The Johnnies survived another Saturday duel for the 2nd weekend in a row. Clearly this is a talented Ole team who “brought the house” to Collegeville. I am not sure what to make of this 2007 Johnnie squad. They appear capable of winning the close games and have proven the ability to come from behind. I’d like to think some of this early season adversity will be valuable in November and beyond.
This week the Cardinal and Blue head to St. Peter to face off against the resurgent Gusties. It is Gustavus Adolphus’ homecoming so you know they’ll be excited to play Giant Killer. They are running a new dynamic offensive scheme where the plays are called after the team has lined up on the line of scrimmage. I’m told the entire offense rarely, if ever, huddles and looks toward the sideline as Offensive Coordinator, Tom Brown, signals in what play to run after getting a chance to see how the defense is lined up. This is quite innovative and it will be mighty interesting to see how the Johnnies disguise their coverage to confuse 4th year starting QB Jordan Stolp.
Notes:
- If you are headed to St. Peter on Saturday for the game, be sure to stop in at Patrick’s at 125 S. 3rd Street. The Stiftungsfestivities tailgate party will not be traveling to Gustavus. GAC is a dry campus and I’m told that their Rent-a-Cops are especially vigilant in eliminating any and all tailgating. Patrick’s was rated #1 on my Top Ten Postgame spots earlier this season and it is just as good before the game. Great food, 16 beers on tap, pool tables, lots of TVs, and plenty of video games.
- Mark October 20th on the calendar. There are big games galore all across the West Region with lots of playoff implications. Bethel travels to #13 St. Olaf, Pacific Lutheran travels to #20 Linfield, and #1 in Div. 1-AA North Dakota State travels to the Metrodome to take on the Golden Gophers. The regional rankings are also expected to be released following the Week 8 games and should be an early indication of how the teams will be seeded for the playoffs.
- JohnnieFootball.com is growing rapidly and we are thankful for all the loyal readers. The site underwent a significant overhaul recently designed to make it more user-friendly. If you would like to reach other Johnnies or Bennies and increase your business, contact DustySJU@JohnnieFootball.com for advertising opportunities.
- I am a voracious reader. I read everything I can get my hands on (that I’m interested in obviously). After finishing Austin Murphy’s new book, Saturday Rules, I picked up CBS Sportsline’s Clay Travis’ book, Dixieland Delight. If you are interested in an all-access look at the best Division 1 conference in the country this is a phenomenal, humorous read. Clay paints a vivid picture making you feel like you are at each SEC campus (tailgating, co-eds, college presidents, interesting traditions, etc). I’ve really enjoyed reading a chapter or two each night and think any avid college football fan would as well.
