Wabash picked first in NCAC preseason

Wittenberg is a distant fourth, a designation the Tigers may prove wrong.
By RUSTY MILLER
AP SPORTS WRITER
Not very many people -- probably none without a Springfield, Ohio, address -- think that Wittenberg will be its usual bullying self in the North Coast Athletic Conference this fall.
Coach Joe Fincham begs to differ.
"I hope we won't look back [in November] and say, 'Holy smokes! All those guys were exactly right about us,' " Fincham said. "We'll see if our guys can come into the year with a little bit of a chip on their shoulders and prove some people wrong."
In the preseason voting by the coaches and media covering the league, Wittenberg was a distant fourth behind defending champion Wabash, Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster.
To put that low opinion of the Tigers into perspective, Fincham has lost only nine NCAC games in his 10 years at Wittenberg, which has not finished lower than last year's tie for third since joining the conference in 1989.
Wittenberg went 5-5 last season (5-2 in the NCAC). Only 10 starters return from that squad and the Tigers still need to find a quarterback and a defensive front.
Twice before (in 1990 and '92) the Tigers were picked in the preseason to finish fourth in the NCAC. In those two years they went a combined 14-2 in the conference including one title.
Among the returnees this fall is Tristan Murray, a two-time first-team All-NCAC back who has more than 2,500 career rushing yards and set a school record with 29 receptions out of the backfield. Three quality starters are back to block for him.
Capsules
Here's a capsule look at the rest of the NCAC, in predicted order of finish:
Wabash -- Russ Harbaugh, who passed for a conference-record 3,504 yards, has graduated. Backup Dustin Huff completed 9-of-9 passes a year ago, but didn't practice in the spring because of surgery on his non-throwing shoulder. Don Juan Brown is the top rushing candidate.
Ohio Weseylan -- Of the Battling Bishops' three losses last year, two came to 10-0 teams that made the D3 playoffs. Defense features DBs Kyle Sherman and Tom Thome, along with DE Owen Case and LB Bo Mayer.
Wooster -- Nine starters are back on either side of the ball for the Fighting Scots, coming off 6-4 year. LT Rick Drushal is a two-time All-American.
Allegheny -- Somehow, Gators found a way to go 3-7 despite outgaining AND outscoring their opponents last year. The top four TBs and QB Jimmy Savage are all back.
Kenyon -- Coming off one of their best seasons in years (second in the NCAC at 6-1), the Lords return 17 starters and 37 letterwinners.
Denison -- Followed first winning season since 1986 with a 5-5 record last season.
Oberlin -- Top weapon is WR Chris Schubert, with Andy Stein a threat at QB.
Earlham -- After scoring 110 points in their first two games last year, the Quakers managed just 41 in losing the last eight games.
Hiram -- Eight starters are back on offense from a 1-9 team, including QB Trevor Henderson who threw for 1,600 yards and 8 TDs as a freshman.