FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Li'l Giant]

Could Hiram QB be the best in the NCAC?  I know  Wabash guy is good, but he has a bit more help. Partridge or Barnes. Have seen the Wabash QB but not any of the others.
Very happy for Hiram. Hope game attendance is up.

Sklenar needs to be in that conversation as does Hunt.

[bashbrother]

Folks....  this years Depauw team is good and getting better every week.   I know Wally has a pretty detailed look at how interesting the end of the 2014 conference season could get in his typewriter.   I watched them play Oberlin,  their offense is becoming very efficient.  I would have liked to see them play Witt in the 2nd half of the season.  Me thinks the Monon Bell Game is going to be one to watch in person.

Wally's post later this week will be a good read.

[HCAlum86]

I love Partridge. Great leader, good kid, good student! Just makes some mental errors at times forcing the ball into coverage; nonetheless, he is having a stellar season and definitely deserves to be in the all conference conversation for first or second team.

[aueagle]

Hiram QB Rob Partidge prepped at Massillon Washington High...Big time HS ball
Signed and played at Miami (Ohio)...then had a cup of coffee at D2 Notre Dame College
Good size...His dad played at Eastern Mchigan...
Not much to say regarding the pounding by the LG's....OWU rushing game was.....sad. 22yds?
The Red & Black should be ok....lots of ball left.

[wabndy]

I might as well be the first to ask . . . now that the NCAC has full round-robin scheduling, what is the AQ tiebreaker for 3 way ties?

[HCAlum86]

I might as well be the first to ask . . . now that the NCAC has full round-robin scheduling, what is the AQ tiebreaker for 3 way ties?

Thunder dome style battle-royale. One gladiator per team. Three men enters, one man leaves.


But, i do not know, excellent question.

[The_Bishop]

I might as well be the first to ask . . . now that the NCAC has full round-robin scheduling, what is the AQ tiebreaker for 3 way ties?

Thunder dome style battle-royale. One gladiator per team. Three men enters, one man leaves.


But, i do not know, excellent question.

Hilarious, +k.

[HCAlum86]

I think Hiram will be back to 100% on the offensive side of the ball this week, which is very exciting news.

I was impressed with the variety of looks that the DC Price threw at Kenyon this week (preface: not comparing OWU's line to Kenyon's). But I do believe that mixing up blitzes/fronts and maintaining gap integrity will be crucial to slowing down the OWU offense. Obviously, OWU has adapted quite effectively to Espinosa's departure. But, as the stat line shows from last week, the north and south running game does not seem to be the strong point of this otherwise potent offense.

I definitely expect to see multiple A-Gap stunts this week by the Terriers; and look for a mixing of 4, 3, and even 2 man fronts combined with the traditional heavy dose of boundary-pressures.

If Hiram can force OWU to be one dimensional on offense while effectively running the ball themselves, thus freeing up some throwing lanes for Partridge, I think we will have a good one on our hands! I'm looking forward to a 34-28 kind of game, with the score going either way. At this point, have to give OWU the upper-hand, but Hiram has had no qualms about earning W's this year.

[smedindy]

I might as well be the first to ask . . . now that the NCAC has full round-robin scheduling, what is the AQ tiebreaker for 3 way ties?

Good question. A three way tie would have to be a situation where A beats B who beats C who beats A. It may have to do with if you lost at home or on the road or pre-season power ranking (which I don't know if they do any more since it doesn't factor into scheduling now). Head to head is probably the first tie breaker but that would be moot.

A four way tie would be intriguing as well since that means four two or three loss teams - I'd hate to unspool that.

[HCAlum86]

I might as well be the first to ask . . . now that the NCAC has full round-robin scheduling, what is the AQ tiebreaker for 3 way ties?

Good question. A three way tie would have to be a situation where A beats B who beats C who beats A. It may have to do with if you lost at home or on the road or pre-season power ranking (which I don't know if they do any more since it doesn't factor into scheduling now). Head to head is probably the first tie breaker but that would be moot.

A four way tie would be intriguing as well since that means four two or three loss teams - I'd hate to unspool that.

I have heard of situations like this being settled elsewhere in three fashions 1) a playoff game [not practical here] 2) a coin flip 3) Points for / points against

[HCAlum86]

Also, Hiram's defense leads DivIII football in turnovers. A stat that buttresses the credibility of this year's squad being a legitimate threat to win each week for the rest of the year.

[sigma one]

HCAlum86:  It's nice to see Hiram doing so well.  Good for Hiram, and good for the NCAC.  You mentioned making OWU one dimensional, if possible.  Don't let the 22 rushing yards v. Wabash be a measuring stick.  OWU has run for at lease 228 yards in three games this year.  Denison held them to 67, and, of course, Wabash to 22.  With the exception of the LGs game v. Wooster, their run defense has been almost impossible to solve. 
     On the Hiram side, the defense has given up 206, 176, 171, 294, 157, and 83 yds. in the 6 games played.  Holding Witt to 157 is a good result, but Witt's troubles rushing this year generally is something of a head scratcher given their personnel.  So, holding OWU's rushing in check will be a challenge.  Hiram has been plenty potent offensively.  OWU will be coming off a road trip to DePauw this weekend, and Hiram will have a lot of prep time.  A game in which both teams score in the high 20s or even both over 30 would not surprise me.

[HCAlum86]

HCAlum86:  It's nice to see Hiram doing so well.  Good for Hiram, and good for the NCAC.  You mentioned making OWU one dimensional, if possible.  Don't let the 22 rushing yards v. Wabash be a measuring stick.  OWU has run for at lease 228 yards in three games this year.  Denison held them to 67, and, of course, Wabash to 22.  With the exception of the LGs game v. Wooster, their run defense has been almost impossible to solve. 
     On the Hiram side, the defense has given up 206, 176, 171, 294, 157, and 83 yds. in the 6 games played.  Holding Witt to 157 is a good result, but Witt's troubles rushing this year generally is something of a head scratcher given their personnel.  So, holding OWU's rushing in check will be a challenge.  Hiram has been plenty potent offensively.  OWU will be coming off a road trip to DePauw this weekend, and Hiram will have a lot of prep time.  A game in which both teams score in the high 20s or even both over 30 would not surprise me.

I did not at all mean my comment about their rushing game to be a slight against the Bishops; more just saying that it can be the lesser of the two evils facing Hiram.

[HCAlum86]

Also, my apologies for focusing on this game! I do not have much to look forward this weekend with Hiram's bye week looming!

[sigma one]

It's OK that you are looking ahead what with Hiram's competitiveness this year.  Another good sign that there is enthusiasm about your team. The extra week will give the Terriers a break and more prep time for OWU.