FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[cave2bens]

AGREE..... And he doesn't start the game on the field.    #CoachingGenius -   James is Morel's secret weapon every game... like no one knows he will be coming in.

Sure they may pass a few times or run the fearsome JET SWEEP..  (err.. fumble)  But when they begin to struggle,   they immediately close up and   run delay right....  delay left.   That is what we have ladies and gentlemen.   

For a few of us "white-haired, Cavemen who still have some recall faculties," this season eerily smacks of 1970.  Briefly, Wabash won it's first three games (routs of Hanover and Albion sandwiched around a 3-0 "Knoche" over Wash StL) before home and away ties with Valparaiso and Butler.  The last three games of the season featured two second-half, letdown losses to St Joseph's and a 1-6 OWU squad before a 1 point Bell loss at home to a 3-5 Dannie squad.  Wabash 71 (editor - Jim Czarnecki) detailed the season honestly and yes, bluntly - closing with a poignant piece penned by lineman, Mike Tipton on page 121.

"1st and 10: Vandy picks up three... 2nd and 7: Garby grabs three more... three yards and a cloud of dust... measurement... PUNT!!!"

                               - from Wabash 71, pages 118-119.

Granted, comparisons mean nothing particularly when separated by nearly five decades but... QB - very similar.  Gerard, Garbison, and Chuck Johnson were a good stable of running backs.  Line had good and bad days in the trenches and downfield passing attack was inadequate as either a threat or relief from runner fatique.  The defense was pretty stout but particularly in the fourth quarter losses to St Joe's and OWU, they couldn't compensate for several turnovers (OWU scored 21 straight in their win...).

Not hand-wringing as leave that to those more knowledgeable of gridiron, but as a rhynie band member in the stands for six of eight games (and a one-semester Swimmer - for you, Smed!  ), the board observations exhibited over the last several pages have been interesting.  Here's to taking out a bunch of frustration on the Yeomen, Tigers (x2), and Gators.  WAF even if some coaches don't get it.

[ExTartanPlayer]

Sorry folks, busy time at work, didn't mean to drop a deuce on the NCAC board and walk away with no response.

I don't have time to reply in detail, but I do want to note that concerns are about "structural" things like the quality of game management and schemes, and I applaud that.  It shows at least some level of critical thinking, not just looking at W's and L's.  I'm not at the (Wabash) games; you guys are; which means you're seeing stuff that I have no perspective on.  I merely wanted to provide at least one dissenting "is the sky really falling?" viewpoint, especially given that just last week was Wabash's best performance of the season against a preseason darling, and this week we're back to "time to clean house before things really fall apart!"

I understand that last year's 8-2 fell a little short of expectations given what the team had returning, but (again, as an outsider) it sounds like there's a lot more to worry about this year than last.

Giving the ball to Ike James is not an offense.  Here's the sum total of Wabash's offensive playbook through six games in 2017:



That's not a college offense.  Ike James is the best player on the field 100% of the time, but at this level (yes, even in D-III), an average defense can defend the best player on the field if that offense is going to telegraph and stubbornly play 5-on-11.  That's how you get your offense shut out. 

Taking this in a more productive direction: I'm not sure how many of you guys watch Pitt football very much, but I thought last year's Pitt team was one of the best examples that I'd seen of a team with one superstar RB could build an entire offense around those talents without it just turning into "Conner right, Conner left."  They use lots of jet motion, lots of fake (and real) reverses, things like handoffs to an H-back lined up at the tight-end position...the Pitt defense was a trainwreck last year so their overall record wasn't very good, but when their offense was clicking they won shootouts against Penn State (B1G champs) and Clemson (national champs).  They had a decent QB and some speed on the flanks, but it was all made possible by Conner beasting out and the coaches designing some really creative stuff that took advantage of just how much attention Conner drew.  I expect that this is what's drawing the consternation here - it seems, from what I can tell, that Wabash has not found those second and third option style plays (well, you could just keep running that blocked-field-goal-picked-up-by-the-kicker play...)

[wally_wabash]

Taking this in a more productive direction: I'm not sure how many of you guys watch Pitt football very much, but I thought last year's Pitt team was one of the best examples that I'd seen of a team with one superstar RB could build an entire offense around those talents without it just turning into "Conner right, Conner left."  They use lots of jet motion, lots of fake (and real) reverses, things like handoffs to an H-back lined up at the tight-end position...

If only Wabash had an H-back who was an all-NCAC RB last year. 


(they do) 

[sigma one]

ETP: You are right.  I have used the phrase lack of imagination to describe the Wabash offense.  There is an occasional jet sweep, but that play has not reaped any rewards.  Earlier there was a try at one of two reverses, poorly executed.  There is little motion or deception.   There is almost no faking.  Last week, the lack of imagination was compounded by a beat up offensive line.  In the second half Wabash was playing with as many as three back-up linemen.   The top two receivers, both starters since their freshmen year (they are now juniors), were out.  One is gone for the year.  Even on defense the injury bug has hurt the line, and a couple of linebackers have been dinged.  Probably the best defensive back has missed two games and is having a sub-par year.  So, if there is any  excuse for what we are seeing, in addition to the play calling and lack of production, it's that the LGs have been banged up.     
     Ike James is a quality running back and Isaac Avant is usually productive.  I think the coaches do not trust the new QB to contribute much, so they've decided, rightly or wrongly, to simplify the offense.  When Morel was the OC, there was more imagination.  As several have pointed out,  the current OC (and presumably the HC) has decided to be very vanilla. 
     Wabash is just not being . . .Wabash.  The team doesn't look like Wabash, isn't playing like Wabash. 
      As the glass half full guy I describe myself as being, I want to believe that the injuries are having  an effect on the thinking of the coaches.  But it's not just the injuries.  The old spark is missing.  It's been painful to watch this team, even when they win.  At 5-1 you might expect the faithful to be happy.  Since they are not, and since they are rabid in their support of what has been built, something is rotten in the state of C'ville. 
           

[bashbrother]

I don't have time to reply in detail, but I do want to note that concerns are about "structural" things like the quality of game management and schemes, and I applaud that.  It shows at least some level of critical thinking, not just looking at W's and L's.  I'm not at the (Wabash) games; you guys are; which means you're seeing stuff that I have no perspective on.  I merely wanted to provide at least one dissenting "is the sky really falling?" viewpoint, especially given that just last week was Wabash's best performance of the season against a preseason darling, and this week we're back to "time to clean house before things really fall apart!"

I understand that last year's 8-2 fell a little short of expectations given what the team had returning, but (again, as an outsider) it sounds like there's a lot more to worry about this year than last.

First of all,   always respect your posts ETP.      As you know,  many Wabash posters/fans,  are ex-players such as yourself,  or have been directly involved with the program in the past or are Super Fans that understand the game very well.   Many, have also been watching everything very closely for a long time.    I think Little Giant summed it up very well, at least for me,  a few weeks ago in his post:

Sticking with my theme: Why do we need to wait until the truck is upside down and on fire in a bar ditch? We see where the truck is headed.

Do we want to be like Allegheny? Do we need an to go 2-38 like they did? Why wait until then to do something that we can see needs to be done?

Wabash fans have gotten used to winning,  even dominating most of our competition for awhile now.....   Speaking for myself,  did I ever think we could ever field a team that would be good enough to win a National Championship.   Maybe, but probably not, it is very hard.    Did I ever think that we could work ourselves into the upper crust, with a special class of players, and make it deeper then the Quarters or Semi's,  one year or two.    Yes.     That is what true fans do,   they hope for the best and want the best.  Right?

[smedindy]

  Ike James is a quality running back and Isaac Avant is usually productive.  I think the coaches do not trust the new QB to contribute much, so they've decided, rightly or wrongly, to simplify the offense.  When Morel was the OC, there was more imagination.  As several have pointed out,  the current OC (and presumably the HC) has decided to be very vanilla. 
               
[/quote]

I think that's it. The shame is that we used to challenge our QBs to execute, even when they were inexperienced and hadn't seen much game action.

In 2013, we had Putko and Walsh at QB, who barely saw the field in 2012. We had Zurek and Holmes get hurt at RB. We still scored a lot of points. The next year we went to Whitewater.

Do they not think O'Connor or Costin or Skeel are answers, either? Do they not trust the line to block anything but vanilla run plays?

It just struck me - we used to complain about how predictable the offenses were in the 90's. In the first series, they would try something downfield, and then go back to being predictable. Even with Chris Ings - teams just keyed on him.

When Creighton came in, it got to be unpredictable - when we have great QBs and average QBs - we kept people off balance. It was pretty much that way until this season.

It does help to have a defense who is capable of alleviating mistakes you make on offense. But at least we weren't stuck in one gear.

[BashDad]

Morel's Morsels (TM) get really good following a loss:

"We feel like with the guys we're playing on offense we just need to be perfect every play to have a chance."

"In my first season we lost to Allegheny and Oberlin in the same year."

"We weren't ready to play on Saturday. That is my responsibility."

[wally_wabash]

Morel's Morsels (TM) get really good following a loss:

"In my first season we lost to Allegheny and Oberlin in the same year."

That team also beat NCAC co-champions (both of them) on the road.  2012 had a wide range of Saturday output.  We're seeing it here in 2017 as well.  This team can still win this league.  But there's no more margin for error.  They've got to be Week 6 good every week the rest of the way.  There's no more not ready to play stuff.  That'll make for a really long last month. 

[Li'l Giant]

When Morel was the OC, there was more imagination.             

Serious question: How much of that was DM and how much was ER? Because I remember them switching places in 2015 and ER was up in the press box calling the plays.

I truly do not know what the division of labor on that was. If anyone does I'd love to know the answer.

[sigma one]

My understanding, is that after a year or two as OC Morel called many of the plays, with input from ER whenever he wanted something specific.  What percentage of calls this represents is difficult to calculate.  Even before ER went upstairs,  the year before Morel called a lot of the plays   A former coach and good friend of mine sitting in the stands once said to me that if you didn't know who the head coach was (ER) you would be hard pressed to identify him by what was going on near the team.  ER tended to isolate himself from the center of sideline action, moving off toward one end of the bench (usually in the direction of the  Allen Center)  and entrusting his coaches to  handle much of the coaching of their units.  He was a guy who operated strategically and his game preparation was precise.  Of course, there was electronic communication; how much?  Remember that Hammer as DC also operated out of the press box for a time as well.

[wally_wabash]

Grabbed this from the WIAC board, where Whitewater fans are having an eerily similar experience at the moment (the intersection of the two storylines is fascinating, tbh). 

We have been spoiled, but should not lower our expectations.

WHD

That single line pretty concisely sums up what the last umpteen pages of this thread have been about.  Well stated. 

[BashDad]

+1

[HCAlum86]

Grabbed this from the WIAC board, where Whitewater fans are having an eerily similar experience at the moment (the intersection of the two storylines is fascinating, tbh). 

We have been spoiled, but should not lower our expectations.

WHD

That single line pretty concisely sums up what the last umpteen pages of this thread have been about.  Well stated.

With all due respect, Wally... Whitewater has one multiple national championships and now sits at 3-3. Wabash is a perennial regional power who sits at 5-1. Granted, I definitely hear your point and understand the frustration.

It all comes down to beating Witt. Wabash beats Witt and taking back the Monon Bell... If they do that, they're in. I know that is no easy task, but there is still an avenue to get there.

[Bombers798891]

Grabbed this from the WIAC board, where Whitewater fans are having an eerily similar experience at the moment (the intersection of the two storylines is fascinating, tbh). 

We have been spoiled, but should not lower our expectations.

WHD

That single line pretty concisely sums up what the last umpteen pages of this thread have been about.  Well stated.

With all due respect, Wally... Whitewater has one multiple national championships and now sits at 3-3. Wabash is a perennial regional power who sits at 5-1.

I have to agree with HCAlum here. This reminds me of Fisher fans. Fisher was a perennial regional power, and in 2013 were 7-2 heading into their last game of the season. One Fisher fan was so convinced it was over that he asked if the team should bench their starting quarterback simply to get a jump on next season. They won that game...and the next...and the next

Or the time a few years later, when, in the midst of another season when they were winning 7+ games, if they needed to replace the coach who took them from nothing to brief national power and perennial E8 contender. I believe the phrase used was "Maybe the devil we know is worse than the devil we don't"

You're not even worried about what has happened. You're worried about what you think is going to happen based on the signs you've seen.

[wally_wabash]

Grabbed this from the WIAC board, where Whitewater fans are having an eerily similar experience at the moment (the intersection of the two storylines is fascinating, tbh). 

We have been spoiled, but should not lower our expectations.

WHD

That single line pretty concisely sums up what the last umpteen pages of this thread have been about.  Well stated.

With all due respect, Wally... Whitewater has one multiple national championships and now sits at 3-3. Wabash is a perennial regional power who sits at 5-1.

I have to agree with HCAlum here. This reminds me of Fisher fans. Fisher was a perennial regional power, and in 2013 were 7-2 heading into their last game of the season. One Fisher fan was so convinced it was over that he asked if the team should bench their starting quarterback simply to get a jump on next season. They won that game...and the next...and the next

Or the time a few years later, when, in the midst of another season when they were winning 7+ games, if they needed to replace the coach who took them from nothing to brief national power and perennial E8 contender. I believe the phrase used was "Maybe the devil we know is worse than the devil we don't"

You're not even worried about what has happened. You're worried about what you think is going to happen based on the signs you've seen.

It's a fair point by both of you.  I do want to point out that I'm not comparing Wabash and Whitewater as perfectly parallel tracks...only that the situations are similar relative to the teams' different highwater marks. 

I also think it's fair to put context around Wabash's record and compare what is the baseline performance in 2017 with what the baseline performances were when Wabash was making the playoffs eight times in fifteen seasons.  It's not just a one-off bad game at this point, which is why it's troubling to people.