FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[BashBacker#16]

hscoach,

That is a brilliant comment.  Actually we were all hoping Witt would win the conference!

[aueagle]

Bishop "D" holds Olivet to 149 yds....OWU had 387 total yds....they also convert 9 of 16 3rd downs...kcreds is right; the bye week comes at a great time for Bishops...2 weeks to prepare for Homecoming against the Little Giants....Now the race for the championship  really starts...GO BISHOPS

[formerd3db]

Darkiside-D:
Come-on now, be nice.  Those programs (CWR and Kenyon) are trying and a game like that for them is good.

[Bh101]

Olivet lost to Franklin by almost 3 touchdowns--not exactly a felled giant.

[Bh101]

what's up with Otterbein (among a certain other school) not getting any votes at all for the top 25?

[Pat Coleman]

Much like voters tend to forgive a loss more easily when a team loses to its archrival, one win against an archrival does not a Top 25 team make. Remember that Otterbein also only scored 14 on Defiance.

And bash, it's hardly a popularity contest. Go take a look at who that team played before you open your mouth, sheesh.

[bashbrother]

Just did.....retracted my statement.....

Pat - Gotta give it to ya, you don't miss much out here.

[Pat Coleman]

Thanks. Now that you have figured it out, I wish you could convince the SID that I'm having a discussion with on this very subject.

When our voters have a 1-2 team in the Top 25, though, you can assume it's for a reason. I think our track record is pretty good, unlike the AFCA, who put Wabash in the Top 15 a little prematurely last year, and Ohio Wesleyan similarly a few years before that.

[unknownNCAC]

Okay,
So I have watched the NCAC and this post board for many years without putting anything up.  I just can't keep quite any longer!!  Where are the defenses in NCAC? Where are the defensive players like Hammer, Duerr, Goldsbury, or Pisanick?

The "red swarm" that was a pretty good defense are they still there?  Certainly it can not just be a loss of players...

Even Wabash lost a few players and yet they still remain a productive unit, and I am not sure but BB or Wally might be able to back me up when I say they have been productive with even a few players missing parts of the games these first two weeks...
NCAC defensive players

[wabco]

Olivet sucks.  New logo, new offense, lots of coach switches, no reason to go there other than the (no longer there coach) who grew up in Michigan HS football with the wing T and recruited Michigan HS wing T-ers.  Holding them to anything ... does not say anything.

Kenyon ... where oh where ... is our Ben?  How can you hope to win without that vaunted face planter?  Is the FLA to Kenyon "connection" interrupted already?

Witt ... Alma is a fine but not great team.  They will challenge but not necessarily win their weak conference (weak:  look at MIAA non-conference wisn vs. losses to date).  D appears to be suspect after 3 games.

HOPE ... for everything Dutch and holy ... Depauw handled you in every aspect.  Look for a long season ... from reports I read ... npo emotion or execution on either side.  Former3D ... am I wrong?  Is it getting time for Smith to come back (or perhaps Smith II?)

WABASH ... Ok win.  O did not show much in the run and getting to bread and butter receiver.  I know Wash U has a fine D ... was not there ... how fine was their D is the question, what was the status of our O line play? ... we will be facing fine Ds in the conference.  Knowing you have a very fine D behind you gives the O some options it otherwise would not have ... but Wash U should have gone down by more points.  Just a thought from listening to the game.

[oldguy]

I see Witt's D gave up 611 yds to Alma.  Its like they have the local high school team out there playing defense.

Very, very frustrating.

[BashBacker#16]

unknownNCAC - Not sure what info you want but I think the Bash D has been and will be there all year.  There may not be a Hammer-type on the unit but very good across the 11 guys.  As stated earlier, very talented LB corps with basically 3 - 4 year starters in Selby, Parker, and Foster.  Having Selby back is huge - speed, smarts, and leadership.  Pynenberg is also in that mix which is scary.  Bubba Lang (maybe Blair potential - only a Soph) and Temarco are forces up front.  Statistically, they are off to a good start and if we stay healthy (knock on wood) that should be the case all year.  King (FS) missed a lot of camp with an injury but is back and should get better each week from missing so much time.

Oldguy - 611 yards is mind boggling!  I'd love to hear Fincham in his staff meetings, can you imagine?  Any word/update on Holmes' injury?  They will need a passing game to compete in the conference...  Gheny, Bash, and OWU should all be strong against the run.

[wally_wabash]

Let's please not start with the why isn't Wabash in the top 25 stuff.  Wabash doesn't have that kind of capital with the voters.  If we're undefeated after the Wooster game, I think we'll have earned it.  But not before then. 

Solid game from Wabash.  I would have liked more points, but the game wasn't as close as the score indicates.  Wabash scored early in the first quarter and Wash U. never really threatened.  Solid D all day for Wabash, with the exception of a couple of big pass plays that came after the pocket broke down and the quarterback scrambled (this has been a bugaboo for Wabash for quite some time).  Wash U. only had 9 first downs in the game (K'zoo got 8 against Wabash last week). 

How about the punting game!  Finley averaged 41.7 yards per kick had 4 punts inside the 20 and two of those were inside the 5-yard line.  That's about as solid a punting effort as I've seen Wabash have in years. 

wabco, I wouldn't worry too much about Wabash not getting more passes to Summers.  If teams want to focus on Summers, take him away, and man up on Russell and Green that's a major advantage to Wabash.  There aren't a lot of guys that can run with Russell and Green...they'll win against single coverage a lot.  I think the worst thing Wabash could start doing is start forcing the ball the Summers.  #1 will start getting his catches soon. 

[wabco]

OK ... Wally ... properly chastized on Summers.  Do like what I am seeing (and hearing ... this past Sat. game) about Harbaugh.  It appears he is maturing and making good choices ... something I don't believe always happened last year.  He should get stronger as the season progresses and the comfort level with the O and its variations increases.  Would like to see a QB Draw in the O ... I don't think Harbaugh is given the run respect which would add another dimension.

Not sure what all that yardage against Witt means ... but do know that Alma is decent but not a dominate O power.

[Apone]

Long-time reader, first time poster.  NCAC guy.

Made it out to the ONU/BW game this weekend though, and I have to say that I was underwhelmed with both teams. (Except for defensive end Jason Trusnik) 

Both teams searched for any kind of offensive rythym and it only got worse as the game progressed.  BW's coach gave the game away with his play-calling (ala Jim Tressel vs. Texas).  ONU's offense could not find any rythym due in large part to the fact that their QB was running for his life the entire game.  BW got pressure on nearly every pass, although I just don't think ONU's QB is that good to begin with.  They have talented receivers who made big plays down the stretch.

For anyone that has the chance to see an ONU game this year, Jason Trusnik is worth the price of a ticket.  The guy is unblockable and the best defensive player I have seen on the d3 level, and I have seen and played with/against many of the best.  Simply dominant on every snap.

Very excited for NCAC conference play to get underway.  Witt is 0-3.  OWU seems to be finding rythym.  Gheny is only 2 years removed from a conf. championship.  Wabash 'D' is a mainstay, 'O'?  Wooster defending in the post-Sutton era.  Small college football at its best ladies and gentlemen.