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Wabash College 2019


MasonHAsher

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Former Wally here. Plenty of other Wally’s here....fully expect wabash to reload and make playoffs this next year. 

 

Although I will be surprised if they make a deep run.  The UW D3s are very strong and Mt Union is always to be feared. Would love to see a deep run but we would really need to see some outstanding play.  

 

Personally from what I have seen over the past 6 years or so has been hard nosed defense that is very good with an offense that is capable but not elite. Always have a workhorse RB but as a whole I feel like the offense is missing that extra little bit that the defense seemingly always has. If the two can be on the same level I like the little giants chances for a deeper run  

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Little Giants have to be considered a front-runner for the NCAC.  Despite losing some key players to graduation, they've got a solid core returning in all three phases.

  • Nearly the entire DL/DB corps from a year ago will return.  This defense could be scary-good next season.
  • Linebackers graduate some key players, but a solid core will return lead by Brandon Yeagy (Sr) and Jackson Garrett (Jr).
  • Running game will feature two stud backs, with depth.  Isaac Avant (Sr), Ike James (Jr - medical waiver for missed 2018 season) each have the potential to gain 1,000 yards, if they stay healthy.  If there are any carries left over, Micah Walker (Jr) and Mason Durrett (So) made the best of 4th quarter opportunities last fall.
  • O-Line will return half of the starters, and can draw from Jr/Sr depth to fill the gaps.
  • After a great first game, passing efficiency struggled in key games last year.  QB Jake Reid (Sr) and the new receiver corps will need to use spring ball to get on the same page.  RaShawn Jones (Sr) will be back, but won't be available for spring ball due to track.  Reid-to-Jones could be the best deep threat in the conference, but timing will have to be better.

The rest of the conference could shake out the same as last season, with some key changes.  Denison graduates a lot of 4-year starters from last year's playoff team, and could be replaced by Wooster as the team to compete with Wabash/Witt.  Depauw needs to decide that Chase Andries is their starting QB, and hope they can stop anyone on defense.  Allegheny had been an improving program, but will have to bring in a new head coach without losing stride in order compete with the top half of the conference.

Looking forward to next season!  Hoping to see Wabash back in the playoffs.  I'd like to see this team make it to a 2nd/3rd round match-up in Alliance.  I think they'd give the Purple Raiders a better game than Denison did a couple months ago.

 

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On 1/21/2019 at 3:11 PM, kdets89 said:

After a great first game, passing efficiency struggled in key games last year.  QB Jake Reid (Sr) and the new receiver corps will need to use spring ball to get on the same page.  RaShawn Jones (Sr) will be back, but won't be available for spring ball due to track.  Reid-to-Jones could be the best deep threat in the conference, but timing will have to be better.

You forgot to mention that Oliver Page might be back as well. Medical redshirt just like Ike...haven't heard if he is going to do that yet though. 

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11 hours ago, MasonHAsher said:

You forgot to mention that Oliver Page might be back as well. Medical redshirt just like Ike...haven't heard if he is going to do that yet though. 

I hadn't heard that.  If he stays for another semester, it would be great for the offense.  As a your-year student, I'd be surprised if he made the choice to stay for another football season.  The transfer players faced the loss of credits, so another semester for Ike made the medical waiver a no-brainer.  I assume Oliver has the choice to graduate this spring.  That could be an expensive year of football.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Curious to know what happened in Meadeville, it seemed like Hammer had things on the right track.  I remember watching he and his bother play together when I was in high school, they were scary good.  Good luck to him as he moves on.

It would be easy to look at the past few years and say that it has been a down spell, but honestly, we've spoiled for the past 10-20 years.  It is important to keep in mind that Wabash is a small, all-male, liberal arts college in the middle of Indiana.  That's not a bad thing at all, in fact it's something I believe we should be incredibly proud of (I know I am), but when you are talking about competing with the "Purple Powers" of Division III football, that makes it tough.  We have had an incredibly great run of coaches in that span (Creighton, Raeburn, and Morel, not to mention their various assistants) that have been a huge part of that.  

Life has made it somewhat difficult to keep up with the team since I graduated, but I like what I see when I get a chance to watch really closely.  The on the field talent has been phenomenal, but perhaps inconsistent when it has counted at times.  This past year was incredibly difficult, lose Ike James for the season early (first game I think), having Witt on the road, and above all else Evan Hansen's heartbreaking passing and yet still a share of the conference title.  That is very impressive.  

As to Oliver Page and whether he would stay for another season.  The name Wes Chamblee comes immediately to mind.  Wes had an additional year due to injury and not only did he take it, but he had a great final campaign.  Again, I don't know Page at all, but just pointing out that his return would not be without recent precedent.  #WAF

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  • 6 months later...

Wabash was voted the top team in the NCAC preseason poll and starts the year ranked #23 nationally.

Should be a really good year.

There was talk of Oliver Page potentially taking a medical redshirt and being back this year...he is not BUT Ike James will be, so he has two years left. That is huge.

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