A 21-point second-half surge was not enough for the Marist Red Foxes to top the Butler Bulldogs on Saturday in Indiana in their conference opener. Redshirt junior wideout Archie Cox won the game for the Bulldogs on a 48-yard catch and run, putting his team on top 31-28 with just 1:47 left in the game.
Butler started on the Marist 39-yard line with under 3:00 left in the game, and if there was anyone that the Red Foxes needed to watch at this juncture of the contest, it was superstar redshirt junior receiver Ethan Loss. Loss’s route-running was on full-display, as he created separation every time he cut in or out.
Marist’s wariness of Loss resulted in the Red Foxes lining up in a two-deep zone look, meaning both safeties were lined up further down the field than they had been all game, and that is a recipe for disaster when the opponent has players who can make plays after the catch, which is exactly what Cox did, stunning the Red Foxes.
The five-play, 69-yard drive was led by the Butler offensive line. The unit had a very strong day, as Marist only had one sack. Redshirt sophomore right guard Charlie Gardner had three pancakes on the last drive alone, one of them coming on a Marist all-out blitz. Marist has consistently generated pressure on opposing quarterbacks all season, but today, Butler’s big-men won the battle at the line of scrimmage.
Butler redshirt junior quarterback Reagan Andrew shined for the Bulldogs, tossing three touchdown passes and completing 63% of his total attempts. The Bulldogs showcased their versatility today, having had nine different receivers catch a pass, as well as seeing eight different ball-carriers in the run game.
An inaugural 16-play, 62-yard drive ended in a turnover on downs inside the Butler 10-yard line. This would be Marist’s only drive with a first down in the first half. The Red Foxes finished the day 0-13 on third down, struggling to give their defense a break.
Redshirt junior quarterback Sonny Mannino, who started today despite leaving the team’s last game in a sling, did not run nearly as much as he normally does, which significantly impacted the Marist offense.
Mannino accounted for 47% of Marist’s rushing yards heading into today, with 251 yards on the ground. Today, he ran just nine times, and his longest run of the day was only three yards.
After Butler senior defensive back Will Mason picked off Mannino, Andrew completed a six-yard touchdown pass to redshirt senior tight end Cameron Heald, putting Butler on the board first.
Mason was all over the field for Butler today. He finished the contest with four tackles, two pass break-ups, an interception, and a forced fumble.
The Marist defense recorded the unit’s second fumble return for a touchdown this season after an Andrew drop-back turned disastrous. The Bulldog signal-caller tried to pump-fake, but lost the ball—freshman linebacker Matt Bonczek scooped the pigskin and he did not look back, putting the Red Foxes on the board and tying the game at seven.
Both defenses continued their strong play until Butler redshirt junior running back Griffin Caldwell broke loose for a 56-yard haymaker touchdown. This put Butler up 14-7 just before the two-minute warning of the second quarter.
Marist head coach Mike Willis rolled the dice early in their own territory to start the second half, but to no avail. A fourth-down stop by the Butler defense set them up at the Marist 34-yard line with 13:00 remaining in the third quarter.
Butler, however, settled for a field goal. Redshirt junior kicker Ryan Short split the uprights from 26 yards out to make it 17-7.
The next Red Foxes drive was full of trickery. Redshirt freshman quarterback Patrick Grusser came in for three plays in a row—throwing on one play, running on another, and also lining up at receiver. He came back later in the drive to throw a jump pass touchdown to Hulstein. The big tight end now has a touchdown in every game this season.
This wildcat-type offense helped Marist open its playbook and started to really confuse the shaky Bulldog secondary.
A gutsy fourth-and-two call saw Mannino complete a touchdown pass to graduate student tight end Devin Kennedy. Kennedy used all of his six-foot-eight frame to put the Red Foxes in front, 21-17.
The Bulldogs were doing everything right on the following drive, crossing the 50-yard line in just four plays.
On the fifth play, Andrew fired a missile to Loss to get Butler inside the Marist 10-yard line. Loss came into the day leading the PFL in all-purpose yards. The Illinois product finished the day with five catches for 59 yards, also adding 41 yards on the ground.
Butler then went up 24-21 on a play-action passing touchdown from Andrew to redshirt junior tight end Brady Preston.
Marist converted its fourth fourth-down of the game when redshirt freshman wide receiver Lance Martinez broke free for a 35-yard sprint to the end zone, giving the Red Foxes a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter.
The Red Foxes’ defense, their most reliable unit this season, buckled in the final minutes. After holding strong for much of the day, Marist had no response when Butler marched 69 yards in five plays, capped by Cox’s 48-yard burst that sealed the outcome.
This put the nail in the coffin and handed the Red Foxes (2-2) their second loss of the year.
The Bulldogs move to 3-2 on the young season and will head to Minnesota to face St. Thomas next week. As for Marist, this is not the way they wanted to start conference play, but they will come home to face San Diego on parents’ weekend in Poughkeepsie next week. Kickoff is set for 12 pm.
Edited by August Lieberman
Photo by Quinn DiFiore
Graphic by Quinn DiFiore
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