FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

No one can tell what the NCAA regional ranking folks will do.

[oldtiger]

Springfield News-Sun articles:

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/wittenberg-university-tigers/witt-qb-hoping-to-duplicate-his-2010-performance-1278824.html

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/wittenberg-university-tigers/witt-corner-wabash-qb-have-score-to-settle-1278823.html

[Bash-Dad #84]

Here it is, 11:00 A.M. on the Thursday morning of Witt Week and (in my best Allen Iverson impersonation) "Rankings.......We talkin' about rankings?"   

[smedindy]

Well, in the grand scheme of things, they're inter-related. Beat Witt (like we should) and the rankings affirm home playoff games (if we beat the other Tigers). Which is nice!

[nike]

Springfield News-Sun articles:

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/wittenberg-university-tigers/witt-qb-hoping-to-duplicate-his-2010-performance-1278824.html

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/wittenberg-university-tigers/witt-corner-wabash-qb-have-score-to-settle-1278823.html

Sounds like the Witt players and coaches have a healthy dose of respect for Mr. Belton.  No bulletin board material there.  Should be an awesome game.  Did not realize how big Witt's receivers are.  Witt's game previews are pretty impressive.

[BashDad]

When an opposing quarterback says this, it ain't good:

"That was probably the best game I've had since I've been here," Zoeller said. "It just felt real good. I think we had our best third-down percentage (10 of 18) of the whole year, and it had to do with recognizing their defense."

Hammer wasn't the DC last year, was he? Is Zoeller seeing the same scheme?

[utahgetme2]

hammer was the head coach of the poets last year......

[wally_wabash]

hammer was the head coach of the poets last year......

That is correct.  Coach Gilbert had been the DC since ER took over in 2008.  This is Hammer's first year as DC at Wabash. 

“That was probably the best game I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Zoeller said. “It just felt real good. I think we had our best third-down percentage (10 of 18) of the whole year, and it had to do with recognizing their defense.”

That stood out to me as well.  Is that a product of bland scheming or an extra week to study?  You be the judge. 

[wally_wabash]

Here's an interesting tidbit that I found while going through some stats.  McKooper has 15 TD receptions between them.  Of those 15, 11 are 28 yards or longer, 6 are 35 yards or longer.  These guys strike from distance.  Equally interesting is that Wittenberg has scored just 14 TDs on 28 trips to the red zone.  That's 50% TD rate in the red zone, which is ok but not great.  By contrast Wabash is 21-30 scoring TDs in the red zone (70%). 

[wabco]

If it works out that Witt is our last home game on the odd years and the Dannies on the even years ... then we have a Tiger Blowout event each year.

I can hear the amps staerting to light up.  #16's tailgate (I am informed) is opening by 7AM and we will sidle up next to him by 8:30.  Kolisek is sleeping in till a little later but will make up for lost time ... beer and brats and chili and twinkies and chocolate and wood buring smells and country music.  Hollett on a Saturday.

Tiger Blood ... DUH .... Winning

WAF

[wabco]

YUP ... keep Witt QB from the uninterrupted time to throw long, cover reveivers long, make them drive length of field a yard at a time.  The long ball has been their saving grace all season long to get out of jams and score.

Get our running game up and running as a bonafide weapon ... all else will then work ... including QB scampers.  Special teams must beat their special teams. 

Tiger Blood   WAF

[bashbrother]

Equally interesting is that Wittenberg has scored just 14 TDs on 28 trips to the red zone.  That's 50% TD rate in the red zone, which is ok but not great.  By contrast Wabash is 21-30 scoring TDs in the red zone (70%).

Those percentages many times signal the lack of redzone running game.   Don't know what happened to it, did they lose some of their O-line from last year?   Injuries?   This conversation would be much more interesting with some Witt posters.

[smedindy]

Well, in 2013 and 2014, at least, we do finish Tiger / Tiger.

Next year the Witt / Wabash game is week 5 and the LGs finish with Oberlin before DPU. That won't be a creampuff game, but one less strenuous than Witt.

[wally_wabash]

Equally interesting is that Wittenberg has scored just 14 TDs on 28 trips to the red zone.  That's 50% TD rate in the red zone, which is ok but not great.  By contrast Wabash is 21-30 scoring TDs in the red zone (70%).

Those percentages many times signal the lack of redzone running game.   Don't know what happened to it, did they lose some of their O-line from last year?   Injuries?   This conversation would be much more interesting with some Witt posters.

They lost all of their offensive line from last year actually.  It's also indicative of teams that spread it out and sling it around.  It's easy when you've got 80 yards of field behind you to work with.  It gets tougher when the field shirnks up and things get a little more congested. 

Is it weird that I'm more concerned about Witt scoring touchdowns from the 40 than I am about Witt scoring touchdowns inside the 20?   

[smedindy]

Equally interesting is that Wittenberg has scored just 14 TDs on 28 trips to the red zone.  That's 50% TD rate in the red zone, which is ok but not great.  By contrast Wabash is 21-30 scoring TDs in the red zone (70%).

Those percentages many times signal the lack of redzone running game.   Don't know what happened to it, did they lose some of their O-line from last year?   Injuries?   This conversation would be much more interesting with some Witt posters.

Yes it would. Witt has 10 rushing TDs, and five of them are by their backup QB. (I think someone mentioned that before.)
All five of them were in their blowouts (one vs. OWU and two each vs. Gheny and Kenyon, though not always in garbage time.) Every once in a while Witt will throw him in as a change up to Zoeller for a series or even after a first down.

Warye had 7 carries for 115 yards against C-M, but Weber had the bulk of the carries. (24 for 86 yards). Weber's averaging just 3.6 yards per carry. I wonder if Warye can't handle the full load, because he certainly seems to have much better numbers.