FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

The SOS difference between Hanover and every single one of those teams is absolutely negligible. 

I can't stress this enough: Wabash can not substantially change their SOS by replacing Hanover with anybody else.  Hanover is not the problem. 

[firstdown]

Maybe the selection system needs revising?  Why not adopt a system not unlike the Men's basketball tourney where the top 4 or 8 pool C contenders play for 2 or 4 spots in the tourney?  Every one would have to start play week 1 of the season and finish week 10.  Week 11 for the extra round of the playoffs, then the normal order staring in week 12?

[Pat Coleman]

There is no way we'll add a week to the season.

[nike]

This season was the most enjoyable since the Sutton years.  The future looks good, the players played hard all year and the coaching staff did what Watts did at OWU last year.
The NCAC is a top notch group of schools and the second season, important and exciting though it may be, will always be less important than the season to me. 

[BashDad]

I have nothing substantial to add to this conversation, but I'm glad it's happening and I'm happy to read it. This board is populated by smart people.

Congratulations to ER and his team. The program has really ascended to a point he (and we, if we all accept and acknowledge that often-icky entitlement of being a "fan") should be proud of. The last two versions of the Little Giants would match up well with the best teams we've ever had. I believe that. Playoffs or not, this is a really, really good Wabash team. And that's indicative of a whole hell of a lot of work. Here's hoping that after the obvious sting of a season abridged dissipates, this group allows themselves to enjoy a real, genuine sense of pride. They've earned it.

WAF.

[BashDad]

Also, let me be the first to say I can't wait to see how Witt fares against UMU.

This season has had several notable opportunities to prove the 'ol "a good defense beats a good offense" adage correct. And it hasn't. What beats a good offense? A better one. John Carrol and Wabash both lost their marquee match-ups because their offenses weren't up to snuff. Witt looked, against Wabash, like it had a top-5 caliber unit. I'll be excited to see that measured against UMU.

[Wfaf1234]

Gentlemen, it's been fun reading your stuff all season long. It's been nice getting back into Wabash football for the first time since my son graduated. I only have a few questions that came to mind. One, would the committee ever look at how these teams matched up statistically with the rest of the country? Or would that sort of thing just indicate the whole SOS deal.

Secondly, who from Wabash and (I guess) the rest of the conference should make up the All-Conference team? Is there anyone from the NCAC who deserves an All-American nod? Sorry for going all season in review already.

One last thing, Nate Scola may have lost his cool sometimes this season. But I have never seen a guy who fires up and fights for his team like this young man. I hope to see big things from him and the other seniors in the future.

[bashgiant]

Also, let me be the first to say I can't wait to see how Witt fares against UMU.

This season has had several notable opportunities to prove the 'ol "a good defense beats a good offense" adage correct. And it hasn't. What beats a good offense? A better one. John Carrol and Wabash both lost their marquee match-ups because their offenses weren't up to snuff. Witt looked, against Wabash, like it had a top-5 caliber unit. I'll be excited to see that measured against UMU.

I truly believe if Wabash doesn't muff the opening kick off and a penalty on top of that the Witt game is totally different. Ifs and buts were candy and nuts......

[AlleghenyAlum]

Gentlemen, it's been fun reading your stuff all season long. It's been nice getting back into Wabash football for the first time since my son graduated. I only have a few questions that came to mind. One, would the committee ever look at how these teams matched up statistically with the rest of the country? Or would that sort of thing just indicate the whole SOS deal.

Secondly, who from Wabash and (I guess) the rest of the conference should make up the All-Conference team? Is there anyone from the NCAC who deserves an All-American nod? Sorry for going all season in review already.

One last thing, Nate Scola may have lost his cool sometimes this season. But I have never seen a guy who fires up and fights for his team like this young man. I hope to see big things from him and the other seniors in the future.

For me personally, team statistics can be skewed (number 1 pass defense because you're the 300th ranked run defense).  Check out this read on this d3 basketball team
http://deadspin.com/5962514/d+iii-players-138-point+game-is-a-sham-record-and-shouldnt-be-celebrated-by-anyone/1466714609/@barryap

[bashgiant]

Gentlemen, it's been fun reading your stuff all season long. It's been nice getting back into Wabash football for the first time since my son graduated. I only have a few questions that came to mind. One, would the committee ever look at how these teams matched up statistically with the rest of the country? Or would that sort of thing just indicate the whole SOS deal.

Secondly, who from Wabash and (I guess) the rest of the conference should make up the All-Conference team? Is there anyone from the NCAC who deserves an All-American nod? Sorry for going all season in review already.

One last thing, Nate Scola may have lost his cool sometimes this season. But I have never seen a guy who fires up and fights for his team like this young man. I hope to see big things from him and the other seniors in the future.

Plus Nate stayed the summer and trained his butt off and took Woods and 2 or 3 others that stayed the summer under his wing.What I have heard he is a true leader. Maybe some more players could stick around this year( if they can find a job) and have some 7on7s and hit the weights extra hard in the off season as I believe Wabash could make a strong run in the tournament next year.

Good job gentleman it was a truly a pleasure this year!!!

[ScotsFan]

This season was the most enjoyable since the Sutton years.  The future looks good, the players played hard all year and the coaching staff did what Watts did at OWU last year.
The NCAC is a top notch group of schools and the second season, important and exciting though it may be, will always be less important than the season to me.

Well said nike!  I have to say I am shocked that Frank Colaprete managed to guide this Wooster team to a 7-3 finish and 3rd place in the NCAC! 

Is Colaprete hands down Coach of the Year in the NCAC because he should be with the turnaround he achieved and what he had to work with! 

[smedindy]

The SOS difference between Hanover and every single one of those teams is absolutely negligible. 

I can't stress this enough: Wabash can not substantially change their SOS by replacing Hanover with anybody else.  Hanover is not the problem.

But the main point was that you can get an SOS edge and not play RR teams. I just used 5-5 Hanover as a cutoff for the discussion. A team with more than one non conference game can use that method (the NESCAC method) and gain an SOS edge while not taxing themselves too much.

[firstdown]

There is no way we'll add a week to the season.

Pat

I was not suggesting adding a week to the season.  As it is now, teams have 11 weeks to play 10 games.  The play-offs begin in week12.  If all the regular season games are played within the first 10 weeks, then week 11 could be used for the Pool C contenders to play for the spots on the field.  The current system relies on an arcane set of variables that the selection committee follows some years and pays less attention to in others.  As a result, teams get left out either rightly or worngly.  lI would far rather see these played out on the field than left to the wisdom of some committee in the bowels of NCAA headquarters.  For the last 31 years, Wabash usually get screwed by the "committee" anyway.  The AQ's are won on the field and not subject to the whims of the Star Chamber proceedings.  The at large spots could be played out on the field as well and that would put an end to all the second guessing and agnst that the current system generates.

[Dr. Acula]

Plus Nate stayed the summer and trained his butt off and took Woods and 2 or 3 others that stayed the summer under his wing.What I have heard he is a true leader. Maybe some more players could stick around this year( if they can find a job) and have some 7on7s and hit the weights extra hard in the off season as I believe Wabash could make a strong run in the tournament next year

This has numerous benefits.  I know Mount has kids (seems to be mostly non-local kids) who live in Alliance year round so they can train together in the summer.  Does Wabash have campus jobs during the summer?  That makes it much easier.  When I was at Mount there were always tons of summer jobs we could get (any student, not just athletes).  Anything from mowing grass to manning the front desk at the library.  Minimum wage, but hey, it was 40 hrs a week so you couldn't complain.   

[smedindy]

I think everyone feels they get screwed by the committee. I know CWRU did a couple years ago. I bet Millsaps does this year. Heck, I bet Oshkosh and St. Thomas and Heidelberg are all going, "We could beat the pants off of X, Y and Z" - even the "C" teams like SJF and IWU.

I think Witt would have been in the same boat - no RR teams and a middling SOS.