Offensive and defensive woes would rear their heads as the Engineers were trampled 38-14 by the visiting Utica University Pioneers last Saturday.
Rensselaer faced the Pioneers almost a year ago in Utica but left with a 41-14 defeat where the result was clear from the beginning. Determined to avoid last year's result, Rensselaer scored the first touchdown of the game, a bruising five-yard run from running back Kayden White to set the score to 7-3. Utica, however, immediately responded less than ninety seconds later thanks to a 69-yard touchdown from a wide-open Utica receiver.
Utica’s pass-heavy offense kept the Rensselaer defense busy. The Engineers’ defense kept the Pioneers’ ground game at bay, only allowing 34 rushing yards, but did allow two touchdowns on the ground. The Engineers’ secondary, however, struggled outright. Caught between allowing short checkdown throws for ample yardage and deep looks to Utica’s speedy wideouts, Rensselaer’s defense was unable to adjust and ceded over 400 air yards to the Pioneers.
After another Utica touchdown extended their lead to ten points, Rensselaer drove down the field, and quarterback Micah Balzarini found Nate Ehui for a 16-yard touchdown to cut the visitors' lead to 17-14. From there, however, the offense sputtered.
On the first play of their next drive, Rensselaer wideout Robbie Patterson appeared to drop a low pass. Officials, however, concluded that Patterson had possession of the ball before dropping it, handing the football over to Utica at Rensselaer’s 19-yard line. While the defense limited the damage to a field goal, the offensive woes only continued to grow.
Rensselaer’s next drive was stymied when, at 3rd and 2 on their 32-yard line, an errant snap flew over the heads of Balzarini and running back Adrien Gurung and into the Rensselaer backfield. Gurung managed to recover the ball at Rensselaer’s 18-yard line, but Rensselaer was unable to reduce the deficit, let alone take back the lead, as the first half ended with Utica up 20-14.
Unfortunately for the Engineers, the dam of errors broke completely after halftime. Of Rensselaer’s five drives in the second half, three of them ended with the football in the hands of a Utica defender. Balzarini would throw his first interception of the season when his overthrown pass was caught by a Utica defender. After his next drive ended with the Engineers punting the ball as the third period expired, he was pulled for senior Frankie Garbolino. The change did not kickstart the offense.
Rensselaer regained possession halfway into the fourth quarter, now down 31-14. Two plays in, Garbolino’s second pass of the day was thrown just behind Peterson and into the waiting arms of a Utica linebacker in Rensselaer’s half. By the next time Rensselaer got the ball back, the Utica lead was now 38-14. A final Engineer drive met its fate when a pass thrown into double coverage landed in the hands of a Pioneer defensive back.
The Engineers, now 1-1, will hope to bounce back this Saturday when they travel to SUNY Brockport, also 1-1. The box score can be found here.
