Cub Football - After historic loss, which direction is Loyola headed?
FRIDAY'S BATTLE AGAINST NOTRE DAME MAY END UP DEFINING SEASON FOR LOYOLA
Call it chameleon-like, Jekyll and Hyde-or choose any other apt simile-to describe the 2024 Cub ball club, but one constant for this Loyola squad has been a roller coaster campaign of highs and lows, the nadir of which dropped to unprecedented depths in Chatsworth last Friday in a deflating debacle of epic proportion.
Coming off their most complete, impressive complementary performance of the season on October 18, a 44-10 demolition of Chaminade, the Cubs played-by an order of magnitude-their worst game of the season last Friday in a 45-0 rout at the hands of Sierra Canyon, CalPreps' CIF Southern Section's eighth-ranked squad.
The most sobering statistic from the worst loss-in terms of point spread-in Loyola football annals is the 318 to 8 yards differential in rushing output. Suffice to say, the Cubs did not show up.
Loyola has no time to analyze the carnage and detritus left by the train wreck visited upon it by the Trailblazers.
There is only one answer for the Cubs if they want to keep the season alive. Regroup and focus on everyone doing their best on Friday at Smith Field against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (4-5) in a contest which will likely end the season for the loser.
Loyola is 2-2 in the Mission League, and in sole possession of third place. Notre Dame is 1-3 in the loop after a surprising double overtime, 31-30, road loss to Chaminade, which is now likewise 1-3 in the league standings. Should Chaminade defeat Bishop Amat, which is 0-4 in the circuit, this Friday, and Loyola falls to Notre Dame there would be three teams tied for third place. Only one third place Mission League squad will be invited to the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Should there be a three-way tie for third place, it is expected that a coin toss will break the stalemate.
Bottom line, if the Cubs regain their footing and defeat the Knights, they will make the playoffs. It is a one game season heading into Monday's first game-week practice.
A LOOK AT NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame head coach Evan Yabu has a game breaking weapon who has been the best player on the field in most, if not all, of the games the Knights have played in their 4-5 season. That weapon is in the person of Washington State-bound senior quarterback Steele Pizzella (6-0, 173).
Pizzella will beat you effectively with both his rocket arm and fleet feet. The uber talented field general has completed 144 of 238 passes (61%) for 1,875 yards (13 yds. per completion) and 21 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He is also the Knights' leading rusher with 808 yards on 105 carries (7.7 yd. avg.) and seven TDs. Pizzella is a 10.6 sprinter who is a threat to take it to the house on every play.
Notre Dane's top receiving targets are a trio of fast athletes, junior Lloyd "Luc" Weaver (6-3, 195, 41/665, 16.0 yds. avg., 5 TDs), senior Elliot Cooper (5-11,180, 34/429, 12.6 avg., 4 TDs), and 6'1" senior Tre Fernandez (25/372, 14.9 avg., 4 TDs).
The Knights' defensive platoon is led by junior DB Max Martin-Beckmann (6-1, 176), who is Notre Dame's top tackler with 76, including 58 solos. He is also the team's interception leader with five picks.
Senior strong safety Ehimen Oyamendan (6-2, 185) has made 65 tackles, including 50 solo stops, and has three sacks to his credit.
Senior outside linebacker/DE Trenstin Johnson (5-10, 210) has 45 tackles, including 32 solos, and has recoded 2.5 sacks and three hurries.
Notre Dame's game results through nine games: Downey (L, 42-21), Bishop Diego (Santa Barbara) (W, 35-34), St. Francis (W, 36-34), Servite (L, 38-17), Westlake (W, 42-10), Bishop Amat (W, 28-21), Sierra Canyon (L, 50-17), Serra (L, 34-18), and Chaminade (L, 31-30 2OT).
The Knights' average score is 27-33. Their CalPreps' Southern Section strength of schedule rating is 37.2.
GAME OUTLOOK
Loyola has been unable, for the most part, to slow down its opponents' best players.
The Cubs will have a very difficult time beating Notre Dame if it does not find a way to put guardrails around Pizzella.
If the Knights have anything close to the success Sierra Canyon had running the ball, it could be a long night for the Big Blue.
The Cubs will probably need to score at least four touchdowns to secure a win.
Looking at straight up comparative scores, Loyola beat St. Francis, 35-7, while Notre Dame defeated the Golden Knights 36-34 (advantage Cubs, 26 points); the Cubs beat Bishop Amat 24-17, the Knights downed the Lancers, 28-21 (even); Loyola lost to Serra, 42-35, the Knights lost to the Cavaliers, 34-18 (advantage Cubs, 9 points); Loyola defeated Chaminade, 44-10, Notre Dame lost to the Eagles 31-30 (advantage Cubs, 35 points); Loyola lost to Sierra Canyon, 45-0, the Knights fell to the Trailblazers, 50-17 (advantage Notre Dame, 12 points).
While comparative scores are not always predictive of outcomes, especially in rivalry games, the comparative scores analysis (five contests with common opponents) favors the Cubs, who have an 11.6 average points scored advantage.
Loyola's average score is 28-27. It is ranked 30th in the Southern Section. Its Southern Section CalPreps' strength of schedule rating is 39.9.
The Cubs have lost to the 8th (Sierra Canyon), 13th (Serra), 16th (Leuzinger), 19th (Damien) and 33rd (Cathedral)-ranked teams in the CalPreps' CIF Southern Section ratings by an average of 12 points.
Notre Dame lost to the 7th (Servite), 8th (Sierra Canyon) 13th (Serra), 25th (Downey) and 50th (Chaminade)-ranked squads in the CalPreps' CIF Southern Section ratings by an average of 18 points.
One of the best things Loyola has going for it this Friday is the home field advantage.
This just might be close to a pick 'em game. The team that WANTS IT more will be the likely winner.
THE SERIES
The Cubs lead the series 33-20. The first game between the rivals was in 1950. Under head coach Jack Bouchard, Loyola defeated Notre Dame, 37-14.
The Cubs' biggest win against the Knights was a 46-0 victory in 1963. Loyola completed a second consecutive undefeated CIF AAAA Championship season, and finished ranked second in the nation.
Notre Dame was founded by the Congregation of the Holy Cross in 1947.
Loyola is the oldest secondary school in Southern California. It was established in 1865.
UNDEFEATED SOPHOMORE TEAM CONCLUDES SEASON ON THURSDAY AT NOTRE DAME, FROSH PLAY ON SATURDAY
The undefeated Cub sophomore team will take on Notre Dame's JV squad in Sherman Oaks this Thursday at 4:00 p.m.
Loyola will be hoping to close out its first undefeated season in a long, long time.
The Cub freshman squad is 6-3, and all three of their losses have been to older, significantly bigger JV teams. It is curious that Notre Dame requested that Thursday's scheduled freshman game be moved to Saturday at Smith Field at 10:00 a.m. It is speculated here that the Knights' JV players who played in Thursday's contest will suit up against Loyola's Frosh on Saturday.
2024 LOYOLA VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
8-23 @ Cathedral (L, 16-13, 2OT)
8-30 Damien (L, 30-29)
9-13 @ Leuzinger (L, 40-30)
9-20 @ St. Francis (W, 35-7)
9-27 @ Mount Miguel (Spring Valley, San Diego) (W, 46-38)
10-4 Serra (Home)* (L, 42-35)
10-11 @ Bishop Amat* (W, 24-17)
10-18 Chaminade (Home)* (W, 44-10)
10-25 @ Sierra Canyon* (L, 45-0)
11-1 Notre Dame (Home)*
All games on Fridays @ 7:00 p.m. * Denotes Mission League game
CUBS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Below is the list of Loyola graduates playing college football in 2024 according to published collegiate rosters:
CHAD BAILEY ‘20, DB, Bentley University
NICHOLAS BARR-MIRA ‘19, K, Mississippi State
COLIN CRUCE ‘22, OL, Bowdoin
JEFFREY JOHNSON ‘21, TE, Cal
LUKE HARRISON ‘24, OL, University of San Diego
ANDREW KOZHAYA ‘21, OL, Grinnel
SHAWN LIN '22, DL, Columbia
LEIGHTON LINE ‘23, DL, Cal Lutheran
CONNOR McDOWELL ‘21, DB, Angelo State
BLAKE NEITHART ‘20, DB, Carleton
TAHJ OWENS '22, DB, Princeton
JACK PARIS '23, DL, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
RYAN QUINTANAR '20, LB, USC
ISAIAH SANDERS, ‘24, LB, UC Davis
PATRICK SODL ‘22, LB, Columbia
HENRY STICKLER ‘22, WR, SMU
JACK SUSNJAR ‘23, OL, USC
JOE TATUM ‘22, QB, Texas
EVAN THOMAS ‘20, DB, UCLA
RYAN TURK ‘24, OL, Dartmouth
ALEX WHITMAN ‘22, WR, Notre Dame
CHAMP WESTBROOKS ‘24, OL, Arizona State
CEYAIR WRIGHT ‘21, DB, Nebraska
SAM YOON ‘22, OL, UCLA
LOYOLA GRADS IN THE NFL
MYLES BRYANT '16, corner, Houston Texans
ALEX JOHNSON '19, corner, New York Giants (practice squad)
DAVID LONG, JR., corner, Indianapolis Colts (practice squad)
COLEMAN SHELTON '13, center, Chicago Bears