Linfield takes one in the chin in 27-19 loss at Redlands

Saturday night was a rough one for the Linfield Wildcats as the Bulldogs finally got one on the ‘Cats. It was an ugly football game in many regards, but the bottom line is that Redlands earned that win with a physical defensive front, with speed and play making in their offensive skill ranks, and better special teams play.  That sentence I just wrote has been Linfield’s modern era formula for success and the Wildcats got beat at their own game down in SoCal.

What really sucks for Linfield is that the ‘Cats had a number of chances to stem Redlands’ momentum but kept have breakdowns or lapses at inopportune moment after moment.  It was wildly frustrating, from the first series brutally bad fumble call, to sailing a snap 30 yards over our QB’s head to set up a quick six for Redlands. The second half killer is that Linfield had two-point blank chances to change the flow of the game on what should have been a huge pick that was dropped.  The very next play Redlands punted, and Tyler Torgerson housed it for what looked like six but an unneeded block in the back at the start of the return erased that scored.  So instead of it being 20-16 early in the 4th, the Linfield offense was backed up to their own goal line, and four plays later, Redlands blocked a punt for TD instead. Just a killer 14-point swing sequence for Linfield.

Redlands did their fair share of stupid stuff too and adding to that might have been the worst officiated game I’ve seen with my own eyes. The officiating was bad both ways and I would spend much more time breaking down how shameful that crew was, but Linfield lost the game, and harping on that too much would come off like sour grapes and excuses.

The main reason why Linfield lost on Saturday night is that the Bulldogs were better in the trenches.  That is a hard thing to type but it’s the truth.  Linfield has always been the more physical team upfront in this series but not this time around. It was clearly apparent that Redlands has been spending the time the past couple of years in building to this and were able to harvest the fruits of their labor with their line play.

It was a cold bucket of water right to the face to have a SCIAC team take it to Linfield up front and I’m sure that the coaches are going to think long and hard about making sure this is an outlier moment and not something that will develop into a trend.

Saturday sucked but I would love to get another crack at this Redlands team in the post-season.  The ‘Cats had some critical failures on Saturday night. Most of these issues are fixable issues that would allow Linfield to see another outcome if these two teams crossed paths again but the path to get there is long and narrow.

It’s playoff mode for Linfield right now.  If this team aspires to getting back into the NCAA’s, it starts with all eyes on NWC play and starting off on Pacific.  The ‘Cats have a laundry list of issues they have to address and clean up, but I know this staff well enough to know that this team is going to be dangerous as we move along in 2019.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

Passing attack:  The ‘Cats have a dangerous passing game, and when provided protection, Smith and company can deliver. 24 of 36 for 274 yards and a touchdown is a productive night. The chemistry is there with Smith and his receivers and this is where the offense is going to hang their hat this season.

3rd down Defense: Statistically, the ‘Cats defense was outstanding here in holding Redlands to 3 of 13 on 3rd down. It’s just that 1 of those 3 was a critical conversion on 3rd and 10 that allowed Redlands to extend a drive that wound up resulting in Redland’s longest drive of the night (I’m still kicking rocks over of that one).

Battling:  When Redlands blocked that punt to go up 27-9 early in the 4th quarter, lesser teams and players would have folded.  Instead, Linfield kept the pressure on and kept battling.  In fact, Linfield played their way right into giving themselves a shot in the lasting moments of the contest. That shows character and heart for a program that’s not in that situation very often.

Field Goal Kicking: 2 for 2 in this department. I put our special teams in the bad category below (rightfully so) but it was good to see that Linfield does have the ability to lean on getting 3 consistently on drives that stall out.

The Bad

Negative Rushing Attack: -37 yards. Must be a record for the worse statistical rushing game in program history.  Yeah, the big snap over the head accounted for a big chunk of the negative yards but if you went just off our primary RB’s (Artie Johnson) numbers, the ‘Cats were only able to pick up 28 net positive yards rushing the football.  Terrible. That may sound harsh, but the staff/players know that is not going to get it done. Credit Redlands defensive front for dominating the LOS but the ‘Cats have to make significant improvements running the ball in NWC play.  Eventually, we’re going to run into a bad weather game, and if we can’t pass the ball, then we’re going to get into a dogfight with a lesser team.

Tackling:  There were several times that Linfield called the right defense, put guys in the right place, and our tackling failed which allowed Redlands to pick up additional yardage, or at critical moments, allowed the QB to extend the play and convert.  Tip your hat to Redlands because they have talented skill guys but if Linfield’s defense is going to reach their potential the effort on tackling must be better than Saturday night.

Special Teams:  I was going to only type special team’s protection but had to add the whole group with that blown TD punt return chance.  The thing that killed me on the danger punt block is it just wasn’t one Bulldog that made the block but there was nearly three Bulldogs that were right there on top of Ramos. Regardless, having a PAT blocked, the blown touchdown, and the block against for touchdown were huge negative components for Linfield.

Pass Pro:  Holy smokes, there were at least 6-8 instances of Redlands having a free blitzer off the edge getting shots off at our quarterbacks. I know that the fumble call on the opening drive was total crap but it wouldn’t have happened if some picked up the blitz off the edge.  Redlands got way too much pressure on Smith and Linfield made it too easy.  But Redland was able to pin their ears back because there was zero threat from Linfield to rush the ball. If Linfield is going to hang their offensive hat on throwing the ball, the ‘Cats need improvement in cleaning up assignments in protection.

Giving up the outside edges: I don’t know if this was a matter of technique, assignment execution, or underestimating their speed at RB (which was dang good), but Linfield’s defense was gashed a number of times on the outside edges of the defense and it killed Linfield at the worst times.

Penalties: The penalties were abysmal for both teams (that crew shouldn’t be allowed to ref my daughter’s 3rd grade soccer games) so it’s hard to vent too much here.  If there’s any take away, I
hope this prepares this team with the ability to adjust quicker to how the official’s crew is calling it. 

The Ugly

Redland’s Post Game Celebration: After the game the teams went to their respective sides of the field for the post game talk.  Saturday night was their Head Coach’s 200th career win and they opened a live mic for their college President (might have been a former President) to address the crowd.  Rightfully so, the guy was excited and called it the best night in program history, etc, etc.  Then their head coach got on the mic and talked about the big win, etc, etc.  Nothing they said was bad, and I’m not upset they did that.  They won, they get to celebrate, but it was a bitter pill and a big ass reminder that beating Linfield is a HUGE deal to other programs.  It should be, as the ‘Cats have been the D3 bully on the block for 20 years. Every team is going to be hyped, break out new wrinkles, do whatever they can to achieve the feeling that Redlands was swimming in after downing Linfield.  I hope the feeling of sitting there in silence listening to those speeches stick with this group as they move forward the rest of the season. We’ve got work to do.

2019 NWC Pick ‘Em: Week 3

Let’s roll!

It’s the last weekend before everyone takes a bye week to get ready for the start of Northwest Conference play.  And speaking of “conference” I need to freestyle here about a pet peeve of mine.  We (Linfield, PLU, Fox, Whit, etc, etc.) play football in a conference and not a league.  I cringed the other day when a Northwest CONFERENCE head coach kept referring to the NWC as a league and not a conference. It’s a minor thing to get worked up over but if there are any players or coaches around the NWC that do read this (I know you do) please remember this is college football, not high school.

I was mostly correct about how I thought Week 2 was going to play out for the NWC teams.  The only one I was terribly off the mark was Lewis & Clark.  That’s what I get for getting influenced by a stupid yearly article from Kerry Eggers on how great L&C is going to be.  Getting shutout by Pamona Pitzer is brutal way to start the season. It’s never cool to have to tell your boys that you got blanked by a team whose mascot is the Sagehens.

For the rest of the conference, Redlands embarrassed UPS, Pacific showed fight before falling to Dubuque, PLU had a feel good win over a bad CLU team (the Kingsmen looks like they forgot to pick up their offense at the Sea-Tac baggage claim), Willamette (sporting their all new white road uniforms (yes, another Linfield knockoff)) traded touchdowns against La Verne before dropping that game, and Fox brought the defense but their offense continues to clunk around in a 15-14 loss to Alfred.

After two weeks of play in the NWC, it’s Whitworth/Linfield and everyone else. Every NWC teams has some talent or good units, but in terms of complete football teams, I’m not seeing it so far around the conference besides at the tippy top. But growth can happen, and teams can start clicking as we move along.  Let’s get into Week 3 action which features exclusive SCIAC vs NWC match-ups.

Northwest Conference Games of the Week:

Whittier (2-0) over L&C (0-1) (at L&C):  Don’t let that 2-0 from Whittier fool you.  The Poets beat Luther from the American Rivers Conference (Luther was picked to finish 8th by the ARC coaches) and Whittier has the nads to count beating Lewis and Clark Valley College to their 2-0 record. C’mon man, that’s a JV scrimmage game.  Regardless, I want to pick L&C to win this weekend but the Pios have a new offensive scheme, and based off last week, the Pioneers are struggling to wrap their minds around it. Who knows, the Pios will be that team that I just can’t get right in 2019 and will probably score 56 points this weekend.

Willamette (0-1) over Oxy (1-0) (at Willamette):  Occidental topped the mighty Centro de Ensenanza Tecnica y Superior University Zorros out of Tijuana, Mexico last weekend.  Their press released did said this was an exhibition game, but their schedule is stating 1-0.  Whatever, Oxy needs any win they can get.  I think they have the Little Giants scheduled in 2020.  Willamette showed some offensive pop against La Verne last weekend and that gives me the confidence to have them go over the Tigers in Sause Town.

PLU (1-0) over CMS (at CMS): Break up the Lutes’.  PLU is a young football team and their offense looked like the 70’s/80’s Raiders with all the deep balls they threw in the 1st half against CLU (didn’t complete many of them). The Lutes’ are going to play hard and fly around on Saturday.  Not saying they’re a good football team yet but you can see they are well coached. CMS always have a few very talented football players surrounded by average to bad football players. The Lutes will get another SCIAC win and feel good headed into NWC play.

UPS (1-1) over La Verne (1-1) (at UPS): The Loggers will get a bounce back win over La Verne this weekend.  Yeah, the Loggers offense killed any chance they had to hang in there with Redlands with those 8 turnovers, but man, that Logger defense looked terrible.  I won’t be too harsh because Redlands is freaking good this year but any team that has any ability to throw the ball is going to carve up UPS like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Whitworth (1-0) over Chapman (1-0) (at Chapman): This should be a fun football game. Chapman had some impressive young talent at running back and have an absolute stud at receiver in Trevor Vile.  The Panthers should provide the Rats with a solid test but Whitworth is going to have too much to handle on both sides of the ball. Could be tight early but as the game moves along this should be all Whitworth.

Fox (0-2) over Pamona Pitzer (1-0) (at Fox):  I have zero confidence in the George Fox offense right now.  The Fox offense is built on establish the running game and GFU is averaging 86.0 yards in their first two games and haven’t broke the 20-point mark yet.  Hey, at least they set a team record last weekend in a 14-15 loss. Seriously, the leading line on their Alfred game story said the Bruins set a school record for distance traveled.  What an incredible accomplishment that isn’t listed anywhere in their actual record book.  For Saturday, Pamona shutout the Pios last weekend, so maybe this is another tight low scoring game?  I think Fox will have more talent and depth for PP to handle and that will allow GFU’s social media accounts to tweet/post results about the game instead of pretending like the games never happened.

Pacific (0-2) over CLU (0-1) (at CLU): Wow, CLU’s offense looked like the Bad News Bears last weekend up at PLU.  You don’t want to fully judge a football team based off their Week 1 performance, but if you did, the Kingsmen are not a good football team this year.  This will be the Boxers best shot at winning a football game yet. I’ll tip the cap to Pacific in defeat last week. They were down 28-7 to Dubuque late in the first half and could have tapped out but Pacific stormed back to get the score to 26-28 late in the 3rd before the Spartans were able to put it out of reach. Losing sucks but Pacific showed some growth that they can build on. Boxers get it done.

Wildcat11’s Week 3 NWC Power Rankings:

1. Whitworth: Champs had the weekend off before they continue their march to Linfield
2. Linfield: Big ‘ol challenge this weekend.
3. PLU: Everyone else lost so ‘Lutes get the honor of being the best of the rest.
4. Pacific: Showed fight and have pieces to make some noise in conference play.
5. Puget Sound: Their defense sucks but have an offense.
6. George Fox: Their offense sucks but have a defense.
7. Willamette: Showed some offensive punch in their week 1 loss.
8. Lewis & Clark: You got shutout by Pamona Pitzer. Just have to wear it this week, boys.

2019 Game 2 Preview: Linfield (1-0) at Redlands (2-0)

Another round of 'Cats vs Bulldogs

It’s time for some West Coast non-conference action as YOUR Linfield Wildcats will once again jump on a plane, and this time, head to the San Bernardino Valley to square off against a red-hot Redlands University Bulldog squad on Saturday night (7pm kickoff).

Redlands is a legit Top 25 team, and in watching their first two games, I can safely say that this is the best Redlands team I’ve seen in the 20+ year span that Linfield and Redlands have been in the NCAA together (Linfield’s first year in the NCAA was 1998). This is a dangerous and complete football team that the ‘Cats will be playing.  No doubt, this is a high stakes non-conference game on several levels. We’re talking about major playoff implications, recruiting clout, momentum headed into conference play.  It’s going to be a playoff type of atmosphere at Ted Runner Stadium.

For me, the biggest difference (there’s a few) between this year’s Redlands team and past is their physicality up front on both sides of the line.  I feel Redland’s offensive line play has been outstanding in games 1 and 2, and the Bulldogs possess a defensive line that can get after the quarterback.  You can tell this program was in the weight room this off-season.

Defensively, the Redlands will be playing their 3-3-5 base defense and have excellent size and athleticism on their defensive line.  Currently, the two leading tacklers for Redlands are a pair of physical linebackers in Matthew Betancourt and Jermaine Calhoun.  Behind the LB’s, the Bulldogs feature a group of defensive backs who have piled up 6 interceptions in two games.  Overall, the Bulldogs are only giving up 259.0 yards per game and have been nails against the run (50.5 yards per game).  This will be a step up and much bigger challenge for the ‘Cats young offensive line this week.

On offense, what a difference a year makes. The Bulldogs scuffled at times last year with their production and are unrecognizable this year (in a good way for Redlands). I mentioned it above, but the Dawgs offensive line has matured and are a nasty group this year.  That’s where it starts but not where it ends for Redlands.  Freshman running back Mason Carvalho is a stud. Carvalho is a great blend of speed/agility/power and a perfect fit for the Dawgs spread offense. Redlands also have some fine play makers at receiver as well and Linfield will see a dangerous pass catching Tight End in Blake Roy.

But the straw that stirs the drink for Redland’s offense is quarterback Nathan Martinez.  The Junior quarterback has been outstanding so far in 2019.  Don’t let his size fool you (5’9”, 155 lbs) this kid is a fearless and dangerous duel threat QB.  Martinez is leading the Redlands offense to 516.5 yards per game and a balance that would make any offense coordinator smile ear to ear (252.5 rushing yards per game to 264.0 passing yards per game).  The Wildcat defensive staff will have a lot to chew on this week on how the ‘Cats are going to try to slow down this offense.

For the ‘Cats, it’s time to put last weekend in the rear view mirror and get serious about this weekend.  There’s no doubt that the Redlands' coaching staff, players, fan base will be fired up for this game.  They know they have something going on and would love nothing more to finally get one over on Linfield.  This game has a big-time feel to it and should have a ton of Division 3 eyeballs on the Redland’s stream of the game.

Myself, I’m excited for this game.  I’ve taken my fair share of jabs at Redlands in the past, but this 2019 version has my attention.  In watching the Dawgs slap around George Fox, I said to myself “Dang, this is a team that could do damage in the playoffs.”  What a great test for the ‘Cats this weekend.  Let’s get to some keys!

Wildcat11’s Keys To Victory

Complete effort:  Another long road game.  Dealing with travel. Facing a team/program that is looking to make a statement. Playing in hot weather.  Walking into a hostile environment.  It’s going to be a stiff test against Redlands.  That means it’s all hands-on deck.  Linfield must start fast and maintain focus for a full four quarters.  Ted Runner stadium is a tough place to play and a damn good opponent will make it that much harder.  Better be ready to buckle up.

Limit the Bulldog rushing attack: That’s a lot easier to write than to accomplish. Carvalho is the primary back, but Redlands will give carries to multiple RB’s (Kai Thompson is averaging 60.5 yards per game) and Martinez is a major threat in both designed runs and scrambling.  Rowan had quite a bit of success rushing this past weekend and I’m sure Redlands will be looking to do the same.

Need offensive balance:  Linfield’s offense cannot be one dimensional on Saturday night.  It’s incredibly important that Linfield makes Redlands respect the rushing game of the ‘Cats.  Doing that will go a long way to opening up the passing game for Linfield.  If the ‘Cats allow the Bulldogs defensive line to control the LOS, it’s going to be a tough task to move the ball.

Have to be great tacklers:  Not only does Linfield need to do this in the rush game but the ‘Cats tackling is going to be tested in the passing game. Redlands loves to throw out into the boundary and work to clear out coverage and hit the shallow crossing routes to let their inside guys go to work.  The first defender on the scene must do a great job of keeping leverage and limiting the run after the catch.  If Linfield can be consistent here, it will help in bogging down the Dawgs’ offense.  If not, it could be a long night trying to slow Redlands down.

Clean pockets: We all saw on Saturday that if Wyatt Smith has a clean pocket to work from, Linfield is going to be explosive throwing the ball. In watching film, I think this will be a stiffer test for our young offensive line, and if they can’t keep Wyatt clean, it will go a long way towards offensive production.

Priority on possession: This is football 101 and I feel I write this in every keys to victory segment but it’s true.  The Wildcats must put a premium on ball security and making good decisions.  Redland’s defense has proven so far, they can take the ball away and change the momentum of the game. Whoever limits turnovers will naturally increase their chances of victory.

Special on special teams:  When you have a tightly contested game on paper, the difference maker can come down to special teams.  The ‘Cats need to be great here in doing the little things like catching the ball, getting kicks off clean, staying in lanes, keep leverage, sustaining blocks, and converging on carries. One or two special teams play could tilt victory to either side this Saturday.

Overall

‘Cats by 3. This should be a fantastic football game.  Both teams are physical, fast, and talented. I’m excited to see the talent and how the coaches scheme and adjust as the game goes on.  This game could come down to who has the football last and I believe that this Linfield team has a tightness that will help the Wildcats navigate towards a victory.

Fuhgeddaboudit!!! ‘Cats roll 35-14 in season opener at Rowan.

Team. Excellence. Attitude. Class.

Yup, that was a good start to the season.  I’m not at practice every day but the times I attended fall camp, I liked what I saw from this group on a number of levels.  Yes, there’s still a list of areas and items where this Linfield team needs to improve, and the ‘Cats were far from a finished product against Rowan, but we have a chance to be a damn good football team.  (On a side note, it took me about 45 minutes to come up with a headline to this game review because everything I had would have landed me in hot water.  The 16-year-old in me couldn’t get past playing at Richard Wacker stadium.)

That wasn’t an easy game on multiple fronts.  The travel alone was grueling. In talking to some players on the way out, this was easily the furthest East of the United Sates they’ve been in their lives. On top of that, this is a younger core as well with the largest class on the trip being sophomores. There was a lot of ‘new’ going on for this Linfield program. That said, confidence in their potential is high and we had a peek of this against the Profs.

Rowan for their part is a solid team.  They certainly look the part in terms of size and skill.  Hell, if you were going to use the eyeball test to judge who was going to win on Saturday, most unknowing people would have dumped buckets of money on Rowan’s chances.  This isn’t a new story when playing teams from outside the West Region for Linfield, but time after time, when the ball is kicked off the ‘Cats have them singing a different tune.

This Saturday was no different as the ‘Cats showcased a swarming ball-hawking defense and an offense that struck quickly with the deep ball as the ‘Cats pushed the lead to 14-0 late in the first half.  But Rowan mounted a heck of a drive that saw the Profs crack the scoreboard with no time left in the half to get the score to 14-7 Linfield.  It was a big drive for Rowan and gave them life going into the break.

The second half started slow for the Linfield offense in two fruitless drives to start the 2nd and that’s when Rowan scored their 2nd and last touchdown on the day in a 30 yard rushing gash to tie the game up at 14.  It was a critical moment for Linfield and the offense answered with a quick TD of their own to push out into a lead and the Wildcats never looked back in the 35-14 victory for Linfield.

While the win felt great to start the season, Linfield cannot afford to put their feet up on the dash.  Up next for Linfield is a huge challenge down in Southern California when Linfield once again plays Redlands. The ‘Cats have owned the series against the Bulldogs since they first played in 1998 but this 2019 version is easily the best Redlands football team I’ve seen and the ‘Cats better be ready to roll.

We’ll talk more about the Dawgs on Wednesday but let’s get to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from this past weekend’s win over the Profs.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

Handling the travel:  Awesome job by the staff and players in dealing with the commercial travel to get to Rowan. Linfield didn’t come out on Thursday but rather on Friday.  The team was split into two groups and didn’t get into the hotel until about 8pm Friday night (no Friday practice). But every step of the way, food and hydration was waiting, the players were well organized by the staff, and I didn’t see a single leg cramp on the field during the game. (Rowan had at least 3 different guys go down with cramps.)  An outstanding job by the staff and players with their attention to detail, staying focused on the trip, but making the most of it along the way.  This is great group of guys.

Passing Attack:  Awesome effort by the offense in throwing the ball. O-line/RB’s protected, Wyatt Smith delivered, and we have a number of ‘Cats that can get behind a defense.  Smith was great in going 24 of 35 for 283 yards 4 TD’s. Smith spread the ball around to Keegan Weiss (5 for 104 yds and 2 tds), Keaton Wood (3 for 63 yards and 1 td), Tyler Torgerson (7 for 41 yds), and Jacob Calo (4 for 40 and 1 TD).  Outstanding job by these guys and once Colton Smith starts growing into the offense, you’re going to have 4 guys on the outside that can run right past you. Scary.

The Wildcats opened up the scoring this past Saturday vs Rowan with this @Gators15Smith 55-yard TD pass to @k10swai in @LinfieldFB's 35-14 road victory. #Catdome pic.twitter.com/Huyj24VGPx

— Catdomealumni Football (@Catdome_alumni) September 15, 2019

Creating turnovers: Outstanding job by our defense in this phase of the game.  Both of our starting Corners (Tyler Sitton, and Chris Adamo) had interceptions as well as starting safety Dustin Ramsayer-Burdett.  Then you throw in Brian Pullman’s outstanding strip forced fumble that Keyell Davis scooped up and the ‘Cats racked up a 4-pack turnover day.  Those turnovers were all big as Adamo and Ramsayer-Burdett’s picks halted Prof drives and the Linfield offense punched in TD’s off of Sitton and Davis/Pullman’s work.  We have play makers on this defense.

Corner @Sitton02 came up with Linfield's first pick of the season during the 2nd quarter of @LinfieldFB's 35-14 victory over Rowan. #Catdome pic.twitter.com/JIdu5wERlS

— Catdomealumni Football (@Catdome_alumni) September 16, 2019

Overall pass pro:  If you go back and look at the two long TD strikes from Wyatt Smith you would see Smith in a clean pocket and Smith stepping into his throws.  That comes from great pass protection.  This is a young offensive line and they did a nice job against a defensive line with a returning D3 All-American on it.  I though the RB’s did a good job picking up the blitz and overall it was a solid effort. No time to be content as I think next week’s pass rush will be a notch up in terms of challenge.

Limiting Prof big plays: Rowan’s offense popped two big plays today (long 1st quarter pass and 30-yard TD run) but beyond that the ‘Cats held the big play in check.  That’s pretty good considering the Profs ran 83 offensive plays on the day.

Pass Coverage:  Linfield limited the profs to 151 passing yards on the day (17 of 30) with one TD against the 3 picks we talked about above.  Our DB’s competed hard for the ball once it was in the air and made a number of big plays, breakups, and a highlight reel collision as well.

Having an answer:  Holy smokes, when Rowan tied it up at 14 in that 3rd quarter you could feel their sideline swell up with excitement. The Profs had new life and it was a big moment for this Linfield offense.  The first two possessions of the half were not great.  I specifically said in my mind “Well, we’re gonna learn a little bit about our offense.”  3 plays and 57 seconds later the ‘Cats answered back with a Smith to Calo TD pass and took the wind out of Rowan’s sails.  That Wildcat response was a decisive body blow on the outcome of the game.

Bonus Awesome

The trip to Manhattan:  That was just something else.  Coach Smith works hard on making these long flight trip special as the ‘Cats have gone to Dodger or Angels games when visiting SoCal in the past, or the trip to Philly when Linfield ran the “Rocky Steps” and toured Independence Square during the 2014 Semi-Finals at Widener. This time around Coach Smith and the staff arranged a trip on the Staten Island Ferry to drop off the ‘Cats in the heart of Manhattan to visit the Ground Zero memorial.  As usual, the players had no idea where we were going until we showed up at the St. George Ferry terminal.  It was both exciting to be in New York and incredibly humbling to visit Ground Zero. It was an unforgettable experience.  Thank you Coach Smith for always making each year about more than just football.
The Bad

4th down defense:  Letting an offense go 5 for 5 on 4th down is never going to be ok or acceptable for any defense, let alone one like Linfield’s.  The ‘Cats defense was rock solid on 3rd down (allowed 6 conversions on 17 attempts) but struggled in turning the Profs away on 4th down.
Need to rush the ball better:  Look, the Wildcats offense put up 35 points in their debut game with a revamped offensive line.  I’m proud of that group. However, you and I both know that in order for Linfield to reach another level we have to have balance in this offense and 2.1 yards per carry is not going to get it done.

Jumping offsides:  I’m going to chalk this up to first game excitement by the defensive line but the defensive line has to be much better going forward on holding their water. I believe we jumped offsides four times and all that did was turn 2nd/3rd and long into much more manageable downs for the Rowan offense.

Putting the ball at risk too much:  Linfield only had two turnovers on the day but was in danger of having a 3rd pick and nearly turned it over on 2 fumbles deep on our town territory.  Those balls go the other way and maybe we’re having a different conversation today.

The Ugly

Nothing.  A victory, no major injuries, an incredible bonus trip on top of the game made for a weekend to remember. We all know and understand that one game doesn’t make for a season (in victory or defeat) but this weekend was a blast to take part in. There are a lot of little signs that this can be an excellent football team, however, there is a laundry list of items to address and shore up to get there. This Saturday is going to be a big test for Linfield so now’s the time to put the Rowan game in the past and turn all focus on the Bulldogs.

2019 Game 1 Preview: Linfield (0-0) at Rowan (0-1)

Tight End Jacob Calo is looking to point Linfield in the right direction.

YEAH, the college football season is once again upon us and it’s time for another year of Linfield College football.  Can you feel it in the air?  The 2019 Linfield Wildcats have been hard at work in the ‘Catdome getting really for a really strange schedule that will see the ‘Cats on the road for all of September before the ‘Cats make their home debut in Mid-October.  But those are the breaks, and if anything, it presents Linfield with a unique opportunity to start the season on the east coast for what must be the program’s longest regular season road game in Wildcat history (I didn’t look that up, just guessing).  Yeah, the ‘Cats have been on the east coast before (last time was 2014 at Widener for the NCAA Quarterfinals) but never during the regular season. So, right out of the gates, the ‘Cats will have to deal with a long flight and play against an opponent that has a game under their belt in the Rowan Profs.  But Linfield’s path is rarely easy in during the non-conference and 2019 is no exception.

Going into the season the ‘Cats have a mixed bag.  The 'Cats have a ton of reasons to be excited about what this team could develop into and then also having questions that have to be answered for this squad to reach that potential.  This season very much reminds me of last year in some regards.  Last year, the ‘Cats had potential to be a dangerous team but suffered some early season stumbles.  After the Whitworth road loss, Linfield still had some ups and downs, but at the very end against Pacific, the ‘Cats put it all together and would have been a dangerous playoff team.  The Linfield team I saw that day reminded me of the Sam Riddle led playoff teams from ‘14-‘16.  But it didn’t matter because the 2018 ‘Cats did what any NWC team doesn’t want to do and that’s leave it up to a playoff committee.  So that’s a big take away for this 2019 team that I hope has stuck with them this past winter, spring, and fall camp.  Linfield cannot afford to come out of the gates slow and stumble in the non-conference.  My hope is this Wildcat team doesn’t wait to forge an identity and comes out of the gates swinging.  Linfield must be willing to put a stamp on what this team is going to build upon as the season progresses.

The Linfield Athletics page already did a team breakdown by position group with some quotes from Coach Smith so I’m not going to rehash all the different players by each group and keep it more of a 10,000 foot view of each side of the ball.

The offense is going to come down to how quickly Linfield’s talented but untested young offensive line handles the pressure.  Smith has looked great at Quarterback this fall camp (continuing his fine play from the second half of 2018) and the ‘Cats have legit play making ability at both receiver and at running back. But that will mean little if Linfield can’t move bodies and allow Smith to stay in the pocket. I’m not expecting perfection from the offensive line early, but I am hopeful they can develop sooner rather than later in the season.

Flipping over to the defense, yes the ‘Cats do look strong here, but also have some positions that need to get sorted out and have guys seize the opportunity and solidify what should be a strong unit.  I think the ‘Cats defensive line should be a difference maker.  We’re not huge up front but we have dudes that can flat get after it.  I think there are multiple All-Region and better talent in up front on the ‘Cats defensive line.  I think a spot that’s really going to step up is at Linebacker.  We’re still youthful at LB, but again, we have a big opportunity to be very good at this spot as the season moves along.  At the end of it, the defense is going to be as good as we can cover guys. Our schedule is loaded with opponents that have guys that can make big plays in the passing game.

One thing that I have noticed, and it’s something that isn’t on a stat sheet, is the vibe of this team.  Not saying in the previous couple of seasons that the team chemistry was bad, but it’s very noticeable how tight this 2019 team is.  It’s one of those things that you gotta be around to feel and notice it but it’s very apparent with this group.  Yeah, this isn’t a measurable, but I think is a positive signal about what could be in store for the 2019 Wildcats.

The Wildcats will need that togetherness right off the bat as Linfield has a big old hill to climb with a long flight out to New Jersey to face a quality opponent in the Rowan Profs.  The Profs are members of the New Jersey Athletic Conference and will present a hard test for this Linfield squad.  The Profs feature excellent combination of size in the trenches and game breaking talent in the skill ranks.
Rowan does have a leg up on Linfield on multiple fronts.  With the fact they’re not having to travel across the country, get to play at home, and they already have a game under their belt to work out some of the issues that tripped them up in their week 1 loss (38-28) to a fine Widener Pride program.

This will be a challenge game for Linfield as some of the Profs strengths, defensive line and receiver, are going to be attacking the ‘Cats freshest faces, O-Line and defensive backs.  I think this is going to be a tight and hotly contested ball game.  If you don’t think Rowan will be hyped to have a program of Linfield’s caliber coming into their house, you’re only fooling yourself. The ‘Cats better be ready to buckle it up.

Wildcat11’s keys to victory

Don’t wait, come out fast:  Rowan came out a little flat last week but then picked it up as the moved on. That momentum will carry into this Saturday, so Linfield can’t wait to work stuff out of their system for a half.  The ‘Cats need to start fast because you know the Profs will be looking to get Linfield on their heels early.

Need offensive balance: Linfield’s offense must find a way to be a balanced attack.  That’s much easier said than done as Rowan was stout last week in only yielding 86 rushing yards (2.5 avg) against Widener.  Linfield's offense will scuffle if the 'Cats can’t find a way for Rowan to respect the rushing attack.

Bottle up the Prof running game: Rowan has dudes that can move on the outside but if Linfield allows the Profs to establish a running game, it’s going to be a long day for the ‘Cats defense.

Take care of the football:  Being careless with the football is a quick way to 0-1. Anyone that touches the ball for Linfield must put a premium on security and Wyatt Smith must make good decisions in the pass game. Not turning it over will not guarantee a victory but it certainly will help the cause.
Making plays on the football:  When the ball goes in air, who is going to want it more?  I feel the passing attack is going to be crucial for both teams and the team that make more plays on the ball will be a major deciding factor on the victor.

Making plays on the football:  When the ball goes in air, who is going to want it more?  I feel the passing attack is going to be crucial for both teams and the team that make more plays on the ball will be a major deciding factor in the victory.

Overall:

Linfield by 3. What a way to start the season. Yeah, D3football.com put a high ranking on Linfield during the preseason but to me that meaningless right now. If this Linfield team gets on this flight thinking Rowan is just going to roll over because of Linfield’s history and rank, then the ‘Cats might as well stay home. The Profs are going to be hyped and want nothing more than to slap down the ‘Cats.  Saturday is going to be a battle for Linfield, but I feel that the ‘Cats are going to be ready to go.  Expect To Win!

2019 NWC Pick ‘Em: Week 2

Wow.  Can’t believe we’re actually into Week 2 of the 2019 football season.  I love that the season is here but we all know this goes by quickly so let’s make sure we all enjoy the time.  Yeah, I didn’t get a pick ‘em up for last week as I was hustling to get some video projects wrapped up (like the one above! *cheap plug*) but I did spend time watching a great majority of the NWC teams in week 1 play.  Some teams surprised me with their performance, and not in a good way, and some teams are who we thought they were.   

Whitworth has the bye this week so I’ll get this my 2 cents on the Rats out of the way.  The Pirates smacked La Verne around down in SoCal last weekend 50-24.  The NWC coaches picked Whitworth to repeat as NWC champs and they looked good in their 2019 debut.  It’s early but I only see one true challenger on their schedule this season.  We know who that is.

I’ll sprinkle the rest of my thoughts in the week 2 picks below and in Wildcat11’s first NWC power rankings of the season.

NWC Games of the Week:

Redlands (1-0) over Puget Sound (1-0) at Redlands:  Redlands looks like a complete and legit playoff worthy team in week 1 in Newberg against Fox. Good physicality on both the offensive and defensive lines, liked their schemes, and have dudes in the skill positions (‘Cats better be ready to go next weekend).  Puget Sound knocked off Claremont last week and will be a tough out this year. The Loggers go with a 2-QB system with Rutledge as their primary passer and Bernhardt comes in for Georgetown rush packages.  Receiver AJ Johnson continues to be a stud receiver for UPS and Rutledge makes a ton of good plays but will throw 3-5 really bad balls per game.  However, I do think the UPS defensive backfield is suspect and Redlands will expose that on Saturday and limit the Logger running game.  Dawgs take care of business.

Lewis & Clark (0-0) over Pomona-Pitzer (1-0) at PP: In 2018 Pomona knocked off Lewis and Clark and my gut tells me the Pios return the favor and start the season at 1-0.  L&C is debuting a new offensive scheme tomorrow from a local high school coach that was hired as the OC in the off-season.  I believe it’s a single back/spread/hurry up (a.k.a. every other offense in college).  I look for the Pios to hitch their wagon on returning All-NWC running back Michael Abraham (kid is a hoss) and ride him to a victory.

Alfred (1-0) over George Fox (0-1) at Alfred (NY):  The Bruins are also on the East Coach this weekend (Man…they really do try to copy everything Linfield does) as GFU is in New York facing the Alfred Saxons from the Empire 8.  Alfred is on a good run with a National Semi's appearance in 2016 and are coming off an 8-3 season last year.  They kicked off the 2019 season with a 42-0 shutout of Thiel.  On the other side the George Fox Bruins have a football team.  Fox looked bad in week 1 and especially on the offensive line.  GFU’s offense is all based on the ability to run the ball, and if their line play doesn’t improve, it’s going to be a long year for Linfield Lite.  The Butlers knock off the Bruins.

Dubuque (0-1) over Pacific (0-1) at Dubuque (IA):  It’s the 5th year in a row that these two out-of-conference foes match up, with Pacific looking to finally knock off the Spartans.  If I had to base the Boxers chances on what I saw from them last Saturday, then I would say it’s probably not gonna happen in 2019 either.  I mean, the Boxers made the Chapman defensive line looks like Mary Hardin-Baylor at times.  The Pacific offensive line play might have been worse than George Fox, and that was brutal.  On the other side of the ball, Pacific's defense would make two nice plays in a row and then get absolutely gashed by Chapman. What was most depressing for Pacific was their crowd, or the lack of one. I think class started in Forest Grove but you wouldn’t know it based on the attendance. The official attendance number for last Friday's game was 737. (George Fox would have listed that at number at 2,367). You could have shot cannons in the Boxer end zone bleachers and not harm a single living creature.  It doesn’t seem too long ago when it seemed like the Boxers had a lot of excitement around their program, but if Saturday is an indication, maybe that new car smell has finally faded and the fan base is left with the aroma of a middle of the pack finisher. As for Saturday, this might be tight game, and the Boxers receivers might make enough plays, but I’m not betting on it.

Pacific Lutheran (0-0) over Cal Lutheran (0-0) at PLU: The Lutes’ get the honor of being the only NWC team hosting this weekend up at Sparks.  It’s year 2 under the new coaching staff and I think PLU is moving in the right direction. The Lutes’ brought in a big recruiting class and have been very active in making improvements to build towards the future.  I still think the Lutes’ are a couple of seasons away from being an NWC contender again but McCord and his staff are doing a good job.  CLU is actually the more experienced and talented team in this matchup, but Cal Lutheran is the most under-performing program on the West Coast.  The Kingsmen SHOULD win the SCIAC title each year but they seem to be a rudderless ship on the sea since their taste of success earlier in the decade. I might be off the mark on this one but I’m gonna give the Lutes’ the benefit of the doubt here.

La Verne (0-1) over Willamette (0-0) at La Verne: Battle of the two of the worst teams on the West Coast go down on Saturday.  The Bearcats are in year 1 of a major, and I mean major, rebuilding job under their new head coach and staff.  The new Bearcat staff was hired late and are only bring in 20 something new Bearcats. I’m not sure how much talent they could add to an already talent starved roster.  La Verne is not a very good football team but I suspect they’ll be better than the Bearcats. I hope I’m wrong because I wouldn’t mind a little Bearcat Rumble in week 1 because it’s going to be a LONG season for Willamette in the Northwest Conference.

Wildcat11’s Week 2 NWC Power Rankings:

1. Whitworth: They’re the champs and looked good in week 1.
2. Linfield: Dangerous week 1 game for the ‘Cats. Catdome baby!
3. Puget Sound:  Have offensive weapons but secondary is a big question mark
4. Lewis and Clark: The Pios are gonna surprise a lot of teams this year.
5. George Fox: If the offensive line play doesn’t improve, the Bruins are going to struggle
6. Pacific: I like the Sophomore QB and their receivers. They could turn it around and move up.
7. PLU: Going to be here for the majority of 2019.
8. Willamette: It was a decade ago that their program was talking about an NWC football dynasty. How times change.