FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Ralph Turner]

Since the Big12/Pac10 debacle has been brought up it's certainly interesting sitting here just an hour's drive south of the epicenter.

I must say that despite being a lifelong fan of the Texas Longhorns with many family, friends and colleagues who are alumni, I've still been turned off by what has happened this past week. Everyone chasing after, circling around, and hitching their wagons to the Big Orange Machine and its trail of dollars has made me really glad my alma mater is a D3 team.

UT and A&M are staying put.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/7052775.html

[Raider 68]

I am looking forward to a great season for Wabash again...There is always room to improve...One area that seems like it could use some change is in the area of penalties

Last year we had key penalties that cost us dearly...

Here is where we ranked in the conference last year...

PENALTIES                G   No  Yds Avg/G
------------------------------------------
1. Wittenberg.......... 13   62  594  45.7
2. Denison............. 10   51  481  48.1
3. Oberlin............. 10   55  493  49.3
4. Kenyon.............. 10   54  510  51.0
5. Earlham............. 10   55  544  54.4
6. Ohio Wesleyan....... 10   62  563  56.3
7. Allegheny........... 10   66  589  58.9
8. Wooster............. 10   64  603  60.3
9. Hiram............... 10   68  641  64.1
10.Wabash.............. 11   77  710  64.5

I would not too overly concerned about the Wabash penalties. Wabash had a good year in 2009. In comparison Mount Union had 91 penalties, 889 yards for 59.3 per game for 15 games. Though no National title last year, they were agressive and had a fine year. Wabash has that same approach with Coach Raeburn, just win and make the improvements as you can!

[wabco]

Agree with Raider.  Believe it is the stupid penalties which kill ... not penalties whhich occur out of positive agressive performance (note the word positive).  From watching the Purple Raiders ... this appears to be what is stressed on that team, and I believe Raeburn & Co are following that trail.  While I don't believe there is a stat for "stupid penalties", you know one when you see it.  Holding when not absolutely/positively needed, hit out of bounds or clearly after a play is dead, general bad sportsman penalties ... chronic off sides. I think Wabash ... other than some unnecessary offsides last year were not guilty of many "stupid penalties".  Agressive ... yes.  Stupid ... no.

[DadofBashWarrior..]

And Gentlemen...what would you call a penalty for offsides on a kickoff in the final minutes of a conference championship game with the score tied?

Wabash should be concerned about penalties...

Being 3 or 4 yards over the line on a kickoff is about discipline ...it is not about being aggressive

There is no room for it on a kickoff......none...nada

[Raider 68]

And Gentlemen...what would you call a penalty for offsides on a kickoff in the final minutes of a conference championship game with the score tied?

Wabash should be concerned about penalties...

Being 3 or 4 yards over the line on a kickoff is about discipline ...it is not about being aggressive

There is no room for it on a kickoff......none...nada

No doubt mental mistakes and late hits etc. can loom large with the game on the line. Other penalties in the course of a game can be offset. The mental side of the game requires the same preparation as the physical side. IMHO

[wally_wabash]

Let's think about this logically...what is more valuable to the NCAC as a football conference?  A nationally televised game between two of the league's better teams (sometimes it will be for a championship, sometimes it won't)...or a conference championship game that, at best, may be televised (very) regionally by STO, most likely will be available via webcast only, and will only generate buzz amongst NCAC and D3 die hards in the north region? 

The notion of a conference championship game is offensive to me.  Set aside for just a moment that such a thing would spit on the tradition of the Monon Bell Game....a championship game only serves as an opportunity for somebody other than the best team in our league to represent the league in the tournament.  Who really wants that?  How is that possibly in the best interest of the league? 

[bashbrother]

Good points Wally.   I think the conversation of moving the Bell Game is mute and is not going to happen.

Expansion of the NCAC conference to 14 or 16 teams is probably not going to happen as well.

Reason for both of these, is there is just not enough of a reason to do so.

In the recent Division I  example, it was all about money.    One should not draw comparisons; it is apples and watermelons and the last thing that Div. III is all about is revenue generated from their athletic programs.

[Ralph Turner]

Good points Wally.   I think the conversation of moving the Bell Game is mute and is not going to happen.

Expansion of the NCAC conference to 14 or 16 teams is probably not going to happen as well.

Reason for both of these, is there is just not enough of a reason to do so.

In the recent Division I  example, it was all about money.     One should not draw comparisons; it is apples and watermelons and the last thing that Div. III is all about is revenue generated from their athletic programs.

You gotta have 12 teams to fill 2 divisions in D-1 FBS to have a conference championship game.  The PAC-10 and Big Ten did not.

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

[wally_wabash]

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

Somehow I get the feeling that Jerruh will land on his feet.  

[Li'l Giant]

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

He can always raise money by increasing the parking fee from the low price of $40.

[seventiesraider]

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

As a Nebraska boy, I won't be at all upset not to have to endure any more Dallas "hospitality."

[ADL70]

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

Somehow I get the feeling that Jerruh will land on his feet.  

Has there been any speculation about adding Cincinnati, Louisville, or Memphis?

[Ralph Turner]

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

Somehow I get the feeling that Jerruh will land on his feet.  

Has there been any speculation about adding Cincinnati, Louisville, or Memphis?

I have not heard those teams being mentioned.  Memphis would be my first thought, because of proximity and basketball.

You are still one shy of the magical 12.

[smedindy]

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

Somehow I get the feeling that Jerruh will land on his feet.  

Has there been any speculation about adding Cincinnati, Louisville, or Memphis?

The Big East was driven by hoops, so Cincy and Louisville may not go. Memphis? They also have a fairly unsavory rep and may go down hard thanks to Calipari.

[Li'l Giant]

The big loser in this seems to be Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones who had the Big XII title game locked into Cowboy Stadium.

Somehow I get the feeling that Jerruh will land on his feet.  

Has there been any speculation about adding Cincinnati, Louisville, or Memphis?

The Big East was driven by hoops, so Cincy and Louisville may not go. Memphis? They also have a fairly unsavory rep and may go down hard thanks to Calipari.

Memphis also has the benefit of a metric buttload of FedEx cash it is willing to throw at a BCS conference willing to take them on. FedEx's CEO's son is the QB there. Officially FedEx has denied it but how can they admit it?