Northwest Conference Review 2012...

It’s been a long season, and now that it’s finally over, it’s time to see how everyone did!  For the first time ever, this blog is going to bring you a Northwest Conference review.  Starting from the bottom and working our way to the top, we’ll see how each of the seven teams performed on the season. 

7.  Pudget Sound

Record:  0-9, 0-6 NWC

Thoughts:  No real surprises here with the Loggers finishing last in the league; if anything, the biggest surprise was how noncompetitive they were over the course of the season.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Loggers gave up 52.2 points and 557.7 yards of offense per game, both last in the conference by a country mile.  The Loggers had the worst defense I have ever seen, as indicated by the fact that they gave up 55 points or more in six of their nine games.  On the offensive side of the ball, the loggers averaged 17.9 points and 357 yards of offense per game, both last in the NWC.  The Loggers one redeeming quality in 2012 was the play of All-American wide receiver Adam Kniffin, who finished the season with 77 receptions for 1002 yards and 11 touchdowns.  There’s hope for the future for Pudget Sound, simply because they can’t get any lower than they were this season. 

Grade:  F 

6.  Lewis & Clark

Record:  4-5, 1-5 NWC

Thoughts:  Coming off a 7-2 record in 2011, the Pioneers started out 4-0 in 2012, the magic from last season seemingly in place again.  However, five straight losses by a combined score of 219-74 gave the Pios a final record of 4-5, and they barely avoided finishing as the worst team in the conference.  On the offensive side of the ball, Lewis & Clark averaged 25.3 points and 387.2 yards per game, which ranked sixth and fifth in the conference respectively.  Quarterback Keith Welch, the defending offensive player of the year, completed 57 percent of his passes for 2,334 yards with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.  Welch added 358 yards and nine touchdowns on the year, averaging only 3.0 yards per carry (proof of how bad their offensive line was).  Another bright spot for L&C was the balance in their wide receiver core.  Jacob Constantino led the team with 50 receptions for 625 yards and five touchdowns.  Evan Stanbro had 41 receptions for 651 yards and four touchdowns.  Nico Ohland had 29 receptions for 434 yards and three touchdowns.  Connor Immel had 32 receptions for 383 yards and four touchdowns.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Pios were the top defensive team in the conference after the first four games before falling apart in the final five games, much like the offense.  Lewis & Clark’s defense gave up 36.1 points and 443.6 yards per game, both ranking sixth in the NWC.  With practically all their skill players returning in 2013, Lewis & Clark has hope in terms of getting a winning record, but I wouldn’t hold my breath if you’re waiting for them to challenge for the conference title.     

Grade:  D+

5.  Pacific (OR)

Record:  3-6, 2-4 NWC

Thoughts:  After going 1-17 in the previous two seasons, I didn't have much confidence in Pacific’s ability to win games in 2012.  Boy, were we all surprised.  After blowing out Occidental 27-6 early in the season, Pacific was very competitive in conference play, losing to Whitworth and Willamette by a combined 7 points, blowing out Lewis & Clark and Pudget Sound, and losing to Pacific Lutheran 41-23 before getting blown out by Linfield 51-17 in the finale.  A few plays here and there, and Pacific could have had a winning record.  On the offensive side, the Boxers averaged 28.7 points and 395.7 yards of offense per game, ranking fifth and fourth in the conference respectively.  Quarterback P.J Minaya was the gem of that unit, completing 64 percent of his passes for 2,258 yards and 21 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Boxers showed some progress, giving up 33.8 points and 433.4 yards per game, both ranking fifth in the NWC.  The boxers run defense, giving up 104.1 yards, ranked third in the conference, but the pass defense, giving up 329.3 yards, ranked last in the conference.  With their whole team coming back next season, 2013 could be year that the Boxers get a winning record.    

Grade:  C+

4.  Whitworth

Record:  7-3, 3-3 NWC

Thoughts:  Entering the season, many people, including me, thought that Whitworth could contend for the conference crown and dethrone Linfield.  After starting out the season 5-0, the Pirates lost to Willamette 38-24 and Linfield 54-14 on consecutive weekends.  After beating Pudget Sound 70-11, the Pirates were routed 35-14 by Pacific Lutheran before finishing the season with a 37-20 victory over Lewis & Clark.  The offense, thought to have the best collection of skill players in the conference outside of Linfield, struggled at times, averaging 32.4 points and 378.8 yards of offense per game, ranking fourth and sixth in the NWC; the Pirates had the best rushing attack in the conference, but the worst passing attack.  Running back Ronnie Thomas led the conference with 1,239 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.  Quarterback Bryan Peterson completed 56.8 percent of his passes for 1,762 yards and 16 touchdowns with nine interceptions.  Wide receiver Jake DeGooyer had 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns on 73 receptions.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Pirates gave up 27.2 points and 421.1 yards of offense per game, both ranking fourth in the conference.  While they lose Thomas and DeGooyer to graduation, Bryan Peterson will return to lead the Pirates in 2013.         

Grade:  B-

3.  Willamette

Record:  8-2, 4-2 NWC

Thoughts:  After going 4-6 in 2011, not a lot of people had high expectations for the Bearcats in 2012.  All of a sudden, Willamette unleashed the most prolific passing attack, and one of the most explosive offenses in the country on their way to a 6-0 start, which got them ranked 22nd in the nation.  However, a 41-27 loss to Pacific Lutheran and a 45-10 loss to Linfield ended their playoff hopes.  The Bearcats rebounded by beating Pacific 35-31 and Pudget Sound 55-0 to end the season.  On the offensive side of the ball, the Bearcats were as good as anybody in the nation, averaging 39.6 points and 498 yards of offense per game, ranking second and first in the NWC.  Quarterback Josh Dean, a bench fixture in 2011, was the biggest surprise of the nation in 2012, completing 64.7 percent of his passes for 3,345 yards, a school-record 34 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.  Jake Knecht had 55 receptions for 773 yards and 11 touchdowns.  Jake turner had 50 receptions for 763 yards and five touchdowns, while tight end Benny Weischedel had 47 receptions for 711 yards and six touchdowns.  Running back Dylan Jones led the team with 716 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Bearcats give up 26 points and 376.5 yards of offense per game, both ranking third in the NWC.  The Bearcats tied for second in the conference in quarterback sacks, and were third in turnovers forced with 27.  With so much talent coming back next season, the Bearcats have another shot at contending for the conference crown.

Grade:  A-

2.  Pacific Lutheran

Record:  7-3, 5-1 NWC

Thoughts:  Entering the season, I had PLU very low on my list, not believing the NWC preseason coaches poll that listed them as second in the league.  I was holding last season’s offensive futility against them, stating that unless they improved on that, they wouldn't finish in the top half of the league.  After starting out the season 1-2, with the losses to Linfield and Cal Lutheran, the Lutes turned it on, winning six games in a row to end the regular season, finishing second in the conference.  To everyone’s surprise, the Lutes were selected to play in the first round of the Playoffs, where they lost to Linfield 27-24 at Maxwell Field.  On offense, the Lutes averaged 32.6 points and 404.7 yards of offense per game, both ranking third in the NWC.  First-team all-conference quarterback Dalton Richey completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 2,723 yards and 19 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.  The Lutes balanced running game was led by Brandon James, who had 497 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 4.9 yards per carry.  Kyle Warner led the conference with 1,264 yards and eight touchdowns on 67 receptions.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Lutes gave up 22.2 points and 328.4 yards per game, both ranking second in the conference.  The PLU defense led the conference with 36 forced turnovers, and tied for second in the conference in sacks with Willamette.    

Grade:  A

1.  Linfield

Record:  11-1, 6-0 NWC

Thoughts:  The Wildcats lived up to the expectations in 2012 by surviving a brutal slate of non-conference games before mostly rolling through a Northwest Conference that tougher than it’s been for many years.  After their first four games, Linfield was showing a lot of problems:  The offense struggled with turning the ball over and committing drive-killing penalties, while the defense struggled at times against some of the top offenses in the nation.  Then, over the next five games, the Linfield offense cut down on those mistakes, becoming one of the most explosive, up-tempo teams in the nation.  The defense took over the rest of the season, becoming one of the nation’s elite units.  After surviving PLU 27-24 in the first round of the NCAA playoffs, the Wildcats capitalized on seven turnovers to defeat North Central (IL) 30-14.  In the quarterfinals, Linfield found themselves up on UW-Oshkosh 24-9 entering the fourth quarter before the Titans came back to win in overtime 31-24, bringing the Wildcats season to a close.  On the offensive side, the Wildcats averaged 40.3 points and 443.3 yards of offense per game, ranking first and second in the conference.  Quarterback Mickey Inns had another incredible season, completing 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,288 yards and 30 touchdowns with 8 interceptions.  Charlie Poppen led the receiving core with 57 receptions for 909 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 15.9 yards per reception.  Deidre Weirsma had 62 receptions for 710 yards and eight touchdowns.  Lucas Jepson had 48 receptions for 643 yards and four touchdowns.  On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats were a ball-hawking, heavy-hitting, play-making unit that ended up being better than last season’s dominant unit, something that not many thought could happen in the pre-season.  The Wildcats gave up 17.9 points and 300.7 yards of offense per game, both tanking first in the NWC.  The Wildcats led the nation in quarterback sacks, the conference in tackles for loss, and second in the NWC in turnovers forced with 30.  With their entire defense and four starters on the offensive line, as well as Poppen, all the running backs, and all the back-up quarterbacks coming back next season, Linfield has a chance to win their fifth straight NWC title in 2013.     

Grade:  A

Final Thoughts:  2012 was a banner year for the Northwest Conference: you had Linfield proving themselves as a national power; Pacific Lutheran not only finished second in the league, but managed to become the second team from the conference to make the playoffs, which was incredible considering the bias against the NWC.  Willamette went 8-2, and had one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, as well as one of the nation’s best stories in Josh Dean’s rise from bench to national prominence.  Even Whitworth, who finished fourth in the conference, went 7-3 and had some nice non-conference wins against quality teams from other conferences, including Chapman (the third-place team from the SCIAC) and St. Scholastica (the conference champion from the UMAC).  The NWC’s non-conference record was 19-7, and just about every week, there were two or more match-ups that had my eye, and there was so much quality football being played by everyone in the conference, except for UPS.  The 2012 season was one that will be remembered for many years to come. 

See you guys next fall,

Justin Derby       

Linfield-UW-Oshkosh: Instant Analysis...

In what’s sure to be considered an NCAA Playoff classic, Fifth-ranked UW-Oshkosh came back from a 15 point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Linfield Wildcats 31-24 in overtime at Maxwell Field.  Through three quarters, it seemed like the Wildcats could start thinking about their semifinal match-up with #4 St. Thomas for next week; however, everything came unraveled in the end, and the Wildcats are left to lament what could have been.  The win improved Oshkosh to 13-0 on the season, while the loss gave Linfield a final record of 11-1.

Now, to my postgame awards…

It was over when:  Deidre Weirsma’s fumble was recovered by Andrew Thompson on Linfield’s second play from scrimmage in overtime, giving the Titans the road win.

Gameball goes to:  Nate Wara.  While Wara’s numbers weren't spectacular, he managed to avoid committing a single turnover, which helped the Titans eventually wear out the Wildcat defense and pull out a road win from the fire.  Wara went 23-30 for 237 yards and one touchdown with no interception, while running the ball 16 times for 15 yards and two touchdowns.    

Stat of the game:  3 turnovers and two missed field goals by Linfield.  In the first half, Linfield’s offensive execution was pretty good, and as a result, they led 21-6 at the halftime break.  In the second half, Inns threw two interceptions, Josh Kay had two field goals blocked in the fourth quarter, and the last fumble on overtime sealed the deal.  While Linfield probably can only blame themselves for losing this game, a lot of credit has to go to the Titans defense for staying the course. 

Unsung hero:  Cole Myhra.  While Wara will get most of the praise for the Titan’s efficient offensive day against Linfield’s elite defense, Myhra quietly had a solid day, carrying the ball 21 times for 110 yards and one touchdown against arguably the best front seven in the nation outside of Mount Union.

What it means:  For UW-Oshkosh, winning not only puts them in the semifinals against #4 St. Thomas, but it also keeps their dream season alive as they look to capture a national championship in their first-ever playoff appearance.  For Linfield, while the loss definitely stings, the Wildcats should hold their heads high, for they were able to not only win their fourth straight conference championship, but they were able to get to the quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs, a spot that 231 other teams in the nation would have loved to be in.

Link to postgame analysis video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iatcm6RK570&feature=youtu.be  

Linfield-UW-Oshkosh Preview...

          It’s the third round of the NCAA playoffs; only eight teams remain, and two of the nation’s top-five teams face off at Maxwell Field in a rare late-round postseason home game.  The Wildcats look to return to the round of four for the first time since 2009, while UW-Oshkosh looks to continue their magical season.

                

          Third-ranked Linfield comes into the game with a 11-0 record, and coming off a 30-14 win over #14 North Central (IL) in the second round.  Fifth-ranked UW-Oshkosh is 12-0, the champions of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and coming off a 37-14 win over #10 Bethel in the second round.

                

          Linfield’s offense, among the most explosive in the nation in the regular season, has been slowed somewhat in the playoffs, but is still going strong; the ‘Cat Attack is averaging 41.8 points and 450.4 yards of offense.  Leading the attack is Quarterback Mickey Inns, who has completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 3,041 yards and 29 touchdowns with six interceptions on the season, giving him a passer rating of 149.38.  Charlie Poppen leads the receiving core with 801 yards and nine touchdowns on 51 receptions; Deidre Weirsma has 617 yards and seven touchdowns on 55 receptions.  Lucas Jepson has 621 yards and four touchdowns on 45 receptions.  John Shaffer leads the rushing attack with 466 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. 

                

          UW-Oshkosh’s defense comes into the game among the nation’s elite, giving up 14.2 points and 286.9 yards of offense per game.  The Cardinal’s defense has forced 25 turnovers on the season, and will be looking to contain the Linfield offense like very few teams have been able to in the past four years.

                

          UW-Oshkosh brings into the game the most balanced offense that Linfield has seen all season; Averaging 40 points and 501.2 yards per game, the Titans bring one of the most explosive and exciting offenses in the nation to the table.  The Titans average 263.2 yards on the ground and 237 yards through the air.  Leading the ground attack is running back Cole Myhra, who has rushed for 1,461 yards and 15 touchdowns on the year, averaging 6.7 yards per carry.  The passing game is lead by Nate Wara, who’s among the best duel-threat quarterbacks in the nation.  Wara has completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,808 yards and 28 touchdowns with four interceptions on the season; Wara also is second on the team with 724 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, averaging 4.7 yards per carry.  Caleb Voss leads the team with 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns on 54 receptions, averaging 20.5 yards per reception.  Zach Kasuboski has 574 yards and four touchdowns on 50 receptions.        

                

          Linfield’s defense comes into the game playing like a top-5 defensive unit, which they’ve looked like so far in the playoffs.  On the season, the Wildcat defense gives up 16.7 points and 290.2 yards of offense per game.  The Wildcat defense leads the conference in tackles for loss, and the nation in quarterback sacks; the defense has also forced 29 turnovers on the season.    

Keys to the game for Linfield:

-Force turnovers:  While the Linfield defense has forced 12 turnovers in the two playoff games, the Titans offense has turned the ball over only 9 times on the season.  It will be a battle of wills on Saturday between the Linfield defense and the UW-Oshkosh offense; whoever wins that battle will determine the winner of the game.         

-Establish a running game:  The Wildcats were held to a season-low 26 yards in their win over North Central (IL).  While it was a great win, Linfield hasn’t established their running game in over a month.  I can’t imagine them continuing to win in the playoffs if they don’t get something, anything, going on the ground.

Keys to the game for UW-Oshkosh:

-Keep turnovers down:  Linfield’s defense has been a turnover-forcing machine in the playoffs; if the Titans can keep their turnover count low, they may just have the offense that’s explosive enough to make plays and put up points on the Wildcats’ rugged defense.

-Establish running game:  running the ball has been UW-Oshkosh’s strength all season, and North Central (IL) was able to rack up rushing yards on Linfield, so there’s hope for the titans there.  If they’re able to avoid turnovers and establish the running game at the same time, Linfield could be in trouble.

-Wara’s legs:  Duel-threat quarterbacks proved to be a hassle for Linfield’s defense in the 2011 playoffs, especially against Wesley.  So far in 2012, Linfield’s defense has yet to play against a true duel-threat quarterback outside of Lewis & Clark, who had Keith Welch but no offensive line; Saturday’s game against the Titans will be Linfield’s chance to show if they figured anything out from last season.  

Link to Coach Smith Thoughts on UW-Oshkosh video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZnZ_uX4jGo&feature=youtu.be

What We Learned About Linfield in Week 13...

Linfield's Defense is Elite:  Going into Saturday's game, North Central (IL) had the most balanced offense the Wildcats had seen all season, and nobody could have seen the nuclear performance of the Wildcat defense coming.  Sure, they gave up 416 yards and running back Nick Kukuc ran wild, but the Wildcats forced seven turnovers, had a defensive touchdown, and held the Cardinals to a season-low point total.  Except for the Mary-Hardin Baylor game in the 2009 playoffs, never before has such a dominant defensive effort been seen by Linfield in the playoffs.

The Up-tempo attack works against elite defenses:  For the first 13 minutes of the game, Linfield's offense totaled 19 yards and seemingly couldn't get out of their own red zone.  Late in the first quarter, the 'Cat Attack found their rhythm through the air, and by the end of the game, the 'Cats racked up 331 yards of offense against the toughest defense they'd seen all season.  Mickey Inns had yet another wonderful game, going 24-39 for 305 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions as a result.  

Linfield looks like a legit contender:  Last season, Linfield was up 27-7 at halftime against Wesley, seemingly a legit national title contender before Wesley went on their legendary 42-0 run to open the second half and bring Linfield's season to a screeching halt.  After dominating North Central (IL), a team that had made mince meat of #8 Cal Lutheran the previous week, the Wildcat's number-three national ranking has been seemingly validated, reaching the round of 8 for the first time since 2009, when their season ended one game shy of the national championship game.        

'Cats Dump Cards' 30-14...

          It was a familiar barrier: the second round of the NCAA playoffs.  The past two Linfield teams couldn't make it past the second round, whether it be against Wesley or St. Thomas.  Would history repeat itself?

                

          On Saturday, The Wildcats overcame recent history in impressive fashion, using a bone-crushing defensive performance and timely offense to propel themselves into the round of eight for the first time since 2009.

                

          “Anytime you are able to generate the amount of turnovers we did, and then score seven points, it’s a heck of a defensive game,” Linfield coach Joseph Smith said.  “I felt like our guys played with great energy, as usual, and really were fast to the football.  I liked how they tackled for the most part, and considering that we were facing a good offense, I thought we played well.”

                

          The third-ranked Linfield Wildcats defeated the #14 North Central (IL) 30-14 on a beautiful October afternoon at Maxwell Field.  The win improved Linfield to 11-0 on the season, while the loss left the Cardinals with a 9-3 record for 2012. 

                

          The Wildcat offense had trouble getting out of the shadow of their end zone in the first quarter, but was able to get their up-tempo attack going in the second and third quarters; the ‘Cat Attack racked up 331 yards of offense on the day, which included 305 yards through the air.   Mickey Inns had a stellar afternoon against the toughest defense Linfield had faced all season, going 24-39 for 305 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.  Lucas Jepson led all Receivers with 132 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions.  Charlie Poppen added 83 yards and one touchdown on four receptions.  Deidre Weirsma added 49 yards on six receptions.

                

          “Early on, we got the ball at the four, or something of that nature; I hate that,” Smith said.   “No coach likes getting the ball backed up in that black zone.  We just wanted to move the ball and punt, and not give them the ball in scoring position.  I was actually pleased with our first possession.  It took us a while to get things dialed in, and the lack of a running game hurt us again early as we kind of figured out what they were doing and made adjustments.  Very proud of how Mickey played; he played a very good football game, and I thought our receivers played well.  I thought we pass-protected well enough against an outstanding defensive front.”    

                

          North Central (IL)’s offense, arguably the most balanced offense the Wildcats have faced all season, was held down in a way never seen in 2012.  The Cardinals racked up 416 yards of offense, about their season average, but turned the ball over a season-high seven times and was held to a season-low 14 points.  Nick Kukuc ran the ball 25 times for 192 yards and two touchdowns, while leading the team with 51 yards on two receptions.  Spencer Stanek went 19-39 for 235 yards with no touchdowns and five interceptions.

                

          “Early on in the season, we were up against the best teams that we've faced, and our defense was not up to par,” Smith said in regards to the 12 forced turnovers by Linfield’s defense in the playoffs.  “As we got up to par, the offenses got worse, and things changed.  Later in the season, teams were scared to hold on to the ball, so you saw a lot of safe play-calling because they didn't want to face that pass rush.  As we get further on, teams don’t know you as well, and so things change in the playoffs.”           

                

          After playing through a scoreless first quarter where Linfield couldn't get out of their own red zone, Linfield got things going in the second quarter.  Inns capped a nine play, 80-yard touchdown drive by tossing a 17-yard touchdown pass to Poppen with 14:22 to go in the second quarter to make it 7-0.  On the Titan’s next possession, Dominique Forrest intercepted a Stanek pass, returning it 76 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0 with 10:48 to go in the quarter.  After the Titans fumbled the ball away on their ensuing possession, Josh Kay tacked on a 44-yard field goal to make it 17-0 Linfield with 6:42 to go in the quarter.

                

          After Brandon Funk intercepted another Stanek pass, Inns connected with Jepson on a 64-yard bomb down the sidelines, making it 24-0 with 8:18 to go in the third quarter.  After Michael Link picked off yet another Stanek pass, Chad Coburn capped an eight play, 53-yard touchdown drive with a 4-yard run, making it 30-0 following a blocked extra point by Josh Kay.  Kukuc scored on a 32-yard touchdown run with 2:32 to go in the third quarter to make it 30-7.

                

          “I think every wants to try to convert anytime they’re put into scoring position,” Smith said.  “I think we have done a nice job of making use of momentum change, and converting in those situations is something we had to do.”      

                

          In the fourth quarter, Kukuc added a 15-yard touchdown run to make it 30-14 with 14:54 to go in the quarter.  Linfield’s defense picked off Stanek on the Cardinal’s final two possessions to snuff out the comeback attempt.

          Linfield’s next game is at home against the fifth-ranked UW-Oshkosh Titans in the third round of the NCAA playoffs at Maxwell Field.  The Titans are the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions, snapping UW-Whitewater’s three year national championship streak as well as their conference championship streak. 

               
          North Central (IL) finished the season with a 9-3 record, and were the co-champions of the College 

Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.



Link to Boxscore:  http://www.linfield.edu/sports/stats/fb/ncc1124.htm

Link to Instant Analysis:   http://wildcatspread40.blogspot.com/2012/11/linfield-vs-north-central-il-instant.html  

Linfield vs North Central (IL): Instant Analysis...

In the second round of the NCAA playoffs, Third-ranked Linfield took advantage of seven turnovers to beat #14 North Central (IL) 30-14 on a cool afternoon at Maxwell Field.  While Linfield’s defense stole the show on Saturday, the Linfield offense quietly asserted themselves in the second and third quarters against one of the best defenses in the nation.  The win improved Linfield to 11-0 on the season, and the loss dropped North Central (IL) to 9-3 on the season.

On to my awards…

It was over when:  Following the Cardinal’s fourth turnover of the game, Mickey Inns scrambled away from the pass rush and connected with Lucas Jepson for a 64 yard touchdown pass down the sidelines to make the score 24-0 with 8:18 to go in the third quarter.  After that play, North Central (IL)’s chances of winning were gone.

Gameball goes to:  Mickey Inns.  Against one of the best defenses in the nation, Inns went 24-39 for 305 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.  In a game where Linfield had absolutely nowhere to go in the running game, the Wildcats were forced to throw to respond through the air, and Inns was up for the challenge.

Stat of the game:  Seven turnovers.  Coming into the game with arguably the most balanced offense in the nation, the Cardinals turned the ball over seven times against the Wildcat defense.  While running back Nick Kukuc had 25 carries for 192 yards and two touchdowns, all-conference quarterback Spencer Stanek went 19-39 for 235 yards with no touchdowns and five interceptions.  Even though they had what Linfield coach Joseph Smith called the best offense Linfield has faced all season, the Cardinals couldn’t afford to have that many turnovers against the Wildcats, and they paid the price.    

Unsung hero:  Lucas Jepson.  After being their top threat in 2011, Lucas Jepson found himself relegated to the third option on the offense for most of 2012.  On Saturday, Jepson came up huge, catching eight passes for 132 yards and one touchdown.      

What it means:  For Linfield, the win allows them to play one more game than in 2011, and puts them in the round of 8, which is elite company.  After watching the way the Cardinals blew away #8 Cal Lutheran last week, it was more than impressive to watch Linfield take them down in such dominant fashion.  For North Central (IL), the loss was a complete letdown in wake of their dominant showing in the first round, but they had a special season nonetheless.

Link to boxscore:  http://www.d3football.com/seasons/2012/boxscores/20121124_sj4g.xml      

Linfield vs North Central (IL) Preview...

          It’s all come down to this:  a home game in the second round of the NCAA playoffs.  Last season, Linfield went to Delaware and lost to Wesley 49-34 in the second round of the playoffs.  This season, Linfield looks to validate their number-three ranking in the polls and make their push for a national championship.

        

          Third-ranked Linfield comes into the game with a 10-0 record, the Northwest Conference champions, and having just survived #20 Pacific Lutheran 27-24 in the first round.  North Central (IL) is 9-2, co-champions for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, and thrashed #8 Cal Lutheran 41-21 on the road in the first round.

  

          Linfield’s offense is among the most explosive in the nation, wearing people out with their no-huddle offense and quick tempo; the ‘Cat Attack is averaging 43.0 points and 462.1 yards of offense.  Leading the attack is Quarterback Mickey Inns, who has really turned it on of late.  Inns is completing 60.8 percent of his passes for 2,736 yards and 27 touchdowns with six interceptions on the season, giving him a passer rating of 149.98.  Charlie Poppen leads the receiving core with 718 yards and eight touchdowns on 47 receptions.  Deidre Weirsma has 568 yards and seven touchdowns on 49 receptions.  Lucas Jepson has 489 yards and three touchdowns on 37 receptions.  John Shaffer leads the rushing attack with 430 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. 

                

          North Central (IL)’s defense comes into the game as one of the best defenses in the nation, giving up 15.3 points and 267 yards of offense per game.  The Cardinal’s defense has forced 32 turnovers on the season, and in many ways mirrors the Linfield defense in terms of tackles for loss and quarterback sacks.  It’s safe to say that the Wildcats face their toughest defensive challenge to date.

                

          North Central (IL) brings into the game the most balanced offense that Linfield has seen all season.  Averaging 39.4 points and 435.6 yards per game, the Cardinals average 217.1 yards on the ground and 218.5 yards through the air.  Leading the ground attack is running back Nick Kukuc, who has rushed for 1,259 yards and 15 touchdowns on the year, averaging 8.2 yards per carry.  His back-up, Jordan Tassiso, has rushed for 441 yards and 14 touchdowns with a 4.8 yard per carry average.  The air attack is lead by Spencer Stanek, who’s completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 2,348 yards and 20 touchdowns with six interceptions on the season.  Chad O’kane leads the team with 502 yards and two touchdowns on 32 receptions.  Jeff Stolzenburg has 488 yards and seven touchdowns on 25 receptions, an average of 19.7 yards per reception.  Peter Sorenson has 390 yards and five touchdowns on 27 receptions.        

                

          Linfield’s defense, a unit that showed some vulnerability early in the season against some of the best offenses in the nation, comes into the contest on an absolute roll and with sky-high confidence.  In the win over PLU last week, the ‘Cats forced five turnovers, set up 17 points off turnovers in the first half, and scored the only touchdown of the second half with an interception return for a touchdown in their 27-24 victory over the Lutes.  On the season, the Wildcat defense gives up 17.0 points and 277.6 yards of offense per game, both first in the NWC.  The Wildcat defense leads the conference in tackles for loss, and the nation in quarterback sacks. 

Keys to the game for Linfield:

-Force turnovers:  Turnovers turned out to be Linfield’s best friend last Saturday against PLU in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs, bringing back memories of the play-making of recent years that had been missing in 2012.  With all the balance that the Cardinals bring to the table, the Wildcats will need to force some big turnovers if they wanna have a chance of slowing down North Central (IL)’s balanced offense.     

-Establish a running game:  After being the top rushing offense in the NWC for the first two-thirds of the season, the Wildcat’s have averaged only 94 yards per game on the ground in the past four games.  Whether it’s been the offensive line not generating holes, the running backs not making the right reads, other teams just going all out against the run, or whatever; Linfield just isn't getting it done on the ground.  Failure to establish a running game has hurt Linfield in the playoffs the past three seasons, so the ‘Cats need to step up in that department on Saturday.     

Keys to the game for North Central (IL):

-Keep turnovers down:  Turnovers were the entire reason that Linfield was able to gut out a victory against Pacific Lutheran despite having their worst offensive performance of the season.  If the Cardinals can avoid turnovers, they’ll have a chance to get stuff done against Linfield’s ferocious defense.         

-Establish running game:  Running the ball has never been a problem for the Cardinals in 2012, but Linfield’s defense is exceptionally good at taking away the run game and forcing teams to pass against their talented secondary.  If the Cardinals can have their normal day running the ball against Linfield, they could have a good day on offense.     

-Get off to a fast start:  Starting fast has always paid dividends for Linfield in the past four years, and with the exception of Wesley last season and Cal Lutheran at the start of the 2010 season, Linfield has an excellent track record after starting out fast.  If the Cardinals can get off to a quick start at Maxwell Field, their chances of winning will be very good.                      

Link to Linfield Press Conference on 11/20/12:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJgGd2QhWW0&feature=youtu.be