By Brian Bohl
No unit on a football team depends on chemistry and continuity more than the offensive line. But Hofstra’s first-string unit featured three non-seniors to protect new quarterback Bryan Savage in Saturday’s season opening upset victory over Furman.
Only two members-left tackle Shawn McMackin and center Jason Goodman-can claim senior status among the five starters. Against the seventh-ranked Paladins, coach Dave Cohen called on right tackle Brian Fredrick and right guard David Spanich to make their starting debuts.
Considering Savage was making his first start since transferring to Hofstra, going with youth up front could have caused the offense to sputter. Instead, the line kept the junior passer upright and provided time for receivers Charles Sullivan, Ottis Lewis and Anthony Nelson to get open.
Savage capitalized on the protection, leading the Pride into the red zone seven times in posting a 32-17 win at Shuart Stadium. He finished 24-36 with 285 yards and zero interceptions to snap his school’s seven-game losing streak dating back to last season.
“You have to give our offensive line a ton of credit. That’s a national-caliber defense,” Cohen said. “They didn’t have more than one sack. I think our quarterback, running back and receivers aided that as well.”
Fredrick, a red-shirt freshman, teamed with Spanich, a sophomore, to protect Savage’s right side and open running lanes for running back Kareem Huggins. Sophomore Mike Trice started six games at left guard as a freshman in 2006. He used that experience to team with McMackin, opening up running lane for Huggins to burst through for two touchdowns and his second career 100-yard rushing game.
Going up against all-Southern Conference selection nose guard Justin Brown, Huggins still was able to rush for 119 yards on 25 carries. It was the first 100-yard rushing game Furman’s defense allowed since Georgia Southern put up 165 yards on the ground Nov. 11.
Strong pass protection precipitated the game-clinching play early in the fourth quarter. Clinging to a five-point lead, Savage dropped back to pass without being flushed out of the pocket by Furman’s pass rush. That extra time allowed Savage to deliver a strike to Sullivan, who beat defensive back William Middleton by crossing between the hash marks to make the catch.
Sullivan grabbed the ball mid-stride and raced unimpeded into the end zone, completing the 44-yard touchdown strike that made it 29-17 with just under 10 minute remaining. The win marked the first time Hofstra defeated a ranked opponent since a 21-10 win over Massachusetts in Nov. 2005.
“It’s a great five right there,” Savage said. “They prepared really well this week. They watched a lot of film. We threw at them a lot of blitzes they didn’t even see, so they were prepared.”
Questions arose prior to the year whether or not running back Kareem Huggins (No. 2) could shoulder a full workload. His Week 1 performance erased most, if not all, doubts. (Athletic Department)