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

Linfield vs PLU: Instant Analysis...

Playing on a rainy, cloudy afternoon at Maxwell Field, #3 Linfield survived a colossal battle with #20 Pacific Lutheran, winning 27-24 to advance to the second round of the NCAA playoffs.  While Linfield's offense had their worst day of the season, the Linfield defense turned in a masterful performance.  The win pushed Linfield to 10-0 on the season, while the loss gave PLU a final record of 7-3.

Now to the awards...

It was over when:  Dalton Richey threw way behind Kyle Warner on fourth down with 29 seconds to go, which allowed Linfield to end the game with a knee.  

Gameball goes to:  Linfield's entire defense.  Although they gave up 17 points and 248 yards of offense in the second half to the Lutes, the Wildcat defense forced five turnovers for the game, had the only touchdown of the second half off an interception return, and made the crucial fourth down stop with 29 seconds to go.  With Linfield's offense having their worst day of the season, the defense won the day.        

Stat of the game:  5 turnovers forced by the Linfield defense.  After forcing only 17 turnovers in the regular season, Linfield's defense returned to their old play-making ways from the past three seasons, recovering three fumbles and forcing two interceptions by Dalton Richey.

Unsung hero:  Chad Coburn.  The freshman cornerback was used in a wishbone-esque formation in short yardage situations, and responded with carries for 13 yards and two touchdowns.  

What it means:  The win pushed Linfield to 10-0, and gives them a second-round matchup with #14 North Central (Ill), who just beat #8 Cal Lutheran 41-21 on the road.  For Pacific Lutheran, they finish the season with a 7-3 record, and they really became a good team in 2012.  They lived up to the pre-season hype by finishing second in the NWC, and despite having two losses (Albeit against two top-ten teams), Pacific Lutheran was rewarded with a playoff appearance.  Pacific Lutheran fans can be proud of the season that the Lutes had.  



Link to postgame analysis:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBgCDFBs31E&feature=youtu.be

What We Learned About Linfield In The Regular Season...

Linfield’s offense was better than ever:  This blogger had his suspicions after the Hardin-Simmons game, and by the end of the season, my suspicions were proven correct:  This is the best Linfield offense that I've ever seen in the four years that I've been following Linfield football.  Averaging 44.8 points and 485.8 yards of offense per game in 2012, the ‘Cat Attack blew opposing defenses away with tempo, pace, and a prolific passing attack; the Wildcats were effective at breaking people down by the third quarter, especially in the last five games of the season; watching the ‘Cat Attack race up to the line of scrimmage, snapping off play after play, felt like watching the Oregon Ducks, except for not as fast. 

Linfield’s defense took no steps back:  In the preseason, some people thought that Linfield’s defense would take a serious step back in 2012 because of the graduation of their entire secondary, seemingly disregarding the fact that Linfield returned their entire lethal front seven.  The Wildcat defense proved them all wrong by turning in another fantastic season.  Although they only forced 17 turnovers in nine games, the Wildcat defense gave up 16.2 points and 270.8 yards of offense per game for the season, both of which are better than last season’s Wildcat defense.

Linfield is still the King of the NWC:  In 2012, the Northwest conference was tougher than it’s been in a long time; Pacific Lutheran went 7-2, Willamette went 8-2, and even middle-of-the-pack Whitworth went 7-3.  The games between the 2-6 teams of the conference were highly competitive, but nobody outside of Pacific Lutheran could even come close to Linfield; Linfield dominated the northwest conference even more than they did last season, when the conference wasn't as tough.  With 10 returning starters on defense and the return of the entire offensive line and running back core on offense, Linfield has a strong chance of winning a fifth straight conference championship next season.     

Apologies...

Because there just wasn't enough time in the week due to work, I wasn't able to put together my normal preview for the Linfield-Pacific game.  However, next week, I should be back on track just in time for the NCAA playoffs.  Hope you all enjoy the game on Saturday!   

NWC Week 11 Predictions...

Pacific Lutheran vs Menlo

       (6-2)                     (4-5)

Last week:  Pacific Lutheran is coming off an impressive 35-14 win over Whitworth; Menlo is coming off a 31-21 loss to St. Francis (IL). 

Thoughts entering the game:  These two teams come into the game going in opposite directions.  After starting out the season 1-2, with the losses coming to Cal Lutheran and Linfield, Pacific Lutheran has won five straight games, and enters the contest ranked 24th in the nation.  Menlo started out the season 4-1 and looking like a very explosive team offensively; they come in having lost four straight games, the Fly offense getting slowed to a crawl.  While this game won’t affect PLU’s second-place spot in the NWC standings, a playoff berth is at stake for the Lutes, and that may be all the motivation they need.

Prediction:  Pacific Lutheran

Willamette vs Pudget Sound

         (7-2)              (0-8)

Last Week:  Willamette is fresh off a come-from-behind win over Pacific, beating the Boxers on the road 35-31.  Pudget Sound is coming off a 47-7 loss to Third-ranked Linfield.    

Thoughts entering the game:  This game has the look of an absolute blowout, as has been the norm for UPS this season.  Willamette has the second-best offense in the conference, and UPS has arguably the worst defense in the nation.  The Loggers offense is the worst in the NWC, while the Willamette defense is a solid unit.  Don’t really see Willamette having to survive an upset bid this week.     

Winner:  Willamette

Whitworth vs Lewis & Clark

       (6-3)                (4-4)

Last Week:  Whitworth is coming off a 35-14 loss to Pacific Lutheran.  The Pirates trailed 28-0 at halftime in that game, and the Lutes were able to cruise in the second half.  The Whitworth defense was blown away all day, getting run over and passed around whenever PLU wanted to.  On offense, Whitworth was held to 294 yards of offense.  Bryan Peterson went 19-32 for 189 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions, while Ronnie Thomas finished with 88 yards on 22 carries.  Lewis & Clark is coming off a bye week.          

Thoughts entering the game:  Both teams go into the season finale desperately seeking a win.  For whitworth, a win would help the morale of the program as they go into the offseason, as well as prove that the NWC is indeed four-deep in 2012.  For Lewis & Clark, a win is desperately needed not only to break a four-game skid, but would give the Pios consecutive winning seasons for the first time since they had three straight winning season in the years 1989-1991.  Lewis & Clark has one of the best QBs in the conference in Keith Welch, but Whitworth has the triune of Bryan Peterson, Ronnie Thomas, and Jake DeGooyer.  This game could be a good one, but the Pios are really on the downswing. 

Winner:  Whitworth         

What We Learned About Linfield in Week 10...

The offense still has some kinks to work out:  In the first half against Pudget Sound, the Wildcats totaled 346 yards of offense.  However, for all their trips into the red zone, Linfield came away with only one touchdown, two field goals, a missed field goal, and a lost fumble against a Logger defense that can’t stop anybody.  Things must have gotten fixed at halftime, because Linfield opened up the second half with five straight touchdowns on five possessions, putting the game to rest.  The red zone is something the wildcats need to be great at come playoff time, and their struggles with UPS are not a good sign.

The passing game is explosive:  The Linfield passing attack showed some struggles in the first four games of the season, where they faced their toughest defensive challenges.  In the past four games, Linfield’s offense has found their rhythm, averaging 52.3 points and 540.3 yards of offense per game.  Leading the way is Mickey Inns, who during this span has completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 294.3 yards per game, throwing for 13 touchdowns and no interceptions.  Linfield’s passing game has fully recovered their 2011 form, and seems ready to take things to the next level.  

The defense never rests:  While Linfield’s offense struggled to put points up on the board in the first half, the Wildcat defense completely derailed the Logger offense from the opening kickoff, giving them no hope of pulling off an upset despite the crowd’s reactions throughout the first half.  In the past four games, Linfield’s defense has given up 7.8 points and 189.5 yards.  It’s safe to say that the Wildcat defense has recovered their bone-crushing form that they had in the first seven games of 2011.  

'Cat's Toss Loggers 47-7...

          For a half, things were not going as planned. 

          Linfield’s offense was moving the ball up and down the field at will, but they had trouble putting the ball in the endzone against a Pudget Sound defense that was arguably the weakest defense in the nation.  

          The Loggers offense failed to put anything together, but with the Linfield offenses’ first-half struggles, there was a lot of hope in the Pudget Sound fan base, dreams of a legendary upset dancing in their heads.

          By the end of the third quarter, hopes were dashed, spirits broken, and the game unofficially over.

          “We had a hard time putting points on the board for a variety of reasons early, but we were able to move the ball with great regularity; just didn't put it in the end zone,” Linfield coach Joseph Smith said, “That was disappointing, but I sure loved how our defense played, and I don’t think the game was really ever in question.”

          The third-ranked Linfield Wildcats defeated the Pudget Sound Loggers 47-7 on Saturday afternoon, extending their conference winning streak to 25 games while the Loggers losing streak reached 17 games.  The win pushed Linfield to 8-0 on the season, 5-0 in conference play.  The loss dropped the Loggers to 0-8 on the year, 0-5 in NWC play. 

          The ‘Cat Attack, despite early red zone struggles, rolled to a big day on offense, ending the afternoon with 692 yards of offense, including a school-record 541 yards passing as a team.  Mickey Inns had a monster day, going 27-39 for 422 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.  Back-up quarterback Josh Yoder went 5-8 for 119 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions   Deidre Weirsma led all receivers with eight receptions for a career-high 133 yards and two touchdowns.  Charlie Poppen added 88 yards and a touchdown on five receptions.  Westley Mang added 74 yards on three receptions.  Stephen Nasca lead the team with 56 yards rushing on nine carries.

          “It’s great for those guys,” Smith said in regards to the school-record passing yardage.  “There was 12 receivers or something, and that’s a group honor to be able to do that as a team.”

          Pudget Sound’s offense came into the game as the worst offensive unit in the Northwest conference, and they lived up to the part, getting held to 218 yards of offense and the lone touchdown.  Quarterback Braden Foley went 13-25 for 169 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.  All-American wide receiver Adam Kniffin had eight receptions for 75 yards.  Running back Austin Wagner led all rushers with 66 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries.

          “The offenses that we’ve face have gotten progressively worse in some regards, so our defense has gotten better relegated to who we’re playing, but we’re playing at a high level,” Smith said.  “They’re playing together nicely, and the back row is doing a tremendous job of taking away quarterback’s first options, making him hold onto it, and then the front row gets ‘em.”

          After forcing the Loggers offense to punt on their first possession, the Wildcats went 64 yards in 11 plays, capped by a 32-yard field goal by Josh Kay to make the score 3-0 Linfield with 10:53 to go in the first quarter.  In the second quarter, Shaffer added a 1-yard touchdown run to make the score 10-0 with 10:03 to go in the quarter, capping an eight-play, 74 yard drive.  After forcing a Pudget Sound punt, the Wildcats went 70 yards in nine plays, capped by a 27-yard field goal by Kay to make the score 13-0 with 4:42 left in the quarter.

          “We just had a lot of things go wrong at different times,” said Smith about Linfield’s first half struggles in the redzone, “we had some missed signals, we had some poor play-calls by myself, we had some missed passes, we had some touchdowns called back, and we had some penalties down in there.  I don’t think it’s anything that UPS did; it was just little mistakes that we made, everybody taking turns making a little mistake here and there.”

          First possession of the second half, Linfield drove the ball 55 yards in seven plays, capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass from Inns to Weirsma to make it 20-0 with 12:31 to go in the third quarter.  After forcing a Loggers punt, the Wildcats went 55 yards on seven plays, capped by a 28 yard touchdown pass from Inns to Poppen to make it 27-0 with 8:28 to go in the quarter.  After another Logger drive ended in a punt, Linfield drove 80 yards in eight plays, ending with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Inns to Weirsma, making it 34-0 with 2:48 to go in the quarter.

          Yoder threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Evan Peterson to make it 41-0 Linfield with 14:23 to go in the fourth quarter.  The Loggers countered with a nine play, 64 yard drive, ending with a 19 yard touchdown run by Wagner to make it 41-7 with 10:00 to go.  Yoder threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Derek Priestly with 7:53 to go to make it 47-7.

          Linfield’s next game is at their regular season and home-finale against Pacific, who is coming off a 35-31 loss to the Willamette Bearcats.  Linfield defeated the Boxers 49-6 at field last season.

          Pudget Sound’s final game is against the Willamette Bearcats, who are coming off the close win over the Pacific Boxers.          

Link to Instant Analysis:  http://wildcatspread40.blogspot.com/2012/11/linfield-vs-pudget-sound-instant.html  

Link to Boxscore:  http://www.linfield.edu/sports/stats/fb/ups1103.htm

Linfield vs Pudget Sound: Instant Analysis...

Third-ranked Linfield overcame a first half full of sloppy execution in the red zone to beat Pudget Sound 47-7, smacking them down like the worst team in the conference that they were.  Linfield’s offense totaled 692 yards on the day, while the defense was stout as usual, allowing only 218 yards for the game, most of which came in the fourth quarter.  The win improved the Wildcats to 8-0 on the season, and moved the wildcats to one away from clinching their third undefeated regular season in four years.  The loss dropped Pudget Sound to 0-8 on the season, extending their losing streak to 18 games. 

My thoughts on the game…

It was over when: The second half kicked off.  After dinking around in the red zone in the first half, the Wildcats found their killer instinct in the third quarter, scoring three touchdowns on all three possessions.        

Gameball goes to:  Quarterback Mickey Inns.  With the loggers loading up against Linfield’s ground game, Inns took to the air in a big way.  Inns went 27-39 for a career-high 422 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. 

Stat of the game:  692 yards of offense and 36 first downs.  While Linfield’s offense struggled in the red zone in the first half, they were repeatedly getting there.  By the third quarter, the logger defense fell apart from exhaustion, and Linfield ran away with the game.

Unsung hero of the game:  Wide receiver Deidre Weirsma.  Weirsma quietly had a masterful game, catching eight passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns.  Weirsma’s yardage was a career-high as well.

What it means:  The win continues Linfield’s recent domination of their opponents, having outscored them 209-31 in the past four games.  If Linfield finishes off an undefeated season next week against Pacific, they could potentially secure the #1 seed in the West region bracket for the NCAA playoffs.  For Pudget Sound, their prolonged futility continues, and with Willamette as their season finale, a second consecutive 0-9 season seems highly likely.  

Linfield vs Pudget Sound Preview...

          After going undefeated in arguably the toughest opening stretch of seven games in school history, Linfield looks to wind down their season with a pair of easy wins against the two weakest teams on their schedule, starting with Pudget Sound.  For the Loggers, they are desperate to put an end to their 17-game losing streak.  For them, beating a top-5 team would be the perfect way to do it. 

                

          The third-ranked Linfield Wildcats travel to Tacoma, Washing ton to take on the winless Pudget Sound Loggers in the battle between the best and worst team in the Northwest conference.  Linfield is 7-0 on the season, 4-0 in conference play.  Pudget Sound is 0-7 on the year, 0-4 in NWC play. 

                

          Linfield’s offense comes into the game playing at their optimum capacity, blowing away teams for the past month with their high-octane, no-huddle spread offense.  The ‘Cat Attack enters the contest averaging 43.6 points and 454.3 yards of offense per game, which ranks first and second in the NWC respectively.  Leading the Wildcats is quarterback Mickey Inns, who has been on a major roll in Linfield’s past three games.  On the season, Inns is completing 57.9 percent of his passes for 1,742 yards and 20 touchdowns with five interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 143.97.  Charlie Poppen leads the receiving core with 29 receptions for 466 yards and five touchdowns.  Lucas Jepson has 28 receptions for 402 yards and three touchdowns.  Deidre Weirsma has 29 receptions for 267 yards and four touchdowns.  Linfield leads the conference in rushing at 166.9 yards per game, having to use a committee of tailbacks since Josh Hill got hurt early in the season.

                

          The Pudget Sound defense enters the contest with perhaps the worst defense that this blogger has ever seen.  The loggers give up 52.6 points and 536.4 yards per game, both ranking last in the NWC by a large landslide.  The loggers allow 298.7 yards per game on the ground, which is also the worst in the NWC.  All season-long, teams have been able to do whatever they wanted offensively against the Loggers defense, and Linfield is the best offense that UPS has faced all season. 

                

          On the offensive side of the ball, the Loggers average 22 points and 381.7 yards of offense per game, ranking last and sixth in the NWC respectively.  The strength of the Loggers team is passing the ball, as the Loggers average 286.7 yards passing.  Quarterback Brayden Foley leads the offense, completing 53.1 percent of his passes for 1,629 yards and 14 touchdowns with 15 interceptions.  Pudget Sound’s greatest weapon, however, is wide receiver Adam Kniffin, one of the best in the nation.  Kniffin has 55 receptions for 837 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season.  Pudget Sound averages 95 yards per game on the ground, worst in the NWC, but freshman running back Austin Wagner ran for 105 yards on 17 carries against Pacific Lutheran’s tough defense in the Boxers’ 41-14 loss to the Lutes last week, giving the Loggers one more weapon to throw at the Wildcat defense.

                

          On the other side of the line, Linfield’s defense comes into the game on as much of a tear as the Wildcats offense has been on in the last three games.  On the season, the Wildcats are giving up 17.4 points and 295.6 yards per game, both leading the conference.  The Wildcats also lead the conference in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.  With the Loggers offense being the lowest-scoring unit in the northwest conference, Linfield’s defense will have a chance to continue their hot streak. 

Keys to the game for Linfield:

-get off to a fast start:  Getting off quickly has not been a problem for Linfield in their past three games, but against a horrible team like pudget sound, starting fast prevents them from gaining any confidence and beliefs of an upset. 

-limit turnovers and penalties:  If the ‘Cat Attack can limit their penalties and turnovers like they have been in the past three games, another big offensive day should follow suit.

-get after it on defense:  UPS enters the game with the worst offensive line in the conference, while Linfield has the best defensive front seven; if the Wildcats get after it, US will have a miserable day.

Keys to the game for Pudget Sound:

-pray:  Who are we kidding?  The loggers have no shot whatsoever of winning this game unless McMinnville high school takes the field instead of the Wildcats.  Linfield’s way more talented on both sides of the ball, and the Linfield coaching staff has been on top of their game for the past month.               

Link to Joseph Smith's thoughts on Pudget Sound:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XADmX1ZzcWo&feature=youtu.be

What We learned About Linfield In Week 9...

Linfield Is One Of The Best-Conditioned Teams In The Nation:  The Linfield offense has shown in their last three games that when they minimize penalties and turnovers, they play at a tempo that nobody in the conference can match.  In their past three games, the Wildcats are averaging 54 points and 489.7 yards of offense per game.  Whitworth, Lewis & Clark, and even the fast-paced Willamette Bearcats all broke down on defense as the game wore along, Linfield's tempo and pace proving too fast for them.    

The Defense Is Scary:  After the first four games, Linfield's defense was putting up respectable numbers, but also was showing weakness against some of the top offenses in the country.  In their last three games, the Linfield defense is giving up 8 points and 180 yards of offense per game.  On the season, Linfield is giving up 17.4 points and 295.6 yards of offense per game, both ranking first in the NWC.  The Wildcats also lead the NWC in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.  While Linfield isn't terrible good at forcing turnovers this season compared to the past three seasons, these Wildcats simply don't give up much of anything.     

The NWC Is All Linfield's:  Earlier in the season, I thought that the NWC had a handful of teams capable of dethroning Linfield, and after the PLU game, Linfield seemed like a vulnerable team.  Three games later, while I still believe that the NWC is as tough as it's been in a long time, Linfield has proven that they're a better team than last year.  Having beaten Whitworth, Lewis & Clark, and Willamette by a combined score of 162-24, it's become increasingly clear that Linfield is in a class of their own, and seem more capable of winning the national title than last season.    

W-cats Blow B-cats Away 45-10...

          For two and half quarters, Linfield and Willamette were living up to the hype of the Northwest Conference game of the year.  The game was tied midway through the third quarter, both teams were struggling to establish an offensive rhythm, and the Wildcats appeared to be getting their toughest test in a month.

                

          Then, after scoring three touchdowns in a span of two and a half minutes, the game was over, and the Wildcats turned the Northwest conference game of the year into another blowout win, like they did last year against Lewis & Clark. 

                

          The third-ranked Linfield Wildcats defeated the Willamette Bearcats 45-10 on a rainy afternoon at Maxwell Field.  The win pushed Linfield to 7-0 on the season, and 4-0 in conference play.  The loss dropped Willamette to 6-2 on the season, 2-2 in NWC play.

                

          “I think you felt a lot of teams in our conference wanting to exert themselves, to kind of take the ‘big-kid-on-the-block’ status, and our guys aren’t looking to give that up anytime soon, so I think there’s a little bit of a statement that they wanted to make a little bit to some of these contenders,” Linfield coach Joseph Smith said.    

                

          Linfield’s offense faced a stern test from the Bearcat defense in the first half, but wore on them as the game went on, breaking down the Bearcats in the second half with their fast tempo and explosive playmaking abilities.  The ‘Cat Attack posted 371 yards of offense for the game, including 239 yards in the second half, when they outscored Willamette 35-0.  Mickey Inns had a stellar day in the rain, going 17-31 for 229 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.  Charlie Poppen led all receivers with 95 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.  Lucas Jepson added 87 yards on five receptions.  John Shaffer led all rushers with 53 yards on 21 carries.

                

          “They were a good defense, and we knew going in that it would be a difficult day,” Smith said.  “I have a lot of respect for Willamette’s defense; a lot of seniors on that group and some very fine players.  They were able to take away our running back; I was a little stubborn in the first half trying to keep that going.  In reality, I kinda got mad that we couldn’t run, I kept trying to run, and finally in the second half, I said ‘alright fine, we’ll throw the ball.’  Mickey made them pay.” 

                

          Willamette’s offense came into the game averaging 42.3 points and 540 yards of offense per game, including a nation-leading 384 yards per game through the air.  They appeared poised to give Linfield’s defense the biggest challenge that they’ve ever had to face from a conference opponent in the Joseph Smith era, but instead we saw Linfield put forth arguably their best defensive performance of the season.  The Bearcats were held to a season-low 108 yards of offense, which included a season-low 12 yards rushing.  Quarterback Josh Dean, having the best statistical season in Willamette History, had his worst day of the season, going 13-30 for 96 yards and no touchdowns with two interceptions.  Dean was also sacked seven times as Linfield’s front seven ate alive Willamette’s offensive line.

                

          “I think they were leading the country in passing,” Smith said in reference to Willamette’s 108 yards of total offense.  “I don’t know if the Hardin-Simmons game affects all that stuff, but yeah, that’s quite a significant reduction.”        

                

          The first half didn’t see a lot of fireworks as both defenses did a good job of locking down the offense.  Josh Yoder scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 Linfield with 6:45 to go in the first quarter.  Following a Linfield blocked punt, Dean scored on a 14 yard touchdown run to tie the game up at 7 with 12:40 to go in the second quarter.  Linfield fumbled the ball away on their 11-yard line, and Willamette tacked on a 28-yard field goal to make it 10-7 with 10:04 to go in the second quarter.  Josh Kay tacked on a 34-yard field goal on Linfield’s next possession to tie the game at 10 with 8:04 to go in the second quarter.

                

          “The blocked punt, and certainly the fumble that we had, those are pivotal plays that gave them life, and that’s really the only reason that they scored,” Smith said.  “I was really proud of how we responded.  It was good for us to have that adversity, good for us to have to play in that condition, and I’m just proud of how out guys played, battled, and executed under pressure.”     

                

          Midway through the third quarter, the Wildcats made their move.  Inns threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Deidre Weirsma to make the score 17-10 with 8:19 to go in the third quarter.  On Willamette’s next possession, Linfield’s Colin Forman blocked a Willamette punt and recovered it in the end zone to push Linfield’s lead to 24-10 with 6:07 left in the third quarter.  On their next possession, Dean’s pass was picked off by Kyle Wright.  On the next play, Inns connected with Poppen on a 38-yard pass for a touchdown, making the score 31-10 with 5:43 to go in the third quarter.

                

          Inns connected with Poppen on a three-yard touchdown pass to make the score 38-10 with 14:41 left in the fourth quarter, capping a 10 play, 50 yard drive that took 4:35 off the clock.  Mikkel Smythe added a two-yard touchdown run to make the score 45-10 with 6:31 to go in the game.         

          Linfield’s next game is against Pudget Sound, who’s coming off a 41-14 loss to Pacific Lutheran on Saturday.  The loggers lost to Linfield at Maxwell Field 73-7 last season, and at y Baker Stadium in 2010 by a score of 55-14.

                

          The Bearcat’s next game is against Pacific, who is coming off a 42-20 victory over Lewis & Clark.  Willamette defeated the Boxers 51-17 earlier in the season in a non-conference game.  

Link to Postgame analysis video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpUreaYQWhM  

Link to Instant analysis:  http://wildcatspread40.blogspot.com/2012/10/linfield-vs-willamette-instant-analysis.html

Link to Boxscore:  http://www.linfield.edu/sports/stats/fb/wu1027.htm

NWC Picks Week 10...

Willamette vs Pacific (OR)

         (6-2)              (3-4)

Last Week:  Willamette is coming off a 45-10 spanking administered to them by Linfield.  The Bearcat offense was held to a season-low 108 yards of offense, and quarterback Josh Dean was held to 13-30 for 96 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions, getting sacked seven times along the way.  The Bearcat defense held up strong in the first half against Linfield, but then gave up 239 yards and 35 points in the second half against the ‘Cat Attack.  Pacific is coming off an impressive 42-20 victory over Lewis & Clark on Saturday.  The Boxers offense piled up 607 yards of total offense, the highest total since the football program was reinstated in 2010.  Leading the way was Quarterback P.J Minaya, who went 21-32 for 442 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.  The Boxers defense gave up 442 yards to the Pios, but forced five turnovers for the game.      

Thoughts entering the game:  Willamette is coming off two straight losses against the top two teams in the NWC standings, and looking for someone to pound away their frustrations on.  Pacific is a team that comes in with sky-high confidence.  In NWC play, The boxers blew away Pudget Sound and Lewis & Clark while hanging tough with Whitworth and Pacific Lutheran.  Even though they lost to Willamette 51-17 earlier in the season, the Boxers have gotten a lot better since that game, and will look to knock off Willamette at home.  The thing to look at in this match-up is the battle between the top-two passing teams in the NWC; Willamette comes into the game averaging 38.2 points and 489 yards of offense on the season, ranking second and first in the conference respectively.  Josh Dean Leads the air show, completing 66 percent of his passes for 2,665 yards and 29 touchdowns with 11 interceptions on the year.  The Boxers come into the game averaging 30 points (fifth in the NWC) and 421 yards of offense per game (Third in NWC), showing major strides on that side of the ball this season.  Quarterback P.J Minaya has completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 1,848 yards and 16 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.  While Pacific has the potential to pull an upset, their defense had no answers for Willamette’s offense earlier in the season, and I see no reason why that will change.    

Winner:  Willamette

Whitworth vs Pacific Lutheran

       (6-2)              (5-2)

Last Week:  Whitworth is coming off a bye week, which was preceded by a 70-11 win over Pudget Sound.  Pacific Lutheran is coming off a 41-14 win over Pudget Sound, surviving five turnovers and a 14-7 first half deficit to eventually rout the Loggers.  On offense, the lutes racked up 387 yards, including a season-high 251 yards on the ground.  Cody Pohren gained 100 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, while Niko Madison added 61 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.  Quarterback Richey Dalton went 12-20 for 136 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, and racked up 47 yards on 10 carries on the ground.  The PLU defense held the Loggers to 267 yards of offense for the game, and forced five turnovers themselves.  The only downside was that Loggers running back Austin Wagner produced 105 yards on 17 carries on the ground.      

Thoughts entering the game:  This game has major implications in terms of the Northwest conference standings:  If Pacific Lutheran wins, they’ll finish the season in second place in the conference, no matter what happens in their finale against Menlo.  If Whitworth wins, it opens the door for a three-way tie for second place between PLU, Whitworth, and Willamette.  The Whitworth offense continues to be an enigma in 2012, looking unstoppable in some games and pathetic in others; the Pirates average 34.1 points and 373.8 yards, ranking third and last in the NWC respectively.  The pirates have a big-three on offense between QB Bryan Peterson. RB Ronnie Thomas, and WR Jake DeGooyer.  Averaging 32.7 points and 393.9 yards, The Lutes feature a high-powered passing attack lead by QB Richey Dalton and WRs Kyle Warner and Kelle Westering.  The big difference in the game comes down to defense:  PLU has the second-best defense in the conference, while Whitworth’s defense tanks near the bottom of the NWC. 

Winner:  Pacific Lutheran