The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

[Careless Whisper]

Season 2, Game 8: Carnegie Mellon at Dartmouth

Tartans Make it Back-to-Back Wins at Dartmouth
Carnegie Mellon’s defense forced three interceptions from Tom Bennewitz to win its second straight game

by Alicia Brown, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter

HANOVER, N.H. -- The Carnegie Mellon Tartans have their first winning streak in their brief NCAA Division I history, as they rode another strong defensive performance to a 21-6 victory at Dartmouth this evening.

Carnegie Mellon (3-5) confused Dartmouth (1-7) quarterback Tom Bennewitz all night, allowing just 132 yards from the senior signal-caller while forcing him into a trio of interceptions. Hayden Temple picked off a pair in his second game back from suspension, and Aaron Crosby snagged one along with a forced fumble.

“Really felt like we were in control for the entirety of the game,” said second-year head coach John Elliott. “Our defense was rock solid, and our offense kept the chains moving all night. Really proud of these guys for putting together another big effort as we continue to build this program.”

Jim Manning was the offensive catalyst once again, rushing for 151 yards and a fourth-quarter score on 26 carries. Robert Riley added a four-yard trip to paydirt to open the scoring in the first quarter, and Justin Keyes provided 55 rushing yards to go along with 108 passing and a third-quarter touchdown to Ali Concepcion.

Carnegie Mellon is back home to begin a stretch of three straight games at Gesling Stadium, beginning Saturday, Oct. 27 against Villanova.

Carnegie Mellon Tartans at Dartmouth Big Green
Oct 21, 2007	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (3-5)	7	0	7	7	21
Dartmouth Big Green (1-7)	0	3	3	0	6

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		CMU	DART
4:09	(CMU) Robert Riley 4-yard run (Justin Thompson kick)	7	0
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		CMU	DART
0:11	(DART) Andrew Kempler 46-yard field goal	7	3
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		CMU	DART
12:27	(CMU) Justin Keyes 7-yard pass to Ali Concepcion (Justin Thompson kick)	14	3
4:25	(DART) Andrew Kempler 21-yard field goal	14	6
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		CMU	DART
11:22	(CMU) Jim Manning 10-yard run (Justin Thompson kick)	21	6

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Justin Keyes 17/23 108 1 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jim Manning 26 151 5.8 1 Justin Keyes 10 55 5.5 0 Robert Riley 3 5 1.7 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Ali Concepcion 9 32 3.6 1 Pete Carlson 3 26 8.7 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Matt Johnson 6 0 0 0 Aaron Crosby 4 0 1 0 Hayden Temple 4 0 2 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Justin Thompson 0/1 3/3 3 --

Dartmouth Big Green

[Deuce2223]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Nice job with the little winning streak going on. Hopefully you can keep it going.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the NCAA – Week 8 Edition
Texas and Virginia Tech top the first edition of the BCS Rankings

BCS Rankings
1 | Texas (0.903, 7-0)
2 | Virginia Tech (0.881, 8-0)
3 | Ohio State (0.858, 7-0)
4 | West Virginia (0.801, 8-0)
5 | Arizona State (0.801, 7-0)
6 | USC (0.724, 6-1)
7 | Florida State (0.717, 7-1)
8 | Florida (0.663, 8-0)
9 | Michigan (0.615, 6-1)
10 | Iowa (0.602, 7-0)
11 | Oklahoma (0.505, 5-2)
12 | LSU (0.474, 6-2)
13 | Utah (0.448, 7-1)
14 | Auburn (0.378, 7-1)
15 | Oklahoma State (0.374, 6-1)

Heisman Watch
Tim Tebow, So., QB, Florida | 181.1 QB rtg., 161-237, 2,118 yards, 31 TD (2 rush), 6 INT
Pat White, R-Jr., QB, West Virginia | 157.9 QB rtg., 94-156, 1,178 yards, 18 TD, 3 INT; 122 carries, 830 yards, 9 TD
Elan Lewis, R-So., HB, Virginia Tech | 190 carries, 1,248 yards, 18 TD; 11 catches, 171 yards, 2 TD
Percy Harvin, R-Fr., WR, Florida | 54 catches, 796 yards, 10 TD
Jevan Snead, So., QB, Texas | 162.4 QB rtg., 126-204, 1,605 yards, 25 TD, 6 INT

NCAA Players of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola
Offensive: Darren McFadden, Jr., HB, Arkansas | 26 carries, 230 yards, 5 TD in 59-27 win against South Carolina
Defensive: John Bacon, R-Jr., OLB, Oregon | 7 tackles (2 TFL), 1 sack, 3 INT, 1 TD in 66-7 win against Washington State

Injury Report
Kenny Phillips, Jr., SS, Miami (Fla.) | Broken wrist (9 weeks)

Notable Top 25 Scores
#4 West Virginia 30, Louisville 6
#21 Texas A&M 21, #25 Nebraska 17
#14 Oklahoma State 29, Kansas State 17
#2 Ohio State 31, #15 Penn State 21
#3 Virginia Tech 48, Clemson 7
#13 LSU 35, #17 Auburn 31
#23 Tennessee 31, Alabama 7
#22 TCU 19, Air Force 17
#1 Texas 70, Baylor 10
#9 Florida 45, Georgia 17
#6 Arizona State 48, Washington 15
#12 Utah 42, UNLV 24
#10 Iowa 37, Northwestern 31 (OT)
Georgia Tech 27, #20 Miami (Fla.) 24

Week 9 National Broadcasts
Southern Miss (5-3) at #13 LSU (6-2) | 10/27, 12:30 PM
#14 Oklahoma State (6-1) at #11 Oklahoma (5-2) | 10/27, 12:30 PM – Game of the Week, Bedlam Game
Maryland (5-3) at #7 Florida State (7-1) | 10/27, 12:30 PM
Navy (5-2) at Notre Dame (4-3) | 10/27, 3:30 PM
#17 Auburn (7-1) at #9 Florida (8-0) | 10/27, 3:30 PM
#2 Ohio State (7-0) at Minnesota (4-2) | 10/27, 3:30 PM
Boston College (5-3) at #3 Virginia Tech | 10/27, 6:00 PM
#25 Nebraska (6-2) at #1 Texas (7-0) | 10/27, 8:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

by Joe Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Robinson, Carter to make official visits this Saturday

Three-star offensive tackle Darius Robinson (Laurel, Md.) and wide receiver Stephen Carter (Williamsport, Pa.) will be on Carnegie Mellon’s campus this weekend for their official visits, Tartan Tidbits has learned.

Robinson and Carter will both be in attendance for CMU’s Alumni Night game against Villanova, and team sources expect to land commitments from both following the contest. Both recruits have Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech in their top threes, with the Tartans being the favorite.

Fraser done for the season

Freshman guard Eric Fraser, who has started all eight games for Carnegie Mellon this year, broke his wrist in last Saturday’s win at Dartmouth and will miss the remainder of the season.

Fraser will be replaced in the starting lineup by junior guard Leroy Webb, who started every game for the Tartans in 2006.

Cooper demoted to slot corner after return

Junior cornerback Raymond Cooper will assume the slot cornerback role following his return from suspension, Tartan Tidbits understands.

Cooper will return from an academic ban on Saturday, Nov. 10 against Hofstra, his second suspension in as many seasons. The junior is now listed behind freshmen Calvin Burton (23 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FF, 1 TD) and Hayden Temple (15 tackles, 2 INT) on the depth chart.

Burton was named Coca-Cola NCAA Defensive Player of the Week after the Tartans’ 22-21 win over Indiana State on Sept. 8, while Temple picked off a pair of passes last Saturday at Dartmouth.

[moose141]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Great to see a winning streak finally! Looks like the ground and pound is really working for you. Are you planning on recruiting to make that continue to be the offensive focal point or are you looking to get some playmakers out wide as well? Also, 2007 playing out just as interesting as I expected, can't wait for late November when we can see 13-9 again and have Pitt crush West Virginia's hopes and dreams all over again.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Great to see a winning streak finally! Looks like the ground and pound is really working for you. Are you planning on recruiting to make that continue to be the offensive focal point or are you looking to get some playmakers out wide as well? Also, 2007 playing out just as interesting as I expected, can't wait for late November when we can see 13-9 again and have Pitt crush West Virginia's hopes and dreams all over again.

Manning has been an animal and really keeps the ground and pound attack churning. Riley was fine for me last year, but he doesn't have the explosiveness that my freshman does, and that allows me to control the clock better and break off huge chunks of yardage. (Spoiler: His performance against Villanova... )

As for my offensive philosophy with this bunch, I want to keep my rushing attack as the focal point for now, but I also need some playmakers on the outside so I don't get too one-dimensional. If I can land Carter, I figure he'll play right away next season in the slot with the Penn State transfer and Carlson - plus that'll help Keyes and his lack of consistency throwing the ball. I also need to build up my offensive line to help with the transition to a full FBS slate next year, because I'm getting away with starting my one-star OT without much of a hitch.

This season nationally has definitely had some 2007 vibes, and it it setting up perfectly for another 13-9 from Pitt. Partially because WVU has looked awesome so far, and partially because the Panthers have struggled this season and could miss out on a bowl game - so the stars may be aligning!

[Careless Whisper]

Season 2, Game 9: Villanova at Carnegie Mellon

Manning’s Monster Night Gives Tartans Third Straight Win
Freshman tailback Jim Manning rushed for a school-record 321 yards and three touchdowns in the CMU win

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- A star was born this evening, and his name is Jim Manning.

Behind a school-record 321 rushing yards and three touchdowns from Manning, Carnegie Mellon came back from a 21-7 deficit to defeat Villanova, 24-21, on Alumni Night from Gesling Stadium.

Carnegie Mellon (4-5) rode its freshman tailback in his fourth career start by giving him 33 carries, and he responded by shattering the previous school standard of 279 rushing yards. Manning did most of his damage in the second half, netting 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns – 19 and 88 yards – as the Tartans kept their winning streak alive.

“Jim (Manning) was a machine tonight,” said second-year head coach John Elliott. “He started hot and we just decided to continue feeding him, and he got better as the game went on. And with our struggles in the pass game, we needed him to have a night like this – which we could see was on the horizon, based on his previous performances. He’s a special talent.”

Manning’s performance offset a woefully ineffective passing game, as Justin Keyes completed just 4-of-17 passes for 17 yards. On the defensive side, CMU picked off Villanova (4-5) quarterback Antwon Young four times – two coming from freshman Hayden Temple, giving him four in two games – and sacked him once.

“Hayden (Temple) has really shown the skills we’ve seen in practice as of late,” said Elliott. “Our secondary in general played really well today, and our cornerback spots are in good hands with Hayden and Calvin (Burton). Both are athletic and instinctive, and can grow to become shutdown guys as their careers go on.”

Despite the Wildcats’ turnover-prone attack, the visitors went ahead 21-7 at halftime after Angelo Babbaro scored from three yards out. Young threw for a pair of touchdowns and 211 yards on 20-of-35 passing, while Babbaro added 61 yards on the ground.

Carnegie Mellon is off next week, then hosts Hofstra on Saturday, Nov. 10 in the second game of a three-game home stand.

Villanova Wildcats at Carnegie Mellon Tartans
Oct 27, 2007	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Villanova Wildcats (4-5)	7	14	0	0	21
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (4-5)	0	7	14	3	24

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		VILL	CMU
11:08	(VILL) Antwon Young 4-yard pass to Joe Groglio (Joe Marcoux kick)	7	0
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		VILL	CMU
12:54	(CMU) Jim Manning 1-yard run (Justin Thompson kick)	7	7
10:18	(VILL) Antwon Young 27-yard pass to Stephen Pimm (Joe Marcoux kick)	14	7
2:44	(VILL) Angelo Babbaro 3-yard run (Joe Marcoux kick)	21	7
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		VILL	CMU
12:42	(CMU) Jim Manning 19-yard run (Justin Thompson kick)	21	14
4:27	(CMU) Jim Manning 88-yard run (Justin Thompson kick)	21	21
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		VILL	CMU
5:51	(CMU) Justin Thompson 31-yard field goal	21	24

Villanova Wildcats

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Justin Keyes 4/17 17 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Jim Manning 33 321 9.7 3 Justin Keyes 8 10 1.3 0 Robert Riley 4 5 1.3 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Antwan Copeland 1 8 8.0 0 Kurt Thompson 1 6 6.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Devon Elliott 8 1 0 0 Aaron Crosby 4 0 1 0 Hayden Temple 2 0 2 0 Sean Day 2 0 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Justin Thompson 1/3 3/3 6 31

[Tearz49ers]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

To say Manning went off in that game is an understatement and thank god he did with those passing statistics.

Have you thought about looking at sliders? I seem to notice your QB play often ends up with low numbers? Or is it just the talent under center?

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

To say Manning went off in that game is an understatement and thank god he did with those passing statistics.

Have you thought about looking at sliders? I seem to notice your QB play often ends up with low numbers? Or is it just the talent under center?

I'll probably experiment with sliders after the season, but Keyes is also pretty inaccurate and the receivers outside of Carlson drop a ton of passes. A lot of times I'll try to hit a quick hitch or slant to get a completion on the board, and those passes seem to "work" more despite gaining little yardage. This game in particular, he just had nothing working for him.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the NCAA – Week 9 Edition
#7 Florida State falls from the ranks of the unbeaten after a 38-35 loss to unranked Maryland

BCS Rankings
1 | Texas (0.909, 8-0)
2 | Ohio State (0.870, 8-0)
3 | Virginia Tech (0.865, 9-0)
4 | Arizona State (0.809, 7-0)
5 | West Virginia (0.796, 8-0)
6 | USC (0.713, 6-1)
7 | Florida (0.700, 9-0)
8 | Michigan (0.647, 7-1)
9 | Iowa (0.644, 8-0)
10 | LSU (0.548, 7-2)
11 | Utah (0.501, 7-1)
12 | Oklahoma State (0.501, 7-1)
13 | Florida State (0.461, 7-2)
14 | Penn State (0.412, 5-2)
15 | Oregon State (0.348, 6-1)

Heisman Watch
Tim Tebow, So., QB, Florida | 183.9 QB rtg., 182-263, 2,360 yards, 37 TD (2 rush), 6 INT
Elan Lewis, R-So., HB, Virginia Tech | 220 carries, 1,420 yards, 18 TD; 11 catches, 171 yards, 2 TD
Pat White, R-Jr., QB, West Virginia | 157.9 QB rtg., 94-156, 1,178 yards, 18 TD, 3 INT; 122 carries, 830 yards, 9 TD
Jevan Snead, So., QB, Texas | 158.2 QB rtg., 153-250, 1,993 yards, 27 TD, 7 INT
Kyle Wright, R-Sr., QB, Miami (Fla.) | 172.2 QB rtg., 170-275, 2,751 yards, 28 TD, 10 INT

NCAA Players of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola
Offensive: Jim Manning, Fr., HB, Carnegie Mellon | 33 carries, 321 yards, 3 TD in 24-21 win against Villanova
Defensive: Mark Dodge, R-Sr., OLB, Texas A&M | 3 tackles, 3 INT, 1 TD in 49-17 win against Kansas

Injury Report
James Davis, Jr., HB, Clemson | Strained pectoral (3 weeks)
James Laurinaitis, Jr., OLB, Ohio State | Knee cartilage tear (8 weeks)

Notable Top 25 Scores
#12 LSU 46, Southern Miss 7
#23 Tennessee 35, South Carolina 4-4
#10 Oklahoma State 31, #18 Oklahoma 21
Maryland 38, #14 Florida State 35
#7 Florida 38, #22 Auburn 24
#2 Ohio State 31, Minnesota 28
#19 Miami (Fla.) 48, North Carolina 14
#3 Virginia Tech 24, Boston College 6
#1 Texas 34, Nebraska 14

Week 10 National Broadcasts
#20 Texas A&M (6-2) at #18 Oklahoma (5-3) | 11/3, 12:30 PM
#25 North Carolina State (7-2) at #14 Florida State (7-1) | 11/3, 3:30 PM
#22 Auburn (7-2) at Georgia (4-4) | 11/3, 3:30 PM
Arkansas (6-2) at #23 Tennessee (6-2) | 11/3, 3:30 PM
#6 USC (6-1) at Oregon (6-1) | 11/3, 6:00 PM
#1 Texas (8-0) at #10 Oklahoma State (7-1) | 11/3, 6:00 PM (Game of the Week)
#9 Iowa (8-0) at #2 Ohio State (8-0) | 11/3, 8:00 PM
#19 Miami (Fla.) (7-2) at #3 Virginia Tech (9-0) | 11/3, 8:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

by Joe Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Carter commits to Carnegie Mellon

Three-star wide receiver Stephen Carter (Williamsport, Pa.) has given a verbal commitment to Carnegie Mellon, becoming the first pledge of the Tartans’ Class of 2008, Tartan Tidbits understands.

Carter made his official visit over the weekend in CMU’s 24-21 win over Villanova, and committed right after the game. He has said that the university’s location is the biggest factor to his commitment.

“I just really love the campus,” said Carter over the phone. “And it’s near home, so my family can make the trip out every weekend. I fell in love right away when I made an unofficial visit earlier in the season, and that love never wavered. I’m excited to become a Tartan.”

The wide out will add immediate depth to that position in 2008, most likely slotted as the third receiver on the depth chart behind current juniors Pete Carlson and Kevin Cousins – the latter sitting out this season after transferring from Penn State.

Robinson gives silent pledge to CMU, will visit Virginia Tech this weekend

Three-star offensive tackle Darius Robinson (Laurel, Md.) has given a silent commitment to Carnegie Mellon, but will still make his scheduled official visit to Virginia Tech this weekend, Tartan Tidbits has learned.

Robinson made his official visit to CMU alongside Stephen Carter this past weekend, as both recruits listed the Tartans as their favorite. But unlike the wide receiver, the Laurel High School product did not give a guaranteed pledge yet to join CMU next fall.

#3 Virginia Tech will host #19 Miami (Fla.) this weekend. Pitt also remains in the top three for Robinson’s services, though it’s unknown if he has scheduled an official visit there.

Manning named National Offensive Player of the Week

After rushing for a school-record 321 yards and three touchdowns last Saturday against Villanova, freshman tailback Jim Manning has been recognized as the Coca-Cola NCAA Offensive Player of the Week, as announced in a release this afternoon.

Manning is the second Carnegie Mellon player to be bestowed with a national weekly honor this season, as first-year cornerback Calvin Burton collected Defensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance in a 22-21 win over Indiana State on Sept. 5. Burton had three tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a touchdown in CMU’s first victory of the season.

The freshman tailback, who took over the starting job on Oct. 7 against Southeast Missouri State, is closing in on 1,000 rushing yards this season. Manning has totaled 944 yards and seven scores on 142 carries in nine appearances.

Patrick to miss Hofstra contest

Freshman starting offensive tackle Phil Patrick pulled his hamstring in Carnegie Mellon’s win over Villanova last weekend and will miss the Tartans’ clash with Hofstra on Saturday, Nov. 10, Tartan Tidbits understands.

Patrick, a one-star prospect from West Chester, Pa., has started all nine games at right tackle this season. Junior offensive tackle David Jenkins will replace him in the starting lineup.

[moose141]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

What a performance by Manning. This guy is an absolute stud and could be well on his way to a whole slew of CMU and heck even national rushing records if he keeps this rampant pace up for four years. Hopefully he can handle the volume for all of that time!

Also, those dang West Chester kids, can't count on them for anything! (Full disclosure, my GF is from West Chester so just giving a little stick to them haha.)

[Nunyerbiz]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Holy [expletive]! Manning is the man!

I hereby propose the following nickname: "Big Jim" Manning. On the surface, pretty pedestrian stuff... but it's inspired by this fictional yet legendary former member of the Kansas City Chiefs:



(If you've never seen the Kentucky Fried Movie, then this gag will be a slow burn and take a few minutes... but one of my favorite scenes... just goofball Airplane! humor that I adore.)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

What a performance by Manning. This guy is an absolute stud and could be well on his way to a whole slew of CMU and heck even national rushing records if he keeps this rampant pace up for four years. Hopefully he can handle the volume for all of that time!

Also, those dang West Chester kids, can't count on them for anything! (Full disclosure, my GF is from West Chester so just giving a little stick to them haha.)

I feel like injury is the only way he doesn't end up with 3,000-some rushing yards at the end of his collegiate career. I doubt with the restrictions and year-to-year progression that I'll be able to recruit someone better than him, and although I'd like to get a nice RB2 to spell him, he'll be the centerpiece to my offense for the next two (if he somehow decides to leave early) to three years.

Holy [expletive]! Manning is the man!

I hereby propose the following nickname: "Big Jim" Manning. On the surface, pretty pedestrian stuff... but it's inspired by this fictional yet legendary former member of the Kansas City Chiefs:



(If you've never seen the Kentucky Fried Movie, then this gag will be a slow burn and take a few minutes... but one of my favorite scenes... just goofball Airplane! humor that I adore.)

Never seen that movie, but after watching that clip I'm all in on "Big" Jim Manning!

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

The Kids Will Be Alright
Carnegie Mellon’s first FCS recruiting class is paying dividends right away

by Bryan Smith, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist

PITTSBURGH -- It’s hard to believe that a year ago, I penned a column thrashing Carnegie Mellon’s (predictably) horrid offense. If that Tartans unit was a sprinter at the blocks of the 100-meter dash, it would’ve tripped over its own feet, got up, tripped again, got up again, and tripped again, got up… you get the idea.

And again, that was to be expected. A Division III team leaping to Division I FCS competition? Of course the results were going to be ugly!

But after a long, grueling Division I debut campaign, there is a clear light at the end of the tunnel – and it all stems from John Elliott’s freshman class.

Elliott, who was on the verge of losing his job following a 37-0 sleepwalking against Southeast Missouri State, has saw his Tartans win three straight games behind a starting lineup that features all 10 of his freshmen signees. And while the victories aren’t coming against FCS powerhouses, the opponents (Dartmouth, McNeese State, Villanova) have been somewhat competitive in recent seasons.

It all starts with dynamo Jim Manning, who is taken the nation (not completely sarcastic!) by storm since arriving in the starting lineup a month ago. Manning is averaging 6.6 yards per carry and is on the cusp of 1,000 yards (142 carries, 944 yards), adding seven touchdowns as an explosive game-breaking weapon that is too good for this current FCS level. With all due respect to senior Robert Riley, who himself is a 1,000-yard rusher, the rookie tailback is exactly what the doctor ordered.

But Manning’s success hasn’t come from just his abilities. Three starters on the offensive line are freshmen in guards Matt Fitch and Eric Fraser, and right tackle Phil Patrick. While Fraser broke his wrist at Dartmouth and Patrick will miss next week’s tilt against Hofstra, the trio has carved holes for their star tailback each game.

And even though the stats don’t completely suggest it (95.6 QB rtg., 107-194, 974 yards, 2 TD, 5 INT; 57 carries, 148 yards, 4 TD), Justin Keyes might be the most important piece of them all on offense. Keyes has brought a much-needed stability under center, after the broken carousel of CMU signal-callers doomed its offensive attack from the start. The talent is real and the flashes have been there, all he needs is more and more reps to build that consistency.

On defense, cornerbacks Calvin Burton and Hayden Temple have emerged as playmakers on the outside. Burton (25 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FF, 1 TD) is a smart, athletic player who has been tasked with covering opponents’ top receiver in each game, while Temple (17 tackles, 4 INT) is a risk-taking playmaker who baits quarterbacks into mistakes.

At the linebacker position, Matt Johnson and Aaron Crosby have been as steady as they come. Johnson (54 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 FR) has been more of a sure-handed tackler compared to Crosby and provides the Tartans with an extra rusher off the edge, while Crosby (49 tackles, 1 sack, 4 INT, 2 FF) is more of a game-changer with his tendency for making big plays. And even one-star defensive end Andrew Miller (27 tackles, 4 sacks) has given CMU production as an immediate starter.

Honestly, we should have expected this group to click midway through the season. The talent is obvious and is too good for this FCS level, especially compared to the teammates of the freshmen, who mostly are still at a Division III level. But throwing in a bunch of two and three-star prospects against the likes of Indiana State and Idaho State is a recipe that results in a few wins.

This group of 10 makes for a nice set of building blocks heading into next year’s inaugural FBS campaign, which should be a major struggle even if CMU knocks this recruiting class out of the park. But we should give Elliott and his team a round of applause for this turnaround, and Carnegie Mellon fans should be excited because this improbable journey seems more likely to have a satisfying ending with the kids leading the charge.