By Keith McMillan
D3football.com

When placing a call to a 72-year-old football coach, one would expect to be greeted by the standard "I’m not in, so leave a message" should his answering machine pick up.

Instead, callers are thrust into the middle of an animated radio broadcast of a 60-yard TD run by Pacific Lutheran fullback Anthony Hicks. Lutes coach Frosty Westering comes in at the end, sounding like an excited broadcaster himself, and says something to the effect of: "Frosty here. What a play, huh? Leave a message and God bless."

It’s simply a small indication of Westering’s unorthodox style. The Lutes might do things differently than any football program you’ve heard of, but the results are all positive. Positive as in a trip to Stagg Bowl XXVII to face Rowan.

Their journey to Salem, which in the estimation of Sports Information Director Nick Dawson will cover nearly 16,000 air miles by the time it is complete, began in the preseason with an event Westering, his assistants and his players look forward to with a fervor equal to opening day.

"We start every year with a Breakaway," says Westering.

The Lutes spend three days before preseason practice begins at a Young Life lodge along the Oregon Coast. Westering says the excursion includes games, team-building, songs, skits and relays, but "no football."

"They come home from that so team-oriented," says the coach. "They’re excited to start practice."

Though they take just two weeks to prepare for the opener, they say they treat that game the same way they’ll treat Saturday’s championship.

"We really don’t play anybody," says Westering, who has a doctorate in education and teaches sports psychology, "and I know that sounds funny."
The Pacific Lutheran philosophy, which Westering calls the "Double Win" is that a team plays two games each time it steps on the field: one against its opponent, and one against itself.

The latter is the only one Westering is concerned with winning.

"Studies prove," he says, "that most of the time, teams beat themselves" through turnovers, mistakes and lack of execution. Westering says his team plays every game against its "best self."

"There’s guys on the other side of the ball," he says, "but to us it doesn’t matter who." The opponent, he says, gives them what to prepare for and dictates what schemes they can run, but outside of that, who they play is meaningless. The scoreboard, Westering adds, is there, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate how well you’ve played.

"The biggest thing is," says Westering, "you control what you can. We do what we can do… Winning isn’t a goal, it’s a result of the things you do."

Westering’s methods are tried and true. He’s been around long enough (he’s in his 36th season as a collegiate head coach, 28th at PLU) to pen a book (Make the Big Time Where You Are), have his son (Scott Westering) become offensive coordinator and his grandson (Chad Johnson) become his starting quarterback. He’s won 275 games, putting him in the exclusive company of some guys named Robinson, Bryant, Stagg, Paterno and Gagliardi, among others.

Like Westering himself, the Lutes too are in exclusive company as one of the last two standing from the 235 Division III teams that began the season. Though the entry from the 3,500-student Tacoma, Wash. institution are newcomers to the Stagg Bowl and the Division III national scene, they aren’t green when it comes to title games.

While a member of the NAIA’s Division II, the Lutes won three national titles (in 1980, 1987 and 1993) and were runners-up four times (in 1983, 1985, 1991 and 1994).

Westering is confident his team has the ability to repeat those feats at the NCAA Division III level.

"There’s a fine line about winning," he says. "Our guys know if we play well, we can play with any team… in the country."

Pacific Lutheran qualified for the playoffs in 1998, its first season as a bona-fide member of Division III, but fell to St. John’s (Minn.) 33-20.

This season, the 12-1 Lutes proved they belonged by knocking off its own conference champion, Willamette, tackling West first seed Wartburg, avenging last year's loss against St. John’s and hurdling Trinity (Texas), another top seed.

It all might never have happened had the division not expanded to 28 playoff teams in 1999 from 16 a year ago.

"No question," says Westering of the playoff expansion. "I think it’s the greatest thing ever."

But possibly the most amazing thing about the Lutes’ run is that it has been entirely on the road.

Dubbed "The Big-Play Lutes" over the years, the 1999 squad my be better knows as "the Road Warriors."

Nine of their 13 games have been away from Sparks Stadium, including all of their playoff encounters. In the postseason, only their rematch with Willamette, the lone team to defeat the Lutes’ during the regular season (29-20 on Oct. 9), was a reasonably short trip.

They rode 400 miles by bus to Salem, Oregon before rallying to beat the Bearcats 28-24. They traveled 3,650 round-trip miles by plane and bus to Waverly, Iowa for the 49-14 win against Wartburg.

Airplane and bus was again the required transportation for the 2,850-mile trip to Collegeville, Minnesota for the 19-9 victory against St. John’s, as well as the 3,600-mile ride to San Antonio, Texas for the 49-28 win over Trinity.

Through it all, team observers say the entire season, from the Breakaway to their longest trip of the season, the coast-to-coast jaunt to Salem, Va., has been one wonderful bonding experience.

Westering says enjoying the company of other people is the greatest asset for the members of the team. During the season, he says, they go bowling or swim at the pool together, to stay together. The Lutes celebrated the 20th anniversary of their outreach program this season, a program that reaches out to middle and elementary school children in the lower socio-economic areas of Tacoma. After every game, win or lose, the players, coaches and their families get together in a field house and have cookies and punch, share experiences from the game and talk about the lessons learned. The postgame ceremonies often last for hours.

"When people can really enjoy [the experience of] being together," Westering remarks, "then you’ve really got something."

All of the love being passed around, Westering admits, almost makes you forget that they play football.

X's and O's
The Lutes feature what Westering calls a wide-open attack, both offensively and defensively.

"We take calculated risks, and we’re not afraid to fail," says Westering.

The Lutes’ offense is led by senior fullback Anthony Hicks, a University of Washington transfer. Hicks’ 1,560 yards is more than half of the team total of 2,972. He averages 7.4 yards per carry and is the team’s leader with 32 receptions (for 437 yards).

Quarterback Chad Johnson gives the Lutes a potent passing attack to offset the run. He’s thrown for more than 2,500 yards and has posted 20 TDs to only nine interceptions.

In addition to Hicks, three pass catchers (RB Kevin Lint, and WRs Todd McDevitt and Kyle Brown) have more than 400 receiving yards. Johnson keeps the entire offense involved – eight players have at least 10 receptions.

"I think you’ve got to prepare for a lot of things when you play us," Westering says.

Center Andrew Finstuen is a two-year All-Northwest honoree and guard Josh Hostetter was all-conference also.

Offense is the Lutes’ strong suit, but observers call the defense the essence of team play. Linebackers Jeremy Johnston, Tim Lax and Luke Gearhard lead the way. They also boast additional all-around talent.

Defensive end Luke Jacobson was the Division III discus champion last year. Safeties Judd Hunter and Seth Berghoff and wideout Shipley Anders, all of whom see considerable playing time, each finished in the Top Five in the decathlon.

At cornerback and at one of the inside linebacker spots, defensive coordinator Craig McCord doesn’t designate the starters, and won’t this Saturday. Seniors David Jeffries and Steve Alseth alternate starts and series at cornerback, as do sophomore linebackers Ben McGrann and Mike Mauss. McCord lets the duos decide amongst themselves who starts.

Enjoying the Ride
It’s been a long journey and a wild ride for this unorthodox West Coast squad. Win or lose, Westering says his guys will appreciate the experience and enjoy the trip.

"When you get an opportunity to play a national game… for ESPN to be part of this, to make it a national game, it’s just an honor," he says. "We’re [going there] expecting to play our best against them."

Westering says his guys have tremendous respect for the Rowan team, but most important is that they play to their own potential and have a good time.

"We’ve always believed," Westering says, "if we don’t enjoy the trip, it isn’t worth going."