While the days of Springfield College’s Chris Sharpe ’07 scampering up and down the gridiron are over, the headaches for opposing defenses attempting to stop the Pride’s triple option are not. But this has not been a problem in the past for senior defensive tackle Joe Goetz and the Ithaca College football team’s defense, which has used careful preparation to lessen the pains caused by Springfield’s run-heavy offensive style.

“It’s always a challenging week of preparation for Springfield,” Goetz said. “We always have to change some stuff around with our defense to tackle each phase of the option.”

The Bombers have had their way with Springfield, posting wins over the past five seasons when lining up against the Pride. In each of those five contests, the Bombers held Springfield below its season average in rushing yards, while limiting the Pride to an average of just more than 14 points per game.

Springfield Offensive Coordinator Mike Cerasuolo said he is well aware of the challenge presented by the Bombers’ defense that has proved its effectiveness in shutting down the run. He said the Bombers have had the Pride’s number over recent years, and he is impressed with their discipline.

“Ithaca is one of the best programs in Division III year in and year out,” Cerasuolo said. “They have done a tremendous job against us over the years. They are well-coached, disciplined, have great size up front and have a talented linebacker core.”

Sophomore Eric Toporoff is one of those talented linebackers and one of five defensive players who are projected to be making their first career start against Springfield. Toporoff feels confident the coaching staff is leading its players in the right direction for a win Saturday.

“The coaches have been giving us the keys, and we just have to follow those keys to be successful,” Toporoff said. “In the film session we have been committed to watching blocking schemes and reading in general. We all know this week is going to come down to stopping the run.”

And stopping the run is something the Bombers have prided themselves on in recent years. While the Bomber secondary has had its ups and downs throughout the season, allowing more than 250 passing yards per game, the Ithaca run defense has been nothing short of solid, giving up an average of just 107 rushing yards per game.

Something will have to give on Saturday, though, when the Bombers meet a 6–1 Springfield team that has averaged 383 rushing yards per game. But while the Pride always rack up yards on the ground, they average less than 100 yards per game through the air while throwing the ball an average of just nine times a game this season.

“It’s just the philosophy of our offense,” Cerasuolo said. “It’s all in the kids we recruit, and them buying into the system. We add wrinkles here and there and take chances downfield when the opportunities are presented to us, but running is the one dimension we are best at.”

It will be the job of the Bombers’ defense to keep the Pride offense as one-dimensional as possible Saturday.

“It just comes down to individuals executing,” Toporoff said. “Anytime you make a team one-dimensional, it raises your chances to win the game.”