PUGET SOUND AT LINFIELD
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Maxwell Field, McMinnville, Ore.
 
The latest home-opener since 1957 gets underway Saturday when the Puget Sound (3-1, 1-0 NWC) comes to McMinnville with hopes of breaking a decades-long winless streak to Linfield (2-1, 1-0 NWC) during the Wildcats' Homecoming weekend. The game features two of the best passers on the West Coast and two seasoned coaches going head-to-head.
 
PUGET SOUND OFFENSE
No matter who starts at quarterback for the Loggers one thing is for sure: they are going to throw the football. With 221 passes, over four games Puget Sound attempts more passes then any other team in the Northwest Conference. The Loggers average the second-most total yards while leading the league in passing.
 
At the forefront of this dangerous passing attack is preseason All-America wide receiver A.J. Johnson. The senior is a prolific weapon on the outside, leading the nation in total grabs with 50. The next-most productive receiver in the NWC has 27 fewer catches than Johnson. He is a focal point in this offense and Linfield will have its hands full with the speedy receiver who leads the NWC in receiving yards and yards per game.
 
Murdock Rutledge has been the starter at quarterback through four games but backup Nik Bernhardt has appeared in each one of those contests, leading the game-tying drive in regulation and the game-winning drive in overtime against George Fox last week. Both quarterbacks have thrown their fair share of interceptions. Rutledge leads all NWC quarterbacks with eight interceptions while Bernhardt is third with four. Rutledge does have the ability to turn the tide of a game, with an impressive performance in the Loggers' win over La Verne. The junior threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns without turning the ball over.
 
Puget Sound ranks fourth in the NWC in rush attempts but sits near the bottom of the pack in every rushing category. Duncan Varela is listed at the starting tailback and does most of his damage as a receiver out of the backfield. The junior has caught at least one pass in every game this season. Sophomore Silas Washington ranks in the top 10 in rush attempts, total rushing yards and rushing scores in the conference. Both running backs have shown that they can be loose with the ball with two fumbles each, tied for third in the NWC.
 
Be ready for Puget Sound to be aggressive on third and fourth down. With the most third-down conversions and second-best conversion percentage, Linfield must follow through and limit drives on defense. The possession isn't over on third down either, as no team attempts more conversions on fourth down than the Loggers. While Puget Sound has successfully converted fourth-down plays a league-high seven times, they also have the third-lowest conversion rate at 37 percent.
 
LINFIELD OFFENSE
It is hard to believe Linfield will finally be playing its first home game of the season. Clearly a point of emphasis in the preparation for the conference opener was getting the ground game going. Amidst Linfield's third different offensive line combination in as many games, tailback Artie Johnson was able to find holes his teammates created and the result was a 96-yard rushing effort. The junior added two touchdowns in an all-around strong performance.
 
Freshman Connor McNabb looked dangerous as both a rusher and receiver, recording his first career TD and adding 61 yards via the catch.
 
What else is there to be said about quarterback Wyatt Smith that has not already been said? The junior went off in Forest Grove, completing 24 of 35 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns. The offensive line gave the McMinnville native plenty of time to throw and Smith was able to take advantage, only being sacked twice.
 
The NWC's reigning offensive Student-Athlete of the Week award recipient looks to continue his productive season against a defense that has allowed at least 23 points in its last three games, including 58 to Redlands in Week 2.
 
After a relatively quiet performance in Linfield's Week 3 loss, Keegan Weiss erupted against Pacific. Weiss linked up with Smith for three scores and piled up 97 yards. Fellow senior Tyler Torgerson scored his first touchdown of the season. Freshman Colton Smith might just be the most dangerous deep threat in the conference, ranking third in average yards per catch. The Linfield receivers are showing they can attack opponents across all parts of the field. Keaton Wood added three grabs to his team-leading total and Jacob Calo added 38 yards.
 
The Linfield offensive line has a tough test forthcoming as Puget Sound enters this Homecoming matchup with the most sacks in the NWC. Freshman Ahi Hosaka took over the starting job at center in last week's win and had a uneventful game snapping the ball. It remains to be seen what combination of players will make up the starting O-line against the Loggers. Offensive line coach Doug Hire and head coach Joseph Smith have shown they will continue to mix-and-match options until they find the right recipe. 
 
PUGET SOUND DEFENSE
A defense that has been up and down in four games to date, Puget Sound allows 30.5 points per game to opposing offenses. That figure ranks in the upper half of the conference, yet this defense has shown it will do just enough to stay in the game.
 
The Loggers have won all three of their games by an average margin of three points. If not for a missed George Fox field goal in the fourth quarter and a missed extra point in OT, Puget Sound could be at .500 coming into this matchup with Linfield. Add that in with a goalline stop in the third quarter against La Verne that would have put the Leopards ahead by three, Puget Sound's victories have been far from easy.
 
There is plenty of talent on defense, led by a very strong defensive line. Jordan Ubaldo is No. 1 in the conference in sacks and just behind teammate Peter Ciari in tackles for loss in the NWC. Fellow defensive tackle Hayden Baumann adds in another 2½ sacks and 4½ tackles for loss to round out the group.
 
Experience is the name of the game for the Puget Sound secondary. Senior cornerback Jason Clayton is tied for the lead in interceptions and fellow senior Michael Zabran has an interception to go along with being a dangerous returner. Safety Keanu Songcuan is the leading tackler for the Loggers; the senior ranks among the top five in the league. Junior Zavier Huebner has three pass breakups at the other safety position.
 
LINFIELD DEFENSE
Defensive ends Travis Swanson and Tony Kraus were nightmares for the Pacific offensive line. Each contributed two tackles for loss and one sack. Linebackers Brian Pullman and Tyler Price added a tackle for loss as well. Linfield lowered its averages for points allowed and yards allowed per game, both already at the top of the conference.
 
After generating only one sack leading up to the NWC opener, the 'Cats doubled that total. Pacific was forced to use three different quarterbacks in the game, in large part due to the pressure that Linfield exerted. Don't get too hung up on the lack of sacks has the Wildcats statistically at the bottom of the conference. Linfield has a host of tackles for loss and six different players rank among the top 20 in the NWC. Swanson and Keyell Davis reside with the top 10 in the league.
 
Davis had another big game, getting his first interception of the season. The Wildcats now have four different players with one interception. Tyler Sitton added three pass breakups, putting him tied for fifth in that category. Chris Adamo returned from injury and looked good; he and Sitton were constantly charged with covering elusive wide receivers Kobe Williams and Ty Hargis.
 
Tyler Bergeron made six tackles adding to Linfield's 83.7 total tackles per game, good for second in the conference. Linfield had 24 different players record at least one tackle against Pacific.
 
OVERALL
Last week, Linfield was able to right the ship in a game it was supposed to win. Puget Sound should prove to be a tougher matchup for Linfield's first home game. No matter who plays quarterback for the pass-happy Loggers, expect another week of turnover opportunities for the Wildcats' ball-hawking secondary. As for the offense, Artie Johnson is positioned for another strong game going up against one of the weaker defenses against the run in the conference. Rushing the ball well is a must to alleviate pressure on Wyatt Smith and the passing attack, which faces the third-most efficient pass defense.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Linfield's series with Puget Sound dates to 1924, when Puget Sound took a 55-6 win in Tacoma. Linfield leads the all-time series 32-12-1 and has won the last 29 meetings, including 47-41 in 2018 in Tacoma. The most recent game in McMinnville was Linfield's 23-0 win in 2017 … Puget Sound's last win was in 1987 by a 21-20 score in McMinnville … the Wildcats are 15-5 against the Loggers in McMinnville and 17-7-1 in Tacoma … Linfield and Puget Sound did not play between 1947 and 1983. Before that break, Linfield was just 1-11-1 in the series; since the break ended, Linfield is 31-1 vs. Puget Sound … Linfield lost the first seven games of the series before gaining a 7-7 tie in Tacoma in 1936, then a 28-19 win in McMinnville in 1939 … from 2013-2015, Linfield scored at least 70 points in each game of the series, winning 79-3 in McMinnville in 2013, 73-10 in Tacoma in 2014 and 72-3 in McMinnville in 2015. Those are the fourth-, sixth- and eighth-highest scoring games in Linfield history and the third-, ninth- and sixth-largest margins of victory in Linfield history …  Linfield's widest margin of victory was 76 points, a 79-3 win in 2013 in McMinnville; Puget Sound's widest margin of victory was 50 points, 50-0 in in 1928 in McMinnville. Linfield's widest margin in Tacoma was 63 points, 73-10 in 2014; Puget Sound's widest margin in Tacoma was 49 points, 55-6 in 1924 in the series' first game.
 
HOMECOMING HISTORY
This week is Homecoming at Linfield. In Homecoming games, Linfield has an all-time record off 67-20-3. Homecoming began at Linfield in 1922, the first season football returned to the school after a 16-year absence; it became an annual event in 1927 – including a 1928 "Reunion" game in Portland … after beating Willamette 59-0 in 2018, Linfield has won 22 straight Homecoming games, the longest skein of Homecoming wins in school history. The last defeat was a 20-13 loss to Eastern Oregon in 1996 … in Homecoming games against Puget Sound, Linfield has a record of 4-3. The most recent Homecoming meeting with the Loggers was in 2005, a 62-7 Linfield win; the first Homecoming meeting between the wildcats and Loggers was in 1931, an 18-6 Puget Sound victory … Puget Sound won its first 3 Homecoming games at Linfield and the Wildcats have won the last 4 …  Linfield's widest margin of victory in a Homecoming game was 63 points, beating Pacific 63-0 in 1964; the most points the Wildcats have scored in a Homecoming game was 66 points, beating Pacific 66-14 in 2010… Linfield has posted 19 Homecoming shutouts, most recently in 2018's 59-0 win over Willamette … Linfield's biggest loss in a Homecoming game was 36 points, losing to Willamette 36-0 in 1922's inaugural event … the most points the Wildcats have given up in a Homecoming game was 38 in a 38-24 loss to Pacific Lutheran in 1990 … Linfield has been shut out 9 times in Homecoming games, most recently in 1940's 13-0 loss to Pacific …
 
HOME OPENERS
This week's game against Puget Sound is Linfield's home-opener; October 12 is the latest the Wildcats have played their first home game since 1957, when they also played on October 12 and beat Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon) 20-19 in the fourth game of the season. The last time Linfield played its home-opener on a later date was 1955, when on October 15 they lost to the Seattle Ramblers 14-13 in the fourth game of the season… in home-openers, Linfield has an all-time record of 74-27-3 (.726), including 65-21-2 (.750) at Maxwell Field … the Wildcats won their home-opener in 2018, beating Redlands 13-0; in 2017, they were beaten by Mary Hardin-Baylor 24-3. Prior to that, Linfield had won 10 straight home-openers; the Wildcats have won 19 of their last 21 home openers … Linfield's longest winning streak in home-openers was 12, from 1957-68; that was part of a string of 13 straight unbeaten home-openers from 1956-68 … Linfield's longest losing streak in home-openers was 5 from 1928-32 … Linfield's widest margin of victory in a home-opener was 75 points in an 81-6 victory over Monmouth Normal (now Western Oregon) in 1923; the 81 points are also the most the Wildcats have scored in a home-opener … Linfield's widest margin of defeat and most points allowed in a home-opener is 56 in a 56-0 loss to Pacific College (now George Fox) in the Wildcats' initial season of 1896 … Linfield has posted 25 shutouts in home-openers, including last season's 13-0 win over Redlands … the Wildcats have been shut out 13 times in home-openers, most recently in 1972 in a 6-0 loss to Portland State.
 
THE STREAK
Going into the 2019 season, Linfield is riding a string of 63 consecutive winning seasons. The Wildcats' streak, which began in 1956, is the longest in the history of college football at any level…Linfield needs three wins in its final six regular-season games to extend the streak to 64 seasons…during the streak, Linfield is 509-117-10 for a winning percentage of .808. Linfield's record at home during the streak is 276-42-4 (.863), and at Maxwell Field it is 273-42-4 (.862).
 
BY THE NUMBERS
2019 is Linfield's 105th season of football, dating back to 1896. The Wildcats' all-time record is 613-268-28 (.690)…
 
Linfield's all-time home record is 342-91-16 (.780), including a Maxwell Field record of 322-79-11 (.795).
 
Linfield has made 29 national playoff appearances; a school-record string of 9 straight in the NCAA Division III playoffs from 2009-2017 was snapped last year … Linfield has won four national championships: 1982, 1984, 1986 (all NAIA Division II) and 2004 (NCAA Division III). The Wildcats have played in 3 more national championship games: 1961, 1965 (both NAIA) and 1992 (NAIA Division II) … Linfield has an all-time national playoff record of 42-25 (.627).
 
Linfield is seeking a return to the top of the Northwest Conference standings in the 2019 season. Prior to finishing second in 2018, the Wildcats had won or shared the NWC title nine straight seasons. That was the longest such streak in NWC football history … Linfield has won 41 NWC championships, including 33 outright.
 
Since the start of the 2009 season, Linfield is 103-16 overall (.866), 86-7 (.925) in the regular season, 57-3 (.950) at home and 64-2 in NWC games (.970) … During that span, Linfield is 17-9 (.654) in the postseason.
 
COACH JOSEPH SMITH
Joseph Smith is in his 14th season as Linfield's head coach; he has an overall record of 121-25 (.829), which is the highest winning percentage of any head coach in Wildcat football history … Smith's record includes marks of 104-16 (.867) in the regular season, 78-6 (.929) in Northwest Conference games, 17-9 (.654) in the postseason and 67-7 (.905) at home.