FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[SaintsFAN]

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.

Kudos to Witt defense.  The TMC passing game was way off.  You should win if you rush for 297 yards and the Saints had their chances. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

Nice recap Wally, thanks.

[wally_wabash]

Witt/UWW is an interesting game, I think.  I think Witt has the defense to make it tough for UWW to score in the 30s.  If they get that high, I don't think Witt can win as I don't think Witt's offense is the sort that is going to throw up a ton of points on UWW's defense.  If Witt can hold the Warhawks to 21 or under, they've got a decent shot. 

[Li'l Giant]

Congrats to Witt. What a great ballgame.

I feel real bad for TMC's seniors. To lose an OT playoff game two years in a row has to hurt.

As Wally said, Witt/UWW is interesting. That defense will have to bring it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all y'all.

[HCAlum86]

I watched two Whitewater games this year, and I agree with everyone's assessment thus far. The only shot Witt has here is keeping UWW under 30, and even then it will be tough.

Building off of that, keeping them under 30 without turnovers probably won't be enough, on its own. I thin Witt will need to supplement some offense with defense in the form of interceptions or fumbles in UWW territory. A short field for Witt will be big in ensuring that they get some points on the board.

Nonetheless, it will be fun watching a school of 2000 students compete against a school with 12,000

[NewHawk]

I watched two Whitewater games this year, and I agree with everyone's assessment thus far. The only shot Witt has here is keeping UWW under 30, and even then it will be tough.

Building off of that, keeping them under 30 without turnovers probably won't be enough, on its own. I thin Witt will need to supplement some offense with defense in the form of interceptions or fumbles in UWW territory. A short field for Witt will be big in ensuring that they get some points on the board.

Nonetheless, it will be fun watching a school of 2000 students compete against a school with 12,000

Last time I checked UWW played 11 at at time not 12k. The players still don't have scholarships. 

[bleedpurple]

Nonetheless, it will be fun watching a school of 2000 students compete against a school with 12,000

last time I checked UWW played 11 at at time not 12k. The players still don't have scholarships. 

The game isn't exactly David vs Goliath in terms of the size of the players. Both teams have 13 players on their roster 280 or more pounds if I counted correctly. That's kind of a statistical anomaly for Wittenberg, don't you think? It seems like they might have intentionally recruited them to play football or something.

If you want to see the true difference enrollment makes, form teams from each student body from guys NOT on the football teams this year. Then set up a game between the two schools. THAT would be fun to watch. That would not work out well for Wittenberg, I promise. And the reason WOULD be because of the enrollment.  But when the football teams play each other? If UW-W wins, it will be because they are the better team. `Period.

[wally_wabash]

You guys are way too sensitive about the enrollment thing.  I don't think HCAlum was taking shots or meant anything negative toward UWW. 

It's also extremely disingenuous for y'all to rush in the second somebody points out that the UW's are, in fact, very different from 95% of the division, and claim that we're all playing on the same level field.  We aren't and you know it. 

[HCAlum86]

You guys are way too sensitive about the enrollment thing.  I don't think HCAlum was taking shots or meant anything negative toward UWW. 

It's also extremely disingenuous for y'all to rush in the second somebody points out that the UW's are, in fact, very different from 95% of the division, and claim that we're all playing on the same level field.  We aren't and you know it.

Yeah, that was not a shot at all. I am supporting the schools in our conference who are all small, relative to even other Division III programs.

Further, recruiting to a school more comparable in size to a MAC school than an NCAC school has to have its advantages in campus life, facilities, public funding, etc. It wasn't a shot at any school, merely support of our member institutions.

[Bishopleftiesdad]

I was curious as well, I did not see any intended offense to the WIAC or the UWW in particular.

[smedindy]

Holy cow! Enrollment is a fact, but if enrollment were a real thing then we'd be comlaining about TCNJ, U Mass-Dartmouth, and William Paterson.

The UW branches are different cats - like all of the D3 publics. A lot of them are commuter schools with part timers, etc and limited residence halls. Many are becoming more residential, but still they pull the majority of students from nearby. 87.3% of all UW-W students live within 100 miles.

Something I found interesting - UW-W had about 2,600 students over the age of 21.

What's true is that it's cheaper for a resident to go there, on paper. Many private schools have advantages with financial aid and scholarships thanks to endowments. It's all about the financial aid packages.

Wabash has a small enrollment, but it's all male. For football, we need to compare the male populations, anyway, and I bet it's comparable to schools with 1,800 - 2,100 students depending on their male population.

I don't think any harm was done, really.

[02 Warhawk]

The Wittenberg fans still in Kentucky celebrating the OT win last week?

Kind of quiet.....

[Bishopleftiesdad]

There have not been many Witt supporters on this board in quite some time. Mostly Wabash, DePauw, with a few OWU, Wooster and Hiram.
Been a long time since I saw a Kenyon poster.

[emma17]

Witt's Jake Kennedy looks to be a heck of a player. I assume they run the read option given all the carries he gets. UWW has struggled a bit defensively against really good read option teams. I think of UWRF (a couple years ago), Wartburg, Linfield, Mt last year and others.
Maybe UWW will have to play keep away and focus on the rushing attack given TMC's success.
With all the close games UWW has had, I can't imagine Witt would lack confidence coming into the game.

[jknezek]

Holy cow! Enrollment is a fact, but if enrollment were a real thing then we'd be comlaining about TCNJ, U Mass-Dartmouth, and William Paterson.

Not so much TCNJ.  With only 7 or 8K students they are big, but not really big. I think you mean Montclair State. With 20K I believe they have the biggest enrollment in DIII. Or at least used to.