120th Monon Bell Classic

[DPU3619]

     Walker is Head football Coach at UW River Falls.  His team continues to struggle in the tough WIAC.  This is fantasy:  I wonder what would happen if he leaves River Falls and is interested in staying in football.  Is there a chance he might be interested in returning to C'ville as an assistant coach for a couple of years--at Wabash.  He parents and brother still live in the Athens of the Midwest.  Of course, this fantasy presupposes a lot of decisions by Matt and Wabash.  Would Matt consent to being an assistant?  Would Wabash hire a guy from DePauw?  Etc, etc.  I know this--the guy can coach.

That ain't gonna happen.

[DPU3619]

This year, unless Wabash's defense misses the bus to DePauw, Wabash wins this game.   The health and performance of the offense will determine whether this is a win, a beatdown, or a complete monkey-stomp.   Given the Tigers performance this year, at least there is reason for hope on the home side, more so that in the past three years.

Wabash is beatable.  Last year DePauw had next to no chance. I thought it had go 100% perfectly for DePauw to even be in that game late. That obviously did not occur. Wabash's offense has had some struggles. It's possible they fight that battle again against DePauw. If that happens and DePauw doesn't give points away to Wabash's D and specials, then they'll be in it. DePauw won't score three or four times against Wabash's defense, even with the large improvement DePauw has shown throughout this season. I'm just calling a spade a spade there. Wabash's defense is just too good for anbody to get to 24 or 28. DePauw may not score twice, frankly. All that said, it's a pretty typical game plan for any underdog - control the turnovers & specials and make Wabash beat you the old fashioned way by making 10 yards in 3 tries.  Either DePauw makes stops or they don't.

[firstdown]

Wes

I have great respect for Coach Lynch and the job he is doing in breathing life into the program at DePauw.  As they say, anything can happen on any given Saturday.  However, Wabash will be the most difficult opponent that they will face this year, and brings it on every play on offense, defense, and special teams. 

Unlike 1998, when Slick Nick did his signal stealing gambit, Coach Lynch is a gentleman.  Just in case, Wabash uses different signals each week anyway.

[DPU3619]

However, Wabash ... brings it on every play on offense, defense, and special teams. 

Two of those things are true. One of them has not been entirely true at all times during this season. That's my point. This is not an unbeatable team. It's a really good team. I've said that on the North Coast board a lot this year. I like their offensive scheme. I like the Q. I like what they're doing, they just get in funks where they don't execute offensively. If DePauw can get them in a funk, they can win. They have to make Wabash beat them by driving the ball down the field and putting it in the end zone. It's possible Wabash can still do that against DePauw. If Wabash can't move the football for big yards and points, DePauw doesn't turn it over deep in their own end or for scores, and doesn't give a score in the specials, they'll be there at the end. I'd say the chances that all three of those things actually happen aren't that great. DePauw turns it over. They aren't overwhelmingly spectacular in the specials. But, if they do those three things, they can defintely win.

[firstdown]

Wes

Wabash has been very good with all 3 phases of the game in every game.  If you are referring to the game with Oberlin, the "funk" that day was that the team was either down with or recovering from the flu, and a number of starters out with injuries.  Everyone is now healthy, and with the exception of the season ending injuries, will be a full strength as well.  Due to its next man up spirit, and the fact all lot of players have gotten a playing time this year, Wabash has developed a good amount of depth as well.  The loss of two 1,000 yard plus running backs would devastate most teams, but Stella, Klembara, Porter, and Gibson have stepped in and are averaging 170 yards per game.   Finally, it is the Monon Bell Game, and while Wabash is focused totally on this Saturday, they won't be in a "funk" next week for the Bell Game.

[sigma one]

Wes, I know that ain't gonna happen.  That's why I used the word "fantasy." 

[DPU3619]

they won't be in a "funk" next week for the Bell Game.

You can't possibly predict that. I can't predict that they will be, either. I haven't predicted anything. DePauw has to do three things to win. Answering that with "well lol nope" isn't really saying much. I know that Wabash is good. I know that they are better than DePauw. This will be the third time I've said that to you. That doesn't mean that if they play 1000 times, Wabash wins all 1000. There's a game plan to beat this football team.  You don't need to be bigger, faster, or stronger to do it, either. Make them start their drives from their own side of the field, don't turn the ball over, and kick the football out of bounds. I think those 3 probably holds Wabash under 20. I don't think Wabash is good enough offensively to start 5 scoring drives from their own 20. I just don't see it. They haven't called nearly enough explosive plays for my liking against the decent opponents, mostly because they don't need to. Their opponents give them enough scoring through turnovers and specials that it's just not necesary. Make Wabash uncomfortable on offense. Make them 60 yards over and over again. Then you're in the game. That's my point. DePauw can either do those things and hang around or get their brakes beat off again.

[wally_wabash]

Just a quick drive by here...I'll have plenty of Wabash/DePauw talk after Saturday.  But the ol' "they're the best team you've played this year" yarn is not a particularly good take.  Everything about that might be true, but none of it precludes the team who is playing "the best they've seen this year" from winning.  Not sure how many times we've seen the dog in this game pull off such a feat (2007, 2008, 2010 immediately spring to mind).  Heard that same talk building up to the North Central playoff game in 2011.  I'm hearing some of it this week.  Doesn't matter.  Playing the best you've seen this year doesn't mean you can't win. 

There are 219 reasons why DePauw is losing a fifth straight Monon Bell Game in 9 days.  One of them is not that Wabash is better than anybody else that they've seen this year. 

[firstdown]

Wally

I tried to select my words carefully.  Wabash will be a "difficult" team to play because DePauw will have to play all three phases of the game flawlessly in order to win.

DePauw has already already played a very good Wittenberg team that had something to prove after the Butler game. DePauw came away with less than favorable results.  So much for all of this, and, as I said, this Saturday is the only game that matters.

[Breckenridgebear]

     Walker is Head football Coach at UW River Falls.  His team continues to struggle in the tough WIAC.  This is fantasy:  I wonder what would happen if he leaves River Falls and is interested in staying in football.  Is there a chance he might be interested in returning to C'ville as an assistant coach for a couple of years--at Wabash.  He parents and brother still live in the Athens of the Midwest.  Of course, this fantasy presupposes a lot of decisions by Matt and Wabash.  Would Matt consent to being an assistant?  Would Wabash hire a guy from DePauw?  Etc, etc.  I know this--the guy can coach.

That ain't gonna happen.

I agree. It might have to be the last coaching position available, in all sports, at all levels, for Walker to take it.

[Breckenridgebear]

One week out until I make my yearly trip back for the best game of the season. It will be good to get back and see all the changes that DePauw has made on the athletic front.

Anyone else traveling to make the game? What is your attendance number of Bell games? Any traditions?

Before the trash talking starts, I also wanted to invite everyone (Even Cave Boyzz) to stop by our yearly tailgate. It was great to meet a few of the people on this board in person last year, even the knuckle draggers from Crawfordstucky.

It is almost Monon week. Can you feel it? 

[sigma one]

I am back again to say that the "fantasy" about Walker was just that--I was messing around.  Now, about it having to be the last job on earth, as someone says, "not so fast, my friend."  Yes, it's not gonna happen.  But the thought of it sure made you guys edgy. 
     Matt has not yet found success at UW River Falls.  He probably still has some time left up there.   I wish him well, always have, and hope he can build his current team to competitiveness in arguably the nation's toughest DIII conference.
     If RFalls is not the place for him over the course of time, I hope he finds a place where he can lead a competitive team.  The problem is that he may be in purgatory for a few years, and if he has to look for a HC job, the doors begin to close.  He always has baseball on his resume, but all indications are that he prefers coaching football. 
     Again and again and again so that this is clear:  the guy can coach, and my fantasy about his coming to Wabash was in good fun and a nod to that and to his whatever years ago at DePauw. 
     I am a Walker supporter and a DPU antagonist--and they seem to meld nicely in this case.
     


     

[1837Tigers]

This Day in History, November 8:

1919 - http://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/21449/

1980 - http://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/13705/

1986 - http://www.depauw.edu/news-media/latest-news/details/13881/

[Breckenridgebear]

I am back again to say that the "fantasy" about Walker was just that--I was messing around.  Now, about it having to be the last job on earth, as someone says, "not so fast, my friend."  Yes, it's not gonna happen.  But the thought of it sure made you guys edgy. 
     Matt has not yet found success at UW River Falls.  He probably still has some time left up there.   I wish him well, always have, and hope he can build his current team to competitiveness in arguably the nation's toughest DIII conference.
     If RFalls is not the place for him over the course of time, I hope he finds a place where he can lead a competitive team.  The problem is that he may be in purgatory for a few years, and if he has to look for a HC job, the doors begin to close.  He always has baseball on his resume, but all indications are that he prefers coaching football. 
     Again and again and again so that this is clear:  the guy can coach, and my fantasy about his coming to Wabash was in good fun and a nod to that and to his whatever years ago at DePauw. 
     I am a Walker supporter and a DPU antagonist--and they seem to meld nicely in this case.
     


     

I think Walker was a great coach (Baseball and Football) at DPU, and is a really great guy. Personally, I think DePauw dumping him was a mistake, and he could have become a life long coach in Greencastle. I wish him only the best, and I am sure he will eventually find success. I thought the NCAC was the toughest conference?

[Wabash Hokie]

Before the mud starts flying, here is some good Monon Bell warm up reading.   The two Sports Illustrated articles about the Monon Bell rivalry are must reads for me every year.  I doubt that anyone on this board has not read them but, it not, for your reading pleasure, I present to you....

From September 1973 - Sports Illustrated article by John Underwood:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1087757/index.htm


From November 1993 - Sports Illustrated article by John Garrity:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138786/1/index.htm

2013 - One for the Thumb - let's make it five in a row.