FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

I don't think the league realized when it was putting the Witt / Wabash game. They probably didn't want it bumping next to the Bell game, so they threw it in the middle.

[short]

Smed,
I don't think the NCAC cares about the Bell.

[INQBScout]

Smed,
I don't think the NCAC cares about the Bell.

I think the NCAC is alone on that.

Wait, isn't the NCAC the conference that has spring football....but "you can't use the ball"?

Go figure.

[ADL70]

[Doing my best Frank Uible impresion]  If schools could be found which were willing to switch dates to make that happen shouldn't they be able to?

[JK]

Six Killed in Bluffton baseball bus crash... this is just awful.   Our thoughts and prayers to all in the Bluffton Family:

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/6522208

[wally_wabash]

[Doing my best Frank Uible impresion]  If schools could be found which were willing to switch dates to make that happen shouldn't they be able to?

They should be able to, but if you're Wittenberg why would you want to opt to play that game in front of a crazy rowdy stadium full of Wabash fans when you have the opportunity to do otherwise? 

Ideally, they could schedule around everybody's fall break so that nobody gets stuck with a dead home game.  A quick peek at some academic calendars tell me that this is easier said than done. 

- 7 of our 10  schools have midsemester break on the same weekend in fall 2007 (the weekend of 10/13).  My guess is that this figure is typical for most academic years.

- Oberlin's break comes a week later so they could host a game on 10/13.

- Kenyon doesn't appear to have a break (or if they do it isn't important enough to put on the academic calendar).  The Lords could host on this weekend.

- Denison's calendar hints at a midsemester break on the weekend of the 10/13, but doesn't say so explicitly.  Denison might be able to host (as an aside, Denison should host every game they play...their stadium is awesome...I would travel to Denison to watch Wabash every year). 

So at best, we've got three NCAC teams that could host games on the weekend of 10/13 without sacrificing their home game to fall break.  Two other teams would have to fall on the sword to get a full slate of NCAC games in on that weekend. 

But wait...starting in 2008 we've got games against the UAA sprinkled in.  This is brilliant...we need to be using these UAA games as roadies during our fall breaks!  If the UAA schools have fall breaks on the same weekend, tough.  It's a small price for the UAA to pay after the NCAC lifted their scheduling burden. 

[smedindy]

You all do realize that the NCAC is allowing the Bell game to be played in its traditional spot instead of mandating a conference game be played that day (and I suppose the SCAC is doing the same dispensation for that OTHER school). So they're doing us a favor, really.

And the NCAC commish was at the last Bell game, even though there was a game that determined the actual playoff participant being played at the same time. (OK, sure it was Witt / Hiram, but you know...things HAVE happened!)

Just sayin'....

[wally_wabash]

To an extent, they do do us a favor by letting us play the Bell game during week 11, but seriously what else were they going to do?  Spit on 100+ years of some of the most storied small college football tradition?  To mess with the Bell game would have been a PR nightmare for the NCAC...rivalry games like ours are good for our institutions, our conferences, and small college football in general. 

Also, I think we've been in the conference long enough now such that we don't have to consider this a major consolation for us newbs.  Our dues have been paid here. 

I believe there is a way, particularly with the UAA in play now, to make these schedules such that teams can avoid having home games scheduled during midsemester breaks all together or at the very least to avoid scheduling our league's higher profile games during midsemester breaks.  It might take a little extra legwork from the NCAC office and the ADs at our institutions, but it would be worth the effort in the long run for the student-athletes and for the fans of our teams. 

[INQBScout]

Interesting coaching move...Ben Davis H.S. coach headed to Crawfordsville....

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007703060355

Good luck to Coach Allen---and Coach K.

[wally_wabash]

DBs and special teams....did Coach Lemmond leave? 

[BashBacker#16]

Wally,

Yes, Coach Lemmond made the decision before Christmas break (I think) - not sure what his plans are - I think he's going back to the high school level.  Coach Allen from Ben Davis H.S. is a very good hire.  He is very close friends with O-line coach Jake Gilbert and I believe he and CC have gotten to know each other the past few years.  Allen was rumored pretty early on to have interest and it sounds as if he's a great fit.

[BashBacker#16]

Did you guys know the NCAC went back to the "no ball" rule for Spring practices?  That is unbelievable to me and serves no purpose.  One of only 2 conferences in all of D3 to have that rule.  Crazy!

Thoughts???

[frank uible]

It could be worse. Some conferences have the no practice rule.

[INQBScout]

Did you guys know the NCAC went back to the "no ball" rule for Spring practices?  That is unbelievable to me and serves no purpose.  One of only 2 conferences in all of D3 to have that rule.  Crazy!

Thoughts???

It i scrazy. Are conference schools really THAT much in favor of it? Can athletic leadership at Wabash (among other schools) do something about it? Rephrase that---of course they can----are they?

[INQBScout]

Wally,

Yes, Coach Lemmond made the decision before Christmas break (I think) - not sure what his plans are - I think he's going back to the high school level.  Coach Allen from Ben Davis H.S. is a very good hire.  He is very close friends with O-line coach Jake Gilbert and I believe he and CC have gotten to know each other the past few years.  Allen was rumored pretty early on to have interest and it sounds as if he's a great fit.

Remains to be seen if he is a good fit. For sure, Coach Allen is a quality guy.