Going into last Saturday’s game between the Frostburg State University and Oberlin College football teams, the Frostburg Bobcats were something of an unknown quantity. Now we know.
The Bobcats brought their eighth-ranked offense into Dill Field and ran, ran and then ran some more, rushing 57 times for 293 yards and four touchdowns, while only attempting 17 passes. Frostburg had put 31 points on the board by the time Oberlin scored a touchdown with 51 seconds in the first half, and the Bobcats went on to win 48-14, dropping Oberlin to 1-3.
“They were one of the better teams we’ll play this year,” sophomore running back Mike Hill said, “and they played better.”
Frostburg’s offensive output was not unexpected; the Bobcat attack came in averaging nearly 500 yards per game. The Yeomen, in fact, held them well below their average in surrendering 421 yards. (The Bobcats dropped to ninth in total offense in Division III after Saturday’s game.)
What was unexpected was the way in which they racked up their yards, handing off to their number one back Edward Kearney 31 times and running on more than 75 percent of their plays. Frostburg had not run on more than 65 percent of its plays in any previous game.
“I don’t think we were ready for that,” head coach Jeff Ramsey said of the ground assault, noting that Frostburg had been running a much more balanced offense in its previous games.
With the exception of a 53-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, the Yeomen avoided yielding the big plays that have hurt them earlier this season. But the Bobcats were able to consistently gain yards rushing, averaging over five yards a carry. It was the first time this year that an opponent has moved the ball so consistently against Oberlin’s run defense, which, a few big plays aside, has been sound this season.
“We had a lot of injuries,” sophomore defensive lineman Tim Lichte said. “On the defensive line we played [the same] four the whole time. They decided to pound the ball on us.”
The Yeomen were also expecting to be able to create more turnovers against a Frostburg team that had committed 13 in its first three games, but “they actually did play pretty sound,” Lichte said. “Their running back had fumbled a lot but held onto the ball really well. The turnover ratio [3:1 in favor of Frostburg] was definitely not what we anticipated.”
The effectiveness of Frostburg’s defense was also surprising. Frostburg had been surrendering an average of 330 yards per game, including more than 200 per game on the ground. But the Bobcats denied Oberlin’s attempts to establish a running game, holding the Yeomen to 86 yards on 34 carries (not including sacks) for only a 2.5 average. Sophomore Travis Oman was the most effective of Oberlin’s backs, carrying five times for 28 yards.
“Their team speed on defense was better than we thought,” Ramsey said. “I don’t think we were ready for that kind of speed. There were holes [for the running backs] but [Frostburg] closed them faster than a lot of other teams. Our guys need to learn how to adjust to that.”
The lack of a ground game forced senior quarterback Chris Moffatt into difficult situations, as the Bobcats picked him off once, sacked him three times and held him to eight of 21 for 82 yards. They were helped out, though, by the Oberlin receiving corp, which dropped seven passes on the day.
Oberlin finally got on the board when Moffatt hit sophomore receiver Scott Barker for a 17-yard touchdown pass near the end of the first half. Barker led the receivers with three catches for a total of 40 yards, all of which came on the touchdown drive.
When the score reached 48-7 in the fourth, Ramsey brought in sophomore quarterback Ryan Squatrito, who promptly led the Yeomen to their final score of the game — a four-yard touchdown pass to junior running back Greg Jaquay. Jaquay had a 35-yard reception to start the drive, and Oman contributed a 13-yard rush, his longest of the day. Squatrito finished five of seven for 82 yards.
One bright spot for the Yeomen came in the kick-returning game, where Oman and Hill, taking over the job from injured sophomore Zach Lewis, each had a nice return with the aid of some great Yeoman blocking. Hill took one 28 yards in the first quarter and Oman returned one 42 yards to set up Squatrito’s touchdown drive. Oberlin has looked dangerous at times on returns this season, and Oman and Hill continued to have success with the scheme.
“We did a real good job setting up our wedge [on the kick returns],” Hill said. “Our kick return team was one of the things that kept us in the game. I think we’ll take one to the house before the end of the season.”
Overall, though, “our lack of depth showed,” Ramsey said, “because we had guys out injured.”
Aside from Lewis, senior defensive leader Steve Barlow missed Saturday’s game and sophomore linebacker and punter Ryan Drews was in and out due to back spasms. Barlow, who was injured during practice, may be ready to go for tomorrow’s game, which would be a big boost to the defensive line.
As for Drews: “We’re hoping he’ll [still] be healthy enough to punt,” Ramsey said. Drews is averaging almost 36.5 yards per punt and has pinned nine inside the 20, while only sending two for touchbacks.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Yeomen this week as they travel to the College of Wooster tomorrow for their second North Coast Athletic Conference game of the year. Their run defense will be put to the test again as they face the Fighting Scots’ Tony Sutton, a transfer running back who has helped rejuvenate the Scots’ program. Sutton has racked up an average of 198 yards per game and nearly nine yards per rush, easily leading all of Division III in both categories.
“He’s definitely the best back in the conference,” Lichte said.
Sutton’s team, meanwhile, has gotten off to a 4-0 start, already equaling last season’s win total. They beat Case Western Reserve University, which is now second in Division III in offense, 27-22 two weeks ago, and just last week they rolled over last year’s NCAC runner-up Ohio Wesleyan University 37-14.
Interestingly, despite its perfect record, Wooster has been out-gained by opponents, allowing just over 400 yards per game, while gaining slightly under 400.
“There’s going to be holes,” Hill said. “The running backs need to find the holes. Their offense is winning games, but I think we can win against their defense.”
The difference for Wooster, though, has been the running game, where the Scots have a nearly two-to-one advantage in rushing yards and have scored nine rushing touchdowns while only allowing four.
“It’s going to be interesting for our defense,” Ramsey said, “to see how they react [to Wooster’s running game].”