Blue Hen News
Blue Hens sign 15 to football scholarships
Posted By Kevin Tresolini On February 3, 2010
The University of Delaware today announced a recruiting class of 15 football prospects who had signed national letters of intent, confirming their acceptance of a scholarship, plus made official the addition of three transfers from Hofstra and Northeastern, which dropped football last last year (see list below).
The high school recruiting class features nine offensive players, including four receivers and highly regarded Georgia QB Justin Burns, who committed to Delaware last summer. One of the recruits, running back Andrew Pierce of Cumberland Regional (N.J.), is a 2009 high school graduate who’ll begin school at UD this month and play spring football.
Two Delaware prep products — Caesar Rodney RB Malcolm Yowk and Caravel safety Brandon Cheaton, who recently transferred to Middletown — are among the 15.
Another recruit, kicker Sean Baner, will sign with Delaware later this year when it clears an available scholarship, he said.
While only time will tell how talented this recruiting class actually is, Delaware coach K.C. Keeler believes it has a chance to be among Delaware’s most accomplished.
“I thought we hit our target,” Keeler said. “Last year, we were really excited about the signing class. We kind of went position by position and think that this class might even be a little bit better. So that’s exciting because the kids we have on campus right now we feel really good about.”
A record 12 true freshmen saw playing time for Delaware during its 6-5 2009 season.
In other football news, Keeler said that linebackers coach Ben Albert has resigned to accept a coaching position with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and that, if LB/DE Matt Marcorelle is granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA because of injuries, as expected, he will definitely play for Delaware this fall rather than take a stab at the NFL. Keeler expects to learn sometime this month if attempts to earn a sixth year for Marcorelle and tight end Josh Baker have been approved.
Delaware Class of 2010 signees
Justin Burns, QB, 6-5, 215, Alpharetta (Ga.)
Brandon Cheaton, DB, 6-2, 180, Caravel (Del.)
Jamaul Christopher, LB, 6-2, 240, Fletcher (Fla.)
Stephen Clark, WR, 6-2, 160, Bethel (Va.)
John “J.D.” Dzurko, OL, 6-3, 285, North Wales (Pa.)
Sam Feliccia, TE, 6-3, 230, La Salle (Pa.)
Kyle Gayle, LB, 6-2, 195, Montclair (N.J.)
Jake Geiser, C, 6-3, 275, DeMatha (Md.)
Jake Giusti, DB, 5-11, 175, Fletcher (Fla.)
Michael Johnson, WR, 6-2, 205, Gainesville (Fla.)
Karim Jones, WR, 6-3, 210, Quince Orchard (Md.)
Andrew Pierce, RB, 5-11, 200, Cumberland (N.J.)
Derrick Saulsberry, DE, 6-3, 210, Camden Co. (Ga.)
Laith WallSchleger, DT, 6-4, 235, St. Stephens & Agnes (Va.)
Malcolm Yowk, RB, 5-9, 170, Caesar Rodney (Del.).
Verbal commit
(Signing later)
Sean Baner, K, 6-1, 185, Wm. Tennant (Pa.)
Transfers
Quincy Barr, DL, 6-3, 248, Hofstra (soph.)
Darryl Jones, S, 5-10, 184, Northeastern (sr.)
Kyle Hunte, LB, 6-2, 205, Northeastern (soph.)
===============================================
Delaware has secured commitments from the following high school seniors:
1/23/10
News Journal
Sean Baner, K, 6-1, 185, Wm. Tennant (Pa.); Justin Burns, QB, 6-5, 215, Alpharetta (Ga.); Jamaul Christopher, LB, 6-2, 240, Fletcher (Fla.); Stephen Clark, WR, 6-2, 175, Bethel (Va.); Dylan Dzugan, OL, 6-7, 270, Springdale (Pa.); Sam Feleccia, WR, 6-3, 210, La Salle (Pa.); Rob Forst, OL, 6-4, 275, Manasquan (N.J.); Jake Geiser, C, 6-3, 270, DeMatha (Md.); Jake Giusti, DB, 5-11, 175, Fletcher (Fla.); Derrick Saulsberry, DE, 6-2, 210, Camden Co. (Ga.); Laith WallSchleger, TE, 6-4, 235, St. Stephens & Agnes (Va.); and Malcolm Yowk, RB, 5-9, 170, Caesar Rodney (Del.).
Delaware is expected to also sign three players from CAA schools that recently dropped football: Hofstra's Quincy Barr, a 6-3, 248-pound defensive tackle who'll be a sophomore this fall, and Northeastern safeties Darryl Jones (5-10, 184, sr.) and Kyle Hunte (6-2, 205, so.). Hunte will likely play linebacker.
============================================
Redskins Name Former Blue Hen To Staff
Washington Redskins
January 21, 2010
ASHBURN, VA – The Washington Redskins announced Thursday that they have named Bob Slowik
defensive backs coach.
Slowik has coached both on the professional and collegiate
level for more than three decades. He enters his 18th season as an NFL
assistant and spent four seasons (2005-08) working under Shanahan with the
Denver Broncos. Slowik originally joined the Broncos as defensive backs coach
(2005-06), before being promoted to the team’s defensive coordinator and
defensive backs coach in 2007. The following season (2008) he served as the
Broncos’ defensive coordinator.
Slowik has been a defensive coordinator in the NFL for 10
seasons, working in that capacity for Denver
(2007-08), Green Bay (2004), Cleveland (1999) and Chicago (1993-98).
Under his direction, six players have earned a total of 11 Pro Bowl
appearances.
“Bob is someone who I have worked with for several
years and has a great knowledge of the defensive side of the ball,”
Shanahan said. “He has been very successful as both a position coach and
a coordinator in this league and will be instrumental in working with our
defensive backs.”
From 2005 to 2007, Slowik coached cornerback Champ Bailey
and safety John Lynch who earned Pro Bowl appearances in each of those three
seasons. Bailey, who twice also earned All-Pro honors under Slowik, recorded a
then-NFL-best 21 interceptions and tied for the league high with three
interceptions returned for touchdowns over that span. In addition,
Slowik’s defensive backs helped the club yield the eighth-lowest opponent
passer rating (77.9) in the NFL over those three seasons.
As the Broncos’ defensive coordinator/defensive backs
coach in 2007, Slowik’s unit tied for third in the league with 34 forced
fumbles, a total that was the franchise’s highest in 17 seasons.
Slowik coached a Broncos defensive backfield in 2006 that
was anchored by Bailey, who finished second in the Associated Press Defensive
Player of the Year voting after tying for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions
and leading the league with 11 takeaways.
During his first year as Broncos defensive backs coach in
2005, Slowik’s group helped the team post a 13-3 record, win the AFC West
title and advance to the AFC Championship Game. Denver totaled its most interceptions (20) in
four seasons and was led in that category by Bailey, who had a then career-high
eight interceptions to tie for fourth in the NFL. Bailey was named an
Associated Press All-Pro for the second consecutive year while he and Lynch
represented Slowik’s secondary in the Pro Bowl.
In four seasons (2000-03) coaching Green Bay’s defensive backs, the Packers
recorded the highest takeaway total (116) in the NFL from 2001-03. The 2002
Packers defense led the league with 45 takeaways, while the 2001 unit tied for
the NFL’s second-highest takeaway total with 39.
Under Slowik’s guidance, Packers safety Darren Sharper
earned two Pro Bowl and Associated Press All-Pro selections (2000 and 2002).
Sharper earned Pro Bowl honors and was named All-Pro in 2000 when he posted a
career-best nine interceptions to lead the NFL and become the first Packer in
38 years to accomplish that feat. In the five seasons Slowik coached on the
Packers’ defensive staff, Sharper accumulated 31 interceptions for the
top mark in the NFL during that period.
Before working one year as the Cleveland Browns’
defensive coordinator during their 1999 expansion season when he directed the
league’s No. 11 pass defense, he spent six years (1993-98) as the Chicago
Bears’ defensive coordinator. In addition to his duties as defensive
coordinator, Slowik coached the Bears’ secondary during his first three
years in Chicago
and instructed their linebackers from 1996-97.
He joined the Bears after spending the 1992 season as a
defensive assistant with the Dallas Cowboys, primarily working with the nickel
defense. Dallas
won Super Bowl XXVII while leading the NFL in total defense and limiting
offenses to a league-low 27.2 percent success rate on third-down attempts. The
Cowboys’ pass defense ranked No. 5 in the NFL (167.9 ypg.).
Before entering the NFL, Slowik served as a college
assistant for 14 seasons. Slowik coached outside linebackers at East Carolina
University (1990-91) and
helped the 1991 Pirates to an 11-1 record and a final national ranking of No.
9, both tops in school history.
Prior to working as Rutgers’ secondary coach from
1984-89, Slowik held the same assignment at Drake University
in 1983. He was a part-time defensive assistant at the University of Florida
from 1979-82, where his wife, Carol, was the head women’s track coach.
Slowik worked on the Gators’ coaching staff with Shanahan from 1980-82.
A two-year starting cornerback at the University of Delaware,
Slowik helped the Blue Hens to a 16-6 mark in his final two seasons and a trip
to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs as a senior. He began
his coaching career in 1978 as a graduate assistant at Delaware and remained in that position for
one year.
Born May 16, 1954, in Pittsburgh,
Slowik prepped at Baldwin High School in Pittsburgh.
He and his wife, Carol, have four children: Ryan, Andrea, Bobby and Steven.
=============================================
Sonny Riccio threw one of the biggest passes in Missouri football
history.
Columbia Missourian Josh Wolff
December 25, 2009
COLUMBIA - The Missouri football team was hosting No. 10-ranked Nebraska in
a nationally televised game on Oct. 11, 2003 at Memorial Stadium.
Down 24-21 with a fourth-and-goal looming, Missouri elected to kick the
game-tying field goal from the 14-yard-line - or so everyone except the
Tigers thought. Missouri kicker Mike Matheny lined up for the field goal and
the ball was snapped to holder and back-up quarterback Sonny Riccio.
As Matheny ran toward the ball, starting his kicking motion, Riccio picked
up the ball, spun around to his right and rolled out toward the Nebraska
sideline. He lofted the ball into the end zone, floating it just over the
fingertips of a Nebraska defender and into the hands of Missouri tight end
Victor Sesay. Missouri took a 28-24 lead and never looked back, beating
Nebraska 41-24 and ending a 24-game losing streak to the Cornhuskers.
"I think Sonny Riccio threw one of the biggest passes in Missouri football
history. I think in a lot of ways he has a legacy here," said Missouri
co-offensive line coach Bruce Walker, who recruited Riccio to Columbia.
Riccio was recruited to Missouri to be a starting quarterback, but after
falling behind Brad Smith on the depth chart, Riccio decided to transfer to
Delaware after the 2003 season with the hopes of starting for the Blue Hens.
While it's a long and arduous process to recruit high school players to
Missouri, once those players get here, keeping former high school stars
happy becomes difficult.
In early December of 2000, Sonny Riccio was still sorting through his
potential college choices. He was being recruiting by Bowling Green, Ball
State and many other Mid-American Conference schools, but a new suitor
popped onto to his radar: the Tigers.
Just weeks before, Toledo head coach Gary Pinkel had been hired by MU to
replace Larry Smith, bringing with him many of his Toledo assistant coaches,
including Bruce Walker.
Walker learned about Riccio in 1997 while recruiting Lincoln High School
(Ellwood City, Pa.) linebacker David Gardner. At a practice, Walker watched
his future Toledo linebacker, but also noticed Riccio, just a freshman
quarterback at the time - a player Walker would track in the future.
At Toledo, Walker recruited Riccio and continued to do so when Walker
switched to MU. Riccio was ecstatic to be given the chance to play college
football in the Big 12. But the young player hesitated even though the
Tigers were his best offer. A 12-hour drive from his hometown to Columbia
would make traveling difficult for his parents, so he continued to look at
all of his options and listened to teams' pitches.
"The coaches sit in your living room and talk with your parents, tell you
how they are going to take care of you, look after you even off the field,"
Riccio said. "They tell your parents that they have everything you could
possibly imagine to take care of your son for the next four to five years."
Former Missouri wide receiver Brad Ekwerekwu said coaches try to paint the
perfect picture of the university.
"It's their best sell," he said. "They make you see what the school looks
like on the sunniest of sunny days."
While Riccio was cautious not to get overly swayed by the recruiting
coaches' standard lip service, the day-to-day process of recruiting
enthralled him.
"They come to your school and pull you out of class," he said. "It's
exciting for a high school kid. You're in the middle of a science or a math
class and a college recruiter comes and simply takes you out of it."
Riccio saw Missouri as a program on the rise, so he decided to take an
official visit. In Columbia, he loved everything he saw. The facilities were
grand and sparkling. The academics available would help him grow as a
person. And he had strong relationships with the coaches, particularly
Walker.
Those relationships, Riccio said, were instrumental in him selecting the
Tigers. It's a concept not lost on the Missouri coaching staff.
"That's the most important factor in recruiting, period," Walker said.
While most people think high school players choose schools based on a name,
it couldn't be farther from the truth.
"There are so many different reasons that different kids make decisions,"
said Gabe DeArmond, publisher of PowerMizzou.com, a Web site that follows
Missouri recruiting. "And despite what fans think, very few of them are
based on if team 'A' beat team 'B' or if team 'A' finished ahead of team 'B'
in the standings last year."
During the recruiting process, the ability to play early was a factor for
Riccio. Missouri told him that he would likely redshirt his first year on
campus, but after his redshirt year, the depth chart was wide open. However,
the Missouri coaches cautioned him that playing is never promised.
"Playing time is always a factor in the recruiting process, but playing time
isn't determined until you get here," Walker said.
Riccio was also told about the other players Missouri was recruiting,
including another dual-threat quarterback who went to school less than 40
miles away from Riccio in Youngstown, Ohio. An ardent competitor, Riccio
committed to Missouri fully aware he would have to fight for a starting job
with another member of his recruiting class.
That Youngstown quarterback was Brad Smith.
Quicker and more athletic by Riccio's own admission, Smith got the upper
hand. In 2002, Smith became the starter as a redshirt freshman and Riccio
took the reigns as the third-string quarterback. He worked hard and with a
strong spring game showing in 2003 against the team's starting defense, he
ascended to Smith's back-up for his sophomore season.
Having such a capable back-up forced Smith to avoid complacency.
"Even as a back-up, you have to prepare like a starter," Smith said. "Just
knowing that you have a guy capable behind you, a guy that can lead the
team, it's a comfortable feeling, but it also keeps you focused and keeps
you trying to get better."
In his limited minutes, Riccio made them count, passing for 134 yards and
two touchdowns in 22 passing attempts, including the fake field goal
touchdown against Nebraska.
"I just told myself, 'Sonny, whenever you get in the game, relax and just do
what you know how to do,'" Riccio said.
Ekwerekwu, who currently serves as a mentor for some of the younger Missouri
football players, said frustration about playing time is quite common. In
their first couple of years on campus, many of the players don't even see
the field, causing them to feel insignificant.
"When you practice hard all week and you don't get to play in the game, you
kind of feel like your work is for nothing," he said.
Ekwerekwu said the younger players express their frustration to him, feeling
that no matter how well they practice, the coaches still won't notice or
award them playing time.
Ekwerekwu understands, having dealt with his own playing time issues. As a
true freshman, the coaching staff vacillated between keeping him redshirted
and playing him. Eventually his redshirt was burned five games into the 2003
season, but he only totaled 11 catches his first year at Missouri, making
him wonder whether playing that year was worth it.
While Ekwerekwu only played with Riccio in 2003, he said he understood
Riccio's aggravation. Despite being stuck behind Smith who had the same
eligibility as Riccio, he always remained a team-first player.
"Absolutely, without a question (Riccio was a great teammate). He was a
funny guy, one of the funniest I've ever met," Smith said. "Even in his
situation, he kept guys loose. He had fun in his role and that says a lot
about his character."
During the offseason, Riccio asked the coaching staff for an increased role
in the offense. He was told that he would get a spot series here and there
in the regular season, but it never happened.
"The worst thing for a coaching staff is a quarterback controversy, and so
they wanted to avoid it at all costs," Riccio said.
He also played the most competitive position in football.
"Sometimes you get in tough situations at certain positions like quarterback
where it's a tough deal," Walker said. "It's not like the guard spot or wide
receivers where you can mix in guys."
After the Tigers' Independence Bowl game against Arkansas in 2003, wide
receivers coach Andy Hill came up to Riccio and told him how much he
appreciated his efforts and said if he ever needed anything, just to let
Hill know.
"They knew I was going to transfer before I even did. The coaches knew I was
frustrated, but I never showed it," Riccio said. "I've always wanted to do
things the right way, that's just the way I was brought up."
When he transferred to the University of Delaware - a place he would throw
for over 4,500 yards and 29 touchdowns in two seasons as starting
quarterback - there was no angst against him. Everyone understood that he
just wanted the chance to play, something he wouldn't get at MU.
"He was a great teammate," said current offensive coordinator David Yost who
was Riccio's quarterback coach. "I know the guys here and the guys who
played with him have great respect for him and he's always going to be a
teammate of theirs even though he ended up as a Delaware Blue Hen. He'll
always be a Missouri Tiger."
==========================================
UD AMONG Top Choices For Big East Expansion
Pavan Katepalli
BleacherReport.com
December 21, 2009
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/312138-temple-university-is-top-choice-for-big-east-expansion
The Big East Presidents are really stubborn. They will only
expand the conference if it means they will lose a member. If Rutgers
gets an invitation to the Big Ten, then that might entice the Big East
Presidents into adding football only schools to the league. The Big East
Presidents learned their lesson when the Big East lost Miami,
Boston College and Virginia Tech in 2003 to the
ACC. They then had to add South Florida, Louisville
and Cincinnati to the conference for Football (and Basketball). If invitations to their
football members are given out, they won't make the same mistake again.
Everyone keeps talking about how the Big East should add
Villanova to the Football schedule. That makes absolutely no sense at all.
Villanova has less than ten thousand students in total and only about seven
thousand undergrad students. Although, Villanova is a good football team,
adding the University would not increase the Big East’s market
tremendously. Some may point to Northwestern from the Big Ten and say, if Northwestern
has only eight thousand undergrads and are in the Big Ten, why can’t
Villanova be in the Big East with around seven thousand undergrads? First of
all, Northwestern has around eighteen thousand total students (undergrads plus
grads) while Villanova barely has ten thousand total students. Northwestern is
in the Chicago
area and has an excellent market, while Villanova is in the middle of nowhere.
Also, Villanova’s Endowment is around 300 million whereas
Northwestern’s endowment is 6.5 billion dollars. Please, end the talk
about Villanova joining the Big East’s Football League.
On a completely different note: interestingly enough the
people of Villanova, Pennsylvania are extremely rich. The average
house is worth 1.5 million dollars in that area.
So if the Big East does expand, who will it choose? The
answer is: Temple University, Delaware
University, University of Houston and University of East Carolina.
Universities that would make sense for the Big East in the
order of most likely happening:
1.Temple
University
2.Delaware
University
3.University
of Houston
4.East Carolina
5.University
of Toledo
6.Florida International University,
Florida Atlantic University or University of Central Florida
Here are the positives and negatives for adding each University
to the Big East:
Temple University:
Positives:
- Freshman Running Back Superstar Bernard Pierce
(http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=482169) should keep Temple competitive for at
least 3 more years.
- Temple
is going to a bowl game against UCLA!!! Check out Temple’s record at ESPN:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/teams/schedule?teamId=218&year=2009.
- The Philadelphia
market would be amazing to have.
- Temple would be a natural
rival for Rutgers, since they compete in the
same area for recruits.
Negatives:
- The Big East kicked Temple out in 2001, because the University
did not attract enough fans and buzz. This could mean some bad blood between
the Big East and Temple.
But if the Big East says sorry and gives some chocolates, I think Temple will give it
another chance (works for me when I mess up with lady friends).
- Temple’s
endowment is around a quarter billion dollars, which would be the lowest in the
Big East, but still workable.
Delaware University:
Positives:
- 1.34 billion dollar endowment. This would make it
the richest school in the Big East. It would be able to expand the football
program significantly.
- Competitive football program (Delaware’s Joe Flacco was a first
round draft pick in 2008)
Negatives:
- Very little credibility comes to the Big East
from adding Delaware.
But remember, it is not about credibility, number of championships or wins. It
is about money, and Delaware
has a lot of that and can bring more of that to the Big East.
University of Houston:
Positives:
- Great Football Program
- Endowment is 700 million dollars
- Houston
is a prime area that the Big East could take
- Kevin Sumlin, Houston’s football coach just got an
extension, so the program should be good for a long time
Negatives:
- Houston
fans would have trouble getting to away games
East Carolina University:
Positives:
- big fan base that travels well
- competitive football team
- 20,000 plus undergrads
- Greenville, North Carolina is the tenth biggest city in North Carolina
- UNC would be their natural rival
Negatives:
- Endowment is only 150 million dollars (lower
endowment means the University will have trouble expanding the Football
Program).
The University
of Toledo
Positives:
- The Toledo/Fremont, Ohio
location has around 700,000 people in it (source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo,_Ohio)
- Toledo, Ohio
is on the Michigan
border. Anywhere close to Michigan
University is a good
thing.
- 20,000 plus undergrads
- Natural rival for Cincinnati
Negatives:
- 184 million dollar endowment
- Mascot is Rocky the Rocket
Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University or University of Central Florida:
Positives:
- Lots of undergrads
- Big Florida
markets (sure the Big East has South Florida, but they only have the Tampa area)
- A true rival for University of South Florida
Negatives:
- Endowments for all those universities are around 100 to
150 million dollars. This low amount would make it hard for the Universities to
expand the football programs.
I did not include Appalachian State, because the University
has an endowment of 60 million dollars. That wouldn’t be enough to get a
decent coach. For the same reason, I did not include Marshall University.
However, it would be awesome to get the Marshall and WVU rivalry heated up. I
wish Marshall University had more money. They would be
a prime choice for the Big East if they did.
I also did not include Princeton
University from Princeton, New Jersey.
Although Princeton University’s endowment is humongous at 12.6
billion dollars, the school has only five thousand undergrads, and would not
bring anything new to the Big East, since it already has the New
Jersey market with Rutgers.
I really wish Harvard would join the Big East. They would
have some work to do, but they have an endowment of 26 billion dollars. They
could throw 14 billion at the football program, make its football team better
than NFL Teams and still have more money left over than any other university in
the world. They are in the Massachusetts
area and could have a big market with big donors.
=============================================
UD's DB - Charles Graves makes 1st team All-American
Walter Camp Foundation Division I FCS All-American team:
Offense
QB - Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State); RB - Pat Paschall (North Dakota State), Deji Karim (Southern Illinois); WR - Terrell Hudgins (Elon), Marc Mariani (Montana), Matt Szczur (Villanova); TE - Clay Harbor (Missouri State); OL - Matt McCracken (Richmond), Mario Acitelli (Appalachian State), Jeff Hansen (Montana State), Benjamin Ijalana (Villanova); C - Kyle Mutcher (Weber State); PK - Matt Bevins (Liberty).
Defense
DL - Arthur Moats (James Madison), Adrian Tracy (William & Mary), Tim Knicky (Stephen F. Austin), Danny Batten (South Dakota State); LB - J.C. Sherritt (Eastern Washington), Brandin Jordan (Southern Illinois), Matt Cohen (Lehigh);
DB - Charles Graves (Delaware), Jeromy Miles (Massachusetts), Mark LeGree (Appalachian State), Josh Morris (Weber State), Terrell Whitehead (Norfolk State); P - Jon Vandenwielen (Idaho State); KR - LeRoy Vann (Florida A&M).
-------------------------------------------------
UD Cannot rile up enough financial support for a dreamy new football stadium,
as was part of the original concept.
Kevin Tresolini
Wilmington News Journal
17 December 2009
NEWARK -- One year ago this month, the University of Delaware announced a
grand plan for a completely redesigned athletic campus.
It would have started with a new athletic performance center for sports
medicine, athletic training, strength and conditioning, and academic
enrichment purposes, constructed at the corner of South College Avenue and
Del. 4.
A dreamy new football stadium also was part of the concept.
But this week, Bernard Muir, who became athletic director in July, revealed
the first steps of what he considers a more attainable and economically
sensible solution to UD's needs.
Muir said this plan will "maximize this footprint," meaning the location of
present athletic facilities would not change.
It will begin with that athletic performance center being constructed
between the north end zone of Delaware Stadium and the football practice
fields, a new pressbox/luxury suites structure atop Delaware Stadium,
flanked by an expansive concourse, and a Carpenter Center annex for practice
basketball courts.
The athletic performance building would close off Delaware Stadium, which is
open at the four corners, at its northwest and northeast sections to
accommodate seating atop and around the new structure, Muir said. Capacity
could grow by several thousand.
"We've spent the last six months here exploring other opportunities," Muir
said, referring to those apart from last December's blueprint, "and there's
ample space to do it."
He called it a "business model," meaning there are neither formal
architectural blueprints nor financing plans in place yet. Coaches have been
shown artist renderings, however.
It does mean that 22,000-seat Delaware Stadium, where the Blue Hens
regularly play in front of some of the largest crowds in NCAA Division I-AA,
will continue to serve as UD's football home.
"What we need," Muir said, "is right here."
Football coach K.C. Keeler agreed, saying that Delaware Stadium, which
opened in 1952, deserves to remain the historic centerpiece while adding
modern needs.
"It's taken us a little while to get here, but from what I've seen we got it
right," Keeler said. "This plan ties in the past, the present and the
future."
The recently acquired Chrysler site across South College Avenue was never
considered as a potential site for a new football stadium, officials said.
Muir would not provide any timetable or cost estimates on potential
projects, or what might happen thereafter. Each would have to be approved by
the UD board of trustees, which would require completed funding and building
plans first.
None are small in scope, however, and, therefore, have "huge philanthropic
needs," Muir said.
Financial gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations will be
sought to complement university expenditures.
Muir termed the three 1A, B and C on his priority list.
UD coaches have been unanimous in their wish for the athletic performance
center, in particular to improve Delaware's weightlifting facilities, which
are inferior to their Colonial Athletic Association counterparts. It would
be available to all varsity athletes. Offices, locker rooms and the UD
athletics hall of fame could also be located there.
Men's lacrosse coach Bob Shillinglaw said the thought of an athletic
performance center becoming closer to reality is welcomed.
"This is a much more reasonable approach," Shillinglaw said of placing such
a facility adjacent to existing structures. "It looks like we're definitely
staying up with the Joneses, or getting ahead. That end zone will be
fantastic for us to show recruits, with windows looking out onto the
practice fields."
This coming season, the men's lacrosse team will switch its home games from
Rullo Stadium to Delaware Stadium, where workers recently began the process
of replacing the grass surface with an all-weather turf field. Work could be
completed by March.
The existing outdated pressbox atop Delaware Stadium's West stands would be
removed and replaced with a stand-alone structure, built from the ground up
and reachable by elevator. It would house modern media and coaching
facilities and luxury suites.
Luxury and corporate seating built alongside, above or below media work
areas and coaching boxes have long been a source of revenue for college and
pro teams. But that potential income stream has never been tapped into at
UD, despite football's popularity.
A concourse surrounding the area will add to the ambiance.
"One of the things we're trying to enhance is the overall game-day
experience," Muir said. "If we can start in the parking lots, go into the
games and continue that experience and allow people to have other
opportunities to enjoy the atmosphere, a renovated pressbox with club
seating and suites ... We've done some market research and we feel we can
support that."
Similar structures exist at the football stadiums of Delaware's CAA rivals
Maine, Towson and Villanova. James Madison's $62 million renovation of
Bridgeforth Stadium will have similar perks.
"We wouldn't have to touch the grandstand. Just make a complete, separate
structure," Muir said. "Again, we're talking several million dollars, so you
have to have a sound business plan to get that done."
Basketball practice courts were part of the original performance center
plans. But they are best suited for the Carpenter Center, where Delaware's
locker rooms, varsity court and offices are located for its men's and
women's teams.
Muir foresees an addition to the building's south side, where there is
presently a little-used walkway and landscaping across the fire lane from
Rullo Stadium.
UD basketball teams are sometimes forced to train on the synthetic surface
at the neighboring Field House or travel two miles up campus to Carpenter
Sports Building because of conflicts with other events at the Carpenter
Center, which has just one hardwood and one synthetic court. Sometimes,
they've even gone to local high school gyms.
"This is a great facility for the community, but that means sometimes we are
moved out," said Delaware women's basketball coach Tina Martin, who
estimates that happened more than a dozen times last season. "The new
facility Bernard is talking about would be a tremendous boost for us in our
recruiting and just because everything else we have is right here."
"Recruiting is non-stop," Muir said, "and for our basketball programs it's
really important we can say they have access to the floor whenever they
want."
=============================
Northeastern freshmen Kyle Hunte transfers to UD
Boston Globe
December 16, 2009
Northeastern freshmen Chad and Kyle Hunte were said to be two of the more
highly sought-after players following the demise of Huskies football last
month. But before the suitors could line up, both have made their decisions
after just one official visit.
The twin brothers, who were both Bay State Conference All-Star linebackers
at Brookline High, made their commitments this week and will transfer within
the Colonial Athletic Association next month. Chad, a linebacker, will be
gearing up at UMass; Kyle, a safety, will play for Delaware.
Both came on strong late in the season for the Huskies. They both registered
over 30 tackles, while Kyle was second on the team in interceptions (three).
In other Brookline football news, Laz Mitjans resigned as head coach last
Sunday after four seasons at the helm, making his official announcement at
the team's season-ending banquet. No candidates for the head job are known
at this time.
The Warriors won just four games the last two seasons, including a 1-10
slate this season. But should senior Irvin Scott end up on scholarship at a
Division 1 school (he will visit UMass next month) that would make it three
D1 scholarship players to come out of Brookline in the last two seasons --
and mind you, the Warriors have finished the season with less than 30 on the
varsity both years. Mitjans also coached Dave Teggart, a Lou Groza Award
candidate this season at UConn, during his time as head coach at Algonquin
Regional.
==========================================
House subcommittee OKs bill aimed at forcing college football to set up
new playoff system
House Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection subcommittee
From Associated Press
December 09, 2009
WASHINGTON (AP) A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday
aimed at forcing college football to switch to a playoff system to
determine its national champion, over the objections of some lawmakers
who said Congress has meatier targets to tackle.
The bill, which faces steep odds, would ban the promotion of a
postseason NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision game as a national
championship unless it results from a playoff. The measure passed by
voice vote in a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, with
one audible "no," from Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga.
"With all due respect, I really think we have more important things to
spend our time on," Barrow said before the vote, although he stressed he
didn't like the current Bowl Championship Series, either.
The BCS selections announced last weekend pit two unbeaten teams, No. 1
Alabama and No. 2 Texas, in the Jan. 7 national title game. Three other
undefeated teams TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State — will play in a BCS
bowl game, but not for the championship.
"What can we say it's December and the BCS is in chaos again," said
the bill's sponsor, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the top Republican on the
House Energy and Commerce Committee. He said the BCS system is unfair
and won't change unless prompted by Congress.
The legislation, which goes to the full committee, would make it
illegal to promote a national championship game "or make a similar
representation," unless it results from a playoff.
There is no Senate version, although Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, has
pressed for a Justice Department antitrust investigation into the BCS.
Shortly after his election last year, Barack Obama said there should be
a playoff system.
In a statement before the vote, BCS executive director Bill Hancock
said, "With all the serious matters facing our country, surely Congress
has more important issues than spending taxpayer money to dictate how
college football is played."
The subcommittee chairman, Rep. Bobby Rush, an Illinois Democrat who
co-sponsored the bill, said, "We can walk and chew gum at the same
time."
Yet Barrow wasn't alone in criticizing his colleagues' priorities;
Reps. Zach Space, D-Ohio, and Bart Stupak, D-Mich., made similar
arguments. Space said that with people facing tough times, the decision
to focus on college football sends the "wrong message."
The bill has a tough road ahead, given the wide geographic
representation and political clout of schools in the six conferences —
the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC — that get automatic
BCS bowl bids
The current college bowl system features a championship game between
the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls and six
computer rankings. Eight other schools play in the Orange, Sugar, Fiesta
and Rose bowls.
Under the BCS, the champions of those six big conference get automatic
bids, while other conferences don't. Those six conferences also receive
far more money than the other conferences.
=======================
Hofstra drops football after 69 seasons
December 3, 2009
By Mark Schlabach
ESPN.com
Hofstra University, which has fielded a football team for the past 69 years, is dropping the sport.
The school said it cut the program because of costs and fading interest and will use the $4.5 million spent annually on the team on scholarships and other priorities.
The board of trustees voted unanimously Wednesday night to shut the program, which had been in existence since the school's founding in 1937. The coaching staff was told Thursday morning, sources told ESPN.com.
Fernando Medina/US PresswireSaints receiver Marques Colston is one of five Hofstra players taken in the NFL draft since 1991.
Hofstra, which has competed in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) since 1991, is the second member of the Colonial Athletic Association to drop its football program in the past 10 days. Northeastern University, in Boston, announced Nov. 23 it was dropping its program after 74 seasons.
"The cost of the football program, now and in the future, far exceeds the return possible," Hofstra president Stuart Rabinowitz said Thursday. He added that despite Hofstra having sent several players to the NFL, the program does not attract enough national attention.
"Given that, along with the low level of interest, financial support and attendance among our students, our alumni and the community, the choice was painful, but clear."
The decision follows a two-year review of sports spending at Hofstra. Rabinowitz says there are no plans to cut any other sports at the school.
He said the 84 players were told of the decision Thursday. All players were told they can keep their scholarships if they remain at the school. Those who transfer will be eligible to play immediately.
Hofstra has an enrollment of 12,400 students and is located in Hempstead, N.Y., on Long Island.
School officials told ESPN.com that athletics director Jack Hayes and coach Dave Cohen were unavailable for comment Thursday morning.
CAA commissioner Thomas Yeager was unavailable for comment, conference spokesman Scott Meyer said.
The Pride went 5-6 this past season, tying for third with a 3-5 record in the CAA North. Hofstra has produced five NFL draft picks since 1991, including New Orleans Saints star receiver Marques Colston and Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Willie Colon.
Former Pride quarterback Giovanni Carmazzi was a third-round choice of the San Francisco 49ers in 2000, and former New York Jets receiver Wayne Chrebet played there.
Patriots cornerback Kyle Arrington, who went undrafted coming out of Hofstra in 2008 but was able to join New England's practice squad this fall, found out about Hofstra's decision when a reporter approached him at his locker Thursday morning. As soon as he turned on his cell phone, it began buzzing with text messages from friends relaying the same news.
"The worst we heard was that Cohen was on the hot seat," said Arrington, who was elevated to the active roster Nov. 5 and has appeared in three games. "That was it. ... I can't believe it. We have to get football back."
Hofstra's last game was a 52-38 home win over UMass on Nov. 21. The program has an overall record of 403 wins, 268 losses and 11 ties.
Mark Schlabach covers college football for ESPN.com. Information from ESPNBoston.com and The Associated Press was used in this report.
=================================
Seven University of Delaware Standouts Selected to CAA Football All-Star
Teams; Four Earn First Team Laurels
DATE: November 23, 2009 - UD Sports Info Dept.
Pictured from top to bottom: Brandon Gilbeaux (mc), Mark Duncan (mc), Anthony Walters (mc), Charles Graves (ss)
RICHMOND, Va. Three first team selections were among seven
University of Delaware football standouts named to the 2009 All-Colonial Athletic Association all-star teams announced Monday afternoon by the
league office.
Senior defensive lineman Brandon Gilbeaux, senior free safety Charles
Graves, junior cornerback Anthony Walters, and senior wide receiver Mark Duncan all earned first team honors while senior offensive lineman Corey
Nicholson and junior strong safety Anthony Bratton earned second team laurels, and junior punter Ed Wagner was selected to the third team.
CAA champion Villanova, one of four teams who have qualified for this
year's NCAA Tournament, highlighted the all-stars voting, which was
selected by the 12 league head coaches. Villanova and Richmond each
placed six players on the All-CAA first team while William & Mary had
five selections and Delaware and Massachusetts each had four. Richmond,
William & Mary, and New Hampshire will also compete in the NCAA
Tournament beginning Saturday.
Villanova head coach Andy Talley was named Coach of the Year while
junior wide receiver/running back Matt Szczur was named Offensive Player
of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year, James Madison
defensive end Arthur Moats was named Defensive Player of the Year, James
Madison quarterback Justin Thorpe was named Offensive Rookie of the
Year, and William & Mary defensive back B.W. Webb was named Defensive
Rookie of the Year.
Athlete photoGraves, a 6-0, 195 lb. senior from Raleigh, N.C.
(Southeast Raleigh HS) and a 2008 All-American, earned first team honors
for the second straight season after leading the Blue Hens in both
tackles and interceptions for the second straight year.
The 2009 Buck Buchanan Award candidate as the top defensive player in
the nation, Graves had a team-high 69 tackles, including a team-high 47
solo stops and one sack. He also intercepted four passes for 131 yards,
including a 90-yard return for a touchdown vs. Towson, broke up three
passes, and recovered a fumble. He posted 10 interceptions for his
career.
Gilbeaux, a 6-3, 271 lb. senior from Washington, D.C. (Dunbar High
School), was one of the team’s most improved players this fall in his
second year with the squad. Playing at both tackle and end, the
versatile Gilbeaux led all UD down linemen and ranked fourth on the
squad with 58 tackles, including 31 solo stops.
He tied for the team lead with 5.5 sacks for 31 yards and ranked second
on the team with eight tackles for losses of 37 yards. He also added a
pass breakup and a blocked kick. He registered five or more tackles five
times and had two sacks in a win over Hofstra.
Walters, a 6-1, 195 lb. junior from Philadelphia, Pa. (Cardinal
O’Hara HS), once again was a steady and versatile force in the
Delaware defensive backfield this fall as he played both cornerback and
strong safety.
Athlete photoHe ranked sixth on the squad with 55 tackles, including 40
solo stops, and led the team with 10 pass breakups, a mark that ranked
third in the CAA. He also recorded an interception, recovered one
fumble, and forced two other fumbles.
Duncan, a 5-11, 190 lb. senior from Clarksburg, Md. (Suitland HS),
missed two games early in the season but was among the CAA’s leading
receiver with Delaware team-highs of 48 receptions for 697 yards and six
touchdowns. His 14.5 avg. per catch ranked second on the team among
regulars.
He ranked fourth in the CAA in receptions per game and fifth in
receiving yards per game and ranked among the top 45 in the nation in
both categories. He caught at least two passes in every game in 2009 and
hauled in two touchdowns each vs. Towson and Massachusetts. He caught 10
passes for 114 yards vs. Villanova and also had 145 yards receiving vs.
Maine, including a season-long 79-yard touchdown reception from Pat
Devlin. His 185 career receptions ranks No. 3 all-time at Delaware
Nicholson, a 6-3, 285 lb. senior from Frederick, Md. (Linganore HS),
anchored the young offensive line for the Blue Hens and was the unit’s
lone senior. He helped the Hens rank No. 2 in the CAA in passing yards
per game (243.4) and No. 6 in scoring (25.6 points per game). A team
co-captain, he started all 11 games in 2009 and started 42 contests
during his career.
Bratton, a 6-2, 196 lb. junior from Manassas, Va. (Osbourn Park HS),
earned second team honors despite missing the final two games of the
season with an ankle injury. After missing all but one game in 2008 with
a knee injury, Bratton enjoyed a strong return this fall as he collected
49 tackles, including 32 solo stops, to rank eighth on the team. He tied
with Graves for the team lead with four interceptions and also added two
pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Athlete photoWagner, a 6-5, 225 lb. junior from Barto, Pa. (Perkiomen
School), took over the starting punting chores for the Hens this season
and was outstanding, averaging 40.0 yards on 47 punts. He did not have a
punt blocked all season, had 12 land inside the opponent 20-yard line,
and had five of them fair caught. He had five punts go for 50 or more
yards, including a 73-yarder vs. James Madison. He currently ranks No. 3
in the CAA and 27th in the NCAA in average yards per punt.
Delaware, led by eighth year head coach K.C. Keeler, finished the 2009
season with a record of 6-5 and placed fourth in the CAA South Division
standings with a mark of 4-4 in league play. Ranked in the top 25 for
most of the season, the Hens posted a .500 or better record for the 19th
time in the last 22 campaigns.
AGATE:
All-Colonial Athletic Association First Team:
Offense - QB - Chris Whitney (Villanova); RB - John Griffin
(Northeastern), Jonathan Grimes (W&M), Chris Zardas (UMass); WR - Mark
Duncan (Delaware), Victor Cruz (UMass), Matt Szczur (Villanova), Landis
Williams (Maine); TE - Scott Sicko (UNH); OL - Dorian Brooks (JMU),
Vladimir Ducasse (UMass), Ben Ijalana (Villanova), Matt McCracken
(Richmond), Michael Silva (Richmond); K - Tom Manning (UNH); KR - Matt
Szczur (Villanova); PR - Derek Hatcher (Richmond).
Defense - DL - Brandon Gilbeaux (Delaware), Tim Kukucka (Villanova),
Sean Lissemore (W&M), Adrian Tracy (W&M), Arthur Moats (JMU); LB - Luke
Bonus (Hofstra), Eric McBride (Richmond), Collin McConaghy (Richmond),
Terence Thomas (Villanova); CB - Anthony Walters (Delaware), Justin
Rogers (Richmond); S - Charles Graves (Delaware), Jeromy Miles (UMass),
David Caldwell (W&M); P - David Miller (W&M).
All-CAA Second Team:
Offense - QB - R.J. Archer (W&M); RB - Chad Kackert (UNH), Tony Nelson
(UMass), Everette Benjamin (Hofstra); WR - Kevin Grayson (Richmond),
Brandyn Harvey (Villanova), D.J. McAulay (W&M), Aaron Weaver (Hofstra);
TE - Rob Varno (W&M); OL - Tyler Eastman (Maine), Tom Neill (UNH), Corey
Nicholson (Delaware), Kevin Newhall (Northeastern), C.J. Muse (W&M); K -
Brian Pate (W&M); KR - Scotty McGee (JMU); PR - Scotty McGee (JMU).
Defense - DL - Sam Daniels (JMU), Kyle Harrington (UMass), Phil Matusz
(Villanova), Martin Parker (Richmond); LB - Tyler Holmes (UMass), Osayi
Osunde (Villanova), Jake Trantin (W&M), Sean Ware (UNH); CB - Scotty
McGee (JMU), Dino Vasso (UNH), B.W. Webb (W&M); S - Anthony Bratton
(Delaware), Terrence Klein (UNH); P - Tim Edger (Rhode Island).
All-CAA Third Team:
Offense - QB - Eric Ward (Richmond); RB - Aaron Ball (Villanova),
Justin Forte (Richmond), Kendall Gaskins (Richmond); WR - Tre Gray
(Richmond), Shawn Leonard (Rhode Island), Rockeed McCarter (JMU); TE -
Mike Caussin (JMU); OL - Brian Brannigan (Villanova), Brant Clouser
(Villanova), Drew Lachenmayer (Richmond), Derek Moore (Hofstra), Theo
Sherman (JMU); K - Armando Cuko (UMass); KR - Jonathan Grimes (W&M); PR
- D.W. Webb (W&M).
Defense - DL - Ronnell Brown (JMU), Brandon Collier (UMass), Kyle
Maroney (UNH), Parker Miles (Richmond), Jordan Stevens (Maine); LB - Rob
Damon (Rhode Island), Donte Dennis (Maine), Patrick Weldon (Richmond),
Marquis Kirkland (Villanova); CB - Steven Barker (Maine), Jimmy Pitts
(Villanova); S - John Dempsey (Villanova), Michael Ireland (Richmond); P
- Ed Wagner (Delaware).
Offensive Player of the Year: Matt Szczur, Villanova
Defensive Player of the Year: Arthur Moats, James Madison
Special Teams Player of the Year: Matt Szczur, Villanova
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Justin Thorpe, James Madison
Defensive Rookie of the Year: B.W. Webb, William and Mary
Coach of the Year: Andy Talley, Villanova
=============================================
University of Delaware to Install Artificial FieldTurf Surface
in Delaware Stadium in December
DATE: November 24, 2009
NEWARK, Del. -- For the first time in its 59-year history, the
University of Delaware Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium will have an artificial turf
surface.
In December, the current Delaware Stadium grass surface will be removed and a new synthetic FieldTurf field will be installed by Clark
Companies of New Delhi, N.Y., one of the nation leaders in turf
installation. Clark also installed FieldTurf on the Delaware Practice Fields prior
to the 2008 season.
Weather permitting, work is scheduled to begin on Dec. 1 and is expected to be completed in time for spring football practice and lacrosse
season in March.
This is just one of several improvements we plan to take as we enhance
the footprint of our athletics facilities here at the University of
Delaware, said UD Director of Athletics Bernard Muir. Delaware Stadium now becomes a multi-purpose facility that can be used for a host
of other events and activities throughout the year. Our future plans
include adding even more artificial turf fields on campus for
recreational use.
Delaware now becomes the 10th institution in the Colonial Athletic
Association to play its home games on an artificial surface. Richmond,
which will open its new on-campus stadium next fall, will be playing on
artificial turf after playing on natural grass at Richmond Stadium.
Rhode Island will be the only CAA school to play its games on natural
grass.
In addition to Delaware football games, the Blue Hen men lacrosse
squad has scheduled at least three games to be played in Delaware
Stadium this coming spring - March 27 vs. Vermont, Apr. 17 vs.
Massachusetts, and Apr. 24 against Drexel.
The new surface will also accommodate Blue Hen women lacrosse games as well as outside organizations including high school sporting
events. Both the UD men sand women lacrosse teams plan to play all their games in Delaware Stadium in 2011.
This is an exciting enhancement for our program, gives us a great=20
surface to play on and makes Delaware Stadium so much more valuable, said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler. =93It provides the University
another place to hold events such as all-star games and state
championships.
One of the finest football facilities in the country at the NCAA=20
Division I Football Championship Subdivision level, Delaware Stadium waserected in 1952 and enlarged prior to the 1964, 1970, 1972 and the
1975 seasons. The 22,000-seat stadium is the largest in the CAA and one of
the largest in the nation at the FCS level.
The stadium received a new look prior to the 2000 season as eight pole
of permanent broadcast-quality lights were installed by Musco Lighting.
In addition, the South End Zone bleachers were replaced. The Blue Hen
football team enters Delaware Stadium from a brick runway underneath thestands directly behind the goalposts on gameday. A bronze plaque
whichlists the accomplishments of past Blue Hen football teams along with
afootball hangs from the runway. A new tradition was started in 2000 asDelaware players jump up to touch the plaque before entering the
field.
Delaware annually ranks among the national leaders at the FCS level in
average attendance and this year currently ranks No. 4 with an average
crowd of 20,750 for six home games. Delaware is the only school in the
nation at the FCS level to average over 20,000 fans per regular season
home game each of the last 11 seasons.
=======================================
CAA FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES 2009 ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Courtesy: CAA
Release: 11/23/2009
RICHMOND, Va. (November 23, 2009) -- After logging the highest number of postseason berths by any one conference in the 2009 NCAA Division I Football Championship field, CAA Football announced its 2009 All-Conference teams Monday.
The awards, voted on by the 12 CAA Football head coaches, were handed out following an exciting 2009 season which included a record four wins over FBS foes and as many as eight squads were ranked among the FCS Coaches’ Top-25 poll.
Villanova junior wide receiver/running back Matt Szczur was chosen as the 2009 CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year and the 2009 CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Year. The league’s Defensive Player of the Year honor went to James Madison defensive lineman Arthur Moats, while Villanova head coach Andy Talley was named the league’s 2009 Coach of the Year. Talley guided the Wildcats to the No. 2 overall seed in this season’s NCAA Division I Football Championship. James Madison redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Thorpe was named the league’s top Offensive Rookie, while William and Mary defensive back B.W. Webb picked up CAA Football’s 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year honor.
2009 CAA Football Champions Richmond and Villanova led the way by each garnering six selections to the All-CAA Football First Team. William and Mary was not far behind with five on the First Team, while both Massachusetts and Delaware logged four. James Madison and New Hampshire each had two First Team selections, while Hofstra, Maine and Northeastern also had one on the league’s First Team.
Szczur, who head coach Andy Talley called the best player he has had on the Mainline since Brian Westbrook, was a do-it-all threat for the Wildcats’ offense logging touches as a wide receiver, running back and quarterback. The junior was the only player in all of major college football (FBS and FCS) to log touchdowns as a receiver, rusher, returnman and quarterback. Szczur, who logged 68 carries for 467 yards and five touchdowns for Villanova, also caught 36 balls for 358 yards. Used as a Wildcat-formation quarterback, Szczur was perfect on three pass attempts during the regular season including two for touchdowns. The Erma, N.J., native ended the regular season ranked third in the league in scoring touchdowns with a 5.5 points/game average on a total of 10 touchdowns in 2009.
As a returnman, Szczur proved his capabilities by totalling 629 yards and a touchdown on 23 returns in the 2009 regular season. His average of 27.3 yards per return heading into the playoffs ranks second in CAA Football and fourth among the FCS national leaders. Szczur’s 1,454 all-purpose yards in 2009 is second-best in the league standings, while his average of 132.2 all-purpose yards per game ranks as a Top-20 national mark.
Moats received Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the league in sacks, tackles for loss and defensive linemen tackles. The Portsmouth, Va., native made 90 tackles in 11 games this season for a mark of 8.2 per game. His 2.14 tackles for loss per game not only leads the league, but also ranks as the best regular-season mark in all of major college football (FBS and FCS). Moats, who is listed on the Buck Buchanan Award ballot, totalled a league-best 11 sacks on the year and is tied with William and Mary defensive end Adrian Tracy in the category.
Talley, now in his 25th season at Villanova, garnered his first Coach of the Year honor since earning the award in 1997. He guided the Wildcats to a share of the CAA Football title and the league’s automatic bid into the 2009 NCAA Division I Football Championship. Talley, who led Villanova to its first league title since 2001, ranks as CAA Football’s winningest league-game coach after notching his 107th conference win Saturday over Delaware. The 30-year coaching veteran also moved into esteemed company in 2009 when he garnered his 200th collegiate head coaching win. With the Wildcats’ win over Rhode Island (Oct. 24), Talley joined a group of just 55 other NCAA football head coaches which have reached the 200-win plateau.
Thorpe, who began the 2009 season as part of a two-quarterback system at James Madison, was called on midway through the season to be JMU’s starter after an injury ended Drew Dudzik’s season. Thorpe responded by finishing the season with 1,260 passing yards and six touchdowns to go with 654 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 148 carries. Thorpe, a Richmond, Va., native, finished the regular season ranked sixth in the conference’s passing efficiency numbers with a mark of 130.8. The redshirt freshman also was ninth among CAA Football’s total offense leaders with 174.0 yards/game.
Webb, who began his redshirt-freshman campaign with a three-interception performance in a win at Virginia, is the first-ever William and Mary player to win the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year honor. Webb, who was one pick shy of the league’s single-game interceptions mark against the Cavaliers, was given the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor following his standout performance. The Newport News, Va., native finished the regular season tied atop the league’s interception leaders with five, including 102 yards in interception returns and one touchdown.
Fans and members of the media can now follow CAA Football on Twitter: twitter.com/The_CAAFootball. Logon now and “follow” the league to get the latest news and notes from one of the top College Football Conferences in the country. Fans and members of the media can also now see CAA Football’s new media efforts on YouTube: www.youtube.com/CAAFootball. Logon now and subscribe to see the latest video productions from CAA Football. Checkout The CAA Football Pressbox located as a button on CAASports.com as well as in the menus down the left-hand side of the football page, The CAA Football Pressbox is the official source for all CAA Football information.
2009 CAA Football Major Awards (as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Matt Szczur, Villanova, Jr., WR/RB, Erma, N.J.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Arthur Moats, James Madison, Sr., DL, Portsmouth, Va.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Matt Szczur, Villanova, Jr., KR, Erma, N.J.
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR -- Justin Thorpe, James Madison, Fr., QB, Richmond, Va.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR -- B.W. Webb, William and Mary, Fr., DB, Newport News, Va.
COACH OF THE YEAR -- Andy Talley, Villanova, 25th Season
2009 All-CAA Football First Team (as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSE
Position Player School Class
QB Chris Whitney Villanova Junior
RB John Griffin Northeastern Junior
RB Jonathan Grimes William and Mary Sophomore
FB/HB Chris Zardas Massachusetts Senior
WR Victor Cruz Massachusetts Senior
WR Mark Duncan Delaware Senior
WR Matt Szczur Villanova Junior
WR Landis Williams Maine Senior
TE Scott Sicko New Hampshire Senior
OL Dorian Brooks James Madison Senior
OL Vladimir Ducasse Massachusetts Senior
OL Ben Ijalana Villanova Junior
OL Matt McCracken Richmond Senior
OL Michael Silva Richmond Senior
PK Tom Manning New Hampshire Senior
KR Matt Szczur Villanova Junior
PR Derek Hatcher Richmond Senior
DEFENSE
Position Player School Class
DL Brandon Gilbeaux Delaware Senior
DL Tim Kukucka Villanova Senior
DL Sean Lissemore William and Mary Senior
DL Arthur Moats James Madison Senior
DL Adrian Tracy William and Mary Senior
LB Luke Bonus Hofstra Senior
LB Eric McBride Richmond Junior
LB Collin McConaghy Richmond Senior
LB Terence Thomas Villanova Junior
CB Justin Rogers Richmond Junior
CB Anthony Walters Delaware Junior
S David Caldwell William and Mary Senior
S Charles Graves Delaware Senior
S Jeromy Miles Massachusetts Senior
P David Miller William and Mary Junior
2009 All-CAA Football Second Team (as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSE
Position Player School Class
QB R.J. Archer William and Mary Senior
RB Chad Kackert New Hampshire Senior
RB Tony Nelson Massachusetts Senior
FB/HB Everette Benjamin Hofstra Junior
WR Kevin Grayson Richmond Junior
WR Brandyn Harvey Villanova Senior
WR D.J. McAulay William and Mary Senior
WR Aaron Weaver Hofstra Junior
TE Rob Varno William and Mary Senior
OL Tyler Eastman Maine Senior
OL Tom Neill New Hampshire Senior
OL Kevin Newhall Northeastern Senior
OL Corey Nicholson Delaware Senior
OL C.J. Muse William and Mary Senior
PK Brian Pate William and Mary Senior
KR Scotty McGee James Madison Senior
PR Scotty McGee James Madison Senior
DEFENSE
Position Player School Class
DL Sam Daniels James Madison Senior
DL Kyle Harrington Massachusetts Senior
DL Phil Matusz Villanova Senior
DL Martin Parker Richmond Junior
LB Tyler Holmes Massachusetts Sophomore
LB Osyai Osunde Villanova Senior
LB Jake Trantin William and Mary Sophomore
LB Sean Ware New Hampshire Senior
CB Scotty McGee James Madison Senior
CB Dino Vasso New Hampshire Junior
CB B.W. Webb William and Mary Freshman
S Anthony Bratton Delaware Junior
S Terrence Klein New Hampshire Senior
P Tim Edger Rhode Island Sophomore
2009 All-CAA Football Third Team (as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSE
Position Player School Class
QB Eric Ward Richmond Senior
RB Aaron Ball Villanova Junior
RB Justin Forte Richmond Senior
FB/HB Kendall Gaskins Richmond Freshman
WR Tre Gray Richmond Sophomore
WR Shawn Leonard Rhode Island Senior
WR Rockeed McCarter James Madison Senior
TE Mike Caussin James Madison Senior
OL Brian Brannigan Villanova Senior
OL Brant Clouser Villanova Junior
OL Drew Lachenmayer Richmond Junior
OL Derek Moore Hofstra Sophomore
OL Theo Sherman James Madison Junior
PK Armando Cuko Massachusetts Senior
KR Jonathan Grimes William and Mary Sophomore
PR B.W. Webb William and Mary Freshman
DEFENSE
Position Player School Class
DL Ronnell Brown James Madison Junior
DL Brandon Collier Massachusetts Senior
DL Kyle Maroney New Hampshire Senior
DL Parker Miles Richmond Senior
DL Jordan Stevens Maine Senior
LB Rob Damon Rhode Island Junior
LB Donte Dennis Maine Sophomore
LB Marquis Kirkland Villanova Junior
LB Patrick Weldon Richmond Junior
LB Pat Williams James Madison Sophomore
CB Steven Barker Maine Junior
CB Jimmy Pitts Villanova Sophomore
S John Dempsey Villanova Junior
S Michael Ireland Richmond Senior
P Ed Wagner Delaware Junior
=======================================================
Athletic Department cuts football program
Patrick McHugh
NU Huntington News
23 November 2009
Northeastern officials announced yesterday the decision to terminate
school's intercollegiate football program, according to a press release from
the university.
According to the release, the decision was made by a panel consisting of
senior administrators, trustees, faculty, alumni, donors and students. The
Athletics Review Panel has met since 2007 to discuss the direction of the
Athletic Department. Peter Roby, director of athletics and recreation,
headed this panel and made the initial recommendation to discontinue
football, which the panel accepted.
In the release, Roby said the benchmark for defining a program's success is
not wins and losses, but creating a positive student-athlete experience.
"The primary motivation for this decision was based on the significant
obstacles to providing this experience for our football players," Roby said
in the press release.
The release addressed the financial burdens of continuing to field a team,
in part by saying that "elevating and sustaining a competitive Division 1
football program would require additional multimillion dollar investments on
an ongoing basis."
Mike Armini, vice president for marketing and communications, told The News
a press conference to discuss the matter in detail will be held Monday
morning at Matthews Arena at 11 a.m.
In an interview with The News from October 2007, Roby said cutting an
athletic program was "a possibility," citing the mandate from President
Joseph Aoun for each department "to try and be distinctive and excellent."
According to the release, the decision follows the university's attempt to
"prioritize programs and invest in signature strengths."
The decision to drop football comes less than a year after the Friends of
Northeastern Athletics group wrote in a newsletter that football would not
be dropped. In a Dec. 21, 2008 newsletter, the group wrote it met with Roby
about future plans for the university's athletics programs. According to the
newsletter, Roby reportedly remarked that there was no reason Northeastern
football would not exist for the next four years.
The football team had not had a winning season since 2003. It completed its
74th season of play Saturday with a 33-27 victory at Rhode Island, finishing
up the 2009 season with a record of 3-8, 3-5 in the Colonial Athletic
Association. Armini said members of the football team who had been receiving
an athletic scholarship will still continue to receive their scholarship
until their graduation. As an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)
school, Northeastern's football team received 63 scholarships a year.
The departure of the football program leaves the school with 18
intercollegiate sports, in addition to club and intramural sports.
===============================================
Villanova pounds Delaware, awaits seeding for DI FCS PLayoffs
November 22, 2009 By Keith Pompey Inquirer Staff Writer - http://www.philly.com/
The Villanova Wildcats believed that a dominant football victory yesterday would show they deserve the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs.
And the top seed in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) is a possibility after a 30-12 Colonial Athletic Association win over Delaware at Villanova Stadium.
Villanova defeated its archrival in front of 12,073 to nab a share of the CAA championship. The victory also gave the second-ranked Wildcats (10-1, 7-1 CAA) the league's automatic bid and a guaranteed top-four seeding in the 16-team playoffs.
But Villanova expects more than that after pounding the 25th-ranked Blue Hens (6-5, 4-4). It will learn its fate during today's 3 p.m. NCAA selection show on ESPNews.
"I think we have the best resumé and pedigree in the country," said Villanova coach Andy Talley, whose squad defeated five FCS teams that are either ranked or were ranked when they played. The Wildcats also defeated Temple, a Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) squad.
"Of the teams that we played, I think six or seven teams had winning records," Talley added. "If you look across the board at some of the other teams that are being considered, that's not true.
"And we are in the war every week. We've played a Division I team, not a Division II team."
Now, the Wildcats hope that a third consecutive series victory over the Blue Hens means more than just retaining the Battle of the Blue Trophy.
Wideout Matt Szczur, quarterback Chris Whitney, and a bend-but-don't-break defense deserve the credit if the Wildcats get their wish.
Szczur finished with 179 all-purpose yards.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder had 10 carries for 75 yards and a 3-yard touchdown. He also caught three passes for 23 yards. And the junior had four kickoff returns for a total of 81 yards. His longest return went for 30.
Whitney rushed for a career-high 138 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Delaware's Pat Devlin had a great game statistically but was ineffective when his team needed him in key moments.
The Downingtown East product, who transferred from Penn State, set Delaware records for attempts (58) and completions (42) while throwing for a career-best 407 yards and a late touchdown. But the junior threw three costly interceptions and was sacked three times. Villanova converted his interceptions into 13 points.
Devlin's first interception came on his team's first drive.
Outside linebacker Terence Thomas (14 tackles) tipped a pass intended for running back Phillip Braxton. Defensive end Marlon Johnson picked off the ball at the Villanova 23-yard line. Whitney scored on a 9-yard keeper on the ensuing possession.
Devlin's second interception was by Jacob Wade and returned 18 yards to the Delaware 30. That set up Nick Yako's career-best 45-yard field goal. Yako booted a 34-yarder to give the Wildcats a 30-6 fourth-quarter lead after Devlin's third interception.
=========================================
Villanova Tops Delaware 30-12 for First Conference Championship Since 2001
Wildcats secure automatic bid from CAA to Division I Football Championship
Playoffs
Nov. 21, 2009 - http://www.villanova.com
VILLANOVA, Pa.--In the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon, No. 2 Villanova (10-1, 7-1 CAA) wrapped up its first conference championship since 2001 with a 30-12 victory over No. 25 Delaware (6-5, 4-4 CAA) in front of a packed house of 12,073 fans at Villanova Stadium. The win secured for the Wildcats the Colonial Athletic Association's automatic bid to the Division I Football Championship. The 16-team playoff field will be announced on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. live on ESPN News.
Villanova reached the 10-win plateau for the sixth time in its history and will make their eighth all-time appearance in the FCS playoffs. It will be the second straight playoff berth for the Wildcats, who reached the quarterfinals last season. The other conference championships for Villanova came in 1989, 1991, 1997 and 2001.
Today's game also marked the fourth straight win over the Blue Hens for the Wildcats, who now lead the all-time series by a margin of 22-20-1. Villanova retained possession of the "Battle of the Blue" trophy, which is presented annually to the team that wins the matchup between the two teams.
Prior to the start of the game, the Wildcats honored its graduating seniors for their career contributions. Villanova then went out and won for the 16th time in its last 17 home games. This was the seventh straight home win for the Wildcats, who are 5-0 at Villanova Stadium this season.
As for the game itself, junior quarterback Chris Whitney (Warminster, Pa.) ran for a career-high 138 yards and a touchdown and redshirt freshman kicker Nick Yako (Cleveland, Ohio) made a season-high three field goals to lead the Villanova offense. The Wildcats built a 20-3 lead at halftime and held Delaware to just one touchdown that came late in the fourth quarter with the game all but out of reach.
Yako kicked field goals of 32, 45 and 34 yards in the game and also made three extra points to improve to 46-of-46 on point-after attempts for the year. He is also 9-of-12 on field goals - including 2-of-3 from 40 yards or longer - and his 45-yard attempt was his longest of the season.
Whitney finished a nine-play drive with a nine-yard scoring run late in the first quarter to give Villanova a 10-0 lead, while junior running back Angelo Babbaro (Canfield, Ohio) and junior wide receiver Matt Szczur (Erma, N.J.) each had scoring runs during the game.
For the Blue Hens, Jon Striefsky kicked field goals midway through both the second and third periods, the latter of which pulled Delaware to within 20-6 with 8:00 left in the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Szczur returned the kick 25 yards, then registered a 36-yard run on the first play of the Wildcat drive. He capped a quick four-play possession with three-yard touchdown run for his 10th touchdown of the season, including his fifth rushing touchdown.
Szczur finished with 179 all-purpose yards in the game to lead all players. He ran the ball 10 times for 75 yards, made three catches for 23 yards and returned four kickoffs for a total of 81 yards. Junior running back Aaron Ball (Los Angeles, Calif.) had 11 carries for 49 yards and Whitney's 138 yards on the ground came on just 15 carries. He also went 9-of-14 for 68 yards through the air.
Delaware quarterback Pat Devlin attempted a school record 58 passes and finished 42-of-58 for a career-high 407 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. Phillip Thaxton had 11 receptions for 121 yards and Mark Duncan made 10 catches for 114 yards. With 4:43 left in the game, Nihja White caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Devlin.
The Villanova defense showed its usual dominant form, holding the Blue Hens to just 45 rushing yards and recording three interceptions for the fourth time this season. Junior linebacker Terence Thomas (Lawrenceville, N.J.) had a game-high 14 total tackles, while junior linebacker Jacob Wade (Silver Spring, Md.), senior defensive end Tim Kukucka (Wall, N.J.) and redshirt freshman defensive end Marlon Johnson (Baltimore, Md.) all had one interception.
Villanova is likely to play a home game in the first round of the playoffs, which will be held next Saturday, November 28. A complete announcement on the Wildcats pairing will be available at Villanova.com on Sunday afternoon following the selection show on ESPN News at 3 p.m.
============================================
Delaware Closes Out 2009 Season with 30-12 Setback to Playoff-Bound Villanova
DATE: November 21, 2009 - UD Sports Info
VILLANOVA, Pa. -- University of Delaware quarterback Pat Devlin etched his name in the Blue Hen record book Saturday, but a win over rival and No. 2 ranked Villanova would have felt much better.
The junior All-American candidate completed 42 of 58 passes for 407 yards and a touchdown to lead a Delaware offense that piled up big numbers, but three interceptions and an outstanding running effort by his counterpart Chris Whitney of Villanova resulted in a season-ending 30-12 setback for the No. 25 Blue Hens in Colonial Athletic Association football action at Villanova Stadium.
Whitney carried 15 times for 138 yards and a touchdown and Nick Yako booted three field goals as the No. 2 Wildcats (10-1, 7-1 CAA) rolled to their fifth straight victory and captured their first league title since 2001.
The Wildcats, who defeated the Hens for the fourth straight year to claim the Battle of the Blue Trophy, earn the CAA’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs and will begin action next Saturday. The 16-team field will be announced Sunday at 3 p.m.
“We got off schedule offensively today and put too much on Pat’s shoulders,” said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, whose team had more yards (452-343) and first downs (25-16) than Villanova but gained just 45 yards on 26 carries. “Its tough sledding when you can’t fun the football and those turnovers really hurt us. Give Villanova credit, they are an outstanding team.”
The Blue Hens, who needed a win to keep their slim post-season hopes alive, will have to watch the playoffs from the sidelines for the second straight year after advancing to the national semifinals in 2007. Despite losing three of their final four games, the Hens (6-5, 4-4 CAA) were much improved from a year ago and clinched the team’s 19th .500 or better record in the last 23 seasons. In addition, the Hens finished .500 or better in league play for the 17th time in the last 23 campaigns.
Devlin broke two school records during the day as his 42 completions surpassed the mark of 40 by current Baltimore Ravens star Joe Flacco vs. New Hampshire in 2007 and his 58 attempts bettered the mark of 51 set three other times, most recently by Flacco in that New Hampshire game. The 407 yards was also the sixth highest single game mark in UD history. Devlin finished the year completing 220 of 344 passes for 2,664 yards and 16 touchdowns, all three among the top 10 best marks in school history.
Devlin hit nine different receivers on the afternoon with Phillip Thaxton hauling in a career-high 11 for 121 yards and Mark Duncan catching 10 passes for 114 yards in his final game as a Blue Hen. Nihja White caught eight passes for 55 yards and a caught a four-yard scoring pass with 4:43 for the Hens’ lone touchdown of the day. Duncan upped his career reception total to 185 to move into third place all-time at Delaware.
“You can’t win with three turnovers,” said Devlin. “We put our defense in a tough spot. Villanova has a very good defense and they will do well in the playoffs. One of the things we talked about going in was taking what the defense gave us. Our offensive line did a great job against their blitz, but you are not going to win many games with 12 points.”
“Pat has had an incredible year,” said Keeler. “You just can’t put everything on him like we did today. We expected a lot out of Pat this season and he met every expectation.”
The Wildcats, who extended their home win streak to seven games and won for the 16th time in their last 17 home outings, jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and were never seriously threatened.
Villanova drove 46 yards on 13 plays on their opening drive and took the lead on a 32-yard field goal by Yako. They then made it 10-0 late in the first quarter when Whitney busted into the end zone from nine yards out for a touchdown. The score was set up when a Devlin pass was tipped and Villanova’s Marlon Johnson intercepted at the 26-yard line. The Wildcats then drove 74 yards for the score.
Delaware got on the board with a 39-yard field goal by Jon Striefsky with 8:42 left in the first half, but Villanova followed with two scores to take a 20-3 advantage into halftime. Angel Babbaro scored on a sweep to the right side with 5:39 left to extend the lead to 17-3 and Yako converted a 45-yard field goal with 1:47 left. Yako’s conversion was set up on an interception by Villanova’s Jacob Wade at the UD 30-yard line.
Striefsky converted his second field goal of the day with a 24-yarder with 8:00 left in the third quarter as the Hens drove 80 yards on 17 plays to cut the lead to 20-6, but Villanova answered with a three-yard dash by Matt Szczur with 6:25 left and Yako split the uprights with his third field goal of the day from 34 yards out with 7:57 left to put the game out of reach at 30-6.
The Hens closed out the scoring in the final minutes as Delaware drove 75 yards in 10 plays and capped the drive on Devlin’s four-yard scoring toss to White.
“Villanova has a very good offense and we got outplayed,” said Delaware senior John Higginson, who had the Hens’ lone sack. “They have a big physical line and their belly-read option just killed us today. We wanted to get them into some passing situations but we weren’t winning on first down and that put them in a good spot.”
Villanova, the top rushing team in the CAA with 216.9 yards per game, piled up 275 yards on 45 carries with Szczur adding 75 yards on 10 carries and Aaron Ball picking up 49 yards on 11 tries. Whitney, the top-rated passer in the CAA, hit on 9 of 14 passes for 68 yards.
“It was exciting to see up progress this year,” said Devlin summing up his first season at Delaware. “A lot of people stepped up all year. We had a young team, but I feel bad for the senior. We will have to have a short memory about this. We have a lot of work to get done.”
Notes....All-American Charles Graves posted a team-high 10 tackles in his final game at Delaware...Striefsky booted two field goals and finished the year converting his final 12 attempts...Striefsky went 13 of 14 on field goals for the season and finished his career with a school-record 41 conversions....Duncan finished the season as the Hens’ top pass catcher with 48 catches for 697 yards...Villanova now leads the all-time series with Delaware by a 22-20-1 margin and has won four straight, the first time any opponent has won four straight against the Hens since the same Wildcats won four straight in 1996-99...Delaware starting WR Tommy Crosby did not play due to a back injury and Mark Mackey missed the entire second half with a possible concussion after a hard hit following a first-half reception...Delaware converted 9 of 16 third down attempts and finished the season converting 28 of 48 attempts (58.3 percent) over the last three games...
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Navy's Dobbs scores 5 times in comeback win vs. Delaware 35-18
Nov. 15th - Baltimore Sun
Navy's offense has a swagger, particularly when it gets within 20 yards of the end
zone, but it took them until very late in the 4th quarter to put Delaware
away.
As senior guard Osei Asante put it: "In the red zone, we should never be stopped. It's automatic points when we get down there."
With a weapon such as junior quarterback Ricky Dobbs, it's not surprising the Midshipmen feel that way. In their 35-18 victory over Football Championship Subdivision team Delaware on Saturday, the Midshipmen made five trips into the red zone. Each of them ended with a touchdown by Dobbs.
His five scores - which totaled 10 yards - set a Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium record. Dobbs has now scored 22 touchdowns this season, which breaks the single-season school record that was set by running back Bill Ingram in 1917. His 22 rushing touchdowns are also one shy of the NCAA single-season record for a quarterback (held by Florida's Tim Tebow and Air Force's Chance Harridge).
"The record itself, I think it goes to our offensive line and the fullbacks blocking on each play," said Dobbs, who missed most of two games last month while resting a cracked right kneecap. "To have this team achieve a record like that, this offense achieve a record like that, is definitely a blessing in itself. The hard work actually pays off."
The Midshipmen (8-3) have won eight games for the seventh straight season. They managed to avoid a stumble after last week's thrilling 23-21 victory at then-No. 19 Notre Dame, and they gave their 32 seniors a proper sendoff in their final game in Annapolis.
Throughout the week, Navy's players and coaches spoke openly about the dangers of this game. The Midshipmen remembered what happened the last time they beat Notre Dame; they followed up their streak-busting, triple-overtime victory in South Bend, Ind., in 2007 with a wild 74-62 shootout win at North Texas. They also remembered what happened the last time they faced Delaware; quarterback Joe Flacco picked them apart in a 59-52 win earlier that same season.
The Blue Hens (6-4), who started a transfer from Penn State at quarterback (junior Pat Devlin) and a transfer from Wisconsin at running back (senior Jerry Butler), actually out-gained the Midshipmen on offense 370 yards to 320 for the game, and they led 9-7 at halftime.
"Unfortunately, it took us the first half for our guys to realize how good those guys were," said coach Ken Niumatalolo, whose team gets its first bye next week. "We tried to emphasize all week how good this team was and make sure we don't take anything for granted. We were in a battle."
Two touchdowns by Dobbs - the latter of which was set up by a career-long 46-yard scamper by the quarterback - helped give the Midshipmen a 21-12 advantage early in the fourth quarter. On Delaware's next possession, sophomore defensive end Jabaree Tuani hit Devlin from behind (earning a sack), forced the ball loose and then pounced on it on the Blue Hens' 37-yard line.
Ivin Jasper, Navy's offensive coordinator, always tells his fullbacks that if they get a chance to score, they'd better take it. Because if they get stopped short of the goal line, they know what's next - the ball is going to Dobbs, who runs like a fullback. Delaware 3 6 3 6-18
Navy 7 0 7 21-35
First quarterNavy-Dobbs 1 run (Buckley kick), 7:14. Del-FG Striefsky 47, 2:12. Second quarterDel-FG Striefsky 39, 14:51. Del-FG Striefsky 25, :00. Third quarterNavy-Dobbs 1 run (Buckley kick), 9:12. Del-FG Striefsky 21, 3:33. Fourth quarterNavy-Dobbs 3 run (Buckley kick), 12:26. Navy-Dobbs 2 run (Buckley kick), 10:39. Del-Butler 1 run (pass failed), 6:29. Navy-Dobbs 3 run (Buckley kick), :46. A-34,223. Del Navy
First downs 22 16
Rushes-Yards 42-176 51-242
Passing 194 78
Cmp.-Att.-Int. 17-27-0 4-6-0
Return Yards 0 3
Punts-Avg. 2-34.5 2-43.0
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-1
Penalties-Yds. 3-35 2-15
Time of poss. 31:07 28:53
Rushing-Delaware, Hayes 11-65, Butler 20-55, Thaxton 4-46, Devlin 7-10. Navy, Dobbs 26-100, Teich 9-57, Curry 11-44, Greene 5-41. Passing-Delaware, Devlin 17-26-0-194, Team 0-1-0-0. Navy, Dobbs 4-6-0-78. Receiving-Delaware, Duncan 6-76, Crosby 4-40, White 2-33, Mackey 1-16, Schenauer 1-11, Mooney 1-8, Thaxton 1-6, Butler 1-4. Navy, Doyle 2-34, G.Jones 1-23, Washington 1-21
===========================================
Dobbs Carries Navy Past Delaware, 35-18
Nov. 14, 2009 - http://www.navysports.com/
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)--Ricky Dobbs ran for five touchdowns, moving within one of tying the single-season NCAA record for a quarterback, and Navy defeated Delaware 35-18 on Saturday.
Dobbs leads the nation with 22 touchdowns and needs one more rushing score to tie the record held by Florida's Tim Tebow (2007) and Air Force's Change Harridge (2002).
Jon Stiefsky kicked a school-record four field goals for Delaware (6-4),
who fought Navy until the last couple of minutes of the game.
Navy (8-3) has already accepted a bid to the Texas Bowl. Delaware will
unlikely make the FCS Playoffs with the loss.
Dobbs, who set up his third score with a career-long 46-yard run, finished with 100 yards on 26 carries. He also completed 4 of 6 passes for 78 yards, setting up two scores through the air.
After gaining just 105 yards on 22 first-half plays and trailing 9-7 at the break, Navy had 215 yards in the second half. The Midshipmen ran 51 times for 242 yards for the game.
Alexander Teich, subbing for starting fullback Vince Murray, set up Dobbs' fourth score with a 22-yard run and finished with 57 yards on seven carries.
Delaware moved the ball well on offense, outgaining the Mids 370-320 with 22 first downs to their 16, but couldn't do any better than Stiefsky's four field goals until a late fourth-quarter touchdown.
Pat Devlin completed 17 of 29 passes for 194 yards, but had no completion longer than 22 yards. The Hens' only score came on Jerry Butler's 1-yard run with 6:29 left.
Stiefsky converted field goals of 47, 39 and 25 yards in the first half, the last coming on the final play of the half, to give the Hens a 9-7 lead.
Navy opened the second half with the ball and drove 64 yards to a 1-yard score by Dobbs for a 14-9 lead.
Delaware followed with a drive inside the Navy 10, but settled for Stiefsky's 25-yard field goal. The kick gave Stiefsky a school and stadium record, the Hens still trailed 14-12 with 3:33 left in the period.
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University of Delaware Football Falls 35-18 as Navy’s Dobbs Scored Five Touchdowns
November 14, 2009 - UD Sports Info
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Ricky Dobbs’ five-touchdown performance was too much to handle for the University of Delaware football team Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium as the Blue Hens missed on several prime opportunities in the first half and fell to Navy 35-18 in a game much closer than the final score indicated.
Delaware kicker Jon Striefsky (top right) converted a school-record four field goals, including three in the first half to stake the Hens to a 9-7 lead at the break, but the Hens could not hold off the high-powered Midshipmen offense in the second half and dropped the non-league verdict.
The No. 23 ranked Blue Hens (6-4), who had won four of their last five games, will try to keep their post-season playoff hopes alive next Saturday when Delaware travels to No. 3 ranked and league-leading Villanova for a 3:30 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association clash. Villanova (9-1, 6-1 CAA) defeated Towson 49-7 Saturday.
“We had opportunities today that we just could not take advantage of,” said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, who coached his 100th career game in his eighth season at Delaware. “We needed sevens (touchdowns) but got threes (field goals). Navy is too good of a team to let opportunities slip away. We were up at halftime, but we should have had two touchdowns and that hurt us.”
Navy, who the Hens had defeated 59-52 in their last visit here in 2007, won for the second straight game and for the seventh time in its last eight outings, improved to 8-3. The Mids, coming off a 23-21 win over No. 19 Notre Dame last week and ranked No. 30 in the latest NCAA Division I FBS Associated Press poll, have already secured a bid to the Texas Bowl in December.
Dobbs dominated the game with his adept running as he carried 26 times for 100 yards and scored five touchdown, one shy of the Navy single game record. He increased his season touchdown total to an NCAA-leading 22, setting a new Navy single season record and moving into third place on the NCAA single season list in that category.
He also completed 4 of 6 passes for 78 yards, including his 31-yard pass down the middle to Bobby Doyle that put the ball on the Delaware three-yard line and set up his final touchdown of the day with 46 seconds left.
Dobbs scored on runs of three, two, and three yards in the fourth quarter alone as Navy pulled away from a 14-12 lead in the final quarter. His one-yard dive with 9:12 left in the third stanza put the Mids ahead for good at 14-9.
“Delaware is a very good football team,” said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo. “We emphasized that all week but it took until well into the first half to really determine that. We were in a battle. The win was a credit to our guys. We were fortunate to come away with the win.”
Striefsky’s four field goals, which broke the school record of three that was set 18 times earlier, just weren’t enough. Two of his field goals in the first half came after the Hens had wasted two solid opportunities to score touchdowns.
Delaware’s defense put in an outstanding effort, holding the high-powered Navy triple-option attack to just 320 total yards, including 242 on the ground, and forcing just the 10th Midshipmen turnover of the season. Navy entered the game averaging 286.0 yards rushing per game, the third highest total in the nation, but was held to its fourth lowest total offensive effort of the season.
Delaware’s 370 total yards were 50 more than Navy and Hens held a 22-16 advantage in first downs and two-minute advantage in time of possession. The Hens also converted 10 of 16 three-point conversions. David Hayes (65 yards rushing), Jerry Butler (55 yards), and Phillip Thaxton (46 yards) led a UD ground attack that gained 176 yards, 64 more than the Hens’ season average.
“When we get down into the red zone, we can’t settle for field goals,” said Delaware quarterback Pat Devlin (middle right), who completed 17 of 26 passes for 194 yards but was held without a touchdown for just the third time this season. “We have to come away with more, especially against a team like Navy. We had some mistakes and missed assignments and that hurt us. We wanted to run the ball today, we just weren’t as successful in the second half.”
Navy made it look easy on their first drive of the day as the Mids went 80 yards on 10 plays and went up 7-0 on Dobbs’ one-yard dive with 7:14 let in left in the opening stanza.
But the rest of the scoring in the first half belonged to the Hens. Striefsky nailed a career-high tying 47-yarder with 2:12 left in the first quarter to cut the lead to 7-3 and then gave the Hens the lead with a 39-yarder with 14:51 left in the second quarter and a 25-yard conversion on the last play of the half.
But the Hens were expecting more. Navy running back Marcus Curry fumbled at the Mids’ 39-yard line after a big hit by Delaware cornerback Tyrone Grant and John Higginson (bottom right) picked up the fumble and rambled 16 yards before falling. That gave Delaware the ball at the Navy 19-yard line but the Hens could not gain any ground on three plays and settled for Striefsky’s 39-yarder.
After stopping Navy again, the Hens got the ball back and put together one of their best drives of the season. Delaware put together an 18-play, 84-yard drive and used up 8:39 to close the half and go up on Striefsky’s 25-yarder. The 18 plays and 8:39 time of possession were both season highs with the 84 yards the second best mark this season.
But the Hens lost a big opportunity when a four-yard scoring pass from Devlin to Tommy Crosby was nullified due to an offensive pass interference call against UD wide receiver Mark Duncan away from the play.
Navy came out and scored on its first drive again in the second half to take the lead for good at 14-9 as Dobbs capped a 64-yard march with a one-yard dive with 9:12 left in the third quarter.
Delaware cut the lead to 14-12 on Striefsky’s fourth field goal, a 21-yarder with 3:33 left in the stanza, but Dobbs answered with scoring runs of three-yards with 12:26 left and two-yards just 1:47 later at the 10:39 mark to up the lead to 28-12. He set up the three-yard scoring run with his own career-high 46-yard burst down the left sideline two plays earlier. Navy needed to go just 37 yards for its next score when Mids’ defensive lineman Jabaree Tuani sacked Devlin and recovered the fumble.
The Hens came back to cut the lead to 28-18 when Butler capped a 78-yard drive with a one-yard scoring run with 6:29 left, but Navy used up most of the clock on its next drive, going 67 yards in 5:43 and capping the scoring on a three-yard Dobbs run to go up 35-18 in the final minute.
“We played well enough on both sides of the ball,” said Keeler. “Our offense did a phenomenal job of playing defense in that we ate a lot of the clock, controlled the ball, and did a good job of execution. We were patient to a fault. But give Navy credit. They have beaten some pretty good teams this year. We just didn’t get it done today.”
Notes....Attendance was 34,223 on an overcast afternoon as Navy celebrated Senior Day...Delaware had defeated Navy 21-17 in 2003 and 59-52 in 2007 in two of its previous three trips but the win gave Navy an overall 8-7 advantage in the series which dates back to 1931...Delaware’s Mark Duncan caught six passes for 76 yards - moving to within 31 yards of No. 5 on the all-time UD receiving yardage list - and extended his pass-catching streak to 35 games...Delaware extended its streak to 170 straight game since 1996 in which it has scored a point...Delaware has now converted ...Hens are outscoring opponents 148-65 in the first half this season...Delaware junior DT Demitrius Hester returned from a four-game suspension and had two tackles....senior DT Brandon Gilbeaux moved over to defensive end and recorded a season-high 11 tackles, including a tackle for loss...Striefsky has now converted 11 of 12 field goals this season and extended his UD career record for field goals to 39.
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Devlin is tops on decade list of QBs
Sun, Nov. 8, 2009
By Rick O'Brien Inquirer Columnist
Pat Devlin didn't step quietly onto the high school football stage.
In October 2003, as a 6-foot-3, 190-pound sophomore for Downingtown East, Devlin completed 31 of 46 passes for a then single-game state record of 511 yards and five touchdowns in a 53-34 home loss to Ches-Mont League rival West Chester East.
That was the first true glimpse of what was to come. Devlin, equipped with a cannon-like arm and quick feet, ended up setting a state record for career passing yardage (8,172 yards). As a 6-4, 205-pound senior, he threw for 2,750 yards and 27 TDs while leading the Cougars to an 11-2 record and the PIAA Class AAAA state semifinals.
For his jaw-dropping efforts, Devlin, now a junior starter at Delaware and averaging 235 yards passing per game, is The Inquirer's quarterback of the decade in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
How about - you are surely bound to ask - Penn Charter's Matt Ryan, a second-year standout for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons?
Well, our selection was based on the statistics and accomplishments a player had while in high school and not in college or, in the case of Ryan, the professional ranks.
We took the same approach to the rest of the top 10 list. For example, while Cardinal O'Hara product Tom Savage is off to a solid start at Rutgers, the blue-chip recruit was slowed by injuries in his last two high school seasons. His statistics, as a result, suffered.
Here is one person's offering of the best signal-callers from 2000 to 2009. The year listed after each player's name and school denotes his final high school season.
1. Pat Devlin, Downingtown East, 2005. The blond-haired hurler and Penn State recruit was an Associated Press Class AAAA first-team all-state pick in each of his last two seasons. In his breakout sophomore campaign, when he first caught the eye of Division I-A recruiters, Devlin passed for 2,950 yards and 22 TDs.
2. Matt Ryan, Penn Charter, 2002. The strong-armed Boston College recruit threw for nearly 3,000 career yards. As a senior, Ryan passed for more than 1,000 yards and 12 scores as the Quakers went 8-1 overall and, with a 4-0 mark, captured the Inter-Academic League championship.
3. Chris Whitney, St. Joseph's Prep, 2006. A dual threat, he accounted for more than 2,000 yards (1,667 passing, 444 rushing) and completed 57 percent of his throws in his senior season. Over his last three years at the Prep, Whitney, now at Villanova, threw for 3,850 yards and the Hawks went 30-8.
4. Mike Connor, Strath Haven, 2000. He was 43-1 as a starter and sparked the Panthers to back-to-back Class AAA state titles. In a 15-0 senior season, the 6-4, 220-pounder completed 68 percent of his passes for 2,021 yards and 17 TDs. Connor, now a coaching assistant at Plymouth Whitemarsh, went on to play briefly at Delaware.
5. Sam Hollenbach, Pennridge, 2001. With his 6-5, 210-pound frame, he stood tall in the pocket and picked apart defenses. In his last two seasons with the Rams, whose wing-T scheme kept him from making aerial assaults, Hollenbach threw for 2,784 yards and 26 TDs. At Maryland, he passed for 5,139 career yards.
6. Bryan Savage, Haverford School, 2003. As a senior, the 6-4, 215-pounder earned Class AA first-team all-state honors while throwing for nearly 1,900 yards and 16 TDs. His career passing total was 4,250. After a brief stay at Wisconsin, Savage played at Coffeyville Community College and finished at Hofstra.
7. Nolan Kearney, Downingtown West, 2007. A major threat both throwing and running, he accounted for 2,805 total yards (2,250 passing, 555 rushing) in his final season. In completing better than 60 percent of his passes, Kearney threw for 21 TDs with only three interceptions. He is at William and Mary.
8. Ryan Nassib, Malvern Prep, 2007. Before heading off to Syracuse, the strong-armed Nassib threw for more than 1,200 yards and eight scores while leading the run-oriented Friars to a 9-1 overall record and 5-0 mark in the Inter-Ac League. Over his last two years, Malvern Prep compiled a 17-3 record.
9. Drew Loughery, La Salle, 2009. The lone selection from the Class of 2010, Loughery, a second-year starter, has averaged nearly 200 passing yards per game. Last season, the 6-1, 205-pounder threw for 2,628 yards and 25 TDs as the Explorers bagged the Catholic League AAAA championship.
10. Kevin Morton, Abington, 2007. Over his last two seasons, Morton fueled the Ghosts by passing for 3,970 yards. As a senior, he threw for 2,250. Only his size (6-1, 190) kept him from being a Division I-A recruit. Through seven games for Kutztown, he had passed for 1,565 yards and 11 TDs.
Fifteen honorable mentions, listed alphabetically: Josh Cohen, Conestoga, 2004; Bret Gillespie, Downingtown West, 2009; Sean Grieve, Germantown Academy, 2003; John Harrison, La Salle, 2007; Matt Helm, Downingtown, 2002; Al Humes, Ridley, 2006; Sam Kind, Abington, 2009; Mike Lomas, Cardinal O'Hara, 2000; Sean McGovern, Cardinal Dougherty, 2001; Brett Moyer, Ridley, 2001; Steve Richter, Conestoga, 2007; Tom Savage, Cardinal O'Hara, 2008; Terrence Shawell, Pottstown, 2002; Andre Sloan-El, Roman Catholic, 2003; Zach Zulli, Perkiomen Valley, 2008.