FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[sigma one]

The two previous posts indicate what happened at Oberlin.  In addition, Wabash played 61 players, either all or the vast majority of those who traveled.  QB Grand Campbell and the other starters were out of the game with about 5:30 to play in the 2nd qtr.  Some defense #2s were rotated in even before then. 
     Hapless, Yoeman.  I can say with reasonable confidence that anyone watching on Sunday had to be a bit embarrassed for OBE.  And I hope concerned about the health of their players; they are playing too many starters both ways.  What is next for the short and long-term future of the program?  I hope they can find a way to get some support from the administration.

[DePauwalum05]

Yes, clearly a dire state of affairs for Oberlin.

Tough NCAC road contest for DePauw this week at Denison. Was a bit surprised to see the big red give up 30 against Wooster. But expecting a big challenge for the Tigers in Granville.

Interesting league schedule set up for 'bash without a challenge until November, and then three in a row. I wouldn't call it an advantage, although they can continue to get their young quarterback and improving defense better and better. On the other side of the coin, probably not easy or ideal to play your three best league opponents all in a row.

[WAF-WDE]

I agree with the two previous posters - the dire state of the Oberlin football program appears to be putting the welfare of its players at risk. Am I wrong?

I realize that I previously argued that a successful football program is not necessary for the successful recruitment of students to Oberlin.  Nonetheless, I would hope that the Oberlin leadership would be willing to commit the resources to make the football program more competitive.  Isn't the well-being of the football players at risk?

[LG67]

Is forcing Wabash players not to play their best fair to them and reducing play time fair to football?

[WAF-WDE]

Is forcing Wabash players not to play their best fair to them and reducing play time fair to football?

I think that Wabash's choice to give second- and third-stringers playing time was appropriate and I hope that I did not suggest otherwise.

Given the extreme circumstances, I think it was appropriate to reduce the duration of the game in order to protect the Oberlin players. I think a 50-plus margin of victory was sufficient to demonstrate the relative strengths of the two football programs. I might think differently if, for example, my son was a seldom-used Wabash senior RB or WR who might have scored if the margin of victory was higher.

[maripp2002]

The Wabash coaches are the ones who decided to take their foot off the gas - and that's the right move, imo. Beating the ever loving p*ss out of a team is less fair to football, in my opinion, than taking care of business and getting home when it's clear one team is over matched. It was a Sunday conference game, it was in no doubt, it was the right situation to run the clock.

Ideally, every game would be a fair and even one, but the gamut of D3 programs runs from tiny rosters at schools where football is barely an after thought, to programs like UMHB or Mount Union with 150+ players, enough to field almost three full playoff-limited rostered teams, and stadiums a fair number of d1 schools would love to play in. Every school has different reasons for fielding a football program, some just want the kids to play who want to, and others want to compete for and win national titles. Oberlin needs to consider what their end goal is, but for the time being, it's worth celebrating those 30 something players who are playing week in and week out, overmatched like they are.

Programs go through ups and downs, and clearly this is a down period for Oberlin, but let's not forget that in the last decade they've had some pretty decent teams. Getting in the right coaches for the school, and pulling in rosters that allow for two platoon football is the first step to winning games. And they can't do either of those things if they're not playing, so this is just going to be a difficult year for them, but I hope to see them back to compete going forward.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Thought this should be shared here as it appears WashU will become a football only member of the NCAC:

https://x.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1845206890243846488?t=qFJdBTOKj2GD8c68SGXHoA&s=19

[WAF-WDE]

Thought this should be shared here as it appears WashU will become a football only member of the NCAC:

https://x.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1845206890243846488?t=qFJdBTOKj2GD8c68SGXHoA&s=19

Great news for the NCAC.  I wonder why WashU is leaving the CCIW (for football).  It is still a member of the UAA for other sports.

[Flying Dutch Fan]

Thought this should be shared here as it appears WashU will become a football only member of the NCAC:

https://x.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1845206890243846488?t=qFJdBTOKj2GD8c68SGXHoA&s=19

Great news for the NCAC.  I wonder why WashU is leaving the CCIW (for football).  It is still a member of the UAA for other sports.

There was a lot of discussion & speculation about why they are leaving on the CCIW FB page over the last month so you may want to go take a look there.

[wally_wabash]

Thought this should be shared here as it appears WashU will become a football only member of the NCAC:

https://x.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1845206890243846488?t=qFJdBTOKj2GD8c68SGXHoA&s=19

Great news for the NCAC.  I wonder why WashU is leaving the CCIW (for football).  It is still a member of the UAA for other sports.

WashU didn't leave the CCIW as much as they were asked to leave.  Or the conference decided to end the affiliate partnership.  However you want to look at it, it definitely wasn't WashU's choice. 

Pretty rapidly the NCAC is going to turn into a seriously competitive league.  You're looking at a top six in this league that is (in whatever order you like) DePauw, Wabash, Wittenberg, Denison, WashU, John Carroll. Four of those are currently top-50 teams in Logan Hansen's index and all six are top-100. 

[sigma one]

Since the NCAC is bringing in Wash U for football, I wonder whether they anticipate another school leaving the conference, following Hiram?

[ADL70]

Thought this should be shared here as it appears WashU will become a football only member of the NCAC:

https://x.com/IWUhoopscom/status/1845206890243846488?t=qFJdBTOKj2GD8c68SGXHoA&s=19

CWRU apparently has lost an opportunity to return as football affiliate. Unless Oberlin drops football.

New thought. Chicago and CWRU join NCAC making 12 football teams.

[The Third Division]

Perhaps the CCIW didn't anticipate WASHU averaging 3rd in the conference leaving their lesser performing members to become too butthurt over an affiliate outperforming them. In essence, they got "St. Thomased"

[WLG Old Historian]

I had read a press release (news article) that the CCIW was anticipating more movement of schools to new conferences in the next few years. They dropped Washington because they want a full membership school to replace Washington's affiliate membership and wanted to be ready now to accept a new member if the situation arises.

A side comment on the Wabash-Oberlin game.  A situation that was mentioned earlier but not addressed now. The game was played on Sunday which means a short week this week. Speculating that another reason the 2nd half was shortened was to conserve strength and reduce risk of injury to our own players because we have another game this coming Saturday. Oberlin has an open date this weekend.

[LG67]

Re:  WC - OBE "game".

I participated in and coached sports.  The basic principles I was taught and followed were: athletic competition is a learning experience, strive to do your best, and never quit during a contest. (It is perfectly acceptable to quit, for a variety of reasons, after attempting to participate in any endeavor.)

The Wabash-Obe game followed only one of those guidelines:  Learning -- the players learned it's acceptable to quit striving during an event. ("Taking a knee" is, or should be, offensive to everyone at the event.)  That reflects negatively on the sport, the officials, the coaches, and the institutions; plus, it represents cheating 1) the fans of an event for which they spent time and money, and, 2) the players of an opportunity to improve their skills and enjoyment.

Question 1:  Is there an NCAA, NCAC, or other college "rule" that stipulates a college is obligated to field a team, in any sport, if the college elects not to do so, for what ever the rationale?  (I'm not aware of one.)

Question 2:  What is the future of D3 institutions given the current financial struggles for a great number of them (evident in the NCAC and other conferences), which may well reduce both athletic and academic funds? (More college closures in the near future?)

Question 3:  If one of the key performers in a music concert decided to get up and leave in the middle of a solo, what would be the audience and reviewers' reactions?