Football | New faces on offense will attempt to fill voids left by graduated Forde, Halas

After two of its most productive players graduated last May, the football team knew that offense would raise a number of question marks come 2009.
    Will Forde (LA '09), last season's starting running back, put together the best season of his college career in 2008, recording 807 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 185 carries. Meanwhile, the Tufts passing attack was powered by wide receiver David Halas (LA '09), who set a new single-season program record with 11 touchdown receptions a year ago.
    Although Forde and Halas combined to score roughly three quarters of Tufts' offensive touchdowns last season, offensive coordinator Jay Civetti believes his unit has what it takes to fill the void created in their absence.
    "Not too much changes in this sport," he said. "You build on the success and legacy the guys in years past have left and you use the work ethic and commitment that those kids left here and cast it upon these young guys.
    "It's exciting to have new guys and to give people the opportunity to step up," he continued. "There is nothing better than opportunity, and to give a kid the tools to allow him to step up for that opportunity is part of the reason we love to coach."
    Among those who will be asked to replace Forde is senior running back Darren Ferguson, who will get the start in the backfield when Tufts opens its season Saturday against Wesleyan. In four games last season, Ferguson averaged 8.2 yards per carry.
    "Our offense works as a unit," Ferguson said. "Will was both a great teammate as well as a great back, and he certainly lefthe certainly left our group of running backs with a great model of what to do and how to do it. Hopefully, we as an offense can build on what he and our offense accomplished last year."
    The passing attack will also receive an overhaul, losing Halas and Steve Black (LA '09), who combined for nearly 1,000 yards through the air last season. In their absence, coach Bill Samko indicated he is willing to try a number of players in prominent roles. Among them are two pass-catching tight ends, senior Oliver Gray and sophomore Nick Croteau, as well as a slew of returning receivers.
    "[David] Halas and Steve Black were two excellent receivers, but we have some extremely talented guys to fill in for them," senior quarterback Tom McManama said. "Steve Cusano, Billy Mahler, Tim Puopolo and Greg Stewart have all shown great things in the preseason. I think our speed at wideout is going to be our greatest strength. We should have a very explosive offense."
    Civetti, Samko and the rest of the coaching staff had all summer to figure out how they would replace Forde and Halas, and they took comfort in the fact that they were returning the leader of their offense: starting quarterback and senior quad-captain Anthony Fucillo. All that changed the other night during the team's preseason scrimmage against Bowdoin when Fucillo went down with an ankle injury, marking the offense with yet another question mark.
    Fucillo's status is still up in the air for Saturday, and Samko has not yet made a decision on who will be behind center for the team's opener. But if Fucillo cannot go, the Jumbos will have to rely on McManama to lead their attack. As last year's backup, McManama managed to put together a very impressive performance in the second half of the week seven game against Colby when Fucillo was injured, completing six of his nine attempts and connecting with Halas on a game-clinching, 33-yard touchdown pass with 9:03 to play.
    "Although I only saw limited action last year, I definitely feel comfortable with the offense," McManama said. "I've been around our plays and schemes for the last four years and have practiced with everyone in our offense for just about as long."
    While Fucillo's injury might mean that Tufts will be without its passing, rushing and receiving leaders from a year ago, there are still high expectations for the squad's offense.
    "If everybody works at doing their job then we are going to be more than alright," Civetti said. "We have amazing kids in this program, and Coach Samko has done an excellent job of recruiting great talent."