SCHEDULE PREVIEW
 
INCOMING CLASS RELEASE
 
PORTLAND, Ore.—After posting their best season (6-4) since 2011, Lewis & Clark College football are aiming to take another step forward in 2026. The River Otters kick off the season on Saturday at 1 p.m., when they travel to take on the University of Puget Sound in the annual Northwest Scholar Series. 
 
NWC PRESEASON POLL 
 
Lewis & Clark was tabbed to finish fourth out of eight teams in the Northwest Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Football accrued 31 points, to narrowly finish behind third-place Pacific Lutheran University (33). The River Otters placed fifth in the NWC in 2025 with a 3-4 overall record. 
 
Defending NWC Champions Whitworth University (7-0 NWC) edged NWC runner-up Linfield University (6-1) at the top of the poll. The Pirates claimed five first-place votes and 47 total points. Linfield came in second with three first-place votes and 45 total points. George Fox University (29 points), Pacific University (18), University of Puget Sound (11) and Willamette University (10) rounded out the poll. 
 
KEY RETURNERS 
 
Lewis & Clark returns the majority of their offense that finished second in the conference with 34.9 points per game in 2025. After seeing their top two quarterbacks both miss games due to injury, the River Otters bring back both junior Dashiell Weaver and graduate student Sam Simril. The duo combined to throw for over 2,500 yards and 34 touchdowns across nine starts - in each of their first years on Palatine Hill. They will be playing behind a veteran offensive line that returns all five starters and adds 2024 starting left tackle Ty Sheffler. Senior Iggy Marquez and junior Ramses Packer each carved out All-Conference honors as offensive linemen in 2025. Football also returns some of the team's top pass catching options including sophomore All-Conference wide receiver Sytyn Lasconia. He led the team as a first year with 44 catches, 661 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught four touchdown passes in the team's Homecoming game against Whitworth. Senior Julius Walker (tight end) and senior wide receivers Mateo Maehara and Rio Cruz will look to step up behind Lasconia as some of the team's top pass catching options. 
 
Football's defense took a big step forward in 2025, when they placed third in the conference by allowing 25.4 points per game. Lewis & Clark returns two fifth-year players on the defensive side of the ball and several other key seniors. On the defensive line, All-Conference senior JT Chavez, fifth-year Kahiau Chang and Logan Wacker are all multiple-year starters. Chavez enjoyed a breakout season in 2025 when he led the team with 10 tackles-for-loss and six sacks and tacked on five quarterback hurries. Fifth-year Mitchell Sarmento, senior Charlie Murrin and sophomore Curtis Tucker will aim to lead the team's linebacking corps. Sarmento racked up 50 tackles in 2024 and tacked on 28 stops and two interceptions last Fall. Murrin added 42 tackles as a junior and Tucker is expected to have a breakout year after starting his collegiate career as a running back. Senior Jordan Delgado will aim to anchor the team's young secondary. Delgado is a two-year starter at safety and placed second on the team last year with 52 total tackles. The secondary also returns seniors Zaren Crockett and Rylen Kahahawai and juniors Kristopher Adams and Jaden Mwendapole. 
 
Lewis & Clark's special teams will have a new look after the retirement of special teams coordinator Bruce Read. Football returns the team's top kickers and punters from 2025 and two of their top three returners. Junior kicker Trevor Koo set the single-season program record for made point after attempts (PATs) in 2025 when he went 46-47. Sophomore Joseph Yankosky served as the team's designated kickoff taker in his first year and junior Damon Perez is back for his third year as the starting punter. Sophomore Westin Wade (18 returns for 377 yards) finished second in kickoff return yardage and Cruz paced the team with his 10 punt returns for 130 yards. Lewis & Clark added two kickers and a long snapper to the roster this Fall. 
 
THREE THINGS TO KNOW 

1. Lewis & Clark has finished .500 or better in three-straight seasons. The program has only enjoyed three longer stretches with a .500 or better record. Lewis & Clark accomplished the feat for five-straight seasons from 1960-64 and 1966-70 and four-straight years from 1948-51. 
2. The River Otters will have a new-look running back room in 2026. Lewis & Clark graduated All-Conference starter Jordan Lahusky (1,154 all-purpose yards) and also lost their number two and number three running backs. This year's team will look to juniors Gio Borea and Wade to help fill the void. The duo combined for 18 rushes for 110 yards and two rushing touchdowns last season.
3. Elliott became the first head coach in Lewis & Clark football program history to post a winning season in his first year. If the River Otters can finish above .500 once again, he would join L&C legends Joe Huston, Fred Wilson and Tom Smythe, as the only coaches to post multiple winning seasons within their first three years leading the program.