Rash of Bulldog injuries shuts down football's offense

The first half of the Bulldogs' 1996 campaign can be characterized by one dominant theme: injuries, injuries, and more injuries. When tailback Jabbar Craigwell, JE '98, went down against UConn in the Elis' first home game of the season, Coach Carm Cozza was, no doubt, dismayed by the ill-fortune which seemed to have befallen him in his final campaign pacing the Yale sideline. Only in his worst nightmares, however, could he have imagined what lay in store for the games that followed.

Going into this week's game against Pennsylvania (kickoff 1:30 p.m., Franklin Field), Yale's backfield will be filled by its fourth-string running back. After Craigwell's injury in the UConn game, backup Jeremy Garelick, MC '97, stepped in to take over the rushing duties. The Dartmouth defense took care of his season, forcing Garelick to leave the game after suffering a foot injury. The next victim in the war of attrition was Craig Freccero, TD '99, who, up until the fourth quarter of last week's Columbia game, was slashing his way though the Lions' highly regarded defense for 95 yards. He, too, is now gone for the season after badly injuring his knee.

One wonders if in his previous 31 years as head coach, Cozza had ever seen such a constant stream of players running excitedly onto the football field at the beginning of the game and finishing it dejectedly either on the sidelines or in the trainer's room.

"We are desperate at [tailback], we don't have any more people...We just have to pray that Jabbar [Craigwell] comes back," Cozza said this week in the understatement of the year. Divine intervention may be the only way the Bulldogs' offense will be able to get back on track this season.

Quarterback Blake Kendall, SY '97, pointed out that Craigwell is practicing hard to get back into game shape. He shared Cozza's hope that the running back's return to the football field will turn things around for the Elis: "Hopefully this is the week [Jabbar] comes back," Kendall said. "His return will be the way to open up the passing game more." Indeed, the Bulldogs' passing game at present seems to be closed off in some dark, faraway place.

Despite an electrifying 50-yard catch-and-run by wideout Clint Rodriguez, BR '97, in the second quarter against Columbia--duplicating a catch he made four weeks earlier against UConn--it was the special teams and running game which propelled Yale to its 10 points.

Rob Masella, SY '97, opened the game with a spectacular 69-yard kickoff return. The crowd, energized by the captain's effort, was disappointed with the subsequent offensive sequence which culminated in kicker John Lafferty's, TC '97, 41-yard field goal attempt being blocked because of a mishandled snap.

Kendall expressed serious disappointment at the Elis' inability to capitalize on this example of a golden opportunity, saying that not making the "big plays at the beginning of the game to get the spark going," has been a major factor in Yale's recurring problem of consistently slow starts this season.

Once again, this is somewhat of an understatement, considering that Cozza's Bulldogs have been consistently outscored bytheir opponents 55-9 in the first quarter this season.

Yet like Yale teams of the past, this group of players refused to die, mounting a comeback in the second half after a stellar defensive effort kept them in the game. Four sacks--two by lineman Isaiah Wilson, DC '98, last week's ECAC defensive MVP--one interception, one fumble recovery, and overall gritty play by Yale's gladiators of the gridiron were responsible for holding Columbia to only 13 points. The heroics were again provided by Masella--this time on the offensive side of the ball--when he ran into the Lions' end zone from three yards out in the third quarter, adding to John Lafferty's, TC '97, earlier 25-yard field goal to tie the score at 10. The injury to Freccero, however, ultimately ended any chance of a Bulldog comeback because they were unable to find the end zone in the fourth quarter. Columbia took the lead for good with 2:13 left in the game when Lions' kicker Matt Linit booted his second field goal of the day from 35 yards out.

Coach Cozza was definitely frustrated by the loss, stating that the team was "hurting inside" because of last week's defeat. He stressed that the offense's inability to "put the ball away" in good field position was "disappointing," but was "not due to lack of effort" on the part of his players. Indeed, Columbia, like the Bulldogs, played excellent defense and rose to the occasion with the game on the line.

So what lays in store for this year's edition of Yale Football with half of the season left?

Recovering from injuries and jump starting the offense are major priorities. Coach Cozza emphasized that if any success is to be had offensively, the team must "strive for balance...[and] keep the passing game going" despite its current ineffectiveness. The fact that the Elis' future opponents have a combined record of 8-16 bodes well after a grueling first half where the Bulldogs faced unbeaten Army, Dartmouth, and Columbia.

And then again, there's always Havard. Coach Cozza has mixed emotions about that game. After dedicating the majority of his time over the past three decades to Yale Football, he is welcoming some time off to spend with his family and enjoy some freedom. Cozza will leave coaching on his own terms, however, stating that during that last game he will "have a hollow feeling in my stomach;" but he said that he will also feel comforted having had "the privilege of working with such outstanding young men" both this season and over the course of his entire career. Hopefully, the outstanding young men on this year's team can put things together during the second-half of this season, giving both Cozza and Bulldog fans something to cheer about.