FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Ryan Tipps]

The votes this time appear to be centered on the "best" teams, players and coaches. Despite what I think about D3 and the level of competition of our game, I doubt that D3 teams are going to get much love.

Some states have categories for "best game" and "most memorable finish," and D3 certainly could compete in those, especially when looking at in-state games only. Heck, the 2001 and 2007 Bell Games rank as the two absolute best finishes I've ever seen in football -- even as one lifted my spirits and the other broke my heart

I hope ESPN has an Indiana category for them.

[wally_wabash]

I'd guess that the Monon Bell gets mentioned...there really isn't much of anything else to talk about with respect to college football in Indiana.  Purdue is going to be wretched and I'm not even sure if Indiana actually has a football team.  My guess is that most of ESPN's Indiana stop will be dedicated to cranking up the Notre Dame hype machine...like it or not, ND is probably winning 9-10 games this year against their weak schedule...which means nauseating amounts of ND coverage and Chaz Weis soundbites.  Splendid. 

[short]

Ash Shorts 2009 Preseason 1st Team All-NCAC Team

QB Matt Hudson Wabash 6'6" (and if you think he's tall you should see his GF, JK) 230
RB Kyle Toot Kenyon 5'8 195
RB Evan Sobecki  Wabash 6'100 200
WR Kody Lemond Wabash 5'11 170
WR Henry Von Kenn Kenyon 6'3 230!!! (size and speed)
TE Chad Sorenson  Wooster 6'3 235
C Josh Clark Wooster 6'0 290
OL Storm Tropea Wooster  6'0 270 (will likely be an All-American this season)
OL Jeremy Morris Wabash 6'6 300 (Wabash will likely have a D1 type of O-Line/ or size at least)
OL Evan Isacca Wabash  6'3 270 (who better than your roommate to watch your back)
OL  John Obery Wooster 6'8 300

Defense
DL Luke Drake 6'2 240 Wooster
DL Eddie Vallery 6'1 215 Wittenberg
DL Doug Macik 6'1 260 Allegheny
DL Matt Whyde 6'3 235 Wabash (I'm looking for a breakout season from him)
OLB Matt DeGrand 6' 205 Wooster (our poster boy)
OLB Matt Kraft 6'0 215 Wabash (late add I had forgotten about him in his 5th season)
ILB Steve Custenborder 6'1 230 Wooster
ILB Brad McKinley 5'5 200 Wittenberg
DB Rylan Mitter-Burke 6'1 200 OWU
DB Manny Rodriquez 5'11 190 Wittenberg
DB Bryan Albani Wooster 5'10 190
DB  Addrian Frederick  Wabash 6'0 180

Wooster 8 Wabash 8 Witt 3 Kenyon 2 Allegheny 2 OWU 1
You have got to love what Wooster has coming back! However, Wabash's Offense and Witt's Defense look pretty strong Also.

[bashbrother]

Wooster will have a great squad this year that is for sure.   But their championship hopes could come down to Holter's arm and decision making.   The boy can flat out run that is for sure.  Led the Scots in rushing (which i personally don't like seeing when a QB leads the team in rushing, call me a traditionalist  )

But his '08 passing stats -

167-297-13 TDs 18 Ints   (The INTs to TD ratio and the passing % may need to improve for them to make it through the Wabash and Witt games)

I am also always concerned about the back-up situation.  With Holter liking to run, a glance at the stats show us that he was in fact durable last year, but that the QB's behind him didn't get a whole lot of experience throwing the ball.

Thats my take on the Scots.   

Good Luck to the Scots in getting ready for what could be a special season.

Oh....one last thing.   #3 was up in C-Ville last week and he said Matt Kraft is Fr$*%*($)# amazing.  Look forward to seeing him crash the edge this season.  Welcome back Matt!

Short - look for Kraft to find his way on the post season honors roster.

WAF!

[short]

No Doubt about it that Kraff will be there... I had just forgot he was coming back and the Witt kid was 1st team last year.

[Black n Gold]

I believe Luke Drake transfered Short, which is a big loss for the Scots.... but i'm sure they will be fine with all of that experience coming back on the defense.

As far as the offense goes, who will replace Sheppards hard-nosed, down hill running style? Sounds like it may be running back by committee. I heard they got a few shifty guys in their recruiting this year but someone will have to step up and take command. Hopefully the answer is not running Holter more. As Bashbrother said, yea he can move.....but lets pray he stays healthy.

Can't wait to see the lights and that beautiful new turf! 

[oldtiger]

Witt will benefit from the return of a couple of fifth year guys, as well as a player that missed all of '08 due to injury. All received NCAC recognition in the past.

I'd hesitate to supplant Lohrman at LB. Very solid performer that invariably covers his responsibility and makes the plays he's supposed to.

[smedindy]

It was a while ago, but I wanted to add on why D-3 programs need bodies and D-1 only gets so many.

D-1 has 85 scholarships, and normally recruiting classes are 25 to 30. Sure there are walk-ons too. But it's all based on the scholarship limit. D-1AA and D-2 have lower limits and more walk-ons.

As Pat said, D-3 needs to get butts in the classrooms. But I think a big thing is that you just don't know about many D-3 kids, even if you scout them and see them in HS, because the move from HS stud to D-3 is still a big leap.

I remember talking to Brent Harris about Adi Pynenberg. It seems that the only college besides Wabash that took an interest in him was Oberlin. That says he was overlooked and under recruited. There, of course, have been those that have walked into Wabash as "the annointed one" and wound up being mediocre, or transferring, or deciding that the Sphinx Club was a better option than football.

Plus, in D-3 at top programs, players have to wait their turn. They don't just jump in unless they're exceptional or there's an injury. The waiting may be too much for some kids.

You never know about D-1 recruits sure, but you REALLY don't know about D-3 players and how they will react. Thus, the numbers game.

[seinfeld]

Since the passing of the NCAC's only commissioner, particularly in the midst of an extremely important decision about conference membership (plus other economic-related decisions) inexplicably drew no response, let me try another angle.

An idea that I've heard floated out there, and was something that Dennis Collins was interested in (at least in a general sense) is a super-conference. If the NCAC ever reached 14 teams, it would mean two automatic bids. Now, I don't think that can happen for all sports, I think there is a reasonable chance this can happen in football. Heck, we are already almost halfway there. Add the four UAA schools that the NCAC is already playing, plus DePauw, and you get 14 teams. Here is how the divisions would likely breakdown.

East:
Allegheny
Hiram
Oberlin
Wooster
Kenyon
Case
Carnegie Mellon

West:
Ohio Wesleyan
Denison
Wittenberg
Wabash
DePauw
Wash U.
Chicago

The winner of the East and West would get AQs. That would be six conference games within your division. How the rest of the schedule broke out would have to be decided. I would think playing either two or three teams from the other division (leaving one or two non-conference games). Having a championship game would be really cool for Div. III, but not sure how you could get that as long as there is a bye week.

[SaintsFAN]

off topic a bit here... but Oberlin has a new RB's Coach, Lee Suggs of Va Tech (and Browns  ) fame.

There's also a bit on some of the Oberlin recruits, if there's any interest in that..

You may have to register (its free):

http://www.ohiocollegefootball.com/members/ocf/blog/VIEW/00000005/00000683/Former-NFL-Player-Suggs-to-Join-Staff-Full-time.html#00000683

[D3_DPUFan]

It was a while ago, but I wanted to add on why D-3 programs need bodies and D-1 only gets so many.

D-1 has 85 scholarships, and normally recruiting classes are 25 to 30. Sure there are walk-ons too. But it's all based on the scholarship limit. D-1AA and D-2 have lower limits and more walk-ons.

As Pat said, D-3 needs to get butts in the classrooms. But I think a big thing is that you just don't know about many D-3 kids, even if you scout them and see them in HS, because the move from HS stud to D-3 is still a big leap.

I remember talking to Brent Harris about Adi Pynenberg. It seems that the only college besides Wabash that took an interest in him was Oberlin. That says he was overlooked and under recruited. There, of course, have been those that have walked into Wabash as "the annointed one" and wound up being mediocre, or transferring, or deciding that the Sphinx Club was a better option than football.

Plus, in D-3 at top programs, players have to wait their turn. They don't just jump in unless they're exceptional or there's an injury. The waiting may be too much for some kids.

You never know about D-1 recruits sure, but you REALLY don't know about D-3 players and how they will react. Thus, the numbers game.

Valid perspective on all points...

If you think about it, talent evaluation in basketball is much easier. With AAU hoops, virtually all college prospects, no matter the level, have played against top talent from around their region (most around the country), so coaches can get an idea of how they stack up against talented, athletic kids. Much different in football, where decisions are based largely on a limited number of games (many times  against alot of inferior competition) and camps.

Your example of Adi Pynenberg is amazing. As they say, you can't measure heart...

   

[wally_wabash]

Since the passing of the NCAC's only commissioner, particularly in the midst of an extremely important decision about conference membership (plus other economic-related decisions) inexplicably drew no response, let me try another angle.

An idea that I've heard floated out there, and was something that Dennis Collins was interested in (at least in a general sense) is a super-conference. If the NCAC ever reached 14 teams, it would mean two automatic bids. Now, I don't think that can happen for all sports, I think there is a reasonable chance this can happen in football. Heck, we are already almost halfway there. Add the four UAA schools that the NCAC is already playing, plus DePauw, and you get 14 teams. Here is how the divisions would likely breakdown.

East:
Allegheny
Hiram
Oberlin
Wooster
Kenyon
Case
Carnegie Mellon

West:
Ohio Wesleyan
Denison
Wittenberg
Wabash
DePauw
Wash U.
Chicago

The winner of the East and West would get AQs. That would be six conference games within your division. How the rest of the schedule broke out would have to be decided. I would think playing either two or three teams from the other division (leaving one or two non-conference games). Having a championship game would be really cool for Div. III, but not sure how you could get that as long as there is a bye week.

They do this in the NEFC and  I do not believe that the NEFC gets two automatic bids to the tournament.  In fact, I know they don't.  The NEFC did get two teams into the tournament last season, but Curry was an at-large selection.  Anyway, logistically, it works because the NEFC plays their entire regular season in weeks 1-10, then plays the championship game in week 11.  You have to skip the bye week to make this work. 

I guess my biggest question here is why do we need 14 teams in our league?  Sure there are scenarios and teams out there that would fit geographical, but why?  What's to be gained? 

[wally_wabash]

Your example of Adi Pynenberg is amazing. As they say, you can't measure heart...

To say that Pynenberg was all heart does a pretty tremendous disservice to how talented a player he was.  A guy doesn't break a record held by a guy nickmaned "Killer" without being an athlete.   

[D3_DPUFan]

To say that Pynenberg was all heart does a pretty tremendous disservice to how talented a player he was.  A guy doesn't break a record held by a guy nickmaned "Killer" without being an athlete.   

Some of the responses on this site never cease to amaze me. There was no "disservice" meant. Yes, he was a very talented player, too...my point was the few times I had the pleasure (or displeasure from a DPU standpoint ) to see him play I was even more impressed by his heart, toughness and "football smarts"... FYI, I am paying him a compliment. 

[wab64]

      smeds, DPUfan,Wally et al.; your comments about Adi Pynenberg are absolutely on. However, there was a measure of his "heart" and skills before he ever showed up in C-ville. I recall talking to Brent Harris just before Adi's soph season (to see if he flunked out, or something). Brent said there wasn't much interest before the Illinois 7A championship game where Adi made 7 solo tackles and was voted MVP. Suddenly, he was mobbed by people from the FCS schools in Illinois- Western,Southern, Ill State, offering all sorts of grants-in aid. According to Brent, Adi said he wasn't interested-he HAD a scholarship to Wabash for academics. As far as flunking out his freshman year, he made the Dean's List both semesters and took a couse in chemistry in summer school, so he could cut back to 4 courses and leave more time for racketball.