FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[1837Tigers]

DePauw takes a 13-0 lead at Central and then gives up 28 straight.  At halftime.

[CollegeGolf18]

Wabash tied the game up at 21s and then allowed a FG. 24-21 UWSP with probably about 8 minutes left in the game. UWSP's scoreboard is not working so this is a little different. Hasn't worked since the half.

[CollegeGolf18]

Ike James with a 41-yard run to give Wabash their first lead of the game. 28-24 with something like less than 3 minutes left...no one knows.

[bashtownie]

I'm just listening today, but I'm looking forward to watching Liam Thompson as the season progresses. And it sure feels good to have Ike James back. Now some haaaard haaaat deeeeee. Edit: looks like we left the hard hats in Crawfordsville today.

[CollegeGolf18]

I'm just listening today, but I'm looking forward to watching Liam Thompson as the season progresses. And it sure feels good to have Ike James back. Now some haaaard haaaat deeeeee. Edit: looks like we left the hard hats in Crawfordsville today.

UWSP 31-28 with ~1:20 left. Wabash ball at their own 35.

[Li'l Giant]

I miss when good enough wasn't good enough.

[CollegeGolf18]

Wabash turns it over on 4th down. What an awful match-up for a first game. Thankfully it is the opening game and a non-conference game. I would like to know how the game is viewed since there is no working scoreboard. The Wabash D looked bad. Inopportune turnover leading to an easy score and dropped passes. Thompson is going to be legit, but had WAAAAY too much pressure the entire game. Line needs to get better and the D needs to generate more pressure. Just not a good game. I don't want to say it's a huge upset, but it was a game that Wabash should have won.

Unlike a few years ago, this is a team that really has to play well in all facets of the game or they'll lose. You can't give up 300+ passing yards and win anymore. You can't go down into the half by 14 points and win anymore because the offense isn't high powered. You can't expect to give up a 50% 3rd down rate and win. You can't be forced to go for it on 6 4th downs and win. Did I mention you can't allow 329 yards passing with next to no pressure on the QB and win. Things need to get better and I have full faith that they will, but man, that was ugly.

An overreaction? Probably.

[Li'l Giant]

Reminds me of a song: "This is sound of settling"....

[Dr. Acula]

Here at last, here at last, thank God almighty, the game notes are here at last.  Waiting an extra week for the season to start has made this a long week.  Safe travels to those making the trek to UW-SP. The weather forecast looks like it will be a great day for football.

Below are Wabash's game notes for this weekend's game at UW - Stevens Point. 


https://sports.wabash.edu/documents/2019/9/12//at_UW_Stevens_Point_9_14_19.pdf

689 program wins.  A great season and you're in rarefied air in D3 football history.  That's awesome!

p.s. I enjoyed that they have "Wabash" in the pronunciation guide to try an curb the mispronunciations.

Well, I don't think the UWSP announcers read that guide.

I had the video feed going on one of my monitors and I cringed every time he said "wuhBASH".  Painful.  I also enjoyed after they held on and he mentioned the Pointers staying undefeated.  I'm guessing that's news to JCU. 

[Bishopleftiesdad]

OWU 42- Kenyon 0.

[Li'l Giant]

Here at last, here at last, thank God almighty, the game notes are here at last.  Waiting an extra week for the season to start has made this a long week.  Safe travels to those making the trek to UW-SP. The weather forecast looks like it will be a great day for football.

Below are Wabash's game notes for this weekend's game at UW - Stevens Point. 


https://sports.wabash.edu/documents/2019/9/12//at_UW_Stevens_Point_9_14_19.pdf

689 program wins.  A great season and you're in rarefied air in D3 football history.  That's awesome!

p.s. I enjoyed that they have "Wabash" in the pronunciation guide to try an curb the mispronunciations.

Well, I don't think the UWSP announcers read that guide.

I had the video feed going on one of my monitors and I cringed every time he said "wuhBASH".  Painful

Watching the replay on Youtube and it's very grating to hear this pronunciation.

[sigma one]

Some NCAC observations based on limited data.

Allegheny (0-1) Lost to RPI 52-14.  Gave up a lot of points and 502 yards to a ranked team.  But  RPI then turned around and  lost to WPI 6-3.   Too early to get a good fix on the Gators.  Wabash visits  Meadville this week. 
Denison (1-0)  Looked terrific in their opening win over Ohio Northern.  ONU  will probably be a mid-pack OAC team.  Still, the new Big Red QB looked to be a potential dual threat successor to Gebele, and Minton continued to impress.  The defense held ONU to 224 yards.  Denison appears ready to challenge for the top of the league once again.  They host Hiram on Saturday.
DePauw (0-1).  The Tigers went to Central and led early by double digits, then lost 45-19.  The defense will not be what is has been over the past several years, giving up 519 yards, including 199 rushing.  They play at Kenyon this week--on the road again. 
Hiram (0-2).  The Terriers have lost to two good teams in Marietta (a shutout loss, 41-0). and Wittenberg, and played competitively vs. the Tigers early on before cracking to lose 35-12.  They have not shown the kind of offensive playmakers of years past.  They have surrendered over 400 yards/game and face another tough team--Denison--this week. 
Kenyon (1-1).  Good for the  Lords on opening weekend; they defeated Catholic in 2OTs, 28-27.   They were then shut out by OWU 42-0.   They host DePauw on Saturday.  The defense again appears vulnerable.
Oberlin (0-2).  The Yoemen are one of three teams in DIII not to score a point in their first two games.  The others are Grinnell and Thiel.  On the flip side, they have given up a total of 20 points.  (Grinnell has given up 72; Thiel, 101).  Absent their first-string QB, who knows whether they can generate any significant offense.  And who knows if/when Taylor will return.  They go to OWU this week to play another team with a solid defense.
Ohio Wesleyan (2-0).  Off to a strong start with wins over Otterbein and Kenyon--OK, not the strongest competition, but still . . .two wins.  And they revenged last year's close loss to Ott.  They get Oberlin at home this week, so expect a 3-0 record.
Wabash (0-1).  Depending upon your point of view, the loss to UW Stevens Point was either expected or not.  The last UWSP drive reminded me of DPU's closing drive in the 2017 Bell Game when the LGs could not stop the pass while consistently rushing only three.  The surprise was the freshman QB starting instead of Reid, with whom Wabash was 9-1 last year.  Ike James continues to shine, but Avant did not see the field either as a RB or returner.  Wabash goes on the road again this week v. Allegheny, another long trip.
Wittenberg (1-1).  The Tigers evened their record with a win over Hiram.  Their first game, vs. Washington & Jefferson, was a defensive slug fest.  Despite giving up only 120 yards to the Presidents they lost 16-8.  It looks like they changed QBs for the second game, so they continue to search there.  They host Wooster this week in a game that may show if the Scots are going to challenge at the top of the conference.
Wooster (2-0).  With wins over  Bluffton and Oberlin by combined scores of 47-6, the Scots have done what was expected--two wins vs. teams they should beat.  This weekend should provide a good picture of how good Wooster is going to be as they visit Wittenberg.   

The NCAC finishes  4-6 in OOC games.  Wins over Ohio Northern, Catholic, Otterbein, Bluffton.  Losses to RPI, Central, Marietta, Kalamazoo, UW Steven Point, Washington & Jefferson.  Only the Wabash loss at UWSP could be called an upset (by some).  Witt and W & J was a toss up of two closely ranked teams. 
     Questions about the strength of the two 2-0 teams--Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster--still remain.   Wittenberg seems to still search for a QB.  Can Wabash recover on the road vs. Allegheny--a game that could test their  mental and physical resolve.  Denison really looked good:  after Hiram this week, they go on the road to Wabash (Homecoming) and Allegheny. 
     From early results, it appears that Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster are poised to compete: Denison is on the way to repeating success of recent years, Wittenberg will challenge as usual, Wabash is a bit of a mystery:  how strong (or weak) are the LGs?   I suspect they will be up and down throughout the year.  As for the rest, DePauw is still an unknown trying to find a new defense; Allegheny is dangerous on any weekend; Hiram, Kenyon, and Oberlin will compete against each other for wins.       

[bluestreak66]

Here at last, here at last, thank God almighty, the game notes are here at last.  Waiting an extra week for the season to start has made this a long week.  Safe travels to those making the trek to UW-SP. The weather forecast looks like it will be a great day for football.

Below are Wabash's game notes for this weekend's game at UW - Stevens Point. 


https://sports.wabash.edu/documents/2019/9/12//at_UW_Stevens_Point_9_14_19.pdf

689 program wins.  A great season and you're in rarefied air in D3 football history.  That's awesome!

p.s. I enjoyed that they have "Wabash" in the pronunciation guide to try an curb the mispronunciations.

Well, I don't think the UWSP announcers read that guide.

I had the video feed going on one of my monitors and I cringed every time he said "wuhBASH".  Painful

Watching the replay on Youtube and it's very grating to hear this pronunciation.

I feel like Stevens Point deserved to loose the game just because of that....

[Li'l Giant]

Wabash (0-1).  Depending upon your point of view, the loss to UW Stevens Point was either expected or not.  The last UWSP drive reminded me of DPU's closing drive in the 2017 Bell Game when the LGs could not stop the pass while consistently rushing only three.

I did not get to watch the game live yesterday but I watched the replay on YouTube today (thanks, UWSP, for having that available). When Wabash went ahead there was no sense they were going to be able to stop UWSP. The only question was would they have enough time left. They did, they just couldn't get it done.

Some of the stuff you can chalk up to it being the first game (blown coverage on the 1st UWSP score), or very good plays by UWSP (the strip of Thompson that led to their 2nd score), and some from UWSP having already played a game against a tough opponent (the final drive for sure).

I got the sense all day that UWSP was winning that game because of their line play. We didn't get very good pressure on Urmanksi (ZERO sacks) and Thompson was having to roll out or step up in the pocket a lot.

Also, that drive in the 2nd quarter that ended with a failed fake FG was pretty big. I'm not saying that in college those are automatic points from a kicker but it's hard to swallow a drive that got to the 18 and came away with zero points when we lost the game by 3. And it's made worse that UWSP then went 91 yards for a TD to go up 21-7. Double gut punch.

I give the LGs a ton of credit, despite everything they were in a position to make one stop to win the game. It sucks to start a season this way and it sucks that there's no margin for error, but the playoffs are still a possibility.

I'm curious why we didn't see Avant, though. He wasn't injured was he?

[sigma one]

No indication that Avant is injured.  James is clearly the superior back, but I was surprised 1) not to see Avant atl least on KO returns, and 2) not to see them both on the field at the same time as Morel said they could be in his remarks earlier in the week.  Perhaps they are saving James and Avant both on the field for conference play.  The other missing factor was Ra'Shawn Jones, who is injured.  I don't know how long he will be out.  His absence probably prevented Wabash from throwing the ball father down the field, but the UWSP pressure may have been a factor there as well.