Tim Kubli (Class of 1969) came to Linfield College to play football (offensive tackle). He did that. But, his fame as a player came by being the Wildcats’ PAT and field goal kicker.

Tim Kubli (Class of 1969) came to Linfield College to play football (offensive tackle). He did that. But, his fame as a player came by being the Wildcats’ PAT and field goal kicker.

His most famous kick was in Midland, Texas, in November 1965 in the NAIA semi-finals when Linfield upset heavily favored Sul Ross of Apline, Texas. 

His 36-yard field goal with 49 seconds in the game was a record-setter. It was the longest FG in the then 10-year NAIA football playoff history. That FG made the score 30-27, which was the final tally in the game.

While Midland provided a neutral field for the game. It’s about a two and one-half hour drive from the Sul Ross campus to Midland. It was held there because Sul Ross anticipated a big crowd. The venue and, “knew” it would be winning the game.

 Read about the game here …

http://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2017/01/in-midland-texas-nov-17-1965-linfield.html

And here …

https://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2022/05/draft-in-1965-in-midland-texas-neutral.html

Looking at “clippings” about the seasons (1965, 1966, 1967 and 1968) in which tackle/kicker Tim Kubli played football for Linfield, there are inaccuracies. Some stories say Tim never played high school football. Others indicate he did play high school football, but was not a kicker (PATs, field goals). Others say he came to Linfield just to play basketball, not football

 In September 2020, Wildcatville “talked” to Tim via email.

 He said: “…I played football in high school.”

 Tim played for the “Miners” of Yreka, Calif., High School.

And, indeed, he played basketball (see photo and cutline) for Yreka. See the photo posted here from the Dec 19, 1963, Siskiyou Daily News of Yreka. Cutline for basketballer Tim reads: “Tim Kubli, Giant athlete of the Yreka Miners, will start at center in the Anderson tournament.”

Said Tim, “The Sacramento Bee named me 2nd team all Northern California offensives tackle. It is true I never kicked in high school. Coach Durham sent out a letter asking athletes to play two sports. He also said he had no place kicker. I started working out with a teammate who kicked for Yreka. He bought a new square toed shoe. I bought his old one for $10, I think. I kicked better than he did. The shoe lasted three years until old Joe (Groves, Linfield athletics head equipment manager) purchased me a new one my senior year.”