FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Sir Battlescars]

Wally_Wabash,

You seem to be an expert on who gets in to the playoffs. So..... does Mount Union get in?

Your thoughts please.

Signed,

Sir Battlescars

[bashtownie]

Great game by Hunt and happy for the guy that he got to hook up with his brother for the game winner. They'll remember that one for the rest of their lives. Felt an equivalent amount of grief for Rice that he had to go out on the fumble. Played a really gutsy game up to that point. Congrats to Depauw for breaking the streak.

Now back to Bash...one and done for Morel? Or does he get a second season?

[ExTartanPlayer]

Look, I can't tell you guys how to feel about your program - you can feel however you want - but from an outsider's perspective, this sky-is-falling, should-we-fire-Morel stuff all sounds a little ridiculous.

The guy replaced the best coach in program history, lost one of the best RB's in program history (a guy who might be in the all-time all-NCAC team photo), and came within 13 points of an undefeated season with two close losses against two quality opponents, teams that are usually going to par with Wabash.

You're not going to win them all every year.  Erik Raeburn went 8-2 in 2012 with losses to 5-5 Allegheny and 4-6 Oberlin - losses that were far less excusable than a loss to Wittenberg and a 37-34 shootout against a strong, experienced DePauw team - and the team rebounded to their usual high standards in 2013.  Mount Union just lost today, too, their first OAC loss in a decade.  Nobody wins them all every single year.  One or two breaks the other way, and you're breaking down potential playoff opponents right now.  Instead, you finished with an 8-2 season that included a pair of losses to very strong, traditionally-competitive, regionally-ranked caliber teams.  And you're asking about firing the coach after one season?

Like I said, you can feel however you want about your program, but from an outsider (who is no stranger to winning, lest you think I just don't know what a winning program looks like) this seems unreasonable.

I'd also point out, should you guys actually kick Morel to the curb after one season, that unless you can convince BJ Hammer to come back, there might not be as long of a line as you think for the job.  You think hot up-and-coming coaches are going to line up to move to Crawfordsville, Indiana knowing that the last guy got fired after one 8-2 season?

[sigma one]

XTP:  thanks for inserting some sanity.  Everyone knows I am a huge Wabash fan--some of you know how big a fan and why--and while I am hugely disappointed, and while I hated to see DPU drive it down the field at the end, Matt Hunt and his teammates did exactly what they had to do. Hindsight being 20/20  I will leave the blame game to others.  One sack, one or two pressures, and it may well have gone the other way.  Hunt made four terrific throws.  But it was what it was.  Heck of a football game; just didn't work out for all of us who, probably too much, live and die with Wabash football.
      Wabash is not a place where they get rid of a coach who was 8-2 in his first season.  R-e-l-a-x. 

[ExTartanPlayer]

XTP:  thanks for inserting some sanity.  Everyone knows I am a huge Wabash fan--some of you know how big a fan and why--and while I am hugely disappointed, and while I hated to see DPU drive it down the field at the end, Matt Hunt and his teammates did exactly what they had to do. Hindsight being 20/20  I will leave the blame game to others.  One sack, one or two pressures, and it may well have gone the other way.  Hunt made four terrific throws.  But it was what it was.  Heck of a football game; just didn't work out for all of us who, probably too much, live and die with Wabash football.
      Wabash is not a place where they get rid of a coach who was 8-2 in his first season.  R-e-l-a-x.

Exactly.

Matt Hunt is one of the best QB's in school and league history.  He started for four years, threw for 8659 yards and 85 touchdowns (against just 21 INT).  His brother already has 100+ catches in his first two seasons.  I know this is "just" Division III football, but those guys are going to be among the best the league has ever had at their respective positions, and this was the most experienced, loaded DePauw team in the last several seasons. 

If you honestly think it's time to get rid of your coach because you lost a close game today against your rival, a successful program who has steadily improved over the last four years and was lining up one of their best QB's ever in his last game, a guy who brought DePauw's program back from the dead to 4-6, 7-3, 8-2 the last three seasons...I mean, there's no shame in losing to that guy.  It was unrealistic to expect Wabash to win every Bell game for all eternity.  Losing one against the best dude the other team has ever lined up seems like a time to say "Damn, I hate that we lost that game, but what a hell of a game it was and what a hell of a player to lose to" instead of "Damn, that Hunt kid is pretty good...so I think we can all agree it's time to fire the coach, right?"

[wally_wabash]

Wally_Wabash,

You seem to be an expert on who gets in to the playoffs. So..... does Mount Union get in?

Your thoughts please.

Signed,

Sir Battlescars

Find out at 11 PM EST

[Li'l Giant]

I'm not advocating firing anyone right now. My comment was he gets a pass for this one. But we're fooling ourselves if we act like making a habit of losing the Bell Game won't get a coach fired. See e.g. "Carlson, Greg". 

[bashtownie]

Look, hats off to Depauw. I said more positive things about Depauw in one post than I have probably every said in my life. Don't take my questions about the Wabash coach as a slight to the team that won today in any way, because that's not the point.

It's more about the what seemed like a hasty hire than anything else. Maybe we were spoiled with CC and ER, but if you spent any time around those two guys you knew they had that ambition and drive that seemed to lead to a little something extra from the players on the field. There were also some really, really talented guys on team this year. It just seemed like ER got more out of them or was able to do more with them last year than what I saw this year. But I'll admit I'm not the most detailed observer so yall can correct me if your perspective was different.

From where I sit, the conversation on this particular coach has been more along the lines of - can he continue the success of recent years? There was a time when it seemed like the questions about Wabash teams was - what will it take to break into the top tier of D3 teams and become a legitimate title contender? If Morel isn't an answer to that question, how long can he stick around?

[wally_wabash]

XTP:  thanks for inserting some sanity.  Everyone knows I am a huge Wabash fan--some of you know how big a fan and why--and while I am hugely disappointed, and while I hated to see DPU drive it down the field at the end, Matt Hunt and his teammates did exactly what they had to do. Hindsight being 20/20  I will leave the blame game to others.  One sack, one or two pressures, and it may well have gone the other way.  Hunt made four terrific throws.  But it was what it was.  Heck of a football game; just didn't work out for all of us who, probably too much, live and die with Wabash football.
      Wabash is not a place where they get rid of a coach who was 8-2 in his first season.  R-e-l-a-x. 

I'm really disappointed in the result today as well.  It was a fantastic game.  So many big plays by so many great players on both sides.  We haven't had a game like this in the series since 2007, really. 

And we would be remiss not to congratulate the Tigers on playing a great game- particularly Matt Hunt, who basically went legend today.  The 123rd Monon Bell is going to always be known as the Matt Hunt Game.  That's the reward when you do 400 yards of total offense, 5 TDs, with not one, but two go ahead touchdowns in the 4th quarter.  He was great today and he had to be to get this win.

[1837Tigers]

The final 2:15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGP2ttt6ZEU

[ExTartanPlayer]

Look, hats off to Depauw. I said more positive things about Depauw in one post than I have probably every said in my life. Don't take my questions about the Wabash coach as a slight to the team that won today in any way, because that's not the point.

It's more about the what seemed like a hasty hire than anything else. Maybe we were spoiled with CC and ER, but if you spent any time around those two guys you knew they had that ambition and drive that seemed to lead to a little something extra from the players on the field. There were also some really, really talented guys on team this year. It just seemed like ER got more out of them or was able to do more with them last year than what I saw this year. But I'll admit I'm not the most detailed observer so yall can correct me if your perspective was different.

From where I sit, the conversation on this particular coach has been more along the lines of - can he continue the success of recent years? There was a time when it seemed like the questions about Wabash teams was - what will it take to break into the top tier of D3 teams and become a legitimate title contender? If Morel isn't an answer to that question, how long can he stick around?

It's certainly fair to point out that it's a hasty hire, but considering the timing of ER's departure, I don't think there was much choice at that time.

I should clarify that I'm not saying one has to have blind loyalty to the program.  It's fair to comment on specific decisions during a game, or the general appearance of the team's organization.  But there's a pretty big gap between "commenting on the coaching today" and the first three posts from Wabash fans all mentioning something to the effect of "get the resume ready" , "He needs to go NOW" and "One and done, or does he get a second year?"

Come on, dudes.  This is Division III football.  We don't fire coaches after one 8-2 season that nearly went to the playoffs.  And, like I said, you guys are reallllllllllllllllllllllly overestimating the draw of coaching at Wabash if you think anyone worthwhile is going to want that job if they fired a guy who went 8-2 in his first season at the helm.  If you fired Morel, it might be BJ Hammer or bust.

[SaintsFAN]

XTP:  thanks for inserting some sanity.  Everyone knows I am a huge Wabash fan--some of you know how big a fan and why--and while I am hugely disappointed, and while I hated to see DPU drive it down the field at the end, Matt Hunt and his teammates did exactly what they had to do. Hindsight being 20/20  I will leave the blame game to others.  One sack, one or two pressures, and it may well have gone the other way.  Hunt made four terrific throws.  But it was what it was.  Heck of a football game; just didn't work out for all of us who, probably too much, live and die with Wabash football.
      Wabash is not a place where they get rid of a coach who was 8-2 in his first season.  R-e-l-a-x. 

I'm really disappointed in the result today as well.  It was a fantastic game.  So many big plays by so many great players on both sides.  We haven't had a game like this in the series since 2007, really. 

And we would be remiss not to congratulate the Tigers on playing a great game- particularly Matt Hunt, who basically went legend today.  The 123rd Monon Bell is going to always be known as the Matt Hunt Game.  That's the reward when you do 400 yards of total offense, 5 TDs, with not one, but two go ahead touchdowns in the 4th quarter.  He was great today and he had to be to get this win.

I was thoroughly entertained with today's Bell Game;  it's just too bad one team had to lose.  Those kids on both sides left it all on the field. 

I have no doubt Wabash will be back in the tourney next year.  The kids in Cville have a lot of tradition and moxie.

[ExTartanPlayer]

The final 2:15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGP2ttt6ZEU

Thanks for posting.  I was wrapped up in a couple other games and didn't get to see this one live.  Tremendous stuff.

[SaintsFAN]

The final 2:15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGP2ttt6ZEU

Thanks for posting.  I was wrapped up in a couple other games and didn't get to see this one live.  Tremendous stuff.

I DVR'ed it; they had Paul Maguire doing color?!  Talk about a total D3nerd's dream!  My wife came in and asked why I wasn't watching Notre Dame today.   Great stuff. 

[smedindy]

You can't ask for anything more out of two arch rivals. I have to say that while I hate the loss, I'm glad that the rivalry is back. It's better to have this than whatever the Knox / Monmouth thing has become.