After dropping its third consecutive game to Amherst College (6-0) last week, the Tufts football team needs to reevaluate its game plan going into another NESCAC brawl with Colby College this weekend.
Last Saturday, Tufts had the advantage of an early lead after a 44-yard field goal by sophomore place kicker Adam Auerbach put the Jumbos ahead 3-0. The offense, however, was noticeably absent for the remainder of the game and could not generate any more points for the last three quarters. The Lord Jeffs went on to score 13 unanswered points and left Zimman Field with a 13-3 victory.
After losing a number of offensive starters after the 2008 season, Tufts knew that it had a lot of spots to fill behind the line of scrimmage. The number one question throughout the offseason was whether or not unproven players would be able to step up and take over for the stars that departed last year. After six games, it has become apparent that the answer is probably "No" — or, at the very least, that the team needs to spend much more time in practice pennies.
During the team's three-game losing streak, the Jumbos have scored just 13 points — an average of about 4.3 points per game. The loss to Amherst marked the third time this season that the offense has failed to reach the endzone in a game. The Jumbos have been ineffective on the ground as well as through the air, and although the team's defense has been one of the best in the NESCAC, scoring 4.3 points per game is certainly not part of a winning formula.
The Jumbos will try to snap their losing streak in Waterville, Maine versus Colby, a team that has won three of its last four games. Although there are no NESCAC playoff spots to fight for, the Jumbos are still motivated to finish the season on the right note and get another game in the win column.
"When you play NESCAC football, you play because you have a passion for the game," senior quad-captain Alex Perry said. "Obviously the season isn't going the way we wanted it to go, but we're still having fun out there."
Senior running back Noah Hatfield-Biondo emphasized the importance of these last two games not just as a means of reaching .500, but also as a way to pay homage to his fellow seniors and the coaching staff.
"Everybody knows that it is important to finish the season on a strong note and make sure that they are giving everything they have for both the seniors leaving and the coaching staff," Hatfield-Biondo said. "Also, at the end of the day we love playing the game, and we know how much more fun it is to play when you are winning."
If Tufts is going to get back on the winning track, it will have to figure out how to make it past the red zone, a feat that has given the Jumbos difficulty in the past month. On the defensive side of the ball, Tufts has held its own with the exception of the team's performance during a 30-7 loss against Williams College. Yet holding an opponent to fewer than 14 points has still not been enough to win ball games.
The Jumbos' offensive problems are a product of an offensive line that is flat out not getting the job done. Last Saturday, senior quarterback Tom McManama was sacked eight times, and the Jumbos netted negative 15 yards on the ground. McManama has been sacked 16 times during the team's losing streak, and the ground game has generated just 58 net yards. If the offensive line cannot protect McManama while also opening few holes for the Tufts' running backs, the Jumbos could fall to 2-5.
"We just need to bring a high energy level on the road," Hatfield-Biondo said. "If we travel well and are already mentally prepared, then all we have to worry about is bringing the physical aspect on Saturday."
Despite the disappointing results so far this season, the team promises that it will not give up.
"It's all about playing the game of football, being part of a team and having the opportunity to do so at Tufts," Perry said. "At this point it's more than just the record, it's more about getting out there with a group of guys that you enjoy playing football with every single day."
