All In: Corey Burns’ Courage and Determination Drive the Jumbos

131102_12397_football641.jpg
Defensive Tackle Corey Burns ’16 making a tackle against Colby. (Courtesy of Tufts Athletics)

Tufts football is coming off a huge year for the program in which it won its first game since the 2011 season opener. The Jumbos had a solid season, battling to a .500 record and the fifth spot in the NESCAC while going undefeated at home. The 2015 Jumbos hope to build on last season’s successes, and to do so, they will count on captains Matt McCormack ’16 and Corey Burns ’16 as their leaders.

McCormack is a linebacker from River Forest, Illinois, and has been a vital part of the Jumbo defense throughout his career here. Just last season, McCormack anchored Tufts on the defensive side of the ball with 52 solo tackles and 36 assisted tackles, adding up to a team-high 88 combined takedowns and an average of 11.0 tackles per game. Lots of focus will be centered around McCormack this year when opposing offenses take the field, but McCormack thinks his co-captain, defensive lineman Corey Burns, deserves just as much attention.

“Corey is the ultimate leader by example,” McCormack said. “There is nobody more passionate, harder working, or more ‘all-in’ than Corey.”

Burns came to Tufts three years ago from Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in southeastern Massachusetts. At Whitman-Hanson, Burns was primarily a linebacker, while also mixing in sometimes on the offensive line. However, when Tufts Coach Jay Civetti was in search of a defensive lineman at the Boston College recruiting camp the summer before Corey’s senior year, Coach Civetti locked in on Burns’ potential and focused on getting the Whitman native into a Jumbo uniform. Civetti was extremely excited when Burns committed while on his visit to Tufts, not just because of the football aspect, but because of Burns’ intangibles, which he described as follows:

“Corey is always a positive person, and always puts team and family first. He is one of the most selfless guys I’ve ever met in my life. If anybody in this community needed something and he could provide for them, he would do that.”

Burns is as hard a worker as anyone, exemplified by his strong performance academically in addition to his football success. Burns double majors in community health and economics, and he was accepted to the Tufts Master’s program for public health, a very competitive one-year program that starts this coming spring. His academic success is a prime example of how well-rounded Burns is, and he has excelled both in the classroom and on the field since his freshman year.

At this point in his Tufts career, Burns has played the most snaps on the Jumbo roster. He has been a four-year starter for the ‘Bos, and hopes to continue to build on last season’s successes. Burns had a great season individually last year, tallying eight solo tackles, 10 assists and two sacks. Losing their first 16 games in brown and blue was certainly rough for this year’s Tufts seniors, but the ‘Bos built up a ton of confidence last year when they won their first game in three seasons.

“The elephant was finally out of the room,” Burns joked.

Corey Burns 2Though losing games can be difficult, Burns has been dealing with a much greater test off the field during his time on campus. Bernie Burns, Corey’s father, has been battling early-onset Alzheimer’s throughout Corey’s college career. Though Bernie was sick before Corey started at Tufts, the illness progressed significantly during Corey’s freshman year, and due to the financial strains that this disease was putting on his family, Corey began to look at other, cheaper schools. He visited Wheaton College in Chicago, but having fallen in love with Tufts, he knew he had to find a way to stay in Somerville. The financial aid office was able to provide some support, and by finding work around campus and becoming a Residential Assistant in the dorms, Corey made Tufts affordable for his family.

During his sophomore year, before the Tufts Parents’ Weekend game against Bowdoin, Corey had asked Coach Civetti what he could do to help raise awareness for Alzheimer’s. Through SAAC,the Student-Athletic Advisory Committee (of which Corey was a member), Corey and Coach Civetti were able to organize an event to help raise awareness and funding for the disease. The team wore purple laces and the crowd was filled with purple t-shirts as the Bowdoin game was played in honor of Bernie Burns, who also gave the pregame speech.

“I wanted to show my dad that I can have his back even though I’m not at home taking care of him,” Corey said.

Despite the emotion-filled game, the Jumbos lost on a heartbreaking interception in the final seconds, further enhancing their frustration.

Though the 2013 Bowdoin game was a tough one to swallow for Tufts, Bernie’s pregame speech delivered a message that has inspired Corey since that moment. Bernie’s message was about being “all-in,” a phrase that has stuck with his son. For Corey, all-in is about “bringing the juice everyday,” and putting 100 percent effort into everything you do. It’s such a simple concept, but it has paid huge dividends for the Jumbos since that game. It’s not just Corey and Bernie’s phrase anymore – the entire team is investing in this idea.

Wide receiver Matt Cahill ’16 spoke on the phrase, saying, “No matter what you do you go all in. Give it everything you’ve got in everything you do every time.”

McCormack added, “Forget distractions and realize that you’ll have to make sacrifices. It embodies everything you look for in a teammate.”

No matter what each player’s personal definition may be, the idea is constant, and it is something that has bonded this group together so far this year.

“If everybody is on board with this idea,” Corey said, “we could definitely have a shot at competing for the championship.”

Corey Burns with his father after a Tufts' football game. Courtesy of Corey Burns)
Corey Burns with his father after a Tufts’ football game. (Courtesy of Corey Burns)

The team is not only all-in on football, however; Tufts Football is all-in for each other. The Jumbos’ dedication to their teammates was clear this summer when they participated in a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s research to support Corey and his family’s fight against the disease. Each summer, the Alzheimer’s Association pushes an effort to raise funds called The Longest Day. The event takes place on the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, and is meant to support those battling Alzheimer’s, as well as to celebrate their strength and the strength of those close to them. The day works as follows: friends and family form a team and select a hobby of some sort to participate in for the 16 hours from sunrise to sunset. The idea is that while all this is going on, money is raised to donate to the Alzheimer’s Association to promote the research of the disease.

With the help of Jason Lynch, the development officer at the Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter, as well as a few friends of Corey’s, the Tufts Football coaching staff organized participation in the Longest Day for the team. Corey was completely unaware of his team’s plan, and had been busy preparing for his own day, in which he climbed Mount Washington. When Corey reached the top of the mountain, however, he received a video in which Coach Civetti explained the team’s plan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAfzXE5aVaA&feature=youtu.be

Since Corey is number 96, the coaching staff came up with the idea that each player on the team would run 96 steps in honor of Corey and Bernie. From sunrise to sunset on that day, there were at least three people running stairs each hour – an offensive player, a defensive player, and an alumni. The effort from the Tufts Football family was simply amazing. Players, coaches, former players, and others close to the program were running all day, and in most cases, filming their run and posting it to social media.

Defensive lineman Tucker Mathers ’17 ran in Singapore, while linebacker Patrick Williams ’16 ran in San Francisco. Offensive lineman TJ Muzzonigro ’17 ran steps in Honduras, and Coach Tom Beaton ran at a local high school in Darien, Connecticut where he was staying for a recruiting camp. Coach Civetti climbed the steps of Boston College’s Alumni Stadium. Players of all grades ran, and even incoming freshmen who had not yet met Corey were getting involved in the effort. Players were running in Boston, California, Maine, Florida, Chicago, Texas, France, Germany and Prague. The response from the team was simply incredible, and came at a time when the Burns family needed it most.

This summer, Bernie’s disease advanced to the point where it became necessary for him to move into a nursing home. The support that Corey’s teammates showed was incredible, and more than anyone would have expected from them. The Jumbo effort on the Longest Day was overwhelming for the Burns family, and when Corey called Coach Civetti at the top of the mountain, the two shared a very emotional moment.

“It was nice to see the squad had my back when I didn’t ask for it,” Corey commented.

The Jumbos would do this for anyone on their team, but Corey couldn’t be more deserving of this kind of gesture.

“Corey is one of the most hardworking, devoted and loyal teammates I have ever played with,” Cahill said. “He’s everything you want in a player and captain.

Admiration for Corey is felt by every player and coach in the Tufts program.

“I’m a believer in people who do the right things,” Coach Civetti said of Corey. “Corey has always been able to balance doing the right thing for the people and helping the team win. He does things the right way, he is trustworthy, and he leaves it all out there on game day.”

Corey’s personality has been an immense part of the positive culture that this program has developed over the last few years. Tufts Football is a very close-knit family, and Corey’s leadership is highly respected amongst his Jumbo brothers. It’s no surprise that the team has been so supportive of Corey and the Burns family throughout his time here in Somerville. Corey is the ultimate example of humility, and though he certainly wouldn’t aim to leave a personal legacy, he will never be forgotten in the Tufts Football program – Coach Civetti is going to make sure of that.

“Longest Day will be a staple in this program as long as I am the head coach here.”

If you would like to learn more about Alzheimer’s or donate to help fight the disease, check out the Alzheimer’s Association website at http://www.alz.org.

The Jumbos Are Not What They Were: Tufts Season Preview

Zack Trause '15 (#14)is gone, but plenty remains for Tufts. (Courtesy of Kelvin Ma and Tufts University)
Zack Trause ’15 (#14)is gone, but plenty remains for Tufts. (Courtesy of Kelvin Ma and Tufts University)

Editors’ Note: While 99 percent of the work done in these previews is credited directly to the author, the projected records are a decision made together by the editors, Adam and Joe. So if you don’t like it, blame us.

Projected Record: 4–4

Projected Offensive Starters (Eight Returning*)

QB: Alex Snyder ’17
RB: Chance Brady ’17*
WR: Jack Cooleen ’16*
WR: Mike Rando ’17*
WR: Ben Berey ’17*
TE: Nik Dean ’17*
LT: Akene Farmer-Michos ’16*
LG: Tom Gregory ’17
C: TJ Muzzonigro ’17*
RG: Alex Kim ’17
RT: Justin Roberts ’16*

Projected Defensive Starters (Seven Returning*)

DE: Evan Anthony ’17
DT: Ife Adebayo ’16*
DT: Corey Burns ’16*
DE: Tucker Mathers ’17
OLB: Zach Thomas ’18
MLB: Matt McCormack ’16*
OLB: Patrick Williams ’17*
CB: Sebastian Rivera ’17*
SS: Mike Stearns ’17*
FS: Brett Phillips ’18
CB: Junior Arroyo ’16

Offensive MVP: WR/RB Mike Rando ’17

His stats from 2014 don’t scream MVP in part because he was really only healthy for four games last season, so health is one reason for an uptick in production from the junior. The other is that somebody has to replace all of that production now that Zack Trause ’15 is gone. Trause was valuable not as much running the ball but rather his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Chance Brady ’17 is a very talented running back, and he will get most of the rushing opportunities. That being said, he caught only seven passes in 2014, and the Tufts offense calls for a lot of passes to the running back. It seems likely that you will see Rando a good deal not only in the slot, where he will start most games and be a dangerous player, but also lining up next to the quarterback. The point is he will get plenty of touches (including the return game), and he should capitalize on some of them.

Defensive MVP: Linebacker Matt McCormack ’16

We already told you about Mike Stearns ’17, but have ignored the accomplishments of middle linebacker Matt McCormack ’16. As we have noted in the past, the defensive statistics of teams that play fast paced football can be misleading because of the high total number of plays. That doesn’t mean McCormack isn’t an impressive player. He had 88 total tackles in 2014, the most of anyone in the NESCAC. His best game was against Trinity when he tallied 17 tackles (14 of which were solo). He is made to stop the run at the point of the attack, but for him to gain more recognition (he did not make either All-NESCAC team last year), his ability to defend the pass must show improvement.

Biggest Surprise in Camp: QB Jonathan DiBiaso ’18

We have covered the transfer of QBs at Middlebury and Hamilton much more so than Tufts, and that is an oversight on our part primarily because our expectation was that Alex Snyder ’17 would fall comfortably into the starting spot. However, in talking to Coach Jay Civetti, DiBiaso, a transfer from Dartmouth, is making the decision on who will start very difficult. He is a very good pure passer, and has a lot of experience from high school running the spread offense. DiBiaso was a high school star at Everett High School just down the road from Tufts in Massachusetts. At Everett DiBiaso was one of the most decorated QBs in New England, and having him end up at a NESCAC school is a steal. Having also taken a post-graduate year, he is very experienced for someone who has not played at all at college.

Biggest Game: at Hamilton, September 26. 1:00 PM

Sure, Tufts went 4-4 last year, but they still haven’t gotten the monkey off their back that is winning away from Medford. Going to Hamilton and winning there might not seem like a tall task given the Continentals 16 game losing streak, but nobody knows better than Tufts how dangerous a team is when they are hungry for that first win. In many ways Hamilton dominated the game last year nearly totaling the number of first downs Tufts had, and having 199 more total yards than the Jumbos. Yet the Jumbos found a way to win last year—a knack for winning that they displayed in several other games as the year went along. Beating Hamilton to start the season will prove they have that drive in more places than just Medford.

Best Tweet:

Summary: That 4-4 record from last year probably oversells how good of a team Tufts was a year ago. Their offense was above average with the fourth most yards per game in the league, but their defense was still subpar. Overall the Jumbos had a point differential of -5.4. They weren’t competitive in three of their losses, and the loss of Jack Doll ’15 is a significant one to the offense. The schedule isn’t as forgiving since missing Wesleyan this season is not the godsend it was a year ago. They start the season with two road games and have to play heavyweights Amherst, Trinity, and Middlebury all at home. Being it more likely than not that they struggle against these three teams, the Jumbos will have to win three road games to reach .500. In many instances, you might predict a regression for Tufts, but we don’t see that happening.

The biggest reason is simply that the talent on the Tufts roster is better this year than it was a year ago. Most of the starters are back, and the loss of stars like Trause, Doll, and defensive end James Brao is certainly manageable. The Jumbos have more depth than they have had in the past, especially along the offensive line, which has been an Achilles heel for them over the years. Guys like Akene Farmer-Michos ’16 and Justin Roberts ’16 could see All-NESCAC recognition. That is a significant development seeing as Tufts has had one All-NESCAC offensive lineman since 2009. Whoever ends up emerging in the quarterback battle will have a bunch of toys to play with. Besides Rando, Jack Cooleen ’16 and Ben Berey ’16 are both quality wide receivers. Cooleen is 6’5″ and will see most of the deep balls throw by the Tufts’ QB. Berey meanwhile saw his production collapse down the stretch after having 35 catches through five games. Chance Brady ’17 ended the season getting most of the carries, and he will continue to serve that role. Brady is the most physical back that Tufts has had in recent years, and he will help keep linebackers in the box, which will help to open up Tufts’ quick passing game. Honestly, I’ve never seen a team run as many bubble screens as Tufts did last year—if teams can cheat outside on those, they never work.

The defense took the leap to respectability last year, and they could be a league average unit this year. The defensive line was able to cause more pressure than in years past, but much of it came from the departed Brao. Ife Adebayo ’16 and Corey Burns ’16 are both good defensive tackles, but they don’t get into the backfield that regularly. The Jumbos usually play things pretty straight up on defense, not blitzing that often, but they might have to change things up to help out the secondary. That group is led by Stearns, who switches over from corner to safety where he will be asked to help defend the run even more than before. This secondary still allowed the most yards of any team in the NESCAC last year, and in the final game, Matt Milano ’16 made it look like he was throwing against air. The speed is a little better all-around in the back, but this is the team’s greatest weakness entering the season. The linebackers will miss Tommy Meade ’15, but McCormack and Patrick Williams ’17 will ensure that there will be no real drop off.

It was great to watch Tufts storm out of the basement of the NESCAC, and all the players and coaches deserved every second of last season. 2015 brings a lot of new challenges, however. All reports are that the freshman class is a very talented one, and that they could push for playing time in spots soon. The Jumbos cannot afford to get ahead of themselves and take any team for granted, seeing as that 32 losing streak still looms heavily in the background.