NWC Week 3 Power Rankings

1. Linfield - Could be number 3 next week depending on the offensive output vs the Rats
2. Lewis & Clark - Good looking football team
3. Whitworth - Making some good strides, going to have a shot this weekend at the 'Catdome
4. Pacific - Defense isn't too shabby, but their offense stinks.
5. PLU - Not sure what to think of PLU at this point.
6. George Fox - Has to be the most billboards ever for an 0-5 team.
7. Willamette - Played pretty dang well vs L&C
8. Puget Sound - At least they didn't give up 50

A win is a win and 3-1 is a heck of a lot better than 1-3 so I'll take it.

'Cats defense continues to jell and has been stout vs the run.  Great to see the DB's make a number of huge plays against the pass.  The defense was put in some terrible positions but came through clutch.

All I can say about the offense is 23 points is the lowest total a Linfield team has scored against Pacific since the Boxers brought back football in 2010.  The two high points is that Dalziel is back on track kicking FG's and the freshman RB, O'Bagy.  That kid runs North and South, hits the holes hard and needs to be a guy they feature more.

Whitworth is going to be much stiffer challenge.

NWC Week 2 Power Rankings

1. Linfield - Not a 'Cats team of the past but still plenty of talent.
2. Lewis & Clark - Rolling along in 2025
3. Whitworth - Bad loss to Redlands but still better than most of the NWC
4. Pacific - Fox's old/Pacific's new DC will keep the Boxers in most games
5. George Fox - At least they have the best quality video broadcast
6. PLU - Willamette having a lead in the 4th quarter is not a good thing
7. Willamette - Better than 2024's team
8. Puget Sound - Giving up over 50 points a game

That might have been the worst 1st quarter of Linfield football that I can remember but thankfully the 'Cats course corrected.

Linfield's defense continues to shine but the problems are still the problems. No running game (offensive line is not physical) and some questionable decision making in the passing game.  However, thank the football gods that McNabb decided to just do what he does best and that's make plays with his legs. That turned the game around for the offense and it was all 'Cats once he found the lanes.   Also, our Special Teams are either tremendous or they're hot garbage every time out.

Wrapping it up, let's go under center 1st and goal at the 1 yard line moving forward.  Please.

Lewis and Clark continue to impress.  Yeah, it's Puget Sound but that's what good teams do to bad ones.

Quote from: MonroviaCat on September 26, 2025, 07:39:39 PMFeels like NWC recruiting has been diluted for some time now. 

That's a fair assessment.

Quote from: olddog on September 25, 2025, 02:06:31 PMAre you guys worried L and C could dilute some of LF recruiting ?

Sure, they could dilute some but it's up to Linfield to rise to new challenges.

31,

2nd and 8, on the 11, with 1:20 left and CMS with 1 timeout.  Only one way to do it from that far out, IMO.  You kneel.  If you kneel, CMS calls timeout, kneel again and run the clock down between 30-35 second to kick the short field goal to go up by 4 and put it on your defense to close the game out.  That would have been my call because the GFU DE, Eriksen had 5 sacks at that point and was getting pressure at will. 

But the GFU staff decided to try to finish the game by getting the 1st down or the TD. If you're going to run then power it up the gut, downhill, between the tackles.  Everyone and their mom knows you're not throwing the ball and the field is compacted at that point so you're just asking for trouble in running to the edges and that trouble happened because it was a dumb play to run in that situation.

No worries, was responding more to 31's post and not yours.  Good to see the Dawgs offense get more diverse and balanced.  West Coast D3 is better when Redlands is good.

Quote from: that guy 31 on September 22, 2025, 12:46:36 PM

Quote from: olddog on September 22, 2025, 11:06:08 AMUR last Saturday in the Pine Bowl.

Fun Fact, UR has beaten WW six times in a row now dating back to 2009..forgot about the Selway days...

UR wins by 17, despite spotting WW a touchdown with a fumble.

Week 1 to Week 2, what did I see....Improvement, which is really nice to see, props to coaches and players

Special teams, we cleaned it up....Our punts were clean, good snaps, blocked well etc, our FG group got on the same page, holder has learned how to ask for the ball, blocked it better and the kicker calmed down. Good job

Offense, SCIAC DC's have to be bummed, instead of breaking out the same play cards for the last five years with four sets on them, three patterns, and four running plays...They have to update their UR play list...A lot more work for DCs. I saw nine different base formations, could have been more..Let alone variations off these sets the SCIAC has not seen. I really liked the play calling, the fact is it did not force the qb to do more than he is capable of doing. He did a good job of playing within himself. We have some nice RBs and the OL blocked fairly well. I saw some backers getting blocked and some pulling linemen get to someone. Let hope UR players have bought in and at this point refine what they do. It was nice to see the defense get off the field, we all saw what happens when its not backed up all game.

The defense was solid, this d line we have is big and about as good as I have see in the last 5 years. UR runs a 3-5-3, our inverts are brand new and learning, clearly WW game plan was to attack them. They held up and will get better as the season goes on. Prop to the DC and players giving up 10 points, and a 200 yards game net, we win 95% of the time. WW had no running game with just 6 in the box at times. Tough to win if you are WW and six man box is controlling the run. Young QB struggle with UR d line on his tail all day.

It was one game, lets see if they can duplicate it, if so we all might have under estimated them.

Thanks for the report! Bulldog D has been anywhere from solid to spectacular for the better part of the last 20 years. If the offense can start to pull its weight the Dogs will be back to playing for championships year in and year out. Glad to hear the new OC is off to a good start.

6 straight vs WW is impressive. I know the Pirates had a few down years in there but the 2007 win in the Pine Bowl that started the streak is one of Redlands best wins. That WW team was really good and that win propelled Redlands back into relevance for a long time after a few bad seasons. Maybe this one will do the same!

Don't get me wrong, that was a very good win for Redlands but it's not like they beat a playoff level Whitworth squad. I think the current Whitworth QB will be replaced at some point this season.

CMS pulled a rabbit out of their hat but give some thanks to GFU's coaching staff for being complete dunderheads in running a sweep with 1:20 left on 2nd & 8 with the CMS only having 1 timeout left.  That is malpractice. 

Quote from: catjumper on September 22, 2025, 11:51:03 AMOne thing that could help the Wildcats' offense quite a bit is consistently getting the snap to McNabb's chest instead of his facemask. A lot of plays' timing was thrown off from the start because he was having to get a handle on the football before proceeding with what the play called for - not to mention the one that bounced off his facemask while he was still positioning the running back. Agree that Spurbeck seemed a much more effective runner Saturday.

Fully agree but I'm going to cut the center a break on the one when he snapped it when McNabb wasn't ready.  Linfield, like so many teams, go with the clap to indicate when to snap the ball.  If you rewatch the game, McNabb was looking at the sideline slamming his hands together asking the staff about checking to another play.  I'm assuming the sound was close enough to a clap to the center's ear. Just my theory on what happened there.

Back to Flosports. Why am I paying $20 for this? It feels like Linfield broadcasts their game at 480p. It's brutal that George Fox's video production of FOOTBALL is significantly better that what Linfield is doing. The only thing Linfield's broadcast is great at is filling up the breaks with local ads that bleed over so you get to miss game action.

O.K. because I'm weak when it comes to football, I plunked down a $20 for Flosports. Felt dirty doing it.

Regarding the 'Cats. That second half was very good for Linfield. I thought Chapman could have put Linfield behind the 8 ball late in the 1st half but botched it with their game management. There are still about 1,564 things that Linfield needs to get tightened up if they plan on winning more games this year.  For example, if Pfeifer is going to be the #1 running back he needs to value the football and stop holding it like a loaf of bread.  Too many penalties on special teams and I'm over it. Coming out of a timeout with too many players on the field is crazy for a Linfield team, etc, etc.

The Linfield defense was fantastic for all but 2 series and won the game for the 'Cats.  I still have major concerns about the passing game. If you take away those 2 long TD tosses, McNabb was only 12-14 for 97 yards.  He misses too many easy looks that move the chains. HOWEVER, the fact he started to pull the ball down and run with some purpose in the 2nd half was encouraging. That's what makes Luke a weapon and difference maker.

Regardless, big win for a number of reasons for this Linfield team and we saw some really positive growth for this young group. That's Coach Smith and Vaughan busting their asses these past 2 weeks.

Not surprised that Whitworth dropped.  Feel like they're in a similar spot as Linfield this year with being stupid inexperienced. Plus they don't have a QB developed right now to make their offense go.

Today, right now, Lewis and Clark looks like the favorite in the NWC. Never thought I would ever type that sentence but here we are.

The pre-roll ads when you first try to view a game blows.  I'm already paying a sub to watch Division III football and your forcing me to watch a 30 second ad?  Get bent Flosports.

Brett is going to do a tremendous job at L&C and think with Whit/Linfield being so young this year the Pios will be in the mix for a NWC title shot this season.

George Fox offense continues to stink. When I saw they went with Crace as the HC I knew that aspect of their program wouldn't change.

The 'Cats will have their hands full vs Chapman.  If the 'Cats don't throw the ball accurately we're looking at a long afternoon in the 'Catdome.

Quote from: olddog on September 08, 2025, 12:43:29 PMNot talking any BS, LF has had UR's number ...but the O line LF put on the field Saturday looked very SCIAC...
One frosh, three sophs, and junior....What is up, where did the upper classmen go ?

Our all-nwc Center transferred to University of Idaho for his senior year (hasn't played through 2 games) and from the sound of it 3-4 other starters on the line were out vs Oshkosh.

Regardless, Linfield didn't look like Linfield.  Super young, not accurate throwing the ball, no push in the running game, gave up too much against the pass, lost a lot of experience off the staff, etc.  Looked bad, IMO.  Not ringing the alarm on the streak yet but this could be a tough year in McMinnville.