Interview with Head Coach Brant McAdams

TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University football team kicks off its 91st season of intercollegiate play on Saturday, welcoming West Coast rival California Lutheran University to Sparks Stadium in Puyallup for a 1 p.m. non-conference showdown. 
 
The Lutes have high expectations after finishing the 2018 campaign with a 4-5 record and a 3-4 mark in Northwest Conference play in Head Coach Brant McAdams' first season at the helm. 
 
"The expectations in year two is to see the players grow in the understanding and execution of offense, defense, and special teams," said McAdams. 
 
"With the particular dynamics of this season and this team, we have a lot of new faces and so the greatest challenge for us is to continue to improve team cohesion and continue to foster experience among a young group. I've been proud of how our senior class has stepped up and led. They've led really well this fall despite their small numbers and the large number of incoming players."
 
Headlining the group of returning veterans is the Lute receiving corps with Wesley Nixon, Alex Rendon, and Jace Keim combining for 771 yards and four touchdowns last season.
 
"Our receiving corps is no doubt the most experienced group on the field and I think that will show. They've grown a lot as a unit. I think the role that assistant coach Zach Coop has played sliding over and him and Rickey Daley have really helped elevated their play."
 
The front five returns a pair of veterans in Honorable Mention All-NWC selection Logan Black along with fifth-year senior Alex Fairhurst who's back after sitting out last season with an injury. 
 
"The O-Line is very much a mixed bag (experience wise). We have a fifth-year senior in Alex. He's getting back to 100 percent and then you have Logan who has played quite a few snaps for us. Ryan Lusk brings some experience but then you're going to see some brand new faces on the offensive line."
 
Under center, Bryce Missey has been tabbed as the starting quarterback, winning the job after a tight battle at the position in preseason camp. While new to the program, Missey is no stranger to college football, having thrown for 440 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 75 yards and a score in two seasons at NAIA Montana State University-Northern. 
 
"The quarterback competition has been phenomenal, through all of last year and in particular in fall camp. Our top three weren't here last fall and they all bring different experiences and strengths, but starter Bryce Missey brings experience playing college football and it's a good group. They understand the best way to lead is service and they've continued to step up for each other and challenge each other."
 
Cody Brown will be the starter at running back, a position group the Lutes feel has plenty of depth. 
 
"Right now it's Cody as the starter. He's a phenomenal teammate, and he's seen growth in his strength and speed numbers over the course of the last 2 ½ years. He's smart and he knows the offense and his assignments, so I'm really excited about him because he's going to bring a steady dose of toughness to our run game."
 
Behind Brown will be first-year Alec Serrao who is a change of pace, bringing elusiveness and explosiveness to the backfield.
 
"Alec is a shifty, explosive, tough little back and we have more depth at that position that all bring toughness and explosiveness."
 
The defense will see a change at the top with McAdams' giving up his role as defensive coordinator with longtime assistant Jud Keim filling that position. Despite the leadership change, the defense will remain largely the same as the previous year.  
 
"The overall concepts are going to stay the same. We were a mix last year of a four-down and a three-down and this year will again be a slight mix. Our coverages and front have adjusted slightly but all in all it wasn't a wholesale change of concepts and scheme,. Judd brings more than two decades of experience coaching at this level, and part of that was on the defensive side of the ball and he's put together some pretty strong defensive units. I have a strong passion for defensive football and I was very excited to assign him that responsibility because I know he'll do a great job with it." 
 
Headlining the defensive line will be Max Larson who logged 22 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one forced fumble during the 2018 campaign.
 
"I think the most growth I've seen from a player in a course of a year has been Max. He isn't the biggest defensive end in our league but he's got a motor, and an effort and a hustle that is pretty infectious. He really helps set the tone for what our defense wants to be, being that high-motor kid up front."
 
On the other side of the line will be Tristan Thomas who collected 2.5 TFLs and one sack last season. 
 
"Tristan is a very physical and versatile athlete for us and a great leader. And then we will have newish faces in the middle. Oscar Cantu is the veteran in the defensive tackles but we'll also see Mykah Tuiolemotu who brings an explosiveness on the D Line that we're pretty excited about."
 
At linebacker, the Lutes return Honorable Mention All-NWC pick Hunter Briggs along with Nicholas Bautista. Briggs finished second on the team in tackles in 2018 with 75, including 4.5 TFLs and four pass breakups.  

 

"Inside the box, Nick played a steady dose last season playing through an injury and I'm excited to see Nick attack the season healthy. Hunter has also grown from year one to year two. The biggest shoes to fill is for Chase Rhinelander who replaces Matt Anthony (83 tackles, 11 TFLs, 4 sacks in 2018). Chase potentially had the best spring, stepping up and just playing the game fast and having fun and that's the example Matt set." 
 
The secondary will feature three sophomore starters as the Lutes look to replace a pair of graduating seniors.
 
"We have to replace a boatload of experience in Parker Bowles and Anthony Bautista but we have young guys now in Jared Elwin and Shaun Kim who absolutely accepted the challenge and have come in and done a good job for us and embracing the expectation for the technical side we're asking and being leaders and communicators."
 
Kylan Sadettan returns at safety after recording 24 tackles and one sack last season, as does cornerback Cody Barnett who racked up a team-high three interceptions last season. 
 
"Kylan has the most experience coming back so I'm excited to see him be a leader back there in the secondary. Cody also brings a season under his belt on the defensive side and we're pretty excited about the versatility he gives us in our coverage calls because what he can do." 
 
The Lutes have a big hole to fill on the special teams front with the departure of All-NWC selection Anthony Louthan, but the team is in the more than capable hands, or more appropriately feet, of senior Alex Brost.
 
"Alex has definitely elevated himself as the kicker on our squad as both place kicker and punter and it's easy to see he's dedicated himself to that craft. He's stepped up and proven himself as the guy to lean on. I don't think he's putting any additional pressure on himself to fill any shoes because Anthony left some big shoes to fill but Alex is a talented kicker and I think he's going to continue to help PLU special teams be special."
 
Effort and execution will take center stage this weekend as the Lutes gear up for their first game of the 2019 season. 
 
"Our expectation is to fly around with phenomenal effort and execute. We're focused on ourselves. It's the first time having live bullets with brand new competition and I expect to see the guys stay composed. We've done our best to simulate those types of game scenarios and the variables that could apply. Despite being a young group, I think our senior leaders have done a good job bringing the guys along." 
 
Sept. 14: PLU vs. California Lutheran at Sparks Stadium (1 p.m.)
 
Series History: The two Lutheran institutions have met 24 times on the gridiron with the series deadlocked 12-12. The two teams last met during the 2018 season opener in Thousand Oaks with the host Kingsmen earning the 24-8 victory. 
 
About the Kingsmen: California Lutheran (4-6, 3-4 SCIAC in 2018) opens its season today and looks to build on a season finale where the Kingsmen pounded SCIAC rival Whittier 58-21, snapping a three-game slide. 
 
Defense looks to be a strong point for CLU, anchored by returning All-American cornerback Obasi Dees and First Team All-SCIAC linebacker Ethan Pulley. Cal Lu's inexperience will be on the offensive side of the ball, breaking in three freshman on the line along with a new quarterback, receivers, and running backs. Second Team All-SCIAC kicker Christian Antezana is back, having kicked a 53-yard field goal last season.