Quote from: Schwami on November 30, 2014, 10:25:33 PM

Quote from: nike on November 30, 2014, 10:21:38 PM

Quote from: wally_wabash on November 30, 2014, 07:09:11 PM

Quote from: nike on November 30, 2014, 07:04:52 PM
Quick question--is this the farthest Wabash has gotten in the playoffs? Can't remember if they have ever gotten to the next round.

Nope.  In the AQ era Wabash has been to the quarterfinals in 2002, 2007, and 2011.  Back in the day, Wabash was the national runner up in 1977.

So of all the current NCAC teams, only Witt has won a national championship?

Allegheny won in 1990.  That is the most recent one for the NCAC.

If only we could go back in time....

Quote from: bashgiant on August 21, 2014, 12:13:35 PM

Quote from: SouthernWabMan on August 21, 2014, 10:50:20 AM
How are the other NCAC teams looking this year?

You wont get a better preview of the NCAC than this one from Wally.



Alright, here's how I think things shake out in the NCAC in 2014...from the bottom up. 

Allegheny (0-9 NCAC, 0-10 overall) - I tried to find a win here, but I couldn't.  Allegheny is a year older and will no doubt be a better team.  Their problem is that a whole bunch of teams in the league can say that this year.  The few that can't probably aren't slipping enough to predictably get beat by Allegheny. 

Kenyon (1-8, 2-8) - Kenyon's defense is a question mark for me.  I like what Monfiletto is doing in Gambier and my calling them at 1-8 in league play is really more about other teams getting a lot better than it is about Kenyon getting a lot worse. 

Hiram (2-7, 3-7) - Partridge is back!  I thought he was a graduating senior last year, but he is indeed back for another year at Hiram.  Let's remember here...Hiram had defeated Westminster in week 1 and were leading Denison in week 2 when their star quarterback went down for the year.  They had a strong chance to win that game.  So I've got the Terriers winning games with Allegheny and Kenyon.  I couldn't pull the trigger on more wins here, but we shouldn't be surprised if the Terriers win another game or two if their signal caller plays all ten games. 

Oberlin (3-6, 3-7) - Oberlin is building back up.  A little deeper this year, they've got a bunch of starters returning.  They can be a problem for some teams this year, but I'm looking ahead to 2015 (when their top skill guys are seniors, this year's class has a year of college under them, and they get another year of 20+ recruits) as a year when Oberlin gets up into the top half of the league standings. 

OWU (4-5, 5-5) - Pretty much a mystery to me.  I have no idea what their offense looks like post-Espinosa.  As good as Espinosa has been for the Bishops, maybe that offense gets a little more dynamic if they plug a run/pass guy in there. But whoever the new guy is, he will have had about six snaps of experience.  Maximum.  And with as fast as they like to play, offense could be going in fits and starts for this year.  Or at least for a while. 

Denison (5-4, 6-4) - There's a pretty good amount of potential for this offense.  They really came alive after the aforementioned Hiram game in week 2 last year.  The Big Red do have to replace an entire defensive line and that's my reason for bringing them back a notch from the 7-win season last year. 

DePauw (6-3, 7-3) - DePauw won 4 of their last 6 last year and very nearly knocked off Wooster in November which would have made it 5 out of 6 to close the year.  There's a lot of positive inertia in Greencastle and I expect that will translate into a winning record this season.  A lot of those kids that got tossed into the dumpster fire in 2012 now have a bunch of experience and some coaching continuity. 

Wittenberg (7-2, 7-3) - So Witt has to replace an all-timer at quarterback, an all-timer at WR, and two more top receiving targets.  The good news is that Gary and Dehnke are back to hand off to and they have 3 OL starters back.  So it's not as bare as it might seem.  There's also some quality returning pieces on the defense.  Witt's going to be good.  But not as good as 2013.  And I think there are two teams that are better...starting with...

Wooster (8-1, 8-2) - The Scots are getting Witt at home and that's why I'm going this way.  The return of Richard Barnes is a major boon for Wooster.  The Colaprete up-tempo offense really elevated Richard Barnes' game, and they've got most of that offense back.  Short story: the Scots are going to score a bunch of points this year.  Defense is where they had some difficulty last year...in their three losses, they gave 172 points.  You can't win games giving up 50+.  They retooled that defense last year with a lot of young guys and lot of guys playing new positions.  Experience counts in this game, and while I don't think Wooster's defense will have grown into a really good unit, I think they can be average and average is probably good enough with their offense. 

Wabash (9-0, 10-0) - I think Wabash is the most experienced, most complete team in the league this year.  Wabash returns a starting quarterback, a pair of standout running backs, a deep threat WR (Hodges), a swiss army knife guy (Drake Christen...seriously, I think this guy is about to go bonkers).  They will need some guys to step up on the offensive line (which shouldn't be glossed over...offensive line play is critical...all of those fun toys on the edges of the field are no good if you can't block).  The defense ought to be outstanding.  I won't get into a semantics argument about what the "best" defense is from 2013, but Wabash was one of the best.  And they are all back less a Nate Scola.  Not a negligible absence for sure, but LB is a place where Wabash has plenty of dudes.  The LGs are also replacing a couple of all-timers in the kicking game, but if the offense and the defense play to their potential, Wabash should be able work through some growing pains in the kicking game. 

So there it is.  I believe Wabash is the most complete team in the league, but I do think Wooster is about to have a really good year.  Witt also hosts Wabash this year which ratchets up the degree of difficulty there.  DePauw is much improved and who knows how good they might be by the time we get week 11.  There's a depth of quality in the league this year that I think makes a 9-0 run extremely difficult for anybody.  It's conceivable for a team to beat Wooster and Witt and lose to Wabash and DePauw...or Denison...or OWU.  I think we're in for a year with more quality games amongst the top 6 in the league than usual.  Not to the levels of ODAC randomness, but I expect more games in doubt in the fourth quarter than we're used to seeing.  Which is for the better. 




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"Nothing in the world is more expensive than free."- The Deacon of HBO's The Wire

You wont get a better preview of the NCAC than this one from Wally

That would be devastating.

Quote from: ExTartanPlayer on December 11, 2013, 04:53:54 PM

Quote from: AlleghenyAlum on December 11, 2013, 02:15:28 PM
No mention of the CMU OC retiring?  http://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/201311196j74qb

I'm curious to see if they'll just hire in house and continue on with the same offensive scheme.

Thought I had said something about this, must have been in a PM elsewhere.  Coach Erdelyi had his critics and his defenders, but I am a loyal soldier and genuinely liked CMU running the wing-T, especially because he did include some wrinkles and shotgun stuff that added a passing element while keeping a lot of wing-T running elements.  It's not going to work widespread but that's the point; CMU does have a bit of an advantage because nobody else plays this offense.

I have no insider information, but I suspect that CMU will hire from within.  Running backs coach Jeff Simmons (http://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/fball/coaches/simmons_jeff) appears to be a logical successor; his grandfather was Coach Lackner's predecessor as head coach, he has been an assistant on the offensive staff for eight years (the last four as a fulltime assistant, has coached both RB's and WR's and was a college QB himself) and sliding into the offensive coordinator's job looks like a nice promotion and a POSSIBLE trial to be Coach Lackner's potential successor someday if he wants that job as well.

Very cool, that sounds like a smooth transition and would definitely make sense.

No mention of the CMU OC retiring?  http://athletics.cmu.edu/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/201311196j74qb

I'm curious to see if they'll just hire in house and continue on with the same offensive scheme.

Quote from: jettssss on November 26, 2013, 12:39:01 PM

Quote from: BashDad on November 25, 2013, 10:59:32 PM
Withdraw, dude. The player you're representing--it's no real mystery--is done no service by this and is otherwise probably embarrassed as all hell. Just stop.

First, it is very apparent that those who frequently post on this board have judged many teams by the stats and commentary not on what the actual players and teams represent.  Everyone can choose to support their teams and conference any way they want that is what a public message board is about, unfortunatly on this board if a poster doesn't agree with opinions of the majority or doesn't communicate them in perfect way then the immediate reaction is to remove them from this forum which is a very sad statement.

Next, there is no player representation here I love all of the Wabash players- regardless as to what Basha Dad may think.  The comments toward Witt has nothing to do with the players, it has to do with the disgusting representation that was displayed at the Wabash game.  As a fan in the stands where children were present to hear a coach from the Witt team in the box say F*** all of you to the Wabash grand stand after the first Witt touch down was DISGUSTING, not classy, not sportsman like!!  I realize most of you weren't there  but many of us were and this was heard loud and clear!!  So before you judge someone and think you know what they represent you may want to take off your rose colored glasses and realize there is more to the story.  Also, maybe it best to not degrade someone for their opinion try to understand it is very difficult to cheer for a team that acted in the way they did during that game - again if you weren't there you would not possibly understand.  So please know cheering for Mount is no disrespect to the conference but team respect is earned not just given.  No other team in the NCAC this season displayed that kind of blatent disrespect for the other team.  If you choose to not believe this go back and listen to that game and count how many apologies had to be made by the commentators regarding the backgroud "noise" and language that came from this particular group of team staff in the press box. 

Hopefully, this spelling and grammer will meet the standards of those who control this board.  As others have said if you don't like the opinion of someone don't respond, don't acknowledge it - that's what many of us have had to do for years when reading the random comments and opinions on this board. 

All of these guys work hard to represent their schools on the field and play outstanding football, congratulations to all of them!  Shame on all of you who are so quick to judge and crucify those you don't agree with or understand.

Clearly two different people posting on this name.  I understand that foul language might take away some respect from Witt in your opinion, but i'm sure there is more to it, like them beating you that really upset you.

Sometimes I get upset at how our country gets offended for other people.  A little foul language never hurt anyone.  Sure it is distasteful and rude, but you came to this board and made yourself look just as bad.

Quote from: Wfaf1234 on November 18, 2013, 11:55:47 AM
Gentlemen, it's been fun reading your stuff all season long. It's been nice getting back into Wabash football for the first time since my son graduated. I only have a few questions that came to mind. One, would the committee ever look at how these teams matched up statistically with the rest of the country? Or would that sort of thing just indicate the whole SOS deal.

Secondly, who from Wabash and (I guess) the rest of the conference should make up the All-Conference team? Is there anyone from the NCAC who deserves an All-American nod? Sorry for going all season in review already.

One last thing, Nate Scola may have lost his cool sometimes this season. But I have never seen a guy who fires up and fights for his team like this young man. I hope to see big things from him and the other seniors in the future.

For me personally, team statistics can be skewed (number 1 pass defense because you're the 300th ranked run defense).  Check out this read on this d3 basketball team
http://deadspin.com/5962514/d+iii-players-138-point+game-is-a-sham-record-and-shouldnt-be-celebrated-by-anyone/1466714609/@barryap

Quote from: BashDad on November 12, 2013, 01:52:57 PM

Quote from: bashbrother on November 12, 2013, 12:49:05 PM
Ok Board....  this is an ALL-PLAY question.

A couple of times on this board this year the topic has been on the NEW targeting rule....   Watch the following video from Saturday's Wabash vs. Witt game and all please vote on whether you think it is targeting or not....  I will withhold my personal feelings until after the fans on here have a chance.   Take a look.

The play is at  2:59:16  -  be sure to watch the slow motion replays that follow the play... gives everyone a great look at it.

http://new.livestream.com/accounts/1200203/events/2531899

I think he would've avoided a flag if he didn't mug over the receiver like a dick.

This.

Quote from: sigma one on October 18, 2013, 01:35:11 PM
I appreciate your comment, gentlemen.  What I put up was a series of Wabash "trivia" questions.  In my mind (doesn't have to be in yours'), those questions would have been interesting to Wabash posters only--ok maybe a few others would have enjoyed seeing what the questions were.  Anyway, even when we are discussing Allegheny, for example, we are not cutting off interest by others.  And then multiple posters trying out answers would just clutter the space. 
     Flawed reasoning; you decide.  Maybe we will set something up on the General Discussion Board.  B#16.  Just when you think you have me figured out; in your dreams!  See you tomorrow.

I'm so confused, I feel like someone else is editing your posts.  Let the posts roll, if it's NCAC football related we want to see it.

Quote from: sigma one on October 15, 2013, 08:21:28 PM
AlleghenyAlum:  I grew up in southwestern Pa.  When I was a kid, too many years ago to matter with now, Allegheny was THE place to go to play "small college"  football.   A QB from my hometown  became a Gator.  You will know the name, I think:  Stoner "Boots"
Tracey.  (Is there an e in his last name; can't recall?)
     All this is to say I care about Allegheny. I attend every Wabash game there and have for the past 16 years (8 games?).  I know the history.  The NCAC is so much better when every team can compete.
     Thanks for your words about Coach Matlak.  Understand, please, that I, was attempting to analyze
Allegheny's  current situation.  And so, I was looking at all the elements that make up a team.  I'm glad to know about his influence on his players, maybe on other students as well.  In your mind that matters more than his team's record; in mine, too.  I hope in Allegheny's, too.           
     If 'gheny finishes 0-10 evey year and Malak has a positive influence, wonderful.    Also, I'm glad that Emigh is back. He's not "my boy."  I don't know a thing about him other than last year he helped the team on the field.  Whether he was gone because of injury or discipline, as far as I care should remain private.  Niklaus, yes, I like him as a receiver.  I have no intention of going down the lineup and trying to evaluate individuals; I don't know enough to do that.  In a strangely abnormal year, as contributors and friends (even when we disagree) we are just spilling ink.   
     Except when they play Wabash, I wish all the teams good luck.  Who wins and who loses--that's decided every week to the dismay or delight of us all.  Then we spill more ink.

I think you misinterpreted how I meant that post, as i'm sure most others will.  I just wanted to point out a few things and thinking about 0-10 is about the last thing I want to think about! 

I called Emigh your boy because I had seen you mention him as a good player previously, nothing more.

Again, my bad on the tone of my last post! 

Quote from: Rotag on October 15, 2013, 04:29:18 PM
Appreciate both of your views, and admit that my opinions are drawn from gut feelings as much as empirical observations, but consider the following:

1)    "5-5 is no good."  Perhaps, but in the context of a 25 year run, those were the down years (with 1 exception).  From 1990 – 1999, the Gators had a 93-16 record, the NC and 6 playoff appearances.  OK, glory years gone by, history.  From 2000-2009, they were 56-45, with 1 playoff appearance and five 5-5 seasons.  But their non-league schedule for the first six of those years included games against Mount Union (2), Baldwin-Wallace (4),  W&J (6), Westminster (5) in addition to Wabash and Wittenberg (3-7 against each for the decade).  Which means, for the most part, they didn't lose a whole lot of games to NCAC foes other than the big 2 (and even won a few against each of them).  That is a competitive program, and if they slipped to 5-5 half the time it was because they dared to play up in their non-league schedule.  And they generally played tough in their losses to the good teams.  I will say that those 5-5 seasons are qualitatively different than the recent 5-5 seasons, but that only underscores my point.  We stopped playing top tier non-conference teams around 2008, which I believe to be the time that football moved back in the list of priorities for the school.  (Yes, I know, the AD got here last year, I've already acknowledged she didn't start this process). 

2)   I do not know enough about the kids to comment on poor work ethic suggestions, nor did I have any information about the work ethic of the kids on the good teams.  I do know that coaches look for work ethic as part of the recruitment process.  MM is the same guy who won the league and went to the playoffs in 2003; I have to believe that on his own he would look for the same kind of characteristics in his recruits.  If he is not, it is for reasons beyond his control.  Absolutely, I am drawing an inference from these facts, though I would not agree that it constitutes a blind accusation.  The decline in our overall level of success, the decline in the quality of our non-league competition, the decline of our competitiveness within the conference, blowout losses on our home field in what very well could be a winless season; all of it, given the constant of a head coach who has been there for 12 years, leads me to this conclusion.  I could be wrong, but I also haven't heard another plausible explanation.

3)   MM- see above

4)   I believe the administration is not – and has not been for several years - supportive of the football recruitment efforts as many, if not most, of the other NCAC schools are.  We would not be the first school to de-emphasize football; some schools have actually done away with their programs (Swarthmore, Hofstra).  I'm not sure that Allegheny is ready to drop football, but it seems that neither are they ready to commit to being competitive.   

Yes, the pain of this season has got my dander up.  It's a great school with great people and I've always been proud of both the school and its football heritage.  And I do send  money.  I would give an arm to see them beat Oberlin this Saturday (well, maybe not literally but you get the point).  And maybe there are some Freshmen and Sophomores there who will get some experience and lift the program.  But watching them this year is traumatic, as I'm sure it is to everyone associated with the team, if not totally unexpected.

Alright, I think it's time I say it.  Let's stop trying to dig, it's one year out of all of these years.  I truly don't care if Allegheny never wins another football game Mark Matlak changed more lives than anyone on that campus. He puts kids in the right direction and ensures that they stay on the right path, to not only stay out of trouble, but graduate on time ( not that it's a feat for most, but for some that I saw graduate it certainly was). 

And BTW sigma- your boy Emigh is playing again and to the others saying there isn't much talent, I would say I agree, but the Nichlaus kid is pretty good.

Also just a note, I don't know why anyone thinks Allegheny would drop football? Did I miss a huge bomb?

Quote from: Rotag on October 14, 2013, 09:05:26 PM
Maybe a bad rap on the new AD, I concede.  But it is hard to reconcile one losing season in 25 years with 0-6, incredible disparity in scores, playing the same teams we've had success against.  Not a matter of coaching changes, MM has been there for many years, and he's a solid coach.  I'm frustrated because I feel bad for the kids getting pummeled every week.  I don't recall us compromising admission standards when we were making the playoffs every year, and I don't think that the many good schools in the D3 Top 25 have had their academic standing (or their applications for admission) fall off as their football fortunes improve.  For the record, I hope I am wrong about the administration's attitude, but not many programs fall off the cliff this suddenly.

I don't like the one losing season stat because 5-5 in my book is no good and that's what they've held steady at for years and years.  Yes, of course we feel bad for the kids, but at what point do you start blaming them?  I've mentioned before that there was a rumor of poor work ethic, lack of lifting and motivation in general with this group.  Maybe that is a contributor?  As a former player at Allegheny I would rather them toughen up the admission standards and make my degree more valuable than try to get back to their glory years when the playoffs were in sight.  Personally I believe the latter to be much harder.  At the end of the day you have to remember that this is D3 football, no betting, no money to be made, just kids playing for the love of the game.

Quote from: Rotag on October 14, 2013, 04:25:23 PM
Hard to watch the Allegheny football program sink into the mire this way, harder still not to believe that the current administration and AD feel not the slightest bit upset by it.  There seems to be a feeling that football success is incompatible with being a "progressive" or "elite" liberal arts school (or with aspirations thereto), and support for a once proud football program obviously has waned.  Coach Matlack wages an uphill battle on the recruitment front already, and this year will make it harder still.  65 - 0 on Homecoming Day, outscored 198 - 21 through the first 5 games -- this is a program that in the last 25 years has won a National Championship, made 8 playoff appearances and had one losing season.  An absolute shame.

I personally have yet to hear a bad thing about the new AD and find it hard to believe she has ANYTHING to do with the current struggles of this team.  Take into consideration that Allegheny lost about 6 coaches in the last 2 years (including 2 studly DC's), that's not good for recruiting gents.

Quote from: smedindy on October 13, 2013, 07:03:32 PM

Quote from: Li'l Giant on October 13, 2013, 01:54:53 PM

Quote from: Goscotsgo on October 13, 2013, 01:44:19 PM
Does anyone else think its ridiculous that vs the Same Wabash Defense, Richard Barnes threw for more yards, let his team to more total yards and to more points, yet Espo still gets more credit and people still bash Barnes?

I think some of the Barnes "bashing" this year was a result of his unfortunate Twitter prediction. I mean, don't start s**t won't be none.

In the past, however, I think a lot of the Barnes bashing came from Wooster's own fans to the point that, if I recall correctly, Wally even said "can we have him, then?" (or words to that effect).

Yea, verily, many of us were saying the same thing. Barnes has talent - had fumble issues early, then injuries and now his supporting cast isn't that stellar.

He definitely does have talent, but he carries the ball so far away from his body, I really thought he was going to fumble everytime he took off with it.  Allegheny really should have beaten this Wooster team.  They played so well in the first quarter, but they just couldn't sustain it for an entire game.  Here's to hoping there is at least one win this season.

Quote from: wally_wabash on October 02, 2013, 06:02:04 PM

Quote from: AlleghenyAlum on October 02, 2013, 05:01:58 PM
Also on the subject of the Gheny squad, when you don't have many athletes and the kids don't care, you're gonna have a bad time.

I really hope the South Park reference here was intentional and not just a product of my having watched way too much South Park.

You're not crazy! haha

Quote from: sigma one on October 02, 2013, 08:25:00 PM
AlleghenyAlum.       Welcome to the Board.  Awfully bold statement, and you are seeing some reaction and questions.  Without scholarships,  every year many DIII players who have lost heart for the game or found something they like better or find out they want to concentrate on academics walk away from the game.  The ones who stick around usually love the experience, and if down the depth chart enjoy being part of the team.  So, what IS going on at Allegheny?  Or are you hearing from a few disgruntled players after absorbing big early losses or guys who think they should be playing more when the team is losing?  Or what?

No, no specifics, just heard the practice, preparation, lifting, and leadership is lacking with this bunch.

Also in my previous comment I was referring to the 2009, 2010 teams.