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
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