This year’s Football game was not the 7 - 6 Mudbath of last year, but was still entertaining. On October 10th, the Alumni extended their Sig Series lead to 2-0 with a solid 14-0 win in slightly soggy conditions.
Teams each failed to convert on their first possessions, with the undergraduates failing to gain any positive yardage. The Alumni put one up on the board with their second possession. With starting field position at about the 50, the alumni converted on third down to get a first down at about the 25 yard line. Then, on first down, the Alumni went for the big strike as QB Dave Barker hit a leaping Jason Fitzgerald (better known as Skully) in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The try for two converted on an option pitch from Barker to FB Jeff Brill, which put the score at 8 - 0.
The Alumni kicked off, which was followed by a return to the 30. First down, no yards, but on second down, the undergrads picked up a two yards…and the Turtle rejoiced. On third down, QB Tom Gottberg threw up a little 5 yard out straight to safety Dave Barker for a pick. He beat one man, and then had only Gottberg to beat for the TD. Using the stiffarm combined with a spin he smoked the young QB. Gottberg did hold him up long enough for his teammates to make the stop.
The alumni took over, and on second down, proceeded to hit FB Brill on a swing pass. Then, the controversy. The next play featured an option right with the heavy jumbo backfield of Jeff Brill and Matt Greimel. The option pitch was to Greimel, and behind two crushing blocks by Brill and TE Brian Jones, he rumbled down to the goal line, and seemed to have scored. His right foot did cross the goal line, and then went out of bounds which is, by the rules, a TD. The undergrads, who apparently didn’t even see the play, said he went out at the one. The generous Alumni squad let them have their fun. Fourth and one at the goal line. The play was an inside run with the heavy jumbo backfield in the I formation. The Bug (Rob Hastings) shot through the line and was stood up by Brill, but busted up the play and forced Greimel to run left. He was stopped by Pledge ??? at the one.
The Undergrads took over again with new hope. First play, incomplete…nearly picked by the Mighty F’in Cup. Second play, a pick by a running Brill who ran it back for a touchdown with a nice block by Brian Jones that literally sent Pledge Mike airborne. The Alumni then set up to kick the PAT. Joe Fass holding, Jones kicking…and no good. Rumor has it someone later heard Jones mumbling to himself "Laces out Joey, laces out." The score at the half: Alumni 14, Ugrads 0 . That’s the way the score ended at halftime, with the Undergrads failing to move the ball effectively with their final possession.
The Undergrads came out fired up for the second half. They started at their 40, and with some nice runs by John Messinger (the Mess) and Gottberg and a pass to Sean Moran (Sac) drove all the way down to the Alumni 25 yard line. That drive sputtered on a failed fourth down conversion. The Alumni drove the ball, and were forced to punt. Pinning the ugrads deep, a nice run by Eric Herasymchuck (Shaft) got them out of the hole, but then some QB in the undergrads’ confusing 2nd quarter QB rotation through up a duck which got picked by Dave Barker.
The Alumni took over with Skully now in the backfield. The Alum ran the option left with QB Dave Barker keeping the ball, and he ran upfield behind the blocking of a pulling Matt Greimel. With two defenders in front, Greimel went to pick up Russell Geist, which for no reason scared away the other D-back Ricardo B(something long that I can’t spell). The hard charging Ugrad D pursued, and stopped the run at about the 30 yard line for a 40 yard pickup. Skully then ran right, and lost yardage. The undergrads were so concerned with stopping Skully, that the next play was a fake pitch left, and naked bootleg left which got the Alumni down to the 15. That drive ended on a failed 4th down conversion.
Following this, the possessions went back and forth. The now unmotivated Alumni simply used excellent punt coverage, and a terrific prevent D which only let up a few short passes over the middle in the last 10 minutes of the game. A 25 yard hail mary on 4th and 20 was batted away to put the game away. Hats off to the Ugrads who put together a much more formidable attack than expected. Also, to cornerbacks Skully and Cup who played solid man-on-man D all game long, and of course to the Alumni line: Chris Vakulchik (Smooch), Kevin Heinrichs, Joey Fass, and Geo Morales(who also saw some snaps at QB)…because linemen never get any credit.
Most of the players returned back to the Chapter House after the game to devour Smooch’s Famous Ziti. Everyone enjoyed the fine food. Thanks to Smooch for that. Next up, Sig Series #3 - Basketball. Saturday, November 14th in the NJIT at 11am. Please show early as there is a basketball tournament later that afternoon. Note: Pizza to follow.