Menu
DePauw duo sets completion record in loss to Kenyon
Sophomore quarterback Drew Seaman led a late scoring drive to close their deficit to two, but the Tigers failed to get a final stop in their 21-19 loss to Kenyon College on Saturday.
DePauw University (1-6, 0-4) started freshman Justin Murray at quarterback and the pair combined to complete a school-record 45 passes for 366 yards.
"They (the Lords) were giving us so many throws that we're trying to take advantage of that," DPU head coach Scott Srnka said. "For us, that's almost like the run game. That's what we saw and that's what we could take, and we knew we could take."
The Tigers spent the day playing catch-up after Kenyon (4-3, 3-1) senior receiver Carlo Gagliardo returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.
Murray, making his fourth straight start, was replaced after two ineffective drives.
When Seaman entered the game, DPU immediately began moving the ball, flowing with a hurry-up, no-huddle offense.
Seaman was 8-for-8 on the 11-play, 73-yard drive, ending in a 1-yard touchdown run by freshman back Amen Galley.
The extra point was sent wide by junior Eric Malm, leaving the Tigers behind 7-6 with 2:53 left in the first quarter.
Kenyon answered back quickly when senior Dan Shannon lobbed a beautiful 53-yard pass over the shoulder of Gagliardo.
The DePauw defense stepped up after the deep pass, holding Kenyon without another score until midway through the fourth quarter.
"Special teams wins and loses ball games and the last two weeks it's been a different phase of the game every week," Srnka said. "We mixed up the coverages on them. In the end, we just didn't tackle."
Like much of the year, DePauw failed to establish a running game, instead relying on short passes from Seaman to advance the ball.
"The offense felt really smooth and it was finally clicking," Seaman said. "Honestly I can say I don't think it was (the plan). It's just kind of the way it worked out. The linebackers kept getting depth and we just kept throwing the under stuff and moving the offense down the field."
The teams matched defensive stops for most of the second and third quarters.
DePauw alternated quarterbacks in the second quarter, with neither achieving much success.
When Murray was in the game, the Lords attacked, forcing the freshman into quick decisions.
Seaman failed to achieve the same momentum he gained on his first drive, largely because of a number of untimely drops by the DePauw receiving corps.
Srnka said the quarterback decision in the future will likely depend on the match-up and game plan.
"Both of them have their talents and we're gonna plug them in as we see fit for the defenses that we see coming up," Srnka said. "I really don't know (about next week)."
Seaman said no matter what the plan, he would come prepared.
"My goal was just to go out there and make the most of the time I got," he said. "That's the coaches' decision. Whatever they decide is right and that's what we'll go with."
In the fourth quarter, DePauw used the short passing game to set up runs.
Although they weren't particularly flashy, Armani Cato (11 for 34, two touchdowns) and Galley (7 for 17, one touchdown) helped keep the defense honest, which gave the DePauw quarterbacks time to find receivers.
Murray opened at quarterback in the second half, but was replaced after two drives by Seaman.
The sophomore, making his first appearance since a week 3 concussion, finished 39-for-54 for 322 yards.
"I just kind of kept going in with the way the game was going. We fell a couple plays short here and there," Seaman said. "If we tighten those little things up, we win the game."
Cato punched in a touchdown run with 3:04 left in the fourth quarter to draw the Tigers within two, but the defense failed to make a final stop, allowing third down conversions twice on the last drive.
DePauw will face Wooster College (record) next week.
At DePauw
Kenyon 14 0 0 7 -- 21
DePauw 6 0 0 13 -- 19
Scoring summary
First Quarter
K -- 14:44 Carlo Gagliardo 90-yd kickoff return (Sam Howard Kick) 7-0
D -- 2:53 Amen Galley 2-yd run (Eric Malm kick failed) 7-6
K -- 0:20 Gagliardo 53-yd pass from Dan Shannon (Howard kick) 14-6
Fourth Quarter
D -- 10:18 Armani Cato 2-yd run (2 pt failed, Seaman pass) 14-12
K -- 5:54 Brett Williams 7-yd run (Howard kick) 21-12
D -- 3:04 Cato 1-yd run (Malm kick) 21-19
Individual Statistics
Rushing
Kenyon -- Williams 29 carries, 127 yards, 1 TD; January 12, 37, 0; Shannon 3, 9, 0; Beaudouin 3, -4, 0
DePauw -- Cato 11, 30, 2; Galley 7, 15, 1; Ude 2, 9, 0; Cusumano 2, 5, 0; Freund 1, 2, 0; Murray 2, -8, 0
Passing
Kenyon -- Shannon 11/21, 151 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
DePauw -- Seaman 39/54, 322, 0, 0; Murray 6/13, 0, 0; Schuler 0/1, 0, 1
Receiving
Kenyon -- Gasbarro 4 receptions, 37 yards, 0 touchdowns; Williams 3, 27, 0; Gagliardo 2, 73, 1; January 1, 7, 0; Beaudouin 1, 7, 0
DePauw -- Ude 9, 79; Coburn 7, 47; Sansone 6, 40; Kirtley 5, 35; Jeffers 4, 36; Galley 3, 24; McClamroch 3, 23; Wagner 3, 10; Cato 2, 37; Crook 2, 25; Alleman 1, 10