Linebacker C.J. Gum is a badass.
I’d be remiss on this blog if I didn’t provide a quick recap of the just completed football season.
Wabash rolled over its opponents during the regular season with tougher competition from Allegheny and Wittenberg coming as a prelude to the Dannie game. Credit returning red-shirt senior Wes Chamblee, a track star in the spring, to hurdle over defenders in his return season from an injury at the start of the 2010 season. Another huge standout and fifth-year senior was C.J. Gum, who ran down opposing QBs and RBs like the proverbial Mack truck. Seriously, the guy is a beast.
Any fears of the undefeated curse occurring at the Bell Game quickly diminished as the Little Giants quickly took charge. For those keeping count of Sphinx Club push-ups, it was 167. Wabash has outscored the Dannies 124-26 in its last three Bell victories.
In the playoffs, Wabash looked solid against its opening round rival Illinois College (who shares a founder with us), rolling 38-20. But it was the next game against North Central that proved the real barn-burner.
Wes Chamblee salutes the crowd of white after a score during the Bell game.
The game looked bleak toward the end of the third quarter. Wabash’s offense was faltering under our backup quarterback, Tyler Burke, struggling with two interceptions. We were down 28-7.
But then, the Little Giants mounted “The Comeback”: three unanswered touchdowns in addition to several fourth-and-longs where Coach Erik Raeburn decided to go for it. Suddenly Wabash was within one point with just 52 seconds left.
We go for two, for the win, for all the marbles.
“Gutsy,” said some. “Wabash,” said others.
And in great dramatic fashion, Burke tossed the ball to the endzone, which was tipped by James Kraus and into the arms of senior Brady Young. “I was standing back there waiting on it. I was thinking if this is tipped anywhere I’m going after it. I’m going to get it. And you know, it tipped right into my hands.”
You have to read the account of Scott Smalstig ’88, “On the Meaning of Wabash Always Fights” and the profile of Tyler Burke by Brandan Alford ’12 (“Burke Steps Up” in last week’s Bachelor.)
To hell with the Bell game DVD. I want a DVD of this game. (The one home game I missed all season!)
Scoreboard! Which they turned off immediately after I took this picture.
Ten years after the Monon Miracle “Catch,”the “Comeback” propelled Wabash to the semifinal game against Mt. Union. The 10-Time National Champion Purple Raiders would prove tough competition, indeed, coached by Coach Raeburn’s uncle, Larry Kehres. Our Hardhat D held tough, but their D proved tougher, limiting us to a season-ending score of 8-20.
In the past decade of Wabash Football, I’ve come to view DIII playoffs with a jaundiced eye. I think that DI could learn a lot about how to run a playoff system starting at the beginning of December on with a 32-team bracket with every game as a fully sponsored bowl game. At our level, for a shot at the Stagg Bowl, little Wabash has to run the table against some fearsome football factories. Then again, this is Indiana, home of the Milan Miracle.
If anything, this season proved that we can compete at the next level. Playing and winning our way, with smart and confident student-athletes. Without sacrificing our values as a school.
After all Wabash Always Fights.
For another year, the Dannies have a problem showing up. You could hear them, though, partying in the parking lot with loudspeakers. Ain't #15 Party School for nothin'!
One of the Sphinxster's sisters helps ring that Bell. (Could this be the cover of our new Admissions viewbook?)
Wabash College - Class of 1991 