FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[jknezek]

MAC would be much better off doing away with Tuesday night football and the TV contract and play two slaughter games against Big 10 teams. Money would be better and they might have more than 1500 people attending the games. The games I've seen on Tuesday's are so poorly attended it makes me wonder why they are willing to play on Tuesday nights.

Because television exposure is a multiplier for admissions, especially if the game is nationally shown on ESPN. These schools need to squeeze everything out of football they can, so they leverage television exposure not just for the team, for recruiting, for the league, and for the money, but also to get the name out. Who knew much about Miami of Ohio outside of that region before the 90s when those games started showing up? Now just about everyone knows there IS a Miami of Ohio, and that makes it easier to attract more students.

[ADL70]

I suspect people knew about Miami University before the 90s when they upset LSU in 1986.  I recall some wins over at least one or two Big 10 teams as well.

[Li'l Giant]

Slaughter games are one thing. But the MAC contract is for conference games. The MAC schools already play slaughter games. Ending the Tuesday games that get them on ESPN is revenue that doesn't get replaced by early season games against Big 10 opponents because they already play those.

ESPN wouldn't pay $100 million to show Southland or SoCon games on Tuesday nights. Why? Because they're not FBS. If the MAC didn't want this the Sun Belt or C-USA would.

Worth noting, as well, that this contract isn't just for football and hoops. The MAC will get ESPN3 streaming of non-revenue sports as well, embedded in the conference page. There will be over 400 streamed events a year. That's a pretty big deal. ---Source

[bashbrother]

OK, lets take a look at where both Wabash and Hampden-Sydney finished the 2013 season statistically in Div. III Nationally

                                      Wabash                         Hampden-Sydney
Season Record               9-1                                9-3
S.O.S                              ?                                    ?
Total Offense                  55 (420.1)                    31 (447)   
Rushing Offense             31 (232.4)                    138 (150.4)
Pass Offense                  159 (187.7)                  18 (294.3)
Scoring Offense              4  (46.6)                       35 (34.3)
Total Defense                 1  (220.70)                   23 (287.70)
Rush Defense                 2  (63.1)                       74 (137.8)
Pass Defense                 23 (157.6)                    16 (149.9)
Scoring Defense             4  (11.3)                       51 (19.3)
Turnover Margin             1                                   167
Pass Sacks Allowed        85                                 127
Pass Sacks for                3                                   137
Tackl. for Loss Allowed   173                                60
Tackl.  for Loss for          2                                    98

For whatever last year's statistics are worth,  there they are.  S.O.S. for both teams would be an interesting stat that I did not include.

Cheers!  WAF!

 

[Li'l Giant]

Those defensive stats. My word.

[bashbrother]

Those defensive stats. My word.

True that...  Another stat that I think is almost as impressive is the fact that we were able to avg. 232 rushing yards a game even with our 1st and 2nd string running backs going down and out early (Game 2) and (Game 6?).  (Happy to have both of them back this year)

Tyler Holmes 2013 Stat Line -  36 rushes for 244 Yards  (6.7 per) - 3 TD's in just under Six (6) quarters of football before his season ending injury.

[old wabash]

amazing that the vaunted offense of hsc only managed 27 more yards than Bash!! who da guessed?!

[wally_wabash]

For whatever last year's statistic are worth,  there they are.  S.O.S. for both teams would be an interesting stat that I did not include.

Like I would miss an opportunity to offer commentary on SOS.   

H-SC had a .525 SOS (70th), and Wabash had a .503 SOS (106th).  I'm of the opinion that SOSs within 0.025 of one another aren't all that different.  Peeling back the layers, we see that H-SC's OWP was 0.5222 (82nd) and Wabash had an OWP of 0.5056 (100th).  And that's the difference between playing a 9-game conference round robin and a 7-game schedule.  A cursory glance at the ODAC's non-conference record tells me that they did pretty well outside of conference which included a lot of ODAC/USAC corssover games.  So we learned that the ODAC on average is better than the USAC, which isn't particularly relevatory. 

So Hampden-Sydney's SOS looks better than Wabash's SOS because they get credit for Bridgewater beating St. Vincent, Greensboro, and Ferrum.  Wabash's opponents don't get three non-league games apiece to accrue wins that bump OWPs.  So who played the tougher schedule is going to be a subjective decision everybody has to make...were H-SC's opponents on average better than Wabash's?  The SOS math won't tell you that.  My hunch is that, on average, H-SC's opponents were a little better than Wabash's in 2013.  I also don't think H-SC played anybody as good as Wittenberg in the regular season (which is sort of moot because Wabash didn't win that game, but you get the idea). 

Time for a point from the "in fairness" file.  While playing fewer league games gives teams the opportunity to build SOS's that teams that play 9-game round robins can't touch, it's not a given.  Teams from those leagues still have to win those games.  Wabash got passed over for the tournament last year because the E8 won their non-league games and SJF got a giant boost.  The ODAC won their non-league games and so they have good SOS figures.  The USAC didn't and their teams are down on the list...the HCAC is another example of a league that doesn't help itself in non-league contests. 

[HSCTiger74]

amazing that the vaunted offense of hsc only managed 27 more yards than Bash!! who da guessed?!

   While we were all proud of HSC's success last season, and their offense was certainly excellent, I think that it was "vaunted" only in the minds of the most ardent of Tiger supporters.
   That being said I still expect that we'll see a great game on the 6th.

[wally_wabash]

Those defensive stats. My word.

True that...  Another stat that I think is almost as impressive is the fact that we were able to avg. 232 rushing yards a game even with our 1st and 2nd string running backs going down and out early (Game 2) and (Game 6?).  (Happy to have both of them back this year)

Tyler Holmes 2013 Stat Line -  36 rushes for 244 Yards  (6.7 per) - 3 TD's in just under Six (6) quarters of football before his season ending injury.

Zurek was averaging 8.0 ypc. Klembara 7.7.  Good stuff.

[wally_wabash]

I just did some research and it appears the limitation on publicizing a football scrimmage may have been lifted in 2012. If so, look for an addition to the web site over the next few days.

Looks like this was cleared through the compliance office and is now on the event calendar.  1:00 p.m. EDT on Aug. 30, at the Hollett.  QBs are off limits. 

[wally_wabash]

Those defensive stats. My word.

Some of my favorite stats from last year aren't even in that list. 

- Wabash opponents were 32-142 on 3rd down--22.5% conversion rate, best in the nation
- Wabash opponents had 15 red zone opportunities all season- best in the nation.  Not red zone scores.  Red zone possessions.  Wheaton's defense limited opponents to 19 RZ trips which is the next fewest that I found.  Wesleyan allowed 16 RZ opportunities, but they only play 8 games, so asterisk and what not. 
- Wabash's defense scored 10 touchdowns (most in the nation).  13 if you want to lump in kick/punt returns.  Allegheny scored nine touchdowns all season. 

[tigerfanalso]

Wally

Not sure we want to come out to Indy having looked at those stats. Can we reschedule this game to Virginia this year ?

[wabco]

Just came out of winter slumber.  We will be having a giant tailgate behind the Wabash home stand the morning of Sept 6.  Got started as a Beta and Sigma Chi "get some guys and families together" type thing.  Now anticipate (depending on who shows and says they will and doesn't) perhaps 75 +/-.  I checked with our Director of Alumni Affairs to make sure HSC fans are included/invited as guests (just come / don't have to being anything ... but beer and wine and other stuff always appreciated.  Did the same through our AD.  Haklin said ... great ... he would tell his counterpart AD at HSC.  Runge said his counterpart at HSC said not to expect many as "HSC doesn't travel well".  Well ... HSC parents/fans etc.  however many of you there are ... we invite you to come share and tell us about your school as we will about ours.  Wabash is always a good host ... which does not extend to asking Dannies (except for girls) to EVER join our tailgates nor does it extend to the field of play where we will play fair and as hard as we can for 4 quarters.  it should be a fund day on September 6.  AND for next year, be aware ... WABASH does travel well.

[wabco]

that darn auto correct ... fun ... not fund.