Stopping Ladd will be key to Jumbos' success

With the smell of last week's fourth quarter meltdown against Williams still lingering in the air, the football team will head west this weekend to take on Amherst. Also reeling from a stunning defeat at the hand of Wesleyan, the Lord Jeffs currently find themselves in a tie for second place in the conference, with a 4-1 record.

The Jumbos meanwhile, have slipped to 3-2 after consecutive losses to two of the top teams in the league, and the waters will not get any calmer this weekend against Amherst, which boasts the NESCAC's top running game.

"We're going to have to play very well," coach Bill Samko said. "They're a good team and they have probably the best running back in the league."

The Lord Jeffs have relied heavily on the running game and junior tailback Fletcher Ladd, who has averaged 164.8 yards per game, and nearly six yards per carry. Amherst is far and away the best rushing team in the league, averaging 216 yards on the ground per contest. Tufts is ranked a distant second, running for a combined 172.8 yards per game.

The Jeffs present a very one-sided attack, however, relying heavily on their seemingly unstoppable running game. The Amherst pass attack is far behind that of other league leaders, ranked eighth in the conference. Sophomore quarterback Marsh Moseley has only thrown for 120 yards per game and five touchdowns. But when the Jeffs do throw the ball, they have done so effectively _ as Moseley's 131.6 efficiency rating is second only to Williams' Joe Reardon.

Mosely has surrendered only three interceptions this season while attempting only 17 passes every game. In comparison, Tufts's senior quarterback Scott Treacy attempted 46 passes last week alone.

To counter this pounding attack, Tufts will present the NESCAC's second ranked defense. After opening the season with four straight games allowing fewer than 15 points per game, Tufts was run over by Williams last week to the tune of 36 points. The Jumbos had a tough time stopping Williams running attack, and despite picking off Reardon four times, were unable to stop him on several long completions and two touchdown tosses.

So if the Jumbos were not able to stop Williams, which does not have a single player averaging more than 82 yards per game, can they reasonably expect to stop the NESCAC's top rusher? Amherst's lopsided offense should help Tufts considerably, as the Jumbos will not have to concentrate on stopping the pass as much as they did against Williams. This will allow for more pressure up front, and less room for Ladd to find holes.

"Williams throws the ball all over the place so when you have to concentrate on that as well as the run interesting things can happen," Samko said. "They're not 5-0 for nothing."

The Jumbos' defense took a major blow last week however, when junior safety Drew Blewett left the game with a concussion in the first half. Blewett will be out for Saturday's game, and there is no known timetable for his return. He was tied for second on the team in interceptions, with three so far this season.

Statistically, the Jumbos have a solid shot at beating Amherst. The team is ranked in the top three of every major statistical category but one, pass efficiency. They are second in total offense and total defense, and score the second most points of any team in the league. A quick glance at the NESCAC weekly report and it's hard to believe that the Jumbos are only 3-2. So why is Tufts alone in fifth place in the NESCAC? The most obvious problem is mental lapses.

In their loss to Trinity, the Jumbos missed two extra points and a field goal, en route to losing by one point. Last week against Williams, Tufts failed to convert on three two point conversions, missed a field goal, and allowed a safety with under three minutes left in the game. The team must find a way to overcome these miscues if it hopes to turn things around at Amherst.

"I'm not a big believer in statistics, but we're first or second in every offensive category, so we've been doing something right," Samko said. "But we need to play better."