Jumbos offense struggles again

The Jumbo offense posted an anemic performance, failing to score a touchdown for the second consecutive week, as the Middlebury Panthers ended Tufts' season with a 31-6 thumping at home on Saturday. The loss was the fifth in a row for Tufts, which floundered after beginning the season with three wins. This weekend's loss was anticlimactic and uninspired, as a season that began with championship hopes ended with championship talent but far from championship results.

"After we started losing games, we never got back on the right track," junior defensive end Reid Palmer said. "We showed a little of our ability at times but for the most part we never got it going."

The teams played scoreless football until the end of the first quarter when Panther leading receiver Denver Smith scampered 60 yards for a touchdown off a fake punt. The Jumbos moved the ball deep into Panther territory on their next possession, but stalled out and could only garner three points.

As has been the case all season, Tufts was plagued by inconsistent play. Middlebury scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the first half. Panther quarterback Mike Keenan capped a time-consuming, 77-yard drive with a two-yard keeper to stretch the lead to 14-3. Treacy threw an interception on Tufts' next possession, his first of three on the day, but safety Mike Leist picked a Keenan pass and the Jumbos regained possession.

Tufts failed to capitalize, losing possession on a fumble, giving the Panthers the ball on the Jumbo 16-yard line. A 13-yard rush from running back Bill Lazzaro set up a short touchdown run, and gave the Panthers a 21-3 lead. The Jumbos did manage a 32-yard field goal from Marcellus Rolle after a long kickoff return to cut the score to 21-6 heading into the half.

Middlebury added to the lead late in the third, as Lazzaro led the Panthers for 53 of a 56-yard touchdown drive. As it has all year, Tufts' offense was unable to establish any momentum when it fell behind. A 25-yard field goal by Panther kicker Mike Frissora capped the scoring at 31-6.

Scott Treacy finished his Jumbo career with a forgettable day, completing only six of his 18 pass attempts for 101 yards to go along with three costly interceptions. Senior halfback Chuck McGraw, who had a solid season replacing Kevin Kelly, amassed 50-yards on the ground, while sophomore cornerback Donovan Brown led the team with 55 yards on three receptions, playing offense because of an injury-depleted receiving core.

While the 2002 edition of Tufts football certainly underachieved, more specifically, it lacked the consistency that is integral to winning football. Defensively, the Jumbos were dominant, with a secondary that compiled 22 interceptions over the course of the season. The offense however, never found rhythm and lacked an ability to finish games, compiling only 30 fourth quarter points all season, and failed to run the clock out against Williams and Amherst.

"We were a good team," Palmer said. "But it was frustrating to have as many starters returning as we had and to be making some of the mistakes we made."