Jay Civetti knows the football team could have given up. The towel could have been thrown in at some point during the winless season, the white flag raised up on Zimman Field in response to the struggles and frustration.
That the Jumbos didn't says it all.
"The bottom line is that they could have given up and chosen the easy route," said Civetti, who just completed his inaugural season as Tufts' head coach after taking over the program in January. "But instead it reinvigorated them to leave a lasting legacy on this program. And the fact that a 21− or 22−year−old guy can see the value of the program, they can see what the future is going to be here, gives incredible validation to me and the staff, because those kids believe in what we're selling."
On the menu is a healthy dose of dedication and hard work, perhaps masked on the surface by an 0−8 record, the Jumbos' first winless season since 1984. Then again, Tufts enjoyed its fair share of near−misses. They held Middlebury's NESCAC−leading offense scoreless through three quarters and led up until the final two seconds, when RemiAshkar plowed in with a deflating touchdown to end the game 19−17 Middlebury. Trinity only mustered nine points all game and three in the second half on Oct. 15, while Williams traded blows into the second quarter before a 77−yard punt return spelled doom for Tufts.
But for every missed opportunity, for every chance to put a notch in that win column, there were the struggles, like the 30−0 blowout against Amherst or the 28−9 loss versus Bates on Oct. 1.
"You know, a lot of people outside the program would look at our season and say, ‘Wow, really rough year, nothing went right,'" senior J.T. Rinciari said. "But with coach Civetti now our permanent head coach, looking forward, the future is very bright. All the players have a lot of confidence in him and the coaching staff, and it's up to the players who are on the team next year to really work their asses off and get Tufts back to the top where it belongs."
The season's over, likely long since faded into oblivion for a team that's been forced — over the past few campaigns — to develop ephemeral memories. It's done; every member of the team echoes that sentiment. What's important is the future, for Civetti's mark on the program is only starting to become clear.
"It might take some time, but Tufts will be a major contender in the NESCAC," Rinciari said. "I don't know how long it'll take, but we know coach Civetti and the rest of the coaching staff will take the program to the next level, through better recruiting, greater attention to detail. We never gave in or quit this year. I think that's something we can all appreciate."
Though Tufts will graduate Zack Skarzynski, the NESCAC's leading tackler, all of its tri−captains — Rinciari, fellow linebacker Nick Falk and offensive lineman Luke Lamothe — as well as kicker Adam Auerbach, who set the program's all−time field goals record this season and quarterback Johnny Lindquist (1,147 passing yards, six touchdowns), a solid core still remains for 2012.
Juniors Dylan Haas and Sam Diss will return as the Jumbos' top two playmakers, the former leading the team with 38 receptions and 436 yards this season, and the latter ranking second on the team in tackles as the secondary's anchor, while also seeing time on offense in the Wildcat formation.
Running back Ryan Pollock also came on strong toward the end of his sophomore season, posting his first career 100−yard rushing game against the Panthers. Junior Nick Kenyon, fresh off an ACL injury that kept him out last fall, was a force at tight end, bookending his campaign with touchdown receptions against Hamilton and Middlebury.
Internal improvements can only go so far, and that's where recruiting comes in. The Jumbos have reportedly been staring down powerhouses Amherst, Williams and Trinity for incoming freshmen, and unprecedented numbers of high school recruits have been seen on the sidelines during home games.
The lasting legacy of the 16 graduating seniors, then, will come not from the 1−15 combined record over the past two seasons, but from the change in attitude exemplified since the offseason to whatever success exists in years to come.
"Now that that mentality and thought process has been established, now we can judge execution and set expectations because the base has been built," Civetti said. "Thirty years from now? 0−8 will be an afterthought. What will be clear is that determination and hard work and effort will get you the results you need."
