Things are looking brighter than ever this year for the DePauw Tigers football team, winning three straight games after opening the season 0-4.
The team has been doing well on all sides of the ball, with the offense averaging 30 points a game and the defense giving up an average of 13 points per game during the win streak. Not only that, but the special teams has been great as well with senior Eric Malm making all but one of his field goal attempts during the streak. His performance was crucial against Ohio Wesleyan University, making all three of his field goal attempts including the game winning field goal with only four seconds left.
Senior wide receiver Nikko Sansone is impressed by connection among the team on the field.
"We have really been clicking together as a unit," Sansone said. "In the games we have won we have really been executing well on special teams, defense and offense. You can't point at just one thing because it is such a team game... just clicking together on all three sides of the ball and everyone doing their role has led to this recent success."
How well the Tigers have been playing as of late has the team's outlook on the season being more positive than ever. Senior tight end Kevin Ude said, "The win streak is something we have been working really hard for and it has been really nice seeing the hard work the team has put in since August paying off. We struggled at the beginning of the season... but now we are feeling really good about the win streak and are hoping to keep it going."
Senior linebacker Mitch Dwenger said he has noticed a shift in the team's confidence thanks to the winning streak.
"A big part of us playing well is staying positive and having trust in our teammates and this win streak has helped keep that attitude going," Dwenger said. "It is really good seeing everything coming together. We have been working all year to get our schemes perfected and have everyone on the same page and it is starting to pay off."
Coach Bill Lynch gave a lot of credit to the players on keeping the team morale high even during the rough stretch at the beginning of the season.
"A lot of times during a losing streak, that's when you will see guys slacking off a bit and not paying attention to details but we did not do that."
He appreciates the seniors positive attitude as well.
"We have a really good senior group... they have been through tough times especially starting their senior season out 0-4 but they have stayed committed to the program and it's been a big reason why we have gotten better."
The Tigers have a big test coming this Saturday at home against the College of Wooster. Wooster is coming off a big win against Denison 43-21 and owns one of the most explosive offenses in the North Coast Athletic Conference, averaging 462.3 yards a game, which is second best in the conference.
First-year wide receiver Darrian Owens is considerably the Tigers' defense biggest fear coming into the matchup. In the Fighting Scots' 43-21 win over Denison last week, Owens set a single-game school record with 230 receiving yards. More impressively, Owens recorded his monster statistics on only four catches. The catches included touchdown strikes of 73, 51 and 56 yards in the first half. In addition, Owens showcased his versatility, throwing a two-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter on a double reverse play to senior running back Sean Hackel.
However, Owens will meet a DePauw defense that has been red hot lately, coming off a performance against Allegheny College where they gave up only seven points. The Tigers defense has been giving up an average of 23.4 points a game this season, fourth best in the division. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. at Blackstock Stadium for what should be a great game. The game can be watched live online via a link on the DePauw football athletics page, or listened to on WGRE 91.5.