Post by exit322 on Sept 16, 2008 18:30:59 GMT -5
For purposes of this discussion, assume all five of the CIFL teams will make it in the IFL, and we can assume the teams all keep a "regular" number of returnees (e.g. probably more than half of their prior year's roster, though Saginaw especially could be totally different), as CIFL teams aren't as far off from the IFL level as say Wichita was last year. I'm also going to assume largely UIF rules here.
ROCHESTER - Mike Mikolaichik will be in the top of the IFL in a lot of quarterbacking statistics - he's got a great arm, and the Raiders have a pretty good receiving corps. The two-back tandem of Felix Joyner and Jamil Porter will be better than most in the league as well. The defense was good enough last year in the CIFL, but better IFL offenses may have success. Rochester's defensive backfield wasn't good, but the D-Line neutralized that weakness quite well.
SAGINAW - Damon Dowdell threw 50 touchdown passes in the CIFL last year, definitely a league record (I can say that even without two years' worth of statistics). That'd translate to about 80 in the IFL. The defense was pretty good, and the pass game was so effective because of Nick Body's 28 touchdown catches. Saginaw's run game was passable, but when you throw that many touchdowns in the CIFL, it doesn't matter. It will need to be a hair better in the IFL, though.
LEHIGH VALLEY - It depends on who they bring in as the quarterback. BJ Hall went to New Mexico (AIFA) midway last year, and Walter Washington really hasn't done a whole lot. Oh, who am I kidding? The Outlawz aren't going to make it in the IFL on the field. This roster wouldn't be very good. If they get down in a game, they quit and blame the stripes. Billy Parker, their best receiver, drops too many balls. The defense is better than advertised, but top IFL offenses (like Rochester) have a field day with them.
MARYLAND - If they pay their players unlike the Tide...last year's Tide team almost beat the Raiders in Week 1. Too many unknowns here, but the team may be better than Lehigh Valley in the IFL. They had playmakers, but I don't feel the lines can hold up consistently.
MUSKEGON - Dan Richard threw 34 touchdowns with 13 picks, but he was susceptible to the bad play at the wrong time. This team has talent overall, but not enough to compete in the IFL, and they're simply not well coached. In a playoff game I watched in '07, Muskegon was better talent-wise at every position (except maybe backup QB) than Marion, and they lost the game. If Fairfield hasn't improved, they'll look silly against teams like Bloomington.
ROCHESTER - Mike Mikolaichik will be in the top of the IFL in a lot of quarterbacking statistics - he's got a great arm, and the Raiders have a pretty good receiving corps. The two-back tandem of Felix Joyner and Jamil Porter will be better than most in the league as well. The defense was good enough last year in the CIFL, but better IFL offenses may have success. Rochester's defensive backfield wasn't good, but the D-Line neutralized that weakness quite well.
SAGINAW - Damon Dowdell threw 50 touchdown passes in the CIFL last year, definitely a league record (I can say that even without two years' worth of statistics). That'd translate to about 80 in the IFL. The defense was pretty good, and the pass game was so effective because of Nick Body's 28 touchdown catches. Saginaw's run game was passable, but when you throw that many touchdowns in the CIFL, it doesn't matter. It will need to be a hair better in the IFL, though.
LEHIGH VALLEY - It depends on who they bring in as the quarterback. BJ Hall went to New Mexico (AIFA) midway last year, and Walter Washington really hasn't done a whole lot. Oh, who am I kidding? The Outlawz aren't going to make it in the IFL on the field. This roster wouldn't be very good. If they get down in a game, they quit and blame the stripes. Billy Parker, their best receiver, drops too many balls. The defense is better than advertised, but top IFL offenses (like Rochester) have a field day with them.
MARYLAND - If they pay their players unlike the Tide...last year's Tide team almost beat the Raiders in Week 1. Too many unknowns here, but the team may be better than Lehigh Valley in the IFL. They had playmakers, but I don't feel the lines can hold up consistently.
MUSKEGON - Dan Richard threw 34 touchdowns with 13 picks, but he was susceptible to the bad play at the wrong time. This team has talent overall, but not enough to compete in the IFL, and they're simply not well coached. In a playoff game I watched in '07, Muskegon was better talent-wise at every position (except maybe backup QB) than Marion, and they lost the game. If Fairfield hasn't improved, they'll look silly against teams like Bloomington.