FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[bashbrother]

As we all know, there are a few conferences that could field 3 or even 4 very competitive playoff teams.

This would go against the spirit of the playoffs that I believe the NCAA is trying to maintain.  I understand that Pool C is "at-large", but the fact of the matter in NCAA Division III on any given year, there are usually only 7 or 8 teams out of the entire field that even have a chance of taking the crown, so the argument to accept a 2 loss team when there are plenty of one loss teams to chose from is diluted.

[usee]

There is no precedent for the committee to include a 2 loss team over a 1 loss team.

UW-Eau Claire was selected over Whitworth two years ago.

Good Point Pat. I had forgotten that. In full disclosure we should point out that Whitworth did have 2 losses but 1 was to an NAIA team (Azusa Pacific-and it came on the last saturday in October i believe) so the committee is supposed to "see" them as a 1 loss team.

Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of 2 loss teams getting a shot! (see Wheaton 2008 )

[OU#25]

Quick question...Does anyone have an update on Wooster's Tony Sutton?  I would love to get in touch with him.

Thanks!

[ncc58]

Maybe I'm not sitting down and thinking this through, but I would think that an 8-2 ONU team would have a strong shot at a Pool C bid even over some 9-1 teams from weaker conferences. It happened in 2006, where an 8-2 North Central team was taken over one-loss Franklin and Cortland St. Both of those teams left out lost by just 7 points to their conference champion. But the numbers just didn't add up in their favor.

In 2006, there was a three way tie in the CCIW. North Central, at 8-2, was the AQ. Wheaton, at 9-1, was awarded an At-Large berth.

[BashDad]

Another on Matt:

http://thepaper24-7.com/main.asp?SectionID=24&SubSectionID=23&ArticleID=22761&TM=44854.73

Getting game reps before the bell is essential, in my opinion.

[wab64]

Another on Matt:

http://thepaper24-7.com/main.asp?SectionID=24&SubSectionID=23&ArticleID=22761&TM=44854.73

Getting game reps before the bell is essential, in my opinion.

Essential is right! Recall the Whitewater game when cc started Dustin Huff 11 weeks after his broken leg. I thought it was a tribute to the guy, but we were down 21-0 before we knew it with a couple of picks. Of course the weather was absolutely hideous and UWW had some stud dbs which had a great deal to do with the problems. If Hudson comes in, I will cross my fingers that he doesn't take a hit. WAF

[BashDad]

It's not the most ideal situation, no matter how you look at it. Depauw is going to be the fastest and best, by a country mile, that Hudson's played against in a year. Not having Witt and Wooster as a progession, in terms of speed and, well, quality, leaves me a little uneasy. At least he has last year's debacle to fuel his focus.

[wally_wabash]

It's not the most ideal situation, no matter how you look at it. Depauw is going to be the fastest and best, by a country mile, that Hudson's played against in a year. Not having Witt and Wooster as a progession, in terms of speed and, well, quality, leaves me a little uneasy. At least he has last year's debacle to fuel his focus.

That being said, do you think that it's worth putting him out there against Oberlin or letting him heal one more week and turning him loose on Hiram to get game reps before 11/14?  Is there much to be gained by getting action in both games in the next two weeks? 

[zed07]

Unfortunately, this is one of those situations where no matter what is decided, the coaching staff is open to second guessing.  If you don't play him much before Depauw, then he could be rusty.  If you play him too much, then he could get re-injured.  I guess I would lean toward the no regrets scenario, and if the medical staff decides he's okay to play, then you play him a limited amount against Oberlin, and more against Hiram.  And get him out the second you can.  And pray for good pass protection.  And keep the backups in the mix as a security blanket.

Of course, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' no matter what happens...  Back during my son's high school career, we used to claim that we had never been wrong about a play call...after the fact.

[bashbrother]

If he is 75-80%+... I believe you play him.  If he is not, you sit him.   Saving him and bringing him back for the Bell Game .....would not be ideal. 

Put the kevlar vest on him and get him back on the field.

Huff coming back for the UWW, even though I personally thought he was a fantastic player, was a mistake.  I have always believed that he was not ready for that game at all and I also believe it could have distracted CC and his early game planning. 

Don't get me wrong, we were not winning that game even if Tim Tebow would have been under center.




Signed,

Nate Scarboro
Mean Machine

[BayernFan]

He's a senior, right?

Then play him if he is able to play. 

[wabashcpa]

Unfortunately, this is one of those situations where no matter what is decided, the coaching staff is open to second guessing.  If you don't play him much before Depauw, then he could be rusty.  If you play him too much, then he could get re-injured.  I guess I would lean toward the no regrets scenario, and if the medical staff decides he's okay to play, then you play him a limited amount against Oberlin, and more against Hiram.  And get him out the second you can.  And pray for good pass protection.  And keep the backups in the mix as a security blanket.

Of course, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so' no matter what happens...  Back during my son's high school career, we used to claim that we had never been wrong about a play call...after the fact.

This would be my strategy - basically play all 3 QB's both games.  Even if Matt was completely healthy, this may be the strategy, as the next couple of games could get out-of-hand and lend themselves to more PT for the backups.  Then it's all hands on deck for the Bell!

[DPU3619]

I'm not entirely sold that it matters.  You obviously want your senior quarterback leading the troops into battle, but I don't believe that the LG's win or lose Monon on their quarterback's arm, regardless of who it is.  I hate to be a nay-sayer, but I can't believe that any of the Wabash QB's are going to show up and give you a 23-30 for 350 and 3 scores.  Wabash has to run to beat DePauw. 

I think I've come to the conclusion that the game plan to beat DePauw is the same gameplan that the NFL teams use to beat the Colts.  You make #18 stand over there while you chew clock.  Try to rattle his cage a little bit early and cross your fingers that you get a mistake or two.  DePauw probably left somewhere between 10 and 17 points on the field against Trinity and they still scored 26.

That's what Centre did.  DePauw made errors early and Centre held it for 35 minutes. 

[wally_wabash]

Are you sure it wasn't the 4 INTs?  Giving the ball away is a good way to get beat.  

Centre ran 44 times for 81 yards.  I'm not sure 1.8 ypc is exactly running it on anybody. 

[D3_DPUFan]

I'm not entirely sold that it matters.  You obviously want your senior quarterback leading the troops into battle, but I don't believe that the LG's win or lose Monon on their quarterback's arm, regardless of who it is.  I hate to be a nay-sayer, but I can't believe that any of the Wabash QB's are going to show up and give you a 23-30 for 350 and 3 scores.  Wabash has to run to beat DePauw. 

I think I've come to the conclusion that the game plan to beat DePauw is the same gameplan that the NFL teams use to beat the Colts.  You make #18 stand over there while you chew clock.  Try to rattle his cage a little bit early and cross your fingers that you get a mistake or two.  DePauw probably left somewhere between 10 and 17 points on the field against Trinity and they still scored 26.

That's what Centre did.  DePauw made errors early and Centre held it for 35 minutes. 

I think that's a pretty good read on things, Wes. In the Centre game the Colonels got a pick on a tipped ball, another that actually hit the ground first and I think a fumble...at any rate they got a couple of turnovers and played a perfect half of football to jump to a big lead and then hold  on...and yes, in that early game they were able to run the ball...more than any other team this season.  I think DePauw is a better team at this point in the season (as most teams should be)  but the ability to get some yards on the ground and pick up some first downs was important.