2015 — Albion Blizzard
Steve and I were on the rooftop and while we had overhead cover, the snow blew straight into us. I had purchased a cheap propane heater that Steve nicknamed “Little Buddy,” which led to an embarrassing comment about how great it was to have our little buddy under our table. Everything was surreal. Albion wanted to pass — incredible QB and receivers — and we wanted to run, but there was just too much snow. Then, at halftime, Campus Services figured out how to put a four-inch PVC pipe OVER the snowplow blade (at the bottom), which allowed them to plow the field, but not damage it. The second half was a slug fest and Mason Zurek went nuts — breaking his own single-game rushing record he had set the week before at DePauw, going over 300 in the game. (I discovered a statistical error after the game; we had credited another runner for his yards, and his total was off the charts.) Just a fun game to call; cold and miserable, but so exciting. Howard Hewitt snapped an iconic, though not perfect photo of Mason’s long touchdown run.
2015 — Thomas More OT
This one came a week after Albion and again at home in the playoffs. Thomas More was very good and we had trouble getting Zurek going (relatively; he did finish with 183 yards and a TD and had a receiving TD). Very strange game. We had a lot of yards and held them to like 270, but it was close throughout. We gave up an 80-yard punt return and trailed by 10 early and by 14 at halftime. Zurek did his thing, we hit a two-point conversion, and Andrew Tutsie capped a short drive with a 24-yard FG to tie it with 55 seconds left. We dominated statistically, but you know what they say about stats. Connor Rice was picked off FOUR times (he had 8 ALL YEAR), including once deep in TMC territory in the fourth. Both teams had interceptions in the final minute of regulation. TMC got the ball to start overtime. Then, on 2nd-and-9 from the Wabash 11, QB Brenan Kuntz was sacked by LV Bowden, fumbled, and Ethan Buresh picked it up and took it 75 yards for the TD. My call on that last play was terrible, but we were cold and the game had been frustrating and it was just a perfect play for Ethan, who had an incredible year. That defense had some players — Connor Ludgwig (22 TFL), Austin Brown (6 INTs); Connor Karns (12 sacks); Delon Pettiford (5 INTs). Buresh’s fumble return was featured on ESPN, but mercifully they edited my commentary. Amazing game. We knew we’d likely lose the next week, so this one capped (for me) a 12-0 season. I did not travel to St. Thomas the next week.
2014 — Hampden-Sydney in the First Gentleman’s Classic (34-21, W)
Just thrilling. Both teams were loaded, ranked (HSC #21, Wabash #16), and HSC had an amazing year in 2013. My first broadcast after throat cancer and radiation. It was a somewhat sloppy slugfest early – typical season-opener. HSC hit a huge pass play to get the early lead, then took advantage of a crappy punt by Wabash to go up 14-7. Ethan Buresh evened it at 14-all with an interception and short return. The offense got going in the second half. Wabash’s defense held HSC to negative-five yards rushing. Neither team was great offensively, but Wabash didn’t turn it over and controlled the clock in the second half to win (23 minutes to seven). It was NOT a good game, but it felt a bit like history in the moment. I had always wanted Wabash to play HSC in football — always figured it would be a big event and maybe even attract some national attention. So, it was cool when it finally happened.
1985 — SPN National Telecast of Monon Bell Game (28-8, W)
I had been doing radio sports more or less full-time while a student at Wabash, and Dick Ristine (Director of
Development) asked me if I would want to do the national telecast. The PBP announcer was a legendary Illinois high school sportscaster with a deep, booming, old-school voice (happened to be DPU grad, I think). Tommy Mont did color for DePauw. I prepared more for that game than any in my entire career. As a student, I had to get clearance to interview Nick Mourouzis, and, of course, they were sure it was a set up like Operation Frijoles. I just knew that if I wanted to do a good job, I needed to hear from the coaches. Anyway, I had long hair (maybe a mullet) and it was a cold and very windy day. We didn’t have a great quarterback and had gotten killed at Dayton in one of the worst losses in our history. DePauw had beaten the same Dayton team, so I really thought we’d get blown out by the Tigers’ vaunted passing attack and All-everything QB. But, Carlson called a great, conservative game, and the defense played lights out. My classmate Bill Kaiser ran for over 200 yards and set national records for most carries and most consecutive carries. Fraternity brother Joe Bevelhimer hit five field goals, including school-record kicks of 49 and 50 yards. Tommy was Tommy (charming, old-school coach, etc.), but people were shocked at how knowledgeable I was. My parents watched it on satellite — they were so proud.
1986 — PBP on SPN National Telecast of Monon Bell Game (24-23, W)
When Wabash hosted the Bell Game the following year, we had the same satellite network do the game, but this time, Dick Ristine and Wabash got to pick the play-by-play guy — they chose me. DePauw was furious and MADE SPN bring a backup, just in case I couldn’t do it (he ended up being the sideline reporter). I’m not sure how good I was, but certainly good enough. DePauw dominated — we played poorly and never really got Bill Kaiser going with the running game. (We didn’t get him going the whole year.) Wabash trailed by 17 to start the fourth quarter, but Kelley House blocked a punt and we came roaring back, finally taking a 24-23 lead. But DPU’s offense was good, and quickly (in under a minute, I think) got in field goal range (with an All-American kicker). Things got really crazy with the clock winding down and we didn’t really know what the hell was happening in the final seconds. Nick Mourouzis tried to call time out to get the FG unit on and we assumed it was happening. But DPU had no timeouts, and they went scrambling to get the kick away. Time ran out, but someone in the crowd heaved something high into the air — we thought it was a flag, but it was a shirt. So, the ending was strange — we were not sure if Wabash won or not. But when the officials ran off the field and Wabash’s fans stormed the field, we knew. A classic Monon Bell comeback. The Big Cookie’s bumper sticker the next year read, “Save a Timeout, Nick.”
2022 — Gentlemen’s Classic Reboot: Wabash 52, HSC 48
Wabash scored 22 in the fourth quarter to win, including Donovan Snyder’s TD run with :46 to finish it. Stats: 62 first downs; 1,156 total yards (663 for W). There was only ONE turnover in the game! Wabash 12-of-19 on third-down; 2-3 on fourth. Teams were 9-of-11 in the Red Zone. Liam: 392 passing + 4 TDs and 102 rushing + 2 TDs. This was just so much fun to watch and to call. Derek Allen was unstoppable – 8 catches for 172 yards and 3 TDs, including 75-yarder. Tons of chunk plays on both sides – Wabash had three rushes of 25 or more yards and seven passes of more than 20 yards. Steve and I just marveled at the offense … and frightened by how porous Wabash’s defense was. We weren’t wrong. Wabash would give up 34 points and 440 yards per game that year. But the offense put up over 535 yards and 43 points per game ... and we were 7-3.
2019 — Liam’s first win over Witt, 31-13.
Witt was 4-0 in NCAC. Liam threw one TD pass and ran for two others, including the clinching TD with 2:28 to play. Wins over Witt are always memorable and doing it with a freshman quarterback was really fun.
