FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[KC44]

Smed

Before you get flippant with the Rugby team as a "club sport", I suggest you  try it.  The Wabash Rugby squad is pretty darn good, plays Div I school Rugby clubs and the game is not for the "ultimate frisbee" types.  I doubt there is a Rugby team/club at Kenyon.

There's been a pretty successful mens/womens club rugby program at kenyon for years.  They aren't ultra competitive but are well organized and seemingly well funded.  In my years they won some regional event for what it's worth and faced some Division I rugby competition.

[Ralph Lee Wilson]

The Bear just loves stirring pot (legall, In Colorado, for medicinal reasons).  Anywho, I'll repost this here since he apparently got the Monon Bell board shut down.  Fun article about the wide reach of the rivalry:
http://www.journalreview.com/sports/article_9401ac4a-10d5-11e1-b729-001cc4c002e0.html

[Pat Coleman]

Yours was the last post but not the reason it was locked. Closed for the season because, honestly, it's a little overemotional in there and 51-1/2 weeks until the next one.

[BashBacker#16]

Bashbro,

Nice break down.  What does IC's offense do when they can't do what they've done all year...PUNT!  Punt, and punt again...

I would love to see a big day for Bash and their wide receivers especially after a 2 completion Bell game.  I do think we'll see some big plays by Chase and that group!

Off the cuff predictions:
- Houston Hodges gets a pick and has a long return.
- AJ Akinribade gets 3 sacks
- Chamblee continues to play big; whether receiving or in the return game
- Horn goes for 100+
- big play Koop gets 6; either a pick 6 or a special teams TD

I'm going:

Wabash 48
IC 17

(I hope)

[wally_wabash]

The Bear just loves stirring pot (legall, In Colorado, for medicinal reasons).  Anywho, I'll repost this here since he apparently got the Monon Bell board shut down.  Fun article about the wide reach of the rivalry:
http://www.journalreview.com/sports/article_9401ac4a-10d5-11e1-b729-001cc4c002e0.html

That's pretty funny anecdotally.  Although, I'm sure there's a separate commentary in there somewhere about airport "security". 

[Li'l Giant]

The Bear just loves stirring pot (legall, In Colorado, for medicinal reasons).  Anywho, I'll repost this here since he apparently got the Monon Bell board shut down.  Fun article about the wide reach of the rivalry:
http://www.journalreview.com/sports/article_9401ac4a-10d5-11e1-b729-001cc4c002e0.html

That's pretty funny anecdotally.  Although, I'm sure there's a separate commentary in there somewhere about airport "security".

Yeah, it's definitely black comedy.

[wally_wabash]

16, bashbro-

Nice breakdowns.  The thing I keep coming back to is that the guy behind the wheel of that big, bad, blue offense is a freshman.  A good freshman, but a freshman.  Sometime on Saturday, Hammer is going to dial up something wicked and force him to make a freshman mistake.  That mistake is going to get turned into points for Wabash (side note...Wabash just ran another INT back in Greencastle). 

Beyond that, it's really hard for me to break this thing down.  I just have very little feel for the level of play in the MWC.  Monmouth won a playoff game a couple of years ago, so maybe the Tanney-led revolution there at Monmouth since 2004 or so has raised the level of play in that league a bit.  Who knows.  I expect Wabash's playoff and big game experiences will carry the day here. 

[Ryan Tipps]

I'm going:

Wabash 48
IC 17

For Triple Take this week, my prediction is only 3 points off from what you got there

[Bash-Dad #84]

^^ What he said! 

[smedindy]

It's going to be interesting. If IC concentrates on the run - there goes Horn, Chamblee and Kraus. Playing the pass means Belton and the backs run wild. I think IC can score 21 but still get doubled up.

[bashbrother]

One thing I know heading into the playoffs is:   Wabash is extremely well coached.

ER & Staff are truly turning into group that gets the team ready for big games!.....  Doesn't matter what happened the week before,  If it is a big game, watch out,  the team is going to be ready!

I also believe that the game winning drive at Allegheny changed this team....  a few people mentioned the possible benefit that might come out of that.   I think in the last two weeks, we have seen it.  A focused and hungry team, that could very well surprise in these playoffs!

WAF!

[Ryan Tipps]

A focused and hungry team, that could very well surprise in these playoffs!

I agree 100 percent! I didn't have a good place to say this in the D3football playoff writeups I did, but I feel like this is a really unique Wabash team. Granted the only Bash game I've seen this year was last weekend's, but from what I've followed/researched during the fall, there's a mix here that's been unmatched in recent seasons (maybe even as far back as 2002).

I know it's one week at a time, but it's a little disappointing that the LGs have to go up against a team as amazing as North Central in Round 2. NCC may have the mettle to take down Mount this year, to give you an example of what caliber they're playing at. However, I've been thinking for a couple weeks now that this is the kind of team that has the ability to get that marquee playoff win that Wabash has needed/craved for a while now. Not to take anything away from those undefeated Case teams of recent years, but I mean taking down a real conference big dog (as almost happened to Illinois Wesleyan in '09). Wabash is at the point to do just that -- with a great defense reminicent of the late '90s-early '00s (coincidently led by one of the great players of that era), and an offensive balance that we didn't have during the Creighton years. Erik Raeburn is putting WC on a great track.

I'm really stoked to see what kind of noise the LGs can make in the next weeks!

[Bash-Dad #84]

They may very well surprise us in the playoffs, but they won't be surprised! Our players believe in themselves, they know how hard they have worked and they know how well they have prepared. I believe in them too. You better get your popcorn ready...

[bashbrother]

Illinois College will be very excited coming into the game,   the longer we let them hang around and keep the score close, the more dangerous they become.   I hope we come out firing, looking for points.   I remember the Denison game in 2005,  first play, Russ to Summers for 47 yards.......two plays later..TD  Quote from a Bash player on the field that day "after that play you could see it in their (Denison players) eyes", "the game was over after one play"

Come out firing and take care of business!  If we win the toss... take the ball.

Onward and Upward Little Giants!

WAF!

[BashBacker#16]

Illinois College head coach Garrett Campbell interview on the playoffs and this Saturday's game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT-nZyf3lOI&feature=player_embedded

"They have a returner that is a very Devin Hester-like...we are going to have to play very good on special teams."
"They have a Defense that blitzes the heck out of the Quarterback...we are going to have to pass protect."

He seems like a class act.