Wabash Gamenotes (pdf)

Wittenberg Gamenotes (pdf)

A North Coast Athletic Conference championship and NCAA playoff berth eluded the Wabash football team last year. The Little Giants (8-0, 7-0 NCAC) can redeem themselves Saturday with a win against Wittenberg
(7-1, 7-0 NCAC) in the de facto NCAC's 2013 championship game.

The Tigers shared the 2012 conference title with Ohio Wesleyan after posting identical 6-1 NCAC records. Both team's losses came at the hand of the Little Giants.

"We're going to have to raise our game," Coach Erik Raeburn said. "Some of the guys that haven't played in a big game like this that are starting for the first time and they're going to have to find a way to handle the emotions and find a way to execute at a real high level."

Quarterback Michael Putko will play in the biggest game of his collegiate career. The Arizona native will rely on lessons learned in school to help him.

"It's kind of like school; when you're prepared for an exam, you're not nervous," Putko said. "If you're prepared for a game, you know what you have to do and just go in and execute."

Putko will study extra film for Wittenberg. The Tigers make pre-snap reads very difficult for opposing offenses.

"They play a lot of different coverages and mix up their fronts so we're not going to have a perfect call on all the time," Raeburn said. "He's going to have to go through his progressions and make good decisions, and do the right things with the football."

Putko has done the right things with the football for the most part in the 2013 season. He has thrown 10 touchdown passes to only 4 interceptions and completed 64.89 percent of his passes.

Similar to the Wabash defense, linebackers star for Wittenberg. Spencer Leno sets the pace with 80 tackles which is second most in the conference. Kyle Sanning and Evan Killilea are first and second on the team with 5 and 4 sacks, respectively.

Each team's strength will clash on the other side of the ball. Wabash has held opponents to a conference-best 196.5 yards-per-game. Wittenberg's offense has marched for over 500 yards-per-game.

"They have a great passing game, but they are the most balanced offense we've faced," Raeburn said.

The balance starts with senior dual-threat quarterback Reed Florence. Florence has thrown 26 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 7. He leads the conference in total yards-per-game.

"The quarterback puts it in there and he's not afraid to try and take any window, no matter how small," linebacker Nate Scola said. "It's all about being disciplined when you're against a quarterback that can fit it in small windows like that. It's the little things like getting on your landmarks and having your eyes in the right place that will make the difference."

Scola and the Wabash defense contained Florence in last year's 27-24 victory. Florence produced 72-yard run, but found little success the rest of the day. He finished 10-for-19 for 92 yards and one interception.

However, Florence may have a deeper supporting cast this season. Sophomore running backs Sean Gary and Jimmy Dehnke each average more than five yards-per-carry and have a combined for 12 touchdowns. Brendon Cunningham has 40 receptions for 8 touchdowns, and is averaging almost 20 yards-per-catch.

"Witt's a big-play team," Scola said. "That's what it thrives off of, but it's also where our defense has been good — not giving up the explosive plays."

Cunningham and fellow senior receiver Jonathan Stoner make big plays downfield in part because of their size. Each one is over six feet and Cunningham is listed at 220 pounds.

"They're bigger targets at receiver so there's more room for error at quarterback," Raeburn said. "If the ball isn't totally perfect, the bigger receiver can still get his hands on it and make the catch. If he's throwing to a bunch of smaller guys, his accuracy has to be more precise."

Wabash appears to have a clear advantage in special teams to help the field position portion of the game. Cam Sobleski  has out-punted Wittenberg's punter by 6 yards on average, and Ian MacDougall has booted 31 touchbacks compared to Wittenberg's 2.

After a scheduling quirk last year, the conference's perennial powers will play for an automatic playoff-bid.  

"You want the automatic qualifier to be decided on the field," Raeburn said. "You don't want to go to second and third criteria. Any time you can play everybody in the conference and one team can find a way to come out on top, I think that's better."

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Byron P. Hollett Little Giant Stadium. Jim Amidon '87 and Steve Hoffman '85 will announce the game on the Wabash TV Internet broadcast which can be viewed here. Clayton Randolph '16 will serve as the sideline reporter. Live statistics updates will be available here.