The excitement over the new season was palpable Saturday.
SXU Athletics
It was clear it had been too many months since their last game (nine), too many years since a national championship (two), too many seasons without a playoff berth (one).
The Saint Xavier Cougar football team took its first step toward a national championship bid on Saturday with its 65-38 victory over Marian University, which set the record for the most points ever scored on the Knights’ home field.
The score can be misleading, though, because the Cougars made their share of mistakes in Indianapolis.
The miscues came early for Saint Xavier and were largely cleaned up by the end of the contest. It was following the very first offensive series of the game that things went a little haywire.
After an ineffective series for quarterback John Rhode and the offense, Joe Bailey came on to punt. His blockers could not pick up the pressure the Knights brought and his kick was blocked by Marian’s Eric Price, who would recover and advanced for a touchdown.
After the following kickoff, Rhode threw an interception that resulted in a field goal and a 10-0 lead for the Knights.
Rhode returns as a sophomore after showing flashes of brilliance in his 2013 playing time, which injuries limited. His inconsistent tendencies were on display in the first half Saturday.
After the poor opening series and the interception, he found his offense in a third-and-13 situation at their own 16-yard line. But then came one of those flashes of brilliance.
With the necessary protection, Rhode scanned the field. His read of the defense brought him to the left side of the field, where he saw fellow sophomore Stephen Simms streaking down the sideline.
Rhode heaved the ball in Simms’s direction, hitting him in stride and allowing him to continue running all the way to the end zone for an 84-yard touchdown.
Rhode would finish the day with 18 completions on 37 attempts for 295 yards and three touchdowns, plus five rushing attempts for another pair of touchdowns.
Simms, a receiver/running back/returner, had two catches for 92 yards and seven runs that went for 37 yards.
But the mistakes were not over just yet. With the graduation of 2013 punter/kicker Spencer Nolen (who now serves as a graduate assistant to the coaching staff), new kicker Abdul Mahdi saw his first ever collegiate extra point attempt blocked.
Mahdi’s confidence would grow, however, as the tide of the game turned in Saint Xavier’s favor.
After Ryan Carroll blocked a punt for Saint Xavier, first-year running back Mike Ivlow took the handoff on an option play from Marian’s eight-yard line and fought his way into the end zone.
Mahdi made the extra point attempt and each of the others he would attempt in the game, and he and the offense would never look back.
The Cougar defense did its job all day by containing Tevin Lake, one of the NAIA’s premier running backs. And the defensive line, the strength of the unit last year that remains largely intact this season, did its job getting to the quarterback.
Senior defensive end Greg Hayward had a pair of sacks and a forced fumble that led to a Rhode touchdown run. Hayward’s defensive unit combined for five sacks in the game and a pair of forced fumbles.
Despite the fact that the defense allowed 38 points, many of those were the result of the offense and special teams units either directly allowing points or putting the defense in difficult spots.
The Saint Xavier secondary in particular appeared improved over last season with cornerbacks Tyler Hoeg, Mark Williams and Danny Lombardo playing with confidence.
Williams, Lombardo and strong safety Joe DeMarco each had interceptions. Lombardo and DeMarco returned theirs 43 and 68 yards, respectively, for touchdowns in the second half.
The offensive line improved as the game progressed, allowing for big days from Rhode, Simms and senior wide receiver Nick DeBenedetti (10 catches, 84 yards and a touchdown), but the running game never really got going.
The running tandem of bruiser Joshua Hunter and finesse back Khary Ferguson combined for just 27 yards on eight carries.
If the Cougars are indeed going to contend for another national championship, the running game needs to be more effective and the offensive and special teams units must limit mistakes.
And it will not take long before they get a real test of mettle.
This Saturday’s home opener pits the Cougars against the NCAA Division-II University of Indianapolis Greyhounds. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and the radio broadcast can be heard on WXAV 88.3 FM Chicago and wxav.com
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor
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