FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BashDad]

OWU didn't get to 7-0 by not being able to take a punch.

But kind of they did. Right? I mean, who punched them? CMU? That's our litmus test?

And why do we have to be so nice to OWU? I don't get it. I don't want to be nice. Play Wittenberg--have Wittenberg on the schedule, I mean--and then maybe I won't reach for snark so quickly when you're hollering about rejuvenation and potential championships and best players and coaches in conference and all that noise. To each is own, and blah blah blah, but sorry if I don't really feel like indulging that kind of blinders-on rah rah or shrugging and agreeing that this is the best for everyone involved. It's not. OWU being 7-0 is directly connected to the conference being weaker, not stronger.

I hope Wabash wins by 45 and all their points come on pick 6's.

[The_Bishop]

OWU didn't get to 7-0 by not being able to take a punch.

But kind of they did. Right? I mean, who punched them? CMU? That's our litmus test?

And why do we have to be so nice to OWU? I don't get it. I don't want to be nice. Play Wittenberg--have Wittenberg on the schedule, I mean--and then maybe I won't reach for snark so quickly when you're hollering about rejuvenation and potential championships and best players and coaches in conference and all that noise. To each is own, and blah blah blah, but sorry if I don't really feel like indulging that kind of blinders-on rah rah or shrugging and agreeing that this is the best for everyone involved. It's not. OWU being 7-0 is directly connected to the conference being weaker, not stronger.

I hope Wabash wins by 45 and all their points come on pick 6's.

Yikes.  Looks like someone had their Wheaties pooped on this morning.

Did OWU take a punch from a top-25 team this past weekend?  Nope, sure didn't.  Did they get down early, on the road, to a solid team that hung with Wabash for a while and come back to win in the 4th quarter?  I'm certain they did.  I don't know if anyone from OWU has been talking about championships, season awards, or anything else along those lines - I certainly haven't.  OWU has improved this year, that's indisputable.  Have they improved to be considered one of the elite teams in the conference?  Not yet, they have to beat one of the elite teams and they get their chance this Saturday.  I'm sorry Witt wasn't scheduled this year, BashDad, I'll take that up with the ADs for each school, the NCAA, the Warren Commission, 60 Minutes and whoever else conspires to help make OWU 7-0 at this point in the season.

Wabash very easily could hang up a big number on OWU this weekend as they have from time to time.  If they end up winning by 45 points I will wish them the best for the remainder of the season and going into the playoffs as the conference representative.  Until then, enjoy your Wheaties.

[BashDad]

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS - OWU's REAL SEASON - PART 1

Hiram, the only winless team in our conference at 0-7, scored more points against the Bishops than against any team they've faced this year.

[The_Bishop]

^^And OWU fans are demanding that the starters play the entire game against Hiram the next time they play.

[smedindy]

The NCAC isn't that great, and one of the best gauges is our record on the UAA.

OWU 2-0
Wabash 2-0
Wittenberg 2-0

DePauw 1-1

Allegheny 0-2
Kenyon 0-2
Denison 0-2
Oberlin 0-2
Wooster 0-2
Hiram 0-2

Ugly.

[BashDad]

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS - OWU's REAL SEASON - PART 2

Big Play U, but in the pejorative, OWU has given up big plays to nearly every opponent. Denison had a 82 yard pass and 63 yard rush, the Yeoman had passes of 53 and 44 yards, joining Kenyon who also had a 40+ TD throw. They've surrendered an 86 yard kickoff return against the 2nd worst team in the league and allowed the worst to take one back 49 yards.

The combined record of the teams listed above: 9-26,000,000

[The_Bishop]

^^OWU's record is a combined 7-0.

[wally_wabash]

Back to the Wabash D-line putting pressure on Espinosa.  OWU had some great calls against CMU last weekend when there was pressure or a blitz package that involved a quick underneath handoff to the RB that resulted in some big (20+ yards) gains.  We've talked a lot about the swing passes and quick screens when Wabash brings the heat but keep an eye on how quickly the DB's can come up and make a tackle in these situations, or how well a D-lineman or two can put an arm on the back and make a play.  Probably saw this play around a half a dozen times or so against CMU but I would expect to see it against Wabash to attempt to keep them off balance.

CMU does not have Pat Clegg or Zach Bruekman in the middle of the defensive line to snuff that stuff out.  They also don't have Scola/Buresh/Akinribade cleaning things up around and behind and that defensive line.  Don't think OWU can draw their way to the endzone.  CMU's run defense is 161st in the nation.  Not so good. 

[BashDad]

^^And OWU fans are demanding that the starters play the entire game against Hiram the next time they play.

The Terrier's scoring drive in the first quarter covered 75 yards and lasted all of 2 minutes and 18 seconds.

[wabco]

"Grand Canyon" ... and that is because "Monkey Stomp" is being saved for the Dannies.

[The_Bishop]

^^And OWU fans are demanding that the starters play the entire game against Hiram the next time they play.

The Terrier's scoring drive in the first quarter covered 75 yards and lasted all of 2 minutes and 18 seconds.

And yet, OWU still won.

BashDad, you need to hit a yoga class or something.  It's not good to carry all this anger around.  Bad for your health.

[smedindy]

Of course OWU still won. It's Hiram, bless their hearts.

Even the worst teams in D-3 (the Maranatha Baptist, Misericordia, Anderson, Earlham, etc.) can find the end zone once against a good team, even a pretty good team. (Somehow, Misericordia scored seven against Lebanon Valley). Earlham scored 20 against Franklin who I guess has decided that foolishness of having points scored against them must stop. I wouldn't put much credence in Hiram scoring 24 against OWU since it was 34-7 before bench clearing time began, but I wouldn't put much credence in jumping out to a 34-7 lead over the Terriers either.

The issue to me is that OWU's taking advantage of a down NCAC (and UAA, honestly - because CWRU isn't so hot to trot) and a good schedule to have a great start. It's tremendous for them if they wind up 9-1 (which they easily could) but it's a shallow 9-1 that may not even be good enough for a "C" if it comes to that (though their SOS is better than Heidelberg or Widener). But let's not crown them, yet.

[BashDad]

^^And OWU fans are demanding that the starters play the entire game against Hiram the next time they play.

The Terrier's scoring drive in the first quarter covered 75 yards and lasted all of 2 minutes and 18 seconds.

And yet, OWU still won.

BashDad, you need to hit a yoga class or something.  It's not good to carry all this anger around.  Bad for your health.

Correct. OWU still managed to beat a team that hasn't won a game against a team not named Kenyon in 4 years. They did that while managing to give that team the most points they've scored since a 2010 game against, look at that, OWU (who finished 2-8).

[The_Bishop]

^^Yoga.

OWU's record 2 years ago is very relevant to the discussion of the upcoming game against Wabash.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

OWU didn't get to 7-0 by not being able to take a punch.

But kind of they did. Right? I mean, who punched them? CMU? That's our litmus test?

And why do we have to be so nice to OWU? I don't get it. I don't want to be nice. Play Wittenberg--have Wittenberg on the schedule, I mean--and then maybe I won't reach for snark so quickly when you're hollering about rejuvenation and potential championships and best players and coaches in conference and all that noise. To each is own, and blah blah blah, but sorry if I don't really feel like indulging that kind of blinders-on rah rah or shrugging and agreeing that this is the best for everyone involved. It's not. OWU being 7-0 is directly connected to the conference being weaker, not stronger.

I hope Wabash wins by 45 and all their points come on pick 6's.

I do not remember anyone saying OWU has the best players, or the best coach. Yes, SOME people have said Watts should be a COY candidate. All that means is Watts has done the best job this year with the talent he has. Not that he is the best coach.

This has been a great year for OWU. Would they have beat this CMU team last year? I don't know but I would bet not. Ecerybody has to start somewhere and hopefully this is were OWU starts the climb.