FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Li'l Giant]

Tough loss for Wabash. I only caught the end where Wabash was fourth and less than one yard, and opted for a wildcat w read option for a fumble. Does Wabash have a power runner? Strange to mess around in backfield.

Yes, that particular wrinkle seemed to be begging for trouble. I love Avant and I don't blame him at all. Not sure why it wasn't Murphy handing off to James there. Other than a frustrated staff trying something just cuz.

[sigma one]

Jus cuz doesn't cut it.  Run your best guy,  Coaching--we have to be perfect because we are not that good.  Jeez.  It's your offense coach; you built it.  You and your OC.  Doesn't matter what you say; you are wasting talent.  That play call with a yard to go boggles my mind.
     Good to see a close game v. Witt. 

[wally_wabash]

How did I do...

I think Wabash's recipe for victory here include most, if not all, of the following things:
- Wabash converts > 45% of their 3rd downs.  Wabash has to keep the ball and has to keep the field tilted in their favor.  In 2013, Wabash had trouble with first downs early, had terrible field position through the entire first half and never recovered.

1-14 on 3rd downs.  Woof.  3rd and longs are dead meat because Wabash doesn't pass block and Murphy has no chance. 3rd and shorts are dead meat because Witt has a strong front 7 and know with 100% certainty that Wabash is gonna try to get 3 or less yards by smashing through the line and can overplay it and stop it (they did).  There's just no diversity and no disguise in this offense.  It's painfully apparent the second Wabash plays a semi-competent defense. 

- Wabash doesn't go more than minus-2 on turnovers.  Part of keeping the ball away from Witt's offense...but also Witt has thrived on taking the ball away and scoring off of turnovers.  Have to make them earn it the old fashioned way on Saturday. 

Actually finished even here.  For practical purposes, Wabash was +1 here (the 4th and 1 fumble in the 4th quarter was moot...the ball was going over on downs anyway).  Unfortunately, Wabash couldn't turn their turnovers into points.  Wittenberg scored on a sudden change situation on Murphy's 1st half INT.  In a seven point game, that mattered. 

- Hold Witt to < 35% 3rd down conversions.

6-14, 43%.  Didn't meet this one.  Wabash needed about two more stops somewhere along the line in this game and just didn't quite get them.  Witt converted a big 3rd and 7 on the game winning scoring drive.

- Wes Murphy makes an important play downfield, preferably early.  No doubt Wittenberg will sell out to stop Ike James and put the game on Murphy.  If he can make a play or two downfield and force Witt to respect the intermediate and deep parts of the field, James might find some running room.  But they won't respect the pass game early (why would they?) and they won't get out of the box until Wabash beats them downfield. 

There was a small period of time early where Murphy found some good things in the pass game.  Then he got intercepted (it was a bad throw, bad decision).  Wabash kind of gave up on it after that for the rest of the half (evidenced by the total surrender at the end of the first half...had time and an extra down to do something other than kick a 50 yard FG and just didn't).  Murphy nearly found Jones deep on Wabash's last drive, just a slight overthrow.  But instead of stay with the pass game, even after a turnover, Wabash steered hard into the Avant wildcat package, which I guess was the big wrinkle this week.  I don't know.  To win, Wabash was always going to need Murphy to make some plays, and they just kind of went away from it after the INT.  Anyway, to the point- Murphy did do some good things early, but not enough to open it up for the Isaacs. 

- Wabash doesn't allow more than one TD outside of the red zone.  I think Wabash can survive a long TD.  I don't think they can survive two or three of them.  And the home run swings are coming.  I'm certain that Reed Florence has about a dozen plays ready to dial up from his own half of the field that he believes will score so long as Kennedy can make the long throw.  And he's probably right if Wabash is content to sit back and wait for those plays to happen.  Have to avoid the home runs on Saturday. 

Two of Witt's three scores came on plays outside of the red zone.  Really the only two plays that Wabash got beat deep on, but it only takes two. 

Overall, I think the defense played plenty well enough to win even in spite of the two longish TDs.  The thing that has killed Wabash all season is that Knoche gets his ass kicked by every DC in the league and it isn't close.  The other DC might as well be calling Wabash's offense the way it gets read and anticipated.  With the players he inherited, it's inexcusable to have a pass offense ranked below 200 in the division, and yet here we are.  This team doesn't need a 300 ypg passer.  It does have to be able to complete passes at respectable percentage, and it has to throw competently enough to make another defense respect it.  It does neither, and a team like Witt will suffocate you with that deficiency, which they did. 

It's all about 11/11 now.  Two weeks to be prepared to make this season about something more than Nehrig going viral.  WAF. 

[bashbrother]

Wabash's D did indeed play an inspired and gritty game.   They should all be very proud of how they played and kept us in the game. 

[Li'l Giant]

The thing that has killed Wabash all season is that Knoche gets his ass kicked by every DC in the league and it isn't close.  The other DC might as well be calling Wabash's offense the way it gets read and anticipated.  With the players he inherited, it's inexcusable to have a pass offense ranked below 200 in the division, and yet here we are.  This team doesn't need a 300 ypg passer.  It does have to be able to complete passes at respectable percentage, and it has to throw competently enough to make another defense respect it.  It does neither, and a team like Witt will suffocate you with that deficiency, which they did.

I feel like a lot of the heat that has been directed toward Don Morel could be alleviated if Wabash had a new OC next year. If he doesn't make a change, then the heat is deserved. This offense is putrid and a change needs to be made.

[Wabash1]

The thing that has killed Wabash all season is that Knoche gets his ass kicked by every DC in the league and it isn't close.  The other DC might as well be calling Wabash's offense the way it gets read and anticipated.  With the players he inherited, it's inexcusable to have a pass offense ranked below 200 in the division, and yet here we are.  This team doesn't need a 300 ypg passer.  It does have to be able to complete passes at respectable percentage, and it has to throw competently enough to make another defense respect it.  It does neither, and a team like Witt will suffocate you with that deficiency, which they did.

I feel like a lot of the heat that has been directed toward Don Morel could be alleviated if Wabash had a new OC next year. If he doesn't make a change, then the heat is deserved. This offense is putrid and a change needs to be made.

Why would they get a new OC when they are just not that good. That kind of talk will just do wonders for recruiting. I don't see anything changing as long as they are .500 team.

[ohiofan1954]

Denison at Wooster should be fun next week. Might be 100 points scored in that game, without ot.

[wally_wabash]

The thing that has killed Wabash all season is that Knoche gets his ass kicked by every DC in the league and it isn't close.  The other DC might as well be calling Wabash's offense the way it gets read and anticipated.  With the players he inherited, it's inexcusable to have a pass offense ranked below 200 in the division, and yet here we are.  This team doesn't need a 300 ypg passer.  It does have to be able to complete passes at respectable percentage, and it has to throw competently enough to make another defense respect it.  It does neither, and a team like Witt will suffocate you with that deficiency, which they did.

I feel like a lot of the heat that has been directed toward Don Morel could be alleviated if Wabash had a new OC next year. If he doesn't make a change, then the heat is deserved. This offense is putrid and a change needs to be made.

Why would they get a new OC when they are just not that good. That kind of talk will just do wonders for recruiting. I don't see anything changing as long as they are .500 team.

I'm confused by this.  Who isn't good? 

[smedindy]

The thing that has killed Wabash all season is that Knoche gets his ass kicked by every DC in the league and it isn't close.  The other DC might as well be calling Wabash's offense the way it gets read and anticipated.  With the players he inherited, it's inexcusable to have a pass offense ranked below 200 in the division, and yet here we are.  This team doesn't need a 300 ypg passer.  It does have to be able to complete passes at respectable percentage, and it has to throw competently enough to make another defense respect it.  It does neither, and a team like Witt will suffocate you with that deficiency, which they did.

I feel like a lot of the heat that has been directed toward Don Morel could be alleviated if Wabash had a new OC next year. If he doesn't make a change, then the heat is deserved. This offense is putrid and a change needs to be made.

Why would they get a new OC when they are just not that good. That kind of talk will just do wonders for recruiting. I don't see anything changing as long as they are .500 team.

I'm confused by this.  Who isn't good?

Not to speak for him, but the QB situation needs improvement, and I think there could be improvement at WR. Of course, with the QBs it's hard to get a handle on the receivers.

Still, you don't gain that many yards with a bad line.

[wally_wabash]

Take a wild guess at who coaches the QBs. 

I think Wes Murphy would be an all-conference player in Brett Dietz's offense.  I said it. 

[smedindy]

Remember when we complained about Rice and Putko. Those seemed like the salad days...

[wally_wabash]

Not to speak for him, but the QB situation needs improvement, and I think there could be improvement at WR. Of course, with the QBs it's hard to get a handle on the receivers.

Still, you don't gain that many yards with a bad line.

I think Wabash has really good receivers, actually.  Kirby Cox is solid and has been for a long time.  Page is excellent and it is unfortunate that Wabash lost him this season.  Ryan Thomas is good.  I think Ra'Shawn Jones has been a revelation- he's got beat 'em deep ability, which is not a thing Wabash has had a ton of lately or has particularly cared to exploit.  There are really good players at that position. 

The line gets beat on pass rush consistently.  I'm over my skis so I won't dissect line play, but it's not good and it doesn't help.  I do think it's related to my assertion that Wabash runs an excessively elementary, Tecmo Bowl style offense.  They don't run college level plays and they aren't always prepared to deal with college-level defensive pass rush schemes. 

[Li'l Giant]

Take a wild guess at who coaches the QBs. 

I think Wes Murphy would be an all-conference player in Brett Dietz's offense.  I said it.

This relates to my previous comment about our QBs and having a Ferrari driven by Stevie Wonder....

[WooClone15]

Denison at Wooster should be fun next week. Might be 100 points scored in that game, without ot.

Yeah, I'm excited for that one. Wooster has had a much better season than I was expecting and hopefully that continues Saturday

[wally_wabash]

Denison at Wooster should be fun next week. Might be 100 points scored in that game, without ot.

Yeah, I'm excited for that one. Wooster has had a much better season than I was expecting and hopefully that continues Saturday

The Lantern is going to fun this year.  A pair of really fun offenses to watch.  Should be a lot of points and a really competitive game.  Game of the Week in the league for sure.