With 11:10 to play in the fourth quarter on Saturday, coach Bill Samko's team opened up a 17-0 lead over the visiting Middlebury Panthers. Barring some unforeseen, disastrous collapse, the Jumbos had guaranteed themselves a 6-2 record and sole possession of third place in the NESCAC. Tufts had already done everything it needed to do to secure a win: taken advantage of turnovers, made big plays on special teams, and kept the Middlebury offense out of the red zone all afternoon up to that point.
But there was still one item left on Samko's agenda.
Junior running back Keven Kelley, who late in the second quarter became the first Jumbo to surpass the 1,000-yard mark since 1988, needed just 31 yards to break the school's single season rushing record. Paul Dresens, also the last to run for over 1,000 yards, rewrote the record books in '88 when he finished with 1,070.
The yard countdown had already begun in the press box, but official word had not reached the sidelines until injured junior starting receiver Matt Cerne - who served as "stat runner" for the day - relayed the information to the coaching staff.
Knowing the record was within reach, then, offensive line coach Mike Browne held an important meeting with his linemen.
"He said, '[Kelley] needs 31 to break the record, let's go get it for him right now,'" Samko said.
So, after the Tufts defense forced Amherst to punt after a three and out, the Jumbo offensive unit took the field with 9:24 to play on a mission: give Kelley the ball and open holes for him so he can get yards.
"It was part of what we were trying to do anyway," Samko said. "It wasn't like we were stepping out of character. We wanted to try to control the ball and keep it down at that end of the field, generate a couple of first downs, and take some time off the clock."
Samko made it simple: the next ten straight plays were all Kelley handoffs. But the process didn't seem so simple up in the press box, where excitement and tensions clashed as 20 pairs of eyes were glued to #24 in the final phase of his quest.
On his first two carries, Kelley plowed his way for a total of six yards. Now he had 25 yards to go, and a pivotal third and four situation to get his team out of. Freshman Jay Casey took the snap, placed the ball squarely in Kelley's hands, and after a ten-yard gain, the Jumbos had a first down.
This time, it was injured starting quarterback Scott Treacy, also a junior, serving as the stat runner. Treacy arrived in the press box seconds later for the update. Fifteen to go.
Back to work: Kelley got wrapped up and held for just a yard. Then on second down, he broke for six before he was brought down. This set up another third down (three yards to the first down marker), with the record again in jeopardy, as Kelley needed only eight yards to secure his place in Tufts football history. Again, Kelley came through, this time for four yards. Just four yards to the record book.
Another carry for Kelley yielded just a yard before a setback occurred: Kelley was thrown for a two-yard loss. The margin was back up to five. After another two-yard run followed by a Tufts timeout with 4:05 showing on the clock, Cerne was motioning to the press box. His inquisitive looks were unheeded, however, requiring the street-clothed Jumbo to hop the fence and again make his way to the box where his question could be answered. Three yards to go.
This time it was fourth and nine when Kelley took the handoff from Casey and weaved through tacklers on the right side. He dragged Middlebury players with him to the first down marker and beyond, for an 11-yard gain and a new Tufts single season rushing record of 1,079 yards.
Mission accomplished.
Five and half minutes and 39 yards after the countdown began, Kelley had the record, and the Jumbos were again in scoring position. After another five plays and a 25-yard Howie Rock field goal, the lead had ballooned to 20-0.
Appropriately, Kelley came out of the game and was treated to a host of cheers from teammates and coaches on the sidelines. When the official announcement was made, he received a standing ovation from the crowd.
"Setting the record is a testament to the offensive line and everyone that blocked for me," Kelley said. "And also to the coaches for giving me the ball."
"Keven Kelley had a great, great year," Samko said. "But I still don't look at Keven as a superstar necessarily. He got a lot of that done because of the guys up front doing it for him."
In reality, the record was just the icing on the cake to an already savory season. And fittingly, the final push was accomplished through an all-out, team effort.
