FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

smedindy · November 22, 2005, 08:28:52 PM

Defense isn't always about stats - remember when Blair Hammer was NCAC defensive player of the year. His stats were rather pedestrian, however, he was always double and sometimes triple teamed. That allowed others to get the tackles, the sacks and it helped the team all around.

smedindy · November 22, 2005, 08:29:04 PM

Big congrats to Russ Harbaugh!

BashBacker#16 · November 22, 2005, 09:48:40 PM

Congrats to #3...a great honor. On that same note, I just explained to my 8 year old that Russ was a finalist for a pretty big award (trying to explain it)...he gave me a really wierd look like I had 2 heads and came back with..."but what about Eric Summers?" Hilarious.

Also, K-mack (D3 staff) saw Wabash play in the Bell game, his line on the game this weekend is Bash favored & giving 1.5. I expect a very tight ball game. Weather looks ideal for playoff football...high of 42, slight chance of snow, and 5 mph winds from the south west. Rocky and Russ will be slinging it all over the field.

GO BASH!!!

lancer98 · November 23, 2005, 08:15:06 AM

Smed,

The same can be said about Kearney last year. He stats weren't all that impressive either.

Also, its amazing how much Harbugh has improved in just one year. Sometimes a year is all it takes for a player. Look at Michael Robinson for PSU this year. Wabash is where its at becuase of his play.

aueagle · November 23, 2005, 08:52:59 AM

ghostface:
Case is a Jr. and will be a force for OWU next season. Congrats to all seven Bishops named to the All-NCAC Teams. Good luck to Bash, we are all behind you guys.

scotty · November 23, 2005, 08:57:32 AM

Nike, not exactly sure about major contributions but when they saw the field, i believe a number of them played extremely well...Justin Aichele #55 at lb, Pat Byrne #58 at dt/lb, Andrew O'Connell #1 at cb/pr, Luke McCann #15 at wr all contributed...Eric Grinnell#2 at db and Cam Lemasters #65 ol were injured but look to be strong in the future...

i just don't believe there were a lot of openings for
freshmen to really make an impact except at rb which
Shepherd did...

KC · November 23, 2005, 09:57:09 AM

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Wooster had so few all-conference picks because these awards reward teams more than individuals. For Kenyon, this is another step in the right direction, without looking it up Alby is probably the first 1st team selection since '99, if not earlier. Next year he should have some company, with Sanchez returning, Shoemaker (probably the best player on the team) coming back from injury, and the improvement of the the younger guys on the team, some of whom had really good years. Not to put down Funari who had a good year, but DB's don't have that many tackles, especially not that many solo tackles, without getting thrown at a lot, and having a lot of those balls caught too, so maybe that's why he got no love. I'm surprised Stanley didn't get the COY, but again the champ gets the awards. Maybe next year.

BashDad · November 23, 2005, 10:28:38 AM

KC:
I have much admiration for Coach Stanley and what his Kenyon team accomplished this year and I, too, would not have been disappointed had he been selected as COY. You say: "...but again the champ gets the awards." In my humble opinion, I don't think it's as simple as that. Even though the award is for "Coach of the Year" (suggesting, perhaps, that the yearly honor is for the coach who does the most with the players he starts the season with), you and I both know that the true worth of a coach is how he and his staff develop a team/program over time. The seniors on this years Wabash team are the result of Chris Creighton's first recruiting class after his arrival in Crawfordsville. I would suggest that this award knocks down the boundaries of a single season. Again, IMHO, I think C.C. earned the Coach of the Year honor in 2005. Coach Stanley's current upward direction of the Kenyon program should be recognized down the road if he and his assistants/players keep the Lords at the top of the NCAC. Just my thoughts.

kcreds · November 23, 2005, 10:32:11 AM

ghostface: I agree with you and smedindy. Case was a dominant player on defense this year and I hope he equals the numbers next year or even does better. Cisco had a good year but just like smedindy stated, the coaches knew who they were going to have troubles blocking and help was needed. I have spoken with Cisco a few times and he is a class act. He was also a very good leader. I watched him on game film when Jr. was recruited and I was very impressed. I expect Case next year to be a leader. Jr. says he goes all out in practice and sets a good work ethic for him. I would have put Case on the first team but then again I am a little biased.

nike: I care a lot less about individual awards compared to team accomplishments. OWU has shown that they can score and win with the wing-t. I remember OWU being stuck inside the 5 on the opening drive against Wooster, OWU then passed and ran for 95+ yards and scored, maybe the offense was a little bit effective. That is only one of many examples I could give. I'll trade an individual honor for an offensive player for wins any day. I don't want to debate the wing-t anymore either but it amazes me it keeps getting brought up. OWU had a good season in spite of the wing-t. Their only losses came in the hands of two 2nd round playoff teams and Witt who almost beat Wabash. Theil barely beat OWU and both teams scored in the 30's.

I am confident that Wabash will beat Capital.

KC · November 23, 2005, 10:41:18 AM

By no means did I mean anything negative towards Coach Creighton. I firmly believe he's the best head coach in the league. I was just saying that I think he got the award for winning the conference, and that this particular award tends to go that way, so I was only mildly surprised Stanley didn't get it, although I hoped he would. If they actually gave it to the best coach in the conference every year, he'd win it every year.

BashBacker#16 · November 23, 2005, 10:43:52 AM

Wabash press release on this weekend's game...

http://www.wabash.edu/sports/docs/Nov%2022%202005%20Release.pdf

usee · November 23, 2005, 10:48:27 AM

question: why was wabash only able to generate 257 yds of offense v depauw? I am not trying to be difficult, just wondering why that happened from those who were there.

littlegiant66 · November 23, 2005, 11:03:19 AM

Congrats to Russ and to Mitch Tanney for being named finalists for the Gagliardi Award. Who would have thought three years ago after Knott graduated that the #2 and #3 QBs on the depth chart would have such great careers. albeit at a different school for #3.

Go Bash!!!!!

BashDad · November 23, 2005, 11:05:20 AM

usee:

Excellent DePauw defense, winds gusting between 30 and 35mph forced a much more conservative passing game, particularly when wind was in your face. Others may offer other reasons, just my thoughts.

wally_wabash · November 23, 2005, 11:16:52 AM

Depauw pushed the right buttons defensively. They got pressure without blitzing. Also, and I'm just speculating here, it looked to me like Wabash wanted to get deep on Depauw. Going deep requires time, which Harbaugh didn't have a lot of. Going into the wind for half the game also didn't help. Wabash's offense picked up a bit when they started going to screens, which is how Wabash scored the winning touchdown.

I wouldn't look too much into it though. It was just one game, and it was a rivalry game where things are usually amped up a few notches.