The Pacific University football team wrapped up their season with a 39-35 win over Puget Sound University and while their season wasn’t one of their best, the team doesn’t feel they are too far off of that championship level. The team lost just four games by a combined 20 points this season and the losses are a result of small issues on the field that cost them in the end.
However, head coach Keith Buckley knows this team has the talent and can learn from these mistakes. “I am frustrated that we weren’t better, but there is a lot of opportunities for us to grow from it and we know we didn’t flat out get beat talent wise,” Buckley said. “We had too many self-inflicted losses and that is the driving force for this coming offseason. For us, we want to work at a high level and put ourselves in a position to not make those kind of mistakes next fall.”
Linfield College has continued to be a dominating force in the conference and are coming off their 61st consecutive winning season, which is the longest active streak in college football including Division I and II. Buckley knows that competing against them is not easy, but he feels this program has what it takes to get to the same level. “I know what that breeds in terms
of confidence in a program and Linfield is a very confident, traditional football program and that is something you really can’t get caught up in,” Buckley said. “You have to, year by year, go out and compete to beat them. For 30 minutes, we played some of our best football against them, but it is a 60 minute football game. I tend to look in the mirror when it comes to that. I don’t look at Linfield and say, ‘what do we have to change to be them?’ I look at it as, what do we have to do to put ourselves in a position to win championships?” While their 4-6 overall record and 3-4 conference record did not bring the team to where they wanted to be, the team was given many accolades to individual players. Senior linebacker Jack Perez and redshirt freshman wide receiver Kobe Williams earned First Team All-Northwest Conference.
However, head coach Keith Buckley knows this team has the talent and can learn from these mistakes. “I am frustrated that we weren’t better, but there is a lot of opportunities for us to grow from it and we know we didn’t flat out get beat talent wise,” Buckley said. “We had too many self-inflicted losses and that is the driving force for this coming offseason. For us, we want to work at a high level and put ourselves in a position to not make those kind of mistakes next fall.”
Linfield College has continued to be a dominating force in the conference and are coming off their 61st consecutive winning season, which is the longest active streak in college football including Division I and II. Buckley knows that competing against them is not easy, but he feels this program has what it takes to get to the same level. “I know what that breeds in terms
of confidence in a program and Linfield is a very confident, traditional football program and that is something you really can’t get caught up in,” Buckley said. “You have to, year by year, go out and compete to beat them. For 30 minutes, we played some of our best football against them, but it is a 60 minute football game. I tend to look in the mirror when it comes to that. I don’t look at Linfield and say, ‘what do we have to change to be them?’ I look at it as, what do we have to do to put ourselves in a position to win championships?” While their 4-6 overall record and 3-4 conference record did not bring the team to where they wanted to be, the team was given many accolades to individual players. Senior linebacker Jack Perez and redshirt freshman wide receiver Kobe Williams earned First Team All-Northwest Conference.
Senior defensive end Jeff Bajema and senior offensive lineman Nick Reese were also given First Team Honors. Senior defensive back Andy Harris and junior defensive end Xavier Harvey were given Second Team All-Northwest Conference Honors. The Boxers will look to make improvements this offseason to get them to where they need to be. Buckley and his team have championship expectations each year with the ability to compete and prepare each game at that level. “The ability to prepare at a championship level, the ability to fight at a championship level and compete at a championship level is something under our control,” Buckley said.
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