'It’s a great feeling to write history in a way': For HC's Matthew Sluka, it was a run to the record book
When last Saturday’s game against Lafayette ended, Holy Cross senior quarterback Matthew Sluka had no idea that, during the Crusaders’ 29 minutes of possession, he had remarkably run the length of almost 3½ football fields.
“No idea,” Sluka, who rushed for 330 yards, an NCAA Division 1 single-game record for a QB, said before Wednesday’s practice. “(The yards) just came in big plays, and I wasn’t really taking too many hits, so it didn’t really feel like that.”
Sluka, whose record covers FCS and FBS, broke the previous mark of Arizona’s Khalil Tate, who rushed for 327 yards against Colorado in 2017.
“It wasn’t really expected, it wasn’t really planned,” Sluka said. “I didn’t even know what the number was; I was just playing the game, and whenever it ended, it ended. It’s a great feeling to write history in a way.”
Sluka’s extraordinary effort was the second-most single-game rushing yard performance in HC history. Gill Fenerty rushed for 337 yards against Columbia in 1983.
“In the locker room, I was reading the stat line,” senior wide receiver Jalen Coker said, “and I thought it was passing yards included, but it was just rushing yards. I walked up to him and said, ‘That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.’ ”
Also against the Leopards, Sluka, who earned Patriot League and national offensive player of the week honors, surpassed the 3,000-yard career rushing mark. With 3,233, he ranks third in HC history behind Fenerty (3,680) and Joe Segreti (3,461).
Sluka, who had touchdown runs of 29, 70 and 4 yards, tied junior teammate Jordan Fuller for second place on the all-time Holy Cross rushing TD list. Each have 36, and need two to surpass Segreti.
Sluka had a hand in another record-setting moment last Saturday when Coker became HC’s career receiving yards leader.
With three catches for 49 yards, Coker raised his four-year total to 2,371 yards and overtook Ari Confesor, who finished his career with 2,352 receiving yards.
“Coming into a program and working my way up and eventually start producing on a level that is considered record-breaking is just awesome,” Coker said. “It’s a great feeling and a testament to my family, coaches, teammates and the school. It’s just a really good environment we’re in. We’re able to play at our best and have fun doing it.”
Earlier this season, Coker set the Holy Cross career record for receiving touchdowns.
“Any time you are the best in anything,” Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney said, “I think it speaks volumes of the work, the sacrifice, the ability, everything that you put into it to get yourself to that position. (Sluka and Coker) work extremely hard and they are very talented, and I love when you have a chance for it to show up and be recognized.
“It certainly means a lot,” Chesney added, “to see the guys of today go to the top of the record books in the long storied history within this program. That’s pretty amazing. It’s exciting and telling of just how special this group is.”
HC regroups, Fordham is next
With its 38-35 victory over Holy Cross, Lafayette (2-0) remained the only unbeaten team in the Patriot League and snapped the Crusaders’ winning streak against league opponents at 18 games.
HC, Georgetown, Fordham and Colgate each have one league loss. The Crusaders (4-3, 2-1), who play at Fordham at 1 p.m. Saturday, also have league games remaining against Lehigh and Georgetown, and an FBS matchup at Army Nov. 11.
Lafayette has four league games to play, against Georgetown, Colgate, Fordham and Lehigh.
Four-time defending PL champion Holy Cross went 6-0 in league play in 2021 and 2022.
“We can’t control the next piece of this,” Chesney said, “and we don’t necessarily control our own destiny at this exact moment. We need a couple of things to happen, but our objective right now is for us to continue to play fast, continue to play confident and continue to find the right concoction of guys out on the field to make this thing work.
“Everybody has to be ready, stay ready and keep believing,” Chesney added, “because stranger things happen. You find yourself in a situation where you’re in the middle of this thing or you’re back on top and, ‘Were you prepared for that?’ and ‘Did you let up at all?’ and that’s what we can’t do.”
The Crusaders’ previous last loss to a Patriot League foe was a 23-20 setback to Lafayette on Nov. 9, 2019.
HC is ranked No. 22 in this week’s AFCA coaches’ poll. The Crusaders fell out of the FCS Stats Perform Top 25.
Fordham, behind sophomore quarterback CJ Montes, has the Patriot League’s top passing offense. Holy Cross was down six defensive backs at the end of last week’s game, and the Crusaders have had to overcome injuries and inexperience in the secondary all season. Lafayette hit HC for a number of big pass plays last week.
HC, which beat Fordham in dramatic fashion last season, will be seeking its seventh straight win over the Rams.
“We don’t have the fate of the league in our hands,” Holy Cross fifth-year linebacker Jacob Dobbs said, “but at the end of the day, the only thing we can control is going out there and winning the next four games, and it starts with this week. It’s about winning Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday practice, winning the walkthrough and then going out and winning on Saturday.
"It goes back to what this program was founded on and what we always say, ‘Win each day and be the best version of yourself each day.’ If we continue to take that mindset, everything takes care of itself.”
Locals keep thriving
University of New England freshman running back Damien Jones of Fitchburg scored two touchdowns (one rush, one reception) against Curry in the Nor’easters’ program-record sixth win of the season. … Assumption sophomore linebacker Owen Fitzgerald of Auburn made eight tackles and broke up a pass in the Greyhounds’ loss to St. Anselm. … Anna Maria wide receiver Deandre Wallace had six catches for 181 yards to help the AmCats defeat Dean. Wallace’s receiving yards total were the second most in the ECFC this season. Wallace has caught six or more passes in five straight games. … Anna Maria freshman defensive back Darren Watson had four tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and a pass breakup in the win over Dean.
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: College football: For Holy Cross' Matthew Sluka, it was a run to the record book
