'All these games matter': With two games left, Holy Cross football looks to finish strong
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WORCESTER – The one-win Holy Cross football team has two games remaining and many objectives as it closes out a difficult and disappointing season.
“We talked about the importance of finishing strong,” HC coach Dan Curran said as his team prepared for its Nov. 15 game at Bucknell. “We want these guys to be rewarded for doing things the right way, preparing the right way and not fracturing. We have young players and the future is bright and getting momentum going into the offseason is important, and, for me, it’s the seniors. This is a good group of guys who have meant a lot to me personally and to the program.
“If your program is built on substance,” Curran said, “all these games matter.”
After Bucknell, the Crusaders face Georgetown at Fenway Park on Nov. 22.
Holy Cross fell to 1-9 (1-4 Patriot League) after last week’s loss at Lehigh.
HC’s defense held the Mountain Hawks in check for the first half, but No. 4 Lehigh dominated the third quarter and rolled to a 38-3 victory to remain undefeated (11-0, 6-0).
As Merrimack’s coach, Curran faced the outstanding 2022 Holy Cross team that went unbeaten until the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. Curran puts this year’s Lehigh squad in the same category.
“Lehigh is playing at a different level right now,” Curran said.
Freshman quarterback Dom Campanile made his first career start for Holy Cross and was 19-34 for 195 yards against Lehigh’s third-ranked scoring defense and fourth-ranked total defense.
It was an especially tough game for HC’s offense, which has struggled to score all season.
Holy Cross managed just 9 first downs, a season-low 216 total yards and 20 net rushing yards.
The Crusaders haven’t scored an offensive touchdown since sophomore quarterback Braden Graham threw a 6-yard TD pass to freshman Lincoln Fisher with 7:50 left in the third quarter of the Colgate game on Oct. 25.
“We have to get back to what we did against Richmond and Colgate (HC scored a season-high 28 points in each game) in the red zone, on third down, not turning the ball over and running the ball well,” Curran said. “Those are all things that help a quarterback, particularly a true freshman quarterback.”
Graham, who was injured early in the game against Lafayette on Nov. 1 and missed last week, has been cleared for Bucknell. As of mid-week, Curran hadn’t named a starter but expected both QBs would see action against the Bison.
The Crusaders thought they scored a touchdown in the third quarter at Lehigh, but Campanile’s 34-yard pass to Fisher, who found the end zone, was nullified by an offensive holding penalty. HC ultimately turned the ball over on downs and didn’t threaten again.
“It’s a by-product of a lot of things,” Curran said. “We’re not playing well enough, but not many teams are on their third-string quarterback and not many teams just played Lehigh’s defense. Getting the running game going is so important to keep our defense off the field and it’s a young quarterback’s best friend.”
HC’s rushing offense (101.7 ypg) ranks seventh out of eight PL teams.
Curran hopes to have junior cornerback Cam Jones, who missed the Lehigh game, back for Bucknell.
The Bison (5-5, 2-3) has been without fifth-year quarterback Ralph Rucker IV, the 2024 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, for the last three games, but Curran expects him to play Saturday.
Holy Cross has won six straight against Bucknell.
–Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross football aims for strong finish to disappointing season
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