Oct. 21, 2014
GoLeopards.com YouTube Channel Coverage
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THE OPENING KICK
MATCH-UP: It's Patriot League play the rest of the way for the Leopards (3-4, 1-1) who host Holy Cross (2-6, 0-2) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The Senior Day contest falls on Homecoming Weekend. Lafayette is coming off a 24-14 loss to Ivy League frontrunner No. 25/24 Harvard. The Crusaders are currently in the midst of a five-game losing streak, dropping their last three games by three points apiece (24-21 at Dartmouth, 27-24 at Brown and
20-17 at Colgate).
THE TREND: Things look good for Lafayette if the Leopards' season-long ledger trend of rotating wins and losses continues. Lafayette lost its season opener to Sacred Heart, but recovered with a victory over Robert Morris and then lost its third game to
No. 13/19 William & Mary and responded with a win vs. Wagner, etc. The Leopards are "due" if the trend holds true.
LAST TIME OUT: Harvard's big plays proved to be the difference as the No. 25/24 Crimson issued Lafayette at 24-14 loss at Harvard Stadium. Both key plays for the hosts came in the first half, a 78-yard pass completion and a 43-yard run that saw Harvard lead 17-0 at halftime.
SERIES NOTES: Lafayette leads the all-time series 16-12, but the teams have split the last four meeting. The Leopards have had the better of the Crusaders in the last two tilts, winning 4-23 in 2013 and 30-13 in 2012.
QB SITUATION: Sophomore QB Drew Reed, who is battling a shoulder injury, gave it a go at Harvard, playing the first two series before taking a hit directly to the shoulder while trying to run for a first down. Reed completed 4-of-5 for 25 yards but then sat out the rest of the game. He will be evaluated this week with a limited throwing regimen to determine his availability vs. Holy Cross.
Sophomore Blake Searfoss, who completed 23-of-42 for 274 yards and a touchdown in relief at Harvard, started the Fordham and Georgetown games. The QBs' season numbers are nearly identical: Searfoss: 73-124-4 (58.9%), 5 TD • Reed: 63-107-5 (58.9%), 5 TD.
THREE GRAND FOR 29: With 78 rushing yards at Harvard, senior TB Ross Scheuerman moved into fourth place for career rushing yards at Lafayette with 3,012 yards. He surpassed Tom Costello '91 (2,936) and has Leonard Moore '99 (3,419) in his sights. Scheuerman led the team in rushing the past three seasons and carried for 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2013 as the first player since 2006 to rush for 1,000 yards.
HOME SWEET HOME: Lafayette's three wins have come at Fisher Stadium. With Saturday as the team's final home game of the season, a win would give Lafayette its first undefeated home slate since 1992. Lafayette has won four in a row in Easton, including a win over No. 5 Fordham in 2013.
ON THE GROUND/IN THE AIR: Ross Scheuerman continues to be the Leopards' top receiving threat. He has 34 catches for 364 yards and two touchdowns and is looking to be the first back since Joe McCourt '05 to lead the team in rushing and receiving in the same season. McCourt, then a junior, had 52 catches for 444 receiving yards and 245 carries for 1,157 yards on the ground in that 2003 season.
ROOKIE HONORS: Freshman cornerback Phillip Parham has been named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week. Parham had a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown and also tallied six tackles at No. 24/25 Harvard. His interception return put the Leopards on the board in the third quarter, and was the first pick six against the Crimson since 2011. Parham also broke up two passes in the game and leads the team with seven pass break ups on the season.
ABOUT HOLY CROSS
• Holy Cross arrives with a 2-6 overall record and a 0-2 mark in Patriot League play. The Crusaders are coming off a 24-21 loss at Dartmouth and mired in a five-game losing streak that includes losses to Patriot League foes Fordham (45-16) and Colgate (20-17).
• The Crusaders return seven starters on offense and five on defense after finishing tied for sixth in the Patriot League last season with a 3-9 overall record.
• Sophomore QB Peter Pujals has completed 172-of-284 for 1,792 yards with eight TDs and nine INTs. Pujals, who was the 2013 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, has also rushed for 481 yards and a score. Sophomore WR Jake Wieczorek and junior WR Kalif Raymond each have reeled in 39 passes on the season for three and two TDs, respectively. Senior WR Tyler Artim has 30 catches including one for a touchdown.
• Sophomore TB Gabe Guild has boosted the Crusader ground attack with 73 carries for 314 yards and four TDs. • On the defensive side, junior LB John Zakrzewski leads the team with 71 tackles (six for loss) with a pair of forced fumbles and two sacks. Fellow LB Shane Thompson has 45 tackles and three tackles for loss.
• Tom Gilmore (Penn '86) is in his 11th season as head coach and has a 58-62 record with one Patriot League title.
