FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[WAF5290]

We lost to OWU last year in an overtime game. Liam threw 2 costly interceptions, one in the 3rd and one in the 4th. This defense is less talented than last year, add to that a new DC that seems like at the very best, a lateral move from Ramsey. He certainly isn't an upgrade by any stretch.

[sigma one]

DePauw starts 7 sophomores and 4 juniors on defense, and only 4 seniors on offense.  Whoa!  Can Denison give them a battle at night in Granville?  This week will tell us a lot about the two teams who have the best chance of winning the conference.  Not to discredit Wittenberg, but I don't think they can match the new Tigers or the Big Red.  Wabash is out of the running regardless of what happens in Springfield on Saturday.   

[wally_wabash]

DePauw starts 7 sophomores and 4 juniors on defense, and only 4 seniors on offense.  Whoa!  Can Denison give them a battle at night in Granville?  This week will tell us a lot about the two teams who have the best chance of winning the conference.  Not to discredit Wittenberg, but I don't think they can match the new Tigers or the Big Red.  Wabash is out of the running regardless of what happens in Springfield on Saturday.   

Definitely not out, but Wabash needs some help.  Obviously, they'll need to win out.  Saturday is a huge gut check.  Get out of Springfield with a win, and things get a little rosier. 

Wabash fans are going to need to hold their nose and pull for DePauw to beat Denison.  Then we'll have to do it again and hope that Witt also beats Denison (those results are not giant leaps, IMO).  Then Wabash has October to get the secondary figured out before a winner take all Monon Bell Classic. 

I don't know for sure if the NCAC has updated their tiebreak rules in the last few years, but a Wabash/Denison/DePauw tiebreak where these teams all end 7-1 in league play and all lost to somebody in that triumvirate probably breaks for Wabash (via longest win streak- which is what happened for Denison the last time the NCAC had that situation in 2018).  Heavy italics on probably because those rules may have changed.

[sigma one]

Wally, well done, as usual.  You are more positive than I am about the LGs chances--right of course if everything falls as you show.

[Crawford]

My high school coach had been a 4 year starter at LB for Purdue and knew how to figure out the opposing teams offensive schemes, then drilled into us how to stop them. He took a school that hadn't had a winning season in a long time and took us to the play-off his first year.  A coach who understands defense and a Head Coach who is willing to put it's best athletes on defense can be formidable.

[CollegeGolf18]

My high school coach had been a 4 year starter at LB for Purdue and knew how to figure out the opposing teams offensive schemes, then drilled into us how to stop them. He took a school that hadn't had a winning season in a long time and took us to the play-off his first year.  A coach who understands defense and a Head Coach who is willing to put it's best athletes on defense can be formidable.

Are you saying that we might see Derek Allen at CB this weekend?

[Crawford]

No, just that if the Head Coach puts an emphasis on Offense, that is what you get.  I want to give Ridings time, but this is embarrassing.  I like a team that the Defense sets the Offense up because of aggressive play.   Rayburn always stressed athleticism and speed. It seemed to me Dennis was the leaner, meaner and faster team last Saturday.

[FW_Giant]

Longtime lurker.  Sorry but after watching 4 games, the defensive struggles are 100% on the schemes and the coach.  We have the athletes to be very good on that side of the ball but aren't put in position to be successful.  As far as being aggressive, I don't see that mindset coming from the staff on either side of the ball...as evident of faircatching every punt and kickoff.  In Morel's eyes WAF means Wabash Always Faircatches!

[sigma one]

AGREE!

[smedindy]

Longtime lurker.  Sorry but after watching 4 games, the defensive struggles are 100% on the schemes and the coach.  We have the athletes to be very good on that side of the ball but aren't put in position to be successful.  As far as being aggressive, I don't see that mindset coming from the staff on either side of the ball...as evident of faircatching every punt and kickoff.  In Morel's eyes WAF means Wabash Always Faircatches!

Fair catches are a long standing tradition at Wabash.

When I did PA, I almost said, on a few occasions, "Pete Logan back to fair catch..."

[smedindy]

No, just that if the Head Coach puts an emphasis on Offense, that is what you get.  I want to give Ridings time, but this is embarrassing.  I like a team that the Defense sets the Offense up because of aggressive play.   Rayburn always stressed athleticism and speed. It seemed to me Dennis was the leaner, meaner and faster team last Saturday.

Gotta have balance, though. It may reach down to HS where the tapes can mostly highlight offense instead of defense. You don't want to turn into Frank Beamer, raising their hands in salute after a 0-0 regulation tie.

[wally_wabash]

Longtime lurker.  Sorry but after watching 4 games, the defensive struggles are 100% on the schemes and the coach.  We have the athletes to be very good on that side of the ball but aren't put in position to be successful.  As far as being aggressive, I don't see that mindset coming from the staff on either side of the ball...as evident of faircatching every punt and kickoff.  In Morel's eyes WAF means Wabash Always Faircatches!

Fair catches are a long standing tradition at Wabash.

When I did PA, I almost said, on a few occasions, "Pete Logan back to fair catch..."

Wes Chamblee would like a word.

[smedindy]

Longtime lurker.  Sorry but after watching 4 games, the defensive struggles are 100% on the schemes and the coach.  We have the athletes to be very good on that side of the ball but aren't put in position to be successful.  As far as being aggressive, I don't see that mindset coming from the staff on either side of the ball...as evident of faircatching every punt and kickoff.  In Morel's eyes WAF means Wabash Always Faircatches!

Fair catches are a long standing tradition at Wabash.

When I did PA, I almost said, on a few occasions, "Pete Logan back to fair catch..."

Wes Chamblee would like a word.

Wes was a bit...better.

Also Logan was in the Carlson era.

[sigma one]

These are numbers from the box scores of Wabash's games.  I did not go to the play by play, and a few KOs have been touchbacks, also several punts, and then a couple of punts were not fielded but allowed to roll dead.  But we get the idea.

Opponents KOs:  27 (To state the obvious, Wabash gives up a lot of points, so they receive a lot of KOs) 
                RET:   5 (0ne or two of those were short kicks that the receiver just fell  on.  So 3 total KO-return attempts.

               PUNTS:  20  Returns:  0.  Several punts (maybe 3-4?) were not fielded and rolled to a stop or went out of bounds.
We all know the analytics.  Risk/Reward.   With the offense Wabash has you just can't tell me that getting the ball at the 20 or so instead of at the 25 on KOs and/or advancing the ball from where the ball is caught on (some) punts would hamper the LGs that much.  Risk of fumble:  yea, some.  But I don't recall the last time I saw Wabash fumble a KO or punt.
     Whatever else can be said---I don't think faircatching (almost) every kick inspires emotion in the team.  Against Dension it didn't look like Wabash attempted to block the kicking team.  So, if you don't practice or try during the game, then what happens when you have to return a kick to get back into a game?
           

[CollegeGolf18]

No, just that if the Head Coach puts an emphasis on Offense, that is what you get.  I want to give Ridings time, but this is embarrassing.  I like a team that the Defense sets the Offense up because of aggressive play.   Rayburn always stressed athleticism and speed. It seemed to me Dennis was the leaner, meaner and faster team last Saturday.

I forgot the /s