FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Joe Wally]

Because I have the need to be righteously indignant about something the STU video feed stinks, perhaps the worst in organized athletics.

I would love to have seen this game without the special teams errors.  Would we have won?  Can't say, but we would have had the opportunity to do so.

God Bless the Wabash senior class that has given the school some extraordinary football over the course of the past four years.  Tremendous group of young men.

[repete]

"UST fans are kinda dicks."

Not a UST fan by any margin. Was struck during the week how Wabash folks had to trash another team to build themselves up.

[wally_wabash]

That sequence of drives at the beginning of the 3rd quarter was killer. Thought Zurek was in for a TD that would have made it 17-7 and you think we've got a game. But holding negates the TD, Wabash misses the FG, Wabash fumbles the punt after a stop, gives up a TD on a fake FG, then gives up an onside kick that leads to another TD and boom, instead of 17-7, a few minutes later it's 31-0 and is all over.

Yeah.  That sequence really reminded me of the 3rd quarter sequence in Whitewater last year when the game went from close to avalanche city.  Eerily similar actually.  But that's the razor thin line in this round of the tournament against teams of this caliber- just takes one big giveaway to give up 14 real quick and then you're chasing scores against defenses that don't give them up easy. 

St. Thomas was excellent, as we knew.  They played great today, really made Wabash pay maximum penalties for errors, and earned a great win today in every phase.  Whoever they get next week will have their hands completely full, no doubt.  I said this before the game and I'm still on it- St. Thomas may be the tournament favorite.  Exceptional football team. 

Today sucks for sure, but this has been an amazing season.  One of the most fun Wabash seasons I've had the pleasure to follow in 20 years.  The team won 12 games for just the third time in program history.  We had a 2,000 yard rusher for the first time in program history (Two Thousand Yards!!).  This team steamrolled Wittenberg.  This team steamrolled DePauw for a SEVENTH consecutive Monon Bell victory.  It's been an incredible ride in 2015.  Wabash Always Fights, and Wabash will be back here in 2016.  I have no doubt about that. 

[BashDad]

"UST fans are kinda dicks."

Not a UST fan by any margin. Was struck during the week how Wabash folks had to trash another team to build themselves up.

OMFG

[miac952]

"2.  St. John's wasn't nearly as good as everyone wanted them to be.   "

"UST just hasn't played anybody complete enough to make those things matter."

Fun game. Solid squad in Wabash. Physical with a nice pass rush. I think SJU would have pushed them around and maybe a Gustavus or Concordia as well. Probably a 3rd/4th in MIAC. Shows the strength of the MIAC. UST took it easy in the 2nd half with the banged up running backs and running 2's and 3's most of the half.

I think the Tommie D was a little undersold by some Wabash fans coming in. Hope the strong contingent that came to St Paul enjoyed the trip.

[BashDad]

Oh come off it. Wabash isn't the 4th freaking best team in the MIAC. Enjoy the win.

[wally_wabash]

You Little Giants might want to rethink your righteous indignation here. As bad as this stream is (was?), it is still significantly more watchable than Wabash's stream of the Wittenberg game earlier this year.

I don't remember having any problem watching that 21 point 4th quarter explosion that buried y'all. It was perfectly clear.

I guess it all comes around in the end. I missed the 17 point first half explosion that buried y'all, but the Tommie stream stabilized in time for me to see the 21 point 3rd quarter explosion that buried y'all a second time.

Enjoy the offseason.

This is good stuff.  This toolbox doesn't say peep for 12 weeks then pops in to run down a team that advanced to the quarterfinals.  Hilarious.  42-14, bruh.  What's it like to have your season over in September? 

[wally_wabash]

Fun game. Solid squad in Wabash. Physical with a nice pass rush. I think SJU would have pushed them around and maybe a Gustavus or Concordia as well. Probably a 3rd/4th in MIAC. Shows the strength of the MIAC. UST took it easy in the 2nd half with the banged up running backs and running 2's and 3's most of the half.

Pure ignorance. 

I think the Tommie D was a little undersold by some Wabash fans coming in.

If you've got evidence, please share.  I don't think this was a thing at all.  We knew what St. Thomas's defense had done in 2015. 

[repete]

Well, only TD came off one of two TOs by a second-team QB -- who entered the game in the third quarter.

Concordia or Bethel would be a nice matchup. Gustavus air game would give them fits.  There's a reason WC's league is ranked 18th.

[Dr. Acula]

ER has that program humming.  The pipeline looks like it's stocked so there are no more rebuilding years for you guys.  That's the best thing about building sustained success.  You have a pile of kids again next year who played deep into the playoffs who can lead the 2016 team.  Just need to find another 225 lb horse to hand off to!

[sigma one]

I suppose you earned (actually your team earned) the right to pop off.   But, come on, any speculation about where Wabash would finish in the MIAC is just arrogance.  To the winners belong . . .stupid speculations.  (St John's would have pushed Wabash around. . . .yea, ok, whatever.)

     Congratulations to the entire Wabash team on a fantastic season.  WAF   

[wally_wabash]

Concordia or Bethel would be a nice matchup. Gustavus air game would give them fits.  There's a reason WC's league is ranked 18th.

Wabash can't do a thing about how good or not good the other teams in the league are.  Can only control how good they are.  And they're really good.  Not good enough today. 

I mean if you want to chest-beat about MIAC > NCAC, fine.  But that was never a debate. 

[wally_wabash]

ER has that program humming.  The pipeline looks like it's stocked so there are no more rebuilding years for you guys.  That's the best thing about building sustained success.  You have a pile of kids again next year who played deep into the playoffs who can lead the 2016 team.  Just need to find another 225 lb horse to hand off to!

Thanks, Dr.  Definitely hard to replace a 2,000 yard back.  But there's literally no precedent for it, so we can't say it can't be done.   

Shamir Johnson and Matt Penola (who reminds a lot of us of freshman Zurek) will be a sweet combo in 2016. 

[BashDad]

Well, only TD came off one of two TOs by a second-team QB -- who entered the game in the third quarter.

Concordia or Bethel would be a nice matchup. Gustavus air game would give them fits.  There's a reason WC's league is ranked 18th.

Wabash did bad things today that would cripple any team. And they got beat, just like every other team UST played this season and not by some wild margin you've never seen before. So whatever. How you extrapolate a favorable matchup for Concordia, Bethel, or Gustavus is beyond me. I can't believe we have to defend the team against this kind of bull****.

[USTBench]

Congrats to Wabash on a great season. Zurek was as good as advertised. Hope to see you guys back in the mix in 2016. Most of you are class acts.