FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[CollegeGolf18]

I think there are adjustments in both directions.  While what I saw at Wooster was encouraging, I'm still not sold.  Wabash has inserted several new sophomores and freshmen into the D.  The starting defensive lineup last week listed only two seniors, Landsdell at DL and Franco at DB (5th year).  All those underclassmen could be good or bad in the long run.
    By the way, Keiser is an NAIA school.

Wanted to do some fact-finding on this and I've listed the two deep for both Game 1 (Hampden-Sydney) and Game 3 (Wooster) below.

H-S
DE - McPeek (JR) / Volk (SO)
DT - Olive (JR) / Pawlowski (JR)
DT - Thomas (JR) / Shockley (SO)
DE - Lansdell (SR) / Washington (SR)
SAM - Taylor (SO) / Pasch (FR)
MLB - Rios (JR) / Ruppert (FR)
WLB - Jarvis (SO) / Billups (SO)
CB - Mroz (SO) / Epstein (SO)
CB - Holsclaw (FR) / Franco (SR) - Franco started here.
S - Walker (SO) / Zappala (SR)
S - Netting (JR) / Netting (JR)

Wooster
DE - McPeek (JR) / Volk (SO)
DT - Olive (JR) / Pawlowski (JR)
DT - Thomas (JR) / Shockley (SO)
DE - Lansdell (SR) / Washington (SR)
SAM - Pasch (FR) / Taylor (SO) - flipped from G1
MLB - Rios (JR) / Ruppert (FR)
WLB - Jarvis (SO) / Billups (SO)
CB - Franco (SR) / Mroz (SO) - Mroz loses starting spot and Franco moves from backup CB #2.
CB - Holsclaw (FR) / Carter (SO) - Carter is now on the 2-deep. Epstein is not...injury?
S - Zappala (SR) / Ringer (FR) - Zappala moves to starter, Ringer moves onto 2-deep. Walker is not listed...injury?
S - Netting (JR) / Robertson (FR) - Netting falls off 2-deep and Roberston moves on....injury?

Some interesting tidbits:

In G1 Wabash started 2 seniors, 5 juniors, and 4 sophomores on defense. In G3 Wabash started 3 seniors, 5 juniors, 1 sophomore, and 2 freshmen.

Gavin Ruppert has led Wabash in tackles the last two games as a freshman MLB. Ruppert seems to be the real deal. He looks fluid on the field and had a touch of D1 interest.

The pass defense has gotten better and I don't think it's unheralded to think that Ridings has just found the guys back there that he likes. Each secondary spot has changed and there are three new starters back there now from Game 1. While he was at Keiser, he took a pretty good defense and made them great and that was even with starting a lot of underclassmen his first year.

I looked up all of the defensive freshmen from Ridings time at Keiser and he recruits really well. He was the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year at Marian University a few years ago and he recruited multiple studs there for their secondary. I have no doubt that Wabash's defense is going to be in good hands.

The first step is getting the most out of the players on the team now and the second is getting his players in via the recruiting trail. I think we will see Wabash grab some studs this year.

Piggybacking off of this it looks like this weekend Wabash is making some more changes.

FR Gavin Ruppert is the starting WLB (after being MLB #2) this weekend as SO Jonah Billups falls to WLB #2. FR Garrett Dalton moves to MLB #2. Wabash is now starting 2 FR at linebacker and has a 3rd at MLB #2. No seniors in the LB 2-deep.

FR Samuel Ringer worked his way onto the 2-deep last week and had 8 tackles...now he is the starter listed for this weekend over SR Giovanni Zappala.

Wabash will be starting 4 freshmen on defense this weekend and all of them have earned it thus far.

[CollegeGolf18]

Alright - I just finished watching the Wabash game. Yeah, the defense is horse sh*t. Lol - what a waste of Liam Thompson's career.

[Whitecarrera]

Before anyone else mentions it ... No, not even once he gets fired at IU, Tom Allen is not the answer to Wabash's defensive woes 

[Crawford]

Before anyone else mentions it ... No, not even once he gets fired at IU, Tom Allen is not the answer to Wabash's defensive woes 

Thanks Whitecarrera, I needed the laugh.  Hats off to Dennison, impressive how that program continues to improve, reminds me of how Wabash used to be.

[WAF5290]

Mike Ridings needs to hit the road. Don had no problem getting of Ramsey (who was far better than Ridings). Fire him now and get someone lined up who can do the job. Wabash has maybe the most talented QB in the history of the school, they have to find someone who can be effective on the defensive side. Yesterday's loss on a huge pass play when corners were up tight in what looked like man coverage?

[Li'l Giant]

Mike Ridings needs to hit the road. Don had no problem getting of Ramsey (who was far better than Ridings). Fire him now and get someone lined up who can do the job.

If Ramsey was actually far better he would still be at Wabash. The defense has *been* bad and it didn't start with Ridings. No one is happy about the defense either but it's dishonest to pretend like this is a new problem.

[DePauwalum05]

Good to see DePauw and the NCAC earn a little recognition with a #25 D3FB ranking following last week's #22 appearance in an AFCA poll.  While the DPU score was lopsided, Wooster still wasn't a stiff test, especially with Renteria exiting early in the game.  Denison will provide that big test and an interesting matchup this week in Granville.  The Big Red offense is rolling and versatile.  While their defense gave up a lot of points yesterday, the 'bash offense is prolific.  The Denison secondary has to be pretty good to pick off Thompson three times in a half.  Will be interesting to see how 'bash rebounds against Witt.

[CollegeGolf18]

Mike Ridings needs to hit the road. Don had no problem getting of Ramsey (who was far better than Ridings). Fire him now and get someone lined up who can do the job.

If Ramsey was actually far better he would still be at Wabash. The defense has *been* bad and it didn't start with Ridings. No one is happy about the defense either but it's dishonest to pretend like this is a new problem.

Agreed. Ridings (I think) is the right guy. I am fine with giving him a few years. He has a good track record of success. That doesn't detract from the fact that the defense is straight up putrid right now. He was brought in to fix it but you can't do that without your guys.

[Whitecarrera]

I disagree completely golfer. The Hanover guys used to have a saying, something like "it's not the Xs and the Os, it's the Jimmy's and the Joe's", but that is an offensive slogan. Defensively all the best Jimmy's and Joe's in the world will still be in trouble if the schemes, or a combination of individual technique with certain schemes, puts them at risk, and I think that's what Wabash is dealing with right now. The best thing Wabash's corners have done this year is lose those stupid neon green shoes, but through no fault of their own they're being asked to do some things that just aren't feasible.

[smedindy]

I don't think it's the scheme. We've tried to outscore people for the last couple of years. We need to recruit on the defensive side.

[wabashcpa]

I don't think it's the scheme. We've tried to outscore people for the last couple of years. We need to recruit on the defensive side.

Agreed.  And based on the number of freshmen seeing PT, maybe that's already started.  If we are going to stink on defense, let's at least stink while playing young guys and getting them reps.  The offense is going to keep us in games while they grow into what Ridings eventually wants to accomplish.  Based on what we've seen the last few years and so far this year, the horses just aren't there at the moment.  I'm sure there are things he would love to do defensively that he just can't do right now since we don't have the players to execute it.

[Li'l Giant]

I'm not an Xs and Os guy so I won't pretend to know what the solution is. If we need to let the young kids play I'm all for it. Just show me some improvement. I'm a pessimist by nature so I see the schedule and think 5-5 is a distinct possibility if the defense can't improve.

[wabashcpa]

I'm not an Xs and Os guy so I won't pretend to know what the solution is. If we need to let the young kids play I'm all for it. Just show me some improvement. I'm a pessimist by nature so I see the schedule and think 5-5 is a distinct possibility if the defense can't improve.

It's already happening.  4 of the top 5 in tackles against Denison were freshmen (Ruppert, Ringer, Robertson, Pasch).  Holsclaw also with multiple tackles.  Plus 5 other freshmen with at least one tackle.  The changing of the guard is immediate.

[smedindy]

6-4, or 7-3. I don't think Wabash will lose against OWU, Hiram, Kenyon, or Oberlin.

[Li'l Giant]

6-4, or 7-3. I don't think Wabash will lose against OWU, Hiram, Kenyon, or Oberlin.

We lost to OWU last year. The defense isn't any better. That's a game we can't count on winning. Those other three, sure.