117th Monon Bell Classic

[wally_wabash]

Serious question for all -- Will Monon still be "the last game every fall" when DePauw joins the NCAC?  I can't seem to find the answer.

I do believe that this tradition will continue.  If the two schools and two conferences could find a way to make it work, it should be an even easier arrangement now that there's only one conference involved.  It isn't a big stretch to believe that one or both of these teams will be playing the final week of the season with some postseason implications at stake quite often.  The conference has a chance to showcase itself and two of their best teams to a national audience playing in sudden death scenarios?  That's freaking gold (but not Old Gold!).

[Breckenridgebear]

http://www.wabash.edu/sports/docs/ReleaseNov32010.pdf

Dabash better hurry, fewer than 3,000 tickets remain!!!

[1837Tigers]

On This Day in 1892...

http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=22043

[Breckenridgebear]

Vote for Coach of the year Robby Long

http://www.coachoftheyear.com

[Breckenridgebear]

http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=26081

Online sale of tickets has ended.

[DJR2-Wabash87]

Nice pieces about Kimball.  I am also struck by how young Jim Amidon looks in that video.  Of course, at that time he was a junior at Wabash - probably only 20 or 21 years old.  In those days, ALL of us looked a lot younger.

Gotta run - making low country boil tonight to bring to the tailgater at Jordan-Hare tomorrow.  As long as Cam stays eligible, the Tigers have a shot at making the big show in AZ in January.  SEC football ranks right up there with DPU/WabCo matchups, only it happens every week!

Legendary broadcaster Art Kimball (DePauw '55), who was known primarily across the state of Illinois, passed away this week.  Today someone sent this link to me of Art broadcasting the 1985 Monon Bell game...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU2zRD4YGGQ&feature=player_embedded#!

Thought you might enjoy the old footage.


Below are a couple articles written this week about Art...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/columnists/kindred/article_a4886a4a-d67a-11df-ad25-001cc4c002e0.html

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/article_4a7f3740-d576-11df-adb7-001cc4c03286.html

[1837Tigers]

November 7, 1970/ 40 years ago today:

http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=13700

[gobash]

The only reason every Dabash boy would not make the game is because, they cant afford the $16 dollar ticket because a technical college degree from DaBash was only good enough for a job at Carl Jr's.

Fair enough...we can't all work for our daddy's law firms or live off of trust funds.

[DPU3619]

Here's a few initial thoughts on this football game from your old pal Wes:

1. DePauw hasn't played a good football team yet. 9-0 sure is pretty cool, but they haven't been tested like they will be on Saturday.  On the other hand, Wabash has played exactly one good football team.  That did not go well.  I don't know what that leaves us with, but worth noting either way.

2. I think I'm comfortable with saying that DePauw is probably a better football team than Wabash, but we all know that doesn't mean a darned thing.  1981 and 2007 are the two examples that came to me off the top of my head.

3. Michael Engle has thrown 10 interceptions, but for some reason it feels like a lot more than that.  Seems they're all deep in DePauw's end or in the red zone.  That has to stop.  There aren't very many hard throws in this system.  Stop throwing it to the guys in the other color, particularly when you're deep in your own end.

4. What about the DePauw defense?  Good or not?  Bend but don't break?  Already broken?  I just don't know.  Trinity is the only team that has had success moving the ball in big chunks this season.  Caleb Urban was all over the field - 5 catches for 119 & 2 TDs.  Wabash exposed the DePauw defense (and then some) in the second half of last year's game.  I've already been on record with some harsh words towards that group for that disaster.  That effort was on par with the first half in 2002 when covering Ryan Short was optional.  Gotta have it on Saturday, fellas.

5. DePauw needs to work on punt protect every single day this week.  Has anybody actually successfully executed a punt against the LGs this year?  Yikes.  No blocked kicks on Saturday, please. 

[wally_wabash]

5. DePauw needs to work on punt protect every single day this week.  Has anybody actually successfully executed a punt against the LGs this year?  Yikes.  No blocked kicks on Saturday, please. 

Wooster and WUStl managed to get through a full four quarters without having a punt blocked.  Everybody else on the schedule had at least one punt blocked.  That unit has been exceptional this year for Wabash. 

[smedindy]

I am taking the over. Big time. Shootout, here we come...

[DPU3619]

5. DePauw needs to work on punt protect every single day this week.  Has anybody actually successfully executed a punt against the LGs this year?  Yikes.  No blocked kicks on Saturday, please. 

Wooster and WUStl managed to get through a full four quarters without having a punt blocked.  Everybody else on the schedule had at least one punt blocked.  That unit has been exceptional this year for Wabash. 

I think special teams are a concern for me all the way around.  DePauw has had some issues with their FG/PAT unit, both with blocking and with actually making the kick itself.  Malm is under 50% on FGs.  He drained a 47 yarder, but he's 5-12 from outside of 30 yards.  Something to keep an eye on for sure. 

I'm also in the "bet the over" crowd, but it will be interesting to see how Robby handles late & close if it comes to that, partly because of the issues with Malm and partly because he's capable of doing just about anything.

[Breckenridgebear]

My bad gobash, I must have been blinded by a flash from my huge silver spoon. Thank you for clearing that up for me! Now I must get back to spending my rather significant "trust fund".

[1837Tigers]

This Day in Monon History, November 8:

1919- http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=21449

1980- http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=13705

1986- http://www.depauw.edu/news/index.asp?id=13881

[DPU3619]

I knew that 1986 game was coming today.  Ugh.  Didn't see Coach Nick go all Herm Edwards with the clock running out very often, but that was one case where it happened.