By Ryan Tipps
D3football.com

Early in the season there was the game against NAIA's Southern Oregon, where Willamette rallied to win from a 17-3 deficit. Then there was the game five weeks later, when the Bearcats posted 52 points on perennial conference powerhouse Linfield. Of course, going on the road and defensively clamping down against Whitworth was no small feat either.

In searching for a defining aspect of the season, it's hard for Willamette coach Mark Speckman to pick just one.

"It's been an interesting year because we've played well every game," Speckman said, just days after beating Occidental and advancing to Round 2 of the playoffs. "There's not a game where we really stunk it up, or were lucky to win that, or we were down, or we had an off day. [We played at] pretty much the same level every game. I've coached for a long time, and not too many teams have I had that can say that."

Consistency is something that had eluded the Bearcats in recent seasons. In fact, after logging its 11th consecutive victory in this undefeated season, the team has matched its total number of wins over the previous three years combined. A tough schedule that has included top teams in other conferences, as well as stiff NAIA competition, has made this year's spark even more remarkable.

"I think that we're winning the closer games," said Speckman, 53. "I think our turnover ratio is a huge improvement over what it has been. I think we're plus-13 or something like that. … We've gotten more play out of our special teams, we've gotten more defensive touchdowns this year. The ball has kind of bounced our way a little more this year."

Willamette, the No. 1 playoff seed in its bracket, has pummeled teams on the scoreboard and has put up 4,478 yards of total offense so far.

The team channels its firepower through an offense known as the "fly," which brings the flanker in motion on nearly every play, turning him into either a rusher, blocker or receiver. It's a misdirection style that Speckman – who has been with the team for 14 years, 11 as its head coach – is an authority on.

And when Willamette's starting quarterback was injured in the first quarter of the season opener, Speckman helped shape backup Grant Leslie into a team leader. Leslie averages nearly 150 yards per game in the air, and has a touchdown to interception ratio of 16:2.

"Guys who have had a chance because of injury have stepped in and have had great years. I think … those things factor into any team in the country that's having a year like we're having. Those things have to happen," said Speckman, who played linebacker during his college years at Menlo and Azuza Pacific despite being born without hands.

The turnaround that the Bearcats have seen this year is far from one dimensional.

Special teams have improved their play, especially with the consistency of freshman kicker Mitchell Rowan, who has made every field goal at 40 yards or less. The team's running backs are picking up yards and hanging onto the ball better. And the defense, which "was a big question mark coming in," has proven itself against difficult competition. "Both of our inside backers were new, and our safeties were new, all of our defensive tackles were new," the coach noted. "Graduation had hit our defense really hard."

And Speckman is proud with how the pieces came together.

"I think one of the things that's kind of unique about our team this year," he said, "is that all three phases of the game have worked off of each other. …

"Offensively, we've scored a lot of points so that we can be in a situation where we can be a little more conservative and make people drive the field on us. And if they score, it's no big deal because we're going to get the points right back. I think everything has dovetailed together really nice."

As an undefeated team, Willamette isn't short on confidence. It is a well-deserved trait, something that had to be earned through the come-from-behind win against Southern Oregon and the efforts against top teams in the Northwest Conference. Through some early wins, the team saw itself in a new light, one that shone beyond the two-win and four-win seasons of recent years.

And it's one that will be needed on Saturday, when Willamette hosts defending national champion UW-Whitewater. Speckman acknowledges how crisp Whitewater looks on game video and is happy to have this matchup at home. He also said that his players, who have watched UW-W in the Stagg Bowl in recent years, are anticipating the chance to play the Wisconsin school.

"Our kids are excited about this," Speckman said. "It's a tremendous opportunity, and you know, you got to beat them at some point."

Championship-caliber competition is not unfamiliar to the longtime coach. Willamette's last playoff trip was in 2004, the same year that his team in the regular season played both Stagg Bowl teams, Linfield and Mary Hardin-Baylor. It was all part of the challenge he embraces.

"One of the things I try to do is never be satisfied with the status quo. We're always looking for a way to get better."