Now the Fun Has Started: The Stock Report 10/21

For NESCAC watchers, this weekend lived up to its promise and then some. Amherst at Wesleyan featured two of the top-three teams trading punches the entire game until Phillip Nwosu ’15 decided it. Then up in Maine, Trinity was without Chudi Iregbulem ’15 and needed a fourth quarter comeback to knock off a resilient Bowdoin team. Middlebury got to above .500 for the first time this year. Finally, Colby got into the winning column in a huge way. There is a lot to cover, so let’s get to the stock report.

Stock Up

Kicker Phillip Nwosu ’15 (Amherst): Back in the preseason when we made Nwosu our team MVP for the Jeffs, many probably found it unusual to see a kicker get so much love. Then the senior went 1-4 on field goals entering the game Saturday with the three misses all coming from 33 yards or fewer. He was still forcing plenty of touchbacks, but something was off. Well Nwosu could not have picked a better time to get his form right than Saturday. He finished 4-4 on field goals and 3-3 on extra points to account for 15 of Amherst’s 33 points. His most important kick was also his best: a 41-yarder in unsure footing with under a minute left to force the game into overtime. The win for Amherst was of course a complete team effort with big games from Gene Garay ’15 and Chris Tamasi ’15 in particular, but at the end of the game after Nwosu had hit the game winner, it was the kicker who was hoisted onto the soldiers of his teammates in celebration.

Colby Leadership: We have made note several times of the brutal schedule that Colby had to face to begin the year, and Saturday saw the Mules take all their frustration out on the Continentals. The Mules came out on a mission from the first snap of the game. The Continentals were the poor team that had all that aggression taken out on them, and they are a better team than they showed on Saturday. Still, this game was over even before halftime with Colby up 40-0. Hats off to the Colby seniors for keeping the team together and working hard in the lead up to this game. Jason Buco ’15 was the star for the defense with two interceptions, and Luke Duncklee ’15 had his best game of the season recording three total touchdowns. Gabe Harrington ’17 looked comfortable in the pocket spreading out his throws to a wealth of receivers. The Mules go to Bates on Saturday in the opener of the CBB (Colby-Bowdoin-Bates). After Saturday, Colby sees no reason why they can’t close the season on a torrid streak.

Bowdoin Linebackers: The trio of Brendan Lawler ’16, Branden Morin ’16, and Bjorn Halvorsen ’17 combined for 34 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss. Lawler recovered a fumble while Morin accounted for Bowdoin’s only touchdown with a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. We mentioned on Friday how Bowdoin had the worst rush defense in terms of yards per rush allowed, but on Saturday Trinity gained only 2.8 yards per rush without Iregbulem. The play of the Bowdoin linebackers and the front seven in general forced the Bantams to turn to the air in order to claw their way back for the 17-10 victory. After a slow start to the season, all three linebackers have started to make plays all over the field for the Bowdoin defense.

Stock Down

Bates’ Triple Option: At this point the Bates offense has essentially come to a grinding halt. The Bobcats are averaging a league worst 13.0 points per game. They are also averaging only 231.2 yards per game, the worst mark by any NESCAC team since Tufts averaged 219.5 yards in 2011. Bates usually tries to run the ball all over teams with the triple option, but the running game has had no consistency. Their 2.2 yards per rush average is by far the worst in the NESCAC, with Middlebury the next worse at 2.6. Quarterback Matt Cannone ’15 is the most talented player on the offensive side and he was the player most capable of breathing life into the offense when the running game struggled. However, injuries have slowed him in recent weeks and he has been far from 100 percent. Without him healthy, a once promising season is near the precipice.

Running Back Kyle Gibson ’15 (Wesleyan): After the injury to LaDarius Drew ’15, this was supposed to be the year when Gibson shined as the lead back in Wesleyan’s run heavy attack, but for whatever reason it just has not materialized. Gibson averaged 6.5 yards per carry last year but only 3.4 yards this year. It is entirely possible that Gibson has been struggling with injuries or something else is up because he averaged only 27.5 yards in his past two games. Wesleyan’s running issues do not end with Gibson though. After leading the NESCAC in yards per rush last year with 4.7, the Cardinals are seventh in the NESCAC at 2.9 yards per rush. The Cardinals are so lost for how to get it moving that Donnie Cimino ’15 and Jake Bussani ’14 each got carries on Saturday in an attempt to inject some life into the offense. Jesse Warren ’15 has raised his play almost enough to offset those issues, but a passing offense is not what Wesleyan wants its identity to be.

Week 1 Results: It has now been a month and a day since the first results of the season came back, and at this point it is very important to remember what has changed. Williams was the team of the week with their 36-0 beatdown of Bowdoin. They were riding high until Trinity came in and returned the favor with a 38-0 win. Williams has now lost four games in a row and it looks like they are in disarray. The Polar Bears turned their season around and came close to pulling the upset of the season on Saturday.

Look, Week 1 did tell us a lot. It told us Wesleyan would not be the juggernaut we thought they could be without Drew running the ball, that the Amherst defense was going to be really good, and that something really cool was going on in Medford. Yet you can’t trust everything that happens in the first week of the season. Teams in the NESCAC are closer talent-wise than they might appear from week to week. One injury or a weird bounce can put an “elite” team into a dogfight like Trinity found themselves in this weekend. Teams mature and change over the course of the season so that at times it seems that what we saw in the first week was a mirage.

The Stakes Rise: The Weekend Preview 10/18

As we move to the stretch run, the biggest games of the season are still in front of us. When Wesleyan and Amherst meet on Saturday, more than just the Little Three will be on the line. The winner will have the best victory of the year and a good shot at going undefeated.

All eyes will be on Middletown, but a lot of other games will offer intrigue as well. Bates visits Middlebury in a game that should stay close if the Bates defense can play like they did for the better part of last week. Trinity makes the trip north to Maine for a game that could be tricky against a Bowdoin team that has now won two in a row. The other two games should be close as well.

Three to Watch

Running Back Devon Carrillo ’17 (Wesleyan): The salve to Wesleyan’s running problems might be the Middletown, Connecticut native. Last week Coach Mike Whalen used Carrillo as a wildcat quarterback in certain situations. The formation gave Bates fits with the highlight being a 66 yard run in the second quarter that saw Carrillo weave his way through the Bobcat defense. He accounted for 92 of Wesleyan’s 143 rushing yards (64.3%). After a freshman year that saw him return kicks and be the second leading tackler on defense, his role has shifted to the offensive side of the ball. On the Wesleyan website he is listed as a linebacker, and he played both ways in the first two weeks of the season, but he did not record a tackle last week. If Wesleyan can’t get traction running the ball with Jesse Warren ’15 under center then they will turn to Carrillo for a spark.

Linebacker Tim Patricia ’16 (Middlebury)- The leading tackler in the NESCAC over the last two years, Patricia has seen his production dip slightly as others on the Panther defense have emerged. Yet the junior could have a big game production wise on Saturday against Bates. Linebackers like Chris Tamasi ’15 and James O’Grady ’16 have enjoyed some of their best games this year against Bates because the run heavy offense gives linebackers a wealth of opportunities to make plays. The loss of Ryan Curit ’14 and Shawn Doherty ’14 has hampered Bates so far, but Middlebury will still have to bring their best game on Saturday. The skill level all around the Panther defense is much higher than it was two years ago. The reputation of a finesse team that they gained in past years does not ring true now. Patricia has been a big part of that change.

Defensive Tackle Tom Wells ’15 (Bowdoin)- A 2013 second team All-NESCAC performer, Wells is one of three seniors on the defensive line for Bowdoin that will try to stop the vaunted Trinity running game. The last time the two teams met in Brunswick the Polar Bears held Trinity to 3.4 yards per rush, and Trinity had only a 13-10 lead at halftime. Wells has three tackles for loss on the year, and along with lineman Jake Prince ’15 and Brian Golger ’15, will take on the vaunted Trinity offensive line. Right now the Polar Bears rank last in the NESCAC in defensive yards per rush at 3.9. Against Trinity the front seven will have to step up for Bowdoin to spring an upset.

The Picks

Game of the Week: Amherst (4-0) at Wesleyan (4-0)

Last year this was the game when Wesleyan broke through and showed that they had truly joined the top echelon of the league. A late Amherst rally fell short of succeeding, and two weeks later the Cardinals were celebrating their first Little Three title in 41 years.

Yet Amherst really outplayed Wesleyan in that game but lost for two big reasons – turnovers and field position. Amherst had four turnovers (three interceptions and one fumble) to Wesleyan’s zero. Then Wesleyan converted two short fields after Amherst punts into touchdowns which proved to be the difference.

Therefore, punter/receiver Jackson McGonagle ’16 and quarterback Max Lippe ’15 are the keys for the Jeffs. McGonagle has a great leg and can boom punts when he hits it right, but he is inconsistent and too often ends up hitting the ball poorly. Lippe reclaimed his position after not playing at all in the first three weeks and changed the look of the Amherst offense. He made good reads and solidified the passing game.

We fully expect Lippe to get the nod to start, but if he struggles Alex Berluti ’17 or Reece Foy ’18 should be ready to go. Lippe went 20-35 for 195 yards and had two touchdowns and two interceptions against the Cardinals in 2013. He spread the ball around last week which is a must against a Wesleyan secondary capable of turning any mistake into six points the other way.

Amherst has likely spent a lot of time in practice getting ready for Carrillo and the wildcat, but stopping it will still not be easy. Whalen likely did not want to run the wildcat so much last week, but the lack of any other running game forced his hand. Losing LaDarius Drew ’15 has cost Wesleyan more than expected with Kyle Gibson ’15 unable to find lanes of space.

Jesse Warren ’15 has proven in the first half that he is not merely a beneficiary of a strong running game and has been the best quarterback in the NESCAC. He set a new personal record in attempts (38) and completions (24 – the first time he has had more than 20) against Bates, making big throws one third down and long.

These are the two best statistical defense in the NESCAC at this point, and both offenses carry heavy question marks. Though it is Wesleyan’s homecoming, students are on fall break so the crowd might be large but not necessarily loud. Amherst hopes that Lippe can continue his play from last week, and we think he makes enough plays to carry them to victory in a low scoring game.

Prediction: Amherst 17 over Wesleyan 13

Bates (1-3) at Middlebury (2-2): The overtime victory for Middlebury last week was thrilling and represented another step in Matt Milano’s ’16 development. Now the Panthers have to turn around and protect their home turf against Bates. No word on whether Matt Cannone ’15 will play, but Patrick Dugan ’16 is capable of making plays as well. Our mid-season Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Newson ’15 will need to play well to keep Milano and company in check. These two teams have played three common opponents and played them similarly.

Prediction: Middlebury 21 over Bates 13

Williams (1-3) at Tufts (2-2): Even though they lost at Trinity 35-14, the Jumbos won respect for how they played the Bantams in Hartford. It took Trinity a while to pull away. Williams looked much better back at home, but the Ephs need to see results soon. Tackling in space is a must for the Williams secondary as Tufts will consistently run screens to their wide receivers. QB Austin Lommen ’16 has to take some of the load off running back Alex Scyocurka ’14. Williams averages the fewest tackles for loss per game on defense and Tufts is allowing the most first downs per game in the NESCAC so the potential is there for some fireworks.

Prediction: Williams 34 over Tufts 28

Trinity (4-0) at Bowdoin (2-2): The Bantams take their roadshow north to face off against a Bowdoin team that has turned around their season after a slow start. The announcement by Head Coach Dave Caputi that he would be stepping down at the end of this year could lead to a fired up Bowdoin squad. Trinity has started slow in a lot of their games, but they wear teams down over the course of their season. The weather will be a factor especially on the grass field. Trinity will load the box to stop Tyler Grant ’17 and see if Mac Caputi ’15 can make throws to his receivers in one on one coverage.

Editors Note: the game prediction is by Joe MacDonald.

Prediction: Trinity 35 over Bowdoin 17

Hamilton (0-4) at Colby (0-4): As meetings between two 0-4 teams go, this is a much better game than you might expect. Colby has finished their murderers row of an opening schedule, but the physical toll was heavy with the Colby staff having to resort to playing some players both ways. The Colby offense should be better after having to face four great defense. Hamilton look like they have a very good player in running back LaShawn Ware ’17 who has now lead the Continentals in rushing two of the last three weeks.

Prediction: Colby 24 over Hamilton 20

Last Week: 4-1

Season Record: 17-3

Week Four Power Rankings

Editors Note- Excited to introduce another new writer, Adam Dulsky ’18 who is a freshman at Williams. If you are a NESCAC student or know of one who might be interested in writing for us, we would love to hear from you. Email us at nothingbutnescac@gmail.com.

1. Trinity (4-0)- Last week the Bantams started out slow versus Tufts but quickly poured it on against the Jumbos in the 2nd quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points. As we’ve said previously, this team has the most talent in the NESCAC and by far the best offensive line in the league. It’s going to take a complete team effort to knock of Trinity as they appear to be in a class of their own.

2. Wesleyan (4-0)- The Cardinals offense started out slow this week with LaDarius Drew ‘15 out of the lineup again due to injury. Despite this, they were still able to put up 418 yards of total offense. The Cardinals host the biggest game of the NESCAC season so far Saturday against Amherst, and they are hoping their home field advantage makes a difference.

3. Amherst (4-0)- The theme of slow starts this weekend continues with the Lord Jeffs as they were shutout in the first half, only to score 35 points in the second. Nick Kelly ’17 posted his first back-to-back 100-yard rushing games of the season. He will be a huge key to moving the ball for the Jeffs this week.

4. Middlebury (2-2)- The Panthers appeared destined for a loss this past weekend versus Williams until Matt Milano ’16 led the two minute drill to tie the game and send it to OT. The Panthers went 5-19 on third down conversions and need to improve that dramatically going forward. Next week they play Bates at home and look to build their first winning streak of the season.

5. Tufts (2-2)- After starting the year with a two game winning streak, the Jumbos have dropped two straight games which continues to leave us questioning how legit this team really is. They did rack up some good yardage this week versus the Bantams but struggled to punch it in. A win next week versus Williams could help the Jumbo’s to start garnering even more respect in the league.

6. Bates (1-3)- The Bobcats offensive struggles continued this week as they were held to 164 yards of offense, placing them last for offense in the entire NESCAC. Time to see if Coach Harriman can turn around the triple option attack before a tough matchup versus Middlebury next week.

7. Williams (1-3)- Heartbreak for the Ephs this week as they could not close out their game versus Middlebury and ended up losing in OT. Alex Scyocurka ’15 had a big week for the Ephs on the ground with 117 yards and a TD. They need another big game from him in order to end their 3-game skid in Medford next week.

8. Bowdoin (2-2)- A team that looked abysmal the first two weeks has finally brought some of the pieces together with back-to-back wins. Mac Caputi ’15 seems to have got the Polar Bear offense back on track and is looking to keep it rolling when the talented Bantams visit Brunswick on Saturday.

9. Hamilton (0-4)- The Continentals played another close matchup, and they had a chance to get the win on their last drive until they threw an interception on the Polar Bears 27-yard line. Head Coach Dave Murray has this team playing better than their record indicates.

10. Colby (0-4)- As we’ve mentioned before, the Mules are having major defensive struggles and are ranked last in the league as they have been letting up 30.5 points per game. The offensive side of the ball isn’t much better as they rank last in offensive points per game with 7.8.

Fantasy Report – Weeks 2-4

For the better part of two weeks, my time was occupied by swimming with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef and cruising around the beautiful Whitsunday Islands on a sailboat, among other activities (Editors Note- That sentence made me die a little inside). Admittedly, NESCAC football took a backseat on the list of my priorities for a short time. But no longer! Even while I was away, the season soldiered on, as did our fantasy teams. I must say, even in my absentee status, I run a damn good squad.

Week 2

Foye Story (MacDonald) vs. Team Lindholm

My team (read: Chudi Iregbulem ’15) put up solid numbers in Week 2, but the matchup was really sealed more by Peter’s ignorance than my own management. Thanks, bud!

Foye Story (MacDonald) Team Lindholm
Position Player Points Player Points
QB G. Harrington 7 M. Lippe 0
QB H. Foye 13 M. Milano 26
RB A. Scyocurka 4 K. Adinkra 3
RB C. Iregbulem 36 R. Hislop 0
RB D. Jacobs 11 J. Semonella 0
WR M. Minno 3 H. Murphy 0
WR G. Luna 17 J. Hurwitz 4
WR S. Kiesel 0 J. Fabien 2
TE B. Harasimowicz 6 J. Day 5
FLEX C. Brady 9 M. Budness 0
FLEX N. Joseph 3 Z. Trause 9
K J. Mallock 0 M. Dola 9
D/ST Bates -5 Williams -8
TOTAL 104 50

The Bantams (Meekins) vs. Lord of the ‘CAC – The Fellowship (Lamont)

Meekins puts up 82 in Week 1 and 93 in Week 2 and can’t vulture a win either week. The Fellowship was carried by Lamont’s dominant QB duo, as Matt Cannone ’15 and Jack Doll ’15 alone outscored Lindholm’s team this week.

Jack Doll went 29-39 for 267 yards, 3 TD's and 0 INT's as Tufts went 2-0 for the first time since 2008. Courtesy of Tufts Athletics
Jack Doll went 29-39 for 267 yards, 3 TD’s and 0 INT’s as Tufts went 2-0 for the first time since 2008.
Courtesy of Tufts Athletics
The Bantams (Meekins) Lord of the ‘CAC – The Fellowship (Lamont
Position Player Points Player Points
QB J. Warren 17 M. Cannone 25
QB M. Caputi 7 J. Doll 31
RB K. Gibson 25 T. Grant 8
RB J. Rivers 2 C. Lipani 11
RB N. Kelly 11 L. Drew 0
WR G. Garay 9 B. Ragone 2
WR I. Dugger 4 L. Duncklee 3
WR C. Ragone 2 E. Drigotas 1
TE B. Oliver 0 A. Way 1
FLEX D. Von Euw 0 D. Barone 6
FLEX D. Sime 1 M. Rando 3
K P. Nwosu 6 Scheepers 1
D/ST Trinity 12 Wesleyan 15
TOTAL 93 109

Week 3

The Bantams (Meekins) vs. Team Lindholm

There were a pair of blowouts in Week 3, and Meekins got his first victory despite a few goose eggs on his scoresheet. Nick Kelly ’17 has proven to be a big pickup for Meekins, and his contributions grew every week over the first three weeks.

Team Lindholm The Bantams (Meekins)
Position Player Points Player Points
QB M. Lippe 0 J. Warren 19
QB M. Milano 3 M. Caputi 10
RB K. Adinkra 4 K. Gibson 14
RB R. Hislop 0 J. Rivers 0
RB J. Semonella 5 N. Kelly 20
WR H. Murphy 0 G. Garay 2
WR J. Hurwitz 8 I. Dugger 1
WR J. Fabien 8 C. Ragone 2
TE J. Day 7 D. Von Euw 0
FLEX M. Budness -2 B. Oliver 0
FLEX Z. Trause 15 D. Sime 0
K M. Dola 0 P. Nwosu 0
D/ST Williams 10 Trinity 12
58 80
The Bantams (Meekins) got their first W in Week 3 as the Trinity D, shown here swarming QB Chase Rosenberg '17 and blanketing his receivers, racked up 12 points. Courtesy of Greg Sullivan (http://www.sevenstrong.net/TrinityFootball)
The Bantams (Meekins) got their first W in Week 3 as the Trinity D, shown here swarming QB Chase Rosenberg ’17 and blanketing his receivers, racked up 12 points.
Courtesy of Greg Sullivan (http://www.sevenstrong.net/TrinityFootball)

Foye Story (MacDonald) vs. Lord of the ‘CAC – The Fellowship (Lamont)

I didn’t get the usual 30+ points from Iregbulem in Week 3, so I was bound to take my first loss. Tyler Grant’s ’17 Offensive Player of the Week performance was nearly enough to top my team on its own.

Foye Story (MacDonald) Lord of the ‘CAC – The Fellowship (Lamont)
Position Player Points Player Points
QB G. Harrington 1 M. Cannone 18
QB H. Foye 11 J. Doll 15
RB A. Scyocurka 16 T. Grant 44
RB C. Iregbulem 6 C. Lipani 0
RB D. Jacobs 3 L. Drew 0
WR M. Minno 0 B. Ragone 1
WR G. Luna 1 L. Duncklee 1
WR S. Kiesel 6 E. Drigotas 0
TE B. Harasimowicz 0 A. Way 1
FLEX C. Brady 8 D. Barone 4
FLEX N. Joseph -2 M. Rando 0
K J. Mallock -1 Scheepers 1
D/ST Bates 13 Wesleyan 19
TOTAL 62 94
Tyler Grant '14 had the game of his life against Tufts. Forty-three carries for 208 yards and 4 TD's. Courtesy of CIPhotography (http://athletics.bowdoin.edu/sports/fball/2014-15/photos/0002/index)
Tyler Grant ’14 had the game of his life against Tufts. Forty-three carries for 208 yards and 4 TD’s.
Courtesy of CIPhotography (http://athletics.bowdoin.edu/sports/fball/2014-15/photos/0002/index)

Week 4

Foye Story (MacDonald) vs. The Bantams (Meekins)

I finally gave up on Gabe Harrington ’17 and subbed in the rookie Reece Foy ’18. I was hoping the rhyming combination of Foy and Foye would finally get me some production out of the QB slots. Alas, I was disappointed, but Iregbulem once again carried my team to victory. I also have to give a shoutout to Alex Scyocurka ’14, who’s averaging 15.0 points per week for me. I need to start getting some QB and TE production, and my rotating defenses haven’t been doing me much good, but nonetheless I’m feeling pretty good atop the league standings to date.

Meanwhile, Meekins was yet again topped despite a strong showing. He’s put up 348 points through four weeks, good for second-most and just 17 behind myself, and yet is 1-3. Tough luck. One interesting note, Jesse Warren ’15 is just as consistent in fantasy as in real life. He’s put up scores of 20, 17, 19 and 19.

Foye Story (MacDonald) The Bantams (Meekins)
Position Player Points Player Points
QB H. Foye 3 J. Warren 19
QB R. Foy 1 M. Caputi 17
RB A. Scyocurka 16 K. Gibson 9
RB C. Iregbulem 42 G. Ackley 1
RB C. Brady 17 N. Kelly 11
WR G. Luna 5 G. Garay 11
WR B. Berey 0 I. Dugger 4
WR S. Kiesel 3 C. Ragone 0
TE T. Miletich 0 D. Von Euw 0
FLEX D. Jacobs 20 J. McGonagle 0
FLEX J. Hopsicker 3 D. Sime 0
K I. Fuchs 4 P. Nwosu 3
D/ST Tufts -4 Trinity 18
110 93

Lord of the ‘CAC – The Fellowship (Lamont) vs. Team Lindholm

Lindholm’s “loyalty” to Max Lippe ’15 finally paid off, as the senior QB led his team with 20 points, and despite a few zeros, and even some inactives, in his lineup, Lindholm bested Lamont for the second time this season. Matt Milano ’16 rebounded from a clunker against Amherst to have a solid fantasy week, and Lindholm even got a few points from Mike Budness ’15 who completed a 28-yard pass in Week 4.

On the other side, The Fellowship continues to suffer from the injury bug. LaDarius Drew ’14, Carl Lipani ’17 and Mike Rando ’17 were all inactive. That’s too much lost production for which to make up. Grant put up another strong week, though, and is looking like a back than can be relied upon now.

Lord of the ‘CAC – The Fellowship Team Lindholm
Position Player Points Player Points
QB M. Cannone 0 M. Lippe 20
QB J. Doll 2 M. Milano 19
RB T. Grant 21 K. Adinkra 0
RB C. Lipani 0 R. Hislop 0
RB L. Drew 0 J. Semonella 0
WR B. Ragone 6 H. Murphy 0
WR L. Duncklee 0 J. Hurwitz 6
WR E. Drigotas 3 J. Fabien 12
TE A. Way 0 J. Day 1
FLEX D. Barone 9 M. Budness 4
FLEX M. Rando 0 Z. Trause 1
K L. Scheepers 5 M. Dola 5
D/ST Wesleyan 20 Williams 6
66 74

After four weeks of NESCAC football, the standings are as follows. Lindholm holds the tiebreaker over Lamont for beating the latter twice. There are two more weeks in the regular season before the fantasy playoffs commence, so stay tuned.

Team Record Points Scored
Joe 3 – 1 365
Pete 2 – 2 268
Adam 2 – 2 341
Sean 1 – 3 348

Mid-Season Awards – The Definitive Edition

Four weeks gone, four to go, and a whole lot of fun still to be had. The time has come to recognize a few of the players, coaches, and even teams  that have been living it up in the first half. And by living it up we mean making the NESCAC their own personal fiefdoms. Little fiefdoms where they carve up the opposition with the help of their teammates

Alright we’ll stop with the fiefdoms thing and get onto the awards.

Offensive Player of the Year: Running Back Chudi Iregbulem ’15 (Trinity)

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Courtesy of Trinity Athletics

Our preseason pick Wesleyan’s LaDarius Drew ’15 might be out for the entire season because of a foot injury, and Iregbulem has emerged from obscurity to be the clear winner at the halfway point. Well, not completely from obscurity, considering we did tab him as our dark horse contender before the year started. He ran for 137 yards in 2013, and came within three yards of that in his first game alone. He averaged “only” 84 yards the next two weeks before busting out for 184 yards and four touchdowns against Tufts on Saturday. The senior from Torrance, California waited his turn behind Evan Bunker ’14 and Ben Crick ’14 until this year. That is the way that Trinity works. They lose somebody, it’s next guy up every time. If Iregbulem keeps up his play, he will do something Bunker never did, win Offensive Player of the Year.

Consider this award also recognition for the Trinity offensive line that is the best in the league.

Also Considered: Jack Doll ’15 (Tufts), Jesse Warren ’15 (Wesleyan), Mark Riley ’16 (Bates), Alex Scyocurka ’14 (Williams), and Tyler Grant ’17 (Bowdoin)

Defensive Player of the Year: Safety Ryan Newson ’15 (Bates)

Courtesy of Bates Athletics
Courtesy of Bates Athletics

Newson is another player who has stepped into big shoes and in some ways out performed his predecessor. Andrew Kukesh ’14 was an All-NESCAC player multiple times for Bates, and the Bobcats have found a replacement just as good. Newson is one of three players to have four interceptions already, and he is also making a lot of tackles from his safety position. His 37 total tackles (24 solo) place him ninth in the league. The Bates staff knew what they had last year when they decided to move Kukesh to linebacker for  some games and get Newson on the field as much as possible. The Bates defense has played very well keeping the Bobcats in games despite their 1-3 record.

Also Considered: Jake Bussani ’14 (Wesleyan), Jaymie Spears ’16 (Amherst), Mike Stearns ’17 (Tufts), Addison Pierce ’17 (Middlebury), and Paul Johnson ’17 (Amherst)

NESCAC Rookie of the Year: Running Back Drew Jacobs ’18 (Middlebury)

Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics
Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics

Every year this is the most wide-open race, and we don’t even try to predict it before the season begins because coaches are loathe to reveal which freshmen will be big time performers before the season begins. Jacobs has lapped every other freshman in terms of production in the first half. He is seventh in the NESCAC in total rushing yards, but he really makes his mark in the receiving game as a running back. Jacobs has the fourth most yards from scrimmage in the NESCAC. He has brought some shiftiness to the Middlebury running game that has helped the offense become more balanced. This is the race most likely to change given that freshman usually see increased playing time in the second half as they gain more practice reps.

Also Considered: Reece Foy ’18 (Amherst), Drew Korn ’18 (Bates), Zach Altneu ’18 (Hamilton), Mbasa Mayikana ’18 (Colby), Bryan Vieira ’18 (Trinity), and Andrew Sisti ’18 (Bowdoin)

Special Teams Player of the Year : Kick Returner Zack Trause ’15 (Tufts)

Courtesy of Tufts Athletics
Courtesy of Tufts Athletics

Nobody else has been as dynamic as Trause in the open field through one half of the year. He ranks second in the nation in kickoff return average at 39.6 yards per return and third in the nation in punt return average at 22.4 yards per return.. His game of the year came against Bates when he returned both a kickoff and punt for a touchdown to propel Tufts to their exciting victory. He has come close to two other touchdowns as well with the kicker bringing him down once both against Bowdoin and then last week against Trinity. Teams might start to kick away from him given his proficiency and tendency to make teams pay every time they do.

Also Considered: Joe Mallock ’15 (Williams), Michael Dola ’15 (Middlebury), David Kurey ’15 (Bates), and Devon Carillo ’17 (Wesleyan)

Coach of the Year: Jay Civetti (Tufts)

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Courtesy of Tufts Athletics

No story has been better than Tufts in the first half of the NESCAC season. The Jumbos broke out from their 31-game losing streak with two straight wins to begin the season. Both games at home saw capacity crowds in Medford. The first win was a great moment for Tufts, but Civetti deserves more credit for turning his team around and getting them ready for their Week 2 game against Bates. That win to bring the Jumbos to 2-0 signaled that real change is afoot at Tufts. Civetti has seen a lot of losing at Tufts, and he is likely to still see a good deal more, but right now the program looks pointed in the right direction with him at the helm.

Also Considered: Mike Whalen (Wesleyan) and EJ Mills (Amherst)

Chudi Iregbulem ’15 Rises to Prominence

After losing star running backs Evan Bunker ’14 and Ben Crick ’14, the Bantams needed to turn to someone who would take over their dominant roles. Chudi Iregbulem ’15 has risen to the occasion. Iregbulem racked up one touchdown in his first three years at Trinity, so nobody knew what to expect out of the mysterious running back this year. Well, needless to say, Iregbulem has dominated the NESCAC. In his first game he scored three touchdowns in a rout against Colby. Iregbulem earned NESCAC Player of the Week honors, which sparked some chatter around the league. Three touchdowns for any player is outstanding, but for Iregbulem’s first start, it was downright impressive. Some might have said it was beginners luck, but Iregbulem answered with another dominant performance at Williams. He ran over Williams for three touchdowns, and caught one through the air. This established Iregbulem as a dominant player within the league. Hamilton seemed to have the answer for the Bantam back in Week 3, but he adjusted to rip through Tufts in Week 4. His best game by far came against Tufts this last week. Iregbulem earned another NESCAC Player of the Week award, and rightfully so. He ran for 184 yards, and found his way into the end zone four more times.

After not playing much his first three years, Irregbulem finally has the starting role, and he credits his success to multiple things.

“I’d say the biggest reason is the hard work I put in in the offseasons, knowing I would eventually get my chance. Also, due to the fact that we always have one of the strongest offensive lines in the league year after year.”

As of now, Iregbulem leads the league in touchdowns and has made his presence known. Many skeptics felt that Trinity would be at a major loss without their two running backs, but Iregbulem has silenced those skeptics. As the schedule strengthens down the stretch, Trinity is going to need their new star running back to come to play and continue his domination of the NESCAC. Trinity has came back from last years disappointing season with a vengeance, and much of this success has been a result of the commanding play by Iregbulem and their brick wall of an offensive line.

None of this would be possible without the holes big enough to drive a Cadillac through, created by the offensive line. Led by Matt Porter ’16, Joe Magardino ’15, Matt Flynn ’15, and Jake Golden ’15, the Bantam’s O-Line has paved way for the team to average 265.2 rushing yards per game. The two biggest questions of this year’s team were, how would the quarterback position perform, and how would the running game respond to the loss of Crick and Bunker? So far, both of these answers have been answered because of the guys up front.

Irregbulem is leading the league in every rushing category, and unseen in the box scores, has broken off a couple of huge runs that have swung the momentum of games. A perfect example of this is during last week’s game against Tufts. Tufts was giving Trinity a game as the Bantams found themselves looking at a 4th and 1 on the Tufts’ half of the field, in no man’s land (too far for a field goal, too close to punt). Irregbulem ran between the left side of the line, easily gained the yardage for a first down, then went on to make a safety miss and scored easily. Porter, a Junior from Chicago, IL has anchored the left side and has been playing just as an important role as Irregbulem in Trinity’s 4-0 record so far.

Porter says, “this year the line has more chemistry and we trust each other more. We are all confident and have the trust of the other skill position players.”

It should be no surprise to anyone why they have the trust of the rest of the team. Trinity leads the NESCAC in yards per game, averaging 413.5 ypg.

Trinity is currently 4-0 and getting hot at the right time. With Middlebury, Amherst, and Wesleyan to finish the season, the Bantams will have to play nearly flawless down the stretch. However they are not overlooking this week’s Bowdoin team who, despite being 2-2 and looking sluggish at times, tends to give Trinity difficulty.

“They always give us trouble” said Coach Devanney when talking about this week’s matchup. However, this year’s team knows what it’s going to take if they are going to reclaim the NESCAC title after missing out last year.

From Irregbulem: “I’d say that on offense we have an underdog mentality primarily because nobody in the league knew what to expect from our offense with the loss of Bunker and Crick. We’ve made it a mission to make a statement every game and play like we have a chip on our shoulder. In past years we played complacent at times because the offensive unit had been dominant for so long. But this year there’s a renewed sense of urgency and preparation for each game.”

If the O-Line keeps creating Moses parting the Red Sea type holes and Irregbulem keeps finding his way through them into the end zone, Trinity should put themselves in good position to reach Week 8 still undefeated and with a chance to take the NESCAC title.

The Halfway Pole – Stock Report 10/13

If you missed it, we recapped every game Saturday in our wrap-up, and now in the Stock Report we get into some hard analysis of the weekend. The top three of Wesleyan, Amherst, and Trinity, had to sweat things out for about a half before their superior depth and skill wore down their opponents attempting big upsets.

With half of the NESCAC season now over, trends are clear. New players are still emerging, and injuries are beginning to really be felt. Here’s your Stock Report.

Stock Up

Quarterback Max Lippe ’15 (Amherst) – After seeing the vast majority of the snaps in 2013, Lippe did not see the field at all in the first three and half games this year. That was until Coach EJ Mills turned to Lippe with the offense unable to generate anything against the Colby defense. The senior responded brilliantly in his first snaps completely changing the look of the Amherst offense. The Jeffs scored four offensive touchdowns in the second half with Lippe going 7-9 for 142 yards and throwing two touchdowns. Mills said that injuries limited Lippe early and that is a big reason why he had not played yet this year, but the senior was still the third quarterback to come off the bench on Saturday behind Alex Berluti ’17 and Reece Foy ’18. From his first throw Lippe looked completely in control, and played some of his finest football at Amherst. The Jeffs have been unable to settle on any QB in the last two years, but the reemergence of Lippe could not have come at a better time. This Saturday Amherst travels to Wesleyan in the biggest game of the season so far.

Courtesy of Megan Robertson (Amherst '15)
Courtesy of Megan Robertson (Amherst ’15)

Wesleyan Defense – We have mostly concentrated on the negatives with Wesleyan because they are not playing at the same level that they were in 2013. Those struggles however have been limited mostly to the offensive side of the ball. The defense is playing as good, if not better than last year. They are allowing the same amount of points, 14.0, and 16.1 (256.6 to 240.5) fewer yards per game compared to last year. Also, they are making more big plays as they are on track to finish with 20 takeaways and 18 sacks (17 takeaways and 15 sacks in 2013). The biggest difference is the three defensive touchdowns they have already recorded. Jake Bussani ’14 has returned two interceptions for scores. And it would be four defensive touchdowns at this point if a block in the back penalty had not negated a Donnie Cimino ’15 interception return on Saturday. The final third of the Wesleyan secondary’s triumvirate, Justin Sanchez ’17, recovered the fumble that led to Wesleyan’s clinching touchdown in the fourth quarter.

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Running Back Drew Jacobs ’18 (Middlebury) – The Panthers got the thrilling overtime victory over Williams on Saturday, and Jacobs was the player who kept the offense moving. He rushed for 81 yards and caught eight passes for 68 yards. He also caught the tying touchdown pass with under a minute left in the game. Jacobs has been huge for a Middlebury team that lost a lot of its talent in the ground game after last year’s starting running back Matt Rea graduated and dual threat Joey Zelkowitz ’17 decided not to play this year and focus on lacrosse. The Marblehead, MA native leads the Panthers in rushing yards and is second in receptions and yards. Middlebury has shown much more commitment to the running game.  Jonathan Hurvitz ’17 also carried the ball 18 times on Saturday and it looks like Middlebury has found two backs they can rely on and keep fresh.

Stock Down

Receiver Mark Riley ’16 (Bates) – We don’t associate great receivers with run-heavy Bates, but Riley brought consecutive games of more than a 140 receiving yards into Saturday. Then the Wesleyan secondary shut him out holding him to no yards. Riley was working without his starting QB Matt Cannone ’15. Backup Patrick Dugan ’16 performed admirably filling in, but Wesleyan made it a point of emphasis not to let Riley behind them and make big plays. Without Riley to lead the passing game, the Bates offense only mustered 164 yards. Despite not getting any yards on Saturday, Riley still leads the NESCAC in receiving yards with 349 – 77 more than anyone else.

Bowdoin Special Teams – When Tyler Grant ’17 showed off some top end speed to go 39 yards and put the Polar Bears up 30-17 with 2:06 remaining in the game, it looked over in Clinton. Then Amman Weaver ’18 took the kickoff 85 yards to bring Hamilton back to within one score. Then Bowdoin couldn’t keep Hamilton from blocking a punt with under 15 seconds left to give the Continentals one last chance at the victory. Those few mishaps nearly wiped out another good performance from the Bowdoin offense. Grant and Dan Barone ’16 have emerged as go-to playmakers for the Polar Bears who are now back to .500 after sneaking out the victory over the Continentals

Teams that Kick to Zack Trause ’15 (Tufts) – Will NESCAC teams ever learn? Trause is a beast in the return game, and letting him get the ball in space is asking for a big play for Tufts. Trause only touched the ball twice on special teams Saturday, but one was a 77 yard punt return. DON’T KICK HIM THE BALL! The schemes that Tufts runs on these returns are also top notch as they give a lot of misdirection. It did not make a big difference in the game Saturday because the Trinity run game once again showed that stopping it might require a brick wall being installed on the field. Still, teams should stop giving Trause any chances. If they do try to, don’t be shocked if Tufts starts to do crazy things like lateral the ball back to him if it’s a pooch kick.

Contenders All Survive – Saturday Wrap-up

Well, we watched a good twelve hours of sports yesterday that made us remember why we love October so much (how was your Saturday?). The first five hours were spent with a NESCAC game (or a few) streaming on a computer. We said it would be a somewhat boring day so of course two of the crazier games this year happened. Here is your wrap-up.

Bowdoin (2-2) 30, Hamilton (0-4) 24

The first game of the day was a wild one at the end. The teams scored 22 points in the final 2:24 with three attempted onside kicks and a Hail Mary to boot. The craziness started when, after a Hamilton TD made it 22-17,  the Continentals recovered an onside kick, only to see it erased by an offsides penalty. Bowdoin managed to recover the next attempt and Tyler Grant ’17 scored two plays later to put Bowdoin up 30-17 with 2:06. Then Amman Weaver ’18 took the ensuing kickoff back to the house, but Bowdoin once again recovered the onside kick attempt. Bowdoin had to punt with under 30 seconds left and saw Hamilton block it to take over at the Bowdoin 27 yard line with nine seconds left. Bowdoin finally clinched it when Dan Johnson ’15 intercepted Chase Rosenberg ’17 in the end zone with three seconds left.

Bowdoin has a complete game recap or you can watch the entire game on the Hamilton stream. Start it at the 2:48:00 mark to see the end of game craziness.

Wesleyan (4-0) 24, Bates (1-3) 10

The Cardinals sweated this game out as the Bobcats proved to be worthy adversaries despite playing without their starting quarterback Matt Cannone. Wesleyan struggled to move the ball on the ground except in the wildcat as Devon Carillo ’17 gained 92 of their 143 yards as the wildcat quarterback. This was a 17-10 game in the fourth quarter before Wesleyan converted a short field off of a fumble recovery into a touchdown on a screen from Jesse Warren ’15 to Jay Fabien ’15. The Bates website has a full recap and photos from the game.

Amherst (4-0) 35, Colby (0-4) 10

This was a 3-0 game in favor of Colby after one half, but quarterback Max Lippe ’15 entered the game for his first appearance of the season and changed the Amherst offense. After a Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn ’16 interception, Lippe entered and on his first attempt completed a 68 yard pass to Brian Ragone ’16 to set up the first Amherst touchdown. From that point on Amherst rolled with a Ned Deane ’15 interception return for a touchdown to make it 28-10 on the first play of the fourth quarter essentially ending it. For Colby, the game was like a broken record of their entire first half where they stayed close for a while before fading late. Amherst has a complete game recap or you can watch highlights featuring analysis from Head Coach EJ Mills below.

Trinity (4-0) 35, Tufts (2-2) 14

We came within one point of exactly nailing this score (we had Trinity 34-Tufts 14), as the Bantams used a big second quarter to move past Tufts. The Jumbos took the lead after another long Zack Trause ’15 punt return led to a short touchdown, but after that Trinity’s run game took over. Chudi Iregbulem ’15 led the way with 184 yards and four touchdowns. The home winning streak for Trinity now stands at 53 games. A fake punt pass from Michael Budness ’15 to Bryan Vieira ’18 helped give Trinity their second touchdown and the lead they would never relinquish.

Here is the full game recap.

Middlebury (2-2) 23, Williams (1-3) 20

The last game of the afternoon was also the closest as it took overtime to decide this one. The first half was a defensive battle with another 3-0 score, this one in favor of Williams. The Panther defense, like they have done all year, got Middlebury going with a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Will Bain ’15. Williams was up a touchdown late in the fourth quarter but could not close the game out on offense giving the Panthers back the ball with a little over two minutes remaining. That was all the time Matt Milano ’16 and company needed to tie up the game. In overtime Williams got the ball first and stalled inside the five yard line before settling for a field goal. A beautiful pass from Milano to Brendan Rankowitz ’15 won it for Middlebury and sent the entire Panthers team into the end zone in celebration.

Complete game recap and photos can be found if you follow the link.

Keep on Trucking- The Weekend Preview

The NESCAC season is incredibly short compared to most other conferences, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any lulls. This weekend offers what looks like one of the sleepier slates on the NESCAC schedule barring a huge upset somewhere. Compounding those potentially lopsided matchups are that many NESCAC schools are on fall break meaning student crowds (already usually pretty small) will be practically non-existent.

That does not mean there won’t be plenty to watch later today. Everything starts at noon with Hamilton looking for their first win against a Bowdoin team trying to get to .500, and it will end with the Route 7 battle between Middlebury and Williams. We’ll be giving live updates and analysis on every game on Twitter (@cacsportsblog).

Two  to Watch

1. Running Back Kyle Gibson ’15 (Wesleyan) – Gibson was the secondary part of the two headed running attack last year, and the injury of LaDarius Drew ’15 means Gibson has become the primary back. So far his yards per run average is down 2.7 yards from 2013 in large part because Gibson has not been able to have any runs over 30 yards. Sure he is still third in the NESCAC in rushing, but that is nowhere near the level that Wesleyan needs from him. That surprisingly anemic running attack is the biggest difference between this year’s Cardinals team and the 2013 version. Bates has been the second best team against the run so far this year, and a breakout game from Gibson would be huge for the Cardinals confidence going forward.

2. Quarterback Chase Rosenberg ’17 (Hamilton) – The sophomore QB looked like he might be primed for a huge year after throwing for 320 yards in the season opener against Tufts, but he has taken a step back since then against Wesleyan and Trinity. His past two games he has completed fewer than 50% of his passes, but he could have a bounce back game today. On the season opposing quarterbacks are averaging 240 yards per game and are completing 70.2% of their passes against the Bowdoin defense. Last year Rosenberg had one of his best games against Bowdoin throwing for 269 yards. A performance similar to that would end the losing streak for Hamilton.

The Picks

Game of the Week – Middlebury (1-2) at Williams (1-2)

Any time the Game of the Week features two teams under .500, that tells you everything you need to know about what type of week it is. That isn’t to say that this game does not offer any intrigue. Middlebury won this matchup by a touchdown last year despite Williams holding the ball for 35+ minutes.

The Ephs will need that type of performance if they are somehow able to upset Middlebury. Williams has not looked at all like the same team since Week 1. Granted Bowdoin did not give much in the way of resistance in that game, but Williams still appeared to be a complete football team then. Now Williams needs to turn things around in a hurry if they want to keep another season from spiralling downwards.

Middlebury is simply hoping that the shutout their offense had last week was a product of a great defense and tough throwing weather. The Panthers are still only the eighth best rushing team in the NESCAC but they have shown much more commitment to the ground game. Williams can be attacked on the ground so the time of possession should be much closer this year.

In the end Middlebury is simply a better team. They know they are much better than their record indicates and will use this game to start a second half upswing.

Prediction: Middlebury 28 over Williams 13

Bowdoin (1-2) at Hamilton (0-3)- The Bowdoin running game exploded last week against Tufts, and Hamilton is tied with the Jumbos for seventh in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. Don’t expect Tyler Grant to repeat his performance from Week 3, but the Polar Bears should still have success on the ground.

On the other hand, Bowdoin’s defense has allowed the most yards per game and is tied for ninth with the Continentals in points allowed per game. So both offenses will have a chance to break out this week (or keep rolling in the Polar Bears’ case).

Prediction: Hamilton 24 over Bowdoin 17.

Wesleyan (3-0) at Bates (1-2)- As mentioned above, the Wesleyan ground game hasn’t been nearly as prolific as in 2013. Given that and the Bobcats success in defending the run, Jesse Warren might be called upon to move the ball against Bates. Regardless, Wesleyan has more talent than Bates and shouldn’t struggle in this game.

Prediction: Wesleyan 35 over Bates 10

Colby (0-3) at Amherst (3-0)- The brutal opening schedule for Colby concludes with this game at Amherst. The Colby offense has only scored seven points in every game, and facing off against the Jeffs’ defense is not going to make this week earlier. For Amherst fans, the QB position is up in the air right now. Poor quarterback play cost the Jeffs their only loss in 2013, and they are hoping EJ Mills can settle on one player instead of going back and forth.

Prediction: Amherst 20 over Colby 7

Tufts (2-1) at Trinity (3-0)- The Jumbo stampede hit a bit of a road block once they had to go on the road to Bowdoin, and things get tougher in Hartford this week. After seeing the Jumbos in person, we can say that we have never seen a team run as many screens as Tufts does. Our guess is that at least half of QB Jack Doll’s ’15 passes were behind the line of scrimmage. Trinity should come out hungry in this one as they always seem to do at home. The streak will end sometime, but it won’t be Saturday.

Prediction: Trinity 34 over Tufts 14

 

Week Three Power Rankings

After week one we had our knee-jerk Power Rankings that put Williams as the number one team in the NESCAC…yikes. Well after three weeks the NESCAC has become much more clear so it is time to take another look.

Our full weekend preview won’t be out until first thing Saturday morning so check back in for that.

1. Trinity (3-0)- Last week the Bantams played well below their capabilities and still beat Hamilton by 12. The Bantams are the most talented team in the NESCAC up and down the roster. The offensive line punished teams while the defense makes big plays. We won’t know really how good they are until they finish against Middlebury, Amherst, and Wesleyan.

2. Wesleyan (3-0)- In the first four games of 2013 the Cardinals beat opponents by an astonishing 35.3 points per game. Through three games the margin of victory has been (only) 17 points per game so they have not shown the same type of dominance. They miss LaDarius Drew ’15 who could possibly miss the rest of the year because of a foot injury.

3. Amherst (3-0)- We have said it before, but this is basically the same team as last year. The defense carries them and the offense relies on big plays to score points. Alex Kelly ’17 has emerged as the workhorse back, but once again the QB position is in limbo with Reece Foy ’18 pushing for time behind starter Alex Berluti ’17.

4. Middlebury (1-2)- Two close loses at home have knocked the Panthers out of the conference race early, but they are still a very good team. The defense was almost able to make enough plays to steal the game last week. Matt Milano ’16 was erratic going 9-31 against Amherst. The offense should get back on track against Williams.

5. Tufts (2-1)- The divide between the top four and everybody else is wide. Tufts certainly did not look like the fifth best team on Saturday, but who else can you put here? Zack Trause ’15 was a tackle by the kicker away from another touchdown against Bowdoin and leads the nation in kickoff return average.

6. Bates (1-2)- Injuries are threatening to hurt Bates in the next couple of weeks so head coach Mark Harriman will have to rely on his depth more than usual. The offense has not had nearly the same amount of punch that it did last year though Matt Cannone ’16 has made major strides as a passer.

7. Williams (1-2)- Well the last two weeks did not go as expected for Williams and the calls for Head Coach Aaron Kelton to be fired are as loud as ever. The team has to rally and find a way to recover quickly.

8. Bowdoin (1-2)- An offense that could not get any points on the board looked sharp against Tufts racking up 463 yards. The defense misses the presence of the three starting linebackers from 2013 as the Polar Bears are allowing six yards per play through three games.

9. Hamilton (0-3)- The Continentals deserve credit for keeping the game against Trinity so tight. The defense is playing at a different level this year allowing the second least first downs per game and tallying the second most tackles per loss per game as a unit.

10. Colby (0-3)- Losing Justin Ciero ’16 to transfer was going to hurt, but that does not explain why the defense has suddenly turned into one of the worst in the league. The Mules have to figure out how to make big plays in the passing game happen.