FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[ravishingrabbi]

scotsfan - a lot of henne's yards came late in the game last year when osu had it put away (37-14 until the very end). ohio state's offense was certainly clicking that day, but how do you think the defense played so well against breaston, avant and edwards? it wasn't magic.

in the '03 game, michigan started out fast, but at one point ohio state cut it to 28-21, then got a pick from gamble around midfield. it wasn't exactly a blowout. the outcome was very much in doubt at that point, but still, just a bunch of keys being jingled and preppy students whining about how cold it was. have you been to a game in the 'shoe? it really is a difference of night and day in terms of noise levels.

we'll see what happens 11/19. hopefully the big 10 title will be on the line, at least for ohio state. i'm glad you're a wooster fan though. let's focus on hating that team from springfield.

darkside - i agree with your assessment about wooster's defense. there's such a fine line between being a championship team and a mediocre team, and experience really does make a huge difference. sure sutton was nasty, but without the experience you guys had on D last year, i doubt you would've gone 10-0. i hope the scots can build some momentum heading into the offseason these last two weeks. i have a feeling they'll make another run at the ncac title next year.

good point nike

[smedindy]

Then people will call foul and say why are #6 and #7 playing in the first round, which means that #3 and #4 would have to play. Also, the brackets would be alop.

However, this may be way moot. DPU isn't even ranked in the South Region.

[wabco]

COME ON 'BASH ... make it all moot!

OOOOoooooo   WWWWWWAaaaaa   WWWWWWWaaaaa

I hates Dannies .... ('cept for my wife and other female Damnies ... of course).

[kcreds]

wally: My point is that OWU's offense has clicked this year with good execution and sometimes it looked bad. I do not agree with simple saying its the offense they run. A lot of variables come into play; execution, personnel, penalties, play choice, turnovers and defensive capability to name a few. I've seen those same variables come into play by other teams OWU beat and they didn't run the Wing-T. I hope you are wrong and OWU can turn that corner but until then I still have faith. The skill players are young and I see alot of potential in the near future. My philosophy though is defense wins games and OWU's defense has been very good to subpar. If the offense is struggling then the defense has to step up. OWU has some very talented defensive players that I am counting on these next two games and not so much the offense.

nike: I love your confidence. People like yourself have doubted OWU all year. They point to the Wabash/Witt games to talk bad about OWU but I am here to tell you, Wooster is not Wabash/Witt. OWU is not Kenyon, OWU is much much better. Irregardless, I have never guaranteed that OWU would win any game. Coaches do what they think is the best for their team to win and also to mold character. Who are you or anyone else for that matter to question what OWU's coaches had in mind? I was at the game and one maybe two people were yelling for the big FB. I don't have much respect for people coaching from the stands and for people that constantly yell at refs. I will say this, Wooster may beat OWU but if OWU wins then what are you going to say, nike? At least for us this game is becoming very meaningful. Go Bishops!

[wally_wabash]

You alleviate that problem by making Wabash/Depauw #4 and #5 (in either order).  You've got Mount Union, the CCIW champ, and the CCIW runner up that clearly should be seeded higher than one-loss Wabash/DePauw.  If a second one-loss OAC team sneaks in, then you have four teams that are definitely higher seeded than Wabash/DePauw would be.  

I know you're convinced that Whitewater is coming North, but I'm not so sure.  Moving WW north leaves a huge void in the West, unless Whitworth comes in.  But even if Whitworth gets in, they'll have to fly somewhere because the NCAA won't pair them up with Linfield, so the flight situation in the West is going to be a total mess no matter where you put Whitewater.  

And really, when did the NCAA start caring about teams crying foul?  The situation with the Texas sub-bracket is nothing short of corrupt and people have been griping about it for years.  The NCAA isn't interested in fair and equitable bracket pairings....it doesn't make sense to think that will start doing so now.  The only thing the NCAA cares about is putting on the cheapest championship tournament possible.  If that means Wabash and DePauw play in the first round, regardless of where the two teams ought to be seeded, then that's what will happen.  

Per the NCAA, it wouldn't be a situation where #6 is playing #7 because the NCAA doesn't officially seed the teams (beyond the top seed in the region that is).  We would all know differently, but the NCAA is free and clear of responsibility there because the seeds are coming from a third party.

And I'm not sure I can buy into the #6 and #7 seed thing anyway.  Are you telling me that Lakeland and/or whatever HCAC team happens to win that mess  are going to be seeded  higher than either Wabash or DePauw?  That's the only way one of these teams could be a #7 seed and I can't see that happening.  

[wally_wabash]

kcreds -

OWU's offense almost always clicks against Kenyon and Oberlin and Denison and Earlham and all of the teams on the schedule that are bad.  It's rare in the last four years that OWU scores many points against quality opponents.  The sample size is too large here....these numbers are statistically significant.  The fact is that OWU looks good against teams that are clearly inferior, and they are overwhelmingly mediocre against good teams. 

I like OWU, and I've been singing praise for OWU all year.  But as the season has played out, it's the same story for the Bishops: beat up on the have-nots, struggle mightily against the haves.  It's the same script every year and when you look at the numbers and find out how significant the difference is in OWU's offensive output vs. teams in the top half of our conference and teams in the bottom half, you just can't deny the results.  OWU's offense just doesn't get it done.  I'm afraid that until they get more vertical with the offense, this pattern will continue to repeat itself. 

[big_bash]

Wally -

As much as I hate to say it, but I think you are giving DePauw too much credit. I know we are all taught not to do the common opponents game, but...
DePauw                     Trinity
Rhodes W 7-3            Rhodes W 34-6
Centre W 14-7           Centre W 45-7

It appears as if Trinity was able to handle Rhodes/Centre's defense much more handily than DePauw could. You might think that maybe DePauw is playing more of a ball/clock control type offense an that the scoreboard doesn't matter, but DePauw rolled up 38 on hope, 33 on Chicago, 34 on Sewanee and 51 on Millsaps. Clearly the Tiger offense was contained on those two games.

[wally_wabash]

Trinity has come on a bit lately, DePauw seems to be scuffling a bit.  In September, DePauw was playing very well.  Trinity was in limbo (28-25 over Redlands the week before the scheduled game with DePauw).  Those common opponents results raise a flag, but I think in September DePauw was clicking much more than Trinity was.  This was their year. 

Hopefully what we're seeing from DePauw is the same sort of thing we saw from the K'zoo teams Rogers coached...fast starts, dreadful finishes. 

[big_bash]

If the Roger's trend continues, that bodes well for Wabash's Bell record.   

[Li'l Giant]

WW,

I do know how the weather was that day. Of course, the nice weather didn't stop me from staying indoors all day to listen to the Wabash game and watch more fooball on TV. 

[DarkSide-D]

KCreds,

In time, you will learn that what we are telling you about the Wing-T and OWU is fact.  It has been fact since I played against them in 01.  The Wing-T is perhaps the most predictable Defense (when watching from the stands).  And if D-ends and Linebackers hold their keys, its extremely predictable when you're on the field.  As long as defensive players don't get nosey, and start chasing after fakes, the Wing-T will be shut down.  You said that you have seen pros and bigger colleges making dumb mistakes, teams that don't run the Wing-T.  Well, there is a reason they don't run the wing-t. 

[DPU_radio_guy]

In DePauw's defense... they haven't exactly hung their hat on the offense this year.  The DPU D is 7th in the country in scoring.  However, they also haven't played Russ Harbaugh and his 7th ranked efficiency rating.  

Has Trinity scored a lot more points against similar opponents?  Yes.  But Trinity likes to score points....in fact...a lot of them.  However, the record against similar opponents remains the same, which, after this week, is 2-0. You don't need 50 points when you're defense gives up around 10.  Trinity sure does it anyway.  DePauw hasn't scored that many.  But they're still in the playoff hunt.  Bell Game will have a little extra to play for this year.  We'll see how it goes.  Harbaugh's good... real good.

[Vince McMahon]

We ran a wing-T with Hrovat and I seem to recall hanging some very big numbers on both Woo and Bash.  We were good but never great against Witt though.  Of course, Hrovat's was certainly not you're traditional wing-t. No huddle with tons of motion.  

[ski]

Double D  - This whole hindsight thing is what makes sports what they are.  Sports give us ex-jocks, wanna-be jocks and plain old fans a reason to get up the day after the game.  We run for the sports page and read all of the opinions and rant and rave whether we agree or not.  Its 2 buddies sitting at a bar talking about the forth and 1 call.  It's a mother talking about the lack of playing time her son is getting.  Its ex-players talking about how they just don't make em like they used to.  30+ players get to break a sweat on the field of play but the rest of us work up a sweat jawing about the game for days to come.  It's our vent, our steam release and for some of us it's the only exercise we get, cheering, jawing and crying in our brew.  So don't feel bad for falling victim to hindsight, just sit back and enjoy one of our greatest pass times, second guessing everything.

[Vince McMahon]

great point, ski!!  I guess that's why the knuckleheads on Cold Pizza and Around the Horn have a national outlet to vent their stupidity and make their listeners dumber.  Skip Bayless and Bill Plaske are the worst in my opinion.