FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

That is cool.  My program guide is telling me that I'm getting the Westminster/Gheny game here on FCS-C Saturday night.  I'll have to dvr that bad boy as I plan to get out and watch the Big Ten honks out here cry in their adult beverages Saturday evening.  Should be a good time.   

[Gray Fox]

Good.  I wasn't sure that meant television.

[Schwami]

Hope its more fun to watch than last years 6-2 game, or 2003's classic won by Westminster in overtime 3-0 

[bashbrother]

Wabash press release is up:

http://www.wabash.edu/sports/docs/Sept1009Release.pdf

Things that stood out to me:

Durm at center

Fr. Clegg starting at d-line (He must be a beast)

Fr. Chase Belton #2 QB - (The next star Wabash QB)

3 Freshman in the RB 4-deep.

[wab64]

Perused the 2 deep with a fine tooth comb. Yoder at rb? Dan Ryan Wood at cb? Any confirmations on the reasons?
     Great to see Belton, Clegg and Hackett in the mix- been a long time since freshman like Tamarco White, Josh Foster, Aaron Selby made an impact. (not to mention Adi, Jake Knott, Aaron Lafitte)
    On tenterhooks until Saturday----GO BASH!

[bashbrother]

Yoder at rb? Dan Ryan Wood at cb?

Both dinged up

[cave2bens]

Yoder at rb? Dan Ryan Wood at cb?

Both dinged up

Schweigel as well. Mike?

[smedindy]

And here's a piece from the Earlham Word that makes the whole thing sound even a little more certain:

http://ecword.org/index.php/2009/09/news/earlham-to-join-hcac-next-fall/

I don't think they can win 50% in the HCAC - they have good teams sprinkled around in every sport and they still have non-conference games to deal with.

[BashBacker#16]

Yes, Schweigel too    Grrrrr.

Anyone recall how big BJ Hammer was as a Frosh or Soph?  Clegg.......hmmmm.

Bashbro - Durm and Hackett at Center still had the "or"   

[zed07]

Bash media guide appears to be downloading as I type... 

[Li'l Giant]

Something interesting in the media guide: the future schedules. We open with Wooster in 2010 and 2011? Holy crap. Helluva start to the season.

And then both years Allegheny and Wittenberg the two weeks before the Bell Game. Yikes.

[fantastic50]

In both 2010 and 2011, Wooster will start the season with Baldwin-Wallace (replacing Waynesburg), so the Wabash-Wooster game will be the opener for the LGs, but not for the Scots.

[fantastic50]

Assuming that Earlham moves to the HCAC, I suppose that their NCAC opponents will be looking for an additional early-season non-conference game for 2010-2011.  For example, Wooster is scheduled to host Earlham in week 9 next season, and it would seem difficult to find a nearby opponent with an open date in that week, so filling in their open date in week 4 seems more realistic.

[wally_wabash]

Assuming that Earlham moves to the HCAC, I suppose that their NCAC opponents will be looking for an additional early-season non-conference game for 2010-2011.  For example, Wooster is scheduled to host Earlham in week 9 next season, and it would seem difficult to find a nearby opponent with an open date in that week, so filling in their open date in week 4 seems more realistic.

That's assuming the NCAC doesn't bring in a 10th member to replace Earlham...

[wabco]

Given Earlham's political desire to move toward mediocrity in athletics in a conference without an academic prime focus and delude itself that this will somehow help in student recruiting and save money .... how about we swap for Rose ... who does a nice job athletically as well as scholastically ... thereby improving both gene pools.

On a different subject ... it appears from the 2-deep chart that Wabash has some breakthroughs in the Freshman class.  What is the general feeling about the overall strength of the Freshmen?  Any others who would/might make the 2 1/2 - deep chart (Read:  someone we should look for on Saturday)?