2008 Woodie Awards
Football: Smalls and Co. prepared for Crusaders' offensive attack
Containing Randolph a tall task for UMass defense
Jeffrey R. Larnard, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Sports
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UMass (1-0) knows what the Crusaders offense is capable of. Just ask them what happened to their 30-9 halftime lead when the two teams met last year.
After the Minutemen came out of halftime and extended their lead to 37 - just two minutes into the half - Holy Cross scored 21 unanswered points to bring the score to within a touchdown.
The Minutemen ultimately outlasted the Crusaders, 40-30, but it took a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown by Courtney Robinson and career-high games in rushing and receiving from Matt Lawrence (153 yards rushing, two touchdowns) and J.J. Moore (163 yards receiving, one touchdown).
UMass struggled to contain Holy Cross' resilient quarterback Dominic Randolph the entire second half. Despite being sacked five times in the game, the then-junior signal caller aired the ball out 62 times - a UMass single-game record for an opponent - for 296 yards and two touchdowns.
With Randolph and seven other starters returning in 2008, the Crusaders look to still be a force on offense.
Defense will be the key for the Minutemen this weekend. UMass missed several opportunities to get to the quarterback last weekend, and also missed many tackles; including a few on the Great Danes opening drive when running back David McCarty took a short pass 52 yards down the field for a touchdown.
"Defensively we have to do a better job," UMass coach Don Brown said. "I think we grew from the first quarter [of last week's game]."
The Minutemen did make strides last weekend after the sloppy start, and cannot go back to the way they played in the first quarter against Albany.
One advantage for UMass is Saturday's game will be its second of the season, whereas it will be the season opener for Holy Cross. With one game under the belt to the Crusaders none, the Minutemen feel they have a better idea of where they are as a team according to Brown.
Just as UMass fans have seen with Liam Coen, when you have one of the best quarterbacks in FCS, it makes everyone around them better; that is what Randolph does for Holy Cross.
The Crusaders may have eight returning starters on offense, but the UMass defense is experienced, productive, well-coached and talented. The secondary will be busy against Randolph, but standouts Jeromy Miles (free safety) and All-American cornerback Sean Smalls have seen him before and know what to expect.
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