FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BashDad]

Wally, where did you see that this week's game was on ESPN3? I'm looking at the schedule and don't see it.

[The_Bishop]

Great discussion.  It has been pointed out by far better analysts than I the obvious fact  that the closer a team gets to the goal line the more space shrinks.  The OWU MO is the short, quick pass:  flares, bubbles, 3-4 yard turn ins, etc., using those to set up intermediate and occasional long strikes.  Their passing game is in part also their running game.  Without the ability to run inside the tackles, it becomes harder in the red zone.     

It's a good discussion but what I find most ironic about it is that back in OWU's Wing-T days there were the same issues with scoring in the red zone!  As the commentary went, the field shrank, defenses stacked the box, and OWU's lack of a passing game created an ineffective and unbalanced offensive attack in the red zone.  OWU got better from week to week all throughout last season and my hope is that they will do so this year as well.  They are going to have to make some big leaps by the time they get to the W/W meat grinder.

[wally_wabash]

Wally, where did you see that this week's game was on ESPN3? I'm looking at the schedule and don't see it.

It was in the game notes for last week's game...first page, bottom right corner.  I hope that's still happening.

[wally_wabash]

Great discussion.  It has been pointed out by far better analysts than I the obvious fact  that the closer a team gets to the goal line the more space shrinks.  The OWU MO is the short, quick pass:  flares, bubbles, 3-4 yard turn ins, etc., using those to set up intermediate and occasional long strikes.  Their passing game is in part also their running game.  Without the ability to run inside the tackles, it becomes harder in the red zone.     

It's a good discussion but what I find most ironic about it is that back in OWU's Wing-T days there were the same issues with scoring in the red zone!  As the commentary went, the field shrank, defenses stacked the box, and OWU's lack of a passing game created an ineffective and unbalanced offensive attack in the red zone.  OWU got better from week to week all throughout last season and my hope is that they will do so this year as well.  They are going to have to make some big leaps by the time they get to the W/W meat grinder.

To be fair, in the wing t days, post-Capone, OWU had trouble doing much of anything. This gets way outside of my knowledge of the Xs and Os, but I think part of it is that you've got to be able make people guess in the red zone...get a defense to commit to stopping one thing and then doing another.  OWU isn't doing that. As sigma one laid out, you pretty much know what OWU is going to do which makes it difficult when the field is short.

[HCAlum86]

I think an interesting game (from my biased standpoint) will be Wooster @ Hiram. If Hiram can beat a Wooster team that more or less dismantled an Oberlin team that beat Case. If Hiram can pull out a win here I believe it will be indicative of how their conference season will go. Competing with the 3,4,5 teams in the conference, or settling at the bottom once more. But the Terriers are 2-1, so GO DAWGS

[sigma one]

It's a long time since the Terriers have had something to be excited about.  Now their emotions and confidence must be sky high, and who know what that's worth this week.  Something, that's for sure.  Maybe a lot.

[smedindy]

I'm really happy for Hiram - they could be this year's Kenyon since it seems that no one behind Wabash, Witt and OWU wants to be the fourth best team in the conference for real.

[bashbrother]

Welcome to the boards HCalum86.... Having watched the Terriers dominate the Gators last week,  they are an inspired football team...  I wish them the best heading into this weekend.  Win/lose/draw,  please stay active on this board.  There is a significant amount of interest in all of the programs in the NCAC on this board and it makes for a stronger board to have representation from all of the schools.

[bashgiant]

How do HCalum86, welcome to the board!

[waf56]

How exciting is the parity in the NCAC this year! While I still believe Wabash, Witt, and OWU are the clear favorites to win the league a whole host of teams are vying for fourth. The way this year is going so far I would not be suprised to see one of these three lose a couple games, to an other big 3 and to an underdog, and come up 4th in the conference with a dark horse in third. Much like Bash did last year someone is going to be overlooked and show up in a big way.

[ExTartanPlayer]

I'm really happy for Hiram - they could be this year's Kenyon since it seems that no one behind Wabash, Witt and OWU wants to be the fourth best team in the conference for real.

I don't think they'll make it quite that far, although I know you're not being completely literal with that description.  I love seeing Hiram competitive, and I think a win over Allegheny carries more weight than any of their few-and-far-between conference wins over Kenyon or Oberlin in the past decade, but a word of caution: Allegheny is wayyyyyyyyyyy down this year.  Kenyon blew them out even worse than Hiram did, and the Gators hit one Hail Mary before halftime for their lone TD against a CMU team that's been handled in their other two games.  That's their only touchdown of the season in three games against teams that are NOT very good.  Hard to believe for a traditionally-decent team that managed five wins last year, but I think Gheny might post a donut this year.  So I'm not going to expect Hiram to win any more games just because they beat Allegheny.

With that said, I do think Hiram will be competitive in at least 2-3 more games this season, if not winners in all, and may steal another W against someone.  I think waf56 is right that a host of teams (Denison, Hiram, Kenyon, DePauw, and Wooster) will trade W's and L's all season and we might have a multiple-way tie for 4th.  I also am on record as predicting that one of the big 3, specifically OWU, will drop a surprising game that we don't see coming.  Perhaps Wooster, perhaps DePauw, perhaps Denison. 

[nike]

OWU has to be able to run the ball in the red zone.  Doesn't matter who, but there must be a running game when you get that close.  Even if it is the quarterback, like Chase Belton the last couple of years.
Richard Barnes is actually playing like he did as a freshman for us so far this year.  And if you don't have a Tyler Holmes type back, an athletic, fast quarterback is the next best thing.  Will miss Mr. Holmes and wish him the best.  The new guy at Wooster is letting Barnes play more freely, if that makes sense.  He seems to have matured in his decision making, also, but it is still early.  So far so good.   
Good games coming up this weekend.   

[wally_wabash]

I don't think they'll make it quite that far, although I know you're not being completely literal with that description.  I love seeing Hiram competitive, and I think a win over Allegheny carries more weight than any of their few-and-far-between conference wins over Kenyon or Oberlin in the past decade, but a word of caution: Allegheny is wayyyyyyyyyyy down this year.  Kenyon blew them out even worse than Hiram did, and the Gators hit one Hail Mary before halftime for their lone TD against a CMU team that's been handled in their other two games.  That's their only touchdown of the season in three games against teams that are NOT very good.  Hard to believe for a traditionally-decent team that managed five wins last year, but I think Gheny might post a donut this year.  So I'm not going to expect Hiram to win any more games just because they beat Allegheny.

In fairness to the Gators, they have scored twice this year.  Once on the aforementioned hail mary and again in the Kenyon game on a long pass that was tipped by a Kenyon defensive back and ended up in the hands of the Gator WR who then had an obstructed jog into the endzone.  So, while they did so quite by accident, they did score twice. 

[wally_wabash]

Allegheny game notes for Saturday's game.  Gone is the mention of an ESPN3 broadcast which is like Lucy pulling the ball away from Charlie Brown.  Not cool, Gators.  Streaming video for Saturday is currently "TBA". 

[Pat Coleman]

Feel like there needs to be an AD twitter joke somewhere ...