FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

No idea. At least there weren't any Ohio Wesleyans, Centres, Mount Idas or Wilmingtons in the poll. This week.

[bashbrother]

My takes after watching the Wabash/Witt game on the Video stream earlier.

1.  Witt's O-line can pass block.  Huffman had all day.

2.  Vanover is quality and just lost track of the ball. 

3.  Mike Russell looked like Dallas Clark, really nobody could cover him.

4.  Witt's players need to wear socks....it looks very strange. 

5.  Gabe and B.P. Ray made incredible catches on their TD receptions

6.  CP is going to be the real deal

7.  This could be one of the best O-lines in the CC era.

8.  The Red on Red with black socks, in moderation, isn't that bad.

9.  Checker board endzone is bad arse.

10.  Adi, reminds me of a Zach Thomas type,  is truly a joy to watch play football.

11.  Hudson probably fell off his chair when he reviewed the film and saw his picks....he will correct.

What a great crowd for fall break!

[aueagle]

wabco: I want DePauw in the NCAC.....Gives us that much more of a presence in Indiana....maybe a Westminster in Pa.....Super Conference!!

[BashBacker#16]

WittFan - "unsportsmanlike" comment is very much justified.  I am assuming you were NOT at the game.  I only saw the first half and although he is a good player, he is very, very aggressive and definitely took some cheap shots.  I believe he had the big penalty in the first half roughing the passer (Hudson).  The hit on Wes Anderson on the kickoff was also very cheap and could have severely injured him.  Then, the hit on Russell was very close to a late hit.  I had flash backs of Geoff Walker getting blown up last season at Witt.

Was anyone else annoyed by #56 Lance Phillips early in the game when he would come in for a short yardage situation and then run off the field (after getting the firstdown) rallying all 47 Witt parents in the crowd with his hands??

[WAF78]

aueagle,
Yes...I think it'd be great to have DePauw in the NCAC too. The Dannies must spend a ton of money in their travel budget (but of course the rich, preppy, Dannies can afford it...Biff and Judy will just have to pay $1,000 more in student fees) and it would be an additional incentive to smash DePauw.
Also, Witt will kill OWU. Don't know how badly...but Witt is just a lot better than OWU...unless OWU has improved significantly since they played Wabash.
Also, was McKinley #21 the guy who hit Sobecki and caused the fumble in the fourth quarter...that was an awesome play and hit whoever made it.

[wabco]

BB 16  The only comment I would make to your McKinley unsportsmanlike comment is to say:
1) McKinley is a fine player in his own right and does not do himself "proud" by his extra added "shots".  It simply degrades him ... see Adi for proper conduct and character ... which is one of the differences between "a fine player" and a "great player".  There are other differences but certainly this is one.
2)  Hopefully he will mature.
3)  Contrary to your more charitable comment that the hit on Russell was very close to being a late hit ... from where I was standing ... right on the out of bounds line where it happened ... it WAS a late hit after Russell was out of bounds and down.  It was simply a charatable non call by a screened ref.
4)  His conduct did in fact come back to haunt his team with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties (which interestingly enough are not curatively penalized as inproper conduct by the coaches of Witt. ... hmmm perhaps I have broken the code.)

[nike]

With Wooster having a tough year and liking the  NCAC as a conference, not wanting to look too far down the road, but is a Wabash-Mt. Union game possibly in the cards? And how would Wabash stack up?

[BashJB49]

As a long time reader of this message board, it feels good to finally contribute to the already great discussions. Just what this board needs, one more Bash poster.    That being said:

bashbrother: Just finished watching the Witt/Bash stream and I find myself agreeing with all of your comments save for one.  I would have to disagree with your remark concerning this O-line being "one of the best in the CC era." Don't get me wrong, they have been getting the job done and have been helping the team achieve success, (6-0) but I doubt that we'll see any 1st team and possibly 2nd team selections (Bopp, Millikan, Certain, Rodriguez, Koeneman, Maddox). But there are 3 conference games left, so maybe they'll keep making great strides.

nike: I think it may be much too early to compare Mount with this Bash team. Mount has been steam rolling their opponents, and quality opponents at that. We'll gain more insight on Mount with how they play Capital as Witt battled against the Crusaders.  I think that our D-line and LB corps could provide quite a challenge to the Mount run game.  Our secondary would have more than their hands full with the Mount receivers if pressure isn't put on their Qb.  The Bash run game would probably be non-existent against the Mount D.  Bash receivers would be a good match-up for the Mount secondary and LBs provided Hudson or Huff would get enough time to throw.  A good match-up nonetheless. 

A bit long-winded for my first post, but there it is.  Bring on the Yeomen!!!!!!!!   

[smedindy]

With Wooster having a tough year and liking the  NCAC as a conference, not wanting to look too far down the road, but is a Wabash-Mt. Union game possibly in the cards? And how would Wabash stack up?

Perhaps. Let's take a look at the North, with my projected playoff teams (though it's WAY early, you know).

CCIW will be a one bid league (Wheaton)
HCAC will be a one bid league (Franklin)
NCAC will be a one bid league (Wabash)
UAA - Case should be in with 0 or 1 loss.
OAC should get two in (Capital, Mt. Union)
MIAA will be a one bid league (Hope?)
IBC will be a one bid league (Concordia?)

Unless they move someone out, that's the 8.

I can see the seeds:

1. Mt. Union
2. Wheaton
3. Capital
4. Wabash
5. Case
6. Franklin
7. Concordia
8. Hope

The weakness of the NCAC, in my eyes, hurts Wabash in the measures the NCAA uses to seed. An unbeaten Case could move past them, but I think Wabash / Case is the 4-5 game.

So by this, it looks like Wabash goes to Mt. Union in round 2, if Capital only has one loss (Mt. Union).

[ADL70]

Even if CWRU would get a 5 seed (not sure Franklin wouldn't be higher) I doubt that your 4-5 matchup would take place.  I can't see the NCAC having CWRU bus by MUC, Cap, or even Franklin to get to Wabash.

[BashJB49]

When will the Quality of Wins index be posted? I noticed the icon isn't available for selection on the home page. Is that the same as regional rankings?

[bashbrother]

Not knowing exactly how the regional rankings are determined,  I may be off the mark here.

What I do know is, Franklin is a scary team.  If they make it to the end of the season and escape injury in their starting line-up, their first round opponent is gonna have their hands full.  I think they will be at least a 6, maybe a 5.

I think Capital is a better football team right now, then Wheaton, but if they lose to Mount, it probably sends them to a 3.  There is a slight chance that Wabash gets the 3 spot, but as Smeds mentioned the strength of the NCAC this year will hurt the LG's case.

BashJB49 - Welcome.   I agree, I may be a little early to label this line that good.  But they are scary big and aside from Hilts, they are young and will all be back.  Lets hope the continue to develop.

[WooMeister85]

ChillyDigits,

I meant no disrespect to the COW QB #6 saying he's looked a bit intimidated all season. My guess is he must have >10 fumbles himself. It's obvious the coaching staff is not satisfied with the QB play nor should they be. When the QBs come to the side-lines after the series they look confused. Agree that the QBs have had maybe the most inconsistent o-line play in front of him in the NCAC this year, so they're likely worried about just surviving the game physically.

I don't think one can blame injuries either for poor line play. All teams, especially lineman get beat up during the season; one of the most important tasks of a line coach is to get those 6th, 7th and 8th guys ready to step in and make a contribution.

JCU's, CWRU and Witt's line, starters and back-ups played well against COW. Zone blocking, man blocking or a combination or whatever system is taught and used doesn't matter. The players have to execute. Now if the coaching staff is asking the players to execute a plan or a system that they aren't capable of, that's a different story.

I'm not close enough to the program any more to be able to tell. I do know that the better the athletes are, the better the offensive system looks. Great coaching staff's know how to make great adjustments all through the season, not just at half-time. Not sure this has been an area of strength for COW this year. But we have the two most important back to back games our seniors will likely face this week and next. Anything can happen.

My apologies for not congratulating previously both Wabash and Witt for a hard fought, vicious football game. One the players will remember for a long time. Wish I could see it on tape. Sounds like a couple of heavy weights who pounded each other for a couple of hours with a lot of heart. How could a Bash vs. Witt game get topped by any OAC tandem? Maybe ONU vs. MUC last year? I'll take the NCAC.

[Pat Coleman]

When will the Quality of Wins index be posted? I noticed the icon isn't available for selection on the home page. Is that the same as regional rankings?

Quality of Wins Index is dead and has been replaced by a new measurement. We'll have that this week, I'm told.

[wally_wabash]

Just watched Sobecki's HB pass to Guerrero.  I still can't believe that ball ever got to Gabe.  Great catch.