FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[aueagle]

wally:
Boxscore said 1750 at Selby..."Stream" color guy said Wabash fans & sideline active & loud all game...Was the Bishop side of the field quiet? It look like a picture perfect day for college football....Did you go down on the field...impression of that turf....I was on it after they put it down...sweet stuff...Bishops might have to retool.

[lancer98]

Seinfeld, ScotLass, Nike, Lancer98, Chilly,etc..

I've posed this question before to some of my Woo football brethren of the Barnes/Schmitz eras, but for fear of sounding asinine, here it goes - Was Sutton the worst thing that could have happened to Wooster for the LONG-TERM health of the program?

What I'm inferring is simple - while Sutton was the greatest player in Wooster histroy (no question about it), did his play mask some serious programatic issues that are coming to a head now?  For example, did he mask an ineffective offensive scheme, did he mask sub-par recruiting classes, did he mask lack of player motivation, did he mask internal issues, or did he create a mis-guided self-belief within the program that the success enjoyed by Wooster during his playing years were the result of superior coaching, recruiting, preparation etc... rather than a once in a lifetime player? 

I dont' know the answers to these questions either and my gut tells me they are simply going through a rough season.  However, it is frustrating watching other conference and non-conference peers re-load and enjoy continued success year after year while Wooster rides the proverbial roller-coaster.

Thoughts?

Also, one more thing that was mentioned to me a few weeks back that I found interesting - does anybody think is strange that all but two of the current Wooster assistant coach's played under Schmitz?  Is this common in other NCAC or DIII schools?  Somebody pointed this out to me as a negative, but I'm not sure what to think about it.

Some great and interesting points WooScot.  A few thoughts:

1.)  I think Wooster will always be a middle of the road football school until a number of changes are made.  Not just football changes but changes at the academic and financial aid levels as well.  Not too mention the school's support of the athletic programs as a whole.  (maybe a contributing factor to only being able to retain Wooster graduates as assistants)  It also would help to have some better facilities.  Wooster has built many buildings the past few years.  Where are the athletic facilities?  This should be at the top of the next wave of construction.

2.)  For a few reasons it appears outside coaches are hard to attract.  I suspect a few of those are and are not related to Schmitz.

3.)  Tony Sutton was a great running back but we all know great Wooster backs at have big feet, a soft head, and bum knees.  They need one of those for a turn around.   

[ScotLass]

Also, one more thing that was mentioned to me a few weeks back that I found interesting - does anybody think is strange that all but two of the current Wooster assistant coach's played under Schmitz?  Is this common in other NCAC or DIII schools?  Somebody pointed this out to me as a negative, but I'm not sure what to think about it.

Outside the coaching realm, there would be two schools of thought on this that might be applicable to coaching too:
1) Tutelage by a great leader who is a) great and b) willing to mentor, can produce other great leaders and I guess an advantage would be they learn the system from the inside if they stay, but the great ones usually move on to be outstanding elsewhere.
2) Not bringing in some new blood from the outside, even in a business, can be disasterous as not doing so stifles the flow of new ideas and you get stuck doing the same old thing the same old way. Businesses like that don't grow, so I would expect the same thing can happen with athletic teams.

[wally_wabash]

wally:
Boxscore said 1750 at Selby..."Stream" color guy said Wabash fans & sideline active & loud all game...Was the Bishop side of the field quiet? It look like a picture perfect day for college football....Did you go down on the field...impression of that turf....I was on it after they put it down...sweet stuff...Bishops might have to retool.

That's pretty typical of the Wabash side of the field.  The fans who travel are pretty hardcore and will be vocally active throughout the game and the players on the Wabash sideline will be up and chanting and cheering on their teammates all game as well.  Wabash never got into a sudden change situation where they turned the ball over or otherwise gave OWU the ball inside the 50...that's when the Wabash sideline really goes nuts.  They were close to a sudden change situation one time, but Finley ripped a 57 yard punt to get Wabash out of the hole. 

The OWU fans were into the game at the outset.  The missed FG seemed to take a little bit of wind out of the OWU sails and then the string of events early in the second half (big KO return for Wabash, punt iniside the 5 yard line, safety, free kick out of bounds, failed fake punt, Wabash TD) really took the crowd out of the game. 

I did a get a chance to stomp around on the turf a little bit.  Pretty cool stuff.  Much, much better than the old Witt turf which is the only other synthetic surface I've been on.  There's no question that these new synthetic surfaces that have popped up around the conference look great...OWU, Denison, Witt...they all have great looking fields. 

I had this whole rant about how watching the OWU offense is like watching a bad magician...but OWU used a lot less of the hidden ball kind of stuff than I've seen in the past.  Yesterday it was an awful lot of straight handoffs out of the shotgun or straight QB runs/sweeps.   Not nearly as much option as OWU has used before.  and it really was pretty effective for a good portion of the game. 

[Li'l Giant]

I think Wooster will always be a middle of the road football school until a number of changes are made.  Not just football changes but changes at the academic and financial aid levels as well.  Not too mention the school's support of the athletic programs as a whole.

I know the numbers of athletes needed are different for football as opposed to other sports, but Wooster has one of the best hoops and baseball teams in all of D3. What's happening to you guys in football has to suck. But if y'all think your athletic department as a whole is in trouble, I'd look no further than baseball and basketball for some reassurance.

[ScotLass]

Here's the Wooster Daily Record report of the Woo/Case game:

http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/2596162

I know this was posted earlier, but it is most definitely how the post game interview should have been.......maybe an accurate assessment like this would give us some hope for some seriously needed changes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3NDiMorX-o

At least that's what I was saying on the long trip back! 

[medicine man]

I think most coaches and staff are optimistic about the new Wooster president being sports-minded. But he also has other issues to address. It is impressive that the NCAC does so well in sports as 99% of the schools will not budge much on their acceptance policies by allowing lower scores for athletes. New facilities would be a real plus, it does make it difficult to recruit when you compare it to some of the OAC facilities like ONU, Otterbein and Capital, and obviously that should not be a determining factor but when you are 18 it is an attraction. I still have faith Woo will be okay.

As far as former players coaching at their alma maters, I know four- Witt, ONU, Otterbein and Woo and I am sure there are many others all have former players. If you have a great kid who wants to get into coaching it is a excellent way for him to get a start and to learn.  

[nike]

Well, what has happened to Wooster's running game?
Thought that with Sheppard back, it was in good hands. 2.5 yds per carry so far. Have not heard that he is still hurt or anything. I guess Drushal was just that important.
I might try something different this week at quarterback.  Let Parker try.  If they lose this week to Witt, OWU game becomes their season in a nutshell as far as the conference goes.  And that is homecoming weekend with all the alumni in town.  Probable 0-4 then. But if kids are graduating and having a great college experience, just how much does winning matter? Let us see what new prez thinks. 
This week it will also be interesting to watch OWU and Kenyon. Kenyon people do not like OWU football folks. Went to last Kenyon-OWU game at Kenyon and OWU ran up the score.  Kenyon people were very enraged as I remember.  OWU kept the starters in the whole game. Should be good.

[ScotLass]

nike,

Sheppard is fine but even he needs an offensive line that can consistently block. Holter is doing the best he can at QB, but again he does need a little time. Blocking or the lack thereof is a big problem for the O-line. I don't know what the aversion is to utilizing a FB every now and then......the handful of times one was used last season and so far this one, it's worked. Personally I like doing things that work occasionally....

I'm sure not winning football games isn't going to ruin anyone's life goals, but I'm thinking it sure beats losing. What's the old saying about if winning doesn't matter then why do we keep score?

[bashbrother]

anyone just hear what Al Michaels just said on TV during the Bears/Cowboys........oooops....

He said G** D*mn.   Nice.  That should get a letter or two

We now return you to your reg. scheduled Woo debate.

One more thing.  What is Grossman doing in the NFL?

[ScotLass]

OhOh...naughty, naughty Al.....

[ScotLass]

One more thing.  What is Grossman doing in the NFL?

Uhhhh....making the Bears wish they'd signed Romo when he was a free agent in 2003  instead of drafting Grossman

[Li'l Giant]

anyone just hear what Al Michaels just said on TV during the Bears/Cowboys........oooops....

He said G** D*mn.   Nice.  That should get a letter or two

He said "Sh*t" on MNF once a few years back, too. Maybe he had a few Old Styles at halftime to loosen up like Cossell used to.

[Werner99]

To the Wabash Faithful, A quick and belated note of best wishes to Huff for a speedy and full recovery.  If I understand the situation correctly, he came back for a fifth year.  If so, I don't think we can appreciate how much of a sacrifice he made to come back.  Take a moment to think of what he has done.  He paid for an additional semester at an expensive college, which is highly unusual.  He is not playing for a better position in the NFL draft, but to be with his team while everyone else from his recruiting class moved on to the next phase in their life.  I truly hope for his sake that he can play again this year as he certainly deserves it.

[smedindy]

At least Michaels was on point. Saturday night, during OVERTIME at the Alabama / Georgia game, Mike Patrick asked Todd Blackledge about Britney Spears! Wowser!