Holy Cross QB Matthew Sluka continues to impress for undefeated Crusaders
Holy Cross junior quarterback Matthew Sluka watched the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s game at Georgetown from the sideline after helping the Crusaders build a big lead and giving way to sophomore QB Joe Pesansky.
Pesansky led Holy Cross on one more scoring drive and, with a 47-10 victory, the Crusaders capped a perfect regular season at 11-0, matching the accomplishment of the 1987 and 1991 HC teams.
“I left the field Saturday with a little bit of a smile on my face realizing we made history and we’re doing some great things,” said Sluka, who passed for a career-high 301 yards against the Hoyas, “and also realizing it’s not over yet. There’s still more left.”
Holy Cross earned the No. 8 seed and a first-round bye for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, which begin Saturday. HC will host the Fordham-UNH winner in a second-round game at noon Dec. 3 at Fitton Field.
In the Georgetown game, Sluka, who connected on his first 11 throws, completed 80% of his pass attempts, to equal his season-high against Yale, and threw for three touchdowns. He also rushed for 77 yards.
In HC’s two previous games, against Bryant and Lehigh, the Crusaders struggled a bit to get the passing game going. Sluka finished with 144 and 126 passing yards, respectively, and, in each game, just eight of HC’s 24 first downs came via the air.
“I thought Matt had a complete game (against Georgetown),” Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney said. “His ability to throw into tight windows and anticipate openings and read coverages is what he did so well and is what was missing for the last two games. His ability to run in those two games was great, but our ability to throw was not, and when you watch what he just went through, he got back on track and put us in a position where we become that team that has many dimensions that are tough to defend.”
Sluka, who earlier this week earned All-Patriot League first-team honors, has completed 60% of his throws this season, and with 2,301 passing yards and 25 touchdowns, he has more than doubled his totals in those categories from last year, when he shared some time with former backup Marco Siderman.
Sluka, who is once again HC’s leading rusher, has thrown just three interceptions this season and helped the Crusaders average 39.1 points per game, which ranks fifth in the nation.
Sluka, who emerged as Holy Cross’ starter as a freshman during the spring COVID season, came into this year focusing on his arm strength, accuracy and mental aspects of the pass game.
First-year quarterbacks coach Dean Kennedy has aided Sluka’s development in those areas.
“He’s done a great job (helping me with) my ability to see the field and understand what’s going on,” Sluka said. “He does a great job communicating to me and giving me a second set of eyes. He works great with (offensive coordinator Chris) Smith calling the plays. They keep me tied in to what we like and what we’re doing, and they take my input a lot of times, which helps my confidence. Overall, Coach Kennedy has done a really good job. We have a great relationship.”
Kennedy spent last season as the assistant quarterbacks coach at the University of Florida.
“Coach Kennedy speaks Matt’s language,” Chesney said. “Matt is an intense, high-energy guy who is always on the move and has the ability to move quickly and wants to do things fast, and I think that fits Dean’s personality quite a bit. I think they’re a great match.”
Sluka is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the national offensive player of the year in FCS.
Holy Cross awaits playoff opponent
By late Saturday afternoon, Holy Cross will know its second-round FCS playoff opponent.
Fordham plays at the University of New Hampshire at 2 p.m., and the winner comes to Fitton Field at noon Dec. 3.
HC defeated Patriot League foe Fordham in overtime Oct. 29. This marks the first time since 2015 that the PL earned two bids to the playoffs.
The Crusaders hope the bye week is beneficial in getting back some, or all, of the six injured starters that missed the regular-season finale at Georgetown.
The Holy Cross staff broke down film Sunday, and preparations, including a team meeting, continued Monday. The Crusaders practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning, and are off Thursday afternoon through Saturday night to rest and refresh before getting back at it Sunday.
“We feel good about where we are,” Chesney said. “Just managing it all is what we’re going to have to be able to do. We just have to keep staying locked in and finding our way. Right now, we’re making this more about us, what we need to be better at – ‘Let’s prepare ourselves for anything, as opposed to trying to prepare for everything.’ ”
Crusaders pile up the Patriot League honors
For the second year in a row, Chesney is the Patriot League Coach of the Year, a “staff” award in his opinion, and for the third time overall.
In addition to Sluka, 17 Crusaders earned All-Patriot League honors.
First-team offense selections were: senior running back Peter Oliver of Auburn and St. John’s High, junior wide receiver Jalen Coker, senior offensive linemen C.J. Hanson and Nick Olsofka, junior offensive linemen Luke Newman and Eric Schon, senior placekicker Derek Ng and sophomore return specialist Justin Shorter.
First-team defense honorees were: senior defensive lineman Dan Kuznetsov, senior linebacker Liam Anderson and senior defensive backs John Smith and Devin Haskins, also a first-teamer as a special teams non-specialist.
Second-team honorees were: sophomore running back Jordan Fuller, senior tight end Sean Morris, senior offensive lineman Grady Smith and senior punter Patrick Haughney.
Chesney is one of 16 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented annually to the FCS Coach of the Year.
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Holy Cross QB Matthew Sluka continues to impress for undefeated Crusaders
