114th Annual Monon Bell Game

[smedindy]

Ah, crap. Though the continued CCIW carnage helps. Wabash probably down to 3 behind Case. So perhaps NCC comes a 'callin to Hollett?

[joepieters]

P.S.  There are few things that are absolute certainties in life, but this I feel secure in.  Your kicker is so getting laid tonight 

LOL!!!

Post of the year.

[DPU3619]

What an amazing kick. 

I think your comparisons are a bit misinformed, BB16.  I'm not sure I get it exactly, but we've got the Monon Bell and you don't. 

Good luck next week.

[smedindy]

Chris Creighton vs. Matt Walker

1-1 - that is crazy.  Similar programs???...similar to BJ Schilchter mowing diagonals and Mitch Marcus running through the Sig window!  About the same as a 6 piece nugget and a double quarter pounder.  Not even close but...

24-21.

BB - I like the nuggets better. Give me a BK Double Stacker, though.

[INQBScout]

Congrats to DPU...you dominated our vaunted D line all day...you played with more heart...and you out coached us...at least your offense coaches outcoached our defensive guys. You deserved this one.

Class.

[scotty]

My second Monon Bell game. Wow. I have never seen such total domination of a front seven defense as I saw today by the Depauw Oline. I was told by a few Tiger biggins' that the Wabash D front seven didn't want any mo' punishment. Great college game and kudos to both teams.

Btw, is it customary for the Wabash section to insult the playing of the Depauw alma mater? Just curious. Coach Walker is a lucky man...nice truck.

[wabndy]

Uugh.  I think it is official now.  THERE WILL NEVER BE AN OVERTIME BELL GAME!  With a minute to go I could have sworn I was experience 2001 reverse deja vu.  I am far less than qualified to second guess CC - but calling timeouts after turning the ball did cause more than a few heads to scratch in my section.  I am in too much of a haze to try and figure out if it would have effected the outcome. 

That has to be the ballsiest move to put in a zero experience backup kicker in to swing for a home run.  A blocked kick or runback of a shank could have . . . .

Why did it happen?   11 for 17 on 3rd down and 2 of 4 on 4th down, including 2 of those 4th down conversions on the game tying drive.  Ouch.  I am definately not celebrating having to go against Capital next week.  Hopefully the hard hat D will stiffen the "bend don't break" game plan.

As for game admin . . .

Kudos for taking down the concertina wire around blackstock.  That was a bit overkill.  Thank you for not hiring Joe Bob's sweat shirt clad rent a cop goons.  Putting Marion county and C'ville cops on the Wabash sidelines was a logical and correct choice.  HOWEVER.  and this is a big HOWEVER.  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot on t-shirt confiscations.  Before the game started, the cops was confiscating t-shirts off the backs of Wabash students that said "DePauw Swallows." 

Were the far more F-bomb Wabash t-shirts on the other side similarly taken up?  If there were - then please join me on a collective head scratch over such a ridiculous tactic.  If they weren't . . .

That is however the only security gripe I have.  They stopped confiscating shirts after the game started and as best I tell - left the fans alone.  Thankfully open container laws were similarly ignored as best I could tell at the tailgates.  A vast improvement over my previous trips down to dannieland.

And finally.  One final big tip of the hat to the NCAA who in 1999 had the foresight to expand the playoffs.  No longer does Wabash (or the other non d3 golden children) have to have a clean sheet in order to make the playoffs.  In 1982 - even a perfect record wasn't good enough.  I still have a sour taste in my mouth from the 98 season - the best team that Carlson ever put on the field.  It is a welcome change for when a team can sweep their conference in dramatic fashion, lose a non-conference bell game, and still be in contention for a high seed tournament berth. 

Should be another good game next week.  I hope nobody at capital tivo'ed HDNet this weekend.

[bashbrother]

Congrats to the Tigers on a great victory.

[BashBacker#16]

Wabndy,

I wondered the same thing on that timeout.  Apparently we had to take one because we had the wrong personnel in...  If we could have held on, it would have been a non-factor but it ended up helping them a great deal.  I kept hoping T-Bell would jump one of those quick hitters to Mulligan.  Credit Spud - he played a very solid, efficient game.  Some other thoughts:

- DPU's O-line was very impressive, I never thought our front 7 would struggle
- I thought for sure Adi would mirror Marks all day long?
- DPU killed us in the middle in the 1st half taking advantage of our ILB's deep & aggressive drops...UGH
- Marks was a stud, I was on the field level on the 36 yard TD and he can run (sounds like Mr. Obvious)
- As soon as the game ended Spud Dick ran to the Bash sideline to shake hands with the Bash coaches, very classy move that was very obvious
- I wonder if that 4th and 5 INT by Hudson was a check out, I can't see CC not getting the first down and moving the chains while eating more clock???
- I would have loved to have seen us try to bump and run on the outside - at least vs. Mulligan to mix up the look. 

Congrats to DPU for a well played game.  They followed their game plan to a "T."  DPULefty22 - your list was almost perfect to what DPU would have to do and they did that.  Time of possession was brutal 38 minutes to 21.  Hudson & Co. just didn't get enough 2nd half touches.  The Bash D just couldn't get enough 3rd down stops.  No sacks by the Bash D.  I am very glad Marks is a senior.

Thank goodness we can now look to the playoffs...

Wabash Always Fights!

[gobash]

I am very glad Marks is a senior.

Amen, says the choir.

[Werner99]

WOW.  This year's game epitomizes the rivalry.  The Wabash D made some great goal line stands to keep the game close.  Great play calling and execution of the deep passes down the middle by Wabash.  I don't know where the safeties were, but Hudson & Co. made us pay frequently.  One comment on Adi- the guy can shed a block to make a play.  That is a skill that not many LBs have at any level.

A few stats that you don't see very often- DPU outgained Wabash by 100 yards and held the ball for nearly 40 minutes yet Wabash's quick strike offense went toe to toe with DPU on the scoreboard. 

I am anxious to see how DPU develops next year.  We lose Marks, but only one offensive lineman (Pappas).  Are we going to transition to more of a throwing team with Spud at QB and some good receivers or are we going to find another Horse to feed (Moore)?  Personally, I love seeing a RB carry it 40 times at about 4 yards a pop between the tackles when the defense can't do a thing about it.

By the way- Sportscenter had the kick on the Top 10 Plays.

Best of luck to Wabash in the playoffs.  Winning this game makes the whole year better.

[smedindy]

I noticed that almost every time, the ball went to either Marks or Mulligan, and still the Hard Hats couldn't do anything about it. There's some skill down there in Greendingle, and I'd say that I'm a bit surprised that they couldn't beat Trinity or Millsaps.

Now onto MSJ at Hollett and then possibly a trip to Cleveland.

[Ralph Turner]

I noticed that almost every time, the ball went to either Marks or Mulligan, and still the Hard Hats couldn't do anything about it. There's some skill down there in Greendingle, and I'd say that I'm a bit surprised that they couldn't beat Trinity or Millsaps.

Now onto MSJ at Hollett and then possibly a trip to Cleveland.

smed, your amazement at DPU is why we southerners believe that our brand of football (at Trinity and at Millsaps) is that good.

[smedindy]

I noticed that almost every time, the ball went to either Marks or Mulligan, and still the Hard Hats couldn't do anything about it. There's some skill down there in Greendingle, and I'd say that I'm a bit surprised that they couldn't beat Trinity or Millsaps.

Now onto MSJ at Hollett and then possibly a trip to Cleveland.

smed, your amazement at DPU is why we southerners believe that our brand of football (at Trinity and at Millsaps) is that good.

Just saying that that IS a good football team. Actually, I'm more amazed on why DPU danced with the devil so many times this season, beating inferior teams by close margins.

I think that if DePauw were in the playoffs they'd be trouble for some teams since they play ball control and can hit on defense.

[wally_wabash]

I think that Marks wasn't healthy enough all year to carry the ball 143 times per game had a lot to do with it, smed.