FB: Northwest Conference

[(509)Rat]

As for the pissing match, Whitworth starts 3 seniors...on the entire team.

[wildcat11]

As for the pissing match, Whitworth starts 3 seniors...on the entire team.

Sans UPS....the entire conference is pretty young which isn't good news for UPS.

[(509)Rat]

In that case, I'm going to make a bold prediction and say LC over UPS in 2009 

[d-train]

As for the pissing match, Whitworth starts 3 seniors...on the entire team.

Sans UPS....the entire conference is pretty young which isn't good news for UPS.

Willamette as well?

[(509)Rat]

Willamette is interesting because they do lose a lot but have a good size program and IMO will be better suited to replace seniors than programs like UPS, PLU, and Menlo.

Willamette loses 10 players who have started at least 4 of their 5 games listed (their stats on the website does not list starts for the La Verne game) including...1 FB, 1 CB, 2 ILB, 1 DE, 2 OL, 1 TE, 1 QB, and the all important fly guy Woo.  That's 6 offensive players and 4 defensive guys.  Although you could say the QB position is a wash since I'm assuming Whitcomb will be back so you don't really lose much.  That being said the rest of the starters appear to be mostly Fr and So giving Willamette some talent that'll be around for another couple of years.

[Bearcat Press]

Wow . . . I couldn't say it any better.  Nice work, (509)Rat!

[GrizzTheLogger]

As for the pissing match, Whitworth starts 3 seniors...on the entire team.

Sans UPS....the entire conference is pretty young which isn't good news for UPS.

The Loggers are young in certain areas.  If I remember right, their starting CB are a soph and junior and running back Casey Larson, who filled in for Silas Paul, is just a sophomore.  UPS can bring in some quarterbacks next year who can observe both Kavin Williams and Spencer Crace during their senior years. 

While not to the extent of Whitworth, Linfield or even PLU, the Loggers have lost some quality seniors in the last few years but they find a way to regroup.  These aren't the days of 40-something guys on a UPS roster. They have been around 75-85 the last few years which is a healthy number to keep the program going.

[d-train]

I knew PLU had a number of important seniors last year...but I totally underestimated how many and the void they would leave.

[wildcat11]

As for the pissing match, Whitworth starts 3 seniors...on the entire team.

Sans UPS....the entire conference is pretty young which isn't good news for UPS.

The Loggers are young in certain areas.  If I remember right, their starting CB are a soph and junior and running back Casey Larson, who filled in for Silas Paul, is just a sophomore.  UPS can bring in some quarterbacks next year who can observe both Kavin Williams and Spencer Crace during their senior years. 

While not to the extent of Whitworth, Linfield or even PLU, the Loggers have lost some quality seniors in the last few years but they find a way to regroup.  These aren't the days of 40-something guys on a UPS roster. They have been around 75-85 the last few years which is a healthy number to keep the program going.

That may all be true but I thought this year would be the year UPS would have a chance to be a threat to at least sniff the top 3 in the conference but it looks like that is not the case again after a brutal loss to Menlo.  UPS could be 2-4 or 1-5 in NWC play by the time it's all said and done this year.  For a program that's been improving for the past 5 years that potential record seems more like the same old, same old.

[speedybigboy]

Pacific Lutheran - Play hard. Do not give up the ball. Drive home with a win. How they would love to be a spoiler that time of the year and we could not blame them.

Take care of the rest of your schedule (excluding WOU who doesn't technically matter) and PLU can't play spoiler...gotta love that Pool A bid.

That's not technically correct at this point.  PLU and Linfield win out then the winner of the game gets the bid. Or even more likely PLU loses to Willamette, Willamette loses to Linfield, Linfield loses to PLU and we go to the 3 way tie breaker rules.

edit: on the other hand the Lutes could finish one game ahead of L & C in the conference.

[GrizzTheLogger]

That may all be true but I thought this year would be the year UPS would have a chance to be a threat to at least sniff the top 3 in the conference but it looks like that is not the case again after a brutal loss to Menlo.  UPS could be 2-4 or 1-5 in NWC play by the time it's all said and done this year.  For a program that's been improving for the past 5 years that potential record seems more like the same old, same old.

I wouldn't exactly call the loss to Menlo as brutal.  In fact, the Logger offense was able to do much more on the road (316 yards of total offense) than the Linfield offense was able to do against the Oaks in McMinnville (249 yards of total offense).  Granted, the Linfield defense did shut down Menlo to get the win while the Oaks had some huge plays against the Loggers but the loss wasn't brutal.

You're right that today is starting to feel like the same old, same old and as a fan, that is a bit frustrating.  Hopefully the UPS defense can show a little better effort this weekend in Spokane.

[wildcat11]

In fact, the Logger offense was able to do much more on the road (316 yards of total offense) than the Linfield offense was able to do against the Oaks in McMinnville (249 yards of total offense). 

Well...I feel safe to say that Linfield's offense had a few more options available last weekend compared to Menlo but I'll let you hang onto your notion. 

Grizz,  here is something that I'm totally perplexed about and maybe you could help me out.  Why would UPS put a new practice field turf field in next door to Baker Stadium but not put in a new game field? 

It's not like UPS's sod is a pristine surface...I'm not sure if that makes much since.  I do find it a little funny that the UPS web site has a photo that features the practice field but not the actual field games are played on.

[GrizzTheLogger]

In fact, the Logger offense was able to do much more on the road (316 yards of total offense) than the Linfield offense was able to do against the Oaks in McMinnville (249 yards of total offense). 

Well...I feel safe to say that Linfield's offense had a few more options available last weekend compared to Menlo but I'll let you hang onto your notion. 

Grizz,  here is something that I'm totally perplexed about and maybe you could help me out.  Why would UPS put a new practice field turf field in next door to Baker Stadium but not put in a new game field? 

It's not like UPS's sod is a pristine surface...I'm not sure if that makes much since.  I do find it a little funny that the UPS web site has a photo that features the practice field but not the actual field games are played on.

That causes a bit of discussion up here as well.  The reasoning that I got was that the practice field before was in horrible shape, wasn't level, etc. and then someone donated some money to fix the field and install lights, with the wish that it be available for intramurals and club sports to use when the varsity teams aren't on it.

I think there is talk about putting artificial turf at the stadium since, I believe, UPS is the only school where the soccer teams (and women's lacrosse) play at the stadium as well (maybe Willamette?).   I don't know how far done the line that might be but from what I understand, it's in the works.

[buckj64]

since we are talking about graduation rates, returners, etc How has the no red-shirt impacted teams so far? Is this the first class that was not allowed to red-shirt or is that next year?

[(509)Rat]

That's not technically correct at this point.  PLU and Linfield win out then the winner of the game gets the bid. Or even more likely PLU loses to Willamette, Willamette loses to Linfield, Linfield loses to PLU and we go to the 3 way tie breaker rules.

This requires PLU to at least BEAT LINFIELD, and a good WHITWORTH team who I think people are forgetting about because they have been essentially eliminated from the playoffs.  PLU still has to get by an ok UPS team @ UPS (I think the loggers have just as much talent as the Lutes) and an equally talented Menlo team as well.  Sorry, but my post was based on the more realistic idea that PLU will not go through their schedule unscathed and set up Linfield v. PLU conference championship game.  We'll have an answer as to how good the Lutes are this weekend though.

WC11,
If you were trying to entice high schoolers to come and play for your overly optimistic program, would you put up a pic of your praire-like game field or the nice new artificial practice field?  It's not like the grass at the Pine Bowl which in and of itself is a recruiting tool 

since we are talking about graduation rates, returners, etc How has the no red-shirt impacted teams so far? Is this the first class that was not allowed to red-shirt or is that next year?

Last years seniors were the first group to go through without the redshirt.  I can tell you how it's affected Whitworth and hopefully others can give a perspective on how it's affected their programs.  Whitworth's numbers are down...they used to keep between 100-110 kids now it is between 80-90 (has been since 04-05).  I would say that not being able to have a permanent scout team (thats all the redshirt players did) has hurt as well as the dip in numbers but I don't think that's true, and is evidenced by the recent success of the Pirates.  Whitworth had a couple really talented classes that lead the Pirates to a couple of conference championships.  That has done much more for the Pirates than the redshirt rule ever did.  The talent is there now to field competitive teams every year regardless of the fact there are less 5th year seniors.  I would think programs like Linfield and Willamette are the same in that they get good numbers either way and continue to field competitive teams year after year without the help of (RS) Sr's.