FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[nike]

We are a forgiving group.

[Ryder16]

From what I have seen and heard about this year, I am not sure you can't give to the big 3 from wabash in a sweep Coach - Creighton OPOY -Hudson and DPOY the beast that is pyneberg

Although I am not sure the coach who wins the conference deserves the coach of the year award, we have clearly shown the NCAC does not share that opinion, if it was up to me, i feel coach of the year should go the the coach who coached his team to exceed everyones expectations. This year I would say the gent from Oberlin did exactly that.  Everyone expected Wabash to win the NCAC, i remember seeing the preseason predictions and it did not even seem like the rest of the NCAC was even fielding football teams ( although looking at our overall non-conference record, they may have been right). If I had a vote I would give it to Ramsey. If I had a prediction, I would give it to Creighton.


I would also like to thank the seniors of every team for giving me 4 years of enertainment with you 4 years of hard work. I know it is not easy to put in countless hours in the weightroom and on the practicefield in the spring. But, I for one appreciate all you have done. and I feel you have become much better equipt to deal with the real world because of the commitment you made to your respective teams.

[WAF78]

Well...Wabash is in a very unique situation this year. This team has an opportunity to do what  no other Wabash team in the history of Wabash football has had the opportunity to do...and that is...after losing to DPU...getting one more week to redeem themselves. If the Wabash D and the Wabash defensive coaches are as inept as they were last week...MSJ moves on to the second round. If Wabash's D can play like they did at Wittenburg...then we can win.
Go Wabash, Beat MSJ

[bashbrother]

I think this could be one of CC's biggest coaching challenges of his career.   His task this week has less to do with X's & O's or game plan and a lot more to do with psychology.   Getting the minds of these 18 - 21 year olds back into focus.

Some schools of thought say that a loss going into the playoffs in many sports can make a team stronger in the post-season. 

One thing we do have on our side is a tremendous amount of senior leadership that is looking at the final games of their career.  I think we'll be just fine.

[WAF78]

bashbro,
You bring up a great point...as the DPU seniors and team knew that would be their last game...and the Wabash guys knew that no matter whether they won or lost, they'd be playing another game...wonder if that had someting to do with the fact that DPU physically just beat us up. I wonder if that fact took the edge off the Wabash guys?...Just curious. Like you said, the psychology of the game of football is so important.
With being in a playoff eligible conference...I imagine it changes the psychological dynamics a whole lot. I mean...the DPU game WAS our season when we played...even though we DID go to the playoffs and we finished 2nd in the nation.  Now, it's important...but as we've seen...you can still  lose that game and still go to the playoffs. That has to do something psychologically to some guys...and on the flip side...as I said...with DPU seniors and team KNOWING it was their last game...you sell out on every play. DPU played that way on Saturday.
As I said, just curious.

[wally_wabash]

I'm curious, WAF78...did you know that you guys were headed to the playoffs before you played that Bell game in '77 or was that selection/announcement made after the Bell game? 

[bashbrother]

WAF78 - I think it played a part.  I have watched the game three times over the past two days and it really seems like they wanted it just a little more then we did. 

I think Keith McMillan's take:

"No. 9 Wabash. There are a bunch of top 25 teams who are playing for their playoff lives or even a postseason home game, but the 9-0 Little Giants might have wrapped up both in the North. DePauw can't affect the playoff picture much, but at home and at 7-2, it's no slouch, and won't have trouble finding a reason to want to knock off its Monon Bell rival anyway."

Was pretty accurate.

[WAF78]

Wally,
No...the selection was made just like it is now...the Sunday after the DPU game. We weren't in a conference back then...so there were no guarantees. We had heard we were being considered..but back then only 2 teams from each region got in...way too political. So...we knew it might be possible. However, our all Amercian QB...Dave Harvey...threw 6 interceptions that year in the DPU game...and we still beat them 30-6. After playing so poorly at DPU, yet still spanking them, we had NO idea whether we'd make it or not. I think it helped us that our coach, Frank Navarro, had been NCAA Eastern coach of the year a few years earlier at Columbia and had a lot of contacts in the NCAA.

[fijidoc]

The more I read about MSJ the more they start to scare me.

They average over 200 yards per game on the ground.  Rush Defense has been our problem all year.

Despite the running game they have a very capable passing game to compliment it.

There defense sound  pretty stout and their strength is pass defense which matches up well against us considering the fact that don't exactly scare anyone  on the ground.

I think it is a must for us to get off to a quick start and get a couple scores up on the board and try to force them out of their running game and keep them from controlling the clock.  Also we need to get over the Bell loss as quickly as possible and can't have a hangover effect early.  The longer we let MSJ stay in the game the more likely they are to wear us down in the second half like Depauw did.

What I don't know is how physical is MSJ compared to Wittenberg/Depauw?  Are the stats for MSJ inflated because of an overall weak HCAC conference(not counting Franklin of course)?

Thought?

[DPU3619]

What I don't know is how physical is MSJ compared to Wittenberg/Depauw?  Are the stats for MSJ inflated because of an overall weak HCAC conference(not counting Franklin of course)?

I haven't seen them this year, but I did see them play last year. 

Their RB Lovell ran a lot bigger than he looked.  He's listed at 5'9 185, but he's a good downhill runner.  The QB they had last year was a very good scrambler.  He's gone now.  I don't know anything about this Vince Palmer character.  I recall them as being VERY physical up front on both sides.  Some big, big boys in that front seven defensively. 

Chad Rupp from Franklin only went for 11-19 for 140 and two scores against 'em.  They're 11th in in the country in pass efficiency defense.  14th in scoring defense. 

They're big, strong, and corn-fed, for lack of a better term. 

[smedindy]

We had better be on our A-game then.

[bashbrother]

I took a look on Sunday at their size.   Their O-line is typical DIII size and their d-line is a little larger than we typically face.  Their linebackers and defensive backs have nice size as well.

I hope to see a lot more of CP.  I found it strange to not see him start the 2nd half on Saturday.  He brought some life to the running game when he was in. 

We need to put the horses that are working best for us on the track....it's the playoffs.







 

[fijidoc]

unfortunately I have other commitments on saturday and I can't make the game and I won't be around anywhere with internet access.

Are there any Wabash faithful that will be at the game that could text me with updates on Saturday?

I am free the weekend after this so even if it's a trip to Cleveland I will be road tripping but we need to win this game first.  I personally think this week will be a  tougher match up than CWR or Widener.

If someone is willing to text me with updates just send  me an email at fijidoc@insightbb.com and I will get you my cell phone number.

Wabash Always Fights!!!

[formerd3db]

Wally,
No...the selection was made just like it is now...the Sunday after the DPU game. We weren't in a conference back then...so there were no guarantees. We had heard we were being considered..but back then only 2 teams from each region got in...way too political. So...we knew it might be possible. However, our all Amercian QB...Dave Harvey...threw 6 interceptions that year in the DPU game...and we still beat them 30-6. After playing so poorly at DPU, yet still spanking them, we had NO idea whether we'd make it or not. I think it helped us that our coach, Frank Navarro, had been NCAA Eastern coach of the year a few years earlier at Columbia and had a lot of contacts in the NCAA.

WAF78:
Ah, I remember that year well!  You guys indeed had a great team that year.  I played against you - remember the Hope/Wabash classic up in Holland and the horrendous thunderstorm/rainstorm that delayed the game in the first quarter for over 45 minutes?  I remember it was raining so hard you could not see past 5 feet in front of yourself.  You guys threw the ball so much, we were "sucking wind" all game!  We were the only team to beat yours (luckily) in the regular season before you went on to the Stagg Bowl and lost in a great effort against the Widner team.  I do remember Navarro and Harvey also.  Didn't Harvey get a pro tryout along with one of your other players?

Also, others have discussed this here in the distant past.  However, I also recall when your Wabash ended up 10-0, was ranked 3rd in the nation and didn't get selected to the playoffs since, as you mention, back then only two teams from the same region could go and Dayton and Baldwin-Wallace (as I recall) were # 1 and 2 respectively.  What a shame.  That also happend to Hope and Adrian in the same era in two different years.  Great memories and some of these younger guys aren't aware of the history and how this used to work.   Oh, I'm giving away my age though with this "trip down memory lane"!!  Anyway, thanks for sharing the history.

[smedindy]

That was 1982 - and the issue was that after we beat Dayton, and before we beat DPU, we didn't beat Illinois Wesleyan that convincingly even though it was a trap game. Argh!