FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[bashgiant]

I think Woods was a pretty regular special teamer last year as well, so some of his tackling total probably comes from that.

I only went to the OWU and Wittenberg game so I couldn't tell you, could be. I do remember Woods had 12 solos in the OWU game. Both those games were awesome!

[wally_wabash]

Back to defense. I haven't really checked the stats of other safeties in D3 but is their any concern with our freshman safety being second in tackles? Normally when a safety is making that many tackles it usually doesn't end well for the defense.

I think Woods was a pretty regular special teamer last year as well, so some of his tackling total probably comes from that.

I only went to the OWU and Wittenberg game so I couldn't tell you, could be. I do remember Woods had 12 solos in the OWU game. Both those games were awesome!

Probably a good time to note that in that game where Woods had 12 solos vs. OWU, OWU scored zero points.  So there's that.   

[sigma one]

Yes, and OWU completed more than 40 passes, so plenty of opportunities for a DB.

[smedindy]

I'm not too worried if a strong safety is piling up tackles - especially in run support or when he's defending the short pass. It's the free safety and the corners - if they make a lot of tackles you're in trouble.

[wally_wabash]

I think the defense is ok.  They pitched three shutouts last year.  Four if you want to give them credit for the 35-2 game against Denison. 

[waf56]

Not that I disagree with you, I think that they are going to be great this year, but they did get dink and dunked to death against Oberlin last year. The 4ish shutouts are nice, but they certainly had weaknesses that were exploited.

[BashDad]

...but they did get dink and dunked to death against Oberlin last year.

Oberlin had four scoring plays over 45 yards. Semantics, I know, but if we're being mean about our defense there's a difference between being "dinked and dunked" and just getting beat. OWU tried the former and came up empty ("goodnight, screen pass:"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xya5Yhn9n6E&feature=plcp). That Oberlin game was a perfect storm of... something. Who knows. But it wasn't, like, a schematic problem. It was an athletic one. Or a mental one. Or some combination thereof. 

[wally_wabash]

I mean, I guess Wabash is doomed to have that Oberlin result hanging over their head until they play Oberlin again and don't give up 31.  Here are the points allowed in the last four games of the 2012 season by the Wabash defense:

0
0
31
0

One of these things is not like the other.  Whatever happened against Oberlin happened...it wasn't representative and it was hardly a blueprint because DePauw, freshly armed with that would be blueprint, couldn't move the ball over midfield seven days later.  So whatever it was (and it was a combination of things...Witjes, Little Giant lethargy, and...Witjes), it happened once.  Everything is going to be ok. 

[waf56]

My point is not that the sky is falling, nor that there is any reason to panic. I personally believe that Wabash will have a shutdown defense this year. We cannot overlook the losses of last year. Sure, the defensive results against Oberlin may have been the anomoly, but it happened. Anything that happened once, can certainly happen again.

Regardless of the opponent, I think that having the Oberlin game in the back of their minds every game will be a great thing. Getting beat by a sub-par team is always good motivation to not overlook anyone. That way we will not be suprised when the perfect storm comes up, and we will be able to weather it and come out with a win.

Also, Depauw was not good last year, and I do not think anybody was expecting them to put up points against an angry Wabash defense looking to prove themselves.

[bashbrother]

OWU tried the former and came up empty ("goodnight, screen pass:"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xya5Yhn9n6E&feature=plcp).

Love how they didn't show the final score or any score(s) for that matter on that video clip. 

[wally_wabash]

OWU tried the former and came up empty ("goodnight, screen pass:"  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xya5Yhn9n6E&feature=plcp).

Love how they didn't show the final score or any score(s) for that matter on that video clip.

Curious.  The game had three scoring plays of 60+ yards which is always exciting yet conspicuously absent from this particular clip. 

[bashgiant]

Now knowing more about the defensive scheme I think there defense will be fine, maybe one of the top 5 defenses in the country. How about the offensive line? I know they are young but they seemed to get better every game last year which should make life a little easier for who ever the QB is. What say you?

18hrs 56 minutes till kick off!!

[bashbrother]

18hrs 56 minutes till kick off!!

How I wish their first game was tomorrow afternoon...

Offensive line needs to replace Kitley, a very talented O-lineman,  but the rest return.   I believe they do need to find more consistency at the center position, (Especially with a new QB running the show) This is something they struggled with last year.   I would look for a few different names in the mix coming out of camp this year.   Wabash has been recruiting the O-Line quite well and I believe there will be  one or two, that didn't get much time last year,  that really challenge for starting spots across the front.  I think we will be fine, finding that leader of the group will be important.

[bashgiant]

 whoops 31 days 18hrs 10 minutes

[sigma one]

Del Busto, Singleton, Brock/Taylor (at center last year), Riffle.  Others to fight for Kitley's spot--and for other positions, too:  Brown, Strong, Gregg, Culp, Norley, and maybe Hirsch, Goodrich, Yoder, Coursen-Carr, Weyler.   Freshmen--probably a year away:  Sturdivant and Stucker.  For those who know Wabash, Stucker is a Lilly.