Holy Cross prepared for dangerous University of New Hampshire offense in FCS playoffs
Jennifer Toland
Holy Cross took a little time off from football last weekend, but not really.
The undefeated Crusaders, who earned the No. 8 seed and a first-round bye in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, spent last Saturday affixed to their TVs and the Fordham-University of New Hampshire game, watching eagerly to see who their next opponent would be.
“Last week, we were preparing for two opponents,” HC coach Bob Chesney said, “then you get to that game and at one point it looked like New Hampshire was totally running away with it, then here’s Fordham fighting back, and for us, it was, ‘Who are we playing?’
“It was an emotional rollercoaster as you mentally navigated that game,” Chesney said, “and then, in the end, when New Hampshire pulls away and wins, there’s a sense of, ‘OK, now our work has been laid out for us.’”
Holy Cross (11-0) will host UNH (9-3) in a second-round playoff game at noon Saturday at Fitton Field.
In the 52-42 win over Fordham, the Wildcats rolled up season highs for points, passing yards (330) and total offense (664), and forced three turnovers, and junior running back Dylan Laube was immense with a program-record 424 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.
“He does everything,” Holy Cross senior cornerback Walter Reynolds said. “He gets the ball in his hands and he makes plays. Being able to pursue to the ball and rally and tackle in open space is critical to our game and critical to us getting the victory.”
Laube, respectfully referred to around here this week as “No. 20,” leads the nation in all-purpose yardage (201.1 ypg) and is one of only two FCS players to score a touchdown on a run, reception, kick return and punt return this season.
“He’s a special player,” Holy Cross defensive coordinator Scott James said. “He will challenge us fundamentally and he will challenge our attention to detail.”
James, who was UNH’s safeties coach for five seasons (2013-17), said the Wildcats’ offense is a little bit different now, but with similar threads under first-year coach Rick Santos, a UNH star quarterback from 2004-07.
James and Santos spent two seasons together on the UNH staff.
“Their offense is very sharp and their attention to detail clear,” James said. “They are physical and they work together well in each phase. Their offensive line picks up things really well. Their wide receivers block hard. Their quarterback has a lot of confidence. All that, and they have No. 20.”
Sophomore quarterback Max Brosmer, who missed last year with a knee injury, has completed 63% of his pass attempts for 2,912 yards and 25 touchdowns.
“That young man is so efficient,” Chesney said. “He’s on time, he understands the full offense and where to go with the ball based on coverages, and if he gets in a little bit of trouble, he finds (Laube) pretty quickly.”
Holy Cross, which is holding foes to less than 20 points per game, has the Patriot League’s top-ranked scoring defense and total defense. Nationally, the Crusaders rank 14th and 20th, respectively, in those categories.
The Wildcats’ scoring offense (30.6 ppg) ranks fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association. UNH’s offense scored on four of its first five possessions against Fordham.
“They’re an incredibly tough team,” HC senior defensive lineman Dan Kuznetsov said. “They’re very good up front, and they have a bunch of stars, a bunch of playmakers. It’s going to be a very good test for us, absolutely.”
Crusaders excited for home field advantage
When Holy Cross’ seniors left Fitton Field after their regular-season finale against Bryant, they had high hopes that they would return for at least one more game.
“We didn’t know if that would be our last time,” senior cornerback Walter Reynolds said, “but it feels great to be back playing at Fitton, in front of the city of Worcester, and at home. We’re excited.”
Last year, HC hosted a postseason game for the first time in 38 years and beat Sacred Heart in the first round for its first FCS playoff victory.
“When you’re doing something for the first time in a while,” Chesney said, “it comes with a lack of expectations, if you want to say it that way. Having been there last year puts us in a position where we understand what it takes. We understand the preparation leading up to it. We understand what we need to be able to do. We needed that one last year to be able to be comfortable and understand what comes with that territory.”
UNH, which had an incredible streak of 14 straight postseason appearances that ended in 2017, is back in the playoffs for the first time since then.
The Wildcats shared the CAA championship with William & Mary and earned an at-large playoff berth. UNH’s deepest postseason run was the semifinals in 2013.
“Every week we’re getting someone’s best shot,” James said. “New Hampshire wants their piece back. They have to come to Worcester and take it from us to recapture the glory days. It’s going to be a pretty big challenge, but I think we’ve been challenged throughout the year.”
Latest chapter in rivalry between Holy Cross, New Hampshire
Holy Cross and UNH will meet for the 18th time. The Wildcats lead the all-time series, 9-8. In games played at Fitton Field, HC is 6-3 against UNH, including a 13-10 win in 2019.
“Here are two great programs that are steeped in tradition,” Chesney said, “and I think this is great for the Northeast, just an awesome situation for everyone involved because I’m sure many of them have memories of coming to these games and thinking about some great teams on both sides of the field and some great competition.
“This is going to be a great, fun, physical game to be part of,” Chesney said. “It’s our first time hosting a second-round game, and it’s something we’re proud of and excited for.”
The winner of the UNH-HC game plays the winner of Delaware-South Dakota State in the quarterfinals.
Santos enjoys immediate success as UNH head coach
First-year UNH coach Rick Santos has done a great job bringing the Wildcats back to the top of the CAA and into the national rankings.
Santos, a record-setting UNH quarterback from 2004-07 and a 2016 UNH Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, spent the three previous seasons as associate head coach/quarterbacks coach, including a sixth-month term as interim head coach in 2019 when longtime coach Sean McDonnell was out on medical leave.
McDonnell retired at the end of last season.
Santos spent three seasons (2013-15) as UNH’s wide receivers coach before serving as the QB coach/pass game coordinator at Columbia from 2016-18.
The Wildcats won their first three games of 2021, but finished on an eight-game losing streak.
UNH’s nine wins this year are its most since the 2017 team finished 9-5.
“Ricky understands the strengths of his team and plays to them really, really well,” Chesney said of Santos, the CAA Coach of the Year. “He’s obviously one of the best college coaches in the country. It’s impressive to watch. It’s an honor to be able to compete on the field with him.”
Crusaders pile up accolades
Postseason accolades continue to pour in for the Crusaders.
Chesney earned his second straight Division 1 Coach of the Year honor from the New England Football Writers.
Junior quarterback Matthew Sluka was the recipient of the New England Football Writers’ Harry Agganis/Harold Zimman Award, presented to the most outstanding player in New England, regardless of division.
Senior running back Peter Oliver of Auburn and St. John’s High is one of 15 finalists for the Doris Robinson Award, given to the FCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Locals among contributors for New Hampshire
UNH has four Central Mass. products on its roster – senior wide receiver Brian Espanet of Hopedale, senior tight end Zach Banks of Westminster, redshirt freshman Nate Gould of Upton and redshirt freshman Justin Jameson of Gardner.
Espanet has played in all 12 games this season and has 13 receptions for 141 yards and three touchdowns.
The most celebrated UNH player from Central Mass. was Jerry Azumah, the former St. Peter-Marian star who was a standout tailback and return specialist for the Wildcats.
Azumah finished his collegiate career with what was a Division 1-AA record 6,193 rushing yards. At the time, he was the only player in 1-AA history to rush for more than 1,000 yards four times.
In 1999, Azumah was a fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears and he played all seven seasons of his NFL career with the Bears.
Azumah entered the UNH Hall of Fame in 2005 and the school retired his No. 25 uniform jersey.
Fitton Field parking notes
Holy Cross is advising fans attending Saturday’s game that the Freshman Field, garage and West Lot parking areas are sold out, and there will be no parking on the baseball field.
Parking is available in the Hogan Center and Luth Athletic Complex lots on upper campus and at Polar Beverages, located at 1001 Southbridge Street, Auburn. Shuttle services will run from these locations to Fitton Field.
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTolandTG.