By Michael Kelley ’14

Photo Courtesy of lehighvalleylive.com

Georgetown’s defensive statistics are other-worldly: 53 sacks in eight games, senior linebacker Robert McCabe leads the nation with 116 tackles, and cornerback Jeremy Moore ‘13 is first in the Patriot League with five interceptions.

But Lafayette head coach Frank Tavani could not care less.

“I have very little interest in statistics. The statistic I’m concerned about is winning,” Tavani said at Tuesday’s media luncheon. “Our football team is on a mission and we’ll see Saturday night about those statistics.”

The mission on Tavani’s mind is Lafayette’s hopes for a Patriot League Championship, a feat that has eluded them since their three-peat from 2004-06. And that mission continues tomorrow night when Lafayette plays Georgetown (3-5, 0-2) at Fisher Stadium.

Currently in a three-way tie for first place in league standings with Colgate (4-3, 2-0) and Lehigh (8-0, 2-0), Lafayette (5-2, 2-0) cannot afford a conference loss in such a tight race.

For the past two years, Lafayette suffered heartbreaking losses to Georgetown. So for the second straight week, the topic of revenge was brought up and, once again, Tavani shut it down.

“We don’t look in the rear view mirror too much,” Tavani said. “It’s not a matter of revenge or extra motivation. It’s a matter of 2012.”

But his quarterback, Andrew Shoop ‘13, may still have lingering memories.

“Everybody that was here for those games remembers those games and still has that little bitter taste in their mouth when you look across the line and see the ‘G’ on the side of their helmet,” Shoop said.

While Georgetown may boast absurd defensive statistics, it has not translated into defensive dominance, as evidenced last week against Colgate when they surrendered 707 yards of offense in a 57-36 loss.

Facing Holy Cross last Saturday, Lafayette had their best offensive output of the season with 30 points and 409 yards of offense.

“Offensively, we’re close to breaking through and being the football team that we’ve wanted to be since the beginning of the year,” Shoop said. “Obviously, our defense has played stellar all year long and now the onus is on us.”

According to Tavani, Georgetown’s offense is sure to give the Lafayette defense trouble all night.

“They give us a lot of preparation problems,” Tavani said. “They’ve run and shown practically every offensive play known to man.”

Running the show for Georgetown is freshman Kyle Nolan, Georgetown’s fourth quarterback this season. Nolan completed 16 of 39 passes for 260 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions against Colgate in his collegiate debut, earning him Patriot League Rookie of the Week.

Nolan and Georgetown periodically run the option, a concern for Tavani.

“That option at any moment, you can shut it down, shut it down, and then boom it’s 60 yards up the sideline,” Tavanisaid. “We have to stick to our responsibilities or they’re going to give us some real problems.”

Lafayette will also need to minimize the pre-snap penalties that have been present all season. Through seven games, Lafayette has been penalized 45 times.

“Nothing is more aggravating to me than to lose yards before the snap. That changes your play calling and what you have to do,” Tavani said.

In the final stretch of the season and with a championship on the line, Lafayette will continue to rely on the togetherness that has guided them all season.

“When it comes down to the end of the day, every single guy in that locker room is willing to die for one another,” Shoopsaid. “We love each other and we don’t just say it, we mean it.”