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Post by breezy on Mar 27, 2021 20:55:15 GMT -5
Bolden also played very well today. I only named the three that were included in the HC Football tweet, as they were the ones involved in scoring during the game.
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Post by HC92 on Mar 27, 2021 21:52:04 GMT -5
Just finished watching the game after being out most of the day. Great to see Sluka bring something very different to the offense. Defense settled in after a rough start but the pass defense, including the pass rush, could use some work. Fordham has the best passing QB in the league so we should have an easier time the next couple of games. We obviously have the best rushing QB. Also, Dobbs is a complete freak of nature.
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Post by hc2020 on Mar 27, 2021 22:05:09 GMT -5
Definitely saw some injuries today. Kane and Blessing appeared to be more serious. I think Sean Morris also hobbled off late in the game after a Sluka first down run on 3rd and 7. Hope all of them are okay. I’ve been told that Matt Kane suffered a broken leg and had surgery this evening. Such a tough break for someone playing his first college football game. Reminds us all of how brutal a game it can be at times. Prayers for a speedy recovery, Matt...
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Post by bringbackcaro on Mar 27, 2021 22:33:33 GMT -5
Sluka looks like a great athlete with a lot of potential running the ball, but given the quality of recruits Chesney has brought in at wide receiver, I’m assuming he’s invested a lot of scholarship $$ in that position, and I’m not sure I understand how we are now in a position where our QB for the next 3-4 years could be a run-first guy.
A loaded WR depth chart does us no good if we don’t have a QB who can get them the ball.
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Post by hchoops on Mar 27, 2021 22:45:58 GMT -5
Maybe Sluka can pass also. One half of one game without our two best receivers does not determine 3-4 years.
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Post by bringbackcaro on Mar 27, 2021 22:52:39 GMT -5
Maybe Sluka can pass also. One half of one game without our two best receivers does not determine 3-4 years. Certainly, but I’m just going off the limited action we’ve seen + the fact that Degenhardt was starting over him for each of the first two games this year. Sluka vs Degenhardt running is not even comparable, and with what we’ve seen from Degenhardt, it would not have taken much to beat him out in the passing department.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2021 23:43:27 GMT -5
Maybe Sluka can pass also. One half of one game without our two best receivers does not determine 3-4 years. Certainly, but I’m just going off the limited action we’ve seen + the fact that Degenhardt was starting over him for each of the first two games this year. Sluka vs Degenhardt running is not even comparable, and with what we’ve seen from Degenhardt, it would not have taken much to beat him out in the passing department. In all honesty, Degenhardt doesn't need to take another snap. Have Sluka take the remaining spring reps and let's see where it takes the team.
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Post by HCFC45 on Mar 28, 2021 6:26:22 GMT -5
Well, we now know why they only called like 3 different plays for Sluka.... see the bolded and underlined sentences.....
Holy Cross celebrates long-awaited return to Fitton Field with win over Fordham
Crusaders move to 2-0 after freshmen account for four touchdowns against Rams
Jennifer Toland
Telegram & Gazette
WORCESTER – For the first time in 1 year, 4 months and 4 days, the Holy Cross football team returned to Fitton Field Saturday, and the Crusaders, and a few hundred of their lucky fans, were obviously happy to be back.
They were even more pleased to celebrate a victory.
Freshman quarterback Matthew Sluka came off the bench to spark the Holy Cross offense by rushing for a pair of touchdowns and throwing for another, and for the first time since 2014, HC freshmen accounted for four TDs in a game as the Crusaders beat Fordham, 34-24.
“Getting back here, with fans too, it was an amazing feeling,” HC sophomore linebacker Jacob Dobbs said. “It had a normal feeling to it, and to get a win against a great opponent like Fordham, we’re obviously very happy about that.”
Holy Cross quarterback Connor Degenhardt outruns Fordham defensive lineman Anthony Diodato during Saturday's game at Fitton Field.
Holy Cross (2-0) overcame a career performance by Fordham junior quarterback Tim DeMorat, who passed for 440 yards. DeMorat, the Patriot League Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, threw two touchdown passes in the Rams’ first game of 2021. Sophomore wide receiver Dequece Carter had 11 catches for 158 yards and a TD. The Rams totaled 526 total yards.
“They were having their way with us in the secondary,” Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney said, “and we didn’t have the ability to get much pressure on the quarterback, either. Then we’re stuck between, ‘Should we send more pressure when we know they’re getting open downfield, or should we try to sit back?’ In the end, we did both, and the quarterback started to escape and make some plays. It wasn’t a great day defensively. “Walking off the field with a win is the main objective, and we were able to do that,” Chesney said. “We need to fix a ton of things in all three phases. We’ll get there.”
The Crusaders began the season with a 20-3 win at Lehigh on March 13, and had to wait an extra week to play their home opener due to COVID-19 return-to-play protocols following a Fordham pause earlier this month.
Senior Connor Degenhardt started for the second straight game at quarterback for HC, but Chesney said during the week to expect to see more than one QB Saturday. Sluka played three snaps in the first half, came in midway through the third quarter and handed off to junior running back Peter Oliver of Auburn, who ripped off a 49-yard gain to set up HC’s first touchdown, a 15-yard run by Sluka.
The score gave the Crusaders their first lead, 20-14.
With 19 seconds left in the third, Sluka found room on the left side and took it 57 yards for a touchdown.
“No matter what your number is, it’s next man up,” said Sluka, who carried 12 times for a team-high 145 yards and threw an 11-yard TD pass to classmate Jalen Coker in the fourth quarter. “Everyone has to know what they’re doing. I had chance to step in game and just make the most of it.”
Due to his class schedule, Sluka only practiced one day last week, Chesney said.
“There was a very limited amount of plays he could run,” Chesney said, “but a great showing by Matt and I think he did a phenomenal job and the guys rallied around him.”
The Crusaders moved the ball on their first two possessions, but settled for two Derek Ng field goals (47, 36).
A 37-yard throw from DeMorat to Carter helped set up the Rams deep in Holy Cross territory early in the second quarter and senior running back Trey Sneed scored from a yard out to put Fordham up, 14-6.
Later in the second quarter, soon after Fordham blocked an Ng 32-yard field goal attempt, freshman defensive back Terrence Spence came up with one of the biggest plays of the game when he blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.
“I was waiting for my opportunity,” Spence said. “I got it and went after it. On their first punt, they let me right through. I told Coach Chesney, ‘I can go.’ He gave me the OK, and the next time, it just happened.
“I chased after the ball and hoped it didn’t roll out of the end zone,” Spence said. “Once I got on top of it, and I turned around and saw everyone going crazy, it was a great feeling.”
The Rams threatened again before halftime and moved all the way to the HC 10, but junior cornerback John Smith squelched the drive by making an interception in the end zone. “The blocked punt changed everything,” Chesney said, “and the interception right before halftime, those are two plays that account for 14 points. That’s a big deal and a great effort on their part.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @jentandg.
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Post by cmo on Mar 28, 2021 7:26:52 GMT -5
Do they sell Truly at Fitton now? 😂
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 28, 2021 7:28:06 GMT -5
Jack Lentz ran for 173 yards versus Richmond in 1964--will have to scan the list to see if Pujals or another QB has ever run for more. Whoever has the record I hope it will fall to Sluka before too long Sluka ran for 145 yards in 12 carries in five HC possessions. Those five possessions resulted in three touchdowns, one punt, and one knee to end the game. In my book, that is off-the-charts productivity. We have yet to see whether he can throw the long ball. Of his two completions, I was more impressed by his TD pass because he was sprinting to his right and throwing back to Coker who was running to his left. ____________ And when thinking about QB depth, let's not overlook Siderman who threw for 3500 yards as a senior at Westlake high school, which plays in a pretty good Greater LA league.
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Post by newfieguy74 on Mar 28, 2021 7:34:54 GMT -5
Giving up 516 yards of offense is a big red flag. Hopes for a quick recovery to Matt Kane. The orthopedic doctors that HC uses are first rate.
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Post by hcpride on Mar 28, 2021 8:28:40 GMT -5
Sluka leapfrogged quite a few QB competitors so Chesney must see something he really really likes (in limited HC practice QB activities). We all got a brief look Saturday. No surprise a fast, agile, and tough QB can run effectively in the PL. Of course he’s got a capable arm - I suspect a very capable arm.
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Post by HC92 on Mar 28, 2021 8:40:10 GMT -5
At a minimum, Sluka can be our Taysom Hill for the next four years to someone else’s Drew Brees. Hopefully he can become even more than that.
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Post by breezy on Mar 28, 2021 8:58:38 GMT -5
According to LiveStats, which I cannot find anymore, Sluka’s QB rating in yesterday’s game was an unbelievable 269.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 28, 2021 9:10:24 GMT -5
I think Sluka can readily play three positions, QB, RB, and WR. Would not be surprised to see him featured in a Wildcat. His bio does not have any passing stats for his years in high school and prep school, which suggests to me that he may be more of a threat as a runner than as a passer. Might be HC's version of Julian Edelman.
I am skittish about running QBs in general, believing their legs take too many hits during a season. ------------ Don't know how many of the five QBs were in Worcester during the fall semester. I understood that less than half the team roster was on Mt. St. James for the limited practice sessions, so that could be a limiting factor in the development of some of them. sluka's class schedule this week may be the same as last week, so practice time may again be limited.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 28, 2021 9:19:36 GMT -5
According to LiveStats, which I cannot find anymore, Sluka’s QB rating in yesterday’s game was an unbelievable 269. I heard the announcers say that. How is that QB rating calculated? I cannot find a scale that reaches anywhere near 269. www.espn.com/college-football/qbr/_/view/alltime
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Post by inhocsigno on Mar 28, 2021 9:26:48 GMT -5
Do they sell Truly at Fitton now? 😂 They should sell everything short of everclear during games. Obvious, the girls came to game as someone's sisters, but one of them left as Sluka's girl.
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Post by gks on Mar 28, 2021 9:54:15 GMT -5
According to LiveStats, which I cannot find anymore, Sluka’s QB rating in yesterday’s game was an unbelievable 269. Was that QB rating or efficiency? Either way great win. Let's enjoy it while it's here.
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Post by hcpride on Mar 28, 2021 10:40:10 GMT -5
WORCESTER – Due to his class schedule, Sluka only practiced one day last week, Chesney said.
“There was a very limited amount of plays he could run,” Chesney said, “but a great showing by Matt and I think he did a phenomenal job and the guys rallied around him.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @jentandg. There is a lot in that Chesney quote. Including the very last part (remembering that CD is a veteran starter and a team captain). I could see a school of thought saying we should start CD again next week and relieve him with Sluka if things again go sideways - since that worked out very well this week v Fordham. Why mess with something that worked? Not exactly my thinking but I could see that argument for (specifically) next week's QB starter.
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Post by hchoops on Mar 28, 2021 10:48:31 GMT -5
Why take the chance of falling behind again ? Sluka may not be able to bail us out again .
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Post by hc6774 on Mar 28, 2021 11:16:47 GMT -5
I think Sluka can readily play three positions, QB, RB, and WR. Would not be surprised to see him featured in a Wildcat. His bio does not have any passing stats for his years in high school and prep school, which suggests to me that he may be more of a threat as a runner than as a passer. Might be HC's version of Julian Edelman. I am skittish about running QBs in general, believing their legs take too many hits during a season. ------------ Don't know how many of the five QBs were in Worcester during the fall semester. I understood that less than half the team roster was on Mt. St. James for the limited practice sessions, so that could be a limiting factor in the development of some of them. sluka's class schedule this week may be the same as last week, so practice time may again be limited. agree... he certainly complicates things for opposing defenses & makes our QB depth less so, going into next season
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Post by timholycross on Mar 28, 2021 12:33:59 GMT -5
Whoever plays qb next week; the opponent has demonstrated the ability to stop the run; passing probably needed in order to win.
In HC's four consec. wins vs Fordham; they've averaged 29 points per game IN THE SECOND HALF. 28, 17, 49 and 21. Twice HC had zero at halftime and yesterday, no offensive touchdowns.
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Post by longsuffering on Mar 28, 2021 13:44:18 GMT -5
Whoever plays qb next week; the opponent has demonstrated the ability to stop the run; passing probably needed in order to win. In HC's four consec. wins vs Fordham; they've averaged 29 points per game IN THE SECOND HALF. 28, 17, 49 and 21. Twice HC had zero at halftime and yesterday, no offensive touchdowns. Coach shows them the cup at halftime and the team reacts like Curly Howard did in the boxing ring when he heard the song "three blind mice".
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Post by deep Purple on Mar 28, 2021 14:26:00 GMT -5
Attendance 650.
2-3% of capacity?
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Post by HC92 on Mar 28, 2021 15:16:17 GMT -5
I trust Chesney and staff to play whichever QB(s) give us the best chance to win the game. They see hundreds more reps each week than any of us. Sluka will clearly be part of the game plan. How much, we will find out on Saturday at the same time Bucknell does. It certainly gives them something completely different to prep for which is always good.
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