FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BashDad]

I saw 11,000 listed somewhere as capacity.

[HCAlum86]

Can anyone explain to me the beanies that some of the Wabash students wear?

[nike]

From The Wooster Daily Record today:

A lot has changed, however, since the Bishops and Scots closed out the 2013 season at Wooster's John P. Papp Stadium. Gone from the picture are a pair of record-setting QBs. OWU's Mason Espinoza graduated last spring after setting nearly every school and NCAC record, while fifth-year Wooster senior Richard Barnes has been relegated to the role of mentor for freshman Gary Muntean after establishing school marks for completions and yards passing in a career for the Scots.

WOW! Hope he gets to play tomorrow. Always been a personable, friendly young man.

[HCAlum86]

From The Wooster Daily Record today:

A lot has changed, however, since the Bishops and Scots closed out the 2013 season at Wooster's John P. Papp Stadium. Gone from the picture are a pair of record-setting QBs. OWU's Mason Espinoza graduated last spring after setting nearly every school and NCAC record, while fifth-year Wooster senior Richard Barnes has been relegated to the role of mentor for freshman Gary Muntean after establishing school marks for completions and yards passing in a career for the Scots.

WOW! Hope he gets to play tomorrow. Always been a personable, friendly young man.

An absolute shame. To be candid, Richard Barnes is the walking image of class in a program that does not have much of it, in my humble opinion. He carried himself extreme well on and off the field and was at times an absolute thrill to watch. Not the way I would expect to reward a senior-leader that has dedicated himself to the program, what a shame.

[wally_wabash]

Trying to win next year this year is such a dangerous way to play.  And while I'm ready to admit that Barnes's season didn't pan out anywhere near what I thought it would or could be, Richard Barnes isn't the reason why the Scots didn't challenge for a league championship this year and holding an open tryout amongst freshmen in the last couple of weeks isn't going to be a cure-all in 2015.  Exhibit A:

Wooster Team Stats - national rank:

Total defense- 401.6 ypg, 164th
Rush defense- 197.2 ypg, 189th
Pass defense- 204.3 ypg, 113rd
Pass eff. defense- 127.94, 146th
Scoring defense- 30.0 ppg, t-158th
3rd down %defense- 0.430, 186th
1st downs defense- 195, 185th

You can not be that poor in every major statistical defensive category and win a bunch of games.  Doesn't matter who plays quarterback when your defense can't stop anybody any time. 

[wabndy]

From The Wooster Daily Record today:

A lot has changed, however, since the Bishops and Scots closed out the 2013 season at Wooster's John P. Papp Stadium. Gone from the picture are a pair of record-setting QBs. OWU's Mason Espinoza graduated last spring after setting nearly every school and NCAC record, while fifth-year Wooster senior Richard Barnes has been relegated to the role of mentor for freshman Gary Muntean after establishing school marks for completions and yards passing in a career for the Scots.

WOW! Hope he gets to play tomorrow. Always been a personable, friendly young man.

An absolute shame. To be candid, Richard Barnes is the walking image of class in a program that does not have much of it, in my humble opinion. He carried himself extreme well on and off the field and was at times an absolute thrill to watch. Not the way I would expect to reward a senior-leader that has dedicated himself to the program, what a shame.

Ok, that is pretty disgusting.  Lets face it, some stats get tracked and others don't.  Starters? certainly.  Minutes played? not so much.  What is the harm of giving your fifth year senior the first series, heck - even the first quarter.  Tell him that you need to get your hot talented pulse bearing freshman some reps and signifigant first team playing time.  Tell Barnes he's at least got the last series too.  Or at least be honest with your team and say that you are basically throwing in the towel and are content with a 4-6 season and aren't going to even really try for 5-5 so a freshman can get some extra scrimmage time.

[wabashcpa]

Can anyone explain to me the beanies that some of the Wabash students wear?

Sphinx Club members - leadership group on campus.

[HCAlum86]

Colaprete is treading in dangerous waters, the sophomores and juniors that are starting now know that retention of recruits will take precedent over loyalty to committed players. Barnes had an average year, admittedly; but in no way did the kid check out or become some liability that calls for a freshman to become the starter.

Kids will play their backsides off for coaches that they know have their back; I cannot imagine much positive coming out of this. Hypothetically, if the freshman goes off and Wooster routs OWU (MAJOR HYPOTHETICAL don't freak out guys), then you have achieved a 5-5 season, but you have more than likely still lost a sizable chunk of the locker room.

[HCAlum86]

Can anyone explain to me the beanies that some of the Wabash students wear?

Sphinx Club members - leadership group on campus.

Thank you, kind sir. Passed down annually?

[smedindy]

Can anyone explain to me the beanies that some of the Wabash students wear?

Sphinx Club members - leadership group on campus.

Thank you, kind sir. Passed down annually?

They are elected by the current membership and have to go through pledgeship.

Now, back *in the day*, all freshmen had to wear pots and there were many, many rules for rhynies (who read and reading trembled) as to proper decorum. That stuff ended with the late 60's, when it became a hassle, man. Old fogeys still wax nostalgic about it, and the Phi Delts still make their pledges wear them until initiation.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

HCUAlum,
My youngest has been getting mail from Hiram lately. But he wants the Big School experience. He has decided not to play a sport in college so the interest is purely academic.

[HCAlum86]

HCUAlum,
My youngest has been getting mail from Hiram lately. But he wants the Big School experience. He has decided not to play a sport in college so the interest is purely academic.

Well feel free to use me as a resource and shoot me a message. There are multiple cases of kids that thought they belonged at a big school loving Hiram. If he is interested in Political Science or even just policy matters in general, the James A. Garfield Institute for Public Leadership is one of the finest "resume builders" outside of the Ivy League, that's no bull, either. They have taken trips to Cuba, Panama, and will be meeting directly with several members of the Executive Branch of the Mexican government in March in Mexico City re: corruption, drugs, human trafficking, and NAFTA among other things. The students receive a $500 stipend for being admitted and all travel expenses are paid for. The chairs all of their doctorates, some are alumni, others come from institutions such as Berkeley, Notre Dame, and Cornell. They only admit around 20-25 students, but that should weigh heavily into anyone's decision.

If he is interested in Economics, Finance, or even an entrepreneurship minor, Hiram is also a fine institution to accommodate him. There is a small business incubator that will provide qualified students within the entrepreneurship program with capital and a work-space from which to begin their start-ups. Within economics and finance depts. our last president did an excellent job recruiting retired former hedge-fund managers to teach at the school, their presence is well-noted on campus.

I am sure you are well aware of the other areas of prowess that fall under the umbrella of most liberal arts schools in Ohio, to which Hiram is no exception. But if you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to ask. I had the best four years of my life there; and I can honestly say that it opened doors for me that some other institutions would not have been able to. Like most of the NCAC, it is a place where academics are taken seriously; again, feel free to shoot me a message or post on here and pick my brain, I am more than willing to help. 

[sigma one]

Too bad about Richard Barnes.  He returns for a fifth year--presumably with the support/encouragement of the head coach.  If he doesn't have a nagging injury that prevents him from being reasonably effective, it's a shame he isn't permitted to finish even a sub-par season for a team that isn't going anywhere on the supposed premise that getting the freshmen playing time will lead to a better 2015.  Hard to believe that if Barnes is healthy the coach would think that two new QBs give the Scots the best chance to win late-season games--and they have not done that.  Recall that a couple of weeks ago I noted that he was sacked late in a third qtr, then threw one more pass, and then was replaced and did not play in the 4th qtr.  Two freshmen QBs have played since; it doesn't look like Barnes has been back on the field at all.
     A disappointing way to have him finish, and an unfair one, if there is not more to the story--injury or something else.
     Wooster posters have dried up on here this year.  Maybe someone knows more that would clarify the situation.  I like not to rely on a student newspaper to provide the final word about Barnes being reduced to mentoring the youngsters.
     

[smedindy]

I really hope Barnes isn't benched. The alternative is that he's injured and can't play. That's bad too...

It's just bad for Barnes and Wooster.

[bashbrother]

Respect the blood, sweat and tears that Richard Barnes has given to the College of Wooster and put him on the field in his last game.....   Wooster owes him that.  Period.  I hope they do the right thing.