I think that D3 should be allowed to have a full spring practice schedule. Most D3 schools let their athletes play a fall and a spring sport...what is the difference. Spring ball is only 15 practices...3 or 4 at most a week...and shorter than practice during the season. Along the line of D3 trying keep their academic integrity I think that is BS. A lot of D1 schools have as good or even better academic reps and they allow their football teams full spring practice. What is the difference?

Darkside D-

I knew i would for get...some things.

A disciplined D is essential....also Not turning it over on O and creating Turnovers on D.

You know a little about D yourself and by the way you have a ring too, dont you!!!!

Go Scots!

MacLeod,

You have to go there dont you.....Im guess you have never been a part of a championship. You probably are still wearing your Intermurals Championship T-shirt and you high school class ring.

Get a clue...and grow up!

Here is my take on what it takes to win an NCAC or any championship.

1. Leadership- you can have all the talent in the world but without a team that has a clear focus and leadership you will fall short somewhere along the line. This has to come from the players..the coaches will always provide this the the true championship teams win because the leadership truly comes from the players.

2. A tough Defense. You have to stop teams....in today's era of spread, high scoring offenses you have to be able to shut them down. The conditions effect the D less too....a high scoring offense can be shut down by just a bad weather day or a star player missing....you can never rely on out scoring opponents...you MUST be able to stop them.

3. Run the ball- you have to use the clock and move the ball on the ground...again you can always rely on the run game no matter what the conditions.


4. Playmakers- You have to have 2 or 3 guys whether it be O, D, or ST that make a big play when the team needs it.

5. Luck- no matter how good you are you will need it. Every team that wins a championship at any level will always run into close game and they need a break. i.e. a missed FG, a turnover, a trick play. I know people like to say that luck has nothing to do with it but ask a team that is WEARING A RING and ask them if luck played a part at anytime.

6. Solid Coaching- you need coaches that have been in that situation before.....coaches that can kept their players focused every week...overlooking no one. Coaches that are willing to adjust and do what it takes to win when the game is on the line.

By the way I have 2 rings.

I am going to bring up this point......the Scots were not the same team without Justin Schafer....not only for his tremendous ability as a QB but his leadership.....they were not the same when he was not in the huddle....It was evident if you were at the games when he played and the ones he didnt you would know that.....even the Bash and Oberlin game he PLAYED ON A BROKEN ANKLE!!!! We were not dominated by OWU. In what was one of their best years they could only beat us by 18pts at the end of one of most trying seasons in school history....that goes for Witt as well.....they did not play the true Scots on those afternoons.....I will proudly stand behind that..

As for the Oberlin game...as I mentioned once Schafer played on a broken ankle....it was 40 degrees and raining and the lack of fans (200 maybe...150 Woo fans) didnt help. Oberlin scored on a fluke botch FG and a Blocked punt...also Wooster had a TD taken away when D. Shepard lost the ball out the  back of the endzone after a 50 yard run....oh yea he had 250 yards rushing that game....and was NCAC newcomer of the year.

Maybe we shouldnt be a clearcut favorite but we sure do have a lot coming back.

I have heard they have some absolute stud WRs coming up who would make the entire league forget about the WRs that Bash has right now. They have a good running game (i hear they have 3 stud frosh TBs), an experienced OL, 3 stud TEs, and oh yea SCHAFER,and an improving and agressive Defense.

You dont have to give them any respect...they actually like it that way!!! Keep doubting and we will see what happens......Should be interesting!!!!

I said I like the arrogance or PRIDE or whatever....you guys have a great thing going over there. I am not saying it is bad thing. It is what it is and I think that the other people in the NCAC will agree....everyone has arrogance and pride for their school other than maybe Hiram, Oberlin, or Earlham.

OWu beat the Woo but they did not handle us.....and that was at the end of a bad season with a beat up and desimated Scots squad.

I agree that everyone is in the hunt for the '06 title....I just think that Wooster should be given some more respect....Wabash didnt have a great record in '05 with the same players that went 11-1 this year.

All I am saying is dont overlook the Scots because I guarruntee they will be a different team in '06 than they were in '05. I dont think that anyone is a clear cut favorite in the NCAC this year.

BashBacker,

YOu did play well at Wooster this year and I appluad the boys.....but we were playing with a QB with a broken ankle...and still put some yards on you although we didnt put it in the Zone. ...it was a beatin but not a massacre......and again i will tell you it is harder to repeat than you think!!!!!!!!! Everyone is now after you and last year meant nothing.
The Scots were a team in '05 trying to overcome injuries and find its identity and they will be an opponent to recon with in '06.....are we going to win the league...I dont know....I just think that if you look at eveything that happened to the Scots in '05 they are better team than they showed.

Go Scots!

Wally,

I love the arrogance of the Bashers. I didnt say that Gheny and OWU couldnt win it but it just seems that they are a couple years away from seriously being in the championship hunt......they will though play a huge role in who wins the NCAC because they will play and probably beat one of the teams who will win it.

In the game in '04 Wooster dominated 3 1/2 quarters of that game......Brandon Clifton went off on an average pass D and  he and Russ made some plays. The game was a great one and I give the Bashers all the credit in the world for fighting back because we all know " Wabash Always Fights"!!!! HA!

Again, I am not trying to start any uproars but I think that Wooster should have a legit shot to win the league this year, pending any meltdowns, Kenyon '05/Oberlin '03, as do Bash and Witt. I also think it all comes down to who can stay healthy and win the big games....and if you do your research when the Scots lost those games to Oberlin and Kenyon they did play those games without Sutton in '03 and Schafer in'05.

As for those role players........I guess we will have to just see.......none of us can get through the opinions and thoughts of the Bashers.....because if you play there or are one of their fans you know that you are elite and you are of course always right!!!!

Good Luck to all and it is nice to finally post about something that really matters.....the '06 season.

Go Scots!

Let me break it down!

Role players in '04:
R.Drushal- All-American OL
A. Mizak- All-American DE
J. Schafer-All NCAC QB (wouldnt have won the league in 04 w/o him)
C. Craig- All NCAC DB (INT for TD in C-ville)
E. Watson- Starting DE, All-NCAC '05 (name sounds familiar...could get him to stay home)
S. Swearingen- 3rd WR, behind 2 All-NCAC WR, All-NCAC '05

Not bad credentials for ROLE PLAYERS.....All coming back for '06

I give you that everyone says they work hard in the off season......The Kenyon loss just embarrasing even with a backup QB......after that injuries played a huge part.....and im not into making excuses...because the Scots should of been 8-2 not 6-4.

If I am correct the Scots have won 2 of the last 3 against the little giants and had not problem going into dreaded Hollett and beating a nationally ranked team with a long home winning streak.

The league will once again come down to the 3 W's. Can Bash use the Momnetum from '05 to carry them to another title? Can Witt survive their early schedule and stay healthy for the league play and can the Scots return to their form from '02-'04. Gheny and OWU just dont have enough firepower yet but they are getting very close.

Should be a fun year in the NCAC!
Go Scots!

I think it is great that the NCAC is now allowed to use footballs in spring ball...kind of ridiculus that they werent permitted before....dont you think??? But I want to talk about the 2006 Season. People can say what they want but from my observation I would have to think the the boys in Wooster would have to be considered as favorites to win the league this year. I have been able to see able to see Wooster play over the last couple of years and with what they have coming back you would think there time to return to the top is now. If they can stay healthy their O and D could be better than 2004. Of course there are question marks on both sides of the ball and in ST but who doesnt have question marks. Woo has a ton of experience coming back and lets remember they played a lot of young guys last year and they played half the season without J. Schafer a legit all league QB. Most of the seniors and juniors were guys who played and had major impacts on the 2004 team. They know how to win and they are ready for a return tot he top. Wooster works harder than any team in the league in the off season and from what I hear they have stepped it up this winter with a burning desire to erase the 2005 season. Their coaches do a tremendous job and I PROMISE you they will be ready when they kick off the 2006 season against John Carroll. Good Luck to all and lets get a disscussion finally started about the 2006 season. The Players, Coaches, and Even the Pipers are ready to hand out a few paybacks this season.
Go Scots!