The UR men’s football team were on the scoreboard early in Saturday’s game against St. Lawrence University and finished the game strongly by shutting down the Saints’ offense. The Yellowjackets won 20-7 against the Liberty League rival team, improving to 4-2 in the Liberty League and 4-5 overall.
A mere 20 seconds in, on the first play, sophomore quarterback Braezen Subick threw a 60-yard pass to senior wide receiver Mike Coolbaugh for UR’s first touchdown.
‘As we studied film we felt that their coverage would allow our receiver to be open across the middle of the field and our play action would hold the linebackers and allow our receiver to get in behind the coverage and have a chance at a big play which is what happened,” head coach Scott Greene said.
Before halftime, the Yellowjackets had scored all three of its touchdowns Coolbaugh had one, as well as sophomore inside linebacker Corey Brizzee and junior running back Clarence Onyiriuka.
The offense’s momentum took a hit, though, when the starting quarterback (Subick) left the game with an injury early in the second quarter.
‘We went to more of a running strategy to control the clock and the ball, and our defense was playing great football for us,” Greene said of Subick’s injury.
Although offense slowed down, the defense kept UR’s lead by halting the Saints in their final drives in the fourth quarter. Compared to UR’s losses against Union and St. John Fisher colleges earlier in the season when the opposition pulled ahead with last-minute touchdowns defense had the poise necessary to arrest any Saints advance, according to Pesota. Despite that UR and St. Lawrence nearly split time of possession of the ball (33 minutes and 27 minutes respectively), UR only allowed a single Saint touchdown scored in the third quarter.
‘Throughout the year we have been able to get a lot of guys game experience, which has helped us to progress as a defense and tighten up down the stretch,” junior defensive back Christopher Pesota said. ‘We have guys playing with confidence; our entire defense is playing well and the ball is bouncing our way.”
Sophomore inside linebacker Dan Reynolds and Pesota each intercepted passes in the last parts of the game. Freshman linebacker Brendan Pidgeon’s sack ended a Saint drive on fourth down.
‘I was able to recognize one of their most favorite pass routes that they had run a few times throughout the game,” Pesota said. ‘I guessed right, jumped the route and made the play.”
The men’s final game will be on home turf this Saturday at noon. UR will face Hobart College for the Centennial Cup Hobart and UR are tied for third in the Liberty League (with 4-2 records) and have nearly identical statistics four points away in total points scored and 20 points scored against them in the League this season.
‘Both teams like to create turnovers on defense and the offensive coaches look to use the run game and play action to set up big plays in the passing game,” Greene said.
Leber is a member of the class of 2011.
