FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

Now the gurus have the re-rematch in Cleveland.

http://www.d3football.com/dailydose/2009/11/14/final-2009-playoff-projection/

Interesting.... they are seeing Coe moving into the UWW Bracket putting Wabash down to a 6 seed which would then take us to Cleveland.

They now have Depauw going west as a 7 seed.  My be a little bit of a break for the wounded Tigers.  Getting a first round with Central is not a walk in the park, but better than UWW or Mount.

I don't see how Coe moves in front of Wabash for the 5th seed, but I don't know much about all the dynamics involved.

Coe has to drive nearby. With all of the wackiness ensuing (Maine Maritime can only drive to one place) and the fact the NCAA doesn't want to fly teams everywhere (and some teams, like UMHB and Cal Lutheran, have to fly almost regardless) then Coe can't go to Cleveland. They have to stay closer by than that.

[wally_wabash]

The new twist this year is that with so many teams in the field that are in what I'm going to call "multi region" areas, the degrees of freedom that they have to piece this bracket together are numerous to say the least.  Frankly, I love the fact that we can get a tournament bracket that will be "regional" with respect to the teams in each quadrant, but that those brackets are likely going to hold teams from multiple "regions" as grouped by the NCAA.  It makes for a lot of new interregional matchups that we typically wouldn't get to see until the semifinal round.  I'm very interested to see how it plays out tomorrow afternoon. 

[Schwami]

Agreed.  There is so much flexibility with the teams in the field this year, there are any number of possibilities.  I can even see Case Western being moved "East" along with Mount Union, and Monmouth coming in with Whitewater to the "North".

[Pat Coleman]

Agreed.  There is so much flexibility with the teams in the field this year, there are any number of possibilities.  I can even see Case Western being moved "East" along with Mount Union, and Monmouth coming in with Whitewater to the "North".

I hope they understand the flexibility they have and use a little creativity, like we did.

[wally world]

I was fretting all day over this game. With the kids sports schedules, I had to DVR it and didn't get to watch it until about 6 PM. After watching the 29 minutes of the first half, I thought our goose was cooked. We could not stop DPU over the middle of the field. But the drive to end the half and knowing we were getting the ball back to start the third made me feel a lot better.

To come out and start the third by scoring and taking the lead was huge. I set the tone for a ridiculous second half for Wabash. Congrats to the team for bringing back the Bell. I know that in my time at Wabash, there was no better party than the one that ensued after we won the Bell after losing it for a few years in a row.

A few thoughts : With all the chest puffing on this board, if any Wabash fans think this game couldn't have easily gone the other way, they are kidding themselves. If DePauw doesn't bumble that snap and goes up 14-0 into the half, it is a totally different ballgame. If Spud's pass falls to the ground harmlessly on the 13 yard line instead of being picked off and giving Wabash an easy score, who knows? I am a Wabash blinder, but I can't see this team going any farther than one win in the playoffs, if that. I hope they prove me wrong.

CJ Gum was outstanding. Loved to see him lower the boom on a few Dannies. And I believe he was the one who had Spud in his grasp when he threw that ill-advised floater that Frederick picked off.

Speaking of Spud, he was ridiculous in this rivalry. In four years, he was 108/139 (77%) with over 1,000 yards passing. While I'm glad he is leaving with the bitter taste of defeat in his mouth, I must admit he was the best Monon Bell competitor I've seen. Also had the snappiest name.

In the postgame interview on HDNet, Matt Hudson got pretty choked up. Glad to see him get over that hurdle. If you didn't see it, he acknowledged his dad in the interview. It was his 50th birthday yesterday. To hear Matt speak of this win giving back a little bit to his dad and being only 1/100 of what his dad had given him was touching. Nice to see a young man who appears to have his feet firmly planted on the ground. Congrats.

What happens to this rivalry next year? Wabash loses 4/5 of its O-line and Hudson. DePauw loses Dick. Any handicapping for next year's affair?

Now for the thoughts on the telecast. First, having the game in HD is awesome when you can't be there in person.

Second, Wabash needs to revamp there little 30-second highlight film of the college. I'm sure President White is a nice man, but not the type of personality I want promoting the College on national TV. After watching the two schools' ads, I want to go to DePauw now. It was brutal.

Third, there were just some real gaffes in the production. First, the play-by-play guy called Wabash the Little Tigers in the pre-game analysis. Second, at one point (I think when interviewing Raeburn at the half), they actually put "Wabash University" on the screen. It was killing me.

Fourth, the color commentators. Is there any question that DePauw's announcers (I think there have been a few over the past 9-10 years) cannot hold a candle to Joe Emmick? I know I'm biased, but having listened to Joe since 1989, I am still impressed. Has a great voice, knows Wabash sports as well as anyone on the planet, and just really delivers a smooth broadcast every time. And it was the same way in college. I don't think most people probably realize how much work he used to put in in college just getting ready for each radio show or game day, and he did it for football, basketball, and baseball. His service to the College has been amazing.

[zed07]

wally,

How far you go in the playoffs is complicated and matchup driven, so keep your fingers crossed that we get in and get a reasonable draw.  As for the production-I got home late last night (after ringing the bell in the chapel with my son-great moment!) and breezed through the game.  One thing I found funny:  To hear the DePauw announcer tell it, the DePauw running backs were the second coming of John Riggins and Franco Harris.  I've never heard so many 2 and 3 yard runs described as "great" or "starting to wear them down."  One in particular where he was commenting that the runner was keeping his legs driving was most humorous.  As he completed his analysis, the replay began, and said legs were being lifted in the air by Watson, while CJ was hammering him from the other side for a 2 yard gain.  DePauw has a great passing game, but let's call their running game what it is.  I'm sure glad they didn't run more (30 carries, 70 yards)! Of course, I, too am biased.

Sure the game was tenuous and could have had a different outcome.  But Wabash made plays when needed, and DePauw simply didn't.  DePauw didn't overcome their bad snap, but Wabash DID overcome penalties (including a big one on the last minute drive of the 2nd quarter), blocked XP, and other bad plays that happen in big games.  I suspect that if Matt Hudson had Spud's yesterday stat line, this morning the boards would be all over him for his performance (like last year's game), in spite of all the gaudy non-INT numbers. 

[wally_wabash]

A few thoughts : With all the chest puffing on this board, if any Wabash fans think this game couldn't have easily gone the other way, they are kidding themselves. If DePauw doesn't bumble that snap and goes up 14-0 into the half, it is a totally different ballgame. If Spud's pass falls to the ground harmlessly on the 13 yard line instead of being picked off and giving Wabash an easy score, who knows?

Can't we say this about every game played in the history of sports?  If events X, Y, and Z didn't happen and in their place my own, ideal, hypothetical events A, B, and C happen, then the game would have turned out differently.  Of course it would have.  But X, Y, and Z happened.  That's the game.  If Havercamp's field goal is no good in 2007, Wabash wins.  But it was good, and DePauw won.  If Wabash doesn't turn the ball over 16 times in last year's game, the outcome is probably different.  But they did and it wasn't. 

[D3_DPUFan]

stayed in greencastle last night and couldn't get to the site...congratulations, wallies on a job well done. impressive indeed...good luck to you in the playoffs...

[wally world]

All I was trying to say was this game was 1-2 plays from being a tossup, IMHO. Wabash had no answer for much of the game on the Dick/Koors combination. In the end, I agree that Wabash made a few plays and capitalized on DePauw's miscues. But it wasn't a beatdown by any stretch.

As far as any game in the history of sports comment, I'm pretty sure that short of the Wabash bus careening off the road on the way to the game, there is no way an Earlham or a Hiram has a chance against Wabash. Even then, we might still win. I just sensed a lot of confidence on this board that the game was going to be a cakewalk for Wabash. I am just in the camp that says if we really are that good, we don't need to be telling everyone how good we are. We're not MUC, or UWW, or even St. John's for that matter. I want us to be, but we're still a long way from there.

[wally_wabash]

I don't know if I got the same sense, wworld.  I think most on here though Wabash would win the game (seriously...what are we supposed to think?), but I don't know many at all who were predicting a beatdown or that the game would be easy by any means.  I mean seriously...12 months ago virtually the same team walked all over the LGs.  A cakewalk wasn't a reasonable expectation....and it wasn't a cakewalk at all. 

[zed07]

There was no way we would lose to Earlham....since we didn't play them this year (or last...or ever again, hopefully). 

[wally_wabash]

30 minutes to go fellas....keep your fingers crossed that Wabash goes anywhere but Cleveland.  Well, maybe not anywhere, but Cleveland, but you get my point.   

[bash06]

So what's known about IWU besides winning the tough CCIW?

[wally_wabash]

Big chance for Wabash to raise their ceiling with a game against the CCIW champ.  Looking forward to this one on Saturday!  

Wabash Always Fights!

[usee]

IWU starts 15 seniors and 5 juniors. Their qb, Kraig Ladd went down in the 1q of their loss to millikin and missed their 7-0 Augie win. He came back and led them to a win vs NCC by throwing for 3 TD's and running for 1TD. He was subsdquently knocked out of the Wheaton game in the 1q and the same backup came in and destroyed wheaton with his legs and arm. They have a very good defense and an atrocious kicking game. They are playing very well right now having beat NCC and Wheaton at home in successive weeks the last 3 weeks.