Scots top Lawrence, but look for better Homecoming effort vs. IC

Release Date: October 19, 2005

MONMOUTH, Ill. — Last Saturday, some people expected that the Monmouth College football team would have a 17-0 lead right around the same time that their opponent, the Lawrence University Vikings, stepped off their charter bus.

The nationally-ranked Fighting Scots did indeed hold a 17-0 advantage, but when that was still the score in the third quarter, there was cause for concern and, quite frankly, extreme disappointment on the Monmouth sideline.

“Looking at film, our better players on offense did not play well, with the exception of Dante Daniels,” said MC coach Steve Bell shortly after leaving the darkened room where he and an assistant were viewing Saturday’s tape.

Bell had just pointed out an example, clicking back and forth on a pass play where Evan Haffner ran a route across the middle. When Lawrence’s safety opted to double-cover a deep post pattern, Haffner was left wide open, but quarterback Mitch Tanney’s throw was at Haffner’s feet and behind him, resulting in an incomplete pass.

“That was the epitome of Mitch’s day right there,” said Bell.

Tanney’s performance in the Lawrence game, which still ended in a 41-13 Monmouth triumph, is the only blemish on a season that has seen him post strong enough numbers to be ranked No. 1 in passing efficiency among all Division III quarterbacks. But his 14-of-24 effort for 186 yards snapped his seven-game streak 200-yard passing days, and he was also picked off for just the third time this year.

“Let’s hope that’s the last one of those,” said Bell, referring not just to Tanney but to the way his entire offense came out flat. “Hopefully, we got that one out of the way.”

As Bell mentioned, the offense’s saving grace was Daniels, who racked up 149 yards on just 17 carries and scored three touchdowns, all in the third quarter. Daniels also had a 70-yard TD run called back.

To dig a little deeper, though, the real saving grace was the Fighting Scots’ defense, which enabled Daniels to cap scoring drives of just 42, 30 and 15 yards.

“Our defense stepped up and gave us great field position,” said Bell, whose team scored a total of six times after starting a drive in Lawrence territory. “Defensively, I thought we did a very, very nice job.”

On successive drives, the Scots stymied a fake punt attempt by Lawrence and stuffed a fourth-and-one running play. On both occasions, Monmouth’s first play from scrimmage then went 30 yards or more.

Although the Scots didn’t rack up many style point in the win, they did improve to 7-0 on the year, and they also got a boost in their bid to win the Midwest Conference when St. Norbert defeated Carroll 48-28. The Fighting Scots could now lose one of their three remaining games and still be the conference champion.

Of course, with a 14-game winning streak on the line and a large Homecoming crowd expected this Saturday at Bobby Woll Memorial Field, Monmouth has no intention of falling to visiting Illinois College.

“We definitely have the best atmosphere in the conference, and the best crowd, in general,” said Bell. “They bring an energy level, and it can only help you.”

The “12th Man” might give the Scots an intangible edge, but when it comes to Xs and Os, two things will be key for the Scots against the Blueboys – regaining their offensive sharpness and stopping IC running back Jared Crain.

“He ran all over us last year,” said Bell, referring to Crain’s 192 yards in Monmouth’s 31-17 victory. “We’re not going to stop him, but we have to do a better job of containing him.”

Crain has 818 yards and eight TDs this season on 150 carries, and he was one of the heroes of Illinois College’s impressive 24-8 win over Lake Forest.

“That was a nice win for them,” said Bell. “They’re coming off a high, and they should be highly motivated to play us.”

For the second straight week, Monmouth will face a team’s second-string quarterback. IC’s Pete Jennings has been lost for the year, but Michael Cory stepped in last week and was solid, throwing for 99 yards and two scores to complement Crain’s 150-yard day.

Saturday’s kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m., and football-related Homecoming activities will include the introduction of four new M Club Hall of Fame inductees at halftime, as well as the firing of the school’s Civil War-era cannon after each Fighting Scot touchdown.

If all goes according to plan, the Scots’ offense will be back to firing on all cylinders, and the cannon will signal its return.

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