FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

Just one league game this week (Allegheny/Kenyon), but a few interesting non-league games to look at this weekend. 

WUStl @ Wabash - Still not sure what happened in St. Louis last year.  Blew a defense on a screen pass late in the first half, then couldn't get a stop at the end of the fourth quarter.  The Bears played well, but I think the young LGs went to school about what it takes to go on the road and beat sound teams.  I have no doubt that with an extra week to get ready, Coach Kindbom will have his guys ready to go again.  At home, I expect a little more focus this time around from Wabash...and you know the team wants to exact a little revenge for last year.  I expect a Wabash win, but the game is going to look way different than the Homecoming game last weekend. 

Witt @ Huntingdon - Discussed a little earlier...if road Witt shows up, they'll get beat.  Bet on it.  This is a big game for Huntingdon.  A win here and the Hawks may be playing a week 11 game vs. Wesley for the Pool B slot to the playoffs.  A loss for Witt removes any safety net they might have to the playoffs if they can't win the NCAC AQ (the way things are going, I think any 9-1 team will go...there may be at least one spot available for 8-2 teams, but you don't want to be in that group). 

Chicago @ Denison - Here's a chance for Denison to prove that they've got a consistently good product.  You can do some things against Chciago's defense.  Maybe 2-time offensive PotW Sam Fioroni can go bananas again.  We shall see. 

Oberlin @ CWRU - Maybe the Yeo catch the Spartans licking their chops ahead of the fish stringer game.  Maybe.  I have a tough time seeing the Spartans lose this one at home, but they aren't exactly lighting up scoreboards this year, so there's a chance Oberlin can steal one if CWRU doesn't get something figured out on offense. 

[BashBacker#16]

WashU game notes posted:  http://bearsports.wustl.edu/Sports/Content/Pages/fb10-4-11.aspx

Man, I hope Wabash remembers last year's loss at WashU, cost them a playoff bid for sure...  WashU really struggled at North Park - 9 first downs and they only rushed for 29 yards.  Hmmm?

Nice to see the Wabash D up to #2 in DIII in scoring defense - let's hope we keep that up Saturday.

Funny comments on Wally Wabash the Mascot and I couldn't agree more.  I guess we got all new stuff designed this Summer but I would officially like to start a campaign to get OLD WALLY back, he was really cool and looked just like Nate Boulais + was the Michigan State Sparty's brother (designed by the same company that did Sparty).  Anyone 2nd the motion?

[BashBacker#16]

Bring back OLD WALLY!!!!

[BashBacker#16]

WAF!

[bishopowu]

Sorry haven't posted since the game Saturday. OWU lost that game against Chicago on its own. Chicago turned the ball over 6, yes 6 times and was penalized for over hundred yards. OWU still lost the game when they were up 10-7 at the half. Unacceptible totally unacceptible. Any other views?

[FightinScot]

Way to go Big Red.  Now, what the heck is going on in Wooster? ...  A month ago, Wooster was clearly the third best team in the league, now I'm not sure that Wooster can win five games this season.

Wooster's troubles can be summed up like this (in my opinion):
- No depth, and an overall lack of numbers
- Bad o-line play
- Predictability on offense/ no red zone package

First, their numbers are way low, don't even have enough for a full practice (#1 offense v scout, #1 defense v scout). You don't need me to tell you that's not good. That's where Bash and Witt have pulled away from the rest of the league. Second, they're not physical up front... I hate to say it, but they really have been unimpressive the times I've seen them (BW, Oberlin, Denison). I don't know what it is - personnel, experience, mindset... they couldn't punch it in on a 1st and goal on the 2 yd line against BW, even going for it on 4th. That being said, the offense is vanilla, to put it lightly. Even back when I played, opposing teams were calling out our plays before we ran them. Maybe that's still the case, maybe they're forced to make it simpler because of the injuries at QB and young WRs, but the constant swing passes and screens are rediculous. And, to make it worse, they still run out of the shotgun in short yardage/red zone looks. Don't even have an under-center package... which doesn't help a struggling O-line when you've got defenses bearing down in those situations. Obviously this isn't a full (or necessarily accurate) description of their woes on offense, but its what I can gather from seeing them a few times. Flagg has the ability to score on every play, but he can't do much without a hole or when the defense can key on a handful of plays.

On the plus side, the defense is tough and will keep them in games. And I'm bound to ruffle some feathers with this (if I haven't already), but I think Frongillo (backup) has played better than Barnes did, and moves the offense better. He's got a better downfield game, and has the same running ability, albeit without the shiftiness in the pocket that Barnes did. 5 wins this season sounds about right for this team (without looking at the schedule). They're too inexperienced and thin to really compete for more. Hopefully they make me eat my words.

[ExTartanPlayer]

WUStl @ Wabash - I know you're just being cautious, wally, but I think 'Bash is going to get some revenge in a big way this week.  WashU, while a proud program, is just not that good this year (unless I'm reading wayyyy too much into that loss to North Park).  They did push Witt, but there's the road/home factor to consider.  WashU scored the upset at home last year...but they are on the road this year. I bet Wabash wins by 30.

Witt @ Huntingdon - On paper, Witt is better, but Huntington is dangerous enough to win if Witt's road version "Paper Tigers" come for this game (barely survived Allegheny, Oberlin, CMU, and Wooster on the road last year, barely survived WashU on the road this year).  As wally noted, this game could be a season-maker for Huntingdon, who has tasted the postseason once (2009) via Pool B and would love to be back.  They did beat a pretty good Hampden-Sydney team this year.  I vote this the most fascinating game of the weekend on the NCAC/UAA docket.

Chicago @ Denison - "Here's a chance for Denison to prove that they've got a consistently good product."  Agreed.  I still can't figure out if Denison is really significantly improved, or if everybody in the NCAC (besides Witt/Bash) is REALLY mediocre.  I don't think Chicago is that great, but I hope they have enough to win this one for UAA pride.   Chicago did beat OWU last week, and OWU beat Denison to open the season, but both OWU and Denison have gone in opposite directions since that opener.  I'll take a narrow Chicago win.

Oberlin @ CWRU - Tend to agree with Wally that this game may be tougher than it should for CWRU; Oberlin has been tougher than their record would indicate (I think they led CWRU at halftime last year), and CWRU has clearly lost a step from their magical 2007-10 run.  I predict a CWRU victory, but with some trepidation.

(So, basically, I've agreed with wally.  Good to be here.)

OWU @ CMU - OWU started with a nice win vs. Denison, then ran into a bit of a meat-grinder but still played respectable ball against Witt, Wabash, and Wooster.  The loss to Chicago at home is somewhat disheartening, and now they're on the road against a puzzling CMU team.  CMU opened with an OK win, then a bad loss to 'Gheny, then a good game against Catholic, now two straight sloppy wins against the dregs of the NCAC (sorry, it's just hard to be excited about wins over Kenyon and Hiram that weren't outright blowouts).  CMU had better show up and play this one; OWU may be better than they look, and CMU really needs this win with a tough stretch coming afterwards.

[bashbrother]

Sorry haven't posted since the game Saturday. OWU lost that game against Chicago on its own. Chicago turned the ball over 6, yes 6 times and was penalized for over hundred yards. OWU still lost the game when they were up 10-7 at the half. Unacceptible totally unacceptible. Any other views?

Getting the gift of 6 turnovers and not winning adds some more salt in the wound.  The 95 yard pick-6 probably didn't help either...... going from heading in to take the lead in the middle of the 4th; to being down 21-10.   

Tough, very tough..... they could have, should have won this game. 

In Football, as in most sports, having talent does not always mean wins.... learning "how to win" and believing in winning is as important in my book.  I feel there is talent there,  it is the knowing how to win part that I still believe is alluding this Bishop program.

[DPU3619]

If Wabash gets to 17, they win no problem.  At some point along this road, that Wabash offense is going to lay an egg.  They just aren't quite sound enough to be elite every week.  Like I said, I like Belton.  The WRs are good.  They can run it.  But, somebody is going to find a way to make them one dimensional and they're really going to struggle.

If they vanish this week, they may have a problem.  If it's Hiram, then they will win anyway.

[wally_wabash]

I agree. If the head needed replacing I'm not sure why we couldn't get one that looked the same. However, I think this Wally is a lot nicer than the head that was around when *I* was a student.

We need to find a pic of The Head.  I've found one on the internets before, but it's eluding me currently.  I'll keep looking. 

[wally_wabash]

Good stuff, FightinScot.  Thanks for the insight.  Just one question...I get the sense that y'all don't like Richard Barnes all that much.  What's up with that?  I think he's a tremendous player and he scares me roughly 879 times more than Robert Flagg ever has. 

[wally_wabash]

If Wabash gets to 17, they win no problem.  At some point along this road, that Wabash offense is going to lay an egg.  They just aren't quite sound enough to be elite every week.  Like I said, I like Belton.  The WRs are good.  They can run it.  But, somebody is going to find a way to make them one dimensional and they're really going to struggle.

It's possible.  Wabash has had some success running the ball in the few weeks leading up to the Witt game the last couple of years only to wind up with a 21 rushes for 18 yards kind of situation against Witt.  I don't think this Witt defense is nearly as gnarly as the group they've put out the last two years, but that will be the big test to see if Wabash can maintain their current balance.  This week will be the next best test until then. 

[bashbrother]

I agree. If the head needed replacing I'm not sure why we couldn't get one that looked the same. However, I think this Wally is a lot nicer than the head that was around when *I* was a student.

We need to find a pic of The Head.  I've found one on the internets before, but it's eluding me currently.  I'll keep looking.

Is this the Old Wally you speak of?  This version was kind of rough.  (Side note.... we still have the Bell!  )

[smedindy]

That Wally head looked great in 1974 or so, when the Boys Club Biddy Basketball team went to the Cannonball Classic and saw Snowy Simpson's teams.

When I was a student starting in the fall of 1984, it had seen better days.

Through the 80's and 90's, it just kept on...well...

[Li'l Giant]

We need to find a pic of The Head.  I've found one on the internets before, but it's eluding me currently.  I'll keep looking.

I could have sworn The Head made an appearance in one of this past summer's Big Bash photo albums but I can't find it.

bashbro, that is the general concept but I think that one was an earlier version than the most recent one.