The Scouting Report Inside the Huddle with Bowdoin

Author: Peter Baumann

When the Panthers take the field against the Bowdoin Polar Bears this Saturday, there will be no shortage of story-lines. In last year's season opener, the Polar Bears pulled off the conference upset of the year, downing the 2006 NESCAC champion Williams Ephs 28-14. While the win would serve as the highlight of a dissappointing Polar Bear campaign that saw them finish 3-5, it became vitally important as the year wore on. It was because of this grand upset that Middlebury, despite losing its head-to-head matchup with Williams, was able to win its first ever outright league championship. Without Bowdoin's shocking, season-opening victory, Middlebury would have been able to do no better than a share of the league title with Williams and Trinity.

This year, it is the Panthers that enter the opener as the reigning conference champions and team to beat in the NESCAC. Across the field they will see a scrappy Bowdoin squad that is much more experienced than the one that shocked the Ephs to start off last year.

To keep from falling victim to an early slip-up, the Panthers, who will be favored on paper, need to execute well on both sides of the ball. On defense, the Panthers will see an offense very similar to the one they face in practice every day. Bowdoin operates primarily out of the shotgun and makes the majority of its calls from the line of scrimmage. As this is designed to force the defense into showing its hand prior to the offense deciding on a play-call, much of the game will hinge on the chess match between Middlebury defensive coordinator Steve Monninger '98 and the Bowdoin offense.

On offense, the emphasis for the Panthers will be on ball security. Bowdoin, which runs an aggressive 4-4 defense, thrives on creating turnovers, as evidenced by the eight turnovers forced against Williams last year. Quarterback Donnie McKillop '11 will have to make smart decisions and get the ball in the hands of his wide receivers, each of whom should have the advantage on the edges.