What we Learned from Week 1

Here are the top 5 things an exciting first week of conference play taught us:

1) St. Scholastica is for real - After losing their starting quarterback, top receiver, and top defensive player, among others, we had no idea what the Saints would look like this season. A non-conference loss to Whitworth in week 1 did not give us a much clearer picture, but a throttling of Eureka in the conference opener made it clear that they are still the team to beat. Harper and Thiry looked outstanding and will be giving opposing defenses nightmares all season.

2) Northwestern is a contender - Two seasons removed from a 1-8 record, the Northwestern College Eagles look to have built upon last season's turnaround and are poised to reclaim their spot among the conference's elite. It is too early to know whether their blowout of Westminster is more of a reflection upon themselves or Westminster, however, there is no denying the fact that Northwestern came flying out of the gates in Week 1.

3) Westminster has taken a large step back - It is too early to write this team off yet, but a 49-7 loss at home to a team they were supposed to beat is a huge blow. Even a good team can have a bad day, but it is hard to imagine a team that is a legitimate contender would lose by 6 touchdowns at home.

4) Eureka's offensive line is still bad - This was their weakness last year and appears that it will be their Achilles heel again this year. Don't get me wrong, Durley certainly bears some of the blame for the loss, missing on some easy throws and the receivers had far too many drops. Also, it is tough to look good when the opposing defense can pin their ears back and pass rush every play because they know Eureka passes on every play. Regardless, that offensive line looked terrible against Scholastica and looks to lack the talent necessary to be effective.

5) Crown can win a game - It may only have been a 7 point win against one of the bottom teams in the conference, but for a team that went 0-10 last season, getting that first W is huge news. It looks like Crown has their program moving in the right direction again. Also, the new white uniforms are looking good.