Hanover
That stroke of good fortune has emphatically ended.
So many Big Green players are either out for the season or sidelined for shorter stretches that coach Buddy Teevens was left literally scratching his head after Thursday’s practice. Dartmouth (2-2) hosts Towson University at 1:30 p.m. today.
“It’s rough,” said Teevens, who’s in the 12th year of his second stint at the program’s helm. “It’s the worst it’s been since I’ve been back here.”
Myriad injuries add to the Big Green’s defensive inexperience, already an issue after 10 of 11 starters exhausted their eligibility following last season.
Starting cornerback Danny McManus had season-ending surgery this week on a bone between his thumb and wrist and Ky McKinney-Crudden, who split time at nickel back, also is done. Interior defensive linemen Rocco Di Leo and David Chalmers had their seasons wiped out before the first game, and it’s questionable if Jackson Perry, another run-stuffer, will return after being hurt in the season opener. Zach Husain, who played alongside Perry, may well miss a second consecutive game this week.
Starting safeties Colin Boit and Charlie Miller have both missed contests and Ross Wood, who backed them up, is sidelined. Starting receivers Emmanuel Soto and Houston Brown are out and cornerback Darius George might be. Linebacker Brian Fordon is expected to watch today’s game.
Who’s backing up starting running back Ryder Stone? Good question.
The silver lining? Dartmouth at least has capable replacements, which has not always been the case. As recently as three or four years ago, the loss of a starter at many positions meant throwing a significantly lesser talent into the fray.
“We’ve got decent depth and athleticism,” Teevens said. “It happens and you just can’t worry about it. I try not to make excuses for the guys or the program. Fortunately, the talent drop-off isn’t that significant, although the experience drop-off is.”
Chip On His Shoulder: Senior linebacker Folarin Orimolade is leading the team with 33 tackles and four sacks and is drawing NFL attention. More than 20 teams have already visited the Big Green to take a look at its talent.
The Burtonsville, Md., resident won’t be lacking for motivation against Towson, which is located roughly an hour’s drive from his home. The Tigers never recruited him, a snub Orimolade certainly hasn’t forgotten.
“They came to my school a few times, but they never offered me,” he said. “They didn’t think I was good enough.”
Towson took one of his teammates, however: fullback Jindu Chiazor, a 6-foot, 270-pound fullback majoring in physics with whom Orimolade might well collide today. The Tigers play in the always-tough Colonial Athletic Association, reaching the 2014 Football Championship Subdivision national title game and going 7-4 last fall.
“I think everybody realizes how good they are,” Orimolade said. “They are a team like UNH. The same talent level. We beat UNH, and we feel like we can beat this team, too.”
Running on Empty? Dartmouth began the season with strong rushing efforts and victories against UNH and Holy Cross. It’s not a coincidence that lesser ground production has gone hand-in-hand with consecutive losses to Pennsylvania and Yale.
Fewer rushing yards usually means less time of possession and more time on the field for the wounded Big Green defense. It also allows the opposition to crank its pass rush into high gear, knowing that Dartmouth is more likely to throw the ball.
“The first couple of games, we did a very good job,” Teevens said. “It was pretty balanced, with 400-plus yards and 180 or 190 rushing. I would like to get back to that. Guys have to make a block, make a cut, make somebody miss.”
Dartmouth is averaging 151 rushing yards per game, placing it in the midst of Ivy League teams. Miles Smith leads the Big Green with 213 yards and Stone has 151.
Talented Tigers: Towson may be 1-4, but it’s faced a stiff schedule and has played top-20 teams Richmond and Stony Brook close the past two weeks.
The Tigers began playing football only in 1969 and joined the NCAA Division I ranks in 1987. Rob Ambrose has been the program’s coach since 2009. Prior to that, he was Connecticut’s offensive coordinator.
Ambrose has drawn higher-level transfers to his team, although quarterback Morgan Mahalak (Oregon) has not played since the season opener. Running back Darius Victor, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons, is not listed on this week’s depth chart after missing last week’s game.
“You watch them on tape and they’re big, physical and fast,” Teevens said. “Their quarterback (Ellis Knudson) slings the ball around and he’s not afraid to run it. On the defensive side, they pressure you a bunch, so we’ve got to be sharp on our (blocking) pick-ups, we can’t hang on to the ball in the pocket and we have got to be able to run the football.”
Notes: Today’s game is the first football meeting between the schools. … The Tigers are the fourth CAA team to face the Big Green, along with UNH, William & Mary and Maine. … Before last week, Dartmouth had not lost consecutive games in three years. … The last time the Big Green lost to a first-time opponent was a 1951 setback to visiting Fordham. … Dartmouth has never beaten a team from Maryland, its only five previous games against such opposition resulting in an 0-4-1 record vs. Navy. … Big Green quarterback Jack Heneghan is 15th among FBS peers in average passing yards per game (276.5) and is 10th in total offense (302.5). If he were to maintain his pace, the junior would finish second among Dartmouth players on the single-season records list. … Former NFL punter Sean Landeta and running back Dave Meggett played for Towson. The latter is the father of eight children and currently serving a 30-year prison sentence for rape and robbery in South Carolina.