2019 Game 3 preview: Linfield (1-1) vs Pacific (0-3)

Well, the game is at least in Oregon!

Thank the football gods that we’re past the bye week and getting back to football.  It’s been a long two weeks for the players, coaches, fans, and we’re ready to start backing the ‘Cats once again.  Obviously coming off a loss isn’t a party but my hope is that the Redlands game brought to light the flaws in Linfield’s game that needs to be tightened up and improved upon.

High up on that list for me are three items: better offensive line play, tackling needs to get way better out of our defense, and our special teams need better execution when it comes the blocking aspects of both protection and blocking on returns.  For the offensive line, this is a young group and they will improve as the season moves along, but it’s a tough situation because you want that growth this instant but you know there’s going to be bumps in the road. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Coach Vaughan has been as brilliant as always in putting his guys in the right places the great majority of the time through the first two games of the season.  What’s been haunting the Linfield defense are cases of technique failures and bad moments of tackling that is holding this group back from being a damn good Wildcat defense.  This issue is a case of looking in the mirror and deciding if the 2019 Linfield defense is going to be decent or if it’s going to be great.  If this group decides to be great, it’s going to come down to executing on their defensive assignments and how well they tackle.  This isn’t an issue of talent.

I’m not going to spend a whole paragraph on special teams because to me Linfield’s staff will find the guys that are going to take pride in special teams and clean up the boneheaded mistakes that just killed the ‘Cats chances of changing the complexion of the Redlands game.

I’m trying to be clear, and not use the purple tented glasses, in what I see this 2019 team needs in order to move their game up a notch.  There is NO doubt this Linfield team can be a force and win the NWC title once again but we need to show improvement and do it quickly. 

This Saturday is a chance for Linfield to show what strides they’ve taken as the ‘Cats head up the road to Forest Grove to face the Pacific Boxers.  This is the 5^th time Linfield has made the 30-minute trip to Pacific since the Boxers have reinstated the program in 2010.  While the ‘Cats hold a 4-0 record at Hanson Stadium since their reintroduction of football, it has been a mixed bag of a close call, some sloppy halves, and some excellent Linfield football as well.  The ‘Cats need to be ready this Saturday.

For Pacific, the Boxers are in desperate need of a great performance after a hard 0-3 start.  Chapman, who is playing good football, came up North and blew past an early 14-7 Pacific lead to win 45-14.  Then the Boxers went on the road and showed some great fight in a 37-26 loss that could have gone the other way.  But the one that must hurt the worst was the loss at Cal Lutheran when the Kingsmen took a 45-28 win (CLU had a 45-7 4^th quarter lead).

The thing that must be frustrating for the Boxer staff is they have some nice pieces on their roster but just haven’t been able to string together enough consistent good play to win a ballgame.  So, this is a team that can hit the big pass play, or run it between the tackles, and Pacific can get after the QB.  If Linfield is just looking at the 0-3 and not deeper, it could come back to haunt the ‘Cats.

Pacific’s offense wants to be a physical balanced attack and they’ve stuck to their guns rushing the ball 52% of the time to 48% passing the ball. The Boxers passing game is partly an extension of the rush game as Pacific is still running several quick screens where they try to get the offensive line involved.  And that run game and short strike passing attack is a great table setter for the shots downfield that Pacific will take as well.  I do like the Boxers Sophomore QB, Nick Bower.  He’s completed 66% of his 48 completed passes this season to Senior Kobe Williams (16 receptions, 113 yards per game, 3 TDs) and Ty Hargis (16 receptions, 33.3 yards per game, 1 TD). Carrying the rock for the Boxers is Junior Josh Harris.  Harris is a bigger RB at 6’ 1” 220 lbs and has a good nose for finding the creases in the defense.  Harris is averaging 95.0 yards per game at 5.2 per carry. The ‘Cats will see a little of RB Kash Taylor as well but Harris is their guy.

On Defense, the Boxers will primarily give the ‘Cats a traditional 3-4 defensive look and bring pressure for a number of different angles.  The ‘Cats will see some LB’s just walk up and blitz to delayed blitzing as well.  It’s an aggressive style but through three games the Boxers are allowing an average of 480.3 yards per game and 42.3 points.  There are times when they make big plays on the QB, or in the backfield, but Pacific gets hurt in losing some individual battles that cost the Boxers huge.  It’s an up and down unit that the ‘Cats offense has to jump on early and establish themselves as the aggressor.

Wildcat11’s Keys To Victory:

60 full minutes of Linfield Football: A big fear of mine is that Linfield will get up early and start taking their foot off the gas.  Pacific is going to play hard for all four quarters and have proven they can adjust and get back into games.  Linfield MUST be committed to playing a smart, fast, and physical brand of football for a full four quarters.

Establish a running threat: Pacific is allowing 212.7 rushing yards per game (5.1 per carry).  If this Linfield offense makes this Boxer defensive line look like the 1986 Chicago Bears, we’ve got some big ass problems. If Linfield can get the running game going, the ‘Cats will control this game.

Take away the Boxer running game: The Boxers can throw the ball and hurt you in the screen game but if you allow them to freely mix the run and pass, it’s trouble. Linfield’s defense has been gashed on the ground so far this season (188.5 yards per game allowed (…dang)) and the ‘Cats front is going to be tested once again on Saturday.  This area of the game I think will tell you just where the rest of this season will be going for the Linfield defense.

Limit potential big plays out of the Boxer offense:  If Linfield is going to commit to stuffing the run, then our corners/safeties are going to have to make plays on the football. 

Win the turnover battle:  Pretty simple.

Give Smith time to operate:  When allowed time, Wyatt Smith will deliver strikes to this group of receivers.  It will go a long way to a Linfield victory if the ‘Cats can let him stand and deliver.

Solid Special Teams: The fastest way that Linfield could breath life into Pacific is by bad special teams play.  Let’s protect our kickers and do our jobs on coverage/returns. I hope we’ve left the stupid football down in SoCal.

Overall

‘Cats by 10.  On paper, Linfield is the favorite this weekend, but games are not played on paper.  I love this Linfield team.  They are a tight knit group, but they have a lot to prove to folks around the conference right now. Is this a team leaning of name recognition or is this a group that’s going to be a force in the Northwest Conference and step on some necks?  We’re going to find out which way the wind is blowing this Saturday.  Go ‘Cats!