FB: Northwest Conference

[(509)Rat]

Whitworth is dropping a crap load of money into their football facility.

http://news.whitworth.edu/2016/11/walter-and-kay-oliver-donate-31-million.html?m=1

Still gonna make Linfield walk from the fieldhouse...

Facilities will be real nice. Too bad the grass playing field will be gone 

Serious question RAT--is grass still preferred to turf or have the modern turfs become better than or equal to the real stuff as far as orthopedic surgeons are concerned?

The enemy is friction, as it increases so do lower extremity injuries. Nobody would argue that. However, fieldturf doesn't seem to be any better or worse than grass in most studies. Injuries are not much more than dumb luck regardless of playing surface anymore, but you can reduce your risks by wearing appropriate shoes/cleats.

From a player's standpoint, I'd prefer not to lose skin on my arms/legs and get rubber mulch in my shoes/socks/pants/butt crack/etc. Hence the preference for a nice grass field...not UPS's cow pasture.

[bluenote]

We will have a video steam. HD with veteran announcers. Just waiting on the Turner(NCAA) people to give the approval of rights.

...thx....

[wildcatdad22]

Whitworth is dropping a crap load of money into their football facility.

http://news.whitworth.edu/2016/11/walter-and-kay-oliver-donate-31-million.html?m=1

Still gonna make Linfield walk from the fieldhouse...

Facilities will be real nice. Too bad the grass playing field will be gone 

Serious question RAT--is grass still preferred to turf or have the modern turfs become better than or equal to the real stuff as far as orthopedic surgeons are concerned?

The enemy is friction, as it increases so do lower extremity injuries. Nobody would argue that. However, fieldturf doesn't seem to be any better or worse than grass in most studies. Injuries are not much more than dumb luck regardless of playing surface anymore, but you can reduce your risks by wearing appropriate shoes/cleats.

From a player's standpoint, I'd prefer not to lose skin on my arms/legs and get rubber mulch in my shoes/socks/pants/butt crack/etc. Hence the preference for a nice grass field...not UPS's cow pasture.

FYI,
The new turf fields use cork instead of rubber for the fill. The HS I coach at just had a new turf field done and its a lot better than then previous rubber filled ones.

[wildcatdad22]

We will have a video steam. HD with veteran announcers. Just waiting on the Turner(NCAA) people to give the approval of rights.

Thanks for the info.

[Westside]

It's really interesting seeing the experts write about Linfield's earlier game against MHB. It is like they looked at the final score and completely went off of that. Heck, it was 17-13 and Linfield was about to score when they fumbled the ball and the center got injured. From that point on, it was an uphill battle. Even after that, it was an 11 point game in the 4th quarter until Linfield turned it over and lost 40 yards on a poorly snapped punt. At that point the wheels fell off, getting outscore 28-0 in the 4th. Not making excuses, just think most people realize it was closer than the final score showed.

With that being said, I watched the Hardin Simmons vs. MHB game this year and came away thinking that those two teams are just as good as each other. It will be an extremely difficult game this weekend. Their RB was lightning quick and will be the best Linfield has faced, in my opinion. The D must make them one dimensional. I noticed that this if the fewest sacks (by far) that Linfield has had in some 15+ years. So it will be up to the defensive backs to really lock down and give the line a chance to get home. I think they can do that.

[MonroviaCat]

It's really interesting seeing the experts write about Linfield's earlier game against MHB. It is like they looked at the final score and completely went off of that. Heck, it was 17-13 and Linfield was about to score when they fumbled the ball and the center got injured. From that point on, it was an uphill battle. Even after that, it was an 11 point game in the 4th quarter until Linfield turned it over and lost 40 yards on a poorly snapped punt. At that point the wheels fell off, getting outscore 28-0 in the 4th. Not making excuses, just think most people realize it was closer than the final score showed.

With that being said, I watched the Hardin Simmons vs. MHB game this year and came away thinking that those two teams are just as good as each other. It will be an extremely difficult game this weekend. Their RB was lightning quick and will be the best Linfield has faced, in my opinion. The D must make them one dimensional. I noticed that this if the fewest sacks (by far) that Linfield has had in some 15+ years. So it will be up to the defensive backs to really lock down and give the line a chance to get home. I think they can do that.

Mostly agree with you but:
2 things--
1.  Center got hurt and then the fumble happened on the next play (bad snap with new center)
2.  To be fair--Pat mentioned in his write up that the game was closer than the final score suggested.

HSU does look good.  I think they are very similar to the CATS in a lot of ways.....

[D O.C.]

Safe travels!

I suspect they're in the air.

[CAT BAT 22]

You mentioned qb sacks being down this year for our defense, ... another statistic that jumps out at me from this years team is the punt return yardage.  Last year our punt return team was lethal and this year we're averaging only 1.3 yds per return, while giving up 16.5 per return.  While not having Alex Hoff rushing the qb makes perfect sense our sacks would be down; the punt return avg is a head scratcher given that we have the same return specialist as last year.   

[MonroviaCat]

You mentioned qb sacks being down this year for our defense, ... another statistic that jumps out at me from this years team is the punt return yardage.  Last year our punt return team was lethal and this year we're averaging only 1.3 yds per return, while giving up 16.5 per return?!

I think we are rarely getting a chance for a return this year.....

[CAT BAT 22]

You mentioned qb sacks being down this year for our defense, ... another statistic that jumps out at me from this years team is the punt return yardage.  Last year our punt return team was lethal and this year we're averaging only 1.3 yds per return, while giving up 16.5 per return?!

I think we are rarely getting a chance for a return this year.....

Meaning they're kicking the ball away from Kennedy?  I'm asking... as I've only seen a few games. 

[D O.C.]

That would be my summation.
I'm going out on a limb and saying MonroviaCat agrees.
You can see Kennedy shaking his head several times in the PLU game when there's nothing to return. He's chomping at the bit.
I remember a couple times he made a catch this season and was not able to get much yardage.

[MonroviaCat]

That would be my summation.
I'm going out on a limb and saying MonroviaCat agrees.
You can see Kennedy shaking his head several times in the PLU game when there's nothing to return. He's chomping at the bit.
I remember a couple times he made a catch this season and was not able to get much yardage.

Yes I agree---for the most part--most of the punts have not been returnable or have been fielded with little space to run.....

[CalCat]

It's really interesting seeing the experts write about Linfield's earlier game against MHB. It is like they looked at the final score and completely went off of that. Heck, it was 17-13 and Linfield was about to score when they fumbled the ball and the center got injured. From that point on, it was an uphill battle. Even after that, it was an 11 point game in the 4th quarter until Linfield turned it over and lost 40 yards on a poorly snapped punt. At that point the wheels fell off, getting outscore 28-0 in the 4th. Not making excuses, just think most people realize it was closer than the final score showed.

With that being said, I watched the Hardin Simmons vs. MHB game this year and came away thinking that those two teams are just as good as each other. It will be an extremely difficult game this weekend. Their RB was lightning quick and will be the best Linfield has faced, in my opinion. The D must make them one dimensional. I noticed that this if the fewest sacks (by far) that Linfield has had in some 15+ years. So it will be up to the defensive backs to really lock down and give the line a chance to get home. I think they can do that.

Mostly agree with you but:
2 things--
1.  Center got hurt and then the fumble happened on the next play (bad snap with new center)
2.  To be fair--Pat mentioned in his write up that the game was closer than the final score suggested.

HSU does look good.  I think they are very similar to the CATS in a lot of ways.....

Pat also said in his opinion UMHB was still a three TD better team that day. I would disagree and believe if the unforced errors weren't there the game wouldn't of been decided until late in the 4th and would have been very close...but the errors were there just like they were for UMBH at Linfield prior year playoff. UMBH should have won that game in my opinion but unforced errors got them.  Bottom line teams of this caliber playing each other can't afford any gifts to the other guys...and that goes for HSU and Linfield this Saturday.  The team that doesn't have turnovers and bad penalties will advance. On the other hand UMHB can screw up and play some sloppy ball and still beat a Redlands team....but not too much, Redlands might be a bit better then getting credit for.

[CAT BAT 22]

After having a day or two to get used to the fact that we're traveling in the first round... I kind of like the fact that we're 'underdogs' throughout this thing.   

[wildcatdad22]

Safe travels!

I suspect they're in the air.

The boys have already landed instead of arriving late Friday night like the game earlier this year in TX.