2008 Woodie Awards
RSSHawks prepared for final road game
By Adam Davidson
Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Sports
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The team will try to rebound from its 21-7 loss this past Saturday to Colgate University, which dropped Lehigh to 5-6.
Bucknell's 34-7 loss to Lafayette College last week gave the team a 2-7 record, 0-4 in the Patriot League.
When asked if the team was preparing differently for this week's game, senior defensive back Julian Ahye said the Hawks have to play more like they did early on in the season.
"Right now we want to get back to playing competitively for four quarters," Ahye said. "We started the season along the right path, and once October came around, we stopped playing games like we had been, so we stopped winning like we had been."
In September, the team had a three-game winning streak with wins against Princeton and Harvard universities along with Virginia Military Institute. Since Oct. 6, the team has lost four out of its last five games.
Coen said the team needs to make the clutch plays they have failed to make recently to win.
"We don't finish plays, we don't rise up and stop them on third down, we don't get up and make the big catch, or the big tackle," Coen said. "This next game against Bucknell is just another opportunity to step up and come through and do these things we have not been doing in past weeks."
Fortunately for Coen and the Hawks, the Bison run an option offense, anchored by Bison sophomore quarterback Marcello Trigg who has 890 yards and six touchdowns on the season.
Although some college teams have difficulty stopping an option offense, the Hawks were successful at reading, and in turn stopping, the option against VMI.
Coen said he expects his team to have the same success it has had in the past against the option offense.
"Last year against Bucknell, the defense only gave up seven points against the option," Coen said. "Fortunately, earlier in the season we played an option offense in VMI. I think our coaches do a great job getting the players prepared and I expect the same this week."
Ahye said the defense will be well prepared for the Bison's option offense.
"Basically, by running the option, their big plays come from their opponents mistakes," Ahye said. "If we don't make mistakes, they won't have a big play."
Sophomore quarterback Chris Bokowski will get his third consecutive start. The team will use senior quarterback Sedale Threatt for certain situations like they have been the past few weeks.
Although the season is coming to a close, Ahye, along with the rest of his senior class, looks to end their college football career with a win over the Bison and then a win over Lafayette College, Ahye said.
"I haven't beaten [Lafayette] yet, and it is important for our seniors to finish strong," Ahye said. "If we don't win, it will be the first time in like 40 years that the senior class hasn't beaten Lafayette at least once."
Kick off is tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Lewisburg, Pa.
