Sluka's confidence has been a driving force for Holy Cross as Crusaders prepare for Yale
By the time Holy Cross senior quarterback Matthew Sluka was on the Alumni Stadium field to warm up before last week’s game against Boston College, the music in his headphones morphed from relaxing and chill to bass and beats.
The rap and hip-hop got Sluka going, but he was completely calm, and he did not miss a pregame throw.
“There were no defenders,” Sluka said with a laugh after Tuesday’s practice at Kuzniewski Field, “I should be on the money, but, yeah, I was really locked in.”
Against the Eagles, Sluka was a warrior while completing 10 of 15 pass attempts for 130 yards, rushing 19 times for 135 yards and putting the Crusaders in position to beat BC for the first time in 45 years.
More: 'That’s my dude': Holy Cross quarterback Matthew Sluka focuses on senior season
Reminiscent of his past performances against UConn in 2021, and Buffalo and Fordham last season, no moment or situation loomed too large for Sluka against HC’s historical rival and ACC foe.
“He’s just the most confident player I’ve ever played with,” HC junior running back Jordan Fuller said. “No matter who the opponent is, BC or whoever else, he always feels like we have the best chance to win as an offense, and it’s really great to go to battle with him.”
Holy Cross trailed the Eagles by three when severe weather halted the game for more than two hours with 1:58 left. After the delay, the Crusaders, who had the ball at their own 25, came out raring.
“(Offensive coordinator Dean) Kennedy had the perfect script ready to go,” Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney said. “We felt strongly we would be able to continue to move the ball.”
On first down, Sluka took off.
“It was hard not to think he was taking it all the way,” said Fuller, who was on the sideline during the play. “He’s done it so many times, I kind of just instantly thought, ‘Let’s a get a defensive stop and get out of here,’ but things happen.”
On his way to the end zone, behind which HC’s rabid fans waited, Sluka stepped out of bounds at the BC 40.
Two plays later, BC’s John Pupel forced the ball from a running Sluka, the Eagles recovered, ran the clock and escaped with a 31-28 win.
“I told him after the game,” Fuller said, “that we’re not even in this position to win a game without him. It was a tough play, but we’re there because of him.”
In the closing seconds, Chesney consoled a crouching Sluka on the sideline.
“He just kept saying, ‘Keep your head up. It’s all good,’” Sluka said. ‘“It’s unfortunate, but don’t let it affect you, don’t let it bring you down or the team down, and don’t let it stop you from being a great player.’
“You go from there,” Sluka said, “and you learn.”
By Sunday, the No. 5/6 Crusaders had moved on from the disappointment at Boston College and shifted focus to this week’s game at Yale, the defending Ivy League champion.
“Obviously they are a really good team,” Sluka said. “We just have to be well prepared and ready to fight.”
Sluka helped lead Holy Cross to wins over the Bulldogs in each of the last two seasons.
In HC’s 2023 opening win against Merrimack, Sluka, the Patriot League preseason Offensive Player of the Year, was 9-14 for 190 yards and two TDs, and he carried 14 times for 91 yards.
Hero Sports FCS ranked Sluka as the highest-graded player at his position after Week 2.
Sluka is a captain this season, and, over the last couple of years, Chesney has praised Sluka, a dual threat who relied heavily on his running skills early in his career, for his development into a complete quarterback and team leader who exudes the team’s confidence.
“He is a fierce leader,” Chesney said. “You go back to his high school/prep school days, he never lost a game. He gets here and he has the ability to keep elevating this team. His confidence is through the roof. His progression has been phenomenal. When he first got here, he was really just a runner. Now, he can do everything we’re asking him to do.”
Yale can't be overlooked
Yale, the defending Ivy League champion and preseason favorite to repeat, plays its 2023 opener against Holy Cross.
Kickoff is at noon Saturday at the Yale Bowl.
Yale returns most of last year’s eight-win team, including left tackle Kiran Amegadjie, the Ivy League preseason Player of the Year, quarterback Nolan Grooms, the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year and running back Joshua Pitsenberger, the ’22 Ivy League Rookie of the Year.
The Bulldogs had the No. 2 scoring defense (19.5 ppg) in the Ivy League last year.
Holy Cross is seeking its fourth win in five meetings with Yale.
“We are going to have to hold on tight,” Chesney said. “A lot of these kids had Holy Cross offers, they had Boston College offers, and they had Power 5 offers, and they chose to go to Yale. They are probably just as good, if not better, than the team we just saw last Saturday. We better be buckled up.”
Yale coach Tony Reno, an Oxford native who starred at Worcester State, is in his 11th season as Bulldogs coach.
Reno has guided Yale to Ivy League titles in three of the last five seasons.
“He does a great job overall,” Chesney said. “His ability to evaluate talent is very high, and their ability acquire that talent and develop that talent all stand out.”
Holy Cross fans show up for Crusaders
During the 2-hour, 13-minute severe weather delay at Boston College, the Crusaders’ fans, namely the large HC student contingent, stole the show.
They did not leave their end zone seats, and danced, sang, cheered and chanted in the rain.
BC’s student section, conversely, was mostly empty during the weather suspension and as play resumed.
When the Crusaders came out of the locker room after the delay, they ran all the way down to the other end of the field, where their ardent supporters went wild.
“Just being out there and having their energy to give you a second wind, a second life,” Sluka said, “we really appreciate having them there.”
The Big Game Boomer Show, a college sports podcast, ranked Holy Cross No. 1 in its top 20 best student sections of the week.
“It felt like a home game, to be honest with you,” Chesney said. “The energy was right.”
Holy Cross fans made up much of the crowd of 40,000-plus, and Chesney heard from many alums who were there after the game.
“I think they were reinvigorated and proud,” Chesney said. “A lot of them remember the days of this being a big rivalry and they loved the way we came out. It didn’t feel like an FBS team versus an FCS team. It felt like two competitors with a ton of history standing toe to toe, and, in essence, that’s what it was. Having that rivalry restored was pretty cool for them.”
Assumption moves up in AFCA poll
Assumption, which began the season with wins over Kutztown and Southern Connecticut State, moved up to No. 19 in this week’s American Football Coaches Association poll and to No. 23 in the D2Football.com rankings.
Quarterback Jake Cady, who was 23-30 for 334 yards and five touchdown passes against SCSU, was the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week. With eight TD passes on the season, Cady ranks third in Division 2.
The Greyhounds, the defending NE-10 champions, travel this week to play at No. 7 Grand Valley State.
Noted Assumption alum Brian Kelly’s first head coaching job was at Grand Valley State from 1991-2003. Kelly is in his second season as LSU’s coach.
Hash marks
Due to Hurricane Lee and its uncertain track, WPI’s annual Transit Trophy game against RPI, will kick off at 7 p.m. Friday at H. Carr Field at Alumni Stadium. The game was originally schedule for Saturday. … WPI’s Bryce Curtain, who blocked a potential tying field goal with 8 seconds left in the Engineers’ 24-21 win over Bridgewater State, was the NEWMAC Special Teams Athlete of the Week. WPI is 2-0. … Bentley graduate student Tajon Vassar of Worcester and Doherty High set a program record with his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against New Haven and was the Northeast-10 Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. Vassar’s record return came on the opening kickoff of the second half and broke the old mark of 97 yards. … Bridgewater State junior running back Isaiah Wright of Worcester and Burncoat High was the MASCAC Special Teams Player of the Week. Against WPI, Wright returned a fourth-quarter kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
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