Jumbos look for third straight win

After a very convincing homecoming win against Bates on Saturday, Tufts will travel to Maine to face the 0-2 Bowdoin Polar Bears this weekend.

Bowdoin finished the 2013 season in 7th place in the NESCAC standings with a 3-5 record, and this season the Polar Bears have struggled mightily through their first two games. The team’s season began with a hugely disappointing 36-0 loss at Williams, and Bowdoin did not seem to play any better in its home debut last week against Amherst. The Polar Bears have been outscored 66-7 through their first two games.

Senior quarterback Mac Caputi has had trouble leading Bowdoin’s offense this season with zero touchdown passes, three interceptions and a 57.9 completion percentage to start the year. However, defense has been the primary issue for coach Dave Caputi’s squad.

Within two weeks, the Polar Bears defense has allowed 396.5 total yards per game (2nd worst in the NESCAC), 170 of which have been on the ground.

While the Jumbos offense excelled in all facets against the Bates Bobcats, the team’s rushing game is its bread and butter. The Jumbos are 3rd in the NESCAC in rushing yards per game (130.5) and the team should have a lot of success on the ground against Bowdoin, especially considering how effective the team’s offensive line has been so far this season.

Possibly the largest discrepancy between Tufts and Bowdoin is their red zone conversion rates. The Jumbos lead the NESCAC in red zone opportunities with 10, while the Polar Bears are tied for the fewest with three. Tufts has put points on the board in eight of those 10 chances, whereas Bowdoin has scored on just one of its red zone possessions.

While the Jumbos have been successful in all three phases of the game this season, one area that clearly needs improvement is the high number of costly penalties the team has committed. Two weeks into the season, Tufts has been flagged 15 times for a whopping 162 yards (second most in the NESCAC).

“We’ll definitely have to look at the film and see what we need [to fix], but you know, we did not have a perfect game [against Bates],” senior running back Zack Trause said. "We made some mental mistakes that are going to happen."

The Jumbos have a sparkling 2-0 record, but strength of schedule is definitely a factor. Tufts opened the season against Hamilton, who was 0-8 in 2013, and is 0-2 this season. Then the team faced Bates, who went 4-4 last season, and is 0-2 this season. This weekend, Tufts faces a Bowdoin team that went 3-5 in 2013 yet is also 0-2 this season.

The team remains focused on Bowdoin, but the true test for the Jumbos will be when they play the 2-0 Trinity squad in Hartford later this month.

“Yeah, I mean, look, I think we just have to go in at 2-0, I think that’s a good step," coach Jay Civetti said. "We’ve got to get the team together. Get in the weight room. Get back at it. Get back into the routine. Stick to the process. We have to assess [Bowdoin]. See what their defense is looking like. We spent all last week on Bates. We’ve got to get on the film and see what fits best for the gameplan. Let the coaches do their job. Get [the players] set up and get them ready to play.”

Although coach Civetti did not want to divulge his game plan, it is safe to say the Tufts team will be running the football early and often. Across two games, the Jumbos have run the ball 79 times out of many different formations, and their ability to move the ball consistently has been a huge reason for the team’s success. Despite the team’s victories, coach Civetti remains humble.

“It’ll be a [heck] of a test, we’re on the road for the first time," Civetti said. "Bowdoin is always a tough opponent. I’ve got the utmost respect for coach Caputi and their staff and what they do. We’ve got a great task ahead of us."