FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[1837Tigers]

Hiya Wes, I don't believe we've ever capped the # of football recruits.  As noted a few posts before, Coach Lynch has done a great job of building interest in the program, which the numbers reflect.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

OWU move in day.
https://youtu.be/m9eRaTxIlYI

[DPU3619]

Hiya Wes, I don't believe we've ever capped the # of football recruits.  As noted a few posts before, Coach Lynch has done a great job of building interest in the program, which the numbers reflect.

Not what I was told, but you would certainly know better than me.

[BashDad]

12:45pm EST: "KICKOFF KICKOFF KICKOFF OMG CHRISTMAS!"

12:52pm EST: [Reads a single line of shade regarding fav team. Looks for more. Can't find anything.]

12:56 EST: [Tries to develop a sarcastic reply. Fails. Cries.]


Everyone buy kickoff. You have to. And then we can all yell and scream together.

[BashDad]

Because WTF. What is this? 2003?

[WooClone15]

12:45pm EST: "KICKOFF KICKOFF KICKOFF OMG CHRISTMAS!"

12:52pm EST: [Read about why my team won't be good...at all]

12:56 EST: [Cries and says it isn't true]


Everyone buy kickoff. You have to. And then we can all yell and scream together.

Changed it for my reactions.

I hope to at least see Wooster be 3-7 or 4-6 (though I'd obviously like them to be higher). Considering that out of Hiram, Kenyon, Allegheny, and Oberlin, we play Hiram, Kenyon, and Allegheny at home I think getting three wins from there is doable. And then hopefully an upset somewhere along the way.

[wally_wabash]

12:45pm EST: "KICKOFF KICKOFF KICKOFF OMG CHRISTMAS!"

12:52pm EST: [Read about why my team won't be good...at all]

12:56 EST: [Cries and says it isn't true]


Everyone buy kickoff. You have to. And then we can all yell and scream together.

Changed it for my reactions.

I hope to at least see Wooster be 3-7 or 4-6 (though I'd obviously like them to be higher). Considering that out of Hiram, Kenyon, Allegheny, and Oberlin, we play Hiram, Kenyon, and Allegheny at home I think getting three wins from there is doable. And then hopefully an upset somewhere along the way.

I think getting Allegheny so early is beneficial.  I do believe the Gators will be much better toward the end of the year, but the schedule doesn't do them any favors with four of the five best teams in the league in the back half of the schedule. 

If there's one game in there that I think could go the other way for Wooster it would be Kenyon, particularly at home.  The big red flag for the Scots though is the very small amount of upperclassmen in general and in particular compared to a lot of other teams around the league.  If the Scots can maintain a high level of confidence after the rough first half that they have, there may be 2-3 wins available in the second half. 

[HCAlum86]

https://youtu.be/mScdF0d-kx4 season can't come soon enough

[wabco]

Does anyone have good info on status of this year's Albion team?  They were picked (in a tie with 3 other teams) to be 2nd in their conference by coaches.  The graduated 28 seniors.  By my count, they have 14 returning seniors (some pretty darn small).  Their coach in an interview confirmed new QB, RB, and Receivers.  2 of the LBs on D graduated (they get a stud back from injury last year in Rodriguez at announced 6'2" and 185.  The coach touts their front 4 on D.  Generally calls their team a "work in progress" and stated "most of the skill guys graduated".  Their announced roster shows about 40 freshmen.  I also noted essentially all their roster (not much of an exaggeration) comes from HSs in the State of Michigan.    So based upon all this (which may be incorrect as reported) they return closer to normalcy in the MIAA ... down from the blip of 28 seniors with a lot of these experienced starters last year.  Now they have Wabash at home at night for their first game.  That is a benefit (i.e. home) and a detriment (first game against Wabash which reloads regarding graduates and has most of skill players (either starters last year of lots of playing time last year) back. 

Wabash essentially reloads. Skill positions are deep especially on O.  Line-CHECK,  QB-CHECK, RB-Committee of outstanding to choose from, Receivers- all back, D loaded with skill players at essentially all positions, kicking game-CHECK, Underclassmen- getting their preparation for PT, Freshmen in the high 50s-to 60 in number and some pretty strong pedigrees and coming from a number of states.  Some Wabash coaches "graduated" last year, but I understand their replacements both have lots of playing time in system and/or possess the talent necessary to not miss a beat.  PLUS, I am informed that the team - lead by its leaders - have a high regard for and belief in them.

Just my early take.  Any thoughts?

Oh, and for those planning to attend the game on Saturday, September 3, it starts at 6PM.  The Wabash tailgate is planned for the parking area around "Belmont Manor" just south of the stadium at the corner of S Hannah St and Albion Road.  Tailgate can start 4 hours before the game and libations can include non glass containers of beer or liquor libations (responsibly handled).  BYO food and libations.  Also this area accommodates RVs.  See you all there beginning at 2 PM.  Be there or be square.  WAF

[WooClone15]

12:45pm EST: "KICKOFF KICKOFF KICKOFF OMG CHRISTMAS!"

12:52pm EST: [Read about why my team won't be good...at all]

12:56 EST: [Cries and says it isn't true]


Everyone buy kickoff. You have to. And then we can all yell and scream together.

Changed it for my reactions.

I hope to at least see Wooster be 3-7 or 4-6 (though I'd obviously like them to be higher). Considering that out of Hiram, Kenyon, Allegheny, and Oberlin, we play Hiram, Kenyon, and Allegheny at home I think getting three wins from there is doable. And then hopefully an upset somewhere along the way.

I think getting Allegheny so early is beneficial.  I do believe the Gators will be much better toward the end of the year, but the schedule doesn't do them any favors with four of the five best teams in the league in the back half of the schedule. 

If there's one game in there that I think could go the other way for Wooster it would be Kenyon, particularly at home.  The big red flag for the Scots though is the very small amount of upperclassmen in general and in particular compared to a lot of other teams around the league.  If the Scots can maintain a high level of confidence after the rough first half that they have, there may be 2-3 wins available in the second half.

Yeah, having the Allegheny game second should be really helpful. And the key is going to be avoiding getting demoralized and injured going through the middle of the season. Because it looks like we only have about 80 guys in general (which seems small, maybe it isn't) and only have 7 srs, and 13 jrs.

[jknezek]

80 really isn't a bad number overall, though the lack of upperclassmen can be problematic. Consider that D1 schools pack 85 scholarships. Now they tend to have closer to 20 seniors on scholarship, as the attrition rate isn't the same thanks to the incentives, but rarely do more than a handful of walk ons play. So for all intents and purposes, D1 survives on usable rosters of around 90 or fewer.

D3 is of course different, but this whole thing of bringing in 60+ first years, let alone 100+ first years, is just a money maker for the school. It's simply not necessary to have rosters of 100+ for a football team.

[wally_wabash]

12:45pm EST: "KICKOFF KICKOFF KICKOFF OMG CHRISTMAS!"

12:52pm EST: [Read about why my team won't be good...at all]

12:56 EST: [Cries and says it isn't true]


Everyone buy kickoff. You have to. And then we can all yell and scream together.

Changed it for my reactions.

I hope to at least see Wooster be 3-7 or 4-6 (though I'd obviously like them to be higher). Considering that out of Hiram, Kenyon, Allegheny, and Oberlin, we play Hiram, Kenyon, and Allegheny at home I think getting three wins from there is doable. And then hopefully an upset somewhere along the way.

I think getting Allegheny so early is beneficial.  I do believe the Gators will be much better toward the end of the year, but the schedule doesn't do them any favors with four of the five best teams in the league in the back half of the schedule. 

If there's one game in there that I think could go the other way for Wooster it would be Kenyon, particularly at home.  The big red flag for the Scots though is the very small amount of upperclassmen in general and in particular compared to a lot of other teams around the league.  If the Scots can maintain a high level of confidence after the rough first half that they have, there may be 2-3 wins available in the second half.

Yeah, having the Allegheny game second should be really helpful. And the key is going to be avoiding getting demoralized and injured going through the middle of the season. Because it looks like we only have about 80 guys in general (which seems small, maybe it isn't) and only have 7 srs, and 13 jrs.

Kickoff will definitely tell you how many players reported for camp at Wooster.   

IMHO, 80 is about the minimum that I think a team needs to have sufficient depth to withstand any significant injury attrition throughout the season.  I think 80 leaves you a little light for developmental team games, but it's sufficient for a varsity roster.  Less than that and I think you really start running into problems as there just isn't the quality depth teams need to develop consistency and withstand the bumps/bruises/breaks that are going to inevitably happen.  Several coaches said that they're going with their best 22 which is great in theory, but I think there's value to guys at this level having a position to master as opposed to being feng shui-ed into any random place on the field because there just aren't enough legitimately competitive athletes further down the roster. 

D3 is of course different, but this whole thing of bringing in 60+ first years, let alone 100+ first years, is just a money maker for the school. It's simply not necessary to have rosters of 100+ for a football team.

I haven't gone through all 248 previews yet, but my guess is that more teams do have 100+ players than don't.  I need to research this, but my hunch is that all of the teams that we would stick into the top 2-3 tiers of D-III consistently carry rosters of 100+.  So is it necessary to have rosters of that size?  Probably not.  I don't have enough data in front of me to decide whether or not there's any correlation to roster size and program success (or if there's a threshold at which we see a substantial change), but I think it's safe to say that the large roster size certainly isn't detrimental. 

[WooClone15]

Yeah, I forgot to look in kickoff for it, I just went to the team website.

I'm excited for the season and hope it goes well (but I'm hopelessly optimistic so that doesn't help). It also helps that while I enjoy following Wooster I'm not as emotionally invested, so I won't get crushed when they lose.

and I just looked, for the NCAC seven teams had more than 100 players starting camp. And Wooster was 8th in number of people who started camp (Oberlin and Kenyon had fewer)

[jknezek]

but I think it's safe to say that the large roster size certainly isn't detrimental.

Probably not to the team. It makes it easy on coaches just to wave them in and evaluate them on campus. Whole lot less evaluating needs to happen before they get to campus. But it can be detrimental to the kids who aren't told the reality of them actually playing. I'm more worried about the kid, and the parents, who are paying a small fortune to have a good college experience and get a degree, then I am about whether over filling rosters is good for a team.

All that being said, simply dropping off the team doesn't mean the kid will have a bad college experience, but I really despise the idea of teams that fill kids heads with expectations of playing when one look at the tape would show that the kid will need a whole lot of miraculous development to make it happen. Not impossible, but pretty darned unlikely. And for many schools getting 60+ first years in a class, someone is telling many of them something that probably isn't very accurate.

On the other hand, there are times kids just don't accept reality, or just want a chance. And I get that. So it's not completely the coach or school's fault and there isn't an easy line to draw. But there comes a point, and whether it's the 65th kid in a class, or the 80th kid in a class, where it starts to be ridiculous.

Only football really does this. You hardly ever see inflated rosters in basketball or soccer or baseball. The coaches more or less recruit what they need. Sure a few first years drop from these teams, but not like football it seems like teams end up with less than 40% of the kids who come first year. Messiah for example, one of the dominant soccer teams in D3, has about 30 kids on the roster every year. There are 7 or 8 from every class and rarely do they drop.

[wally_wabash]

All that being said, simply dropping off the team doesn't mean the kid will have a bad college experience, but I really despise the idea of teams that fill kids heads with expectations of playing when one look at the tape would show that the kid will need a whole lot of miraculous development to make it happen. Not impossible, but pretty darned unlikely. And for many schools getting 60+ first years in a class, someone is telling many of them something that probably isn't very accurate.

WADR, I think a lot of this is really wild, unchecked speculation.  I don't think coaches are in the business of selling wolf tickets to prospectives about playing college football.  I think they might talk about things like potential and the rewards of hard work, but I don't think coaches are making promises about playing time on Saturdays to pretty much anybody. 

On the other hand, there are times kids just don't accept reality, or just want a chance. And I get that. So it's not completely the coach or school's fault and there isn't an easy line to draw. But there comes a point, and whether it's the 65th kid in a class, or the 80th kid in a class, where it starts to be ridiculous.

I don't think it's on us to squash the wants of a college kid.  If an undersized student wants to be on the football team as part of his college experience and nobody's getting cut from the team, why shouldn't they get to be part of the team?  If 400 kids want to be on Mount Union's football team,  they ought to have the freedom to do that without side eye from the rest of us.