The football team has abandoned the no-huddle spread offense that lit up the scoreboard in 2010 in favor of a more balanced attack of runs and short passes, a plan that was on display Friday night when Tufts scrimmaged Bowdoin on Bello Field in its first action against an opposing defense.
"It's an offense that I was a part of for six years [while he coached] at BC — an offense I grew up with," interim head coach Jay Civetti said. "It gives us the best chance to do our end of the bargain on game day."
In two quarters of official play on Friday, Tufts ran the ball 11 times and threw seven times — a far cry from last year's offense, which put up record-breaking numbers of completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns with Anthony Fucillo (LA '11) at the helm, but the Jumbos finished last in the NESCAC in rushing yards and time of possession.
The leader of this year's offense, newly minted starting quarterback senior Johnny Lindquist, has only completed one collegiate pass. However, coaches and teammates alike rave about his poise and leadership ability.
In the first of his three drives leading the offense Friday night, Lindquist moved the team in range for a 23-yard field goal from senior kicker Adam Auerbach.
The drive included a 30-yard pass to junior tight end Nick Kenyon, who looks healthy and dangerous after tearing his ACL last season.
Those points were all Tufts scored on Friday, as the other two Lindquist drives ended in a turnover on downs and a punt.
The Jumbos were down 13-3 after one half of play, and the two teams spent the rest of the scrimmage practicing specific late game-situations.
Sophomore running back Ryan Pollock got the bulk of the carries Friday, and he is excited to play a larger role in an offense that hopes to add a little muscle to last year's aerial assault.
"We want to wear the defense down, and give our defense more time to rest," Pollock said after practice Monday. "We're looking to pound the ball and establish ourselves as a physical team, and just make sure that we dominate at the line of scrimmage."
That physicality starts with the offensive line, which returns four seniors: tri-captain Luke Lamothe, David Lloyd, Andrew Daley and George Brereton.
When Tufts decides to attack through the air, it will likely be to junior Dylan Haas, who was third in the NESCAC with 72.2 receiving yards per game, and had 205 yards on Oct. 30, 2010 against Amherst, last season.
Sophomore Pat Nee and junior Marty Finnegan should also see lots of action, though the receivers as a whole will likely have fewer touches in the new offense. Tight ends Kenyon, senior Pat Cassidy and freshman Will Hewitt — who had a 19-yard catch on a pass from Lindquist in the scrimmage — make their presence felt in the middle of the field.
"We'll get decreased reps, and there's more of an emphasis on blocking," Finnegan said.
"I think we'll have more extended drives, less three-and-outs, a lot of grinding and then taking a shot. We have a definitely some deep threats, but it's going to be smash-mouth."
Civetti is keeping his team's offensive game plan for Saturday's season-opener close to the vest, beside saying that Tufts will adapt to what the Hamilton defense throws at them and put Lindquist in manageable situations in his first collegiate start.
It's clear from the Bowdoin scrimmage that designed runs will at least play a larger role in the Jumbos' scheme than they did last season.
After the Hamilton game, a clearer picture of Tufts' new-look attack will come into focus.
