After their tough win over Willamette last week, Linfield’s top-five national ranking was called into question by the guys on D3football.com’s podcast, Keith McMillan and Pat Coleman. Because Linfield had only played three games in the first five weeks of the season, McMillan and Coleman saw that as grounds to say that Linfield’s rank was based on past reputation, and implied that they were undeserving of their ranking.
“They can say what they want, but we don’t really focus on or hear the noise on D3,” cornerback Nate Dixon said. “We’re all focused on getting to the national championship, and as long as we do that, that’s all that matters. We don’t worry about anybody else.”
Actions speak louder than words.
Fifth-ranked Linfield handed Puget Sound one of the most thorough beatings in school history, trouncing the Loggers 73-7 on a sunny afternoon at Maxwell Field. Linfield’s 73 points was the second-highest scoring output in school history, topped only by the 83 points put up on Western Oregon back in 1927, back when WOU was called Oregon Normal. The Wildcats improved to 4-0 while the Loggers dropped to 0-5.
“We talked pretty openly coming into the game that there were some things we could do even better to play at a national-caliber level,” Linfield coach Joseph Smith said. “We weren’t really playing UPS on Saturday; we were playing ourselves, and playing to get better. That was our focus all week, and we’re proud of how our guys came out and did it. That’s as good a first half as we’ve played as long as I’ve been here.”
“The coaches really stress not taking any breaks, no matter who we’re playing, and just working hard all the time, and I think that showed today,” Back-up quarterback Josh Yoder said.
Linfield’s offense had their most productive game of the season, racking up a season-high 490 yards with nearly perfect balance (227 rushing, 263 passing). Quarterback Mickey Inns went 14-23 for 214 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, all in the first half. Third-string running back Stephen Nasca led all rushers with 84 yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Aaron Williams returned from injury on Saturday, gaining 24 yards and one touchdown on eight carries in his first extensive action of the season. Deidre Wiersma led all receivers with 87 yards on five receptions. Charlie Poppen had 47 yards and one touchdown on two receptions. Lucas Jepson had 36 yards and a touchdown on two receptions.
Linfield’s defense, already the best in the conference and one of the best in the nation, turned in their best day of the season. Puget Sound’s air attack was held to 257 yards on the day, 201 coming through the air. George Ka’ai, the conference’s top passer, was held to 6-10 for 55 yards and no touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions and being sacked four times. His back-up, James Korn, went 7-17 for 19 yards with two interceptions. Third-stringer Braden Foley went 5-7 for 127 yards and one touchdown. Thiesen Chang led the Loggers with 81 yards and one touchdown on three receptions, while All-American wide receiver Adam Kniffin was held to 28 yards on four receptions.
“The defense did very well,” Dixon said. “I’m very proud of us as a unit. It’s our goal to hold teams to teams to less than 10 points, and we did that even with the young guys in there.”
After Puget Sound opened the game with a three and out, Linfield put together a 46 yard drive in four plays, capping the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run by Josh Hill, giving Linfield a 7-0 lead at the 12:06 mark of the first quarter. On their next possession, Puget sound drove to the Linfield 37-yard line before Ka’ai fumbled the ball away. Linfield recovered the football, and drove 59 yards in 10 plays, culminated by a 4-yard touchdown run by Williams that put Linfield up 14-0 with 6:10 to go in the first quarter. Following a bizarre onside kick attempt by Linfield that was recovered by Puget Sound, The loggers drive ended on fourth down after starting at the Linfield 34-yard line. Josh Kay tacked on a career-high 49-yard field goal to put Linfield up 17-0 with 2:33 to go in the first quarter.
The second quarter ended up being one of the greatest showcases in the History of Linfield football. After Inns threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Priester to put Linfield up 24-0 with 9:35 to go in the second quarter, Ka’ai was picked off by Dom Forrest. After getting the ball back at the Puget Sound 35-yard line and getting called for a hold, Nasca ran for a 45-yard touchdown run on a draw play to make the score 31-0 Linfield with 8:19 to go in the second quarter. On the next possession, Korn was intercepted by cornerback Christian Hannah, and Hannah returned it 33 yards for a touchdown to make the score 38-0 Linfield with 6:21 to go in the second quarter.
“We just made plays,” Dixon said. “We attacked the ball, made strips, and we got lucky with a couple of interceptions that went our way.”
Korn came back on the next possession for the Loggers and threw another interception, this one by Taylor Skore at the Logger 37-yard line. On the next play, Inns hit Poppen for a 37-yard touchdown pass, putting Linfield up 45-0 with 4:54 to go in the second quarter. Puget Sound turned the ball over on their fourth consecutive possession, this one a lost fumble. Linfied marched down the field, and Inns threw a 25-yard touchdown strike to Jepson to make the score 52-0 in favor of Linfield with 3:05 to go in the first half. Just when you thought it couldn’t be worse, Linfield blocked a punt, and Colin Forman returned the ball three yards for the touchdown, making it 59-0 Linfield with 1:42 to go in the first half.
“42 points in a quarter is outstanding,” Smith said. “It was the way that they were done; there weren’t flukes. Guys were making plays on the football on special teams, on defense, on offense. There was a talent mismatch, and the schematics were right: The plays were run well and executed well with good talent, and that’s usually what happens when you see a lopsided score like that.”
“It was a compound effect,” Puget Sound coach Jeff Thomas said. “It just felt like our defense never had time to breathe. The first couple was just tremendous plays by Linfield’s players, but after a while there, our offense didn’t give our defense any chance to catch their breath, and when those types of things happen, scores like this take place.”
In all, Puget Sound had six first-half turnovers, and gave up both an interception return for a touchdown and a blocked punt for a touchdown.
“We just flat-out didn’t execute the things that we needed to execute,” Thomas said. “It isn’t as if Linfield lined up in things we weren’t ready for, but Linfield does a great job; they teach techniques, they teach fundamentals, and they execute those things on the field at full speed.”
In the third quarter, Yoder threw a 10-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Colin Nelson to make it 66-0 Linfield with 8:30 to go in the quarter. After a Puget Sound three and out, Linfield drove the ball 67 yard in 13 plays, running the ball on 11 of those plays. Running back Trevor Gomez capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to put Linfield up 73-0 with 2:44 to go in the third quarter. Foley prevented the shutout when he threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Chang, making the score 73-7 with 22 seconds to go in the third quarter.
“It’s great to have the starters put up so many points on the board to get us some playing time, and they work really hard to do that for us,” Yoder said. “All the back-ups really appreciate it when they put up that many points.”
Linfield plays at Pacific (OR) next week at field; Linfield defeated the Boxers 66-14 at Maxwell Field last season. Pacific (OR) will present a challenge that almost mirrors the one Puget Sound brought to the table.
“They run the five-wide as well, and they have similar athletes at the receiver position,” Dixon said. “We match up very well against them as well; it’s all about us playing ourselves. It’s our goal to get better, even though the competition may not be up to our level.”
Puget Sound will host Willamette at Baker Stadium next week. Willamette defeated Puget Sound 52-21 at McCulloch Stadium last season. As shown by Saturday, there are plenty of things for Puget Sound to work on.
“Special teams, execute our assignments; we played horrible in all four aspects of special teams,” Thomas said. “On offense: ball security. It doesn’t matter if you run or pass; if you can’t take care of the ball, you can’t play. On defense, we need to not worry about what the offense does and just establish the line of scrimmage; they’re not doing that right now.”
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