Going into this weekend's contest against the Trinity Bantams, the Tufts football team knows exactly what it's coming up against-one of the greatest dynasties the NESCAC has ever seen.
Trinity has won the past four NESCAC championships, dating back to 2002. That year also marked the beginning of the nation's longest winning streak, a 31-win run that began in October 2002 and that lasted until Sept. 30 of this year, when the Bantams finally fell to the Williams Ephs. The Bantams are now 2-1 on the season and looking for their third win. Three teams-Tufts, Williams and Middlebury-have surprised the conference by starting off 3-0, and this game will be the Bantams' chance to work their way back to the top of the standings. Trinity needs this win to have a shot at their fifth consecutive NESCAC title.
But the 2006 Bantams are not the same team they were during most of their undefeated 2005 season. Coach Chuck Priore has moved on to coach Div. I-AA Stony Brook University, and new coach Jeff Devanney has lost several key players from last year's team, including Michael Blair, one of the league's top defensive ends, and Bill Schweitzer, his starting quarterback.
"Obviously they're a different team," said senior safety Bryan McDavitt, who was a key player in last year's 7-0 loss to the Bantams. "They graduated a lot of seniors. But it's not an easier game this time; we're definitely not approaching it like that. We haven't beaten them in the three years that I've been here; I know that. We've got to play our best football."
The Jumbos did just that against Trinity last season, and it was almost enough to snap the historic winning streak. On Homecoming 2005, the Jumbo defense held the Bantams to just seven points, their lowest total all season, but in the end, Tufts was dealt a crushing 7-0 loss.
"We had just come off a frustrating loss against Bowdoin, so we were 2-1," said McDavitt, who stifled a third-quarter Trinity drive into Tufts territory with an interception in 2005. "We needed that win, so we came out and played really aggressively and just tried to keep it close. Unfortunately we couldn't quite come away with the win."
Then-junior Gennaro Leo led all rushers in that game with a net gain of 58 yards on the ground for the Bantams. Now a senior, Leo has proven himself to be the NESCAC's elite running back, leading the conference in both yards (267) and touchdowns (three).
"Gennaro's a very talented runner," coach Bill Samko said. "We're going to have to play our best to stop him."
If any league defense can stop the Trinity senior, it's the Jumbos', who already have six players in double-digits in tackles. Sophomore linebacker Tyson Reynoso has a team-leading 23, including 13 in the Bowdoin game, while senior quad-captain Chris Decembrele has 21 as a defensive end. The Tufts unit is second in the league in scoring defense, averaging just six points allowed per game.
"I think we have a very talented D-line and talented linebackers," McDavitt said. "I think if we do what our coaches have been telling us to do all week, we'll be fine."
Leo was a preseason All-American and is the reigning NESCAC Player of the Week, thanks to a 110-yard rushing effort in the Bantams' 13-0 win over Hamilton last week. However, Trinity's strategy of relying on a single dominant running back isn't the only way to run an offense, and Tufts has proven that this season.
"We don't run the ball too bad ourselves," Samko pointed out. "Who's the No. 1 rushing team in the league?"
The answer would be the Jumbos, who have gained a total of 495 yards on the ground this season to lead the league. Junior Brendan Georges leads the way with 237 of those yards, good for third-most in the NESCAC. But Georges is just one of nine Jumbos who have carried the ball at least once in the team's first three games.
Another is sophomore Will Forde, the leading rusher in last weekend's 16-6 win over Bowdoin, who had 12 carries for 70 yards. Meanwhile, two others, juniors Matt Gaylord and Chris Guild, have each recorded a touchdown for the Jumbo offense. The multi-faceted running game has worked well for Samko so far, and that shows no signs of slowing.
"That's the plan," Samko said. "It keeps people fresh. Plus, they all have a bit of a different style. So that's been the plan all along, and I don't see that changing, to be honest."
The passing game, meanwhile, is in the hands of senior quarterback Matt Russo. Russo has been an accurate passer in the Jumbos' first three games, going 32-for-52 with zero interceptions. His quarterback rating sits at 143.1, the second-best mark in the league.
"I think it's shown in the first three weeks that he's very composed and very talented," McDavitt said of Russo. "If he continues to do what he's been doing, we'll have a great shot Saturday."
While Trinity is definitely recognized as the league's powerhouse team, Samko stressed the importance of not obsessing over just one game.
"I said to our team on Monday, 'How many guys think this is the biggest game we've played this year?'" Samko said. "Ninety percent of them raised their hands. And I told ninety percent of my team, 'No, you're wrong-every game's the biggest game. This is no more significant than any other game.' We're just going to take it one game at a time."
But a win would be a huge step forward for the Jumbos, who haven't beaten Trinity since a 9-7 win exactly five years ago today, on Oct. 13, 2001. Their next chance will come at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, as the two teams square off in Hartford, Conn., at Jessee/Miller Field.
