FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Breckenridgebear]

Although I could not make the DePauw opener, I did hear some disturbing news about the program from a friend who attended. It seems like those in charge are bringing back the dark ages to Greencastle. Although I know it is hearsay and won't spread information I do not have first hand knowledge, the showing in Monon the past couple years, along with the performance last weekend do give it some credence. They have a lot to overcome, with little assistance, if they are going to have any success this season, and even hope to pull out a win at Monon.

[The_Bishop]

Just a thought, wouldn't the "OWU" (at least I think that's what is) stand out better if outlined in white?

Absolutely, but it would detract from the perception that it is outlined in the players' blood in its current form. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Nice article in the Dispatch about Watts and the win. Nice to see more that a sentence blurb about D3 football in the ol' Despit.

http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2012/09/11/fbc-ohio-insider-9-11-art-g3aj952f-1.html

Here is the first two paragraphs...

Two buckets of ice-cold water being poured on Tom Watts’ head after his first victory as a coach was a baptism, but also a reward for seventh months of hard labor for getting Ohio Wesleyan ready to play a football game.

The Bishops defeated Denison 32-29 on Saturday night. It was the first time someone other than Mike Hollway was coaching the team in 25 years.

[Duster72]

My understanding is that different programs teach different footwork to offensive linemen.  I know that sometimes takes some time for a student to re-learn his fundamentals and it can look ugly until they get comfortable with the new approach.  That could be a contributing factor to the line's debut.  I also know that lines generally improve with play and communication.  Hopefully these guys are quick learners - like by October quick learners.

I also think that Hanover probably made a lot of adjustments to their D after the first week expecting Wabash to load up on the run.  I didn't spend much time studying the Hanover D - I should have paid more attention to how many guys they were putting in the box, but I was trying to watch our o-line and WRs.  It's tough to catch everything live.

[bashbrother]

Great stuff Ex-TartanPlayer / Duster -

It is probably a little of all of the above.   Such an individual thing that relies on many variables.

Like I mentioned earlier,  I expect the Wabash o-line to improve significantly from week to week.

Is it Saturday yet?

[wallyworld12]

The Bear, anything more specific? As a Greencastle resident and Wabash grad, I definitely know of the dark ages you speak of but what made people question actions taken by the current administration?

[Wabash Hokie]

Although I could not make the DePauw opener, I did hear some disturbing news about the program from a friend who attended. It seems like those in charge are bringing back the dark ages to Greencastle. Although I know it is hearsay and won't spread information I do not have first hand knowledge, the showing in Monon the past couple years, along with the performance last weekend do give it some credence. They have a lot to overcome, with little assistance, if they are going to have any success this season, and even hope to pull out a win at Monon.

Bear:

If the approach to athletics (at least the playing field) is as portrayed in this recent article from The Depauw:

http://www.thedepauw.com/sports/bermuda-grass-an-option-but-synhetic-turf-the-goal-1.2894631

then I am not surprised by your concerns.  Looks like they plan to address the field in time.  However, practice facilities and playing fields are a simple thing for recruits to compare when visiting schools.

[wallyworld12]

This to me seems to mark a disturbing trend in Greencastle, and after some consideration, the Bear's comments make a lot of sense.

Last year, they announced not once but TWICE that they would be embarking on a new athletics field project, that made no mention of improvements to the awful playing surface at Blackstock Stadium.

And that article from DePauw makes it look like they have made no progress on those goals. Where is the leadership in Greencastle?!?!?! Wabash pressed on with its athletics field projects, albeit delayed due to the poor economy, but have made headway in that regard.

DePauw already has high tuition and fees, which come to about $49,000/yr. and an endowment of $513 million. The average amount of financial aid is about $21,000. They have money, why not spend it on improved facilities?

To my knowledge, and according to their Giving page (depauw.edu/giving) they haven't launched a meaningful campaign to secure the necessary funds to make the necessary improvements.

While they are working with Greencastle in improving the Downtown and other areas around campus thanks to the Stellar Communities grant, one would have to think that the folks in Dannyland would start getting more serious about improvements for athletics.

I'll get off my soapbox now. Even though I'm a Wabash Man it pains me to see my hometown's university not making the necessary improvements to remain competitive.

[bashbrother]

Great analysis W World.

I am curious if the explanation of Where's Waldo  errr... Jake "The Snake" Hester has anything to do with it.   He could be riding through the first semester in Dannyland and maybe has plans to transfer out or walk-on in the Spring at a higher level.  Kind of has the makings of a Matt Walker Mystery, although to a much lesser degree.   You would think that something would have come out on such a publicized recruit.

[DPU3619]

We're all frustrated, honestly.  We actually got through half a dozen coaching changes fairly well.  Playoffs two years ago.  Probably the greatest QB/RB/WR combo (if not the greatest 3 at their respective positions) in school history won a conference they'd never won before and did dirty things to Wabash in the rivalry game.

Then it all goes away.  The roster is small now, both in number and in actual size of the players.  We're back to it not being important to this administration again and that really disappoints me.  I've always been tough on the DPU administration.  I'm sure everybody is tired of that dead horse.  But, don't tell me that, all of the sudden, after the 2 most successful seasons in program history that SUDDENLY nobody wants to come play football there.  The model is there on how to succeed at this level.  There are half a dozen schools within 200 miles that are showing everybody exactly how to do it, including one about 30 miles up US 231.  Either care or don't.  As a President, Board of Trustees, and Athletic Administration, either want to put your program and coaching staff in a position to succeed or don't.  You'll either win or you won't.  It's pretty obvious which one DePauw is doing right now.

[BashDad]

"Nobody wants to come play football there."

[Wabash Hokie]

"Nobody wants to come play football there."

BashDad:  Are you stating the Wabash point of view or did you actually read this quote somewhere?  I haven't read anything in trade rag or other site the has thrown Depauw under the bus.  Just wondering.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

We're all frustrated, honestly.  We actually got through half a dozen coaching changes fairly well.  Playoffs two years ago.  Probably the greatest QB/RB/WR combo (if not the greatest 3 at their respective positions) in school history won a conference they'd never won before and did dirty things to Wabash in the rivalry game.

Then it all goes away.  The roster is small now, both in number and in actual size of the players.  We're back to it not being important to this administration again and that really disappoints me.  I've always been tough on the DPU administration.  I'm sure everybody is tired of that dead horse.  But, don't tell me that, all of the sudden, after the 2 most successful seasons in program history that SUDDENLY nobody wants to come play football there.  The model is there on how to succeed at this level.  There are half a dozen schools within 200 miles that are showing everybody exactly how to do it, including one about 30 miles up US 231.  Either care or don't.  As a President, Board of Trustees, and Athletic Administration, either want to put your program and coaching staff in a position to succeed or don't.  You'll either win or you won't.  It's pretty obvious which one DePauw is doing right now.

Unfortunately it either seems to be one extreme of the pendulum or the other for some colleges. In central Ohio we have seen the same thing happen to the Capital Program. Capital used to support most of there sports very well (not Baseball). Then there was a change of focus because an out cry from Academia that there was too much emphasis on athletics. Capital has gone from having competitive teams in the OAC to being close to one of the bottom feeders. (except for baseball, they are actually getting better. I wonder what Grice could do at a school that gave him more support.)   

[Pat Coleman]

"Nobody wants to come play football there."

BashDad:  Are you stating the Wabash point of view or did you actually read this quote somewhere?  I haven't read anything in trade rag or other site the has thrown Depauw under the bus.  Just wondering.

Hokie: Wes said "don't tell me ... nobody wants to come play football there" and BashDad obliged him.

[WABCOL86]

We're all frustrated, honestly.  We actually got through half a dozen coaching changes fairly well.  Playoffs two years ago.  Probably the greatest QB/RB/WR combo (if not the greatest 3 at their respective positions) in school history won a conference they'd never won before and did dirty things to Wabash in the rivalry game.

Then it all goes away.  The roster is small now, both in number and in actual size of the players.  We're back to it not being important to this administration again and that really disappoints me.  I've always been tough on the DPU administration.  I'm sure everybody is tired of that dead horse.  But, don't tell me that, all of the sudden, after the 2 most successful seasons in program history that SUDDENLY nobody wants to come play football there.  The model is there on how to succeed at this level.  There are half a dozen schools within 200 miles that are showing everybody exactly how to do it, including one about 30 miles up US 231.  Either care or don't.  As a President, Board of Trustees, and Athletic Administration, either want to put your program and coaching staff in a position to succeed or don't.  You'll either win or you won't.  It's pretty obvious which one DePauw is doing right now.

This depresses me.  I have been around this rivalry since 1976.  Much as I dislike DPU, it is still a sister institution and our key rival.  To see a lack of appreciation of sports and athletics in an institution like DePauw is galling.