Offense Meets Defense in Pivotal NCAC Contest

Oct 17, 2006

Football Game Notes (PDF)
Gators of the Week

MEADVILLE, Pa. – Something’s going to have to give this weekend in Ohio as one of the top-rated offenses in the nation meets head on with the premier defense in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Allegheny College (4-2, 2-1 NCAC) has racked up an average of 442.0 yards of total offense through six weeks of play, ranking the Gators eighth in the national numbers, but The College of Wooster (5-1, 2-1 NCAC), fresh off the heels of back-to-back shutout victories, is allowing a meager 207.5 yards per game, the 14th-best mark in Division III.

Sporting identical conference records, the Gators and Fighting Scots square off with playoff implications on the line. Both teams are in the thick of the NCAC title chase, but one more loss could easily spell elimination. Allegheny, Wooster, Kenyon College (3-3, 2-1 NCAC), and Wabash College (4-2, 3-1 NCAC) all have one loss in league play, while Wittenberg University (4-2, 3-0 NCAC) and Oberlin College (4-2, 3-0 NCAC) sit atop the standings.

The series has become very competitive in recent years, though Allegheny retains a comfortable 17-11 advantage all-time thanks to a 12-game win streak from 1986-98. The Gators and Scots have split their six meetings in the 2000s, with the former picking up wins in 2000, 2001, and 2003, and the latter emerging as the victor in 2002, 2004, and 2005. In 2003, Allegheny pulled out a 26-20 win at home en route to the conference title, but Wooster had its revenge on its home turf the following season, easily winning 35-13 on its way to the NCAC crown.

Last season, the squads battled back and forth until the Scots converted a field goal with just two seconds remaining to pull out a 37-34 win in Meadville. Wooster went big through the air, racking up 384 yards of passing and converting touchdowns from 73, 77, and 41 yards out, but Allegheny countered in the second half with rushing touchdowns sandwiched around a 42-yard field goal to knot the game at 34. Wooster, down to their back up quarterback following a season-ending injury to starter Justin Schafer, countered with a 10-play, 57-yard drive to set up Andy Milligans’ game-winning 32-yard field goal.

Allegheny’s offense is running on all cylinders following an impressive 49-38 victory at home over Kenyon. The Gators piled up 445 yards of offense in taking down the upstart Lords – 287 on the ground and 158 through the air. Leading that charge was running back Mario Tarquinio, who finished with 252 yards on 38 carries, falling just eight yards and five carries short of new Allegheny records. Tarquinio also reached the end zone once, a 31-yard run to give the hosts the final 11-point advantage late in the fourth quarter.

The Scots may be gunning for the Gator running back after his display last weekend and his performance in past meetings between Wooster and Allegheny. Tarquinio has gone for 100-plus yards in each of his two career starts against the Scots, averaging 21.5 carries and 120.0 yards per game as well as finding the end zone three times. Additionally, he has moved into third in the NCAC stats, posting 127.2 yards per game this season.

Allegheny’s pass offense has been as consistent as ever, currently ranking 14th in all of Division III with 277.3 yards per game. Senior Jimmy Savage is the man responsible for the gaudy numbers as the Gator quarterback has set new career-highs in every single passing category already this season. Savage has completed 61.3 percent (133-of-217) of his passes with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, while averaging 274.3 yards per game. His favorite targets this fall have been senior Dallas Robinson (33 receptions, 466 yards) and junior Jim Lieb (28 receptions, 337 yards), who accumulated 214 all-purpose yards against Kenyon, including an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Despite giving up a total of 79 points over its last two games, Allegheny is rated second in the NCAC in scoring defense, allowing just 20.7 points per game. The Gators also know how to turn the tide in a game, posting a +1.7 turnover margin this season, ranking them ninth overall in the nation. Juniors Ross Simcoe and Mateo Villa lead the way with 43 tackles this fall, with the former also notching two sacks for a loss of 14 yards. Allegheny has intercepted nine pass attempts this fall, paced by Andy Toner’s four picks.

Not only does Wooster rank among the top teams in total defense, but the Scots are also among the nation’s elite in rushing defense (12th, 54.5 ypg), pass efficiency defense (38th, 91.5), and scoring defense (19th, 10.5 ppg). Those numbers have been helped by Wooster’s current shutout streak, standing at 120:45 and counting after blowouts against Ohio Wesleyan University (24-0) and Hiram College (52-0).

Most impressive is the way the experienced Scot defensive line gets after the quarterback, totaling 27 sacks through six games, nine better than any other team in the NCAC. Eight players have picked up a sack this fall, led by senior Evan Watson’s tally of seven. Watson and classmate Phil Vitalbo (4.5 sacks) have combined for 19.5 tackles for a loss of 130 yards. The secondary has also held its own, picking off 10 passes, including three alone by junior defensive back Keith Adams.

Even though the defense has been the key to Wooster’s success, the offense is more than adept, led by a four-year starter in quarterback Justin Schafer. Schafer has been successful on 56.2 percent of his passes (77-of-137), while throwing for an average of 148.3 yards per game and 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Scot senior has had his share of success against the Gators, including tossing for 317 yards in last season’s meeting before going down with an injury. In three career starts against Allegheny, Schafer is 2-1, completing 41-of-80 passes for an average of 210.7 yards per game with five touchdowns and four interceptions.

Wooster’s ground game is grinding out 159.0 yards per game, led by reigning NCAC Newcomer of the Year Dustin Sheppard. Since returning to the lineup in the team’s third game of the season, Sheppard is averaging 93.0 yards per game and has found the end zone three times. Orlando Jones has functioned as a consistent contributor as well, averaging 36.7 yards with two scores, while Schafer is also a threat to run, averaging just over 30 yards per game and scoring once.

Thirteen different Scots have caught a pass this season, with tight end Greg Peltz leading the way with 22 receptions for three scores and 240 yards. Shaun Swearingen, also an all-region baseball player for Wooster, leads the team with an average of 52.2 yards per game, while three of Jordan Ferns’ eight receptions have gone for scores.

Allegheny and Wooster meet on the gridiron on Saturday, October 21, at John P. Papp Stadium in Wooster, Ohio, with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. The contest also marks Wooster’s homecoming and the unveiling of a new school mascot.

Printable Version