By Quincy Burns

DePauw Tops 2024 NCAC Football Preseason Poll

CLEVELAND, OH – After earning their third-consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference title, the DePauw Tigers have been picked to repeat as the NCAC champion according to balloting of the league’s football coaches.

DePauw collected six of the possible nine first-place votes and 77 points overall. Wabash heads into 2024 slotted second after collecting one first-place vote and 68 total points, while Wittenberg (61) and Denison (59) each earned one first-place vote apiece to rank third and fourth, respectively. Ohio Wesleyan took fifth with 49 points, while Wooster claimed sixth after picking up 34 points overall. Kenyon was tabbed seventh with 26 points, followed by Hiram (16)  in eighth and Oberlin (15) in ninth.

In four seasons under head coach Brett Dietz, DePauw holds a 30-6 overall record and a 23-2 mark in conference play. Last season, the Tigers led the conference in several statistical categories, including points (42.1/game), points allowed by a defense (15.5/game), defensive yards (264.5/game), defensive rushing yards (81.6/game), passing yards (270.3/game), defensive efficiency (102.4), average kick return (26.2 yards), average punt return (12.8 yards), sacks (31; 198 yards), fumble recoveries (1.00/game), opponent first downs (14.7/game), opponent third down conversions (28.3 percent), and red zone offense (37 touchdowns). DePauw returns seven all-conference first-teamers from 2023 including linebackers Jake Comer (Danville, IN/Danville) and Jonathan Bruder (Centerville, OH/Centerville), center Rylan Watkins (Indianapolis, IN/Park Tudor), wide receiver Robby Ballentine (Crown Point, IN/Andrean), defensive lineman Luke Nolan (Zionville, IN/Zionville), and defensive linebackers Matthew Coons (Indianapolis, IN/Bishop Chatard) and Nolan Tully (Woodstock, GA/Blessed Trinity).

Kenyon will be the first NCAC team to kick off the 2024 football season on August 31, followed by Hiram, as the Terriers take the field on September 5. The other seven conference teams are slated to start non-conference action on September 7. The NCAC portion of the schedule will begin September 14 with Ohio Wesleyan at Wabash, followed by four games on September 21, Oberlin at Ohio Wesleyan, Wooster at DePauw, Kenyon at Denison, and Wittenberg at Hiram.

COURTESY NCAC COMMUNICATIONS