FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[smedindy]

I don't think Allegheny will move.

[Vince McMahon]

I would be shocked if Allegheny even considered moving to the PAC.  As someone already stated, the academic allure of the NCAC is why they left the PAC in the first place. 

[wally_wabash]

We've got a big weekend on tap, NCAC fans.  Wabash is at OWU, Wooster is at Allegheny.  That's four of our contenders in the "wide open" NCAC all playing one another on the same afternoon.  This warrants discussion.  My personal thoughts on each team as we get into the nitty gritty...

Wooster - Undefeated and playing better than I thought they would this season.  But they still haven't played anybody and really hiccupped against Muskingum.  Schafer has been a little better, but still not producing like a guy who can carry a team.  Dress rehearsals are over...he's at the swamp and with lingering rain passing through this week, who knows what Robertson will play like on Saturday.  

Wabash - Undefeated and playing pretty well.  The defense has been absolutely lockdown, the passing game has been outstanding.  The big question mark is the running game...after a solid first game, Don Juan Brown has had a couple of mediocre games.  As with Wooster, Wabash hasn't really had a big test yet, so we can't be too sure of how good Wabash really is.  

OWU - Sir Louis is passing for over 200 yards a game?  That's very un-OWU.  It's also better for them.  The offense is a lot more balanced for OWU and the defense is playing pretty well.  We know OWU is vulnerable thanks to the Thiel result, but they've had two weeks to get ready for Wabash and they get the LGs at Selby.  If they're legit, we'll find out Saturday.  

Allegheny - You just don't know what to think of this team.  They're 0-3, but played two close games before getting housed by the #6 team in the country.  I think a real contender should be able to beat Westminster, but if Tarquino is healthy and Allegheny can effectively play keep away, they could definitely win those four big home games.  

This is going to be a big weekend.  We're going to get a little bit of clairty this weekend and we're going to get our first real sense of how good (or not good) Wabash and Wooster are.  This is what we've all been waiting for...six more days...

[oldguy]

Yeah, we'll see if Witt can beat Denison.  Actually we will see how far the Tigers have fallen in their quality of play.

[BashLaw]

First time I've seen Bash in person this year.  Thoughts:

I was extremely impressed with defensive front 8.  Unbelievable motors and speed.  Still interested to see how they play against a big, aggressive line.  Speed and undersized not always great against a determined running game (see Depauw last year).

Secondary has playmakers, but a lot of holes.  Earlham just didn't have a qb who could get anyone the ball.  Helps that front puts a lot of pressure on the qb.  While dbs are playmakers, I still feel that this is a weakness after watching coverage this weekend.

Offensively, I was very impressed with our passing game.  Recievers run good routes and make good catches.  Summers and Walker are studs.  Russ looked great, made great decisions, and played within himself.  O-line looked big and good.  New left tackle is still working out kinks, and got speed rushed a little.  Our interior three lineman need more props.  I've heard a lot about Millikan, but the three interior lineman looked great.  Koeneman is a horse.  Smart and strong, he should be all-conference.  Feel bad for Hunter, because he's a hell of an o-lineman as well.  Barkley and Certain at guards make quite a tandem.  Both are nasty and never stop.  Our o-line depth is great, with Maddox and Fields quality starters forced to sit behind quality players.

The biggest question mark in my mind has to be our running game.  The holes were there, but we were just a step slow in hitting them.   I had heard a lot of good things about DJB, but was very unimpressed.  Step slow hitting the holes, and wet down too easily.  In fact, Ogden, even injured, looked light years ahead of DJB.  Ogden is by far our best rb.  Tough to bring down and heady.  We just need to hit the holes faster.  Missing the burst that Morris had.

Special teams, as always, are full of speed and looked good.  All in all, it'll be interesting to see if we can run the ball effectively against OWU's strong front.  Need that balance.  Also, will Sir be able to exploit our young and rash secondary?  Great weekend ahead.  Best of luck to all.

[ski]

I am sure some out there are surprised at Woo's  3 + 0 start.  I am not as they have a very strong junior class and some good talent to add to that.  I still feel that next year will be their year.  They are being affected by the injury bug though, it usually spells trouble at some point with starters watching from the side lines.  It will be interesting to see if they tone down the contact at practices to keep the troops healthy for game day.

[wally_wabash]

Agree with most of what you said, BashLaw.  I'm still not certain that our secondary is as weak as people make it out to be...465 yards and 1 touchdown pass in three games isn't at all bad. 

The running game is a concern.  If Ogden is beat up and DJB isn't running well, we're in trouble against good teams.  2.8 yards per carry isn't going to get it done.  That said, Ogden ran about as well as I've ever seen him run and I know DJB can do better than he showed on Saturday.  Interesting to note that CC was rotating DJB, Ogden, and Roop all day, so these guys were only in the game every third series.  I think any or all of those guys would be better if they were the top back and were playing two out of every three series.  I think it's a flow of the game kind of thing and I had the sense that our rb's weren't in the flow much on Saturday. 

The passing game is awesome.  Through three games, Wabash has 5 receivers that have between 10 and 12 catches.  Each game Wabash has had a different receiver lead the team in catches and yards...and not one of those guys has been Summers who is Wabash's best wideout.  Who does the defense stop?  Right now it looks to me like as long as Harbaugh has decent protection, he can pretty much pick apart the defense...secondaries just can't cover all of these guys at the same time. 

The only other thing that was worrisome was the penalties.  Way too many penalties for Wabash on Saturday.  It shouldn't take 10 and a half minutes to go 70 yards on Earlham.  That was quite uncharacteristic of Wabash so I'm willing to give them a mulligan on that. 

[wabco]

Wally ... agree generally about the penalties ... however, it seemed that the one ref had just learned the rule about holding and was anxious to try it out whenerver he could.  The Quakers could nbot even get up to a good hold.  That left him to hone his flag waiving hiolding skills against Wabash.  Not sure with an adult adjusted ref we would have all the hold shenanigans.

DJB did not play after middle of third (if recollection serves).  Was he in C's doghouse for some reason?

[gobash]

Did any of our starters play after then?  Or when did Huff come in?

[wally_wabash]

From the play-by-play in the boxscore it looks like DJB was our tailback on every other series up until the point Wabash went up 35-2.  DJB got one more series early in the fourth quarter and then was done.  Ogden and Roop took turns as the tailback inbetween DJB's series.  I'm not sure DJB is in the doghouse...I would be more inclined to think that CC wouldn't want to risk injury to our primary tailback in a game that's out of hand when four of our season starts in earnest next week.  We're thin as is at running back...if we can get away with not using our backs in blowouts, we should take advantage.  We'll need our backs to be as fresh and healthy as possible over the next month if Wabash is going to win the NCAC (which will be decided in the next five weeks).

gobash, I believe Huff started throwing right after Foster scored on the interception return. 

[wabco]

Huff played the 4th quarter.  He also played with a mixing of the 2/3 team.

[wabashcpa]

I personally didn't mind a ten minute drive at the start (even if it was penalty-induced).  Nothing like wearing out the defense on the first drive of the game!  The fact that it ended in a TD helped as well.

[formerd3db]

Bashdad:
Thanks for the well-wishes this past weekend.  I was out-of-town so didn't see your post until now.  Anyway, you were right.  Same pattern for Hope.

Congrats to your Wabash team (and your fellow 'bashers ) on their win.  No trouble in handling Earlham, although that was not unexpected.  Good luck this week against OWU.  Wabash should win, but they can't take OWU lightly as the latter is not bad.  They could win if Wabash is not careful!  Talk to you later.

[wally_wabash]

On that opening drive, Wabash looked at 3rd and 11, 2nd and 19, 2nd and 33, 3rd and 19, and two fourth downs and converted all of them.  While it's nice that our offense can convert on those situations, I think we need to realize that the Quaker defense doesn't exactly remind one of the '85 Bears.  Against better teams, those penalties will kill drives.  That's the bothersome part...but like I said, so many penalties are uncharacteristic of Wabash and as wabco pointed out, some of the calls were iffy (I can recall one or two flags flying in from the back judge who was 80 yards away from the play).  I wouldn't expect a repeat of that in the coming weeks. 

[BashDad]

Huff came into the game with roughly 3:30 remaining in the third quarter. 

Regarding all the holding penalties, I personally feel that the OL was slacking just a beat and then using hands to "catch up."  Still, they gave Russ excellent protection through the game.  I think the play of the defensive front of Earlham surprised the L'il Giants a little.  So, too, their offensive front--Jewell was able to avoid a lot of LB pressure because of his line play.  Hopefully, this won't continue against better NCAC teams--Sir Louis and Schafer are the same type, and they're ahead.  Huge game in Delaware this weekend.  One game at a time!

WABASH ALWAYS FIGHTS!!