FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[fantastic50]

Quick summary quotes from Wooster's preview...

"...just 12 returning starters and 30 total letterwinners..."

"...[new] 4-2-5 defense..."

"...the new-look linebacking corps will feature fellow senior John Battaglia, formerly the team's leading rusher..."

"'The lack of depth is a concern,' [Colaprete] admitted. 'We played a lot of guys at different positions in the spring, cross-training so they can play several positions if necessary.'"

Only three starting offensive skill players returning: QB Barnes, one WR, one TE

"[T]here are six veterans ... who possess starting experience on the offensive line, plus senior Matt Reeder, who flips sides after starting all 10 games at defensive tackle a year ago. The group up front could very well be the strength of the offense."

"Among the keys to the Scots' new defense is team speed, so Colaprete has completely revamped the defensive line."

Only three returning defensive starters, notably including both safeties.  "The inexperienced defensive unit will be in a lot of 'different fronts and coverages,' and Colaprete expects it to be a 'relentless (group) that runs to the ball.'"

"There will be an open competition to replace the Scots' most decorated player from a year ago, punter Dana Obery who was first-team all-NCAC..."

[bashbrother]

When do teams report?  Mid August?  I am ready to see what the new crop of recruits looks like.

Also, does anyone know if Wabash will be broadcasting home games again online this year?

[wally_wabash]

You're good to go on the video, bashbrother.  There are video links on the schedule for all of Wabash's home games.  Also I just noticed that Wabash has six home games this year.  Righteous. 

[smedindy]

Lest anyone think Wabash is doing the D-1A mega power home game schedule - it became a six game home slate when the NCAC went full round robin and Wabash was slotted for five home games this year, plus there's the back half of the home-and-home with Hanover.

Next year there's just five home games - 4 NCAC games and the front half of the home-and-home with Hampden / Sydney.

[Pat Coleman]

Lest anyone think Wabash is doing the D-1A mega power home game schedule ...

Only someone not used to a 9-game conference schedule would think that. Oh ... yeah ... welcome to the full round-robin.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Things aren't looking up in Oberlin.  2013 roster has 31 players, 10 of them freshmen.  Not a single lineman among the frosh.  Only 7 OL listed, but at least none are seniors.

http://www.goyeo.com/roster.aspx?path=football&

Man, that's really too bad.

Honest question for you NCAC'ers: why is it so hard for Oberlin to draw recruits?  Watching them compete over the last few years while so shorthanded has been very impressive; I have to imagine that the coaching staff is a decent enough bunch of guys, having achieved that.  I've never been to the campus and don't know much about the school & area around it, so can anyone enlighten me?

I will say that Lewis & Clark returned from similar depths (one year, I think 2005 or so, they forfeited the entire conference schedule b/c they also only had about 30 players on the roster) to contend for a playoff spot last year and become at least a competitive squad in the NWC.  I hope the Yeomen can endure this lean year and bring in a bigger class next year.  You'd think that early playing time might be a draw for some marginal kids who might struggle to see the field at schools with bigger squads.

[bashbrother]

RE: Oberlin

I don't see how a team fields a team for an entire season with that many players.   It truly makes their gutsy victory at Hollett last year that much more impressive.    It really does. 

[formerd3db]

RE: Oberlin

I don't see how a team fields a team for an entire season with that many players.   It truly makes their gutsy victory at Hollett last year that much more impressive.    It really does.

Well, it can and has been done in the past by several schools, although, as has been mentioned, it is not easy.  A few years ago, before their revitalized program, Olivet (MI) was down to about 38-40 players for most of the season (and Kalamazoo had that around the time between the transition of the late Terrance Brooks and their current head coach alum Jamie Zerbo).  Oberlin has been through this before, way back in the late 1970's when the program was almost dropped (they were down to 18 players at the end of that season).  I'm hopeful they'll get through this tough period and rebound, with such a great head coach as they have in Jeff Ramsey. 

As has also been mentioned, I can't imagine why Oberlin does not get more recruits particularly with the greater chance of and opportunity of more and/or immediate playing time there as opposed to what recruits would have at some other schools (I certainly would not believe it is due to lack of effort by Ramsey and his staff).  Does anyone truly know what some of the underlying factors are?  Financial aid, cost of tuition too high, or just the school curriculum, academic and/or administrator attitudes?  It seems to me that they have had some significant support from their Heisman Club and alumni athletes, which have, in several years, saved the program and contributed to the entire athletic department and programs there.  Perhaps some of the Oberlin posters here can share their view and inside knowledge of the current situation.

BTW, in further regards to this topic, I've heard that Olivet has 180 out for the team this year-incredible!  Hope has a reported 140 on the pre-seasons roster, although we all know there is a fair amount of attrition at DIII schools the first week or two and you never really know until you see who shows up on the 1st day when players report for practice. Anyway, again, I hope Oberlin has a decent season in surviving this tough period.  I'll be rooting for them.

[smedindy]

I think it's a confluence of things:

Academic standards
Academic programming
Lack of budget dollars for recruiting
Lack of student support
Lack of tradition
Not having full administration support except for "yeah, we need a football team."

I think their entire athletics program is kind of "sure, we need to field teams, so let's field them, whatever..." which is kind of too bad since it's an excellent school and they do get some good players in all sports.

Oberlin's admissions reach is national in scope - like Kenyon (and Denison to some extent). Yes, the other NCAC school want to attract non-midwestern kids but Oberlin and Kenyon really focus on the entire nation, which does hurt them since they're in the midst of some great football recruiting areas.

[Dr. Acula]

I think the two biggest factors are admissions (it's tough to get in and they aren't going to bend to get athletes in) and, as smedindy put it, academic programming.  It looks like 1/4 of the students are in the conservatory of music.  And that doesn't include the kids majoring in art, film, literature, etc.  Those aren't usually big football majors.  And the usual suspects like PE/Health, Sport Management, Exercise Science, etc. are all absent.   

[Li'l Giant]

Oberlin's admissions reach is national in scope - like Kenyon (and Denison to some extent). Yes, the other NCAC school want to attract non-midwestern kids but Oberlin and Kenyon really focus on the entire nation, which does hurt them since they're in the midst of some great football recruiting areas.

Having a national reach is great, but so is having a "backyard". Yeah, kids in Seattle or Austin may choose to play at Oberlin over Puget Sound or Howard Payne. But Oberlin will not build a program on that alone. They need backyard kids choosing Oberlin over Hiram, Denison, and Kenyon.

[Pat Coleman]

If they truly START practice with 31 players, they are in a world of hurt. There's a huge difference between having 31 and having even as little as 40.

Sometimes rosters this time of year are not completely posted.

[Pat Coleman]

Things aren't looking up in Oberlin.  2013 roster has 31 players, 10 of them freshmen.  Not a single lineman among the frosh.  Only 7 OL listed, but at least none are seniors.

http://www.goyeo.com/roster.aspx?path=football&

For what it's worth, I count 39.

[ADL70]

Sorry I mis-typed.

[sigma one]

Only TWO of the Oberlin freshmen players are listed as being from Ohio.