FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[EastCoastStag]

I doubt Hammer would leave Whittier. He has just started to build a solid program there and capped it off by beating Oxy (3 time defending conf champs) to end the year. He may be a 'Bash guy, but from what I have seen in his building of the Whittier program, he has made a commitment to the players, program and school. I would be hard-pressed to see him leave. Definitely a strong candidate, but poor timing. However, this may lead to a pay bump from WC to keep him around... that is the least they can do to keep him. As a 'Bash grad with character, I'd expect him to stay put for the time being despite this opportunity... then again I have had coaches promise to be in it for the "long-haul" and bail immediately after the season. Regardless, the hunt for a new coach will be interesting.

[smedindy]

Also, a SoCal winter vs. an Indiana winter...

[nike]

Neat piece on Wooster athletes doing volunteer work in this week's issue of Sports Illusrated.
"Making a Difference".
Happy holidays!!!!!!

[Fear the Poet]

you guys stay away from Hammer.

My son was a freshman this past season at Whittier. We love that guy!! 

You can have him after he completes the rebuilding of Whittier football and puts a couple SCIAC titles in the bank!

[stealth]

And the OC at Whitewater is no good. So scratch him off the list 

you guys stay away from Hammer.

My son was a freshman this past season at Whittier. We love that guy!! 

You can have him after he completes the rebuilding of Whittier football and puts a couple SCIAC titles in the bank!

[D3_DPUFan]

My sources tell me that CP Porter has left the Wabash program. Is that correct?

Any thoughts on how the departures of Coaches Creighton and Neatherly will affect recruiting at Wabash? Or already is affecting it? Especially with those quality players who have Wabash on their short list... 

The silence...is deafening. 

[nike]

Do not think changes in coaches at other schools will help OWU if one looks at OWU success last decade or so.

[smedindy]

Hard to tell about CP. Second semester hasn't started yet, and there's usually about six or seven freshmen (of the entire class, not athletes) that vaporize after the first semester. It happens.

[D3_DPUFan]

Hard to tell about CP. Second semester hasn't started yet, and there's usually about six or seven freshmen (of the entire class, not athletes) that vaporize after the first semester. It happens.

Got it...hope it works out for him.

[LG Alum]

1. Mike Leonard (Franklin) has IN recruiting/coaching/playing ties
2. Chris Wiesehan (OL Syracuse) he is a Wabash Man
3. Jim Collins (Capital) proven he can beat Wittenburg, would probably like to get alway from Mount Union
4. Greg Debeljak (Case) coming off an 11-1 year with his only loss to Wabash
5. Eric Koehler (Wartburg) 16-4 in his 1st 2 season as a HC has IN recruiting/Coaching/Playing ties
6. Mike Sirianni (W&J) has done a great job, is young, and a D3 guy!
7. Brain Ward (McPherson) Strong Wabash tied under CC and a GREAT Recruiter
8. Jim Zebrowski (OC UW Whitewater) Has been a Head Coach at Lakeland with a 24-4 record in League Play
9. Pedro Arruza (Randy- Mac) Played at Wheaton coach at Wash U so has mid-west ties
10. B.J. Hammer (Whitter) a little too young but a Wabash Man

This is my first post ever....so here it goes.  It is in reference to the top-10 posted by Short. It was very intriguing to me, and since I am invested in the Wabash Football program (former player), I have to give my two cents worth.

First off, I will preference that I think Ward is the best candidate, and I will share my opinions about this strong list of potentials.  In my less than expert opinion, I don't think we'll get any of them, but here it goes:

1. Leonard- My thoughts in a minute....
2. Weisehan- Would be an excellent choice, however he has spent his whole career at the D-I level, why would he leave that level?? The Wabash job will be open again, he'll always have that option.
3. Collins- Already gone.
4. Debeljak- Went 5-5, 3-7 and 5-5 in his first 3 years as a head coach.  If he started like that at Wabash, he would be fired. One great year and 3 bad/mediocre years, and no 'Bash ties doesn't make you a canidate, I don't care who you are.
5. Koehler- Another excellent choice, however Taphorn used to Coach there, and said the place was awesome.  It may be a lateral move that doesn't make sense.
6. Sirianni- Interviewed  when Creighton got the job.  People didn't like him, and the players didn't either. Also, W&J is one of the best D3 jobs in the country.  Lateral move.
7. Ward- I'll share my thoughts in a minute.....
8. Zebrowki- Curious candidate.  Has strong D3 ties and has done well as a Head Coach. Is a potential strong candidate, but it does seem strange to me that he would leave UWW after one year after leaving a successful Head Coaching position.
9.Arruza- Kind of in the same boat as Deeljak.  Was only like 2-8, 2-8, 4-6 in his first 3 years before a break-out year this year.  See #4.
10. Hammer- Die hard Carlson guy, and not a fan of Mummert. Would be a reverse to teh Carlson way of doing things.  Thats not wrong, but It may not be the RIGHT time for BJ, (the sultan of Sack). BJ will do well as a Head Coach in the future, because he is all football. 

I think it will boil down to Leonard and Ward.  Both have strong Indiana ties. Leonard has more experience as a HC and has had more success.  But don't forget Leonard was 2-8 and 5-5 in his first two years.  Ward was 4-6 in his first season, and from looking at thier website, thier history of football may be the most pathetic I have ever seen. (My apologies Coach Dub)Also, Ward owned Southern Indiana when he recruited it.  That is the same time that Leonard was at hanover AND Franklin. Ward beat him on the likes of Harbaugh, Millikan, Russell, Lange.  All were All-Americans from Southern Indiana.  Head-to-Head it seemed to me that Ward beat him on the best players. Maybe I am wrong, but thats my perception. Leonard has done a great job at Franklin,and Ward was a big part of whats happened at Wabash, even after he left.

However, I really think we won't get either one of them.  Leonard, if he is smart won't want to follow a guy like Creighton, and I have a hard time believing Ward will leave his alma mater after only one season. I am scared that we'll end up with a left-over, or a guy that has failed at some other college as a Head Coach.  I am saying my prayers.

[smedindy]

The only reason Koehler may want to move from Wartburg is to get back to Indiana, but he may not even apply.

Perhaps Sirianni learned something the first time through. People do grow and change, and you can't argue with the success he's had at W & J. But again, he may not even apply.

I really don't think Ward would go back to Wabash after just one year at McPherson. Plus, there's recruiting and then there's in-game coaching. CC had the entire package and great coordinators.

I bet there's someone out there - lurking - perhaps on the NAIA level or something - that we haven't noticed that will pop up.

[joepieters]

I bet there's someone out there - lurking - perhaps on the NAIA level or something - that we haven't noticed that will pop up.

Probably true.  Was Creighton on anyone's radar when we hired him?

BTW, Smed, get some sleep man!

[Ryan Tipps]

To add another log to the fire, the name I'm being told that has come up in discussion among some of the Bash bigwigs is Joe Hacklin.

He's a Wabash graduate with assistant coaching experience (RB coach) at Kalamazoo. And, from what I remember, Hacklin was brought to Marian as the AD in an effort to usher a new football program into the fold. So he certain has football leanings and connections that we could appreciate. And he's good with public relations and has some solid experience with recruiting -- something key to the Wabash job.

Of course, Hacklin may be the type of person who would very much want to finish what he started (and I respect that), so he could likely choose to stay at Marian for a couple of years to get their program off the ground.

But if he's looking for something else, he would be a great candidate, and I think he's a candidate some of the alumni would applaud and respect.

[smedindy]

Wow. That's surprising. Haklin was the long time basketball coach at Kalamazoo. I remember him especially since he subbed in constantly - using his entire 14-man roster and often times putting subs in one at a time to match whatever the other team was doing.

Of course, that only irritated the stats crew really.

[D3_DPUFan]

Alot of speculation regarding Mike Leonard and the Wabash job. Others have suggested he has perhaps signed an extension or committed to staying at Franklin. Does anyone know his status or if he would even entertain a move to Crawfordsville?