Picture this: a homecoming game that spirals into a total disaster, leaving fans heartbroken and the team scrambling to recover. That's the raw reality Hobart College football faced when they were utterly dominated by RPI in a shocking 36-10 defeat right on their own turf. But here's where it gets controversial – was this just a string of bad luck, or a deeper sign of cracks in the team's foundation? Let's dive into the details of this bruising matchup and unpack what went wrong, while exploring the debates it sparks in the world of college sports.
The game kicked off with Hobart showing some early promise after RPI notched their initial touchdown. The Statesmen's offense was clicking, marching steadily down the field and keeping the Engineers' defense on their toes with a clever blend of passes and runs. It looked like they might turn the tide.
But here's the part most people miss – a critical turning point that flipped the script entirely. On a crucial 1st and 10 play deep in the red zone, following a Hobart timeout, disaster struck: a poorly executed snap sailed way over the head of quarterback Jeremy Weiss, bouncing all the way to near midfield where RPI scooped it up. That single blunder snuffed out all the momentum the Statesmen had built, setting the stage for a nightmare first half.
In that opening period, almost everything seemed to go against Hobart: they racked up six penalties totaling 60 yards, coughed up the ball twice on turnovers, and even had a punt blocked. On top of that, they surrendered 141 yards on offense to RPI, paving the way for the Engineers to surge ahead 23-3. It's a classic example of how small mistakes can snowball in football, where one bad play can derail an entire drive and shift the game's energy.
The Statesmen tightened things up a bit in the second half, playing with more focus and determination. Yet, the deficit they'd created was simply too vast to overcome – think of it like digging a hole so deep that no amount of digging back out can save you before time runs out. The final whistle blew on a 36-10 home loss, leaving Hobart's faithful fans and players to reflect on what could have been.
Hobart head coach Kevin DeWall didn't mince words in his post-game assessment. 'We dug ourselves too big a hole,' he admitted. 'That’s not Hobart football. That wasn’t us today, and I’ll take ultimate responsibility for it, but I also need everybody to pull their own weight on this.' In his seven years leading the program, DeWall had never witnessed a first half as chaotic as this one. 'At home, it’s been a long time since we were part of that type of half,' he reflected. 'Even in the second half, it was poor execution. We have to execute better to put ourselves in a better position. I think RPI is a good team, but I don’t know because we blew it up on our end a couple times that took points off the board for us.'
Adding to the challenges, Hobart entered the game already dealing with injuries, missing several key starters, including their primary quarterback, Aidan Conrath. By the end, that number had swelled to seven or eight more players either hobbling on crutches or sidelined without pads. 'We were injured coming in and it definitely didn’t help us,' DeWall noted. 'That being said, that was not who we are. We have to go back and look at what really happened. Having some key guys out didn’t help, but I still think that we were just off. It was not a clean game.'
Beyond the miscues and penalties, the core issue boiled down to the line of scrimmage – that's the imaginary line where the offense and defense clash at the start of each play, a fundamental battleground in football. RPI's defensive line absolutely overwhelmed Hobart's offensive line from the very first snap to the last, generating multiple hurries (pressures that force the quarterback to rush), quarterback sacks, and limiting the Statesmen to just 109 rushing yards. Most of those came on a single 64-yard burst by EJ Taylor late in the first half. Whether Jeremy Weiss or backup Tru Styles was under center, the quarterbacks had virtually no time to read the field and throw passes, often scrambling under heavy pressure.
'I know they were good on defense,' DeWall said of RPI. 'The teams that have had success against them have been strong at o-line, and right now we’re down two starters and there were a few that missed in protection or the quarterback held it too long. It’s not just one thing, and that’s unfortunately what the big picture is with our offense right now: guys are doing things well most of the time but we are not consistent enough. It showed up to this point and I think it got magnified today.' For beginners in football, think of the offensive line as the team's protectors – they block defenders to give the quarterback time to make plays. If they're struggling, it creates a domino effect, turning potential touchdowns into hurried throws or lost yards.
RPI capitalized brilliantly, averaging starting drives from their own 40-yard line, amassing 157 yards on the ground and 242 through the air. They controlled possession with 36 minutes compared to Hobart's 24, and their defense was rock-solid, stuffing the Statesmen on 0-for-8 third-down conversions. Hobart's first five drives ended in three punts and two fumbles, highlighting how early struggles can doom a team's rhythm.
Looking ahead, with their roster still banged up, Hobart faces Union College next week before a crucial bye week. DeWall is optimistic that by then, his squad will have moved past the self-inflicted wounds that derailed Saturday's contest. 'I think we’re a better team than our record but I told the guys, “We have to start taking more accountability for our actions,”' he emphasized. 'I know we have good kids, I know we have a strong culture. I believe in our guys and I believe in our process. We’re going to get this thing going the right way.'
But here's where it gets controversial – should injuries be an excuse for such a lopsided performance, or does this expose underlying issues like inconsistency that need fixing regardless? Some fans might argue that true champions overcome adversity, while others could point to the coach's call for accountability as a sign of deeper problems. And this is the part most people miss: in college sports, where budgets are tight and rosters aren't as deep as pros, injuries can feel like a death sentence, but does that mean teams should get a pass? What do you think – is Hobart's loss a one-off fluke, or a wake-up call for bigger changes? Do you side with the coach's take on responsibility, or do you see injuries as the real culprit? Share your opinions in the comments below – let's debate!
