Holy Cross provides test for slumping Bulldogs

It's that time of year again--midterms. The thought alone is enough to make some Yalies cringe anxiously and send others dashing for the nearest weenie bin. It's the time of year when our work to date is first put to the test, judged, and graded.

The Yale football team will take the field for its midterm exam this Sat., Oct. 10, at 1 p.m., when Holy Cross visits the Yale Bowl. After a surprising win over Brown in their season opener, the Bulldogs were blown out by Connecticut and were disappointing in a 35-17 home loss to Colgate on Sat., Oct. 3. These last two setbacks, however, may not indicate much about the remaining season. "From what I've been told, [Colgate and Connecticut] are the best two teams we face all season and we've got our whole Ivy League schedule ahead of us," safety Than Merrill, BR '01, said. "We can still be champs." Indeed, none of Yale's remaining opponents match the caliber of either Connecticut or Colgate.

In Holy Cross, Yale has an opponent more representative of the Ivy League foes to follow and thus serving as a good gauge of its progress and potential. Saturday's game is a chance for the Bulldogs to prove that their miraculous, Hail Mary victory over Brown was no fluke. It's a chance for the Eli defense to show that its horrific 42 points-against average has come as a result of tough, offensive-minded opponents and not of its own weakness. It's a chance--perhaps the first of the season--for Yale fans to get a reasonable sense of this team's capabilities.

Through the first three games of the season, the biggest trouble for the Bulldogs has been defense. "We've faced three great offenses-- probably the best we'll see all year," head coach Jack Siedlecki said. To those powerful attacks, Yale has surrendered an average of 486 yards per game, including 505 yards to Colgate last week. Much of the problem has been a lack of pressure on the quarterback and soft coverage in the secondary. Against the Red Raiders, the Bulldogs did manage two sacks to go along with two interceptions by Ben Blake, PC '00, but were continually burned by the option and several long pass plays. "We did some good things defensively," Siedlecki said. "But we gave up some long balls over the top. They made some big plays and we didn't."

Holy Cross may be just what this embattled Eli defense needs to build confidence for the rest of the year. In four games this season, the Crusaders have failed to find a good offensive rhythm, averaging only 279 yards per contest. Much of the problem lies at quarterback, where both Dan Boland '99 and Ryan Collar '01 have taken snaps. As a pair, they have completed less than half of their passes and thrown more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (4). Holy Cross has also struggled to establish a ground game, though Joe Chambers '00 ran all over Towson last week for 175 yards. Kicker Dana Fistarone '99 has also been anemic, hitting just 2 of 7 field goal attempts.

To win, the Bulldogs must not only tighten up defensively, but also score. Yale's offense, the strength of the team through the first two games, sputtered somewhat against Colgate. "We had a lot of chances to score points that we just didn't convert," Siedlecki said. "We had three or four touchdown opportunities in the first half. Three points in the first half just weren't enough."

Yet, despite the overall lackluster performance, there were bright spots for the Elis. Ken Marschner, SY '99, set a school-record with 13 receptions and tailback Rashad Bartholomew, SY '01, rushed for 102 yards, his second time over the century mark this year. Marschner and quarterback Joe Walland, TD '00, will look to hook up even more on Saturday against a Holy Cross defense that has allowed an average of 250 passing yards per game. Bartholomew may have a tougher time. The Crusaders' rush defense ranks second in Div. I-AA, allowing just 61.3 yards per game.

For Yale, Saturday's game represents more than a chance to entertain visiting parents. Against an undeniably beatable opponent, the Bulldogs have a chance to prove that they're for real. "I think we've made progress," Merrill said after last week's loss. "I think we have made some steps, but it wasn't enough, obviously, if you look at the scoreboard." With a strong, decisive showing, Yale will have passed its midseason evaluation. As with a midterm, the outcome of the game will not make or break the season, but the result could set the tone for the imminent Ivy League schedule and give an early indication of this team's final grade.

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