FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[emma17]

^^
We can only hope.
The Griz have played and won some impressive games.

[firstdown]

Griz

I have watched Holton Walker and was impressed that he is virtually impossible to defend.  Jake Kummrow is also the real deal.  Kummrow's injury is the only reason that I said what I did about Walker.  If Kummrow is healthy, then is it is a real push between the two of them, and I would note that they are the two best wide receivers in D3.  I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both of these players on the field on a Sunday in the future for an NFL team.

[wally_wabash]

There is no doubt that I worry about Franklin's porous defense, I have worried about that for over 30 seasons!  I do realize that Wabash's defense is awesome and stats show that the GRIZ really have no shot at victory.

I see a glimmer of hope when I remember back to 2008.  We lost to a very good Trine team, but the 2008 GRIZ were not dominant in the HCAC.  They squeaked by in close games against MSJ and Manchester.  The school's historical DIII playoff record was 0-1, having lost 44-42 in a home thriller to North Central (GRIZ also lost at Wabash 35-33 in 2007).  Come playoff time in 2008, the GRIZ were big underdogs to a very good 9-1 Otterbein team.  Otterbein only had one close victory in the OCAC (JCU), but they dominated everyone else except, of course, the National Champions in purple.  The GRIZ beat Otterbein 62-45 on the road.  The GRIZ went on the road again and scored their biggest DIII victory in school history by beating an undefeated (and seeded #1 or #2 in the bracket) North Central 38-28.  Let's hope for a repeat of history!

BTW Firstdown - Walker may be an excellent WR but how can you state that he is the best WR in the nation?  Jake Kumerow is a total stud!  He is 6'5", has long arms and excellent speed. He saw significant playing time during the Big Ten season at Illinois as a redshirt freshman and has been dominating in his career at UWW.  Wonder if he will be healthy for the playoffs?     

I don't get it.  This year's players were somewhere between ages 12 and 16 in 2008.  What does 2008 have to do with this weekend? 

[GrizFan]

There is no doubt that I worry about Franklin's porous defense, I have worried about that for over 30 seasons!  I do realize that Wabash's defense is awesome and stats show that the GRIZ really have no shot at victory.

I see a glimmer of hope when I remember back to 2008.  We lost to a very good Trine team, but the 2008 GRIZ were not dominant in the HCAC.  They squeaked by in close games against MSJ and Manchester.  The school's historical DIII playoff record was 0-1, having lost 44-42 in a home thriller to North Central (GRIZ also lost at Wabash 35-33 in 2007).  Come playoff time in 2008, the GRIZ were big underdogs to a very good 9-1 Otterbein team.  Otterbein only had one close victory in the OCAC (JCU), but they dominated everyone else except, of course, the National Champions in purple.  The GRIZ beat Otterbein 62-45 on the road.  The GRIZ went on the road again and scored their biggest DIII victory in school history by beating an undefeated (and seeded #1 or #2 in the bracket) North Central 38-28.  Let's hope for a repeat of history!

BTW Firstdown - Walker may be an excellent WR but how can you state that he is the best WR in the nation?  Jake Kumerow is a total stud!  He is 6'5", has long arms and excellent speed. He saw significant playing time during the Big Ten season at Illinois as a redshirt freshman and has been dominating in his career at UWW.  Wonder if he will be healthy for the playoffs?     

I don't get it.  This year's players were somewhere between ages 12 and 16 in 2008.  What does 2008 have to do with this weekend?

Not the players, but the scenarios are very similar.  The Grizzlies are heavy underdogs on the road.  They are given little to no shot of winning.  The Otterbein Cardinals were as dominant in the 2008 OCAC as the Little Giants in the 2014 NCAC (with the exception of one team each).  North Central was very highly ranked (top 5 in regular season plus either #1 or #2 in the playoff bracket).  The NC Cardinals also had a very highly regarded defense and were run oriented.

Hey Wally - I have to have some glimmer of hope - I am a Franklin grad!   

[GrizFan]

Griz

I have watched Holton Walker and was impressed that he is virtually impossible to defend.  Jake Kummrow is also the real deal.  Kummrow's injury is the only reason that I said what I did about Walker.  If Kummrow is healthy, then is it is a real push between the two of them, and I would note that they are the two best wide receivers in D3.  I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both of these players on the field on a Sunday in the future for an NFL team.

I agree

[wally_wabash]

Not the players, but the scenarios are very similar.  The Grizzlies are heavy underdogs on the road.  They are given little to no shot of winning.  The Otterbein Cardinals were as dominant in the 2008 OCAC as the Little Giants in the 2014 NCAC (with the exception of one team each).  North Central was very highly ranked (top 5 in regular season plus either #1 or #2 in the playoff bracket).  The NC Cardinals also had a very highly regarded defense and were run oriented.

Hey Wally - I have to have some glimmer of hope - I am a Franklin grad!

2008 Franklin were heavier underdogs by conversation than they needed to be because nobody was paying attention to Franklin yet.  It's tough to get shine when you've never been in the playoffs before and you play in a league that ranks near the bottom of the conference rankings.  None of that is fair, but that's the way it is.  So 2008 Franklin weren't nearly the underdogs in reality that they might have been made out to be- people just didn't know any better. 

Fast forward to 2014, and people know about Franklin.  The Griz- sorry, the GRIZ- aren't being overlooked or undersold.  They've been in the spotlight long enough for people to know what's what with Franklin football. 

[BashBacker#16]

Wally - love the Matt Hunt quote on your signature,  classic.

Franklin also had a QB that was a 1 in 20 year player in 2008.  He was really good!  Chad Rupp...  Hopefully he won't be slinging passes on Saturday, no offense to Welp.

[wally_wabash]

Wally - love the Matt Hunt quote on your signature,  classic.

Franklin also had a QB that was a 1 in 20 year player in 2008.  He was really good!  Chad Rupp...  Hopefully he won't be slinging passes on Saturday, no offense to Welp.

Rupp was a stud, flat out.  Those two duels in '06 and '07 between Huff and Rupp were epic.

[BashDad]

I'm afraid Huff kinda gets the short end of the historic stick as far as Wabash QBs go. He doesn't get injured and we have another all time great. 2006 alone was pretty impressive.

[bashgiant]

There is no doubt that I worry about Franklin's porous defense, I have worried about that for over 30 seasons!  I do realize that Wabash's defense is awesome and stats show that the GRIZ really have no shot at victory.

I see a glimmer of hope when I remember back to 2008.  We lost to a very good Trine team, but the 2008 GRIZ were not dominant in the HCAC.  They squeaked by in close games against MSJ and Manchester.  The school's historical DIII playoff record was 0-1, having lost 44-42 in a home thriller to North Central (GRIZ also lost at Wabash 35-33 in 2007).  Come playoff time in 2008, the GRIZ were big underdogs to a very good 9-1 Otterbein team.  Otterbein only had one close victory in the OCAC (JCU), but they dominated everyone else except, of course, the National Champions in purple.  The GRIZ beat Otterbein 62-45 on the road.  The GRIZ went on the road again and scored their biggest DIII victory in school history by beating an undefeated (and seeded #1 or #2 in the bracket) North Central 38-28.  Let's hope for a repeat of history!

BTW Firstdown - Walker may be an excellent WR but how can you state that he is the best WR in the nation?  Jake Kumerow is a total stud!  He is 6'5", has long arms and excellent speed. He saw significant playing time during the Big Ten season at Illinois as a redshirt freshman and has been dominating in his career at UWW.  Wonder if he will be healthy for the playoffs?     

Why did Jake Kumerow leave Illinois?

[BashDad]

There is no doubt that I worry about Franklin's porous defense, I have worried about that for over 30 seasons!  I do realize that Wabash's defense is awesome and stats show that the GRIZ really have no shot at victory.

I see a glimmer of hope when I remember back to 2008.  We lost to a very good Trine team, but the 2008 GRIZ were not dominant in the HCAC.  They squeaked by in close games against MSJ and Manchester.  The school's historical DIII playoff record was 0-1, having lost 44-42 in a home thriller to North Central (GRIZ also lost at Wabash 35-33 in 2007).  Come playoff time in 2008, the GRIZ were big underdogs to a very good 9-1 Otterbein team.  Otterbein only had one close victory in the OCAC (JCU), but they dominated everyone else except, of course, the National Champions in purple.  The GRIZ beat Otterbein 62-45 on the road.  The GRIZ went on the road again and scored their biggest DIII victory in school history by beating an undefeated (and seeded #1 or #2 in the bracket) North Central 38-28.  Let's hope for a repeat of history!

BTW Firstdown - Walker may be an excellent WR but how can you state that he is the best WR in the nation?  Jake Kumerow is a total stud!  He is 6'5", has long arms and excellent speed. He saw significant playing time during the Big Ten season at Illinois as a redshirt freshman and has been dominating in his career at UWW.  Wonder if he will be healthy for the playoffs?     

Why did Jake Kumerow leave Illinois?

He was doing blow off of strippers in a stolen car. I saw it on twitter.

[wally_wabash]

I'm afraid Huff kinda gets the short end of the historic stick as far as Wabash QBs go. He doesn't get injured and we have another all time great. 2006 alone was pretty impressive.

Yes. In the one game he played in 2007 he set a single game offense record that still hasn't been beat. His 2007 was going to be video game crazy good stats wise. Like first team AA good.

[jknezek]

Here we go.

He was doing blow off of strippers in a stolen car. I saw it on twitter.

probably a bad thing to put up, even in jest. people are much to literal on the internet, especially if it agrees with the axe they want to grind...

[Li'l Giant]

He was doing blow off of strippers in a stolen car. I saw it on twitter.

Sounds more like something one does at Florida State than at Illinois.

[SaintsFAN]

He was doing blow off of strippers in a stolen car. I saw it on twitter.

Sounds more like something one does at Florida State than at Illinois.

I think Strippers and Blow 202 is an elective at Florida State.