FB: Northwest Conference

Wildcat'64 · November 23, 2006, 07:54:13 PM

Happy Turkey Day to one and all!!

Good Luck on Saturday to the Rats ---- As the guru points out, all other NWC teams need to keep winning in order to improve our win ratio and get up with PLU --- the pressure is on, but I think you're up to the task!

chewey · November 23, 2006, 08:23:51 PM

What has happened to PLU since Frosty left? Scott Westering was the offensive coordinator for his dad and I can't see how that program has dropped off so much. It seems from Minnesota that PLU is average at best these days. Is SW just a poor head coach or is PLU just not getting the recruits or what? Any NWC insignts?

MonroviaCat · November 24, 2006, 01:19:19 AM

Quote from: Pat Coleman on November 23, 2006, 05:30:43 PM
That's true, Doc. Unfortunately, everyone in the league has failed to live up to the NWC playoff standard set by Pacific Lutheran.

PLU 8-2
Rest of NWC: 11-8

Yeah, they set a pretty high standard. Pretty much if you don't go all the way you are going to be at that percentage or worse....I think....but I'm suffering from the post Turkey, Tryptophan coma so if this doesn't make mathematical sense than I apolgise now

Happy Thanksgiving...a little late.

MC

speedybigboy · November 24, 2006, 03:04:42 AM

Quote from: chewey on November 23, 2006, 08:23:51 PM
What has happened to PLU since Frosty left? Scott Westering was the offensive coordinator for his dad and I can't see how that program has dropped off so much. It seems from Minnesota that PLU is average at best these days. Is SW just a poor head coach or is PLU just not getting the recruits or what? Any NWC insignts?

chewey, I'll take a stab at this and say it's a recruiting problem. Although I've been away from the program for 20+ years with little contact my impression was that Scott was a large part of the game day (play calling, etc.) for many years so I find it difficult to believe it's a coaching problem. Some of my more junior Lute posters may have more accurate info. My guess is that they didn't transition well from NAIA recruiting to d3 recruiting. Linfield posters have alluded to this possiblity in the past. The other possibility, and I haven't analyzed in depth, is that it's a recruiting competition issue with d2 programs that PLU won't win in the long run.

Oh yeah, and "average at best" was kind of you, AND accurate.

speedybigboy · November 24, 2006, 03:35:15 AM

Quote from: Pat Coleman on November 23, 2006, 05:30:43 PM
That's true, Doc. Unfortunately, everyone in the league has failed to live up to the NWC playoff standard set by Pacific Lutheran.

PLU 8-2
Rest of NWC: 11-8

Session timed out while i was typing and I lost my reply. suffice to say the only important part was that I wanted to send my thanks to you and all the others who keep this site going.

travel safe this weekend.

criswyly · November 24, 2006, 06:08:17 AM

The Whitworth defense manages to always keep their games competitive against the Cats as well as everyone else...The chances of a "Monkeystomp" are slim and slimmer...I don't believe Whitworth can win this one unless they win the turnover battle by at least 2-3+ But with their defense that's possible....If Joel Clark has an "on day" along with his defense the John's will have a very long day....But I don't think that will happen even though I'd like to see Whitworth win. I've got to go with the Johnnie's by 7 points due to playoff experience and coaching.

criswyly · November 24, 2006, 07:17:24 AM

chewey
I am not a PLU insider by any means but as a NWC observer, it's my opinion that PLU will be rebuilding for years to come. Frosty Westering is a one of a kind like your own Gagliardi...In fact if I were a betting man, I'd bet that SJU will be in a rebuilding process for years to come when Gags retires as well....at least I hope so

chewey · November 24, 2006, 09:36:42 AM

Thank you speedybigboy and criswyly for your insights. It's kind of sad to see such a renowned program get hit hard. I sure hope that the same thing does not happen to SJU. I guess it's inevitable that a huge vacuum that will take years to address will result after the departure of a luminary like Frosty or Gagliardi.

KennethK · November 24, 2006, 10:21:05 AM

The KHQ TV website weather forecast looks pretty nasty. I am hoping the Pine Bowl field is in decent shape.

wyd · November 24, 2006, 12:49:03 PM

Hi Chewey,

PLU is down but not out. SW is having trouble finding a QB to run the system. That is the key to the problems at this point. PLU used to in competition for WWU and CWU athletes, but it is a little different landscape at this point. SW is a smart guy and will get it figured out.

chewey · November 24, 2006, 01:31:50 PM

Thanks for your thoughts Wyd. I'd like to see PLU up there again. It was always fun playing you guys from 1998 through 2001 and the program and fans is/were always nice and classy. In the years since, we've become familiar with the Linfield fans/program and they are pretty classy too. We'll see how the Whitworth fans compare this weekend. Any chances the NWC will get 3 to 4 more teams for and be eligible for an automatic bid every year? Oregon and Wash are pretty large population centers and I would think there would be more d3 sized football schools out there. Perhaps a lot of them are NAIA II or III right now and may be in the process of converting to NCAA III?

Johnnie · November 24, 2006, 01:39:53 PM

Good Luck to both teams in Saturday....

sure wish i could be in Spokane for the game and some great tail-gating!! ...

Johnnie

MonroviaCat · November 24, 2006, 02:19:11 PM

Quote from: chewey on November 24, 2006, 01:31:50 PM
Thanks for your thoughts Wyd. I'd like to see PLU up there again. It was always fun playing you guys from 1998 through 2001 and the program and fans is/were always nice and classy. In the years since, we've become familiar with the Linfield fans/program and they are pretty classy too. We'll see how the Whitworth fans compare this weekend. Any chances the NWC will get 3 to 4 more teams for and be eligible for an automatic bid every year? Oregon and Wash are pretty large population centers and I would think there would be more d3 sized football schools out there. Perhaps a lot of them are NAIA II or III right now and may be in the process of converting to NCAA III?

Actually, I believe the NWC with addition of Menlo qualifies for an autobid starting in 2008.

speedybigboy · November 24, 2006, 02:27:49 PM

Quote from: chewey on November 24, 2006, 01:31:50 PM
Thanks for your thoughts Wyd. I'd like to see PLU up there again. It was always fun playing you guys from 1998 through 2001 and the program and fans is/were always nice and classy. In the years since, we've become familiar with the Linfield fans/program and they are pretty classy too. We'll see how the Whitworth fans compare this weekend. Any chances the NWC will get 3 to 4 more teams for and be eligible for an automatic bid every year? Oregon and Wash are pretty large population centers and I would think there would be more d3 sized football schools out there. Perhaps a lot of them are NAIA II or III right now and may be in the process of converting to NCAA III?

Chewey,
I'm with you on the population seemingly being large enough to support more teams, but I don't see the NWC getting more teams easily. Had to go to California to add our most recent team, Menlo, and one school is struggling to keep their team going (Lewis & Clark). Three schools have dropped football, Whitman (mid 70's) and Pacific,Or. (early 90's), Oregon Institute of Technology (don't know when). At least two small schools don't have teams, Evergreen State and Gonzaga. Southern and Eastern Oregon both stayed with the NAIA while Eastern Oregon, Western Wa., and Central Wa, moved up to d2 when the NWC switched from NAIA to d3.

Scheduling enough d3 games has become a problem and was a factor in Linfield not making the playoffs this year.

Contrast that with Minnesota where a school is adding d3 football.

speedybigboy · November 24, 2006, 02:30:07 PM

Quote from: MonroviaCat on November 24, 2006, 02:19:11 PM
Quote from: chewey on November 24, 2006, 01:31:50 PM
Thanks for your thoughts Wyd. I'd like to see PLU up there again. It was always fun playing you guys from 1998 through 2001 and the program and fans is/were always nice and classy. In the years since, we've become familiar with the Linfield fans/program and they are pretty classy too. We'll see how the Whitworth fans compare this weekend. Any chances the NWC will get 3 to 4 more teams for and be eligible for an automatic bid every year? Oregon and Wash are pretty large population centers and I would think there would be more d3 sized football schools out there. Perhaps a lot of them are NAIA II or III right now and may be in the process of converting to NCAA III?

Actually, I believe the NWC with addition of Menlo qualifies for an autobid starting in 2008.

I think you're right on that Monrovia. Here I am trolling around for scores and internet radio playoff games, trying to calculate time zones and I finally realized it's FRIDAY.