FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

The Wabash kool aid tastes like victory, this year at least!   

[LGHistorian]

A question to all Wabash fans - Of those you (me included) that were thrilled with Kenyon beating Wooster are now not so thrilled that Kenyon beat Allegheny IF both Wabash and Kenyon win out and share the conference championship!
BTW this is just for fun and no attack is intended on the NCAC scheduling or Kenyon's football team. I hope they are on their way to reviving the program.

[wally_wabash]

I've been underselling Wabash all year on the spread.  I'm not about to make the spread on this game close, when all of the evidence tells me that Wabash should administer a severe beating to Witt on Saturday.  What a difference a month makes, witt4ever.  Witt is 3-3 with three straight big wins over sorry teams and I'm supposed to forget what happened in September?  No way.  Seriously, witt4ever....you have to know that the Tigers are walking into the belly of the beast on Saturday.  A rabid crowd, a healthy, focused team laden with superior talent and coaching that's got some payback in mind...Witt's in big trouble this weekend.  And you know it.  

[WallyFS4]

A question to all Wabash fans - Of those you (me included) that were thrilled with Kenyon beating Wooster are now not so thrilled that Kenyon beat Allegheny IF both Wabash and Kenyon win out and share the conference championship!

Amen, brother.  As always.

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS![/size][/font]

[wally_wabash]

I'm going to need Kenyon to get by OWU on Saturday before I entertain thoughts of Kenyon as co-champs, or even outright champs. 

[Medicineman]

I don't think all of Woo's DBs were beaten like a drum. They stayed away from a couple as much as possible

[Li'l Giant]

Wally has been saying all year that OWU is better than they are given credit for. I guess a win against Kenyon will show that.

[BashBacker#16]

Medicineman - I'd love to know who???  It wasn't one receiver, it was 8 different guys catching passes.  Are you telling me that Coach Creighton, called plays on different sides based on Wooster's personnel? 

Regarding the rankings, man I did not want that to set off a huge discussion.  Smeds - let it rest brother.  I didn't even directly imply that Wabash should be ranked, rather that it was interesting to watch the teams that are ranked.  That is it.  I think all of us can point out teams that would get blown out by other teams from around the country.

Now on to Witt this week...some glaring questions...

-On paper, this looks like a lopsided contest, will it turn out that way?
-Will Murray have success (he ripped Wabash last year) on the ground?  The Bash D is giving up 1.7 yards per carry.  I have never seen a  back run with as much success against Coach Neathery's D as last year vs. Witt!  Without Witt's aerial attack in full force, you'd think that Bash will shut down the run - can they?
-Witt's D has been very very shaky against good teams, how will they try to slow down the Bash offense?
-How much impact will injuries limit Witt's play?  As the article stated in last week's Springfield paper, this is the worst Fincham has seen in 10 years.
-Will Bash experience any sort of let down after a big road win?

Looking at the 2 teams, I have to think the key is Murray, Murray, & Murray.  Bash will score points without question - probably a lot of them - can Witt keep up against a very talented D?

Can't wait for Saturday!!!

One more...sorry...how much "heat" will Bash bring against Holmes knowing he cannot run like a Shafer, a Sir Louis, etc.

[MITCH]

Personally I don't have a problem with the rankings at this point. This is a very good Bash team, we all know it, (I think Pat even knows it) but I also think that it's a team that needs no distraction from the mission at hand. This is Witt week and all focus needs to stay with taking care of business at Hollett this weekend

Who cares what Kenyon OWU Gheny MT union or anyone else is doing.

This team has an opportunity to do something special, but it will only be done one week at a time regardless of who's ranked or not ranked.

I look for Witt to come in tough and challenge this weekend, I still think they are a scary team

[Ryan Tipps]

Re: the recent discussion about the AQ if Kenyon and Wabash both win out

Rest assurred that the NCAC doesn't play by the silly "Rose Bowl Rule." Since there was a wave of talk that was merely speculation, I emailed the conference administration to get some concrete data.

The reply I got in part said:
"... to award the NCAA AQ, the coaches have devised a seven step tie-breaker system which the two teams would progress through until the tie is broken."

So, there is a tangible set of criteria to award the AQ to the most deserving team. The reply from the NCAC also mentioned that they do not release the specifics of the "seven steps" until it was needed -- and I think it is fair to respect that choice on the conference's part.

Hope this helps!

And for the record, with the way Kenyon has turned around their program, I for one would be happy to share a conference champtionship with them. They have no doubt earned it, and that turnaround alone is probably a bigger accomplishment than anyone in this conference has seen in a couple of years.

[Pat Coleman]

Then even Pat will have to recognize the 'Bash.

I do. It's the all men's school in the NCAC that wears red and white and plays for the Monon Bell every November.

[littlegiant66]

BB16
i believe that last year we used a three man front with 5 backers against witt, but now are using a 4 front with 4 backers coming from everywhere.  this could have contributed to the rush yards that murray had a year ago.  the three front is a lot easier to run against when there isnt that stud nose tackle like a blair hammer, but a blitzing 4-4 is a lot harder to run against because of the confusion that it causes with the o-line and the fact that there is an additional guy on the line to deal with.

[lancer98]

A few quick thoughts:

--I know its Hiram but not one player rushed for a positive yard against Witt.  I don't think I have ever seen a box score that looked like that.

--The NCAC player of the week is offically a joke.  How can Harbaugh not win the award after his performance on Saturday.

--I don't think it will happen but if Witt wins this week there are going to be a lot of people looking stupid.  I kind of would like to see it for the simple fact it would really liven up this board.

--It looks like 'Gheny is headed for a 2-8 year at best.  That is unbelievable.  That has to be the worst record they have had in the modern era.

--Kenyon.  Keep it up.  The more competive this conference gets the better.  Denison you are next.  They are not that far away

[BashDad]

MITCH:

I agree 100% that Witt will be a scary team this coming Saturday at Hollett.  There is no way that we can let down even a fraction.  Murray is quality, and Holmes (if he is only 80% effective) can do serious damage if he has the protection that the Woo offensive front gave Shafer last Saturday.  Glover is a fine, deceptive receiver who can get open--and really hurt you when doing so.  The L'il Giants will need a lot more than "swagger" to come out on top.  Who cares about the polls, the Kenyon/OWU game,  individual records, NCAC POW, or what DePauw is doing, etc.--our next piece of "unfinished business" is Wittenberg at Hollett in C-ville at 1 p.m. on Saturday.  I  Hope we have a huge and vocal crowd!  One game at a time.  No matter what their record is, formidable Witt is next.  We need to be focused and ready!  They would like nothing better than to kick our a$$, particularly under the present circumstances.

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS!!

[Vince McMahon]

I wasn't going to post again this year until my team won a game, but since somebody brought up the point, I'll try to address it.  Allegheny is off to its worst start in over 50 years.  I don't think they've regressed, talentwise, as far as people think.  5 of their 6 losses have come by a touchdown or less.  In fact, all of those losses have come down to the last possession. In the last three alone they've lost on a field goal with 2 seconds left and two consecutive weeks where they had a drive come up short on the 2 yard line as time expired.  This does not excuse the fact that they've lost all of their games.  Far from it.  But I think it shows the snowballing effect that so many close losses can have on a team's psyche. 

I never thought winning a game against Hiram would be a big deal, but for the Gators right now...it is.  They're still going to be underdogs when Witt and Wabash come to town, but I think getting that first win might relieve a lot of anxiety going into those games. 

I have faith that they're not going in the tank for the rest of the season.  After a season full of bad breaks and having already clinched the school's first losing season since Thriller was atop the billboard, a win against the Bash would salvage a lot of pride.   By the way, I am firmly convinced that Wabash is for real now.  This goes to show the difference a year can make.  From 5-5 to likely champions (no disrespect to Witt).  Hopefully the Gators can close big this season.