FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

What are your bracket picks for the Mount Union bracket?

I see no hope for Hope ... it will be MU in a slaughter.
Wheaton will win out over Mt. St. Joseph by a goodly margin (not as big as MU but almost)
Concordia over North Central in a close game
Capital will put one on Witt (Note:  the end of season rankings by Pat and the boys lists Wabash as an also ran but does not list Witt)
St. John Fisher cruises over Union
Springfield's margin of win is like that of Wheaton

Love to have Witt win ... but just do not believe it is in the cards.  Discussion?

For the first time in quite some time I think the North region might be the weakest region overall, despite the fact that the tournament favorite resides here.  My quickie take on the North Region:

Mount should cruise to the regional final dispatching Hope with little trouble and then overwhelming Wheaton in the semifinal.  Capital is simply too strong for Witt's one-dimensional offense.  I like NCC to win the rematch over Concordia (Concordia caught NCC with the 2nd game vs. 1st game advantage which I tend to think is huge).  They will have no such advantage this time around.  Then I like Cap over NCC in a rematch of last year's first round game (which was a classic by the way) which sets up a rematch of last year's North Region final...which I pick MUC to win because picking against Mount Union is just plain silly. 

[uknowme2]

Wittenberg will show up and play Saturday.  It may not matter, but they will give it their all.  Hopefully we catch Cap looking ahead, but Coach Collins (a Witt grad) won't let that happen.  I think it will be closer than some predict, but the Tigers look to be one and done.

GO TIGERS!!!

[wabco]

Agree with Wally's pics except for NCC over Concordia ... however, regardless of that winner ... their season is over the next game.

[HScoach]

Wally (and others),

I'd be curious to hear what you would have set the Witt/Cap spread at for the playoff re-match?  I set it at Witt +27.5 figuring that Witt is playing better than early in the season and that I was not at all impressed by Capital's run defense against MUC a few weeks ago.    Looking back at the first Witt/Cap game, I'm very surprised that Murray had a terrible game rushing versus Cap.  I would have expected a good running day for the Tigers based on Capital's D being a little weak against the run.  It's very fast and aggresive, but not very big or physical up front.

For whatever reason, Witt seems to start the season slow and Capital jus the opposite.  Hence a huge blowout in Week 1.  But what about Week 11?

I honestly think it will be something like 35-21, but set the spread at +27.5 since most of the guys participating in our Pick-Ems are OAC guys and therefore slanted to favor the OAC team.  I'd be really shocked if it's another blowout like the openers have been.

Thanks for your opinion.

[uknowme2]

hscoach,

I agree with you completely.  It would be hard to set the spread lower than that on an OAC dominated board.  I was thinking 28-14, 35-14, or something like that.  As you can see on your pick'em board I took Witt.  Not to win, but Capital not to cover.

GO TIGERS!!!

[Li'l Giant]

I'd be curious to hear what you would have set the Witt/Cap spread at for the playoff re-match? 

I'd think something like 21.5 would get good action here. But I'm curious what Wally thinks since he's our resident spread setter.

[wally_wabash]

I'd have it set at 4 TDs +/- the half point depending on how I think the action would break.  I think Saturday's playoff game will be closer than the opening week games we've seen but, relatively speaking, "closer" could mean 38 points.  There's sufficient evidence here to be pretty certain that Witt just doesn't match up with Capital at all. 

After Saturday and next year's opening game, this nightmare series will be over for Witt. 

[SOAP]

I will be interested to see if personal adjustments after the Capital game in Week 1, especially Lance Phillips to DT (from ILB) and Joe Swanson now at ILB, will be any help to the Tiger D. 

I think Swanson's lateral movement is hands down better than Phillips, but Phillips size and strength was dominating throughout NCAC play this year.  Definately a different dynamic for the Tiger D as opposed to Week 1.

Congrats to Coach Fincham on his 100th victory!

[uknowme2]

Congrats to Coach Fincham on his 100th victory!

Second all-time at Wittenberg.  Sandwiched between two college hall of famers.  Bill Edwards and Dave Maurer.  Not too bad indeed.  It would have been much better to see him get it against the Gators, rather then the Puppies.

If they don't blow it at OWU, that's the way it would have worked out.

GO TIGERS!!!

[seventiesraider]

Record-Courier reporting today that Mike Lazusky has resigned as Coach of Hiram stating it is time to hand it to someone who can take them to the next level, whatever that might mean.

[smedindy]

Funny, I thought they were slowly improving. The next level at Hiram is 2-8.

[aueagle]

Congrats to Witt on the invite. Maybe the improvements  they made from the bad start will propel them to a "W" over the OAC. Great to hear D3 hit 20 million. This is a great forum for all of us, and the brain-trust of D3 deserves our thanks...way to go, guys!!

[Li'l Giant]

Record-Courier reporting today that Mike Lazusky has resigned as Coach of Hiram stating it is time to hand it to someone who can take them to the next level, whatever that might mean.

I know we had a brief discussion about Hiram's woes on this board a couple of weeks ago. It just mystifies me that they can't get their lips above the water line.

[ADL70]

You'd think they'd at least be able to "dog paddle."   

[ScotLass]

Poor Hiram

Maybe they need to use the Kenyon strategy for a while. It's got to be hard to recruit with their record and with the fact that their total enrollment is so low.

Their facilities aren't bad. They handle defeat with grace. At least they play some mid and above level conference teams.

See what I mean......it's tough to put on much of a recruiting spin