Author: Lizeth Castillo
Halfway through this season’s schedule, the Tigers are facing the prospect of an undefeated 2008 football season.
“We feel really good about this season and we are confident that if we keep our focus we can remain undefeated,” defensive back Mike McGarry (senior) said. “Our goals are to finish the season undefeated and to make a run in the play -offs, but we are just taking it one game at a time and not getting ahead of ourselves.”
Currently, the men’s football team is 5-0, 2-0 in SCIAC, and is rejoicing in their successful season thus far.
“We go into every week with the same attitude,” wide receiver Chris Washington (junior) said. “We always try and have a better practice than the previous.”
“[It is] important to note that we are exactly where we had expected to be, undefeated . . . it is exactly what we have prepared for the entire off-season, and what we prepare for mentally and physically day in and day out,” tight-end Josh “Da Champ” Martinez (senior) said. “Come week 10, we expect to be undefeated still, making a statement to all of SCIAC and the entire nation; we expect to be heading into the playoffs, and to do damage there as well.”
With about 25 first-year players and the loss of returning players due to injury or other circumstances, without a doubt there has been a change in team dynamics this season – a change that the Tigers have used to their best advantage. “We have great team chemistry this year. We only lost four starters from last year,” offensive line player Brett Henderson (senior) said.
“Having most of our offense and defense composed of returning starters has definitely made a difference, because everyone has worked hard and improved from last season.” Henderson elaborates that most of the team’s starters are juniors or seniors with a few sophomores, and that the first-years are also significantly contributing to the team during practice, on offense, defense and special teams.
Despite the changes in this year’s roster, the Tigers are working together to present a united front, and are giving all they can while out on the field.
“Regarding team dynamics, the best thing we’ve got going for us is that everyone is buying into the program,” linebacker Anthony Ostland (senior) said. Ostland also sees a difference in the team dynamics when it comes to personal commitment to the sport.
“In the past, there has been conflict or frustration with some players because not everyone gets the opportunity to step out onto the field on game days. It is hard to keep everyone motivated when there are more than 80 people on a roster when only 11 can play at a time. However, that is not the case with these guys,” he said.
The team’s cohesiveness is undoubtedly reflected on the scoreboard week after week. On Saturday, Oct. 18, the team headed to Orange to play Chapman University, and defeated the Panthers 31-28 in their final non-conference game of the season.
As for the rest of the 2008 season, the team hopes for another SCIAC title. “Our goal every year is to win SCIAC and go into the playoffs,” Ostland said. “But to achieve that goal we take it one game at a time. We do our best not to look down the road.”
Yet, ultimately, Ostland acknowledges that the only thing the Tigers can do to get closer to this goal is perfect their game play.
“The only thing that we can control is how we play. We can’t control how the other team prepares or executes in a game, or what game we are playing down the road. The idea is that if we go into every game having prepared our best, the outcome will always be what we expect: a win.”
“Great teams find out who they are when there is no platinum or gold on the wall,” Martinez said. “That was us last year, we had no title, and we had no national ranking, but we were still a great team . . . and will continue to come out ready . . . ready to WIN.”
“I have never been a part of a team that is closer than this one,” Ostland said. “Everyone understands the sacrifices that need to be made to build on a winning tradition; everyone is willing to lay it all on the line for the next guy and that’s what you need if you want to have a successful year.”
Quarterback Justin Goltz (senior), reverberates Ostland’s sentiment about team dynamics this season.
“This season has been great thus far,” Goltz said. “Maybe it’s because it’s my senior year, but it seems as if everything is coming together and there is a sense of entitlement that our team embraces in winning conferences and making a dent in the national playoffs.”
Like with any other team sport, strong friendships and team cohesiveness improve the quality of play out on the field, and the Tigers are showing the nation that they indeed are a strong team in every sense of the word.
“What makes this team so special is everyone’s commitment to the concept that we are a family,” Ostland said. “Everyone is accountable for his teammate, no one wants to let his brother down.”
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
