FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[oldtiger]

Witt reported on the 8th. I was told a few of the freshman have drawn attention; but, they aren't in pads yet.  They don't go to full pads until tomorrow (Mon.). Then we'll see who stands out.

[smedindy]

At least it cooled down a bit for them. It's ONLY going to be in the low 90s.

[Li'l Giant]

Oh my. That's as hot as it is here in Tejas. 

[wabco]

BB16

130 start the camp ... what do you figure is the number which should complete?

How many freshmen and transfers?

Is Timon going to coach this fall or did he make it?

[BashBacker#16]

Coach Timon Marshall signed a 3-year contract with the Chicago Bears!!!  How cool is that and a great story.  Played for CC at NAIA Ottawa.

ROSTER is updated with new weights.  Roster is at 125.

How about Dustin Huff weighing in at 196?  Reported last year at 219.  There are some other eye openers too.

12-minute run today for their "W"s...

[BashBacker#16]

Major changes with regards to playing weight from the '06 season:

QB Huff goes from 219 to 6'0 196...
DL Lange goes from 270 to 6'1 238...
ILB Deig goes from 234 to 5'10 209...
TE Liska goes from 254 to 6'6 239...
OG Shaver goes from 300 to 6'5 283...
FS Peterman goes from 180 to 5'11 202...

Appears as though some guys wanted to be quicker & in shape.  Those are pretty significant... 

[wally_wabash]

Hmmm...think any of these guys felt like they might have been out of shape for the Franklin game last year? 

[bashbrother]

Hope Lange didn't loose too much.

Not bad to have a few extra in the middle.

[wally_wabash]

Lange at 240 and on two good legs is better than Lange at 270 and on crutches.   

[BashBacker#16]

Good article on Wabash - start of camp...Journal Review - http://www.journalreview.com/articles/2007/08/15/sports/01wabash.txt

Quiet chatter on the NCAC board thus far...

Any camp updates...any comments on Huff dropping 25 pounds???

[WAF78]

Bash,
Thanks for the link about the Wabash camp. I am really impressed with Creighton and his focus on making football a part of the life process rather than preaching that football IS life. I can't wait for Sept. 8th to come...it should be a great test for this years team. It's always great to go back "home" to Wabash. 

[WAF78]

Wally,

Don't know if they were out of shape as I only heard the game rather than seeing it. It may have been that they simply underestimated Franklin...but Franklin had a pretty good team last year. I have to believe Wabash will not take them for granted...and it looks like the team is in good shape. I wonder if they would consider a different defensive scheme with the lighter guys? I guess we'll see.

[wabco]

WAF 78

I think last year's game with Franklin had a number of negative factors which I would think will not be present this year:
1.  Wabash had no prior scouting report or film as to what Franklin had/was doing.  I believe, even though it was Franklin's second game, there is some DIII rule against scouting ... such that Wabash did not have this information.   (CC and company will this year ... having played them... although Franklin has a good coach who will mix it up a little ... still the wholesale revamping of D schemes to what is presented should not reoccur.)
2.  Franklin did have scouting on Wabash ... from the Franklin's coach's participation in some Div III acivity ...can't remember exactly what it was. (This should level out this year.)
3.  Wabash played away ... shouldn't matter to much ... but it generally is more negative than playing at home (Which Wabash will not have this time ... as the game is a home game.)
4.  Wabash was reading a little their press clippings vs. "Franklin" a la the wake up the Little Giants got a few years back against "lowly" K College ... who taught a lesson in that regard.  (No press clipping reading this time.)
5.  Wabash appeared slow ... maybe it was by comparison (Franklin was a fast team) or maybe it was because of the state of physical condition.  probably just a smiggen of the second with a large dose of the first combined with sets which were a suprise.  (The earlier reported weight adjustments on the Wabash team portends that "slow" will not be the result of any physical condition this year)
6.  Wabash D was a mix of new key players in their first contest together.  (Not true this time around.
7.  Wabash was a little one dimensional ... toward the pass as the run game was not there  yet.  (This too should change this year with more experience at the run slots.)

Questions/issues:
1.  Franklin will be fast again, are good players, good coaches, and "up" to play Wabash ... as one (if not THE) "games of the year.
2.  Wabash needs a couple of its O line positions to be mature and come home in a first game ... there is experience here but still O starters who are new to that role as a unit.
3.  Franklin will have a game under its belt against OWU verses Wabash fist game (and Wabash has struggled in first games before).

WABASH WILL WIN.  Quality experienced athletes lead by quality seniors directed by quality coaches and assisted by quality fans AT HOME.   

[Pat Coleman]

1.  Wabash had no prior scouting report or film as to what Franklin had/was doing.  I believe, even though it was Franklin's second game, there is some DIII rule against scouting ... such that Wabash did not have this information. 

There is no D-III rule against scouting regular season games. Any rule that might exist would be put in place by a conference and would govern solely conference games.

[wabco]

Discussion:

It is my understandoing that there are 2 rules changes on kickoffs which should prove interesting:

1)  The kicking team has been moved back 5 yards.

2)  Penalties against the kicking team will now be assessed at the end of the runback rather than providing the receiving team the option of requiring a re-kick.

Question:  Am I accurate regarding these changes?  What do you see as ramifications in Div III?

Thoughts:  as to automatically adding the penalty after runback ... can't you "work" this rule by just sending player(s) well off side and then kick ... you get good field position for D even with tacking on 5 yards off side penalty.

as to starting back an additional 5 yards ... I suspect this will result in defending a short field being very close to the norm.  What about simply kicking it out of bounds so you limit start to the 35?  will this change who is on the kicking team ... your best tacklers rather than fast etc. Frosh and others?