Whitworth Will Have Hands Full

There’s no messing around for the Whitworth College football team. At least in terms of scheduling.

Whitworth opens tonight in Redlands, Calif., against the University of Redlands, the defending champ of the Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

“Redlands is the team that usually wins the league,” said Whitworth coach John Tully, who grew up in Southern California. “They’re an exciting team to watch offensively. They have the ability to spread things out and throw the ball.”

The Bulldogs, 22-3 in conference games the past five years, won titles in 1996, ‘97 and ‘99. The Pirates, meanwhile, have progressively improved, resulting in back-to-back 5-5 seasons.

But six offensive and five defensive players have graduated, including quarterback Josh Parbon.

Three players battled for the QB spot and sophomore Scott Biglin won the job over sophomore Jesse Parbon and sophomore transfer Brandon Muzatko, a Mead High graduate. Biglin saw some playing time as a backup last year.

“Right now, he’s got a little bit better grasp at what he’s doing,” Tully said of Biglin, a 5-foot-11, 182-pounder. “He’s had a little bit of experience. The big thing is he feels confident we’re not going to yank him the first time something happens.”

This will be the third straight year Tully has taken his team to California, where the Pirates have gone winless.

Two years ago, Whitworth lost 13-10 at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. Last season, the Pirates opened with a 24-21 overtime loss at Menlo College. Later in the season, the Bucs were blown out at Asuza Pacific University 41-20.

After the opener, the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Whitworth will play the first of its five home games Sept. 16 against Chapman College (5-4), also of the SCIAC. One week later, the Whits open their conference season at home against Pacific Lutheran, the NCAA Division III defending national champ.

Notes

Ivan Gustafson, cut by the Buffalo Bills the last week of training camp, has joined Tully’s staff as a tight ends and special teams coach. John Bates has also joined the coaching staff, and Chris Wilson has been hired as the radio broadcast color commentator. All three played on the team as recently as last year.