FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

Well, I think the LGs are a little past having people pick against them to motivate them. I think the hardware they won yesterday was motivation enough. That, and it's Witt.

[OldCaveman]

Long time lurker coming on board during the best week of the year....Bell Week. DePauw to hell, we'll keep the bell!!

Some thoughts on yesterday's Witt game. 1. The LG defense was outstanding. If I hadn't known better I would have thought it was Wabash's bye week (instead of Witt's) for how B.J. Hammer had his defense playing and the changes they made for Witt.  The blitz packages were unbelievably effective and the change from a 4-3 to a 3-4 for most of the game no doubt had Witt's blocking schemes confused. I bet Zoeller is hurting today as the LG's laid some wood on that boy.
2. HH...glad to see him back on the field. He had a great play where he was fighting off the block of one of the big receivers and then makes the tackle on another of the big receivers.
3. Wabash played probably the best 3/4 of a half they have played all year. If Wabash could ever put together a total game, not many people could beat them. However, they have not shown the mental discipline/toughness to do so. In the second half, mental mistake after mental mistake plagued them. It should have been 35-0 at half had the LG's had a killer instinct. 
4. O-Line had stretches of complete dominance and then had short stretches where everyone appeared to be brain farting. They were able to run yesterday like I haven't seen a Wabash team run for a long, long time. Great job overall.
5. Belton was very good. Not much more to say there.
6. I say bring back Charlie Kolisek's dad and let him kick. He was money from 45 yards and kicked straight on. 
Congrats to the Little Giants and their NCAC championship. Oh...btw...nothing better than beating DPU at Blackstock...unless it's beating them at Hollett or beating them anyplace and anytime.

[formerd3db]

To the Wabash faithful:

I suppose I should ask this after the upcoming Monon Bell game (assuming Wabash wins that one - and they should).  Anyway, assuming that Wabash wins out and goes undefeated, realistically, how far do you think they will go in the playoffs i.e. what do you think about their chances?

[wally_wabash]

To the Wabash faithful:

I suppose I should ask this after the upcoming Monon Bell game (assuming Wabash wins that one - and they should).  Anyway, assuming that Wabash wins out and goes undefeated, realistically, how far do you think they will go in the playoffs i.e. what do you think about their chances?

All the way, obviously!   

As it is with about 29 or 30 of the teams in the field, it all depends on the draw.  I'll get back to you next Sunday evening. 

[formerd3db]

To the Wabash faithful:

I suppose I should ask this after the upcoming Monon Bell game (assuming Wabash wins that one - and they should).  Anyway, assuming that Wabash wins out and goes undefeated, realistically, how far do you think they will go in the playoffs i.e. what do you think about their chances?

All the way, obviously!   

As it is with about 29 or 30 of the teams in the field, it all depends on the draw.  I'll get back to you next Sunday evening.

Okay - love the enthusiasm!   Indeed, it somewhat depends on the draw and also a few breaks here and there in some of the games.  I don't doubt that you'll have a better opinion on that next Sunday after you see what the game draw for Wabash is as well as from how they play(ed) against DePauw in the Monon Bell game.

[smedindy]

If we take care of business, I can see us as a #2. Now, the optimism of going to the round of 8 and meeting a purple depends on if Franklin or North Central is the North #3. If it's Franklin, I can see Wabash getting to the round of 8. If it's North Central, then, that's going to be a different beast, even at home. The LG's will need to play its best game of the year to beat NC, if it comes to that.

Of course, there's some game this Saturday to play first...

[wally_wabash]

I would be shocked if Franklin has a higher seed than North Central in this tournament.  Franklin does have a loss and their SOS is super, super awful while NC's SOS is super, super good.  Plus NCC is going to have to two wins over RR'd teams, Franklin will have zero.  North Central has advantages at almost every criteria point. 

[smedindy]

Except regional record, Wally. That Redlands loss is still a regional loss.

[smedindy]

http://www.d3football.com/top25/2011/week10

Wabash back to ninth as Thomas More takes a tumble (and possibly settles at where they should be ranked...)

[wally_wabash]

Except regional record, Wally. That Redlands loss is still a regional loss.

There is no way, and I mean no way, that a room full of smart people can sit down and say that a game between teams from Illinois and Southern California is more regional than a game between teams from Indiana and Wisconsin.  I pulled my hair out last year fudging around with regional record this and regional record that.  In the end, all of the games matter.  The sample sizes just aren't big enough to exclude a result.  If they were interested in throwing out non-regional results, Wabash would have been a slam dunk for Pool C invitation last year.  I know what the criteria are and how the handbook spells out primary and secondary and all of that....it works well for sports where you've got 20 or so games, it doesn't work well with just 10 games to base decisions on.  When it comes to football selection and seeding, I'm fairly convinced that the national committee rubs out the line between regional and not regional. 

[smedindy]

What I was saying, my friend, is that there was one criteria where North Central does not have an advantage over Franklin. I know you said 'almost every' but that's still a primary criteria.

And I didn't say I thought Franklin would BE the #3. I'm hedging because I am never going to be certain what the committee will do until they do it.

[bashbrother]

Do we think Baldwin Wallace has a chance to sneak into the tourney at a #7 or #8  even with 2 losses?  IF so,  they would be a tough opening round game for a team that earned a #1 or #2....... 

With what is going on in the East the last few weeks,  I can see the real possibility of Mount Union getting moved East and St. Thomas being placed as a North #1.   Giving UWW the West #1.  ??

Wabash needs to take care of business this week.   It would be nice though if we could get a #2 or #3 seed and face a Benedictine or Albion type team. Rather than a OAC runner-up or even a strong Ill Wesleyan team.

Again, lets keep the Bell in C-Ville first!

[wabco]

and with that: DePauw to Hell, We've Got the Bell   and  47 to 0 

Robby ... you are in deep kaka.  About to be 4-5 and then you get Wabash, Gheny, Witt and a revitalized Woo.  Not to mention OWU after the revolution there and Denison and Obe with a few more players (which is all they need).  Of course, you will still be favored against the puppies and the swimmers.

Lets go Wabash ... put the next batch of tigers back in their cages.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Do we think Baldwin Wallace has a chance to sneak into the tourney at a #7 or #8  even with 2 losses?  IF so,  they would be a tough opening round game for a team that earned a #1 or #2....... 

With what is going on in the East the last few weeks,  I can see the real possibility of Mount Union getting moved East and St. Thomas being placed as a North #1.   Giving UWW the West #1. 

Wabash needs to take care of business this week.   It would be nice though if we could get a #2 or #3 seed and face a Benedictine or Albion type team. Rather than a OAC runner-up or even a strong Ill Wesleyan team.

Again, lets get the Bell back first.

Because of geography, it would almost certainly be UWW in the 'North', leaving St. Thomas and Linfield to anchor what would still be a loaded 'West' bracket.

I think the number of strong 1-loss teams is down to about 4 or 5, so this MIGHT be a year that one or more 2-loss teams go in ahead of such weak 1-loss teams as Illinois College and Endicott.  I haven't studied up on the 2-loss options, but I would think that BW would certainly be in the running (along with Wheaton and Bethel MN).  Given the weakness of some AQ teams, if they did get in I suspect it would be as at least a 6 seed.

[USee]

Smed,

Understand the Redlands loss but it doesn't really count against NCC vs Franklin in the seedings. They both have a loss and. Agree w Wally, the committee isn't stupid. NCC will have 2 wins vs RRO while Franklin will have none. As Pat says "it's not who you lost to that matters, it's who you beat".