Although it might not show in the win-loss column, all the pieces of the proverbial puzzle are there for the Dartmouth football team.
The challenge now for the 0-2 Big Green is to put all those pieces together.
The defense has varied from solid to stifling. The running game has been spotty but shown signs of improvement. The offensive line held its own against Holy Cross. Jay Fiedler '94 has shown flashes of the brilliance that make him the Ivy League's hottest commodity.
To Coach John Lyons, the 1-2 Bucknell Bisons represent the corner for which Dartmouth searches and hopes to turn this weekend in Lewisburg, Penn.
He's just hoping his team can bounce back from a wrenching 13-7 loss against Holy Cross in which Dartmouth was denied a game-winning touchdown four times from the one-yard line in the game's final minute.
"The kids are obviously frustrated," Lyons said. "Our feelings after the game were that we improved from the week before. We played good enough defense to win the game. The offense did better than last week. The problem was that we turned the ball over five times. You can't do that and expect to win a football game."
Perhaps the biggest problem is just that -- expectations. When Dartmouth rolled over its opponents by 30 points per game a year ago, the team expected every week to be another big win.
You can't help but think that two losses to teams Dartmouth could have defeated has shaken the Big Green's confidence -- especially on offense.
Fiedler, the undeniable focal point of the Dartmouth attack, has thus far not taken control of any game -- with the exception of the 90-yard drive in the final minute against Holy Cross -- for any sustained period of time. His 42 percent completion percentage is not up to the considerable standards he set last year.
"Jay has had a lot of pressure put on him," Lyons said. "From an offensive standpoint, we lost a lot of players who made big plays for us last year. I think he feels he has to make a big play every time he steps to the line of scrimmage."
Another problem is that no one has stepped up to take any of the pressure off him. Although Andre Grant '95 and John Hyland '94 are excellent targets, the receiving corps have dropped some catchable balls this year.
In the backfield, Chris Umsheid '94 managed to push and shove his way to 71 yards in 19 carries against Holy Cross, but Brian Bajari '95 and Pete Oberle '96, who are number one and two on the depth charts at tailback for the Big Green, are both unlikely to see action for a second straight week due to injuries.
Furthermore, the offensive line will be hampered with guard John Bajus '94 and center Nat Cook '94 slowed by injuries.
Facing the Dartmouth offense will be a Bucknell starting 11 that gave up three fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 42-12 loss to Penn and big chunks of yardage on the ground against Lafayette.
Dartmouth's defense, on the other hand, has been outstanding. Holy Cross barely accumulated 200 yards of total offense and did not get a single first down in the third quarter of last week's game.
Senior quarterback Travis Kopp leads a Bucknell attack that is remarkably balanced. In three contests, the Bison have made 24 first downs in the ground and 22 in the air. Still, Bucknell lacks the offensive weapons to punch any major holes in a solid Big Green defensive squad.
"If we go down there and play well, we can win," Lyons said. "It's just a question of getting all the pieces together."
