Despite falling out of contention for a second consecutive Ivy League title after last week's loss to Yale, members of the football team say they are prepared for this Saturday's matchup at Dartmouth. Even when the Big Green is near or at the bottom of the Ancient Eight standings - as it is this year with a 1-4 record in league play - Dartmouth always seems to play the Bears tough, and this game should be no different.
"You'll find with any football team that if you're losing, you're looking for that win, which has been the case at Dartmouth," said Head Coach Phil Estes. "Sometimes they're looking for their first win, sometimes they're looking for respect."
Quarterback and tri-captain Joe DiGiacomo '07 also enters this game with something to prove as he tries to erase memories of a four-interception performance last Saturday against Yale and a sub-par showing in last year's Dartmouth game.
"Every game I feel like I've got something to prove, but maybe more so this week," he said. "I just really want to have success Saturday. ... I think we're focused on Dartmouth this week and we don't care what's happened the last few weeks."
DiGiacomo said that in order to reverse his fortunes he must limit the number of mistakes he makes by playing a more intelligent game than he did against Yale.
"If we can just play a smarter game and do a better job moving the ball, we'll be able to have some success," he said. "The main thing is keeping in mind what the defense is giving you and not going for the home run each time. When you do that you focus less on forcing things and more on taking advantage of weaknesses in the defense."
DiGiacomo's quest to get back on track should be made easier by a running game that has flexed its muscle in recent weeks. The tailback duo of tri-captain Brandon Markey '07 and Akin Oyalowo '07 racked up 160 rushing yards against a tough Bulldog defense a week ago and is running with the most confidence it has had all season.
"For me, I'm just healthy so I can be more like myself and attack," said Markey, who has played with an injured shoulder for most of the season. "Also, football is a game of confidence, so once a unit like the offensive line is confident, it makes the backs' jobs a lot easier."
The offense will be tested Saturday by a hard-hitting defense led by inside linebackers Justin Cottrell and Joe Gibalski, who are first and third for Dartmouth in tackles.
"Their two best athletes are their two inside linebackers," Estes said.
The rest of the defense is also aggressive, which can make life very difficult for opposing offenses and keep games close.
"They're not afraid to lock down wide receivers, and they play a lot of man coverages," Estes said. "They'll try to lock you down and stop the run, and they've had success with it. I look at the film and say we should be able to get one over the top (of the coverage), but people have tried and they've covered it very well."
Meanwhile, Brown's defense is seeking a little redemption of its own. Despite playing well in limiting Yale tailback Mike McLeod to 104 rushing yards last Saturday, the defense left the field with only painful memories of Ashley Wright's fourth quarter, 71-yard catch-and-run that set up the Bulldogs' final score.
"We know we played well, but regardless of how well you play it's all for naught," said linebacker and tri-captain Zak DeOssie '07. "It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but we know we're a good defense. Those plays happen in football, so you just move on."
DeOssie and the rest of the defense will have to bottle up Dartmouth quarterback Mike Fritz, who leads the Big Green in rushing as well as passing.
"He's very quick and has some good speed, and he makes people miss," Estes said. "If you think you've got him tackled he'll sidestep you, and he has good feel in the pocket."
Fritz's favorite target is 6-foot 5-inch wide receiver Ryan Fuselier, who leads the league with 44 receptions and will draw special attention from Bruno's secondary.
"We need to put pressure on the quarterback. That way he can't get the ball to (Fuselier)," Estes said. "We also have to be able to make some plays and be careful with who we have on him as far as man-to-man on those jump ball situations."
Even without a shot at the Ivy title, members of the team said they still have plenty of motivation going into the game. One of the Bears' goals was to finish the second half of the season undefeated, but the loss to Yale altered their plans.
"We didn't make it to 5-0, but 4-1 would certainly be something to look to," Estes said. "You still want to have that winning season in the Ivy League and you still want to finish up strong."
