When the Tufts football team takes the field Saturday at Bates, they hope to pick up where they left off against Hamilton.
"We came up short last week, and that's unacceptable," senior defensive lineman Ian Levinsky said. "But even though we lost, we did a lot of the big things right, especially in the second half."
One "big thing" the defense can build on is its success at stopping the run. Tufts held Hamilton to 103 rushing yards, 76 of which came in the first half. The Jumbos also stopped an attempted fourth down conversion and forced two crucial punts in the fourth quarter, keeping the game within reach until the final minute.
But in order to get a better result against Bates, the Jumbos will need to improve their pass defense. Hamilton junior quarterback Jordan Eck completed 29 of his 33 pass attempts for two touchdowns.
"Anytime a quarterback completes almost 90 percent of his passes, either he's Tom Brady or we need to do a better job rushing the passer and putting him on his back," said senior defensive end Nick Croteau, who had four tackles and the unit's lone sack against Hamilton.
Bates runs a triple-option offense, something not used by many teams in the NESCAC. Considering Bates was able to gain four times as many passing yards as rushing yards in its season-opening loss to Amherst, the Jumbos' ability to stop the pass may be the determining factor this Saturday.
Offensively, Tufts also had some successes against Hamilton that it can build on. The Jumbos debuted a more balanced approach than last year's pass-heavy offense, with 34 rushes and 33 passes against the Continentals. Though new head coach Jay Civetti may change this ratio of run to pass plays based on the circumstances, it appears that the days of one run play for every five passes are over.
The Jumbos' ability to run the football should play an important role Saturday against a Bobcats team that gave up over 200 yards on the ground in its season-opening loss. Sophomore running back Ryan Pollock, who carried the ball 20 times for 70 yards and a touchdown against Hamilton, is again expected to receive the bulk of Tufts' carries. Senior quarterback Johnny Lindquist, a prominent feature of the ground game in his own right, ran for 46 yards on 11 rushes in the opener.
One important aspect shown by the offense against Hamilton is that it has the capacity to make plays — both on the ground and through the air — and get first downs. Lindquist was not flawless at quarterback, but it's safe to say that he did not jeopardize his starting role with his performance. To be successful against Bates, the offense will need to sustain drives by converting more on third downs and come away with points when they make it to the opponent's side of the field.
On Homecoming last year, Bates came to Tufts and beat the Jumbos for the first time since 1985.
"They beat us at our place last year, so we want to return the favor," Croteau said "This will be a good test for us."
Saturday's game against Bates will not only be an important early test, but an opportunity for the Jumbos to prove to themselves and the rest of the league that this relatively young team, under the stewardship of a new head coach, can compete in the NESCAC.
