FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[bashbrother]

The Holmes injury is a blow but I like Zurek, CP Porter, and Stella (could be huge!)

The importance of quality depth on a football team.  Zurek is a tough hard runner,  like Holmes.  CP is a nice change of pace back that runs hard every carry.  Stella will be something after he becomes more comfortable with the position and the offense.

WAF!

[sigma one]

All of us who follow the Little Giants will recall that they started last year with running back by committee, alternating series in the early going. The starter was injured in the first game and did not return until DPU, when he scored a TD.  Porter was used about one-third of the time; he was a nice change of pace.  Then he later suffered that terrible hip injury.   Van Hunt, who the previous year had been a second-team all NCAC selection, was the alternating back.  He got dinged some, and didn't play much past the first several games.  Holmes did not play early at all.  In fact, he played in an early red squad game.  Zurek got very few carries as a freshman and hurt a shoulder during the season.  Stella played some on defense.  Worth noting is that Stella was 2nd in the state in the long jump as a senior at Ben Davis.  He has gotten a lot bigger.
   None of the guys--Zurek, Porter, Stella--is Holmes, of course.  We will see what happens at Allegheny and later.  But all three are capable backs.  The younger Gibson played a little last year, too, when the ranks were thin.
     I can't think of any single player but Holmes who would be a bigger loss.  On the other hand, the others are more than capable.

[firstdown]

No question that Holmes is a big loss.  Best wishes to Tyler for a good recovery.

I have every confidence that Zurek, Porter, and Stella will do a great job.  The Wabash OL will continue to open some nice holes, and the three amigos will make good use of the running room.  Putko also has the ability to run as well.  Putko is doing a good job of getting into his role.  I was quite impressed Saturday when came right  back from the bad snap over his head on first down and threw a 29 yard perfect strike to Hodges for a first down.  With a strong defense and the special team play,  the offense has the luxury of adding new pieces each week so Putko doesn't have to try absorbing everything at once.  The one thing that he is adding is confidence.  Confidence along with good skills is a powerful elixir.

[BashDad]

Dudes. Click on this (and then on the "on demand" tab):

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/umhb.portal#

This is your #1 team in the country. Full stop.

[Fam Bam]

First off I would like to say I truly appreciate the support and that it does not go unnoticed. Secondly, I can promise you one thing, this Wabash team is as motivated and talented as ever and will constantly stay hungry for success. We know the feeling of losing and the disappointment that comes with it. We are not afraid of failure because it comes with the territory but we have a heightened sense of urgency as we always do. Beyond that I can tell you I will work harder and lead more than I ever have in my life. I will come back from this. You have not seen my last run as a Little Giant. One at a time. WAF.

[wally_wabash]

Time to talk some Bishops.  I kind of think OWU, with two weeks to get ready, probably should not have been sweating out a late 4th quarter drive against Kenyon.  That's Kenyon who got beat by Earlham, by the way.  So what's up?  What's up is that OWU throws A LOT but they don't score nearly enough.  I took the top 50 D3 quarterbacks in passing yards per game and ranked them by touchdown rates...both by TDs per attempt and TDs per completion.  Espinosa is throwing a touchdown on 2.1 percent of his attempts and 3.3 percent of his completions.  What's that mean?  That ranks 49th out of these 50 quarterbacks in both categories.  The averages for this group are 7.1% and 11.2%.  So the stats are telling us that despite the enormous usage rate, Espinosa is not particularly efficient...and is in fact less efficient than last year when his touchdown rates were 4.1% and 6.3%.  This is ultimately what doomed the Bishops in their make it or break it game against Wabash last year and it's going to be the thing that dooms them this year; you've got to score touchdowns to beat Witt and Wabash.  With as much as they throw and as wide open and fast as that offense goes, they should be hanging 40-burgers (at least) on Bluffton and Kenyon.  I'm starting to cool a little bit on my belief that OWU is playoff ready...so far these Bishops don't look like they've gone forward from last year.  I'll be keeping a close eye on their game with Denison Saturday night....might be tighter than we would have thought a few weeks ago. 

[BashBacker#16]

T Holmes in the house!  Whoa!!

WAF!

Classic.  Class act and cannot wait to see him back next year...

[GRIZ_BACKER]

Dudes. Click on this (and then on the "on demand" tab):

http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/umhb.portal#

This is your #1 team in the country. Full stop.

The GRIZ got a full plate of the CRU last year down in Waco.  And they appear better this season.  They would get my vote based the game with Wesley.

[smedindy]

I think Linfield deserves as much consideration for putting the hammer on Cal Lutheran. Cal Lutheran is no Muskingum, as you all know.

[BashDad]

Wait--what? 

[wally_wabash]

Time to talk some Bishops.  I kind of think OWU, with two weeks to get ready, probably should not have been sweating out a late 4th quarter drive against Kenyon.  That's Kenyon who got beat by Earlham, by the way.  So what's up?  What's up is that OWU throws A LOT but they don't score nearly enough.  I took the top 50 D3 quarterbacks in passing yards per game and ranked them by touchdown rates...both by TDs per attempt and TDs per completion.  Espinosa is throwing a touchdown on 2.1 percent of his attempts and 3.3 percent of his completions.  What's that mean?  That ranks 49th out of these 50 quarterbacks in both categories.  The averages for this group are 7.1% and 11.2%.  So the stats are telling us that despite the enormous usage rate, Espinosa is not particularly efficient...and is in fact less efficient than last year when his touchdown rates were 4.1% and 6.3%.  This is ultimately what doomed the Bishops in their make it or break it game against Wabash last year and it's going to be the thing that dooms them this year; you've got to score touchdowns to beat Witt and Wabash.  With as much as they throw and as wide open and fast as that offense goes, they should be hanging 40-burgers (at least) on Bluffton and Kenyon.  I'm starting to cool a little bit on my belief that OWU is playoff ready...so far these Bishops don't look like they've gone forward from last year.  I'll be keeping a close eye on their game with Denison Saturday night....might be tighter than we would have thought a few weeks ago.

And maybe Wabash with a week to get ready shouldn't have lost to Allegheny or Oberlin last year. A lot of ifs and butts in your post.

Zero "ifs" and one "but" in my post, acutally.  Which had zero to do with 2012 Oberlin and Allegheny nor do Oberlin and Allegheny have anything to do with the post.  We can chop it up about Oberlin and Allegheny if you want, but that's a different topic.  And I think we've probably covered that ground plenty over the last 11 months or so. 

[wabashcpa]

Wally, let's face it - most of your posts are full of butts!   

[wabco]

NOTE:  Butler gave up 497 yards (about evenly split) to Dartmouth, Dartmouth got out in front, and Butler lost at home.  Dartmouth - while Div I - does not scholarship football.  Butler smoked Witt and was played hard by Franklin.  What does all that mean? 

Did Witt not have the Butler QB figured out? Is Butler not that good, and Dartmouth had an opportunity to learn and work it out?

Did Witt have a "Wabash against Gheny 1912" moment when playing Butler?  The Dannies stink.  Is Witt now back among the living?  I THINK THAT IS THE CASE.

Is Franklin staying close to Butler not that extraordinary, as Butler is not that good?  Franklin romping through the land of dwarfs in its conference means nothing.  I THINK THAT IS THE CASE.

Is Butler a Jekel and Hyde type team and you just don't know who shows up? I THINK THAT IS THE CASE

[wabco]

2012

[cave2bens]

[quote author=NCAC4Life link=topic=3546.msg1529953#msg1529953 date=137996

And maybe Wabash with a week to get ready shouldn't have lost to Allegheny or Oberlin last year. A lot of ifs and butts in your post.
[/quote]

Wow - what a shot across the bow!     Truth regarding Allegheny and Oberlin results, discussed ad nauseum, particularly on this board.  Bottom line for OWU, when it counted last year, was 70 passes for stacked stats, no points, and no game with the Old Tigers either.  It will be interesting to see how results play out by Halloween... and no droopy drawers here as I am a butt, thank you.