Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery - I have a great job! The most important part about any job is who you work with. It is a truth I have experienced throughout my life. I love football and the opportunity to coach football at Wabash is awesome. It is awesome because Wabash has the resources to be successful and has the best fans in college football. Most of all, it is awesome because of the men I work with.

Coming into the season I knew we had a very special senior class. Those who follow the program know that our senior class has great ability to play on Saturdays. More importantly this senior class has character and leadership skills that are far more impressive than anything they have achieved on Saturdays. This is really a special group of men.

This year has not gone how we thought it would go. Injuries have significantly impacted the offense, and the team that was “loaded” at the start of the season has found itself in a difficult situation. We have limped to a 3-0 record. To the outside observer it may appear that the lofty dreams we went into the season with have come crashing down. However, for those of us fortunate enough to work with these young men the last four years, we still have our dreams. It has been and will continue to be difficult, and it may be ugly, but I believe in these seniors to lead us.

It takes difficult situations to bring out greatness in men. Most of the heroes in American history have risen out of difficult situations. I am privileged to work with men who will become heroes in Wabash Football history this fall!

Posted by Brent Harris at 07:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thomas Bell - Before Wooster in 2006 tears ran down my face as looked into the dripping eyes of the seniors. It was not tears of sadness that I witnessed, but tears of passion for this game. Right then I knew that they would be playing emotion and I promised to do the same. This was the last chance we had for a conference championship and play-offs. Football is my love, my life, and my passion. Combine that with a family and the power of passion has no limits. Although, to play with passion, you must understand what true passion is.

The great thing about passion is that it can not be faked and others know if your passion is authentic. Many of us have seen passion expressed externally, but true passion comes from within. It is a build up of emotion and you can not wait to let it explode out once you step on to the field. Passion also possesses its own energy with the ability to spread on to others like a flame consuming everything in its path. The intensity of passion can steadily be amplified providing influence to others. With this kind of passion one is able to conquer great obstacles. When you attack a difficult situation whole-heartedly with passion the probability of overcoming that situation is amplified tremendously.

I believe that passion is an essential component to a championship football team. A family can see through fake passion and this is why it must be real. When passion is real it will inspire a team to become champions. We all have seen passion on every team sporadically, but passion must be constant for us to become champions. With passion teams can come back when there down, overcome “better teams”, and overcome mistakes. Everyone ignites their passion in a different way, but for me it is my love for the game, all the hard work I have put into the game, and for my Wabash Football Family.

To me passion is Frank Knez playing every down like his last, passion is waking up at 5:30 in the morning for an intense work out. So when we march out to the field screaming, “Because Wabash Always Fights”, let the passion flow through your blood.

Posted by Brent Harris at 08:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Wabash,

First, I want to thank all of you who supported us last Saturday for our season opener verses Franklin College. We brag about our support all year long in recruiting and amongst ourselves, and you all did not disappoint. The atmosphere was amazing and everyone involved in the football program truly appreciated it.

Secondly, I want to thank you for the support so many of you have shown this past week concerning Dustin Huff and his injury. We all feel deeply for Dustin and all other players who are dealing with injuries, and we pray for a full and speedy recovery.

I don't know who first coined the phrase "Wabash Always Fights" but I have always felt that this phrase is flawed at its core. Did they really mean “Always?” "Always" is problematic. Wasn't this supposed to be just a catch phrase, a mere slogan that was fun to chant?

Did they really mean “Always?” When life hits you hard, really hard - do we still have to fight even then? What if there is simply no more wind in the sail, do we really have to keep fighting then? What about when something happens that is simplify not fair? Do we have to continue to fight during those times as well? What about when nothing inside of us desires to keep fighting? What if we simply cannot fight anymore? We keep fighting.

“Always” is always, there is no out clause. There is no grey area, there is no way out. We fight no matter what. We fight when life is good and when life isn't so good. We fight when we have been unfairly kicked in the teeth and we fight when there is seemingly no chance for a positive outcome. We keep fighting because that is who we are at our very core. “Always” is always, plain and simple.

The Wabash Football family will continue to fight. We are proud to represent this great college on Saturday afternoons in the fall and we will continue to play our hearts out to make you proud as well. Thanks again for all the support you have shown this past week.

Sincerely,

Coach Creighton

Posted by Brent Harris at 01:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)