It's been a tough couple of weeks for the football team.
In the past eight days, the Jumbos have faced the league's best offense and the league's best defense, and have come away with two tough losses, devastating blows to a season that began with a 3-1 record and an optimistic outlook.
Last weekend was a 38-14 slugfest, as the Jumbos ran into a Williams offense that averages over 31 points a game. This weekend, they hit a brick wall in the form of the Amherst defense that has allowed 29 points all season, a statistic which puts the Lord Jeffs atop the national rankings in that category.
The troubles of the Tufts offense were threefold on Saturday. Not only were the Jumbos facing the league's best defense, but they were battling two other obstacles: the bad weather, and the questionable health status of top receiver sophomore David Halas after a calf injury sustained n the Jumbos game against Trinity two weeks ago.
The Jeffs' defense has yet to allow a single passing touchdown all season. The Jumbos' lone score in Saturday's game, which gave the Jumbos an early 6-0 lead in the second quarter, came on a seven-yard run from sophomore Will Forde. According to senior quad-captain Brian Schurko, there was a simple explanation for the Jumbos' changing game plan.
"With the weather the way it was, it was really sloppy out there," said Schurko, a key part of the team's offensive line. "We didn't throw the ball that much."
Tufts senior quarterback Matt Russo was held to just 17 pass attempts, and he finished the day with five completions and 75 passing yards. He threw two interceptions, and of course, no touchdowns. It wasn't any easier for Amherst senior Nick Kehoe, who was 8-for-23, for 97 yards, one interception, and one TD.
With the rain putting a damper on the passing game, the Jumbos were forced to adjust. Eight Jumbos carried the ball in Saturday's game for a total of 187 yards. Forde led the way with 72 and the lone touchdown, while senior Brian Cammuso added 52. Junior Brendan Georges remained the Jumbos season leader, adding 43 yards to improve to 336 on the season.
"I thought we did a good job today," Schurko said of the offense. "I thought the runners did a good job, and I thought the O-line did a great job, especially with the conditions the way they were."
The passing game should be revitalized by next week. Halas, who has 12 catches for 176 yards this season to go along with his four TDs, is on the way to being 100 percent healthy, which should make the offense much more explosive down the stretch.
"Dave played a little bit today," Schurko said. "He's been getting healthier every week. Hopefully he'll be back next week against Colby at full strength."
Colby just downed Bates, 10-7, in a dramatic quadruple-overtime struggle this past weekend. With the win, Colby improved to just 2-4, as the Mules, a once-perennial NESCAC power, are on their way to their worst finish in years. But the Jumbos have lost three straight, and as Schurko pointed out, they can't afford to get complacent.
"Colby always plays us really tough," he said. "It's a really big game for them, and it's a big game for us too - we're 3-3, so we really need a win. Plus it's our Senior Day, so that's very special for all of us."
