The time has come for the football team to buckle down.
With the first half of the season behind them, the Jumbos currently sit at 2-2. The two disappointing losses in their last two games have forced the team to focus on playing better, cleaner football. The squad will have an opportunity to make concrete progress toward this goal and to turn its season around when it travels to Williamstown to take on Williams College at 1:30 on Saturday.
"We try not to let one game affect another, but [the players] are frustrated and they want to win," coach Bill Samko said. "Defense, the kicking game, and mistake-free offense are what win games in this league, and we haven't been doing all of those."
The matchup will pit the only two 2-2 teams in the NESCAC, and thus be a crucial stepping stone to finishing the season with a winning record. After Saturday, the team's remaining schedule will not be easy, as games remain against Amherst and at Colby, both of whom are currently 3-1.
Williams has one of the most potent passing offenses in the NESCAC and will pose a challenge to the Jumbos' defensive secondary.
"We're going to stick to what we've been doing [on defense]," Samko said. "We can't do much in preparing a lot for a different team every week just because of time, but we've made a few minor adjustments."
The defense has been nothing short of phenomenal all season long. Consistency and execution have made the Jumbo defense one of the best in the league. The Jumbos have not allowed more than ten points all season, and rank among the top in most NESCAC defensive statistical categories.
But defense alone does not win regular season games. When the defense has created the crucial interception, caused the big fumble, or blocked the key field goal, the Jumbos haven't been able to capitalize on offense.
"We do need to do a better job as an offense, and it is my job to put our players in a position to be successful," offensive coordinator Michael Daly said. "We've had chances in every game but haven't capitalized due to a breakdown in fundamentals. We are confident in what we are doing and nobody is panicking."
In their last two losses, the Jumbos have put up a total of eight points on the scoreboard. Turnovers, penalties and an inability to convert on third and fourth down have plagued the offense.
"We need to score more points on the board; it's not rocket science," Samko said. "There's a thin line between winning and losing in this game, and when you don't execute on plays when it counts, you're not going to win games."
Senior quarterback Casey D'Annolfo, who struggled in his last game, going 10-24 for 131 yards and four interceptions, needs to have a better game in order for Tufts to come away with a win.
"I'm sure [D'Annolfo] wants to have a few of those throws back [against Trinity]," Samko said. "But anytime you throw the ball a lot in this game, there's a good chance you're going to get picked off. We were forced to throw a lot in that game, and the [weather] conditions weren't great either."
Although poor playing conditions may have hampered D'Annolfo against Trinity, the senior signal-caller wants to make improvements in the upcoming game.
"Against Trinity I wasn't making my reads," D'Annolfo said. "Williams runs a similar defense as Trinity so we're not doing a lot different on offense. In practice, I've been working on making quicker reads, getting the ball out of my hands faster, and trying to get the ball to the outside of the field."
