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Lutes Open NWC Football Slate at Puget Sound
THIS WEEKEND: Pacific Lutheran (2-0) at Puget Sound (1-2), Saturday, 1 p.m., Baker Stadium.
FOLLOW THE LUTES: You can listen to PLU football action throughout the year in the Tacoma area on KLAY 1180 AM with Steve Thomas and Karl Hoseth calling the action. The broadcasts are also available online on the KLAY website (www.klay1180.com). Additionally, listeners can access the PLU football broadcasts on the PLU athletics website at www.golutes.com, then clicking on Listen Live and following the link.
CONFERENCE OPENER: The annual football bash between the Lutes and Loggers certainly means a lot to the participants and to the two schools' alumni and fans. This year's game takes on added meaning, however, because it serves as the Northwest Conference opener for both squads. Both the Lutes and Loggers would like nothing more than to get their NWC season off to a rousing start with a victory.
THE SERIES: Saturday's matchup will be the 85th meeting between Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound, dating back to 1931. The Loggers dominated the series for most of the first 50 years, culminating in a 13-1 run for Puget Sound from 1966-79 that gave UPS a record of 41-11-5 all-time against PLU. Since that time, however, the series has been all Lutes. PLU has gone 24-3 in the last 26 meetings, including 21-1 in the last 22. The Lutes owned a 17-game winning streak from 1988-2004, and have won the last four games since a 23-13 defeat in 2005. Even with the recent PLU dominance, UPS holds an all-time advantage of 44-35-5 in the series.
LAST YEAR: Pacific Lutheran made two huge goal-line stands and took advantage of six Puget Sound turnovers in garnering a 35-13 Northwest Conference victory at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. PLU scored on their first two possessions - both coming after Puget Sound turnovers - to take a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The first score came on a 20-yard pass from Jordan Rasmussen to Isaac Moog and capped a four-play, 51-yard drive following a fumble recovery. On Puget Sound's next possession, Lutes linebacker Tim Cumming intercepted a Kavin Williams pass that had been tipped into the air by Bryan Neumiller. The Lutes started their drive on their own 40-yard line and drove 60 yards in nine plays. Cody Pohren scored his first of two touchdowns on a 2-yard run. After that, the Loggers dominated the second quarter, rolling up 206 first-half rushing yards. All they had to show for it, however, was Casey Larson's 3-yard touchdown run that capped a 72-yard drive in six plays. Earlier, they drove all the way to the PLU 1-yard line before the Lutes got the ball back with a goal-line stand. Trevor Fox stuffed Kavin Williams for no gain on fourth down to end that drive. The next time that UPS had the ball it fumbled at the PLU 14-yard line. The half ended with another stop by the PLU defense at the goal-line, this time Andy Sturza getting into the backfield to stop Williams for a one-yard loss on fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line. At the intermission, UPS had possessed the ball for 20 minutes compared to just 10 for the Lutes and they also had 17 first downs and 264 yards to just seven first downs and 142 yards for the hosts. Fortunately for the Lutes, the Loggers continued to have trouble holding onto the ball in the second half. Of their five second-half possessions, the Loggers turned the ball over once on an interception by Sturza and twice more on fumbles. The Lutes turned all three of those turnovers into touchdowns, driving 61 yards, 34 yards and 60 yards for the scores. In the third quarter, Rasmussen hooked up with Drew Griffin on a 4-yard scoring toss, and in the fourth period Rasmussen found Nick Caraballo in the back of the end zone on a 17-yard aerial. Pohren added his second touchdown and PLU's final score on a 3-yard run with 3:56 remaining. The Loggers finished with 413 total yards, including 260 on the ground. For the Lutes, Rasmussen was 17-for-26 for 176 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Kyle Whitford led the PLU receivers with six catches for 61 yards. Rasmussen led the PLU ground game with 10 carries for 49 yards, most of those coming on scrambles. The Lutes finished the game with 319 net yards, and after trailing in time of possession by 10 minutes at the half managed to narrow that margin to just two minutes by the end of the game.
ABOUT THE COACHES: Scott Westering is in his seventh year as head coach at Pacific Lutheran, where he has compiled a 28-28 overall record. Scott joined the PLU coaching staff in 1981 after playing tight end for the Lutes under his father, Frosty Westering. Scott served as the Lutes' offensive coordinator from 1983-2003, helping PLU to two NAIA Division II and one NCAA Division III national championships, as well as four runner-up finishes. He has coached 11 first-team All-Americans, including the 1999 NCAA Division III Player of the Year, Chad Johnson. Scott was a captain and All-American tight end on the 1980 PLU team that won the Lutes' first NAIA national championship. He was inducted into the PLU Hall of Fame in 1998. The University of Puget Sound named Jeff Thomas its head football coach on Jan. 26, 2010. Thomas was the 2009 Division III AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year at the University of Redlands. A four-year letter-winner and senior captain at Redlands, Thomas began his career as a quarterback but then developed into one of the most decorated defensive backs in Redlands history.
LUTES BY THE NUMBERS: In compiling a 2-0 record thus far, the Lutes have averaged 31.0 points and 436.0 yards of total offense while allowing 20.5 points and 372.5 yards per contest. The Lutes have been relatively balanced with 240.5 yards passing and 195.5 yards rushing per contest. Senior defensive back Trevor Fox has four interceptions in two games, a number that puts him atop the Division III interceptions list. Senior wide receiver Greg Ford is tied for ninth in Division III football with an average of 134.0 receiving yards per game, and he is 26th nationally with an average of 7.5 receptions per contest. Following his career-best 225-yard rushing performance against Cal Lutheran, senior running back Alec Simmons ranks 10th nationally with an average of 145 yards per game. Senior quarterback Jordan Rasmussen is 36th nationally in passing efficiency with a 151.84 mark. That number is calculated by a formula based on Rasmussen's passing numbers (32-for-56, 467 yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions). Rasmussen is completing 57 percent of his passes this season. Besides Ford, Rasmussen's favorite targets include senior wide receivers Kyle Whitford (six receptions, 62 yards, one TD) and Isaac Moog (five catches, 104 yards, one TD). Defensively, the Lutes have shown a lot of balance with nine different players already recording double figures in total tackles. Junior linebacker Richard Isett lead with 19 total tackles, followed by sophomore linebacker Dalton Darmody with 17. Frosh lineman Mychael Tuiasosopo had two sacks among his 16 tackles, and senior defensive back Jordan Davison also has 16 tackles through two games. The PLU defense has eight takeaways, five of them interceptions, this season. The Lutes have some good numbers in the special teams coverage game with opponents averaging less than 19 yards per kickoff return and a negative one yard on two punt returns.
ABOUT PUGET SOUND: This year's version of the Puget Sound football team is unlike recent teams in that the offense centers on the passing game. Under former head coach Phil Willenbrock, the Loggers were known for their effective running game. The 2010 Loggers, on the other hand, average 255 yards through the air and 88 on the ground, a 70-30 ratio. Quarterback Duncan White has completed 48 percent (71-for-147) of his passes for 742 total yards with eight interceptions and eight touchdowns. His favorite target is wide receiver Adam Kniffin, who has 18 receptions for 197 yards and three scores. Running back Casey Larson averages 71 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry, but he is the only UPS ball carrier who has gained more than 25 yards total in three games this year. Puget Sound averages 29.7 points per game but gives up 35.0 points and 466.7 yards per contest. Linebacker Tyler Vlasak has had a big year for the Loggers with 39 total tackles and two quarterback sacks. Linebacker Casey Coberly and defensive lineman Nick Vericella both have a pair of sacks this season. Defensive back Cory Dunn has 24 tackles and leads the team with three interceptions. Defensive backs Nassar Abdelrassul and Nassar Kyobe and linebacker Taylor Firman all have a pair of picks, giving the Loggers a total of nine among their 12 total takeaways already this season.
LOGGERS LAST WEEK: Puget Sound and visiting Whittier went six overtimes before the Poets secured a 42-39 non-conference victory. The game was the longest involving a Northwest Conference team in terms of number of overtimes.
LUTES LAST WEEK: The Lutes had a bye last Saturday after upsetting then No. 15-ranked Cal Lutheran, 35-21, in PLU's 2010 home opener on Sept. 18 at Sparks Stadium
HIGH-PERFORMANCE FORD: Greg Ford, the Lutes' senior wide receiver from Steilacoom, continues his move up PLU's all-time receiving lists. With 15 receptions this season, Ford now has 160 career catches, which moves him past Craig Chiado (2004-07) and into fifth on the all-time list. He ranks fifth with 2,861 career receiving yards, with Mike Welk (1987-90) and his 2,998 yards next on the list. With three touchdown catches, Ford has 29 in his career, moving him past Aaron Tang (1991-94) and into fourth on the Lutes football list.
PLU PICKED THIRD IN NWC: Pacific Lutheran came out third in the NWC Coaches' Preseason Poll released Aug. 3. "We don't use it as a motivating tool," head coach Scott Westering said. "We're busy focusing on us and that's our approach; focusing on the best that we can be. Our guys love to be together. When you enjoy being together you can take ordinary things and make something out of them."
NEXT GAME: The Lutes return to Sparks Stadium next Saturday when they host the Whitworth Pirates starting at 12:30 p.m. Whitworth is picked to finish fourth in the Northwest Conference standings.
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