Division III Indiana-Like Turnaround: River Falls

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Gophergrandpa

Gophergrandpa

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Their up tempo offense was fun to watch. It helps to have the best QB in D3. Blaha had an amazing season.
 

Things have really changed. I went to Augsburg in the early-1970s and River Falls was usually on the schedule and it was usually a good game. I think Augsburg at least split with them when I was there. Changing landscape now.
 

That QB was fun to watch. 100% both HC's attended PJ's seminar on clock management.
 

River Falls really had a nice team this year. Don't exactly see the comparison to Indiana. Indiana has always been bad, new coach, and immediate success. River Falls has an up-and-down background, never the highs they have right now, but has had some success. Their new coach changed the offensive philosophy and has been at the school since 2011 and finally cracked through in the national scene.
 


MNfootballfan said:
River Falls really had a nice team this year. Don't exactly see the comparison to Indiana. Indiana has always been bad, new coach, and immediate success. River Falls has an up-and-down background, never the highs they have right now, but has had some success. Their new coach changed the offensive philosophy and has been at the school since 2011 and finally cracked through in the national scene.
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After their old coach, who ran a unique variation of the wishbone (back in the 1990s) RF has been really quite bad. The past few years they reached middle of the WIAC and at least became a challenge against opponents. This year is a magical season, the type all Gopher fans long for in their lifetime. And, the best part of RF winning is that many on the team are Minnesota kids. I believe Blaha played at Fridley.
What a fantastic season for the Falcons.
 

FinnGopher said:
After their old coach, who ran a unique variation of the wishbone (back in the 1990s) RF has been really quite bad. The past few years they reached middle of the WIAC and at least became a challenge against opponents. This year is a magical season, the type all Gopher fans long for in their lifetime. And, the best part of RF winning is that many on the team are Minnesota kids. I believe Blaha played at Fridley.
What a fantastic season for the Falcons.
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I was 100% agree with all that. I was cheering for RF... I also cheer for NDSU, Mankato, Duluth etc when they are competing in their playoffs. Minnesota kids having success is only a good thing for Minnesota High School Football and way down the road would ultimately benefit the Gophers.

Agree, RF has been down since the O'Grady days and it is 100% comparable to Indiana in the fact that it was a magical season.
 

Gophergrandpa said:
How one coach changed his OC and philisophy … and got results.
apple.news

The D-III underdogs running college football’s fastest offense and trying to topple a dynasty — The Athletic

To most college football fans, the most surprising turnaround story in recent years is Indiana, which routed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals.
apple.news apple.news
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UWRF's OC, Joe Matheson got his start as a student manager and student assistant coach here with the Gophers!
 




I've always wondered what would happen if a team essentially had two offenses, and they would alternate plays.

So Unit B runs out there with the play already called and snaps as fast as they can once the whistle blows on Unit A. The units could have very different personnel, QB style, etc.

Could they overwhelm the defense with tempo and surprises they are slow to react to? Or just confuse themselves?

This isn't what UW River Falls is doing but it's been in the back of my brain for a decade or two.
 

fmlizard said:
I've always wondered what would happen if a team essentially had two offenses, and they would alternate plays.

So Unit B runs out there with the play already called and snaps as fast as they can once the whistle blows on Unit A. The units could have very different personnel, QB style, etc.

Could they overwhelm the defense with tempo and surprises they are slow to react to? Or just confuse themselves?

This isn't what UW River Falls is doing but it's been in the back of my brain for a decade or two.
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If the offense puts in substitutions, the defense gets time to substitute as well. I'd assume that would mitigate this somewhat. Especially after teams see it on tape. Or no?
 

mggoph said:
If the offense puts in substitutions, the defense gets time to substitute as well. I'd assume that would mitigate this somewhat. Especially after teams see it on tape. Or no?
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The defense does get a chance to match personel, so it would not be as up tempo compared to keeping the same 11 on the field. I would imagine opposing D's would really slow their substitutions to make sure the right 11 were on the field to match which 11 the O had.
It would also put a ton of stress on the O-line as they are typically used to running 5 to 10 yards max per play and running on and off the field every other play would really take it out of them.
 

MNfootballfan said:
River Falls really had a nice team this year. Don't exactly see the comparison to Indiana. Indiana has always been bad, new coach, and immediate success. River Falls has an up-and-down background, never the highs they have right now, but has had some success. Their new coach changed the offensive philosophy and has been at the school since 2011 and finally cracked through in the national scene.
Click to expand...
They've been bad for a long time...don't think they even made the playoffs for like 20 years. Their coach has had seasons there where he has won ZERO, one, and two games. Yet they stuck with him and it paid off.....Great story.
 



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