First-year Jake Hagan reels in a pass from sophomore quarterback
Matt Hunt late in the first half.
CHRISTA SCHROEDEL / THE DEPAUW
For the first time since the 2009 football season, the DePauw Tigers defense was able to shut out their opposition, en route to a 24-0 family weekend victory against the visiting Kenyon College Lords at Blackstock stadium.
The DePauw offense, led by sophomore quarterback Matt Hunt, scored a touchdown in each of the first three quarters, and capped off the scoring with a 28 yard field goal by sophomore Marko Adams with 9:56 to go on the fourth quarter.
With 7:04 left in the first quarter, junior halfback Amen Galley scored a two-yard touchdown to give DePauw the early lead. The run came as a result of a 10- play, 58-yard drive, which accounted for 3 minutes and 27 seconds of game time.
Galley, unofficially donned by fellow DePauw track mates “the fastest man at DePauw”, is off to an impressive start, averaging 69 yards per game and 4.1 yards per rush over the Tigers’ three games thus far.
First-year running back Jack Gruber provided the lightening to Galley’s thunder, rushing for 56 yards on 10 attempts. Gruber scored DePauw’s last touchdown of the game, a 19-yard burst up the middle with 6 and a half minutes left in the third quarter.
DePauw’s second- quarter touchdown came at the hands of Gruber’s first-year classmate, wide out Jack Hagan. Hagan caught a six yard toss from Hunt in the back of the end zone, as the final seconds of the first half wound down.
“I had family that came to the game,” Hagan commented. “After the game, they congratulated me and told how proud they were. Getting to play as a freshman is exciting enough, and scoring a touchdown made it that much more of a neat experience.”
Hunt recorded 12 completed passes in 26 attempts, closing out the game with 188 passing yards, and one touchdown completion. A 77-yard chunk of Hunt’s total came on the last offensive play of the third quarter, when he connected with junior receiver Connor Jeffers on deep post route. The play followed a Kenyon fumble in it’s own red zone, which was recovered by sophomore linebacker Thomas Gray.
The offensive series reflected key themes in the Tiger’s first shut out a half decade–the Tiger defense providing opportunities, and the Tiger offense capitalizing on them. Even with the breakout performances of two of coach Bill Lynch’s offensive specialists, the Tigers’ defense remains Saturday’s biggest fixation.
“We were playing an offense that hadn't had consistent success,” said veteran defensive back, junior Adam Folta. “But it also meant that we were able to force critical turnovers when Kenyon entered our red zone. All in all, we did a really good job of staying consistent all day, and I think that's the biggest thing from the defensive side of the ball to take away from Saturdays game.”
Sophomore Matt Hunt finds first-year Jake Hagan in the
back of the endzone for a touchdown in Saturday's 24-0
victory over Kenyon College.
CHRISTA SCHROEDEL / THE DEPAUW
The DePauw defense, sometimes a subject of critique, left no room for doubt for the 3,000 eyes glued to them on DePauw’s annual Family Weekend. They stuffed the Lords to 3.4 yards per play, and limited Kenyon quarter back Jake Bates to 97 yards passing and an interception. Folta and sophomore Will Longthorne each finished with 10 of DePauw’s 59 total tackles, with sophomore Cody Baker accounting for 7.
“The most effective strategy against Kenyon was the speed of our defense,” Baker said. “We played at a faster level during practice this week, and made some small lineup changes to allow our best eleven to be out there for the shut out.”
Baker credited Hagan and Gruber for their impact on the games favorable outcome. However, having been a first-year in similar standing a year ago, Baker didn’t fail to mention the team’s expectation that first-years play at the same level as upperclassmen.
The unit’s shutout comes after giving up 34 to the nationally ranked Wittenberg University Tigers. DePauw allowed the host Tigers 349 total offensive yards, and four touchdowns.
However, the commonality with Wittenberg and Kenyon is good news for DePauw moving forward. The Tigers’ have kept their last two opponents’ third down efficiency low, with Wittenberg converting a quarter of the time, and Kenyon, only converting two of their 13 third down opportunities.
The Tigers hope to continue their defensive prowess this upcoming weekend, in its Old Gold matchup against Denison University at Blackstock Stadium at 2 p.m.