FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[wabashcpa]

It was simply a matter of time before Lynch got that ship righted - as it turns out, not much time at all.  If he decides to stay put this time (and at this point, why wouldn't he), they should consistently be in the hunt for the conference title.  I like that the conference depth is starting to develop - nice seasons by Denison and OWU, an improved Wooster, Hiram and Kenyon competed, even Allegheny hopefully on an uptick with Hammer.  Should make football going forward a lot more interesting.

[SaintsFAN]

Wally et all;

You guys saw Witt this year.  What do they bring to the table?  How big are they?  The two-deep I've seen from DePauw has the Tigers with a solidly sized DT but the rest look like athletes.  Thomas More's OL and DL are every bit as big as they were last year.  Do you think size will affect Wittenberg?

Looks like they've played excellent defense and have a couple of LB's who can make plays sideline to sideline. 

To me the story will be how the #2 scoring defense in the country does versus the #13 scoring offense in the country (and vice versa).  AT this point, I'm glad QB Kuntz had to play against Wabash, he should be ready for Saturday.  I'm anxious to see it. 

[HCAlum86]

Wally et all;

You guys saw Witt this year.  What do they bring to the table?  How big are they?  The two-deep I've seen from DePauw has the Tigers with a solidly sized DT but the rest look like athletes.  Thomas More's OL and DL are every bit as big as they were last year.  Do you think size will affect Wittenberg?

Looks like they've played excellent defense and have a couple of LB's who can make plays sideline to sideline. 

To me the story will be how the #2 scoring defense in the country does versus the #13 scoring offense in the country (and vice versa).  AT this point, I'm glad QB Kuntz had to play against Wabash, he should be ready for Saturday.  I'm anxious to see it.

They do not have the size of year's past, that's for certain. But they are well coached and have the 2nd most talent in the coference, imo, behind Wabash.

I think they will get beat handily in round 2, as they'll have a purple power waiting for them

[Mr. Ypsi]

Chris Creighton's EMU team totally dominated NIU for the first half - led 21-0.  Aside from the last five minutes of the 4th Q, when they drove for a game-tying FG, they stunk up Rynearson Stadium the rest of the game, losing 31-24 in OT.  I was only half listening to the radio broadcast, so have no opinion on whether CC should receive any of the blame, but it WAS a total collapse which probably tarnished any chances he had of 'moving up' this season.  This has been a very good season by EMU standards, but I'll stick to my belief that a single season can be a fluke, and he would have to repeat next year (or further improve) to become "hot".

[DPU3619]

Some DePauw folks I'm friends with on various social media platforms posted some videos from campus where the Bell was on display today.

All the kids looked at it like it was some kind of Ripley's exhibit. I guess that's what happens when you actually get to see it for the first time. 

[wally_wabash]

Chris Creighton's EMU team totally dominated NIU for the first half - led 21-0.  Aside from the last five minutes of the 4th Q, when they drove for a game-tying FG, they stunk up Rynearson Stadium the rest of the game, losing 31-24 in OT.  I was only half listening to the radio broadcast, so have no opinion on whether CC should receive any of the blame, but it WAS a total collapse which probably tarnished any chances he had of 'moving up' this season.  This has been a very good season by EMU standards, but I'll stick to my belief that a single season can be a fluke, and he would have to repeat next year (or further improve) to become "hot".

I guess I don't get the point of this.  EMU lost and gave up a big lead doing so. It stinks.  But winning football games is hard.  Those of us that just watch take that for granted. 

EMU is bowl eligible for the first time since we were all using Netscape and you want to dump on the coach?  C'mon. 

[wally_wabash]

Wally et all;

You guys saw Witt this year.  What do they bring to the table?  How big are they?  The two-deep I've seen from DePauw has the Tigers with a solidly sized DT but the rest look like athletes.  Thomas More's OL and DL are every bit as big as they were last year.  Do you think size will affect Wittenberg?

Looks like they've played excellent defense and have a couple of LB's who can make plays sideline to sideline. 

To me the story will be how the #2 scoring defense in the country does versus the #13 scoring offense in the country (and vice versa).  AT this point, I'm glad QB Kuntz had to play against Wabash, he should be ready for Saturday.  I'm anxious to see it.

Witt's fine.  I don't think they're very big.  They have played very good defense, but I'm going to add the caveat here that I don't think the NCAC featured a ton of great offense this year.  They buckled down on DPU which was probably the most impressive defensive game of the year for them.  But there are no CT Tarrants in the NCAC, so this is going to be a whole new deal for Wittenberg.  They are well coached- Joe Fincham has been at this forever and he'll have a solid game plan, but I think the Saints can push Witt around a bit and control the game through possession. 

[Li'l Giant]

Some DePauw folks I'm friends with on various social media platforms posted some videos from campus where the Bell was on display today.

All the kids looked at it like it was some kind of Ripley's exhibit. I guess that's what happens when you actually get to see it for the first time. 

Belated congrats, Wes. I'm sure there were similar displays at Wabash in 2001.

[Li'l Giant]

for the first time since we were all using Netscape

+k

[Mr. Ypsi]

Chris Creighton's EMU team totally dominated NIU for the first half - led 21-0.  Aside from the last five minutes of the 4th Q, when they drove for a game-tying FG, they stunk up Rynearson Stadium the rest of the game, losing 31-24 in OT.  I was only half listening to the radio broadcast, so have no opinion on whether CC should receive any of the blame, but it WAS a total collapse which probably tarnished any chances he had of 'moving up' this season.  This has been a very good season by EMU standards, but I'll stick to my belief that a single season can be a fluke, and he would have to repeat next year (or further improve) to become "hot".

I guess I don't get the point of this.  EMU lost and gave up a big lead doing so. It stinks.  But winning football games is hard.  Those of us that just watch take that for granted. 

EMU is bowl eligible for the first time since we were all using Netscape and you want to dump on the coach?  C'mon.

I wasn't dumping on the coach; not sure what I said that gave you that impression.  I think he is clearly the best coach EMU has had since the last bowl game (1987, IIRC).

[1837Tigers]

Hey all - finished the MM for '16 late last night https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssL80TrsJN4

[aueagle]

Witt plays a Thomas Moore team that has put some points up this season...
Good Luck to the Tigers and represent the NCAC well...

[SaintsFAN]

Witt plays a Thomas Moore team that has put some points up this season...
Good Luck to the Tigers and represent the NCAC well...

A Thomas More team playing against the best defense they've seen all season and a Wittenberg team playing against the best offense they've seen... Something will have to give. 

I think TMC wears on them with their big boys up front (on both sides of the ball); but we'll see.  It will be interesting to see if Witt can shorten the game and give their defense rest by possessing the football.  TMC has given up some yardage this year on defense. 

[Sir Battlescars]

Witt plays a Thomas Moore team that has put some points up this season...
Good Luck to the Tigers and represent the NCAC well...

A Thomas More team playing against the best defense they've seen all season and a Wittenberg team playing against the best offense they've seen... Something will have to give. 

I think TMC wears on them with their big boys up front (on both sides of the ball); but we'll see.  It will be interesting to see if Witt can shorten the game and give their defense rest by possessing the football.  TMC has given up some yardage this year on defense.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight... It's the size of the fight in the dog!

[wally_wabash]

Keeping an eye on Witt/TMC-

Witt leads TMC 17-7 at halftime.  Witt's defense has really controlled the game.  TMC QB Brennan Kuntz has been super inaccurate so far.  It's really windy today which doesn't help, but he's missing pretty bad more often than not.  They've got him rolling left a lot which has him throwing goofy-footed.  It's weird.  Anyway, after a scoreless first quarter, Witt scored the first 17 points of the game and looked safe to take that lead into halftime.  A fumbled handoff exchange with 55 seconds left gave the ball to TMC in the red zone, which they were able to convert into a touchdown right before half.  TMC will get the ball to start the second half, so this late score off of the Witt turnover may have flipped the switch for the Saints.  We'll see what adjustments Scafe makes at halftime to try and solve the Witt defense. 

Second half update-
That fumble at the end of the 1st half did turn the tide.  TMC owned this second half taking a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter.  Wittenberg answered with their only real sustained drive half to tie the game with under 2 minutes to play.  TMC had an opportunity with the ball to win in regulation, but stalled out around midfield.  So TMC is going to get their second straight OT playoff game vs. the NCAC champion.

OT-
Witt gets the ball first and immediately gets down to the 1 yard line on the first play.
Sarley is stuffed in the backfield on 1 and G.
Witt gets called for throwing a pick on 2 and G and goes back 15 yards.  Killer penalty.
Two incomplete passes and that brings out Gingery for a field goal attempt. 
Gingery makes the field goal.  Man, he's good.  27-24 Witt, they now have to defend 25 yards against the TMC offense to advance.

TMC's OT possession...
Two runs for Tarrant and TMC has 3rd and 4. 
Three more Tarrant and 3rd and 4. 
Decision time here...go for it on 4th and 1 or kick to try and force a second OT.  TMC takes a timeout to figure it out.  (I'd go here unless I had a Will Gingery, which TMC does not)
Scafe elects to kick it and TMC's freshmen kicker converts the attempt.  This is why I'm not a coach.  27-27 and we're going to do another OT sesh. 

2nd OT:
TMC against starts with two straight runs and they'll have 3rd and 1.
Witt stuffs Tarrant again on 3rd and short.  TMC is going to kick it again.
Witt blocks the FG attempt.  And they'll start needing a field goal, which they are already in Gingery's range.  That was a couple of pretty bad offensive possessions for TMC in OT, tbh. 

Witt carries for 8 on their first play.  Just have to hang on to the ball at this point. 
Witt gives 4 yards back on a negative run by Sarley.
2 yards, right in the center of the field.  Gingery is going to have a 37 yard attempt to win.
TMC blocks the kick!  Huge play.  Wow.  Going to a third OT.

3rd OT:
Witt starts incomplete, short Kennedy run and have 3rd and 8. 
Kennedy scrambles, gets close, but he stepped out one yard short.  Gingery back out for another attempt.
Gingery gets this one.  Witt goes up 30-27.  TMC has another shot to win.  They'll need to put the thing in the air I think.  It's been all runs in the OTs, and it's tough to get 10 yards that way on this D.

TMC starts with another run up the middle for 4, sweep for no gain, and now they have 3rd and 6.
And Kuntz runs a ways backward and gets sacked on 3rd down.  Now it's 4th and 15.  Timeout TMC.
TMC makes a 47 yards FG to tie the game and bail out Brennan Kuntz big time.  30-30 going to the 4th OT.

4th OT:
TMC starts with a play fake, which was a great play, but the receiver dropped a pretty good pass.  That's the play TMC needed.  Tough drop there.
Incomplete on 2nd down, receiver looked open but Kuntz led him a tad too far. 
3rd and 10...Kuntz checks down to Pitts for just 2 yards.  Another FG attempt coming.
Mathias misses this one wide left.  And we're back to TMC having to do something wild to keep going with Witt starting in Gingery's range. 

Gain of 5 for Sarley on 1st down.
Back to Sarley for 2 more.  Will be 3rd and 3.
Sarley sets it up between the hashmarks, but loses a yard.
Gingery is on for the win....looks like a 37 yard attempt coming.
Gingery's attempt is good and Wittenberg wins 33-30.  Great ballgame!

Witt advances to play UWW next Saturday.