“History doesn't repeat itself,” Mark Twain reportedly once said, “but it does rhyme.” The upcoming game between the Tufts Jumbos (3-0) and the Trinity Bantams (3-0) evokes a sense of déjà vu. In 2016, as in 2015, the pair enter week four with perfect records, competing for a spot atop the NESCAC. The Jumbos will be going into the game with the hope that the similarities to their 2015 matchup will stop there, as last year’s contest at the Ellis Oval ended in a 34-27 overtime victory for the Bantams.In fact, Tufts has not beaten Trinity since 2007, when quarterback Matt Russo (LA '07) threw two touchdowns in a 16-10 home win. Now, as he prepares his team to travel to Hartford, Conn., Tufts coach Jay Civetti, who played offensive line for Trinity in his college days, plans on a different ending this time around.
“You do learn from the past. The only way you grow is from doing things,” Civetti said. “Last year, we had the game won with under five minutes left, and we didn’t execute the way we needed to for sixty minutes.”
The Jumbos coach was clear, however, that his team wouldn’t get stuck focusing on previous shortcomings.
“Last year was last year, and it was a different team from this year. We need to focus in on what needs to be done this weekend.”
The Jumbos certainly have all the tools to succeed on the offensive side of the ball, as they demonstrated in last week’s 41-21 rout of the Bowdoin Polar Bears (0-3). Sophomore quarterback Ryan McDonald was electric against the Polar Bears; in addition to completing all nine of his passes for 92 yards and a touchdown, the Annandale, N.J. native rushed 11 times for 146 yards and two scores. A true dual-threat quarterback, McDonald challenges defenses to anticipate multiple avenues of attack on any given down. Still, Civetti remains confident that senior quarterback Alex Snyder will play an important role in the game against Trinity.
“[Snyder] can really stretch the field vertically. He’s got a big time arm, great vision, and command of the passing game. He’s also had a lot of playing experience,” Civetti said. “When he pulls the thing down, too, he’s a tough runner, but he’s not as much of a running threat as [McDonald] is. I think Ryan [McDonald] and [senior tri-captain running back] Chance [Brady] in the backfield create a legitimate dual-threat option. [Snyder] is not a great edge-read, pull the ball, and run player [like McDonald is]. The combination of the two, in our opinion, has worked thus far.”
Civetti remained noncommittal about naming a full-time quarterback for the remainder of the season.
“Last week, as the game unfolded, Ryan just had more snaps than Alex, and that’s how I think it’ll go moving forward: the game will dictate what we’ll need," Civetti said.
Meanwhile, Brady demonstrated that his scoreless afternoon in the outing versus Bates on Oct. 1 was an aberration. Against Bowdoin, Brady was as efficient as he was effective, converting just eight carries into 54 rushing yards and a touchdown. Additionally, the Jumbos pass catchers -- both tight ends and wide receivers -- had their best games of the season so far, with nine different players hauling in a total of fifteen passes for 246 yards and two scores.
“It was a great thing to have, and certainly we want to spread the wealth,” Civetti commented. “I think it says a lot about the ability that we have and the depth that we have that we’ve got that many guys that are that capable.”
This week, the ever-improving Tufts offense faces off against its toughest defensive opponent yet and arguably the best unit in the NESCAC. The Bantams gave up the league’s fewest points per game (8.7) and earned the most sacks (15) through three weeks. That includes a four sack showing in last week’s 37-6 victory over the Hamilton Continentals.
The Trinity defense is replete with talent and experience. One threat in the Bantam secondary is senior co-captain safety Spencer Donahue. Regularly moving into the box from his normal spot at safety Saturday against the Continentals, the Bantam playmaker recovered two fumbles, one of which he returned 62 yards for a score. Along with Donahue, Trinity can also rely on junior linebacker Liam Kenneally, who last year earned NESCAC First Team Defense honors. In 2016, Kenneally has continued to excel, having already amassed 14 tackles and three sacks.
As strong as its defense is, the Trinity offense may be even more formidable, starting with its offensive line’s ability to protect the passer. Through three games, the Bantams have allowed a NESCAC-low 3.61 percent sack rate, which has enabled junior quarterback Sonny Puzzo to complete 59.75 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns and zero interceptions. His favorite target this year has been senior wide receiver Darrien Myers, who has already amassed 289 receiving yards and a NESCAC-leading seven touchdowns.
“What’s most important about [Myers] is he’s probably one of the best guys I’ve ever met. I really think the world of Darrien Myers. I think he’s an awesome person,” Civetti said. “He’s fast, he’s smart, he’s got great hands and he’s got tremendous vision on special teams. His return ability is significant, and I think he’s just an awesome competitor.”
Sophomore cornerback Alex LaPiana noted the challenge that such a dominant receiver poses to the Jumbos' secondary.
“If you look at him on film, he’s a very quick player, a smart kid and a good route runner,” LaPiana said. “We’re definitely going to have to be at the top of our game.”
Meanwhile, the Trinity offensive line has also helped to open up rushing lanes for sophomore running back Max Chipouras, who won the 2015 NESCAC Rookie of the Year award with 649 rushing yards and a league-high 12 touchdowns. Already, Chipouras has built on last year’s success, as he leads the league with an average of 126 yards on the ground per game. All of this adds up to a dynamic Bantam offense that cannot be boiled down to a single threat.
That doesn’t mean Tufts will make it easy for them, however. The Jumbos defense has progressively brought down opposing quarterbacks at higher rates in every contest this year, including a four-sack performance against the Polar Bears last week. The first step towards slowing Trinity, therefore, will be applying heavy pressure to Puzzo. If the Tufts defense can do that, the task of slowing the rest of the Bantam offense becomes much easier.
“Sonny Puzzo - he can pull it, he can run it, he can throw it. He could kick the thing, I’m sure, if he needed to,” Civetti joked. “We’re going to play our football. We’re going to be physical, we’re going to try to stop the run and defend the pass to the best of our ability. We’re just going to play ball. They present the most amount of challenges that we’ve seen.”
The Jumbos face off against the Bantams on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Trinity’s Jessee/Miller Field.
NESCAC lead at stake as Jumbos travel to face Bantams
