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Towson's Ambrose Stirs Rare Winning Formula
By Simon Habtemariam
Following an early bye during the third week of the college football season, Towson coach Rob Ambrose faced three big challenges.
After opening the season with two blowout wins, how could he motivate an inexperienced team to keep the momentum going against a non-conference team, Colgate, entrenched in a down year? The Tigers came out flat against the Raiders, but eventually found a way to win.
After being blown out by every NCAA FBS team he has ever played, how could Ambrose convince his team it could play with an ACC team like Maryland? Somehow he did. The Tigers outgained the Terrapins' offense by 50 yards, but turnovers and ill-timed penalties killed Towson's hopes for an upset during their first-ever game against Maryland.
Then, after the team suffered its first loss of the season, how could it bounce back and gear up for a Colonial Athletic Conference schedule packed with six nationally ranked FCS opponents? Ambrose's program returned home to Johnny Unitas Stadium Oct. 8, when the Tigers used a last-second field goal by D.J. Soven to send the Richmond Spiders away with their first loss to Towson since 2007.
And thus the 4-1 Tigers continued their season of converting apathetics and cynics into believers. For the first time since 2007, Towson had back-to-back wins in conference play.
"If there's one thing our guys do not lack, it's swagger," Ambrose said. "And it is earned."
Towson leads the premier conference in the FCS in scoring defense. While the Tigers allow 17.2 points per game, their "bend but don't break" defense has been almost inept between the 20-yard lines, but has relied on the best red-zone defense in the conference to stay alive.
In addition to its efficiency in the red zone, Towson has shined in its rushing attack. In a breakout season, freshman tailback Terrance West leads the conference in scoring with nine touchdowns. West is not alone in leading the second-best CAA rushing offense. Seven different Tigers have double-digit carries.
Sophomore quarterback Grant Enders, one of the most efficient passers in the country, has also contributed 154 yards rushing and has scored two touchdowns on the ground.
Against opponents from Colgate to Maryland, Towson's offense stays on the field and when it is able to sustain lengthy drives comes away with points. Towson leads the CAA in third-down conversions at 58.2 percent. It has allowed a conference-low 90 first downs.
"It's always concerning when somebody sustains a nine-minute drive on you," Maryland coach Randy Edsall said after facing the Tigers. "I think we had opportunities to get off the field on third down, and we didn't."
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One of Towson's best statistics this season has been its ability to draw large crowds. Many would agree that the best cure to apathy in sports is winning. The Tigers, 4-0 at home after beating Richmond, should break their school attendance record at the next game. With a little more than 700 fans, the Tigers will surpass their previous mark of 35,693, set in 2007, the year that followed Towson's last winning season.
After every home win this year, Towson alum Ambrose has uttered the same phrase: "It's a great day to be a Tiger."
Issue 166: October 2011 |
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