FB: Northwest Conference

Started by admin, August 16, 2005, 05:18:50 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Pat Coleman

Quote from: desertcat1 on November 11, 2023, 07:00:52 AM
Quote from: DuffMan on November 10, 2023, 11:03:24 PM
Sounds like quite the tilt at the Catdome tomorrow.  Will Bluenote be coherent by kickoff?  With the NCAA bid on the line, I suspect the Kitties will prevail over Whitworthless.
The Johnnies had better take care of business tomorrow and hope our Benedictine monks are praying extra hard because claiming a coveted pool C bid is no easy task in 2023.


Duff,   It should be no problem for the John's to get that c with two members from minnE sota on the RAC. ?  ;D :-*

Old Blue could sure hit the high "c" . 8-)

Go Cats
Go Big D

The RAC doesn't decide who gets a Pool C.
Publisher. Questions? Check our FAQ for D3f, D3h.
Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

catjumper

First off, congratulations to Whitworth on its victory – it was the better team today. To erase a 10-point deficit in the final quarter against a nationally ranked team on its home field is a significant achievement. This Linfielder is hoping the Pirates make a deep playoff run – the Northwest Conference needs it in rebuilding its national reputation.

As for the 'Cats, in the big picture this loss feels necessary for Linfield to take a step forward. Odd as it sounds, too much success can be detrimental – producing a mindset that you just have to show up to win. And much of the past decade there's been reason for the Wildcats to think that way.

Depending on the non-conference opponents, lately there have been eight or nine games per season Linfield will win just because it is physically better than its foe. Even far short of playing a perfect game, the Wildcats can simply overwhelm their opponents, often by at least 20 points.

Get into a game where the matchup of physical skills is more even, and you have to play clean, precise football to win, and you're not accustomed to doing that. Generally, since 2015 that has come in the second round of the playoffs for Linfield.

It's become predictable what each season will hold: adding to The Streak, a 9-0 regular season, a first-round win over the SCIAC champion at Maxwell Field, and then a second-round loss to a higher-ranked team on the road. Game days are still fun but, Week 1 to Week 11, there's little to no suspense as to the outcome. It's been, in a word, kind of boring.

I arrived at the feeling earlier this week that while I wanted Linfield to beat Whitworth, I wasn't going to be crushed if the 'Cats lost – it might provide a needed shakeup to Linfield and to the Northwest Conference.  A taste of losing makes winning more meaningful, and it might trigger the Wildcats – on those Saturdays they play a physically inferior opponent – to gauge themselves not against that opponent but against the ceiling of their capabilities.

One bright spot from today: Linfield may have found its next great quarterback. Luke McNabb brings dimensions to the offense that haven't been there since Josh Yoder and the early years of Sam Riddle – making defenses account for a quarterback run and having to discern where the ball is going when the quarterback and running back mesh and then separate. Plus, he showed a pocket presence far beyond what could be expected from a freshman in his second start, in a big game against a good team.

(Sidenote: I've long felt Yoder has never received the recognition he deserves in Linfield's pantheon of quarterbacks, largely because he had only one season as a starter. But if you check the record book for single-season marks his 2013 campaign has a lot of entries spread across the rushing, passing and total offense categories.)

A lot of good pieces could be back for Linfield in 2024. I'm hoping the rest of the NWC improves to test the 'Cats more frequently – and that the 'Cats test themselves against not only those opponents, but against the standard of playing a perfect game regardless of the opposition.

Okay, that went longer than I planned - sorry. I'll be watching the playoffs with interest and looking forward to seeing Linfield back in the bracket next November.

Ice Bear

What a great from the heart post catjumper. +k

I was disappointed with the Linfield result as I just have a ton of respect for the program, fans, and what Linfield does on the field year in and year out. You make some excellent points and I'm sure the Cats will rebound next year and carve their elite place into the D3 football landscape once again.
A long time fan of DIII Football!

MacQuiz

Catjumper found the measured and accurate analysis. 
Well said and plus as many Ks as allowed!
"THE METTLE'S IN THE MEN!"

D O.C.

#44149
He's a very busy guy now that he has d staff to critique and equity for every single support. I believe I still have a good relationship with SID Kelly Bird so I'm going to plead with him to rekindle sending names tod3football's Team of the Week for we are surely be fading from this site.
Who really watches late afternoon games 2-3 miles away.
It's, PR after all.


wildcat11

Quote from: wildcat11 on November 22, 2023, 02:40:47 PM
ALL-NWC is out

https://nwcsports.com/news/2023/11/22/2023-all-nwc-football-team-announced-pirates-ewing-sandberg-wildcats-rybar-and-loggers-nelson-earn-top-honors.aspx

Top awards are spot on.

BTW, the NWC HC's need to check themselves on the honorable mentions, there is like 500 guys on that list. Lewis and Clark had NINE guys named honorable mention.  NINE

desertcat1

Happy Thanksgiving to all , safe travels.

Go Cats
Go Big D

:-*
" If you are going to be a bear, be a Grizzly"

C.W. Smith

George Thompson

Quote from: wildcat11 on November 22, 2023, 02:40:47 PM
ALL-NWC is out

BTW, the NWC HC's need to check themselves on the honorable mentions, there is like 500 guys on that list. Lewis and Clark had NINE guys named honorable mention.  NINE

That is so true!!   We see it every year.

GT
GO CATS! GO!

Bearcat Press

Not sure if he'll still be coaching Oregon State in their bowl game now that the Beavers have promoted Trent Bray to be their new head coach, but Willamette alum Kefense Hynson was named OSU's interim head coach last Saturday:

https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/2023/11/oregon-state-names-receivers-coach-kefense-hynson-as-interim-head-coach.html

QuoteOregon State receivers coach Kefense Hynson was named as the program's interim head coach Saturday after coach Jonathan Smith left for Michigan State.

Hynson, the Beavers' receivers coach for each of Smith's six years at OSU, has never been a head coach. He'll coach the Beavers in their bowl game, to be announced Sunday, Dec. 3.

Hynson played college football at Willamette, where he was a three-time all-Northwest Conference defensive back. Hynson has coaching stops at Willamette (2003), Boise State (2004), Minnesota-Mankato (2005), Western Washington (2006-08), Yale (2009-11), Montana (2012-14), Norfolk State (2015) and Hawaii (2016-17).
"It's a slippery slope from the penthouse to the outhouse." - Mark Speckman

Bearcat Press

In other news about former Willamette coaches, Dan Hawkins has stepped down at UC Davis. As I'm sure many on this board remember, Coach Hawkins went 40-11-1 in five seasons at WU (1993-97), with conference titles in 1995, 1996, and 1997. The 1997 team--Willamette's best ever--finished the season 13-1 with a 14-7 loss to Findlay in the NAIA national championship game.

https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2023/11/28/dan-hawkins-stepping-down-as-aggie-head-football-coach.aspx
"It's a slippery slope from the penthouse to the outhouse." - Mark Speckman

The Third Division

Linfield has a 10 game schedule. Did something different happen for them to actually have a 10 game schedule this year??

Pat Coleman

Our understanding was that the decision to play nine was always about how much money they were willing to spend.
Publisher. Questions? Check our FAQ for D3f, D3h.
Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.