As the calendar flips to October, leaves begin to fall and the crisp autumn air settles in. This is also the time when football teams define who they are and what direction their season will go. Perhaps no game will define the 2012 season more for the Wabash College Little Giants than this Saturday's battle at Wittenberg. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m. in Springfield, Ohio.
Wabash enters the game with a 1-1 record in conference while Wittenberg sits at 2-0. The NCAC powerhouses have won or shared a conference title in 12 of the last 14 years.
“Conference usually comes down to this game so it's always important to beat Wittenberg,” senior defensive tackle
Pat Clegg said. “Right now, we as seniors are 1-2 against them so any senior would say it's a big game. It's Witt Week.”
Clegg is correct about this game deciding conference. For the past three seasons, Wabash and Wittenberg have finished first or second in conference standings. However, due to the week four loss against Allegheny, Coach Erik Raeburn pointed out every game is just as important for the Little Giants.
“I don't know if this game is more important than any other games,” Raeburn said. “We're in a hole now with a conference loss so we can't afford to lose any more.”
The Little Giants will face a large homecoming crowd as well Saturday. The two schools' rivalry was born in 2002 when Wabash beat Wittenberg in an over-time thriller, 46-43, on Wittenberg's homecoming.
The 2012 Tigers enter their homecoming game with the conference's second best scoring offense and top scoring defense.
Wittenberg's offense runs through junior quarterback Reed Florence. The dual-threat signal caller poses many challenges to the Wabash defense.
“The most important thing with a guy like that is to contain him,” Clegg said. “He's dangerous if he gets in space since he can run and throw. We'll also try to get some hits on him to slow him down a bit.”
Raeburn reiterated the containment policy.
“Our guys have to be really disciplined and stay in their rush lanes,” he said. “If we lose contain, he'll extend the play and take off rushing or find a guy deep down field.”
Florence is a first-year starter but saw time last season as a backup in goal line situations and certain packages. He has run for 8 touchdowns and thrown for another 4 so far this season. Florence's top target has been junior wide receiver Brendon Cunningham while sophomore running back Will Stocker has paced the team's ground game.
Defensively, the Tigers are anchored by junior linebacker Spencer Leno. He leads the team in tackles, including a 17-tackle effort last week. The defense is solid on all three levels.
“They're fantastic at corner and really good at rushing the quarterback so passing is tough,” Raeburn said. “They also do a great job creating takeaways. It's a typical Wittenberg team that always seems to be really good on defense.”
Wittenberg's worst defensive statistic is the 123.5 yards per game rushing it allows which is sixth in the conference. That may bode well for a Wabash offense coming off a rushing performance that was the fourth most yards in school history. Wabash gained 238 rushing yards against the Tigers in last year's 28-17 victory in Crawfordsville.
“We were able to cut down on the mental mistakes last weekend and everyone executed their assignments,” senior right tackle
Michael Del Busto said. “Basically, we stopped beating ourselves.”
Playing smart will be just as important at Wittenberg. Del Busto and the other offensive lineman have begun studying for their next test.
“We try to figure out different guys' tendencies,” Del Busto said. “We try to see whether they like to speed rush or bull rush. We ask ourselves, 'If they tighten their splits down, what does that mean?'
“Last week, Carnegie Mellon's personnel would say what front they were going to run,” Del Busto explained. “Based on who was subbing in, I could predict what defense they'd be in and know what my assignment would be. That's how you play fast. We'll study Wittenberg's personnel to try and play fast again.”
A performance even slightly reminiscent of last week's blocking clinic would almost ensure another Wabash victory.
Special teams will play an important role this week as well. Wittenberg's return man, Victor Banjo, is an All-American sprinter in indoor and outdoor track. Punt coverage has struggled the last two weeks for Wabash.
“We gave up two big returns—one for a touchdown,” Raeburn said. “It obviously has to improve. Our guys aren't staying disciplined and are running by their man.”
The Little Giants are only eighth in the conference in net punting.
It will take a total team effort by Wabash to beat a good team on the road. “Witt Week” only lasts six days, but these six days will define the Little Giants' season.
Live game
statistics and
video will able through Wittenberg sports information. WNDY (91.3 FM) will broadcast the game live over the radio on on the
Internet beginning at 12:35 p.m. with the pregame show.
Gamenotes - Wabash vs. Wittenberg (pdf)
