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          

Linfield vs Willamette: Instant Analysis...

When it was all over, Linfield turned a 10-7 second quarter deficit into a 45-10 rout of Willamette, effectively turning the Northwest conference game of the year into another rout.  The third-ranked Wildcats outscored the Bearcats 35-0 in the second half and racked up 239 of their 371 yards in the half, wearing out the Bearcats over the course of the game.    The win improved Linfield to 7-0 on the season, and essentially gave Linfield the Northwest Conference crown.  the loss dropped Willamette to 6-2 on the season.

What did I think of this game?

It was over when:  Linfield's defense blocked a punt and recovered the ball in the endzone to go up 24-10 with 6:07 to go in the third quarter.  That was the play that opened up the floodgates; Willamette threw an interception on their next play from scrimmage, and Mickey Inns threw a 38-yard touchdown pass on the next play to kick-start the rout.    

Gameball goes to:  Linfield's entire defense.  Josh Dean and the Bearcat offense came into the game averaging 42.3 points and 540 yards of offense per game, sporting the nation's best passing attack.  At the end of the day, Willamette was held to a season-low 10 points and 108 yards of offense.  Linfield's front seven didn't let Willamette do anything all game long.  

Stat of the game:  seven quarterback sacks.  Josh Dean had no time to throw whatsoever today, as indicated by the seven sacks he suffered.  Dean finished the game going 13-30 for 96 yards and no touchdowns with two interceptions.  

Unsung hero of the game:  Wide receiver Charlie Poppen.  Poppen has ended up becoming Linfield's top receiver in 2012, and he really put together a nice one today against Willamette, finishing with 95 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.     

What it means:  The win essentially clinches the NWC title for Linfield in 2012.  Sure they have two games left against Pudget Sound and Pacific, but those should end up being games that are over at halftime, and the starters should be able to get plenty of rest before the playoffs.  For Willamette, the loss dropped them out of contention for the NWC title, and with their second loss in a row, all they have left to play for is the third-place spot in the NWC pecking order.  Willamette finishes the season with Pacific and Pudget Sound as well, and they have the tiebreaker over Whitworth, so third place seems very likely.      

     

Linfield vs Willamette Preview...

          It’s the game that we’ve been looking forward to all summer and season:  The game that will decide the Northwest conference champion.  Linfield has lived up to their role as the three-time defending conference champs; adding a unique twist to the game is Linfield’s challenger:  The Willamette Bearcats, who are rebounding impressively from a 4-6 season in 2011.

                

          Third-ranked Linfield comes into the game with a 6-0 record, 3-0 in conference play, and having just thrashed Lewis & Clark 63-0.  Willamette is 6-1, 2-1 in conference play, and was ranked 22nd in the nation before being upset by Pacific Lutheran 41-27 last week.  Willamette is currently unranked. 

                

          Linfield’s offense is among the most explosive in the nation, and in their last two games, they’ve been letting opposing defenses suffer their wrath.  The ‘Cat Attack is averaging 43.3 points and 468.2 yards of offense, ranking first and second in the conference respectively.  Leading the attack is Quarterback Mickey Inns, who has really turned it on of late.  Inns is completing 58.3 percent of his passes for 1,513 yards and 17 touchdowns with five interceptions on the season, giving him a passer rating of 143.09.  Charlie Poppen leads the receiving core with 371 yards and three touchdowns on 24 receptions.  Lucas Jepson has 315 yards and three touchdowns on 23 receptions.  Deidre Weirsma has 243 yards and three touchdowns on 26 receptions.  Along with their balanced receiving core, Linfield leads the conference in rushing at 176.2 yards per game, led by Josh Hill in the first three games and John Shaffer in the last three. 

                

          Willamette’s defense comes into the game as a solid unit.  The Bearcats are giving up 26.3 points and 372 yards of offense per game, both ranking third in the NWC.  Willamette’s defense is second in the NWC in turnovers forced wit 21 on the season, but they have slowed down in that department, forcing only three in the past three games.  The last impression left by the bearcat defense, however, was their inability to get Pacific Lutheran’s offense off the field on the legendary 18 play, 99 yard touchdown drive that took 9:47 off the clock in the fourth quarter.

                

          Willamette’s offense, an inconsistent bunch in 2011, has exploded onto the national scene this season as one of the nation’s best.  The Bearcats average 42.3 points and 544 yards of offense, ranking second and first in the northwest conference respectively.  Quarterback Josh Dean, a fixture on Willamette’s bench in 2011, has taken the nation by storm; Dean has completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 2,569 yards with 29 touchdowns and nine interceptions on the season, giving him a passer rating of 166.4 on the season.  Much like Linfield, the Bearcats feature a balanced receiving core.  Jake Knecht has 567 yards and 10 touchdowns on 43 receptions.  Jake Turner has 567 yards and five touchdowns on 36 receptions.  Tight end Benny Weischedel has 561 yards and five touchdowns on 34 receptions.  Not to be forgotten, Willamette averages 160 yards per game on the ground, second in the conference.  Leading the rushing attack is running back Dylan Jones, who has 644 yards and four touchdowns on the season and is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. 

                

          Linfield’s defense, a unit many people expected to take a step down this season with the graduation of their entire secondary, has turned out once again to be an outstanding unit.  On the season, the Wildcat defense gives up 18.7 points and 326.8 yards of offense per game, both first in the NWC.  The Wildcat defense also continues to lead the conference in tackles for loss and quarterback sacks.  Linfield has been especially dominant on defense in their last two games against Whitworth and Lewis & Clark, two teams not lacking in offensive firepower. 

Keys to the game for Linfield:

-Force turnovers:  Turnovers turned out to be most of Willamette’s undoing against Pacific Lutheran, especially with the way that the Lutes offense was rolling.  If Pacific Lutheran did create a blueprint for beating Willamette, it's something that Linfield’s been extremely good at the past three seasons, but not so much in 2012.     

-Establish a running game:  Linfield, the top rushing team in the conference, really needs to continue to establish themselves on the ground first like they have in their past two games.  Doing so allows Linfield’s passing attack to get going, which means absolute destruction for whatever gets in their way. 

-Capitalize on scoring chances:  In past games against really tough teams, Linfield has had trouble with finishing good drives off with scores.  PLU did a perfect job of finishing off drives against Willamette last week, and Linfield will probably need to do the same considering how explosive Willamette’s offense is. 

Keys to the game for Willamette:

-Cut down on turnovers:  Turnovers turned into the Willamette Offense’s undoing last week at PLU, and now they face the best defense in the conference in Linfield.  By not beating themselves with turnovers, the Bearcats offense, the nation’s best passing attack, might have the firepower to crack Linfield’s defense.       

-Establish running game:  Another key for PLU’s victory over Willamette last week was their inability to get Dylan Jones established on the ground; the all-conference back was held to a season-low 20 yards on 11 carries.  If Willamette is able to run the ball on Linfield, they have a real chance of winning the game. 

-Get off to a fast start:  In their past two games, Linfield has gotten off to faster starts, and their opponents have been blown away as the games wore on.  Willamette got off to a slow start against PLU last week, and paid the price for it.  Willamette needs to get off to a fast start if they want to dethrone Linfield on Saturday.

Link to Linfield Press Conference on 10/23:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbh1xEY-vLg&feature=youtu.be                     

What Did We Learn About Linfield In Week 8...

Linfield's offense is pretty special:  Turns out that when the Linfield offense doesn't hurt themselves with penalties and turnovers, they are one of the scariest offense in the nation.  Playing the no-huddle, up-tempo pace, the 'Cat attack is averaging 58.5 points and 549 yards of offense in the last two games against Whitworth and Lewis & Clark.  In that span, Mickey Inns went 41-60 for 526 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions, playing with the efficiency and fire that we saw from him last season.    

The Wildcat defense looks like last year's version:  Early in the season, Linfield's defense had their struggle against their non-conference competition against Hardin-Simmons and Cal Lutheran, two teams averaging around 500 yards and 40 points per game.  After going through that experience, the Wildcat defense has come alive in NWC play, holding Whitworth and L&C offenses to a combined 432 yards and 14 points.  While the Pirates and the Pioneers certainly don't have the individual talent of Cal Lutheran and Hardin-Simmons, they weren't THAT bad of offenses; Linfield's defense has really stepped up their game lately.    

The NWC title is Linfield's to lose:  After watching Linfield play in their past two games, it's become clear that they're a national title contender.  They have a tough game with Willamette coming up on Saturday, but if they get past that hurdle, They wrap up the season with Pudget Sound and Pacific, two games that should go the rout of Linfield's previous two games.  If the Wildcats beat the Bearcats, the NWC title is practically theirs.

NWC Week 9 picks...

Pacific (OR) vs Lewis & Clark

       (2-4)                 (4-3)

Last Week:  Pacific is coming off of a bye week.  Lewis & Clark is coming off a 63-0 loss to third-ranked Linfield.  The Pios offense was held to 207 yards, including 42 yards rushing on 44 carries.  QB Keith Welch went 4-16 for 50 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.  The L&C defense also got shredded on Saturday, giving up 513 yards of offense, including 381 through the air, to the ‘Cat Attack.    

Thoughts entering the game:  These two teams are headed in opposite directions going into Saturday.  Pacific, who went 1-17 in 2010 and 2011 combined, are 2-4 on the season, and were competitive with both Whitworth and Pacific Lutheran, two of the better teams in the NWC.  Lewis & Clark started out the season 4-0 and playing as well as could be on both sides of the ball, but have had their world rocked in their past three games, getting outscored 150-34 by PLU, Willamette, and Linfield.  Statistically, the two teams look similar; Lewis & Clark’s offense s averaging 26.9 points (sixth in the NWC) and 381.9 yards (sixth in the NWC).  The Boxers offense is averaging 28 points and 390.3 yards per game, both ranking fifth in the conference.  The Pio defense gives up 35.1 points and 411.6 yards, ranking sixth and fifth in the conference respectively; the Pacific defense gives up 33 points and 411 yards of offense per game, which ranks fifth and fourth in the conference respectively.  A win for Pacific would please their fan base tremendously, while Lewis & Clark desperately needs a win to not only secure a winning season, but to regain some of the mojo that they’ve lost in their three-game losing streak.  This game can go either way.      

Winner:  Lewis & Clark

Pacific Lutheran vs Pudget Sound

                (4-2)              (0-6)

Last Week:  Pudget Sound is coming off another devastating loss, this one 70-11 to a Whitworth team that needed a real pick-me-up after losing to Willamette and Linfield back to back.  The Logger defense gave up 494 yards and 8.0 yards per play to Whitworth, allowing Ronnie Thomas to rush the ball 23 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns.  Quarterback Bryan Peterson went 11-13 for 183 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.  The Pudget Sound offense was held to 315 yards on the day, and turned the ball over six times, including five interceptions.  Pacific Lutheran is coming off a 41-27 victory over previously undefeated and then-ranked #22 Willamette.  On defense, the Lutes gave up 440 yards, but they held Willamette running back Dylan Jones to 20 yards on 11 carries, and they forced three turnovers, including an 80-yard pick six to open the second half.  On offense, Richey Dalton had a monster game, going 16-28 for 197 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and rushed 14 times for 65 yards and three touchdowns.  The Lutes controlled the ball for 37 minutes in the game, boosted by their legendary 18 play, 99 yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that took 9:47 off the clock to seal the deal.      

Thoughts entering the game:  After winning in impressive fashion against Willamette last week, it’s beginning to look like Pacific Lutheran may be the second-best team in the NWC in 2012, just like the coaches predicted in the pre-season poll.  Granted, they still have tough games against Whitworth and Menlo after this, but Pudget Sound should end up getting their rear handed to them again this week as the Lutes come into town.  Pacific Lutheran’s defense once again ranks second in the conference, but it’s their improved offense that has allowed them to assert themselves in 2012.  Pacific Lutheran was the second-worst offensive team in the NWC in 2011; so far this season, the Lutes have averaged 31.3 points and 395 yards of offense per game, both ranking fourth in the NWC.  Look for Pacific Lutheran to win big.       

Winner:  Pacific Lutheran          

Linfield vs Lewis & Clark: Instant Analysis...

Third-ranked Linfield continued to roll on Saturday, thoroughly dismantling Lewis & Clark 63-0 at Griswold Stadium.  The story of the game was Linfield's defense holding the explosive Pios offense to 207 yards and the shutout.  The win pushed Linfield to 6-0 on the season, and thanks to #22 Willamette's 41-27 loss to Pacific Lutheran, Linfield now sits alone in first place in the Northwest conference.  The loss drops Lewis & Clark to 4-3 on the season; the Pios have been outscored 150-34 in their three-game losing streak.

My thoughts on the matter...

It was over when:  this game kicked off.  After watching Linfield absolutely destroy Whitworth last week, and watching Willamette blow away the Pios on the same day, you knew that Lewis & Clark had no chance to win; it was just a matter of how bad it would be.  It got pretty ugly.  

Gameball goes to:  Mickey Inns.  Playing in only the first half, Mickey Inns went 18-28 for 265 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.  The Linfield offense on the day totaled 513 yards, and averaged 7.4 yards per play, just blowing through the Lewis & Clark defense with their blistering pace.    

Stat of the game:  Zero points allowed by the Linfield defense.  Anytime you keep the other team off the scoreboard for the game, you did a special job, especially against an explosive Lewis & Clark spread offense that came into the game third in the conference in scoring and fourth in total offense.  It's especially impressive when the third and fourth-string defense played the entire second half like Linfield's did.

Unsung hero of the game:  Linfield's third-string and fourth-string defensive players.  In last week's game against Whitworth, this group of defenders allowed 153 yards and 14 points in the fourth quarter, preventing Linfield from pitching the shutout.  On Saturday, despite giving up some yards, the Linfield scrubs on defense preserved the shutout.  Such an accomplishment is something that all the coaches on the Linfield staff probably appreciate greatly.

What it means:  For Linfield not only once again showed that they're the team to beat in the Northwest conference, but established themselves as a legit national title contender after this game and what they did to Whitworth the previous week.  Willamette seems like the only team left on Linfield's schedule that's capable of beating them, and they just lost to PLU.  For Lewis & Clark, their third straight loss and complete failure to do anything right against Linfield has erased most of the momentum that they built up with their 4-0 start to the season.  The Pios have Pacific in their next game, and then play Whitworth after a bye week.  If Lewis & Clark can beat Pacific, they have a chance to salvage their season with a win in the Whitworth game.

Linfield vs Lewis & Clark Preview...

         Last season, the match-up between Lewis & Clark and Linfield on the final day of the regular season was the game that decided the Northwest conference championship, a game Linfield won 47-14 at Maxwell Field.  This season, Lewis & Clark comes into the game with a 4-2 record, having lost their last two games against Pacific Lutheran and Willamette by a combined score of 87-34; desperate to get a win, the Pios will look to upset the third-ranked Wildcats, who come into the game with a 5-0 record and one of the most explosive offenses in the nation.

                

         Linfield’s offense is coming off an explosive game against Whitworth, where they posted season-highs of 54 points and 585 yards of offense.  The ‘Cat Attack comes into the game averaging 39.4 points and 459.2 yards of offense, both ranking second in the NWC.  Leading the offense is all-conference quarterback Mickey Inns, who comes into the game completing 57.4 percent of his passes for 1286 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 139.39.  Leading the receiver core is Deidre Weirsma, who has 23 receptions for 185 yards and three touchdowns, the receptions and touchdowns leading the team.  Lucas Jepson has 20 receptions for 246 yards and two touchdowns.  Charlie Poppen has 19 receptions for a team-high 330 yards and two touchdowns, as well as an astounding 17.4 yards per reception.  The Linfield running attack comes into the game averaging 185 yards per game, which is tops in the NWC.  After Josh Hill’s season-ending injury, previously third-string running back John Shaffer has come alive in the past two games, rushing the ball 30 times for 196 yards and two touchdowns. 

                

         The Lewis & Clark defense comes into the game as a unit that gives up a lot of plays, but also makes some.  On the season, the Pios defense is giving up 30.5 points (fifth in the conference) and 394.7 yards per game (fourth in the conference), but they rank second in the NWC in quarterback sacks and turnovers forced.  However, in the last two games, the Pios defense is giving up 43.5 points and 546.5 yards per game. 

                

         While not as explosive offensively as the previous season, Lewis & Clark brings a solid offensive unit into Saturday’s game.  Running the Oregon zone-read option-based offense, the Pios average 31.3 points and 411.4 yards of offense per game, which ranks third and fourth in the NWC respectively.  The running attack has seen a major drop from last season’s productivity, averaging 130.4 yards per game on the ground.  Running back Curtis Shirey leads the Pios with 447 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.4 yards per carry.  The major source of offense for the offense is Quarterback Keith Welch, the defending NWC Offensive Player of the Year from 2011.  Welch on the season is completing 58.2 percent of his passes for 1,637 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions; Welch also has 237 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground on the season.  His quarterback rating of 134.5 ranks fifth in the NWC. 

                

         Linfield’s defense comes into the game on a roll after some early season struggles against high-powered offenses.  The Wildcat defense leads in the conference in points per game allowed at 22.4, and they rank second in yards per game allowed at 350.8.  The Linfield defense ranks first in the Northwest conference in both quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.  Lewis & Clark has struggled on offense the past two games against the solid defenses of Willamette and PLU, and here comes the Wildcats defense.

Keys to the game for Linfield:

-limit turnovers and penalties:  In Linfield’s first four games, turnovers and penalties prevented the ‘Cat attack from putting a serious whipping on their opponents.  Against Whitworth, Linfield limited those mistakes, and put a massive beating on their defense.  If Linfield can limit those mistakes against L&C, then another offensive masterpiece should be on display. 

-win the line of scrimmage on defense:  In the Pios last two games, Pacific Lutheran and Willamette dominated Lewis & Clark offensive line, which lead to sub-par offensive performances.  If Linfield’s defense can win the battle up front and live in the Pioneer backfield like they've been doing to other teams, Linfield’s defense could be in for a big day. 

-Bring the A-game:  Linfield’s two road experiences this season were their 33-30 win over Cal Lutheran, and their 31-24 win over Pacific Lutheran, Linfield was plagued by turnovers and penalties.  While Lewis & Clark does not have the physical talent of those teams, The Wildcats have yet to be sharp on the road.  They need to be on Saturday. 

Keys to the game for Lewis & Clark:

-Put points up on the board:  While the Lewis & Clark defense has shown play-making ability at times this season, they still give up a lot of points and yards, especially in their last two games.  Lewis & Clark will need to score at least 35 points if they want to have a chance of winning this game.

-Establish the running game:  While the Pios passing game is as dangerous as they come, they’ll need to be able to generate a running game to break up the Linfield defense.  If Welch and Shirey can get the zone-read option game going like they did against Pudget Sound, Lewis & Clark may have a puncher’s chance of beating Linfield.

-Get off to a good start:  Before the Whitworth game, Linfield had been documented for their slow starts to games, especially in the first quarter.  If Lewis & Clark can get off to a fast start against Linfield, they may gain enough confidence to make plays and hang with Linfield later on when things get tough and tense.        

Mid-Season Report...

Linfield Wildcats:

Record: 5-0

         Entering the 2012 season, Linfield returned 14 starters from a team that went 10-1 and won the Northwest conference championship in 2011, which includes nearly their entire offensive personnel and their defensive front seven.  The expectations for this season were a fourth straight conference title and playoff appearance, and so far the Wildcats seem on track with that.

                

         Linfield’s non-conference schedule to open the season was arguably the toughest in Linfield history, but the Wildcats won all three of their games.  Linfield opened the season by beating Menlo 30-9 at Maxwell field; Menlo currently has a 4-2 record and is loaded with play-makers on both sides of the ball.  Linfield then beat Hardin-Simmons 49-35 at Maxwell Field a week after the Cowboys had the worst defensive performance in school history against Willamette; since that game, Hardin-Simmons has won four straight, and is tied for first in the ASC with #2 Mary Hardin-Baylor.  Linfield then went on the road and defeated Cal Lutheran 33-30; Cal Lutheran is 4-1 and ranked eighth in the nation.  Linfield then went on to beat Pacific Lutheran on the road 31-24 and Whitworth at Maxwell Field last Saturday 54-14.      

         With virtually their entire offense from last season returning, the ‘Cat Attack had a high-standard to live up to in 2012.  So far they've been a little hit and miss, but with the exception of Whitworth, Linfield has faced athletic, tough defenses this season.  The Wildcats have averaged 39.4 points and 459.2 yards of offense per game so far this season, both of which rank second in the conference behind Willamette.  Linfield does lead the conference in rushing at 185 yards per game, despite the fact that Josh Hill was lost to a season-ending injury.  The Linfield passing attack has dropped a little bit from last season, down to 274.2 yards per game, which surprisingly only ranks fifth in the NWC. 

                

         After graduating their entire secondary from last season, a lot of people thought that Linfield’s defense would take a sizable step back in 2012.  While their defensive stats have noticeably slipped from a season ago, the Wildcat defense is still among the best in the NWC; giving up 22.4 points and 350.8 yards per game, Linfield’s defense ranks first and second in the NWC in those categories, respectively.  Linfield’s defense also leads the conference in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.  Surprisingly, the Wildcat defense has forced 12 turnovers on the season, tied for fourth in the conference.

                

         Unlike last season, Linfield’s schedule appears to be lightening up as the season goes further along.  After traveling to Lewis & Clark (4-2) on Saturday, the Wildcats will host #22 Willamette (6-0) at Maxwell field on October 27.  Linfield travels to Pudget Sound (0-5) on November 3, and then wraps up the regular season at home against Pacific (2-4).  Willamette will be a tough one that will most likely decide the winner of the Northwest conference in 2012, but Linfield should be able to win the rest.

Offensive MVP:  I was leaning towards giving this award to Josh Hill until he suffered a season-ending injury, so I’ll give this award to Mickey Inns again this season.  Coming off of a first-team all-conference campaign in 2011, Inns came into the season held to a high standard.  Up until the Whitworth game, Inns had one of the lowest passer ratings in the conference and was seemingly having a super-down season.  On the year, Inns has completed 57.4 percent of his passes for 1,248 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions, giving him a QB rating of 139.39.  His passer rating ranks fourth in the conference, but considering how many good defensive teams Linfield has faced so far this season compared to last season’s midway point, all is forgiven.  Also worth noting is that Inns' yards, touchdowns, and completion percentage are higher than they were at the midway point of 2011.    

Defensive MVP:  Defensive end Brynnan Hyland.  Hyland has 18 tackles on the season, including 8.5 tackles for loss and eight quarterback sacks, which is first in the NWC.  Hyland is the leader of a Linfield defense that lives in opponents’ backfields.      

'Cats Drown Pirates 54-14...

         In the preseason, this was the match-up that a lot of people were looking forward to as the game that would decide the Northwest conference championship.  Going into Saturday, such expectations still existed.  D3football.com had Linfield on upset alert going into the day, talking about how Whitworth ended the previous Linfield regime back in 2006.  Last season, Whitworth almost upset Linfield, and Linfield was looking like a vulnerable team going into the game.

         

         And then, almost magically so, the Linfield Wildcats woke up.

                  

         Putting it all together for the first time in 2012, the third-ranked Linfield Wildcats blasted the Whitworth pirates into the next dimension by a score of 54-14.  The win upped Linfield’s record to 5-0, and 2-0 in conference play.  The loss dropped Whitworth to 5-2 on the season, and 1-2 in NWC play.

                  

         “It was a good game,” Linfield coach Joseph Smith said.  “I thought we executed very nicely.  aI don’t think it was the hardest test we’ve had in ways, but I was very pleased with how our guys played, and we put it together in all three phases.”   

                  

         Offensively, Linfield posted a season-high in yards of total offense and points.  As soon as the first touchdown went on the board, Linfield employed the Ducks-styled tempo, running up to the line of scrimmage after every play and snapping the ball as soon as the ref put it down.  The ‘Cat Attack racked up 585 yards of offense, with 230 yards coming from the ground game and the remaining 355 coming from the air attack.  Running back John Shaffer led all rushers with 108 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.  Tavon Willis added 54 yards on seven carries. 

                  

         “I’m real proud of the way our running backs came in and ran the ball.  Tevon came back nicely from that (a lost fumble), got his pad level down, and had a nice day running the ball, as did Shaff, and the offensive line blocked well.”      

                  

         Mickey Inns, who came into the game with one of the worst passer ratings in the conference, had his best day of the season, going 23-32 for 261 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions.  Josh Yoder came off the bench in the second half to go 5-5 for 78 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.  Wide receiver Charlie Poppen had five receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown.  Evan Peterson had four receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown.  Deidre Weirsma had four receptions for 40 yards and two touchdowns.  Lucas Jepson had four receptions for 39 yards, and David Sigler had three receptions for 51 yards and one touchdown.

                  

         “He was definitely on, in the zone so to speak.  He had by far one of his better days as a quarterback.  I really felt like he knew exactly what they were doing, when they were doing it, how they were doing it, and had a great grasp of what he wanted to do to attack it.  Much of our success was due to not just Mickey’s arm, but his head.” 

                  

         The Whitworth offense, thought by many in the preseason to have the best collection of skill players on offense in the conference other than Linfield, couldn’t get anything going at all on Linfield’s defense until the fourth quarter, when Linfield’s scout team was put in the game.  The Pirates finished the game with a season-low 225 yards, and a season-low point total.  Quarterback Bryan Peterson went 9-21 for 88 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception, and all-conference wide receiver Jake DeGooyer had six receptions for 67 yards.  Ronnie Thomas, the top rusher in the NWC, was held to 20 yards on 16 carries.

                  

         “First and foremost, our teams and our coaches have long memories,” Smith said.  “The fact that they did put up a lot of points on us last year was not forgotten.  Our defense has a tremendous amount of pride, and every point they score is given up begrudgingly.”

                  

         After both teams punted on their opening possession, Linfield gave the ball away to Whitworth on their second possession by way of a Willis fumble, giving the Pirates a chance grab momentum.  On their first play, Bryan Peterson was picked off by, and the ball was returned to the Whitworth 13-yard line.  On the next play, Inns threw a 13 yard pass to Weirsma, who tight-roped the sideline into the endzone to make it 7-0 with 6:32 to go in the first quarter.  Whitworth went three and out on their next possession, and Linfield marched 68 yards in seven plays, capping the drive with an eight-yard touchdown run by Shaffer to make the score 14-0 with 2:32 to go in the first quarter. 

                  

         After another three and out by Whitworth’s offense, Linfield went 49 yards in four plays, capped by a 31 yard touchdown pass from Inns to Poppen to make the score 21-0 Linfield with 14:54 to go in the second quarter.  After a three and out by Whitworth’s offense, Linfield’s next offensive possession ended on a fourth down failure at the Whitworth 1-yard line.  Whitworth went three and out again, and Linfield’s subsequent possession ended with a missed filed goal by Josh Kay.  After yet another three and out by Whitworth’s offense, Inns threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Weirsma to make it 28-0 with 1:33 to go in the second quarter.

                  

         After Whitworth opened the third quarter with yet another three and out, Linfield went 50 yards in five plays, ending the drive with a 28-yard touchdown strike by Inns to Sigler.  Josh Kay’s missed extra point left the score at 34-0 with 12:01 to go in the third quarter.  After a Whitworth three and out, Linfield’s offense marched the ball down the field 72 yards in eight plays, With Inns tossing an eight-yard touchdown pass to Zach Young, making the score 41-0 with 8:02 to go in the third quarter.  After another Whitworth three and out, Yoder tossed a 52-yard touchdown pass to Evan Peterson.  Kay missed the extra point, leaving the score at 47-0 with 6:23 to go in the second quarter.  After yet another three and out by Whitworth’s offense, Yoder threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Derek Priestly to make the score 54-0 with 1:14 to go in the third quarter.

                  

         “There’s no excuse for that; He’s too good a kicker to miss any,” said Smith in reaction to Josh Kay’s two missed extra points.  “He needs to make sure he maintains his focus.  I’m not sure that he missed an extra point last year, he might have been perfect.  We’re not gonna make too much of it.” 

                  

         Whitworth Back-up quarterback Michael McCune completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Austin Ehlo to make the score 54-7 with 6:00 left in the fourth quarter.  Running back DJ Tripoli scored on a 20-yard touchdown run to make the score 54-14 with 1:33 left in the game.

                  

         “Our team’s still upset that we gave up 14 points late,” Smith said.  “It really puts a tarnish on a defense that worked hard to have a shutout and keep the numbers down and then you give that up late; It’s tough.  It’s great to play young guys, but you hate to see that.”         

                  

         Linfield’s next game is against Lewis & Clark, who is coming off a 56-20 loss to Willamette.  Lewis & Clark lost to Linfield 47-14 at Maxwell Field last season in the game that decided the Northwest Conference title.

                  

         Whitworth’s next game is against Pudget Sound, who is coming off a bye week.   

Link to Boxscore:  http://www.linfield.edu/sports/stats/fb/ww1013.htm

Link to Postgame Analysis video:  http://youtu.be/mMjuLJgkAJo 

Link to Instant Analysis from Saturday:  http://wildcatspread40.blogspot.com/2012/10/linfield-vs-whitworth-instant-analysis.html   

NWC Week 8 Picks...

Pudget Sound vs Whitworth

            

          (0-5)              (5-2)

Last Week:  Pudget Sound is coming off a bye week.  Whitworth is coming off a devastating 54-14 loss to Linfield.  In the game, Whitworth’s defense got exposed, giving up 585 yards of offense, unable to stop either the run or pass.  On the flip side, Whitworth’s offense, the strength of the team, was held to a season-low 225 yards, as well as their low in points. 

Thoughts entering the game:  Whitworth is reeling after losing to Willamette and getting their universe rocked by Linfield.  Pudget Sound gives Whitworth the opportunity to pound out their frustrations on a hapless opponent before they take on a talented bunch from Pacific Lutheran the following week.  Pudget Sound is capable of putting up some yards through the air, but Loggers have possibly the worst defense I have ever seen at the collegiate level, giving up 51.4 points and 574.8 yards per game.  A competitive game between these two teams would surprise everyone.      

Winner:  Whitworth          

Pacific Lutheran vs Willamette

              (3-2)                    (6-0)

Last Week:  Pacific Lutheran is coming off a 41-23 rout of Pacific (OR).  Richey Dalton had solid performance, going 24-31 for 262 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.  Brandon James lead the ground attack with 70 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, along with two receptions for six yards and one touchdown, and Kyle Warner had 11 receptions for 142 yards.  The Lutes defense gave up 415 yards, but forced four turnovers for the game.  Willamette is coming off a 56-20 victory over Lewis & Clark, breaking away from a 14-14 tie at halftime to walk away with the win.  Josh Dean went 35-45 for 359 yards and five touchdowns with one interception, while carrying the ball 10 times for 37 yards.  Dylan Jones led the rushing attack with 168 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries.  Jake Knecht had 9 receptions for 107 yards and three touchdowns, while tight end Benny Weischedel had 9 receptions for 118 yards.  The defense gave up 460 yards of offense to the Pios, but L&C had to run off 102 offensive plays to pull that off.     

Thoughts entering the game:  Despite Pacific Lutheran’s less than stellar record, this game is shaping up to be a dandy.  Willamette brings the best offense in the conference into the game, averaging 44.8 points and 561.2 yards per game.  Just when stopping Willamette’s passing attack seemed hard enough, the Bearcats have begun to rediscover their explosive running game of years past, averaging 239.5 yards per game on the ground in their last two games.  Running back Dylan Jones has run for 299 yards and one touchdown in the last two games, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.  Pacific Lutheran brings a killer defense into the contest, ranking first in the NWC in yards per game allowed and tied with Willamette for second in points allowed.  While the match-up between PLU’s defense and Willamette’s offense will obviously draw the most attention, it’ll be interesting to see if Willamette’s defense can hold down the Lute’s prolific passing attack.  This could be a game where Willamette’s defense needs to win the day.       

Winner:  Willamette 

Linfield vs Whitworth: Instant Analysis...

#3 Linfield, after making us wonder about how good they actually were in the first four games, put it all together on Saturday, blasting Whitworth into the next dimension by a score of 54-14.  The win put Linfield at 5-0, and clinched their 57th consecutive winning season in a row.  The loss dropped Whitworth to 5-2, and ended any chance they had of winning the Northwest Conference.

Here are my thoughts on the game...

It was over when: Whitworth's Bryan Peterson was intercepted by Linfield's Brandon Funk with 6:44 to go in the first quarter.  Linfield scored a touchdown on a Mickey Inns pass to Deidre Weirsma on the next play, and the floodgates opened from there.

Gameball goes to:  Mickey Inns.  After being a first-team all-conference selection in 2011, Inns had one of the worst QB ratings in the conference going into Saturday's game.  Against Whitworth, Linfield started out the game running the ball down Whitworth's throat, and the Whitworth defense started to suck up to the line, forcing Inns to throw the ball.  In response, Inns turned in his most efficient day of the season, going 23-32 for 261 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions.

Stat of the game:  585 yards of offense by Linfield.  The yards and points put up by Linfield were season-high totals.  The most impressive stat of the day was Linfield's 7.3 yards per play.  After Linfield scored the first touchdown, they started to play at the Oregon duck-level of pace, racing up to the line of scrimmage after every play and snapping the ball as soon as the ref put the ball down.  Whitworth's defense ranked pretty low in the conference, and they broke down pretty bad by the third quarter.  

Unsung Hero of the game:  Since Mickey Inns will probably be the talk of the game, I'll give this award to John Shaffer.  After starting the season as the third-string running back, Shaffer started Saturday's game, and carried the ball 15 times for 108 yards and one touchdown.  Shaffer's performances have shown that Linfield has incredible depth at running back, and that's why they've been the best rushing team in the league even with Josh Hill out with an injury.    

What it means:  Linfield started the day as a team that looked like they could possibly be dethroned this season; by the end of the game, Linfield established themselves as not just the best team in the Northwest conference, but as the number three team in the nation.  Linfield should be favored to win the rest of their games, and win their fourth straight NWC title.  For Whitworth, Their chances of winning the conference have completely vanished, and they'll have to settle for winning the rest of their games.  With Pudget Sound, Pacific Lutheran, and Lewis & Clark left on the schedule, that'll be a tall order.

Link to boxscore:  http://www.linfield.edu/sports/stats/fb/ww1013.htm

Link to Analysis Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMjuLJgkAJo     

Linfield vs Whitworth Preview...

                 The match-up that this blogger has been looking forward to all season is finally here:  Whitworth, a team many thought could challenge for the Northwest Conference crown in 2012, and third-ranked Linfield, the reigning three-time NWC champs.  Whitworth is 5-1 and looking to keep their NWC title hopes alive, while Linfield is 4-0 on the season, but still looking to put together a complete game.

                

                   The main reason for anticipation in this match-up is last season’s shootout between these two teams, which Linfield won 42-38.  With the Pirates’ completely opposite start from last season and Linfield’s top-three ranking, another classic seems to be in the making.

                

                   Linfield brings an explosive offense into the game, even if it’s somewhat inconsistent at this point in the season.  Averaging 35.8 points and 427.8 yards per game (both ranked second in the NWC), the ‘Cat attack is led by quarterback Mickey Inns, who seems to be off to a slower start than last season.  Inns has completed 54.5 percent of his passes for 987 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions on the season; his passer rating of 127.71 ranks among the lowest in the conference.  Leading a balanced receiving core is wide receiver Charlie Poppen, who has a team-high 262 yards and one touchdown on 14 receptions, an astounding 18.7 yards per reception.  Lucas Jepson has 207 yards and a team-high two touchdowns on 16 receptions.  Deidre Weirsma has 156 yards and one touchdown on a team-high 19 receptions.  After losing star running back Josh Hill for the season, previously third-string running back John Shaffer stepped up with 88 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in their win over PLU two weeks ago. 

                

                  Whitworth’s defense is a hit-and-miss operation in 2012; some games they look really good, and in other games, such as against Willamette and Whittier, they get their world rocked.  On the season, the Pirate defense gives up 25.3 points (fourth in the NWC) and 410.2 yards (fifth in the NWC).  They also rank near the bottom of the conference in turnovers forced and sacks. 

                

                  The Whitworth offense, the strength of the team, hasn’t quite been living up to the pre-season expectations, averaging 31.5 points (fourth in the NWC) and 378.5 yards (Last in the NWC).  Leading the way at Quarterback is Bryan Peterson, who’s completing 56.6 percent of his passes for 1,143 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 141.27.  Leading the way at wide receiver is Jake Degooyer, who has 717 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 receptions on the season, his 119.5 yards per game ranking second in the Northwest conference.  The real gem of the offense is tailback Ronnie Thomas, who leads the Northwest conference with 758 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry; Thomas has been the motor for the Pirate offense all season. 

                

                 The Linfield defense began to take life against Pacific Lutheran nearly two weeks ago, essentially shutting down the Lute offense after falling behind 21-7 in the second quarter.  On the season, the Wildcat defense is giving up 24.5 points (second in the NWC) and 382.2 yards (fourth in the NWC).  The Linfield defense continues to lead the conference in sacks, and in tackles for loss per game. 

Keys to the game for Linfield:

-Third-down battles:  I said this was a key before the PLU game, and even though Linfield continued to struggle with third down on both sides of the ball, they managed to win.  If there was ever a time to reverse the trend, Whitworth would be the perfect opportunity to do it.

-Cut down on turnovers:  Linfield lost the turnover battle against PLU, and somehow managed to pull off a road win.  However, PLU does not have the QB-RB-WR combo like Whitworth has with Peterson, Thomas, and Degooyer.  If Linfield turns the ball over against these guys, I can see Whitworth cashing in on most of them and having a shot at pulling off the upset, so taking care of the ball needs to be a major emphasis going into the game. 

-Establishing the running game:  Since Linfield leads the conference in rushing at the moment, most people are probably thinking that this isn't a problem area.  It’s not, but it’s going to be important from this point forward to get John Shaffer and Stephen Nasca established on the ground so that Inns can ease into a rhythm passing.  Since Linfield Amazingly only ranks sixth in the NWC in passing yards per game, getting the ground game established first would help Linfield regain their efficient form from last season.

Keys to the game for Whitworth:

-Establishing a passing game:  In order for Whitworth’s offense to operate at optimum efficiency and explosiveness, they need to establish the passing game, which is something that they have a hard time doing consistently (As indicated by their conference-worst passing numbers), but were able to get done against Linfield last season in their near-upset.  Doing so again would greatly help increase their chances of an upset.

-Force turnovers:  While Whitworth’s defense hasn't exactly been a play-making unit, Linfield’s offense has shown a tendency to turn the ball over in the past two games.  If Whitworth can continue that trend, It might help their chances of getting the upset, even though forcing four turnovers in last year’s match-up ultimately didn’t help. 

-Bring their A-game:  This is it for Whitworth:  Winning would give them control of their own destiny in terms of winning the conference, and losing will take them out of the race entirely.  With stakes that high, Whitworth better bring their A-game, because Linfield usually does at home in Maxwell Field.        

NWC Week 7 Picks...

Pacific Lutheran vs Pacific (OR)

              (2-2)                    (2-3)

Last Week:  Pacific Luther bounced back from their loss to Linfield and pulled off a big win, beating previously undefeated Lewis & Clark 31-14.  The Lute offense had a semi-productive day statistically, putting up 436 yards of offense (273 through the air, 163 on the ground).  Dalton Richey went 19-30 for 273 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.  Kyle Warner led the receiving core with nine receptions for 195 yards and one touchdown.  Brandon James led the ground attack with 81 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.  Most impressively on the day, the Lutes defense held an explosive Pios offense to 264 yards and forced a season-high five turnovers.  Pacific is coming off an amazing 62-21 thrashing of Pudget Sound.  The loggers posted 526 yards of offense for the game, including 250 yards on the ground.  The points and yards were all the highest single-game totals since the Pacific football program was reinstated in 2010.  Leading the day for the Boxers was QB P.J Minaya, who went 25-30 for 276 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions. 

Thoughts entering the game:  On the surface, this game looks like a match-up between two of the worst offenses in the Northwest Conference.  Pacific is fifth in the conference in scoring and sixth in yards per game.  Pacific Lutheran is sixth in scoring and fifth in yards per game.  The big difference in the game comes down to defense:   Pacific Lutheran has the Number-one defense in the NWC in scoring and yards allowed per game, while Pacific is sixth in both categories.  While both teams are coming off impressive wins, and Pacific has shown tremendous growth as a football program, Pacific Lutheran has played against tougher competition and were super competitive against Linfield and Cal Lutheran, two of the top ten teams in the nation.  Pacific Lutheran is more talented on both sides of the ball.   

Winner:  Pacific Lutheran

Lewis & Clark vs Willamette

            (4-1)              (5-0)

Last Week:  Lewis & Clark is coming off the first loss of the season, a 31-14 defeat at the hands of Pacific Lutheran.  The Pio offense was held to a season-low 264 yards and committed a season-high five turnovers; their lack of offense took away all the chances the L&C defense created for the team to come back from a 17-0 deficit.  Willamette is coming off a strong showing against Whitworth, where they rallied from three first-half interceptions by Josh Dean and a 17-14 halftime deficit to win 38-24.  The offense racked up 598 yards of offense for the game, and the Bearcat defense tightened the lid on things in the second half.  Josh Dean, the top quarterback in the conference, went 23-41 for 392 yards and four touchdowns with the three interceptions.  The bearcat offense also pounded out 206 yards on the ground, led by Dylan Jones’ 131 yards on 22 carries.  Josh dean added 43 yards on 12 carries. 

Thoughts entering the game:  At this point in the season, Willamette stands as the team with the best chance to dethrone Linfield’s three-year reign of the conference.  With the number one offense in the conference at this point in the season, it’s pretty easy to see why.  Lewis & Clark brings a high-caliber offense into the game as well, but are coming off a game against PLU where they had a hard time getting anything going on that side of the ball.  While Willamette’s defense isn’t quite as strong overall as PLUs, they do lead the league in turnovers forced.  Lewis & Clark’s defense is second in the NWC in yards per game allowed, but the 73 points allowed in the last two games has dropped their scoring defense to fifth in the NWC.  Don’t be surprised if this game becomes a shoot-out. 

Winner:  Willamette          

Week 6 Updates!

What an exciting season 2012 has been for the Northwest Conference!  Turns out that Linfield actually some tough competition within their own league, which didn't seem to be the case last season.  Since Linfield has a bye this week, I leave you guys with these two gifts for now:

Link to Linfield Press Conference on 10/2/12:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lClUToc7D_0

Link to NWC Week 6 predictions:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB-HU-goyMw&feature=youtu.be 

What Did We Learn About Linfield In Week 5...

Linfield’s Defense Is Pretty Solid:  After getting off to a very slow start on Saturday, the Linfield defense woke up and pretty much shutdown the PLU offense, which allowed Linfield’s offense to put together enough drives to pull out a win on the road.  On the season thus far, Linfield’s defense ranks second in the conference in scoring, second in rush defense, first in sacks and tackles for loss, and are tied for third in the conference in turnovers forced.  While not quite as dominant as the defensive unit of the last three seasons, this Wildcat defense has a chance of making that list by season’s end.   

The Offense Is Underachieving Somewhat:  So far in 2012, the ‘Cat Attack is averaging 35.8 points and 427.8 yards per game.  While those aren't bad offensive numbers necessarily, this is the exact same Linfield offense, personnel-wise, that averaged 40 points and 432 yards per game in 2011.  With so much talent from last season returning, Linfield should be posting bigger stats, not smaller ones.  In their defense though, Linfield had to play against three elite-level defenses early in the season in Menlo, Cal Lutheran, and Pacific Lutheran.  The one team that didn't have an elite defense, Hardin-Simmons, got smoked by the Wildcats offense.  Not to be forgotten is the fact that Linfield has the number-one rushing attack in the NWC, averaging 173.8 yards per game.  With the toughest defensive teams on Linfield’s schedule supposedly out of the way, we’ll see in the coming games if the Linfield offense can get back to their elite level from 2011.  

Winning NWC Title Is Not A Certainty:  After watching how easily Linfield rolled through the Northwest Conference in 2011, and seeing how many returners Linfield was bringing back, many thought going into the season that Linfield would have just as easy of a time in 2012.  At this point in the season, perception has changed a bit.  Whitworth has the top record in the conference at 5-0, and nobody has forgotten how they almost upset Linfield in 2011.  Willamette is 4-0, and boasts the best offense in the conference at this juncture in the season.  Not to be forgotten, Lewis & Clark is 4-0, and boasts not only the second-best offense in the NWC, but statistically the best defense in the NWC.  If Linfield continues to play as sloppy as they’ve been so far this season, any of those three teams can upset them and end their three-year reign of the NWC.