The Saint Lawrence University Saints (7-1, 5-0) head to Geneva this weekend looking to avenge last year's 29-27 Liberty League (LL) Championship game loss to Hobart. A Saints win Saturday will effectively clinch the 2015 title for Saint Lawrence.
The Saints have been a program on the rise the past couple of seasons, winning 23 of their last 29 ball games after going 0-10 in 2012. Saint Lawrence is also the last program to win the LL title since the Statesmen's 2011-14 run. That 2010 season the Saints upset Hobart in Canton, capitalizing on four Statesmen turnovers, to hang onto a 24-21 win - their first over Hobart since 1991. The Statesmen lead the all time series, which dates back to 1901, 48-37-2, making Saturday's contest the 88th overall between the two Upstate rivals.
This season Saint Lawrence boasts the LL's best scoring offense (32.8 PPG) and passing attack (229.4 YPG). Hobart counters with the LL's best total defense (240.6 YPG), passing defense (113.3 YPG), second ranked scoring defense (17.5 PPG) and rushing defense (127.4 YPG).
Saint Lawrence also enters this game as the #25 ranked team in the D3football.com poll and as the third ranked team in the recently released NCAA Playoff Regional Rankings for the "East".
Scouting the Saints
Saint Lawrence's offense is led by #6 SR QB Mike Lefflbine, who shared the 2014 Offensive POTY award with Ali Marpet '15. Lefflbine is once again the top QB in the LL, passing for 1,789 yards (223.6 YPG) and an impressive 22 TDs to only six INTs. Although small in size, #21 SR RB Maurice Irby has gained 512 yards on 98 carries, 5.2 AVG, which is fifth best in the LL.
Lefflbine has a number of options in the passing game, including two "power forward" type of WRs/TEs. These players include #81 SO WR Vincenzo Ferrraro (480 yards and four TDs), #15 JR TE Mitch Gallagher (418 yards and six TDs), #9 SO WR Patrick Bryant (319 yards and three TDs) and #86 JR TE Matt Gardiner (275 yards and three TDs).
Adding to the above is All-American #3 SR DB/WR Leondre Simmon who plays on both sides of the ball, catching 16 passes for 166 yards and five TDs to go with a LL second best five INTs, including one for a TD.
Defensively the Saints are led by #43 SO LB Skyler Williamson and #15 JR LB Alec Dietsch. This tandem has combined for 130 total tackles. On the DL Saint Lawrence is led by Preseason All-American #55 JR DL Chyron Brown Wallace, who is a big reason why the Saints led the LL with 29 sacks. Also in the secondary with Simmon is #4 JR DB James Holley-Grisham who leads the LL with six interceptions.
On special teams, #30 JR PK Andrew Carvalho is in the middle of the LL statistics wise, connecting on only two of four FG attempts, but being a very reliable kicker of PATs (34 of 36).
Keys to the Game
1. The Best Defense is a Rushing Offense - I sat in Sec 241 of the Georgia Dome Sunday watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rush the football for most of the game against the Atlanta Falcons second ranked rush defense in the NFL on the way to hard fought 23-20 OT victory. The Statesmen will need to do the same in order to keep Lefflbine and the high powered Saints offense off the field Saturday. We spoke to SR OL Brendan Casey about the nearly 280 yard rushing performance against Union on Sunday's ITH. A link to that podcast and a preview of Saturday's game can be heard here. The Statesmen will need another big day by Casey and the Hobart OL to battle Saint Lawrence's tough defense.
2. Protect the Football - The Saints last two seasons have been built off of creating turnovers on defense and cashing them in for points. The Statesmen can ill afford to fumble or throw an interception against this ball hawk defense. On the flip side Hobart will need to take a page from the Bucs defense and cause their opponents to turn the ball over, whether it be forced, or unforced errors.
3. Send Off the SRs With A "W" - The Class of 2016 has enjoyed a 39-6 run over the last four seasons. There will be 16 SR players who will be recognized and accompanied by their friends and families on Boswell Field for the final home game of their Hobart careers. A win for them on this day would be one that would match or maybe even surpass some of the playoff wins at the Boz from prior seasons.
Final Thoughts:
The Saints seem primed to run away with this one as they have outscored their opposition by a combined 90-21 in the first half over their last three games. If Hobart can establish the run, protect the football and not fall behind early, Saint Lawrence will be in unfamiliar territory in a game in which they are "favored".
In Week 1 the Morrisville State Mustangs got behind the vaunted Saints secondary on two long pass plays after the Saints stacked up the box. If the Statesmen can get some conversions early on and draw the LBs and DBs in, then SO QB Shane Sweeney can look for SO WR Brandon Shed and the Hobart receiving corps on a couple of well timed deep routes to catch Saint Lawrence off guard.
This game will be a tough one, and honestly a Saints victory wouldn't surprise me, although it would be disappointing. I am hoping the Statesmen and the SRs in particular go ahead and play the game of the season Saturday.
Thanks for reading and go 'Bart!
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