The Amherst offensive production machine throttled into gear early on, with a 55-yard punt return for a touchdown by wideout Mark Hannon '07 only seven minutes into regulation time. This score set the tone for the furious offensive attack that would follow. Quarterback Nick Kehoe '07 had an outstanding game, completing 12-22 passes for a net gain of 224 yards. Kehoe's familiar favorite receiver, Hannon, was once again targeted early and often. Hannon found the end zone for the sixth time this season just after the intermission. The air above Pratt Field turned into a fireworks display as the Jeffs connected on four passes over 20 yards. Kehoe hit Mike Myers '08 for 85 yards, Justin Macione '07 for 34, and Taylor Brown '09 and Christian Garris '09 for 29 and 26 yards, respectively.
The bombs busting in air gave proof that Amherst's aerial attack is for real. The rate of offensive production in the air was frenzied, and backup quarterback Greg Hagar '09 even contributed with 36 yards of passing as well.
Having the passing game play such an integral role in the game plan allows the offense to spread the opposing defensive alignments across the field. Wesleyan's 4-3 defensive front was particularly susceptible to this sprawl. When the Amherst offense would spread their receivers wide-or perhaps have no running backs in the backfield-Wesleyan was forced to play a game of catch-up and substitution to match up with Amherst's receivers. Also, the frequency with which the Wesleyan defense blitzed allowed Amherst to take advantage of these gaps of coverage in the air. "Wesleyan does so much blitzing it is difficult to run the ball consistently," said Mills.
To compliment the air show, Amherst pounded the ball for four quarters down the throat of the Wesleyan defense. Leading the running attack in the game was talented youngster Eric NeSmith '09, who tallied 122 yards on the ground. After a first half in which nine of the 16 points were contributed by special teams, the Amherst offense needed to put Wesleyan out of the game for good to prevent a resurgence late in the fourth quarter. Accordingly, early in the third quarter NeSmith made a 78-yard sprint to pay dirt, putting Amherst up by 23. Ngai Otieno '06 and Dom Cama '06 rushed for 65 and 55 yards, respectively, which contributed to the impressive total of 273 yards rushing for Amherst on the day. The ability to assault teams on all fronts with a two-pronged offensive attack is the mark of a balanced offense, and this attribute will come to be more important in the tighter games ahead.
There were some fresh faces in the Amherst backfield as the big lead allowed the team the flexibility to substitute more players. Anthony Fuller '09 and Pat Moriarty '09 contributed nearly 40 yards to the Amherst rushing effort and provided the Jeffs with a plethora of weapons from which to choose.
Perhaps the most valuable offensive players of the game were the kickers who accounted for nine of Amherst's 37 points. Mike Quirk '07 handled the extra point responsibilities along with a 25-yard field goal early in the game, and helping in the task was senior Justin Roemer who completed field goals from 37 and 30 yards away.
With the offense holding up its end of the bargain, the Amherst defense didn't have a very difficult task. Still, the Jeffs impressed on this side of the ball as well, allowing an unheard of two yards of rushing, only seven first downs and a total offensive production of 92 yards. The secondary made passing the ball a frightening prospect for the Wesleyan offense as Nick Zeiler '06, Chris Mottau '08 and Greg Muecke '07 each snagged an interception. Mike Salerno '07 and A.J. Scola '09 led the secondary with five tackles apiece, which helped limit Wesleyan gains to 4.1 yards per pass. Mottau, Greg Smith '09 and Pat Sandor '07 all had pass deflections which made the airways treacherous for the Cardinals. The linebackers also did an admirable job of covering receivers in the flat and out of the backfield during the game. A strong secondary has always been the mark of a healthy and robust Amherst defense, and Mills believes this group to be a strong and improving one. "These guys did a good job; they are coming along," he said.
The Amherst defensive line managed to render their Wesleyan foes on the offensive line sieve-like and permeable to their ferocious pass rush and relentless pursuit of the ball. Brendan McKee '07 had three tackles for a total loss of six yards. Dan Kovolisky '06 and L.J. Spinnato '06 combined for seven tackles, including one for a loss. But perhaps what was most impressive about Amherst's defense was its ability to not only be a consistently unnerving presence for Wesleyan quarterback Zach Librizzi but also its penchant for sacking him. Librizzi must have had a vertiginous day after falling prey to seven Jeff sacks. Roemer, who led the defense with six tackles, recorded a key sack that set Wesleyan back 12 yards. The ability of the defense to put pressure on the passer is not just significant because it oftentimes results in great field position and yardage gains for the offense; a sack at a pivotal moment in the game can be fatal for team that is already on the ropes. With 10:43 left in the third quarter, Wesleyan constructed a ramshackle drive that began the Cardinal 27-yard line and ended on their 15-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Librizzi was sacked by Roemer; on the next play, he threw an interception. Wesleyan did not progress past the 50-yard line for the remainder of the game.
During the first half, Wesleyan made some movements into Amherst territory but was convincingly rebuffed, and one of the reasons was the exemplary play of linebacker Jake Spadafora '08, who had five tackles-including three sacks-setting Wesleyan back a total of 21 yards. Dakota Jones '07 and Jon Attridge '08 combined for five tackles including two for a loss, and both helped an active linebacking corps fly around the field and make plays when a momentum change was needed in the game. Take, for instance, the four turnovers the defense caused Wesleyan to cough up, each time providing the Amherst offense with great field position and scoring opportunities. Another standout on the defensive side of the ball was Guy Matisis '09, who managed to record two sacks in an all-out team effort that was characterized by Amherst's tough and disciplined defensive play.
Coming off the uplifting beatdown of the Cardinals, the Jeffs will visit the Jumbos of Tufts University. The Jumbos have a 2-3 overall record, but as was the case with Wesleyan, records can be deceiving. The Tufts offense actually averages 14.2 points per game, while their opponents are averaging only 13.4, as a result of some recent shootouts. Tufts lost 37-13 against Williams College this past weekend in a hard-fought game that put the capabilities of each offense on display. The Tufts offense has had a stellar year on the ground, gaining nearly 700 yards in rushing and outpacing opponents on average by 40 yards rushing per game. It will be interesting to see how the Amherst defensive line responds to a team that has had such success in running the ball. The Tufts football team is also highly disciplined, and compared to opponents the Jumbos average three fewer penalties per game. In a tight contest, this kind of discipline is what leads a team to victory or defeat. But Amherst, as usual, is not about to take the Jumbos lightly. "Tufts has beaten us the last two years, and they are a very good football team and an outstanding opponent," said Mills.