FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wally_wabash]

Has this been noted before?  OWU hosts UMHB on 9/5.

http://www.battlingbishops.com/schedule.aspx?path=football

I think that popped up briefly last season?  I'd be curious if OWU is going to seek out these kinds of matchups beyond this home and home series with UMHB (we'll call it the Mike Leonard approach to team building) or if this is a one-time deal for the Bishops. 

UMHB and then at Witt is a rugged way to start a season. 

[wally_wabash]

This is the list of the NCAC's non-league games this year (italicized games are return games or continuations of series from 2014 or before):
9/5:
Wabash @ Hampden-Sydney
W&J @ Wooster
Brockport State @ Oberlin
Witt @ Capital
Kenyon @ Sewanee
Allegheny @ Thiel
Westminster @ Hiram
Marietta @ Denison
UMHB @ OWU

9/12:
DePauw @ Earlham


I think if the NCAC finds five wins in there, that's a pretty good Week 1/2.  More than five and somebody has surprised me (I'm looking at you, Gators). 

[sigma one]

Wally, I'm trying to parse where the out-of-conference wins will come from.  Are there five good chances?
     Wabash should win v. H-SC in Virginia.  H-S loses big-time QB and WR, plus some defensive standouts. #1
     Wooster has very little chance v. W&J.
     Oberlin lost big to Brock St last year, and I don't see much chance this year.
     Witt should take Capital without too much fuss.  #2
     Kenyon has a shot v. Sewanee, which was 2-8 last year.  But . . .#3???
     Allegheny v. Thiel:  you say you are looking at the Gators.  Me, too.  But Thiel was 4-6 in 2014.  Gheny has a lot
            returning, but from a 1-9 team.  They lost to Thiel last year, 28-14.
     Hiram has a chance v. Westminster (4-6 last year),  But the Terriers will be breaking in a new QB.  Hiram is a
            mystery team for me this year.  Their posted 2015 roster shows a lot of last year's players returning, but   
            their young players from outside Ohio have often disappeared.  So, toss up:  #4???
     Denison will be favorite v. Westminster.  #5
     OWU v. UMBH.  Not going to happen.
     DPU will have no trouble with Earlham.  #6
     So as I see it, four wins:  Wabash, Wittenberg, DePauw, and Denison (with only Denison a bit vulnerable with the
              loss of Sklenar and Morris, but with strong receivers and defensive players returning).
     After these four, where does the fifth win come from:  Kenyon, Allegheny?  Can one of these two teams pull out
             the 5th win?
     When I look at the out-of-conference schedule, I see Wooster and OWU stretching their limits--Wooster for the
             second year v. W&J.  Wabash plays a usually top flight H-S program, probably down this year.  Witt renewing
             its rivalry with Capital to its big advantage after facing Butler the last two years.  The others playing weaker
             competition, but these are also the NCAC's weaker teams
     What do you see, Wally--and others?
       
           


     
           
       

[wally_wabash]

We're pretty much on the same page, sigma one.  I think the four you have identified are reasonable win assumptions, then hopefully one of the All/Thiel, Ken/Sewanee, Hir/Westminster triumvirate would make a fifth win and I think that would constitute a good opening salvo for the league given the matchups.  Four would be meeting the minimum expectation (per my view), six would mean that two (or more) of Allegheny, Kenyon, Hiram, Wooster, Oberlin, or OWU win which would mean somebody pulled a pretty significant upset. 

Agree about Hiram.  Who knows what to expect having to replace Partridge there.  I'm optimistic that Hiram isn't going to slip back to 0-10.  I think I've seen a bit of a culture change with that squad over the last couple of years that will keep them competing hard and winning a few games. 

I have no idea what to make of Wooster.  They don't have a fifth year QB this year which means they'll (probably) need to rely on some defense, especially early on, and defense has been a massive problem there in Colaprete's first two years.  Do the Scots take a big jump on that side of the ball this year?  They should hope so or else W&J is laying another 50-burger on them which would be unfortunate. 

[sigma one]

I, too, have spent some time thinking about Wooster.  They lose Barnes, who did not play late in the season.  The jury is out, kindly I say this, on whether his return last year for a fifth year turned out to be a good thing or a bad thing.  Muntean, his freshman replacement late season, at least has some experience going into 2015.  He was a 62% passer in the last several games, 6TDs, 2INTs.  Looking at their potential line up this year (if we are not surprised by any other fifth year returners), they lose quite a bit.  Rice (WR), Czerniak (LB, and the #1 tackler last year), James (DB, #2 tackler),
Osolinski (LB, #3 tackler), McCants and Daniel (OL), Hackel (RB, though injured a bit, still an all-NCAC performer), both the punter and best kicker, and a couple of other solid starters.  Hackel and Barnes were the top two rushers. 
     They return tight ends, some good O-linemen, and several experience d-backs, and also Tyler Smith, who filled in effectively for Hackel, and who also catches the ball well.  Owens is a very strong deep threat.
      I don't know what this all adds up to.  On paper, they lose about as many starters as any team in the conference.  It will depend on some quality returners and whoever else they put on the field.
     It seems like every year recently, we speculate about how the Scots will perform, under of over.  Same for this year.

[oldtiger]

Witt's 2015 recruiting class announced:

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/sports/college-football/ron-duncans-grandson-to-play-football-at-wittenber/nmZxn/

[wabco]

I have watched the Witt recruiting class reported in their local paper over the last few years.  ER ... just doesn't approach publicity the same way.  I am told that Wabash has done "just fine" ... including the AZ QB recruit and spring practice was "just fine" with some seconds being firsts without missing a beat ... but his style is simply to be quiet and go about business.  I was on campus this past weekend and talked with some assistant coaches.  I think Wabash has reloaded ... our junior left handed QB is a year older and wiser in the system and there is some new "beef".

I believe Hamden Sydney folks will be surprised to see that "Wabash travels".  It should be a good tailgate and fan base and fun motels.  If any Little Giants are in the VA area ... they should plan to include the festivities in their Labor Day.   

[ADL70]

With CWRU losing WashUStL as an opponent in a few years (and likely Chicago too) could the "fight for the fish" with Wooster be resumed?  I hope so.

[wally_wabash]

With CWRU losing WashUStL as an opponent in a few years (and likely Chicago too) could the "fight for the fish" with Wooster be resumed?  I hope so.

Second.  That's way more appealing than Wooster getting kneecapped by W&J every year.  Revive the fish stringer! 

[DagarmanSpartan]

ADL70,

It looks as though both the Washington U. and Chicago games are going to go bye-bye.

With that in mind, I'd like to see both the Wooster and the Oberlin series renewed.

After all, with Wooster, we have what SI called the most interesting trophy in college sports (or something to that effect), and Oberlin is barely more than an hour away.

[wally_wabash]

ADL70,

It looks as though both the Washington U. and Chicago games are going to go bye-bye.

With that in mind, I'd like to see both the Wooster and the Oberlin series renewed.

After all, with Wooster, we have what SI called the most interesting trophy in college sports (or something to that effect), and Oberlin is barely more than an hour away.

My guess is that you can probably get one or the other but not both.  It wouldn't shock me to see the PAC adopt a 9-game league schedule (heck, they could go a full 10-game league schedule if they really wanted to) now that they don't need to pay special attention to the UAA obligations of CWRU and CMU.  Additionally with the NCAC now playing a 9-game league schedule, in order to get both Wooster and Oberlin on the schedule, one of them would have to wait to start their season until week 2- not unheard of by any stretch, but I think most teams prefer to play week 1, take the bye, and start league play in week 3.  In fact, some teams start league play in week 2 and take the bye later in the season (presumably around some kind of midsemester break). 

But at the very least it would be nice to see a CWRU-Wooster home and home series get sprinkled in once every four years or so. 

[ADL70]

I also suspect that PAC will add a ninth confernce game.  Out of necessity several are already playing a ninth PAC foe.  Perhaps CWRU and CMU  could  switch off playing their biggest NCAC rivals, Wooster for CWRU and Allegheny for CMU. CWRU-JCU would also be attractve.

[wabco]

While on schedules, I believe the Wabash vs. H-S home and home series ends with this fall's game.  I would like to see Wabash add a home and home outside Indiana to replace the H-S series.  Am sure this is being worked on or has been accomplished.  Anyone have any information?

[wabashcpa]

Saw over the weekend where A.J. Akinribade's brother Toks committed to Iowa.  Good luck to Toks - but if it doesn't turn out the way you hope there's always a spot for you in Crawfordsville!

[BashDad]

9/12:
DePauw @ Earlham