Setting the Scene: Pacific Lutheran opens the 2023 season today, welcoming Redlands to Memorial Field. It's the first of five home games for the Lutes this season and one of six games played around Pierce County in 2023.
Series History: This is just the third all-time meeting between the Lutes and Bulldogs. PLU won both encounters, prevailing 35-14 at Sparks Stadium during the 2013 season while earning a 28-14 win in Redlands, California in 2012.
About the Lutes: The Pacific Lutheran University football team looks to take the next step this fall after finishing the 2022 season with its best record since 2014.
The Lutes wrapped up the 2022 campaign with a 6-4 overall record and a 5-2 mark in the Northwest Conference standings, tying for second place in the league. That included posting shutout wins over the University of La Verne (41-0) and Willamette University (53-0) while downing crosstown rival University of Puget Sound 35-10 to retain The Trophy for the second consecutive season.
"Last year was a good year and you'd like to be able to build on that momentum," said Head Coach Brant McAdams.
"That success was off the backs of experience. We had a big senior class last year and we graduated 22. Five guys came back for a fifth year and so we return some experience. We return probably more starters this year than we did last year but we have a lot of experience and leadership roles to fill in for."
A core nucleus of players returns from that team including eight offensive starters and six on defense.
Defense has been a hallmark of the Lutes the past few seasons and this year looks to be no different. The Lutes ranked sixth in NCAA Division III in both sacks (3.7 per game) and tackles for loss (8.9) per game while sitting 15th in the nation in rushing defense (68.6 yards per game) and 29th in total defense (268.9 yards per game).
The Lute D loses All-Region linebacker Ashton Barton and safety Kord Tuttle along with standout corner Jared Elwin and safety Michael Gurr.
"Any time you lose great leaders that are great players that's a big hole to fill. It's a big challenge but you have to give room for new faces to be new faces. It's not going to be the same team it was last year and you really have to cultivate those new dynamics."
Providing stability for the Lutes will be returning First Team All-Conference selection Nico Golla at defensive end, Second Team All-NWC defensive tackle Gavin Hawley, and First Team All-Conference linebacker Kalen Davis-White.
"They're the linchpin keeping it all together."
Golla had 13 TFLs last fall with 6 ½ sacks and three quarterback hurries. Hawley notched 10 ½ TFLs and 3 ½ sacks while Davis-White was the Lutes' leading tackler with 71 takedowns along with 13 TFLs and four sacks. Starting at defensive end opposite Golla is Nasier Ford who had 7 TFLs and three sacks in 2022.
In the secondary, PLU boasts Honorable Mention All-NWC cornerback Colby Rhinelander along with returning starter Kaysen Higa at safety.
Rhinelander had eight pass breakups last fall and 56 tackles while Higa finished with 28 tackles and an interception.
"Our defense has been the spearhead and they've challenged our offense and special teams to continue to get better. I'm excited to see the other sides of the ball step up to that challenge."
While a veteran unit with no first-years on the two-deep, the defense will rely on a few up and coming players this fall.
Kellen Meade is projected to start across Rhinelander at the other corner position and brings speed to the mix as a two-sport athlete. Last spring, Meade was running on the track team, winning an NWC title as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team and finishing fourth in the 200-meters at the NWC Championships.
In the trenches, George Sonko fills in the void at the other defensive tackle spot after seeing limited snaps last fall. Nikolas Kron looks to step up and replace Barton at the linebacker position while the team looks to see more from Sam Morasch who transitioned from basketball to playing cornerback on the football team last fall and will also be featured heavily on special teams as a long snapper.
Offensively, the Lutes return all five starters up front, including Second Team All-NWC guard Nico Skinner and Honorable Mention All-Conference center Thomas Jacobs. That duo is joined by guard Griffin Montana, and tackles Aeryk Hatico and Aron Daley.
Laakea Ane returns for a fifth season at PLU and will be the starting tight end. Ane has scored two touchdowns on the ground and two through the air for the Lutes over the past four years.
Manuel Felan is back at wide receiver after leading the Lutes last season in both receptions (50) and receiving yards (658). Felan additionally found the endzone on six occasions during the 2022 season. Marc Basa is back after netting 12 catches for 159 yards last fall as is Patrick McInerny who scored two touchdowns and ended the season with 188 receiving yards.
"Marc is a steady presence with great hands and a great route runner."
Spring transfer Thor Stepina from Montana Western University looks to make his mark, adding more speed to the receiving corps along with multisport star Steele Swinton who was a member of the NWC Champion 4x400-meter relay team this spring.
"Thor's stepped in to be some of the speed for us and a down field threat. Patrick McInerny and Steele Swinton are both guys that did track in the spring and are transitioning to outside receiver from being slot receivers."
The keys to the offense will be turned to quarterback Darius Chaffin who enters his junior season for the Lutes. Chaffin showed his athleticism as a first-year in 2021, scoring touchdowns on the ground, through the air, and on special teams, but had his season cut short last fall due to an injury.
"Darius has some special physical abilities but I think his even-keel nature— you won't see him get really up or really down— might be his biggest asset. He has a calmness and confidence about him that I think our guys gravitate towards. It's been a good camp for him. A lot of learning opportunities and a lot of reps."
Chaffin replaces Erik Bainter who tossed 19 touchdowns last fall and threw for almost 3,000 yards over the past four seasons. Backing up Chaffin will be Logan Rodriguez who saw action in three games last fall as a first-year.
Depth will be one of the greatest strengths for the Lutes at running back, boasting plenty of experience.
Raysen Motoyama returns after rushing for 356 yards last fall while Texan Noah Palitz had 187 yards of total offense last year with three receiving touchdowns. Also back is Jacob Schuh and Jonathan Tyrell-Smith who combined for 120 yards on the ground last fall.
"It's a steady stable of running backs. Motoyama is definitely the smartest and most experienced but Palitz is looking as good as we've ever seen. He's fully healthy and that's been a big thing for him and he can be a pretty dangerous asset. And then Schuh is the total package. He can run inside the box, has good hands, and can one-step cut on the perimeter."
On special teams, Andrew Comito will continue with the kickoff duties this fall in addition to serving as the team punter while Cole Sargent will handle extra points and field goals. Sargent made all 11 of his extra points attempted last fall, including five in the win over Puget Sound.
"Special teams can be the deciding factor in a game. Cole finished the season really well last year, so had confidence coming out of the fall. Andrew has really strong leg and is our kickoff guy and has stepped into the punting role and has done a great job with operation, hang time, and distance."
"We will have a new snapper, new holder, so a lot of new specialists but I think our guys understand the importance of those single plays that can score points or flip the field."
The Lutes kick off the season on Saturday at Bellarmine Prep's Memorial Field against the University of Redlands. It's PLU's first home game not played at Sparks Stadium since a pair of games at the Tacoma Dome in 1993.
"Redlands is a good football team that last year's record doesn't indicate the quality of that program so I have to assume they have a chip on their shoulder."
"For us on Saturday, I think playing fast and physical defense is key. It's the brand of football we've been playing the last couple of years. Our defense creating more opportunities for our offense and then for our offense, taking the easy completions and making one guy miss in space will be a big deal for us to have success on Saturday."
About the Bulldogs: Redlands opens the 2023 season today after wrapping up last fall with a 4-6 overall record and a 4-2 mark in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.
The Bulldogs face two Northwest Conference opponents last fall, coming up short 38-31 to George Fox in the season opener before getting edged 21-3 by Linfield in the non-conference finale.
Redlands averaged 25.9 points per game last fall, racking up 281.5 yards per game. That included a balanced attack of 121.2 rushing yards and 160.3 passing yards.
The Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth in the SCIAC Preseason Poll, finishing ahead of California Lutheran and La Verne.
Headlining the returners is First Team All-American punter Vicente Garcia. Garcia led the nation last year, averaging 45.6 yards per punt. Also returning is First Team All-SCIAC wide receiver Evan Aguon and First Team All-SCIAC offensive lineman Kaleb Gibson.
Aguon was the team leader in receptions, yards, and touchdowns last season, finishing the year with 51 receptions for 502 yards and five touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball the Bulldogs return First Team selections Craig Hunter, Mikey Duran IV, and Scott Tinsley along with Second Team All-SCIAC pick Jacob Sega.
Hunter led Redlands in tackles with 75 on the season with 11 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Tinsley recorded three interceptions last fall while Sega had 65 tackles in 2022.
5th Year Lutes
Trailblazing NIL the D3 Way: PLU Athletics continues to lead the way nationally in Name, Image, and Likeness, unveiling the Luteville Marketplace last fall through the department's partnership with Opendorse. But don't stay on the sidelines, get involved and connect with PLU student-athletes on the Luteville Marketplace: LINK
The Luteville Marketplace is the first dedicated NIL marketplace in Division III on the Opendorse platform that directly connects student-athletes with fans, supporters, and business partners in an easy to use website.
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Next Home Game:
Sept. 16 vs. California Lutheran at 12 p.m.
PLU Non-Discrimination Policy: Pacific Lutheran University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Childress-White; 253-535-7361; TitleIX@plu.edu