FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WarhawkDad]

I found this photo on the NCAA.com site.....the caption read: "Mount Union recorded 503 yards of total offense in the win against Wilmington Saturday."

In their defense, they do have Mount Union in the photo (kind of)...but not as they probably intended. I think they got their DIII purple powers mixed up a bit.

Ok...that's enough from me picking on the NCAA for today. 

Oh c'mon 02....pick on them some more!    It is so enjoyable!   

[WarhawkDad]

Looks to be a fun and challenging game this Saturday.  From a statistical standpoint, based upon the NCAA stats the teams are fairly even:

Total Defense:             UWW - 12      Wabash - 3
Total Offense:             UWW - 20      Wabash - 43
Turnovers Allowed:      UWW - 1        Wabash - 10
Turnover Margin:        UWW - 6         Wabash - 78
Pass Eff Offense:         UWW - 7        Wabash - 19
Pass Eff Defense:        UWW - 13       Wabash - 23
Rushing Offense:        UWW - 42       Wabash - 26
Rushing Defense:       UWW - 9          Wabash - 1
Sacks Allowed:           UWW - 17        Wabash - 162
Tackles for Loss All:    UWW - 3          Wabash - 132

WHD

Time for UWW's fast/athletic d-line to take advantage of this. My only concern is our LBs can keeping tabs on their QB scrambling for his life. UWW has had trouble with athletic/scrambling QB's this season.

Surprised Wabash is 132 in tackles for loss....I thought this would be better given how good they are at getting after the QB.

The numbers above are tackles for loss allowed    

Tackles for Loss FOR -

Wabash is 4th  -  UWW is 92nd

My apologies for the error.   Unfortunately I abbreviated the categories as I wrote them down off the NCAA stats site and then mixed them up when I typed them onto the Boards.    I think 02's post a little further down from my original post says what I was trying to illustrate.   02 said: 

Better to look at it this way:

Wabash is 1st...going up against #17 in sacks against
UWW is 33 rd...going up against #162 in sacks against

Both O-lines will have their work cut out for them.

Again my apologies.

WarhawkDad

[02 Warhawk]

What UWW's grounds crew did in less than 6 hours. Before and after shots. I think they should have left it alone....

[JMM]

Well WIAC fans if SJU comes back from Iowa still kicking, I think the UWW Warhawks will overlook them and miss the point that SJU is about defense. The question is will SJU put together enough offense to win a low scoring game. Also believe SJU will keep on the ground with number 31. Also expect to see more runs by number 1. Number 1 could be the element that tips things SJU way. Realize I'm getting ahead of myself here but figure it is worth throwing this out there a week ahead of time. Will SJU beat Wartburg? Can't answer that. Also can't answer if UWW will also win. I think the knowledgeable folk at D3 may get a little taken by SJU failure to rack up the points in the first half last Saturday and go with Wartburg. Again, I think SJU is about defense and against Wartburg will rack up enough points to win. This is not the Warhawk team of years past. This is a typical SJU team from years the past - sloppy offense tremendous defense and the SJU coaches are back on the money again. Brains and speed over muscle and size.

[02 Warhawk]

Well WIAC fans if SJU comes back from Iowa still kicking, I think the UWW Warhawks will overlook them and miss the point that SJU is about defense. The question is will SJU put together enough offense to win a low scoring game. Also believe SJU will keep on the ground with number 31. Also expect to see more runs by number 1. Number 1 could be the element that tips things SJU way. Realize I'm getting ahead of myself here but figure it is worth throwing this out there a week ahead of time. Will SJU beat Wartburg? Can't answer that. Also can't answer if UWW will also win. I think the knowledgeable folk at D3 may get a little taken by SJU failure to rack up the points in the first half last Saturday and go with Wartburg. Again, I think SJU is about defense and against Wartburg will rack up enough points to win. This is not the Warhawk team of years past. This is a typical SJU team from years the past - sloppy offense tremendous defense and the SJU coaches are back on the money again. Brains and speed over muscle and size.

Come back this time next week if our teams are still in it....that's all I'll comment about this.

[Retired Old Rat]

Well WIAC fans if SJU comes back from Iowa still kicking, I think the UWW Warhawks will overlook them and miss the point that SJU is about defense. The question is will SJU put together enough offense to win a low scoring game. Also believe SJU will keep on the ground with number 31. Also expect to see more runs by number 1. Number 1 could be the element that tips things SJU way. Realize I'm getting ahead of myself here but figure it is worth throwing this out there a week ahead of time. Will SJU beat Wartburg? Can't answer that. Also can't answer if UWW will also win. I think the knowledgeable folk at D3 may get a little taken by SJU failure to rack up the points in the first half last Saturday and go with Wartburg. Again, I think SJU is about defense and against Wartburg will rack up enough points to win. This is not the Warhawk team of years past. This is a typical SJU team from years the past - sloppy offense tremendous defense and the SJU coaches are back on the money again. Brains and speed over muscle and size.

Cart miles ahead of horse.

[ExTartanPlayer]

I found this photo on the NCAA.com site.....the caption read: "Mount Union recorded 503 yards of total offense in the win against Wilmington Saturday."

In their defense, they do have Mount Union in the photo (kind of)...but not as they probably intended. I think they got their DIII purple powers mixed up a bit.

Ok...that's enough from me picking on the NCAA for today. 

This kinda stuff always kills me.  I assume that some flunky just Google-imaged "Mount Union football" and snapped the first thing they found.  LOL.

[MasterJedi]

Well WIAC fans if SJU comes back from Iowa still kicking, I think the UWW Warhawks will overlook them and miss the point that SJU is about defense. The question is will SJU put together enough offense to win a low scoring game. Also believe SJU will keep on the ground with number 31. Also expect to see more runs by number 1. Number 1 could be the element that tips things SJU way. Realize I'm getting ahead of myself here but figure it is worth throwing this out there a week ahead of time. Will SJU beat Wartburg? Can't answer that. Also can't answer if UWW will also win. I think the knowledgeable folk at D3 may get a little taken by SJU failure to rack up the points in the first half last Saturday and go with Wartburg. Again, I think SJU is about defense and against Wartburg will rack up enough points to win. This is not the Warhawk team of years past. This is a typical SJU team from years the past - sloppy offense tremendous defense and the SJU coaches are back on the money again. Brains and speed over muscle and size.

Come back this time next week if our teams are still in it....that's all I'll comment about this.

All I'll say is I hope the SJU players aren't thinking this way (don't think they are) because Wartburg is a damn good team.

[wartknight]

What UWW's grounds crew did in less than 6 hours. Before and after shots. I think they should have left it alone....

Which one is before?

[KitchenSink]

Looking at the Game Notes for the Whitewater-Wabash match-up, the thing that caught my eye is Wabash plays a 3-4 with a D Line that goes 241-237-221 lbs across, and LBs that go 223-215-203-187.  To have a Top 10 rushing defense with that kind of size, they must really fly around.

I used to think that a light defense would be chewed up by a Pound the Rock offense every day of the week, but the game has changed.  I do wonder if the UWW coaches may try to wear down that front with a heavy dose of straight ahead running.

[sigma one]

Yes, the Wabash defense flies to the ball.  They have on occasion given up long(ish) runs when the hole opens quickly.  The QB keep on the read option has also occasionally fooled them because they are so aggressive toward the fake.  Lastly, and perhaps some who have seen Wabash will disagree, the rushing yds. per game in the 50s, is there because they get so many sacks (54 so far), so this yardage is subtracted from the rushing totals.
     All this said, teams have had difficulty sustaining drives against the D because they cannot consistently run the ball and Wabash has swarmed the QB--sacks and hurries--and to go to counters and slower stuff has not worked.  It's the fastest, quickest defense I've ever seen at Wabash.
     Whether they can be softened up by pounding the rock the way UWW does could be one key to the game.  So far no team has had the talent to pull this off--not saying UWW cannot do this.  The one team in the NCAC that might have really challenged the Wabash D is Wittenberg, but for whatever reason their excellent running backs (both have been all-NCAC in the past) never got going all year.  A new offensive coordinator at Witt may have something to do with this.  They didn't rush against the Wabash D for any more yards than several other teams.
       

[BoBo]

Looks to be a fun and challenging game this Saturday.  From a statistical standpoint, based upon the NCAA stats the teams are fairly even:

Total Defense:             UWW - 12      Wabash - 3
Total Offense:             UWW - 20      Wabash - 43
Turnovers Allowed:      UWW - 1        Wabash - 10
Turnover Margin:        UWW - 6         Wabash - 78
Pass Eff Offense:         UWW - 7        Wabash - 19
Pass Eff Defense:        UWW - 13       Wabash - 23
Rushing Offense:        UWW - 42       Wabash - 26
Rushing Defense:       UWW - 9          Wabash - 1
Sacks Allowed:           UWW - 17        Wabash - 162
Tackles for Loss All:    UWW - 3          Wabash - 132

WHD

Time for UWW's fast/athletic d-line to take advantage of this. My only concern is our LBs keeping tabs on their QB scrambling for his life. UWW has had trouble with athletic/scrambling QB's this season.

Surprised Wabash is 132 in tackles for loss....I thought they would be towards the top given how good they are at getting after the QB.

I was at the 2007 game, but won't be able to make this week's game......Thanksgiving at the in-laws 

Honestly, these stats for D3 schools are basically meaningless...anybody using them to imply anything are just reaching for something that isn't there. I, too remember '07, and the same stuff happened.  Wabash came in with ridiculous looking stats, but when it was all said and done, we all know the result. But, then it was about the QB or the weather, blah, blah, blah!!  Been there, done that. Let's just play the damn game and get it over with. This isn't the NFL where stats actually do paint a picture and don't lie 99% of the time.

[bleedpurple]

Well WIAC fans if SJU comes back from Iowa still kicking, I think the UWW Warhawks will overlook them and miss the point that SJU is about defense. The question is will SJU put together enough offense to win a low scoring game. Also believe SJU will keep on the ground with number 31. Also expect to see more runs by number 1. Number 1 could be the element that tips things SJU way. Realize I'm getting ahead of myself here but figure it is worth throwing this out there a week ahead of time. Will SJU beat Wartburg? Can't answer that. Also can't answer if UWW will also win. I think the knowledgeable folk at D3 may get a little taken by SJU failure to rack up the points in the first half last Saturday and go with Wartburg. Again, I think SJU is about defense and against Wartburg will rack up enough points to win. This is not the Warhawk team of years past. This is a typical SJU team from years the past - sloppy offense tremendous defense and the SJU coaches are back on the money again. Brains and speed over muscle and size.

Cart WAY ahead of the horse here. Four good teams playing this weekend and we will find out which two are still playing next weekend.  The bolded sentence is what makes me laugh. I am almost positive i could find quotes of people on these boards saying the same thing every single year since 05.  Teams are never the same. The current team has never proven what previous champions have proven.  Glad you are excited about the Johnnies. IMO, they have their hands full this weekend. Should be two good games on Saturday.

[emma17]

Yes, the Wabash defense flies to the ball.  They have on occasion given up long(ish) runs when the hole opens quickly.  The QB keep on the read option has also occasionally fooled them because they are so aggressive toward the fake.  Lastly, and perhaps some who have seen Wabash will disagree, the rushing yds. per game in the 50s, is there because they get so many sacks (54 so far), so this yardage is subtracted from the rushing totals.
     All this said, teams have had difficulty sustaining drives against the D because they cannot consistently run the ball and Wabash has swarmed the QB--sacks and hurries--and to go to counters and slower stuff has not worked.  It's the fastest, quickest defense I've ever seen at Wabash.
     Whether they can be softened up by pounding the rock the way UWW does could be one key to the game.  So far no team has had the talent to pull this off--not saying UWW cannot do this.  The one team in the NCAC that might have really challenged the Wabash D is Wittenberg, but for whatever reason their excellent running backs (both have been all-NCAC in the past) never got going all year.  A new offensive coordinator at Witt may have something to do with this.  They didn't rush against the Wabash D for any more yards than several other teams.
       

You're not kidding about the quickness of this Wabash Defense.  KitchenSink brings up a good point about the game changing.  Can a bigger O Line create lanes that will stay open long enough before the swarming Wabash defenders can close it up? 

[fredfalcon]

For what it's worth:  Comment from John O'Grady, former Falcon coach, now a Warhawk assistant, when I asked him whether this year's version of the Warhawk team was equal to last year's team: "as good on offense, but maybe not on defense." This was one/two games into the season.