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| Rich Lacker has been coaching at Carnegie Mellon since the photos were taken on film, and primarily in black and white. Carnegie Mellon athletics photo |
By Joe Sager
D3sports.com
Saturday’s game is not part of a Hollywood script, but it sure seems like it for Carnegie Mellon.
The Tartans are playing at home against their biggest rival with a conference championship and a trip to the NCAA playoffs on the line. And, it happens to be the final regular-season game for longtime head coach Rich Lackner.
All Carnegie Mellon has to do is write the final chapter with a victory against Case Western Reserve. A Tartans win locks up at least a share of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title, the conference’s automatic playoff berth and a chance for Lackner to coach in at least one more game.
“We’re all very excited for this. An opportunity like that doesn’t come around very often,” Carnegie Mellon senior cornerback Sean Knight said. “Coach Lackner means the world to all of us. This whole season, we’ve been so proud to represent him and what he stands for and this program as a whole. We’re all proud to be in this situation and to be coached by him.”
It was a tough start for Carnegie Mellon, which stared at a 1-2 mark after its first three games. However, the Tartans turned things around in a hurry and won their last six, including two wins over ranked teams (Westminster and Washington & Jefferson).
“Part of it was growing pains. Overall, we’re a very young team and this is coming from a fifth-year guy,” CMU starting guard Sean Pogorelc said with a laugh. “Beside the offensive line, most position groups are mainly underclassmen. I think one of our big advantages, going down the stretch, is we got more and more cohesiveness with the more games we played.”
Carnegie Mellon’s players realized they had no more room for error, also.
“I think it was a culture shift. We came together after we were 1-2,” Knight said. “We had a team meeting and just talked about the things we could individually work on to improve. The message was to come to practice every day and get better. Progress was the goal.
“We really looked at each opponent for what they were and didn’t look past any team and put the same amount of time in, no matter who we play. I think we really understood what the process had to be in order to get back on track.”
It took the Tartans’ offense a couple games to find some consistency, too. The team produced 16 points combined in both losses, but has tallied no fewer than 27 points per game since. Sophomore running back Tre Vasiliadis (929 yards) has emerged as the PAC’s leading rusher.
“I think we are playing complementary football,” CMU associate head coach/offensive coordinator Andy Helms said. “The fact we’re able to do some things in the special teams area is huge and our defense is ridiculously good. What that does, as an offense, it allows you not to panic. We know we’ll get right back out there and have an opportunity.”
Carnegie Mellon’s defense has been on the of country’s best. The Tartans allow 9.0 points per game, which ranks third in the nation. In addition, the squad’s special teams unit has blocked five punts this fall.
“Our field position, as a result of the defense being good and getting turnovers and our kicking game being good, has been great,” Helms said. “Our offense may not have gaudy numbers, but a lot of that has to do with our starting field position. We have the league’s leading rusher and we’re very balanced. When you have a team that can run the football and is still good enough to throw it on you and also has a stifling defense and a sound kicking game, that has allowed us to be successful down the stretch, for sure.”
The team’s evolution has been a thrill for Lackner, who is in his 36th year leading the program. His 233 wins are tied for third in D-III among active head coaches.
“We’ve played consistently well. Early on, we struggled a little bit scoring some points, but the offense has come along and the defense has played strong all year,” he said. “In order for things to fall into place, you have to have some chemistry. I think we have some good chemistry in that locker room. The guys are playing hard and giving great effort. I am pleased with how things have gone so far.
“As a coach, you always preach to kids that, in the fourth quarter, you want to be in position to win the football game,” he continued. “If you think about that as a conference schedule, you want to put yourself in position the last week of the season to possibly win a conference championship. We put ourselves in that position and, hopefully, we play well on Saturday.”
Case Western Reserve (6-3 overall, 5-3 PAC) poses a formidable challenge for Carnegie Mellon (7-2, 7-1). The Spartans have the PAC’s top offense (35.4 points per game). Regardless of records or stats, though, when these two teams meet in the annual Academic Bowl, it’s a thrilling battle.
“It’s just two very good football programs with a lot of tradition with two longtime head coaches,” Lackner said. “Coach Debeljak and his staff have done a great job there and I think the same for my staff as well. It’s a rivalry game. Both teams will come to play, that’s for sure.”
It’s more than a rivalry game, though. It’s the ONE game both teams want to win each season.
“This game is one of our main focuses, especially in the later part of the season,” Pogorelc said. “It’s not just another week. I’d definitely say it’s a highlight of the season. One of the things to be excited about playing CMU football is playing Case Western in the Academic Bowl.”
“I think the rivalry is special. You have two cerebral teams with intelligent coaches and both teams always have good special teams units. The coaches have to dig into the depths of the playbook for plays to run,” Knight added. “There’s just an energy to the game. Ask anyone if they had one game to win and I think this is the game they’d point at. It’s pretty special.”
The sides take turns playing spoiler, too. It seems when Case Western Reserve is challenging for a conference title, Carnegie Mellon comes through with an upset win and vice versa.
“We’ve spoiled several playoff runs of theirs in the past. The tables have turned. That’s just the kind of battle we have every year with them,” Pogorelc said. “It’s going to be electric. I have never played in a game where there is this much excitement. It’ll be a crowd that will be very passionate. This is the most I’ve ever seen on the line in a game for my time playing.”
Around 400-500 former Carnegie Mellon players are expected to be in attendance to honor Lackner.
“Coach has done so much for so many for so long. He is a hall of fame coach and a hall of fame person. I don’t think you could find someone who could say anything bad about him,” said Helms, who played under Lackner at CMU and later returned to coach with him. “For me, he’s probably the most influential person in my life, with everything he’s done for me personally and professionally. I think I am not the only one who shares that sentiment. His ability to be a mentor to so many who have played for him is amazing. It’s not a just a four-year deal with him. It’s, ‘What can I do for you for your lifetime?’ He means that to so many players I know. So many people can’t thank him enough. I know there will be outpouring of support. I know it’s going to be a touching tribute, for sure. He’ll be the first to refocus on task at hand, though.”
Lackner has tried to remain focused on guiding his Tartans to their first PAC title since 1989 and first NCAA playoff berth since 2006.
“For me, you get a bit nostalgic when you realize this is the last time going to do this or that,” Lackner said. “Thank goodness we’re playing really well and in the position we’re in. I try to stay on top of the task at hand. The task at hand is getting focused on playing the next opponent and that happens to be Case Western.”
