FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Mr. Ypsi]

The games aren't played in your mind.

Bur are YOU playing mind-games with him?

[ADL70]

The games aren't played in your mind.

But rankings are in the mind of the voter.  I didn't say Millsaps would beat Trinity.  I said "If."  It was Wally Wabash who said that based on the rankings Millsaps should beat Trinity.

[wally_wabash]

OK, when I say "should" I mean in my mind.  That would give Millsaps a bigger win than any of those of Wabash or Muhlenberg.  All Wabash has done is beaten teams that it should, too.  Millsaps would then have beaten two ranked teams (although Mississippi College hasn't proved worthy of its ranking).

The same argument can be made for Millsaps winning this weekend...they ought to beat Trinity.  Beating Trinity is certainly a better win than any of Wabash's wins, but then again Wabash hasn't had the opportunity to play a team that good which isn't Wabash's fault.  

I'm sure that there are voters who would move Millsaps above Wabash should they win on Saturday (I'm sure there are voters that have Millsaps higher than Wabash right now).  It may be that they jump ahead....my feel for poll behavior, which is really all I can go on here, is that they're a bit too far behind to jump over two teams.  The top 5 tends not to be that fluid.  

[ADL70]

You are probably right given the vote disparity.  If Whitewater beats Eau Claire again though how many votes do they pick up? 

[Pat Coleman]

You are probably right given the vote disparity.  If Whitewater beats Eau Claire again though how many votes do they pick up? 

Probably not a whole lot since they've already beaten them once and they're still ahead of them.

[Black n Gold]

Congrats Little Giant fans on your jump to #3 in the Top 25 and a very solid win Saturday against the Scots. I knew if Woo were to even have a chance we would have to play mistake free football and turning the ball over 6 times doesn't fit that definition. It was a very exciting game though and I thought things were about to get interesting before the pick 6 with six minutes left in the game. Holter is very smooth and gave it his all but everytime that kid takes off with the ball I get scared (fumble). You guys on the other hand did fit the definition of "mistake free" and played an outstanding game. The first drive set the tone but I was glad to see Woo stand tall and respond after that first score. I was very proud of the Scots although they came away with the loss and hope to see them wrap up the season at 8-2. One game at a time........get ready for that COLD November weather!

Go Scots

[WAF78]

After seeing both Woo and Witt...I think that will be a great game come November. Good luck to both schools the rest of the way. Watched the Witt game on ESPNU yesterday...quite a comeback and exciting game. Durbin really looked good.

Wabash needs to just play their game this week...and hopefully no injuries. Any word on Evan Isaacs? He has had such bad knee problems in the past.

For this week against Oberlin...I don't know if the receivers will see many balls come their way. Could we have the potential of three running backs getting over 100 yards in a game? Just a thought. I hope ER, coaches and players can keep the focus these next two weeks. I'm sure they will.

[ScotsFan]

Congrats Little Giant fans on your jump to #3 in the Top 25 and a very solid win Saturday against the Scots. I knew if Woo were to even have a chance we would have to play mistake free football and turning the ball over 6 times doesn't fit that definition. It was a very exciting game though and I thought things were about to get interesting before the pick 6 with six minutes left in the game. Holter is very smooth and gave it his all but everytime that kid takes off with the ball I get scared (fumble). You guys on the other hand did fit the definition of "mistake free" and played an outstanding game. The first drive set the tone but I was glad to see Woo stand tall and respond after that first score. I was very proud of the Scots although they came away with the loss and hope to see them wrap up the season at 8-2. One game at a time........get ready for that COLD November weather!

Go Scots

Well said B&G.  I too wanted to throw out my congrats to the LG's on a hardfought win.   Wabash is too good of a team to be able to overcome 2-3 turnovers let along the six that Wooster committed.  Also, I never would have imagined that Wabash would have just had their way with Wooster on the ground like they did. 

I will say that Wooster showed me a lot today.  After cutting the Wabash lead to 7 early in the 2nd half, they found themselves down 21 in what seemed like an instant.  But Wooster didn't quit and they kept battling getting it back to 14 and then driving for what could have cut the lead back to 7 before the backbreaking 78 yard pick six!

Here's hoping the Scots can shake this loss off and go out and put up an 8-2 finish and 2nd place in the NCAC which would be nothing to hang their heads over!  Not to mention the momentum that could carry over to next year with all the players Wooster has returning!

[bashbrother]

Having had a day or two to digest, I am still left with one area of concern. (People who were there may be able to help fill in the blanks from what I saw on the web.)

It seemed that Wooster realized very early that they were not going to be able to buy Holter very much time and went to the short/quick 1 to 3 step drop passing game in their 2nd offensive series.   My concern was that the quick slant / skinny post or seam route was open and completed almost every time.  (Bash was helped by a couple drops)   Having been on the offensive side of the ball for most of my elustrious playing career, I wanted to get a Linebacker or Defensive backs take on how you stop that.   Is it just a hole in the Cover 2 defense?  Does press coverage help this?  OR  Did Holter and his stable of receivers just execute this very well.

I am sure others may have a good look at that film.

[WAF78]

Bashbro...just for you to know...that is my main concern as well. Witt exploited the seam route down the middle a couple of times in very key situations...and I wondered why they didn't do it more. Then...the next week...Wooster does the same thing...however, they utilized the quick slant much more effectively. Though I did not play D back...I did play D...and this is my answer to your questions.
First of all...I thought Holter and Woo were a very good team. Holter had great accuracy and his receivers caught balls in traffic. So...Holter did execute very well...I think he may be the best offensive athlete in the conference...or at least the best Wabash has seen this year. Secondly, yes...press coverage does help...but Wabash doesn't do that much as they are committed to the cover 2 zone. Yes..the cover 2 has holes in it...The cover 2 pass defense is a bend but don't break philosophy of pass defense. And...any zone coverage has holes in it. However, once an O finds a hole and has success on certain pass plays...the D can change things to compensate...like the angle of linebacker drops, press on the cb's before dropping into coverage, a blitz or two to get some quick surprise pressure on the QB. Also...our safties were playing so daggone deep. Some of the seams and slant routes they were completing were like 20-25 yards...and the safties had to run forward several strides to hit the guys. But...playing like that ensures no one gets behind you for the big kill. And...that has worked so far in Wabash's favor.
Bashbro....as you alluded to...the tape tells no lies...film time this week will be very interesting.

[wally_wabash]

Every college and and NFL game I've ever watched where a team runs a cover 2 leads to the analyst at some point making sure that I know that the way to attack cover 2 is right between the hashmarks.  I was shocked that it took 6 games before anybody was getting to Wabash's defense like that...I'm far from an x's and o's guy, but throwing to TEs and slot receivers up the middle the field against a cover 2 gets talked about so much that it seems pretty elementary.  Maybe it isnt' as simple as it sounds and looks sometimes. 

Wabash will certainly have to adjust to that as teams that they see in the playoffs will definitely be taking advantage of that gap in the D. 

This is a valid concern...my bigger concern, bashbro, is that Wabash has turned the ball over 12 times (almost 2 per game).  I think Wabash can live with the occasional seam completion to a TE.  I would be concerned about how far they can advance with an elevated turnover rate. 

[firstdown]

Like the other posters, I was pleasantly surprised to see Wabash at number 3.  I hope that this will translate into a good position in the North Regional Rankings and a good seed in the playoffs.  That having been said, there are still three games to go and there can be no let up!  With Halloween just around the corner, the horror story of the undefeated Wabash team that was ranked as high as number 1 in the polls in 1982, and then winning a late game by a close margin, moving down to number six, and getting bounced out of the playoffs all together is worth remembering.  The LG's can't overlook the Yeomen this week ( their interpretive dancer at half time will try to put a big wammy on the LG's.)  Hiram can't be overlooked given the improvement that they have shown as well.  Finally, the evil Depaw bunch would like nothing better than doing what they did last year.  One game at a time!!

[Geezer Citizen]

Chiming in on the Bash-Woo game. I was at the game dressed in all the red I could muster., but I was impressed with Woo and Holter. I probably would have been rooting for them if I were not a Bash alum and a huge LG fan.

Good luck the rest of the way for Woo, and especially against Witt. I think most Bash fans would like to see Woo win that game

[medicine man]

I would like to thank the Wabash posters for the respect and positive feedback they are giving the Wooster team.

Wabash is very good, and even though I wish we could have won, you can't feel too badly having been beaten and played pretty well against such a good team.  Good luck to you in the playoffs. You will represent the NCAC well.

[BashBacker#16]

Bashbro,

2 things (my take) - our ILB's have to take a much deeper drop and our safeties have to jump that route and read the QB.  Adrian Frederick did that at the end and came away with 2 INTs.  The fact that Holter could tuck it and run made for a very difficult task.  Luckily (sorry, have to make a DPU remark), Spud is NOT a runner and I doubt if DPU wants him leaving the pocket...  Watson did a nice job spying him once he took off (this may have also created the seam route being so open) he is playing very well.  On another note...it will be nice to see Matt Kraft with him next season!

Regarding Bash's turnovers and ball security...they have actually done a nice job on the season with the exception of the Witt game.  I think we will be fine.