Pirates meet PLU as injury-plagued season winds down

Whitworth’s season is down to two football games, which kind of bums out coach John Tully.

“I wish we had more,” Tully said as the Pirates finished up preparations for today’s 1:30 p.m. Northwest Conference game with Pacific Lutheran at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup, Wash. “Our practices and work ethic the last five weeks, it seems like they just pick it up at practice. Wednesday’s practice was just a wonderful practice. For the guys to respond like that, especially guys that haven’t been in the program that long, that’s a real positive.”

The Pirates (4-3, 2-2 NWC) have faced an assortment of obstacles, including a front-loaded schedule and injuries to their starting quarterback, top two tight ends, several linebackers and key defensive backs. But they’ve plugged most of the holes with underclassmen to keep a winning season and upper-echelon NWC finish within reach.

It’ll be no different today. After a one-game absence, tight end Justin Wimberly (shoulder) will play but won’t start. Defensive back Robert Schaefer went down with a torn ACL on the opening kickoff in last week’s 36-34 win over Menlo. That means do-everything running back Adam Anderson, who leads the NCAA Division III in all-purpose yardage, will probably see some snaps in the secondary.

“He’s a natural back there, but we don’t want to overtax him,” Tully said of Anderson.

For the second straight week, Andrew Durant will start at quarterback and Cub Jansen will take over for the third and fourth possessions.

PLU (2-4, 2-1) has scored 18 points or less in five games. The Lutes average just 45.5 yards rushing per game, but they lead the NWC in passing offense and they’re second in total defense. PLU limited Puget Sound to one pass completion, 11 first downs and just 200 total yards in a 14-7 win last Saturday.