SATURDAY’S GAME
Wittenberg at Thomas More, 1 p.m.
Coach Joe Fincham knows the drill when the Wittenberg Tigers find out their playoff opponent. He has guided the Tigers to the postseason 12 times in 21 seasons.
“I usually get my head out of the toilet. Then we all say a prayer,” Fincham joked. “Then we get to the film. You start calling immediately to exchange film. Now that everything’s electronic transferred, technology really saves you a day of preparation.”
Eighteen years ago, when the Tigers made the playoffs for the first time under Fincham, coaches would often meet a halfway point between campuses to exchange film. Those days are a long gone. Now each team gets to watch three games of its opponents, and they can do so right away by downloading them from the Internet.
“You get the three most recent games, which is luck of the draw,” Fincham said. “It can be good and bad. I think this one probably worked out pretty even on both sides. Neither one of us played anybody in the last three weeks that were in the upper half of the league.”
The No. 17 Tigers (9-1) play No. 15 Thomas More (9-1) at noon Saturday in Crestview Hills, Ky. The winner plays No. 2 Wisconsin-Whitewater (10-0) or Lakeland (7-3) in the second round.
Thomas More features the nation’s 12th-ranked scoring offense (42.8 yards per game) and the 13th-ranked rushing offense (272.1 yards per game).
“When you get stuck in the middle of the bracket, which is where we’re at, you get thrown in the meat grinder, there’s no doubt at it,” Fincham said. “We’ve been here before. Sometimes we’ve done OK. Sometimes we haven’t done OK. The first thing that jumps out at you is the size of their linemen. They are ginormous on both sides of the ball.”
Thomas More quarterback Brenan Kuntz has thrown 25 touchdown passes and four interceptions. Kuntz took over for injured quarterback Jensen Gebhardt last season in the second round of the playoffs when Thomas More blew a 27-13 lead in the second half and lost 33-27 in overtime to Wabash. He completed 8 of 17 passes for 121 yards.
“He’s a first-year starter as a junior, but he sure doesn’t play like a first-year starter,” Fincham said. “He’s very athletic. He’s very calm in the pocket, throws a really tight football as well. They’re tremendously athletic at tailback. They have three kids who can all play. It shows. When you’re rushing for 270 yards a game, you’ve got a stable of backs.
“Their defense, not only the quality of the defensive linemen, but the depth of their defensive line is impressive. Their corners all have good size, and they’re good athletes. They’re very well coached across the board. It’s an impressive football club.”
Fincham gives Thomas More an advantage in experience as well. The Saints played in the playoffs last season after a three-year absence. Wittenberg’s three-year run of playoff appearances ended last season. The Tigers are young and don’t have many starters who saw a lot of action two years ago in a 41-25 loss to Washington & Jefferson in the first round.
Playing at home also gives the Saints an advantage. They have won 24 straight games at BB&T Field.
“I never felt like it’s much of an advantage during the regular season,” Fincham said. “When you start spending the night in hotels with Division III players, it’s different. Quite frankly, we just don’t do it that often. Even though it’s an hour and a half down the road, the NCAA wants you on the site, and I understand. That’s a big part of the deal.”
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