Defensive coordinator Scott Rynne makes no excuses for the way his unit performed last season, when the football team lost its final seven games after a season-opening win at home against Hamilton.
The Jumbos let up 269 points in their eight games, the most of any NESCAC team since 2005. Their defense was particularly porous in the second half of games. Tufts actually outscored its eight opponents 53-41 in the first quarter and 93-91 in the second quarter — yet the team was routed 137-51 in the latter two periods, perhaps gassed by a no-huddle, spread offense that put up record-breaking numbers but left the defense on the field 61.5 percent of the time.
"The way we played in the second half was a disappointment," Rynne said. "It's something we've tried to work on in the offseason, [figuring out] how we can be better conditioned."
What was already a tall order got even more difficult when the team lost three of its upperclassman defensive starters: senior defensive lineman Donnie Simmons, senior linebacker Ferras Albitar and junior defensive back Sam Gardner.
Albitar, the team's second biggest tackler from last season and an All-NESCAC second team honoree, is not on the Tufts roster after reportedly enduring several concussions during his career. Simmons, last year's sack and tackles-for-loss leader and a physical force on the defensive line, left the team for undisclosed personal reasons and Gardner is reportedly taking some time off from school.
The Jumbos are moving forward with the players they do have, taking more practice reps under interim head coach Jay Civetti and setting a physical tone in practice, heading into this Friday's scrimmage against Bowdoin and the season opener at Hamilton on September 24.
"I think the focus of the team, it hasn't been a negative one, like ‘Oh, those guys aren't here,'" Civetti said. "It's been ‘Who's here now?' A conversation about those guys hasn't come up. It's opened opportunities for other guys, and they've taken them."
One of those guys stepping into a larger role is senior tri-captain linebacker J.T. Rinciari, who will be responsible for more tackles than he was last season.
Other players expected to fill the gaps include junior Chris Toole, a defensive lineman returning from injury and senior linebacker Zack Skarzynski, whose 57 tackles were fourth on the team last season.
"I think we're doing pretty well," Skarzynski said. "Obviously last year Ferras was a huge part for us. From the standpoint on the defense missing him, it's more of him as a personality, but still I think we look pretty good."
Rynne has installed a slightly different system this season — with a bit more zone coverage than man-to-man, and a few new blitzes, for example — but said that the front line packages are pretty similar to last season's.
There are also a few former defensive backs converting to linebacker, including senior Carlo Cervini, who is competing with Rinciari at the same linebacker spot.
The defense scrimmaged against the Tufts offense last week, and will get its first taste of NESCAC competition when Bowdoin comes to town. The unit is excited to start with a clean slate, and to make its presence felt early and often.
"We want to make a statement on the first play of the game," junior defensive lineman Zak Kline said. "Punch them right in the mouth, and set a physical tone."
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This article originally incorrectly stated that Ferras Albitar had the team's most tackles last season as opposed to the second most. This mistake was corrected on Sept. 14, 2011
