COLLEGE OF IDAHO (0-0) AT PACIFIC (0-0)
Game No. 1 • Home Game No. 1
Sat., Sept. 6 • 1 p.m. • Hanson Stadium, Forest Grove, Ore.Radio: 1360 AM KUIK (Live)  Play By Play: Matt Richert  Analyst: Scott Hermo
Away Radio: 1350 AM KTIK, Boixe
Live Stats |
Live Audio & VideoBOXERS WELCOME BACK COLLEGE OF IDAHO IN SEASON OPENERIt has been 37 years since the College of Idaho has fielded a football team. Much like Puget Sound did for Pacific five years ago, the Boxers will play host to the Coyotes for their game back at they come to Hanson Stadium on Saturday. The game will feature a match-up between a pair of former UC Davis assistants in Pacific head coach
Keith Buckley and College of Idaho head coach Mike Moroski.
BOXER BYTES• The College of Idaho enters the game with a 26-19-5 series lead over the Boxers and will be looking to extend a one-game winning streak over the Boxers. The two teams last played on Nov. 12, 1977, with the Coyotes securing the win with a one-yard run by Randy Osler in the fourth quarter.
• The College of Idaho is the only non-NCAA Division III opponent Pacific will face this season and the first NAIA opponent Pacific has played since 2011. Since the return of the program, the Boxers are 1-2 against the NAIA, with all three games played against Menlo.
• The game will be a reunion between Pacific Head Coach
Keith Buckley and one of his former mentors. College of Idaho Head Coach Mike Moroski served three decades at UC Davis and was the Aggies' offensive coordinator from 1993 to 2010. Buckley played at UC Davis from 1992 to 1995 and served two stints as an assistant coach from 1996-1999 and from 2005-2009.
• Saturday's game will be preceeded by a short ceremony re-dedicating Pacific's home facility. The venue, formerly known as Lincoln Park Stadium, was renamed Hanson Stadium in May to honor the contributions of Rich & Joy Hanson. The couple provided the leadership funds to build a roof over the stadium, which was completed last week.
A WIN OVER COLLEGE OF IDAHO WOULD...• Break a one-game losing streak to the College of Idaho and break a one-game losing streak dating back to the end of last season (28-22 loss to Linfiled on Nov. 16, 2013).
• Give Pacific its fifth consecutive victory over a non-conference opponent dating back to the 2012 season. The Boxers' last non-conference loss was a 51-14 defeat by Division II Simon Fraser on Aug. 30, 2012.
• Provide the Boxers their third consecutive win in a home opener and their second consecutive win in their season opener.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: COLLEGE OF IDAHOLocation: Caldwell, Idaho   Enrollment: 1,055
Nickname: Coyotes   Colors: Purple & Gold
Conference: Frontier Conference (NAIA)
Stadium: Simplot Stadium (5,000, uncovered, FieldTurf)
President: Dr. Marv Henberg                Â
Athletic Director: Marty Holly
Sports Information Director: Mike Safford, Jr.
Facebook: facebook.com/CoyoteAthletics     Twitter: @CoyoteAthletics
Head Coach: Mike Moroski (UC Davis, 1978)
Moroski's Record At College of Idaho: First Season
Moroski's Record Overall: First Season
Assistant Coaches: Tim Keane (OC/OL), Chris Jewell (DC), Chris Peterilli (Special Teams/DB), Mike Virdin (QB), Kirby Moore (WR), Jostin Torfin (RB), Matt Strong (DL), Khayree Marshall (DE), Dustin Kamper (LB), John Pike (CB).
Returning Letterwinners: First Season
Returning Starters: First Season
2013 Record: No Program      Frontier Record: No Program
All-Time Series: College of Idaho leads 26-19-5
Last Meeting: College of Idaho won 24-23 at Caldwell, Idaho on Nov. 12, 1977
ABOUT THE COACH: Mike Moroski will lead the College of Idaho onto the field for their first season since 1977 after spending the 2013-14 academic season recruiting and preparing for the year. Moroski came to the College of Idaho after three decades at UC Davis as both a player and coach. As offensive coordinator from 1993 to 2010, his schemes helped lead the Aggies to eight NCAA Division II postseason appearances, including trips to the national semifinals in 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2001. During his tenure, Moroski also served as a position coach for every offensive discipline. The Far West Conference Player of the Year in 1977 and 1978 for the Aggies as a quarterback, Moroski was drafted in the sixth round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcoms. He spent eight seasons in the league as a back-up quarterback with the Falcons, the Houston Oilers and the San Francisco 49ers.
LAST MEETING: A furious second half comeback fell short as the Boxers drove 80 yards for a touchdown in the final 63 seconds, but misfired on a two-point conversion to win the game as the College of Idaho beat the Boxers 24-23 on Nov. 12, 1977, in Caldwell, Idaho. The final touchdown, a six-yard pass from Ken Dahl to Mike Barber, came with just three seconds left. Pacific called the same play on its conversion try, but a College of Idaho defender tipped the ball away from Barber at the last second to preserve the Coyotes' win. Pacific charged back from an early 14-0 deficit, scoring on two runs by John Beal before Willie Brousseau connected on a 45-yard field goal to close the Boxers' first half scoring. Pacific piled up 435 yards of total offense, including 310 yards in the air, against the Coyotes' 301. Dahl completed 22 for 39 passing. Gary Potratz caught five balls for 115 yards while Barber caught six balls for 79 yards. The game proved to be College of Idaho's last before the program went on a 37-year hiatus.
COLLEGE OF IDAHO NOTES• As one of just four college football programs in Idaho, and the only non-Division I program, the College of Idaho successfully recruited over 100 players for the first year of the reinstated program. The roster features players from Idaho, California, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, Utah, Hawaii and New Zealand.
• The College of Idaho was a charter member of the Northwest Conference, joining the small college league in 1926. The institution left the NWC left the league in 1978. Members of the NAIA's Cascade Collegiate Conference in most sports, the Coyotes play in the Frontier Conference for football.
• The College of Idaho won NWC championships in 1926, 1927, 1948, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955. They also played one postseason game, losing the 1953 Refrigerator Bowl to Sam Houston State, 14-12, in Evansville, Ind.
• The College of Idaho was founded in 1884 by members of the Presbyterian Church, but no longer maintains an official religious affiliation. From 1991 to 2007, the school was known as Albertson College of Idaho, honoring alumnus and longtime donor Joe Albertson, founder of the Albertson's supermarket chain.
• The school's primary athletics facility, the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, is a carbon copy of Linfield's Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
• Other notable alumni of the College of Idaho include Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Elgin Baylor, Kristine Tompkins, founder of Patagonia; famed radio disc jockey Larry Lujack, Idaho Governor Butch Otter, former NFL wide receiver R.J. Owens and former Oregon governor Elmo Smith.
PACIFIC NEWS & NOTES
A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN: After four seasons of
T.C. Campbell and
P.J. Minaya mentoring the offense, it will now
Warner Shaw's (Jr., Waimea, Hawaii) offense to run in 2014. Shaw spent the last two seasons apprenticing behind the Boxers' two-headed quarterback system, and is further helped by the presence of Minaya as the program's assistant quarterbacks coach. Shaw saw action in just one game in 2013, completing all five passes he threw for 50 yards against Puget Sound. "Warner has such a great arm and is deceptively quick," Head Coach
Keith Buckley said. "You think of him as a great ball throwe and you don't realize how well he moves in the pocket and how much he can move in the open field. It's exciting."
BACK IN HARM'S WAY: With some nominal turnover in the Pacific defense,
Brandon Harms (Sr., Canby, Ore.) will be depended upon even more for his play-making ability. A Second Team All-NWC selection and one of only two returners among the Boxers' 2013 All-NWC first and second team selections, Harms finished third for the Boxers with 55 tackles and finished second in the NWC with solo tackles. Harms finished 2013 ranked 38th among NCAA Division III players in forced fumbles with 0.3 per game and 88th in passes defended with 1.1 per game. He also was one of the top kick return specialists in the league, leading the league with an average of 12.4 yards per return on 20 punt returns, which also ranked 16th in Division III. A smart player on the field and off, Harms was one of two Pacific players named to the 2013 Capital One/CoSIDA Division III All-Academic District VIII Football Team.
GOLDEN BOOT: The best kicker in program history is back to see if he can make his senior season his best.Â
Moses Villareal-Gomez (Sr., Stockton, Calif.) finished the 2013 season ranked 18th in Division III in field goals, averaging 1.1 per game, 85th in field goal percentage (.688) and 91st in scoring (7.2 points per game). Villareal-Gomez established a Pacific season record by making 11 field goals in 2013 and tied the school season record with 16 field goal attempts. Over the course of his junior year, Villareal-Gomez established Pacific career records for field goals made (27) and point-after attempts made (84). He also finished the year second in the NWC in scoring, accounting for 72 of the Boxers' points.
BIG SHOES TO FILL: The 2014 edition of Pacific football will have high expectations as the 2013 team posted high numbers on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. On offense, Pacific finished 85th among Division III teams in offense, averaging 399 yards per game, 33rd in scoring offense with an average of 34.6 points per game and 55th in passing offense, averaging 248.7 yards per game in the air. Pacific also ranked sixth in red zone offense (.897 conversion rate), 10th in third down conversion percentage (.484), 11th in team passing efficiency (161.93) and 21st in competion percentage (.650).
On defense, the 2013 Boxers proved incredibly stout. Pacific ranked 58th in scoring defense, allowing opponents 19.6 points per game. The Boxers ranked fifth in sacks, making 3,5 per game, 67th in total defense (allowing 325.5 yards per game) 56th in blocked kicks (3).
BOXERS PICKED CLOSE FOURTH IN PRESEASON POLL: In terms of how they will perform in conference games, Northwest Conference coaches do not expect a fifth year slump from the Boxers. Pacific was picked in close fourth place in the annual preseason poll conducted in August. Pacific received 34 votes, just two less than Willamette, who was picked third with 36 points. The Boxers finished fourth in the NWC in 2013, amassing a 3-3 conference record. Pacific Lutheran was picked second in the poll with 42 points. Linfield was the runaway pick to win the conference. The five-time defending champions received all but one first place vote and a total of 56 points.
THEY'RE SMART TOO: A total of 13 Pacific football players were named over the summer as Northwest Conference Scholar-Athletes. To be selected, student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 by the end of the academic year and must have been an active member of the varsity roster the full season. The awards are in addition to the selection of
Jordan Fukumoto and
Brandon Harms to the 2013 Capital One/CoSIDA Division III Academic All-District VIII Football Team.
IT'S HANSON STADIUM NOW: It not only looks different, but Pacific's home stadium will answer to a different name as well. A roof was added to the main stadium grandstand over the summer, providing coverage for over 1,100 fans who sit on the field's south sideline. Along with the roof came a name change to Hanson Stadium, which was approved by Pacific University's Board of Trustees in May. The moniker honors Trustee Rich Hanson and his wife, Joy, who provided the leadership gift to start fundraising for the stadium roof project. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson will be honored by conducting the coin toss prior to Saturday's game. Formerly known as Lincoln Park Stadium, Hanson Stadium was opened for the 2007 season and is home to Pacific's football, soccer, women's lacrosse and track and field programs.
FROM SCRIMMAGE LINE TO SIDELINE: Some of Pacific's top players from the 2013 season have moved from the field to the sidelines to begin their coaching careers. Eight graduates from last year's team will help to lead the Boxers as part of the coaching staff. The list includes
Sean Bangs (defensive assistant),
Gabe Flory (assistant linebackers),
Eric Gietzen (assistant offensive line),
Aaron Koford (kickers),
Bryan Mills (safeties),
P.J. Minaya (quarterbacks),
Michael Smith (assistant defensive line) and
Brian Taylor (tight ends). Pacific is developing into a great starting spot for coaches. Over four years, seven coaches have moved on from Pacific to NCAA Division I coaching positions.
YORO PROMOTED: In addition to the addition of eight coaches from Pacific's Class of 2014, Head Coach
Keith Buckley has promoted
Jacob Yoro to assistant head coach. One of two assistants who have been with the program since the 2010 reinstatement, Yoro serves as the Boxers' defensive coordinator and as the program's recruiting coordinator.
PACIFIC ONE-LINERS (AND SOMETIMES TWO)• Two Pacific players spend the spring as key members of the Boxers' baseball program. Wide reciever/kicker
Nathan Suyematsu was a First Team All-NWC selection as a second baseman after hitting .342 with 53 hits, 29 runs and 13 doubles.Â
Kyle Treadway was one of the Boxers' starting pitcher, finishing with a team-leading 2.68 earned run average. Both Suyematsu and Treadway played summer baseball, with Treadway finishing as a Golden State Collegiate Baseball League all-star after a standout season with the Atwater Aviators.
• Offensive lineman
Riley Rankin is a cousin of late all-pro football player and Monday Night Football personality Don Meredith. In fact, Meredith predates Rankin's arrival on the Pacific campus by 52 years as he was part of the 1960 Dallas Cowboys' team that opened training camp in Forest Grove. Following in Meredith's footsteps, Rankin holds a Work Study job as a public address announcer for Pacific sporting events.
• Twenty-nine Pacific players hail from Hawaii, continuing a long-standing Pacific tradition. Nearly one-third of Pacific's undergraduate student body comes from the 50th state.
• The only state with more representation on the roster is California, with 42 athletes coming from the Golden State.
• Defensive lineman
Eddie Carrillo is in his second year as president of Pacific's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He is the first multi-year president of the body.
