In its opening contest last weekend at Wesleyan, Tufts' retooled offense sputtered, managing only a field goal in the 7-3 loss and compiling just 234 yards of total offense. For the Jumbos, who have not won an away game since Sept. 29, 2007, there is no team they would rather see on the road than Bates, a squad that Tufts has beaten every year since 1986.
The Jumbos get their shot at the Bobcats this Saturday in Lewiston, Maine. The Tufts team hopes to get its offense on the right path so that it can head into two crucial NESCAC games in the following weeks on a high note.
"We're all fired up and ready to go," senior quad-captain Alex Perry said. "Everyone's biting at the bit for Saturday to roll around. We need this to get back on the winning track to get the spirits up."
Though Tufts outdistanced the Cardinals in yardage last Saturday, the Jumbos' net gain was still over 100 yards short of their 2008 average. Additionally, Tufts was unable to score a touchdown, reaching the Wesleyan red zone just three times.
Such offensive struggles might seem natural for a squad without its senior quarterback Anthony Fucillo, who went down with an ankle injury in a scrimmage against Bowdoin. Last year's leading rusher Will Forde (LA '09) and leading receiver David Halas (LA '09) are also missing from this year's lineup.
With Fucillo's status uncertain and Forde and Halas long gone, new faces will have to pull their weight in order for Tufts to have a shot at continuing its 23-game winning streak against the Bobcats.
Success could come through the air via senior quarterback Tom McManama. Though the senior completed just 39.4 percent of his passes against the Cardinals, he spread the wealth around to eight different receivers, including junior Pat Bailey, who hauled in six passes for 52 yards.
Versus a depleted Bates passing defense, which allowed 208 yards and two passing touchdowns in a 35-14 loss to Trinity, McManama could have a field day. Much of this, though, will hinge on the offense's ability to sustain productive drives. Last year, the Jumbos punted eight times against Bates and converted on just 33 percent of third downs.
"I'm hoping to have the completion rating over 70 this week, just working on getting that up," McManama said. "We need to make sure that everyone's in the right spot on each play down to the very yard, especially if we're doing anything to alter the play."
But Tufts is confident its offense can return to its 2008 prowess, when the Jumbos ranked fifth in the conference in scoring.
"We only put up three points last week and we kind of took that personally," McManama said. "We definitely want to come out Saturday flying around and put the ball in the end zone four or five times. We've taken a hard look at what happened and we've been trying to be aggressive and real focused in regards to getting first downs and trying to get the ball in the end zone."
The Jumbos were able to take away positives from their defense, which stifled Wesleyan on Saturday and will have to do the same this weekend at Bates to avoid a 0-2 start.
Tufts held Wesleyan to 218 total yards, including 55 passing, the fewest out of all NESCAC schools that week. The Jumbos totaled five tackles for a loss and three sacks, but ceded 163 yards on the ground. Against a Bates team that netted only 30 total rushing yards in its first contest, the Jumbos' defense looks to set the tone early.
"Defensively, we need to make big plays because that was what lacked from the game on Saturday," Perry said. "We've got to force a couple big turnovers, bring it to them early and set the tone. We think we can come out and still do some damage."
"In most football games, the game is won or lost with the turnover margin," senior quad-captain Tom Tassinari added. "Our defense didn't cause any turnovers, and I think that's a huge key to winning. This whole week we've been preaching stripping the ball and getting interceptions."
But despite Tufts' history of domination against the Bobcats, the Jumbos emphasize that Saturday's showdown will be a new game against a completely different Bates team, and the past cannot indicate what will happen in the future.
"I think they're a lot better from last year, with a spread offense and a new quarterback," Perry said. "You don't look at the history; every year is a new year. In this conference, every team is pretty much even and anything can happen each week. You have to prepare the same way because no team is going to be a cake walk."
With one game already in the books, McManama is quick to note the importance of experience for a young Tufts squad.
"We moved the ball fairly well [against Wesleyan], but we had penalties in crucial situations and mental mistakes in crucial situations," he said. "We're real confident this week, we only had four prior starters on Saturday and this week guys are feeling a lot more comfortable in their roles."
But the importance of getting back on the right path with a road win is at the forefront of the Jumbos' minds.
"I know how I feel after a loss, and after I win [I] feel so much better; the pain doesn't hurt as much and you don't lose sleep," Tassinari said. "As a team ... we [need to] get this win and get the momentum going and get back on track, because winning is contagious."
