense also presents a challenge against the run. The Tigers rank 6th in the nation giving up just over 67 yards per game on the ground. Five players in the front 7 of the Tigers defense (including all 3 linebackers) earned 1st team all-conference honors in the North Coast Athletic Conference.

But the UWW mantra of "Pound the Rock" applies to both the hard work ethic of the UWW offensive line as well as the determination to run the football successfully against each and every opponent the Warhawks face. While Wittenberg brings in gaudy defensive numbers into Perkins Stadium on Saturday, you can be sure that the UWW offensive line will bring their lunch pails and put in a hard day's work. And most likely, that means Mike "the Cannon Guy" will be pretty busy again Saturday afternoon.

Early Week Preview: Wittenberg Tigers

GAME FACTS: Wittenberg Tigers vs UW Whitewater Warhawks

Location: Perkins Stadium, Whitewater WI

Time and Date: Noon (CST), Saturday, December 5, 2009

Who are the Tigers?

The Wittenberg University Tigers (Springfield Ohio) visit Perkins Stadium for the D3 Quarterfinals with a 12-0 record. The Tigers qualified for the 2009 D3 playoffs by winning the North Coast Athletic Conference. Wittenberg won their first round game 42-14 over Mt. St. Joseph. Last Saturday, they defeated Trine 34-17.

Defense

The Tigers come into the game boasting the number 1 rated defense in the nation, allowing 172.67 yards per game. They are also the number 1 rated defense in points allowed, giving up an average of 7 points per game. Heading into the playoffs, the Tigers allowed more than 7 points only once all year (giving up 10 points to Allegheney in a 52-10 win on November 7th). None of the Tigers first eight opponents scored a single point in the first half this year.

The Tigers are led by 6'2" 220 lb defensive lineman Eddie Vallery. Vallery, voted the 2009 NCAC Defensive Player of the Year, broke the school record with 15.5 sacks.

Offense

The Tigers are about as balanced offensively as a team can be. They average 228.83 yards rushing per game and 226.92 yards passing per game. The Tigers are led by QB Aaron Huffman, who is the 7th rated passer in the nation. Huffman has thrown for more yards than any QB in Wittenberg History. First Team All Conference junior tailback Corey Weber leads the rushing attack with a 5.6 ypc average and totaling 1145 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The Tigers have a triple threat receiving corp. Michael Cooper, Josh McKee, and P. Williams have all caught at least 39 passes and have combined for 2,106 yards and 25 TD's.

The Coach

Joe Fincham is in his 14th season as coach of the Tigers. His overall record is 126-29.

Bet U Didn't Know:

Wittenberg ranks FIRST on the NCAA's list of All Time Winningest D3 Football teams with 677 wins in 115 years of college football.

Biggest Question for Wittenberg

Simply put, the biggest question for the Tigers is whether they are in the same class as UWW. They have dominated the NCAC, but the NCAC is not the WIAC. Last year's NCAC playoff representative, Wabash lost in round 2 to Wheaton 59-29. Two weeks later, Wheaton was dominated by Mount Union 45-24. In 07, NCAC Champion Wabash visited UWW in the quarterfinals and walked away a 47-7 loser. Has enough changed for Wittenberg to compete at UWW's level?