DePauw drops another, will take 2-7 record to Wabash

DPU sophomore quarterback Drew Seaman threw for 255 yards but it wasn't enough as the Tigers lost to Denison University on Saturday. Seaman faced a heavy pass rush from Big Red senior Lane Hartfield. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

Coming off a win the week before, an emotional DePauw University football team looked to carry momentum throughout the tail end of the 2012 season, but uncharacteristically bad tackling and a lackluster offense caused the Tigers to lose to Denison University on Saturday, 39-20.

Sophomore Drew Seaman threw for 255 yards and a touchdown, but completed only 20-of-43 attempts, stifling any chance of gaining traction in the team's no-huddle offense.

DePauw (2-1, 1-5) had 18 carries for negative-13 rush yards.

"We played well starting off then we just missed tackles," DPU interim head coach Scott Srnka said. "(Denison) didn't do anything different than we've been working on all week. They were about as good as I thought they would be. We missed tackles. We were poor.

"That's my fault, because obviously the defense wasn't ready to go."

DPU allowed more than 450 yards from scrimmage (211 rushing, 245 passing) to a balanced offensive attack led by senior quarterback Max Paulus.

The Big Red signal caller threw for three touchdowns and rushed for 21 yards and a score.

The DPU rush defense had been one of the few bright spots on the team this year, but the unit was scorched on Saturday.

Senior running back Sam Fioroni total 147 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

"I'm just disappointed because we didn't play like we should have. It's my fault because I didn't get them prepared," Srnka said. "Obviously we weren't ready. I don't know why. I'm not blaming anybody but myself."

DePauw continued a recent trend of rotating quarterbacks.

Seaman started the game and played most of the first half. When the offense stalled late, freshman Justin Murray entered and led the team to a fourth-quarter touchdown.

The two-quarterback system looks likely to continue in the 2012 finale.

The Tigers will wrap up their disappointing season at Wabash next week in the annual Monon Bell Classic.

Srnka said he is not worried about a carryover from the poor effort on Saturday.

"We haven't talked about Wabash once. And they (the players) haven't talked about it," Srnka said. "The Wabash game is the Wabash game. If you can't get excited for that then you've got problems."


At Blackstock Stadium
Denison University 0 19 13 7 -- 39
DePauw University 6 6 0 8 -- 20
First Quarter
DPU -- Coburn 34 yd pass from Seaman (2 pt failed), 0-6 7:40
Second Quarter
DEN -- Lilley 5 yd pass from Paulus (Puracchio kick failed) 6-6 10:20
DPU -- Dwenger 55 yd fumble recovery (Malm kick blocked) 6-12 7:42
DEN -- Fioroni 6 yd run (Puracchio kick failed) 12-12 4:43
DEN -- Fioroni 20 yd pass from Paulus (Puracchio kick) 19-12 1:05
Third Quarter
DEN -- Fioroni 14 yd run (Puracchio kick failed) 25-12 13:29
DEN -- Paulus 4 yd run (Puracchio kick) 32-12 7:54
Fourth Quarter
DEN -- Lilley 7 yd pass from Paulus (Puracchio kick) 39-12 7:30
DPU -- Wagner 6 yd pass from Murray (D.J. Steward pass from Murray) 39-20 6:38
Individual Stats
Rushing
DEN -- Fioroni 28, 147, 2; Paulus 11, 21, 1; Brown 1, 13; Lilley 2, 11; Sklenar 2, 10; Wilson 3, 6; Morris 3, 3
DPU -- Galley 5, 10; Cato 4, 4; Muray 6, -8; Seaman 3, -19.

Receiving
DEN -- Fioroni 6, 54, 1; Layer 4, 95, 0; Morris 3, 19, 0; Lilley 2, 12, 2; Keller 1, 48, 0; McHugh 1, 17, 0.
DPU -- Wagner 6, 100, 1; Coburn 5, 86, 1; Sansone 5, 72, 0; Kirtley 4, 24, 0; Alleman 2, 41, 0; Steward 2, 18, 0; Galley 2,10, 0.