Morel has been a strong presence on campus.  He has been involved in several activities outside the athletics department.  He is stepping away from coaching and moving over to a position in fundraising. 
     This year's record so far, with a bowl game looming (the seniors will have a choice whether they want to play; I don' know if it will be individual choices or a vote), there may be one more opportunity. 
The season's 8-2 is a good way for Don to go out, the losses being to Platteville and DePauw, both in the D3FB top 25.  Both playoff teams.  So, they could be 9-2 if things fall in their favor.
     If some or all the seniors decide not to play, we will get an early picture of the 2025 team.  I can see the seniors being split among themselves about playing an extra game.  But competing in an 11th game could be a positive for recruiting.   

Yes , I forgot about those teams/coaches.  They were special.  I might/should have said the best long-term success or the best extended success, which would have been more accurate.  Thanks for correcting me, WC.
 

If it's true that Don Morel will hand over the coaching reins to Jake Gilbert if the team decides to play in the bowl game this year, then his coaching career at Wabash is concluded.   I'm not going to assert that Morel's coaching record was as good as Creighton's or Morel's, I want to say that he did a good job of coaching the LG's  since 2016 (61-20/.753).  Don played a more challenging OOC schedule than either of his two predecessors.  His OOC losses included North Central (twice), Butler, and this year to UW Platteville, a playoff team.  True enough, he lost 5X to DPU, who are as strong as they have ever been the last three years--conference champion each year, and better than I can recall since they entered the conference.  He lost 3X to Denison, a team that has been vastly improved over the last 8 or so years.  He lost 3X to Witt--in a game that ranks second in importance to DPU. I'm not going to speculate whether Raeburn's or Creighton's teams would have lost some of those games--a fool's errand.
   Did Morel match the success that came between 2000-2015; of course not.  Those glory years for Wabash football were the best run in he history of the team.  (Creighon had a 6-4 record the year after going to the final 8 in the playoffs, and was 7-3 the next year.)
    All in all, though Morel did not matched either Raeburn's or Creighton's winning percentage, he still won 75% of he games he coached, arguably against stronger in conference and OOC opponents than the two coaches who proceeded him.
    I am among those who have been disappointed with recent results, but putting it all in perspective Don did a pretty good job--just not quite as good as Raeburn or Creigton.  What does the future hold?  Will Gilbert improve on recent years?  I hope so. But as John Carroll enters the NCAC next fall and Washington U. the following year, the conference will be much improved. And with DPU's success under Deitz they can be expected to remain strong.  Add to that Denison's rise, and even with Witt's falling off (will that continue?) and the future will be a major challenge.
      The biggest questions in everyone's mind is perhaps whether Don was less successful than he should have been with Liam Thompson leading the team and whether on the defensive side the team could have been stronger. We will never know the answers to these questions.  One could say that he wasted a couple of years during Liam's time--but this is again speculation.  Now, I'm done.  I've known Jake Gilbert for over 25 years and am cautiously encouraged about his appointment (including his contacts with the best high school programs in Indiana). I'm sure though the next few years will be even harder to manage than has previously been the case.   
       

Great game today at Wabash.
One of the big reasons (perhaps the biggest) is the cost of putting on the Bell Game. Expenses
for security and erecting grandstands have risen at an incredible rate since the pandemic.  DPU has never had the ability to add to Blackstock Stadium  the numbers that will fit into Little Giant Stadium.  With rising expenses both schools decided to shrink the ticket numbers available. Because of the stadium sizes, Wabash by more than DePauw.
    The price of tickets has risen recently.  This year the cost is $35. 
    I may be wrong, but I think at Wabash the decision to shrink the number of seats has little to do with the new stadium's footprint, which is not too different from that of the old stadium.
     Long ago, when there was the question of moving the game to a neutral site, neither school was interested.  Whether this is the case today, I don't know.  But I'd say both like the game on campus.

Weeks ago I picked DePauw as the strong favorite to win the conference.  That view has not changed.  When Wabash lost their starting QB, well, I thought there goes the season.  The new QB has been steady; Morel has not given him much to do, and then only throws that are safe.  The next two weeks with Den and Wit will go a long way toward seeing whether Wabash has a legitimate shot at the new Tigers.  The LGs only loss is to UW Platteville--that keeps proving they are a real threat to win the WIAC.
     Nobody yet has been able to play with DPU.  They have Oberlin and Hiram before the Bell game, while Wabash will be competing against the other top tier teams in the NCAC.  The LGs have to win at home v. Den and on the road at Wit;  no easy task. 
    I would guess DePauw will be at least a 3TD favorite whatever Wabash does the next two weeks.
That's a lot for the Bell game when in the past  both teams have sprung monumental upsets. But this year DPU is the best I can remember seeing.   

Thanks. In the middle of the night I thought, oops, you neglected OWU.  My bad.  I thought about SOS and the western half being much stronger than the eastern half.  I don't have solution in mind.  Taking  one the lower tier of the east, usually Oberlin and Kenyon, their travel would be consistently be a burden.  So I just don't know.
   Middle of the night thoughts on Oberlin.  Either the administration needs to change its attitude and the coaches need to recruit better, or they might as well fold the program.  Right now, they are an impossible way from being competitive.  They has 7(!) freshmen on this year's roster.  With any attrition at all, they will have no sophomore class, and even not the sophomores will be a lost class.  As I've mentioned before, I admire their players for their loyalty to the program.  But who will now want to come there as a player given the state of the program?   There's a long road ahead.  I recall some years ago when Earlham faced a similar situation and dropped football.  In about 2019 or so, they put together a group that included outsiders to recommend whether they should start again.  I do not know what the commission reported, but there has been no indication that they are planning a restart..
     Not that I think a two-conference solution is coming, but as I said yesterday it's an interesting exercise.   

I agree with Wally about two qualifiers for the playoffs.  How could this happen? Yes, Chicago in the west and Case Western in the east.  Making the dividing line Columbus, the conference would still need one  more eastern member to join Oberlin, Wooster, Kenyon, Denison, and John Carroll. That would leave Chicago, Washington U, DePauw, Wabash, and Wittenberg in the west.  Who are the candidates that the NCAC might consider given their current standards?  No one comes to mind immediately in the east who would shift conferences,  In the west, Centre (probably not but who knows). Any other candidates?  I do not think any CCIW schools would jump ship.  The Michigan schools are committed to their long-term relationships. So,  twothe six-team conferences is intriguing. The various scenarios are highly speculative. 
     
Nice exercise to talk about though. 

Since the NCAC is bringing in Wash U for football, I wonder whether they anticipate another school leaving the conference, following Hiram?

The two previous posts indicate what happened at Oberlin.  In addition, Wabash played 61 players, either all or the vast majority of those who traveled.  QB Grand Campbell and the other starters were out of the game with about 5:30 to play in the 2nd qtr.  Some defense #2s were rotated in even before then. 
     Hapless, Yoeman.  I can say with reasonable confidence that anyone watching on Sunday had to be a bit embarrassed for OBE.  And I hope concerned about the health of their players; they are playing too many starters both ways.  What is next for the short and long-term future of the program?  I hope they can find a way to get some support from the administration.

I watched the entire Denison/Kenyon game.  The final score is tricky to assess.  The teams played relatively even; it was 0-0 at the half. Denison scored to make it 7-0.  They held that lead until late in the 4th qtr when they got a break and scored again with 1:30 left, so the late TD does not really reflect the Kenyon effort.  Both teams struggled to move the ball, and Kenyon kept Fabrocini in check until he broke a long run late in the game.  Frankly, I was surprised that the game was so close.  Denison started a new QB-- a freshman named Green.  I don't know if the former starter was injured or they just decided to try someone else. 
     Anyway, a good effort by Kenyon.

Really unfortunate.

Concerning situation in Springfield, Ohio.  After bomb threats over the weekend, both on the Wittenberg campus and off, the university has virtually locked down.  At least for today, all classes will be on line.  Activities, including sports contests are canceled.  (I'm not sure whether this means practices as well, but I would guess it does.)  I think they are likely taking the situation day by day.
   In a time of financial difficulties for WIT, it's shame that one more unfortunate thing has to happen.

DEPAUW at #22.  I am surprised they are not in the high teens after what they did to Berry.  That defense is overpowering, and the offense has plenty of weapons.  Despite being a Wabash fan, I have to admire what the Tigers have built in the post-pandemic years.
 

What a weird game yesterday.  OWU ran 14 plays inside the Wabash 10 yd line and came away with 13 pts (missed an Xpt).  They out gained the LG's 425/285 and had 8 more minutes of possession.  Wabash got 6 sacks, 2 INTs, and a fumble recovery along the way to a 30-13 win.  I know I have never seen a stranger game at Little Giant Stadium

Case Western Reserve is a classy place and would be a good addition to the NCAC.  Except for the Indiana schools.  They would obviously be another long road trip.  When Allegheny left the conference, that eliminated the farthest away contests--in all sports.  When JCU joined, the Indiana schools were back in the same place as when they went to Hiram.  I am on record--and yes--I do not get much support in this--as saying that for 24 years Wabash, and more recently DePauw, have burdensome road trips--again for all teams.
The academic peer situation was, and remains, the reason both Indiana teams are NCAC members. If CWR comes in, even just as an affiliate in football (though I think they might want to join completely while keeping their AAU membership), add one more long trip.  I have traveled to Hiram, Allegheny, Wooster (and now will be going to JCU every other year for as long as I am able), and even by car the trip is long and tiring.   
   So, beat me up on this if you like; I am used to it.  But that is where I stand.