For the first time since 1998, Georgetown was able to win its opener in front of its home crowd. Georgetown’s offense struggled inside the red-zone, but special teams was able to pick up the slack.
Junior kicker Mike Gillman set a new Georgetown (1-0 overall, 0-0 PL) record with five successful field goals, and the Hoyas’ defense allowed St. Francis (0-1 overall, 0-0 NEC) just 198 total yards in the 36-7 romp.
“It’s always important to get off to a good start; you can’t replace a win in game one,” Head Coach Bob Benson said. “They came in with 19 [returning] starters and their highly-touted offense, and we knew they were going to blitz every down. We knew about those things, but in the first game, it’s about the unknowns.”
But, it was the Georgetown unknowns that stole the show. Junior running back Kim Sarin the new feature back, who previously had been used mainly for returning kicks, rushed for a career high 154 yards and used his elusive speed to move the ball in first-year coordinator Elliot Uzelac’s new-look option based offense.
“He has earned the number one job,” Benson said. “He’s our starting tailback, he can go the distance every time.”
The Hoyas employed option sets and running plays throughout the game, balancing their offense with 20 passes.
“This year we’re mobilizing our talent,” Sarin said, while remembering to pay homage to the foundation of any running game. “The entire running game is the offensive line; they’ve been together since freshman year so it’s wonderful for me.”
Sarin, who won the starting job over two more experienced backs, junior Marcus Slayton and senior John Sims, left the game in the fourth quarter from dehydration and some tightness in his legs. The injury is considered minor, and Sarin is fully expected in practice.
“I wasn’t used to getting in the game,” Sarin said. “We practice hard, but its different when you’re in the game.”
It was Slayton, however, who ran for a 6 yard touchdown that sealed the game in the second half. That touchdown made it 29-7 and was setup by another sparkling special team’s play: a 63yard punt return by sophomore Brian Tandy to St. Francis’s 20-yard line.
Gilman used this opportunity to convert yet another field goal. After spending last season fighting off various injuries, he was able to come to camp in shape. He made kicks of 20, 23, 28, 37 and a career high 43 yards in the first half as well as tacking on three extra points. Gillman also made two saving tackles on punt returns in the first half, when the game was still close.
Last year, Gillman suffered six tears of the cartilage in his hip socket and overcame many rehab obstacles to get back in the lineup. “For starters, I didn’t have surgery this summer, so my leg felt pretty good,” Gillman said.
“There is nobody committed into getting himself better than Gillman,” Benson said. “Certainly being healthy helps, but he also worked very hard. Our special teams really sealed the victory.”
Defensively, the Hoyas’ shut down St. Francis’ pass-heavy offense. Standouts were first-year defensive back Mikey Blainefield, who had an interception, and junior defensive lineman Dan Cordisco, who ran back a fumble for an emotional touchdown to cap off the game.
Senior quarterback Andrew Crawford had a solid, if uneventful, game completing 11 of 20 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Crawford handled the blitz well, and ran a competent option, letting Sarin and Slayton carry much of the offensive load. Crawford picked out junior tight end Glenn Castergine for the eight-yard touchdown toss in the second quarter.
For all the excitement of an opening win, Georgetown now has to prepare to open their Patriot league campaign. Facing Lafayette (1-0 overall, 0-0 PL) at home next week, the Hoyas have an opportunity to finally break through as a football force. Last year Georgetown beat Lafayette 17-10, and the Hoyas are hoping for a repeat performance.
The Hoyas will have to stop the Leopards’ star tailback Joe McCourt who rushed for 1154 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.
“I wish we could have played Georgetown that Sunday after we lost to them last year,” McCourt said in an interview Tuesday. “All off season this was a checkmark game. They didn’t beat us last season since they were better or faster than us, they beat us since they wanted it more, and that’s just depressing”.
Finally healthy, Georgetown now hopes the players that surprised some with quality performances can quickly become consistent go-to-guys throughout the long season.
“We need to shore some things up defensively, but quarterback was good, receivers were good,” Benson said. “We’re now four years into the [Patriot] League and we’re much more of a program. We understand what we’ve got to do now, [Lafayette’s] the biggest game of the year. Period.”
