FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Li'l Giant]

I don't think we've had a season go by without that discussion since Matt Hudson graduated.

[bashgiant]

Can Connor Rice play now?

Are you kidding me can not stand it when people start the crap about Putko. You win as a team you loose as a team. Are you going to replace every receiver that dropped a ball? What about every lineman that missed a block? How about the punter, he was slow getting the punts away. I could go on but I think I've made my point!
Fire away

[BashDad]

I'm not gonna "fire away." I get it. I'll remove my post -- it's mean.

[smedindy]

Alternatively, I don't think it's mean and I don't think we should coddle anyone. Yes, it's a team game; but the leadership on the field sets the tone.

[bashgiant]

Alternatively, I don't think it's mean and I don't think we should coddle anyone. Yes, it's a team game; but the leadership on the field sets the tone.

I think the blocked punt set the tone. I think Hodges getting drilled in the back field as soon as he was handed the ball set the tone. Not coddling anyone just stating the facts.

[bashgiant]

I'm not gonna "fire away." I get it. I'll remove my post -- it's mean.

Not asking anyone to remove a post you're entitled to your opinion just like I am mine.

[wally_wabash]

One year ago Wabash the conference championship, their undefeated season, and ultimately a spot in the tournament when they got thumped on by Wittenberg.  That was a Wittenberg with experienced, great players and a dominant offensive line that handled Wabash's DLs and LBs in a way that nobody else could in 2013.  We were are all disappointed and upset afterward, but Wittenberg was better.  They could run, Wabash couldn't.  They could keep their quarterback clean, Wabash couldn't.  They were just the better team.  Today, something different entirely happened.  Wabash held Wittenberg to 211 yards of offense- below Wabash's ypg allowed average for the season.  Wabash ran all over Wittenberg.  Wittenberg couldn't run at all.  Wittenberg mounted one significant drive all day.  Wabash drove deep several times.  Wabash really kind of dominated the game.  So what the hell just happened? 

I said earlier this week that I thought Witt could get 10 unless they get something extra from their defense or specials.  I was wrong.  Witt only got 7.  The rest came from defense and specials.  An early blocked punt set Witt up for a quick and easy score.  Putko getting stripped led directly to another Witt touchdown.  There's 14.  And in a 21-15 game, that's the difference. 

Wittenberg converted 5 third downs in the game and one fourth down.  Three of those five 3rd down conversions came on their third quarter scoring drive.  As did the fourth down conversion.  3rd and 7, 4th and 3, 3rd and goal on the 7- Witt converted them all.  Wabash did not convert a third or fourth down longer than 3 yards.  In these kinds of games against very good teams, you're going to have to make a 3rd and 7 at some point to keep a drive going.  You don't have to make them all.  You don't even have to make many of them.  But getting one or two of those 3rd and longs in a game- you have to do it. 

For me today though, I don't think Wabash had to be perfect to win.  They didn't even have to be great.  The old adage about letting teams hang around came back to get Wabash today.  Wabash OWNED that first half.  They owned it.  But they had a 1 point lead to show for it.  That kind of dominance usually buys you a two touchdown lead at halftime.  But today, Witt made two big plays on defense and special teams, and they didn't let Wabash run away and ride.  And then they put together the one drive they needed- really the one drive they could muster- and put the onus on Wabash to finish a drive, and Wabash just couldn't quite make the call. 

The one is going to sting for a bit.  Big time.  But Wabash has games, yes games, left to play.  No time to dwell on this for too long...we'll have plenty of time to relive this prior to the home opener in September 2015. 

[Li'l Giant]

My personal opinion, I didn't think #3's question was mean or out of bounds.

Yes, you can point to several plays and/or mistakes that contributed to the loss. But the fumble before the half is the biggest. Throw in a dozen incompletions and I think the question is legit.

Not sure I'm qualified to answer that question but nothing wrong with it being asked.

[smedindy]

Wabash has a luxury in that there are two good QBs that could definitely start and make plays for almost every D3 team in the country. When that is the case, and the team seems sluggish especially on third downs, questions should be raised.

I'm sure the coaching staff will sift through this as well - it's not like ER and company just shrug their shoulders. They'll put the best team on the field for DPU and beyond!

[wabashcpa]

It's over - need ultimate focus right now on THE GAME.  Unlike the last few years the other team might actually show up this week, so no time for hangovers.  Want to play again in 2 weeks?  Take care of business starting immediately.

[wally_wabash]

Some quick thoughts on the QB situation.  I didn't expect to see the set rotation with Rice getting every third series today.  When this started a month ago, I thought there might be an on-field competition happening.  I don't think that anymore- I think ER had a month's worth of games to get Rice work in meaningful situations.  Putko, when he runs, takes a lot of hits.  He twists and bends and gets popped an awful lot.  I think you want your #2 guy as ready as you can just in case.  I thought Wabash would be back to one quarterback today.  Also wrong. 

I'm not qualified to say that one of these guys is better than the other.  Rice has done some awesome stuff in his playing time this year.  Putko has been playing lights out ever since time started being shared.  Putko wasn't great today.  9-21 isn't great and that doesn't get adjusted for throwing through a stiff crosswind or throwing against a damn good secondary.  I do know that Rice wasn't lighting it up today either (2-8), so I'm not sure there was an obvious right choice.  Wabash didn't get great play from that position today regardless of who was playing.  Tough day for quarterbacks all the way around really. 

[bashgiant]

Some quick thoughts on the QB situation.  I didn't expect to see the set rotation with Rice getting every third series today.  When this started a month ago, I thought there might be an on-field competition happening.  I don't think that anymore- I think ER had a month's worth of games to get Rice work in meaningful situations.  Putko, when he runs, takes a lot of hits.  He twists and bends and gets popped an awful lot.  I think you want your #2 guy as ready as you can just in case.  I thought Wabash would be back to one quarterback today.  Also wrong. 

I'm not qualified to say that one of these guys is better than the other.  Rice has done some awesome stuff in his playing time this year.  Putko has been playing lights out ever since time started being shared.  Putko wasn't great today.  9-21 isn't great and that doesn't get adjusted for throwing through a stiff crosswind or throwing against a damn good secondary.  I do know that Rice wasn't lighting it up today either (2-8), so I'm not sure there was an obvious right choice.  Wabash didn't get great play from that position today regardless of who was playing.  Tough day for quarterbacks all the way around really. 

Receivers also, too many dropped passes.

[bashgiant]

It amazes me  that with the defensive rush Wabash has I don't remember one holding penalty against Witt being called. Really? I could be wrong.

[wally_wabash]

Aside from the two big plays in the first half that led to Witt points, I thought there were two crucial plays in the fourth quarter where Wabash had a great chance to get the go ahead score and just missed. 

- 3rd and 1 at the Witt 14.  The play was an off tackle to Zurek, there was no hole, he bounced it outside as he does so well, it still wasn't there and he bounced out again- he didn't have the edge on the defender at this point but he had a 1 on 1 there and I think he could have cut up there and muscled that dude for the first down...but he bounced one more time trying to get the edge and by that time the pursuit got him for a short loss.  The fourth down pass by Rice there fell incomplete. 

- 4th and 3 at the Witt 24.  The play was a Putko sweep, he got the edge and advanced the ball inside the Witt 10, but Wabash held and nullified the play.  4th and 13 didn't happen. 

Those were the two deep drives Wabash had after Witt had taken the lead and both drives were oh so close to getting cashed in. 

[nike]

Quick observation.  From what I saw watching online, penalties and not enough of Holmes and Zureck cost Wabash the game.  In the fourth quarter, Witt looked spent on defense. Wabash's running backs were gaining chunks of yardage. Even the Witt commentators mentioned that several times. Thought Wabash running game would win the game in the forth quarter. But penalties and pass attempts interrupted a great running game today.
A very weird game to watch.
Wooster, meanwhile, looks to next year.