The Jumbos have little time to dwell on their recent 9−0 loss to Trinity, because the defending NESCAC champions, the Williams Ephs, will require all of their attention. Tufts will need to build on the sparse positives and work to correct the negatives from their game against Trinity to turn their season around and avoid the program's first winless campaign since 1886.
"There's always something to work on, win, lose or draw," interim head coach Jay Civetti said. "We can always be better at tackling, better at throwing the football, at running the football — there's never an area that you can't get better at in my opinion. There are a lot of things that we're going to continue to work at."
Tufts showed vast improvements in their game against Trinity on the defensive side of the ball; holding the high−powered Bantams offense — which had previously been averaging 28 points per game — to just nine was no small feat. The Jumbos also posted their first interception of the season when junior defensive back Austin Crittenden hauled in an errant pass late in the first quarter.
"I think it's a good step with what we want to do around here," Civetti said. "I think for us, it's a great thing to build off of. You can't get complacent and say, ‘Hey, we held the team to nine points and four passing yards, it's time to stop.' If anything it's time to get hungrier."
One of the key contributors to the Jumbos' defensive success, and an important player to watch in this week's matchup against the 2−2 Ephs, is senior linebacker Zack Skarzynski. Skarzynski is easily the leading tackler in the NESCAC so far this season, and he demonstrated his dominance on the defensive side of the ball against Trinity with 18 tackles, 2.5 of them for a loss.
"I think it sets a standard for what we're looking for going forward, and realizing what we're capable of," Skarzynski said. "We let up some big runs and some big plays but we didn't let that deter us and we came back swinging at them. I think it was huge for us from a mentality standpoint."
For the second straight week Tufts will be pitted against an up−tempo offense, and they will need a similarly stellar defensive performance if they are to compete with the Ephs.
Sophomore quarterback Adam Marske anchors the Ephs offense, averaging an impressive 235.0 yards per game through the air with a 139.7 quarterback rating — good for second−best in the conference in both categories. Marske's favorite target, junior wide receiver Darren Hartwell, leads the league in receiving yards and will be on the minds of the Jumbos' corners and safeties all game.
The key for the Jumbos to gain their first win of the season should come as no surprise: They need to put points on the board. Tufts has struggled offensively this year, ranking last in the league in scoring offense and second to last in rushing offense. The Jumbos have, however, used a balanced attack behind the leadership of senior quarterback Johnny Lindquist and sophomore running back Ryan Pollock.
Getting the ball into the end zone has been a problem for the Jumbos, but they will be poised to correct that issue against the Ephs, who have struggled against the pass this year. Williams ranks ninth in the league in pass defense, allowing a whopping 993 yards through the air — more than double Tufts' 487.
It is easy to be discouraged and give up in the situation the Jumbos are now faced with: an 0−4 record with tough opponents coming up. But the players have remained positive and continue to improve every week by holding themselves accountable for their individual play while encouraging cohesion on the field.
"They want it for each other, and that's more powerful than anything I can coach," Civetti said. "They play with heart and commitment to each other, and that's immeasurable in my opinion."
