FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Shamrock]

Seven freshmen on the Wabash roster from Florida. One from Georgia. One from Texas.

[HCAlum86]

Maybe my head's been in the clouds - but who decided it was a good idea to pair Hiram with Heidelburg in the OAC contract!? Sheesh

[Pat Coleman]

Maybe my head's been in the clouds - but who decided it was a good idea to pair Hiram with Heidelburg in the OAC contract!? Sheesh

What OAC contract?

[D O.C.]

Seriously, North Coast of what?

Thanks to Dennison for stepping up.
Will LINFIELD playing in Granville cause any ripple of excitement?

[83LittleGiant]

Must be the north coast of the Ohio river.

[D O.C.]

Makes sense

[sigma one]

Trying to stimulate some conversation----For the next few days I'm going to roll out a team by team preview.  (D3 used to do a season preview of all teams nationally, but that has been gone for two years now:  I miss reading about all the teams.)  Well, anyway,  here's my best shot at the teams based on reviewing current rosters.  Ohio Wesleyan's roster is not posted yet.
     Less than a week to go before opening--with Hiram playing on Thursday, and all the others on Saturday.

DENISON BIG RED  (7-3 in 2022)

NCAC Pre-Season coaches' rank:  3rd
Returning starters:  Offense--7     Defense--9    +Kicker/Punter and Return specialist
                             Six 5th year returning
Returning All Conference:  Fabrocini RB (1), K Stone OL (1, fifth year), B Stone OL (2, 5th year), Densdorff DL (1, 5th year), (1), Moore LB (1),
                                       Hallenback LB (2), Downie DB (1), Cunningham P (3), Epps RS (1)
OOC Grmes: Capital (0-10 in '22), Linfield (10-1 in '22)
OUTLOOK:  Credit to Dension for scheduling across the country v. Linfield, a perennial top 10 team.  The Big Red will break in a  new quarterback.  They have six fifth-year starters returning, including 3 all-NCAC players.  Four OL starters are back, as is the best running back in the conference.  All four DL starters are back, and two all-conference linebackers.
For years now, Denison has contested at the top of the conference, and this year promises to be no different.
Denison has usually had no problem replacing multi-year starting QBs. 
Look for another competitive effort as they contend for an NCAC title.

DEPAUW TIGERS  (9-2 in 2022)

NCAC Pre-Season coaches' rank:  1st
Returning starters:  Offense--6     Defense--10     +Kicker
Returning  All-Conference:  Baumgartner RB (2), McCormick OL (1), Ammons OL (3), Kaufman OL (2, 5th year), Guhl DL (1), Lowry DL (2),
Burger DL (2), Bruder DL (3), Gude LB (1), Comer LB (1), Marsh LB (1)  Tully DB (1) Coons DB (3), Sullivan K (!)                                         
OOC Games:  Rose-Hulman (6-4 in '22), Anderson (0-10 in '22)   R-HU played DPU close last year, losing 17-14.
OUTLOOK:  The Tigers are primed for another conference title.  An impressive 10 defensive starters return,  including 9 who were All-NCAC.
Like Denison, they will start a new QB; and, if I'm correct about who that will be, one with good experience last year when the starting QB was injured.  The return of Smith at WR (who was Newcomer of the Year in '21) gives them a dynamic playmaker.  With so much defensive talent and a solid offensive group, the Tigers are the prohibitive favorite for a conference crown and a third consecutive year in the Play-Offs. 

Three more teams tomorrow.
   

[sigma one]

The next three---

HIRAM TERRIERS (2-8 in 2022)
Pre-Season Coaches' Poll:  8th
Starters Returning:  O--7     D--8      +K
Returning All-Conference:  Mills OL (3), Miller K (2)
OOC Games:  Heidelberg (6-4 in '22), Mount St Joseph (10-1 in '22).  These replace Bethany and Hilbert, a huge upgrade.
OUTLOOK:  The QB returns for his sophomre season after an good first-year.  The entire OL is back, as is the 2nd-team, all-conference K.  The back 7 on D return to promise an improved year there.  HIiram played Bethany tough and defeated Hilbert easily last year.  The new OOC teams will make that 1-1 start all but impossible.  With the exception of Oberlin, the Terriers have to hope for an upset or two to improve in the conference.     

[sigma one]

KENYON OWLS (3-7 in '22)
Pre-Season coaches' Poll:  7th
Returning Starters:  O--6     D--5
Returning All-Conference:  Stuart OL (2) Canonoco DL (2) 
sCanonoco DL (2)
OOC Grames:  Bluffton (2-8 in '22), Kalamazoo (3-7 in '22).  The Owls squeezed by Bluffton last year, 33-28, while losing to K'zoo 24-21.
OUTLOOK:  To begin, the roster does not include WR Zachary Kim, a sophomore last year (and All-NCAC 1st team), who led the conference in receiving yards.  Couple that with the loss of another WR who led the NCAC in catches and a competent 3rd receiver and     
a very proficient QB, and the Owls have some rebuilding to do.  They return 10 starters, so the team will have to work to better
last year's record.  The OL returns four starters, which is maybe a place to start a rebuild.  The defensive has to fill holes at all  three levels.

OBERLIN YEOMEN  (0-10 in '22)
Pre-Season Coaches' Poll:  9th
Starters Retruning:  O--7     D--6
All-Conference Returning:  Harris DB (3)
OOC Games:  Kalamazoo (3-7 in '22), Concordia-Chicago (6-4 in '22).  Concordia replaces Alvernia.  Oberlin lost their OOC games last year by a total of 10 points, and then ran out of steam in the conference. 
OUTLOOK:  It's hard to see where and how the Yeomen can improve this year.  Each year, they seem to start an inexperienced line up.  The entire OL returns as a starting point.  Both sides of the ball must significantly improve for OBE to get into the win column in '22.  For both the good of the NCAC and for their own good they have to make some progress.

[wally_wabash]

OBERLIN YEOMEN  (0-10 in '22)
Pre-Season Coaches' Poll:  9th
Starters Retruning:  O--7     D--6
All-Conference Returning:  Harris DB (3)
OOC Games:  Kalamazoo (3-7 in '22), Concordia-Chicago (6-4 in '22).  Concordia replaces Alvernia.  Oberlin lost their OOC games last year by a total of 10 points, and then ran out of steam in the conference. 
OUTLOOK:  It's hard to see where and how the Yeomen can improve this year.  Each year, they seem to start an inexperienced line up.  The entire OL returns as a starting point.  Both sides of the ball must significantly improve for OBE to get into the win column in '22.  For both the good of the NCAC and for their own good they have to make some progress.

It's a new day at Oberlin.  Things got a little squidgy with the Yeomen toward the end of last season, using 12 minute quarter clocks to move things along.  I counted 72 on Oberlin's 2023 roster just now, which I hope is a positive sign for their ability to play 10 complete regulation games. 

[sigma one]

OHIO WESLEYAN BATTLING BISHOPS  (6-4 in '22)

NCAC Coaches' Poll Rank:  4th
Returning Starters:  O--7     D--6                  +K/P  RS
All-Conference Returning:  Hurst WR (NCAC Newcomer of the year in '22; 2), Planey OL (2), Dichler OL (3), Henry DL (1),
Anderson LB (3), Thornton DB (2), Alston RS (2)
OOC Games:  Otterbein (2-8, in '22; defeated OWU last year 21-13)  UW River Falls (6-4 in '22)
OUTLOOK:  OWU returns its starting QB, 3 starting WRs, and 3 OL from 2022.  The offense promises to be very strong.  On D, the unit is led by the most recent of a long line of outstanding DL multi-year NCAC players.  Two other DL also return.  With several underclass losses from last year who earned All-Conference honors at RB, LB, and DB, the Bishops have some holes to fill. Their Kicker is also back.
OWU is consistently tough; this year promises to be no exception. 
The OOC loss to Otterbein last year has to change to get them off to a good start.  The other OOC game v. River Falls is another example of NCAC teams going out of Region 4 to find a tough opponent.  They will upset someone along the way just as they did Denison in '22. 

[sigma one]

WABASH LITTLE GIANTS (7-3 in '22)

Pre-Season Coaches' Poll:  2nd
Returning Starters:  O--10     D--7      Two are fifth year OL
All-Conference Returning:  Thompson QB (1,  Offensive Player of the Year the last two years), Snyder RB (3), Allen WR (1),
Sullivan  WR (2), Sholar OL (1) Caster OL (2), Mullin OL (1),  Stoller TE (1), Olive DL (2), Thomas DL (2), Ruppert LB (3)
OOC Games:  Hampden-Sydney, (5-5 in '22),  Butler (7-4 in '22; The Bulldogs play in the Pioneer League, a non-scholarship "Division 1"  conference.)
OUTLOOK:  Hampden-Sydney played Wabash to the wire in last year's opener.  The LGs substitute Butler for North Central.
The Bulldogs play in the Pioneer League, a higher division non-scholarship conference.  They were 7-4 in '22  The LGs  have very probably the toughest OOC schedule in the NCAC.  Getting to NCAC play at 1-1 would be a good start.  The O, which returns 8 All-Conference performers from a team that average over 550 ypg in '22, is a force to be reckoned with.  Last year's D was, on the other hand, sub-par; and must improve significantly for the LGs to make a run at the conference title.   

The last two later today. 

' 

[sigma one]

WITTENBERG TIGERS  (5-5 in '22)

Pre-Season Coaches' Poll:  5th
Starters Returning:  0-- 5     D--7       3 are 5th year
All-Conference Returning:  Gross RB (2), Snurr LB (1) 
OOC Games:  Dubuque (6-4 in '22), Alma (10-1 in '22)  WIT looks at two new teams for their OOC schedule:  Dubuque from the American Rivers Conference, and Alma from Michigan.
OUTLOOK:  Wit's 2022 record last year and 5th place NCAC finish was their worst in many years.  They lost three of those games by 7 pts (Wabash), one pt (Wooster), and 7 pts (OWU).  They handed DePauw their only regular season defeat by smothering the New Tigers 30-7 in Greencastle.  Go figure.  Both Dubuque and Alma offer early challenges, and the result of those games will preview what Wit will be this year.   With only 12 starters returning, the Old Tigers have some positions to fill; who steps in will make all the difference at Wit works to get back to the Conference force they are accustomed to being. 

[sigma one]

WOOSTER FIGHTING SCOTS (6-4 in '22)

Pre-Season Coaches' Poll:  6th
Starters Returning:  O--7     D--8        +K, RS  (K is back for a 5th year.)
All-Conference Returning:  Barrett K
OOC Games:  The Scots open with Wilmington (3-7 in '22) from the always tough OAC.  Their second game is v. Olivet (5-5 in
'22).  Both games will be challenging.
OUTLOOK:  Woo lost a 5th year QB; finding a replacement is key to getting off to a good start and competing throughout the season.  Along the OL three starters are back along with 2 WRs.  The D has experience at DL (3 of 4 returning), and among
the DBs--all four of last year's starters return.   The Wabash, DePauw, Denison stretch presents a major challenge for a team hoping to rise above last year's 6th place finish. 

[HCAlum86]

Makes sense

Most things in Northern Ohio refer to "North Coast" - it's usually an allusion to Lake Erie.