Despite Quick Start, Lincoln Blue Tigers Fall to Missouri State

SPRINGFIELD, Missouri  -- The Lincoln football team jumped out to a 10-0 start and led after the first quarter, but Missouri State, an NCAA Division I opponent, rallied to hand the Blue Tigers a 52-24 loss on Thursday (Sept. 6).

The Lincoln (1-1) defense forced Missouri State (1-1) to fumble the opening kickoff, then capitalized as Fernando Ramirez made a 34-yard field goal to give LU the lead less than three minutes into the ballgame. The Blue Tigers forced two more turnovers in the opening period, with Edwin Durassaint scooping the second up for a 78-yard fumble return touchdown.

Photo Gallery: Lincoln at Missouri State

Missouri State responded with a quick scoring drive to pull within three, and LU took a 10-7 lead into the second quarter. The Bears dominated that period, scoring four touchdowns to take a 35-10 advantage into the half.

Lincoln struck first in third quarter, as Henry Ogala found Antonio Issac for a 15-yard scoring strike at the 12:54 mark, and the Blue Tigers later scored the final points of the ballgame late in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard grab by Justin Korakakos in the back corner of the end zone. Missouri State out-gained Lincoln, 507-264, for the game, however, and recorded seven sacks in the contest.

BOX SCORE

Ogala capped off an efficient performance with 16 completions in 21 attempts and two touchdowns with no interceptions. A'Jani Johnson led the receiving corps with five grabs for 70 yards, and Blake Tibbs added 63 yards on four receptions, including a 46-yard catch-and-run to set up Lincoln's second touchdown. Hosea Franklin led the rushing attack with 79 yards on 16 carries, a 4.9 average.

Hasan Muhammad-Rogers and Chavon Gross tied for the team lead with six tackles apiece, and Victor Williams had five while Isaiah Gray and Garen McKinney each tallied four. Gray, Joseph Madrigal and Quan Mason each made tackles for loss, with Mason additionally posting a sack. 

Wolky Belancourt averaged 40.4 yards on five punts, and Donovan Wright was LU's top returner with 106 total yards. Fernando Ramirez, meanwhile, averaged 49.0 yards on four kickoffs. Lincoln controlled the clock with a possession time of 38:30 and converted on all three of its opportunities inside the red zone.

The Blue Tigers will play at home for the first time in 2018 on Saturday, Sept. 15 as Lincoln hosts Wisconsin-Oshkosh for a 1:00 p.m. CDT contest. It's Lincoln's annual Take a Kid to the Game Day, with all children receiving free admission.

Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
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This Is Game Week: Morgan State vs. Akron

 Morgan State Notes  |     Akron Notes (PDF) |    MEAC Notes (PDF) |  MAC Notes (PDF)   Purchase Tickets |

 MEAC Teleconference Audio  |     GAMEDAYGuide   
 Facebook.com/MorganStateBears   |    @MorganStBears

GAME TIME
Morgan State will face Akron on the road in a non-conference matchup on Saturday (Sept. 8) at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. The Bears open the 2018 season under the leadership of interim head coach Ernest T. Jones. Akron completed the 2017 season with a 7-7 overall mark and were 6-2 in MAC play. The Zips' contest last Saturday against Nebraska was cancelled due to severe weather. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. The game will also be broadcast on WEAA, 88.9 FM. 

GAME COVERAGE
TELEVISION: ESPN+ will be televising the game live ... Jonathan Yardley will handle the play-by-play duties with color analyst Tyoka Jackson. 

RADIO: WEAA, 88.9 FM is the flagship station for the Morgan State Bears ... Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with Kelvin Bridgers in the booth. The game will be broadcast live on 88.9 FM and streamed on WEAA.org. 

LIVE STREAM: ESPN3

LIVE STATS: Click Here

SOCIAL NETWORKS
Fans can keep up-to-date with all MSU Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/MorganStBears and @MorganStateFootball. You can also become a fan of the Bears on Facebook at Facebook.com/MorganStateBears.

TICKETS
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all five home games, including homecoming start at only $95. Premium seats are now available for purchase by calling 443.885.1522 or visiting MSU Student Center Athletics Ticket Office during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or visit  morganstatebears.com/tickets.
 
THE COACHES
•  Morgan State - Ernest T. Jones (Alcorn State, '95) joined the Bears as the Defensive Coordinator in 2016 and was previously a JUCO head coach at ASA Miami (2015 - 8-2 record); he has also worked at Connecticut, Notre Dame, Univ. of Buffalo, Cincinnati, Alcorn State, Central Michigan, Oberlin, Kentucky State and Concordia. CAREER RECORD (10-13, 2yrs)
•  Akron - Terry Bowden (West Virginia, '78), the Dean of all Mid-American Conference coaches with 171 career wins, enters his seventh season in 2018 at the helm of the UA program. CAREER RECORD (171-106-2, 24 yrs); RECORD AT AKRON (31-44, 7th yr). 



LAST TIME OUT vs. THE ZIPS
•  Sept. 15, 2012 -- Akron (1-2) scored touchdowns on its first two drives to build a 21-6 lead before halftime.
•  Jawon Chisholm ran 18 times for 129 yards and Dalton Williams hit 37 of 48 passes for 446 yards with 3 TDs as head coachTerry Bowden got win No. 1 as the Zips set or tied six team and two individual school records in a 66-6 win over Morgan State at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field.
•  Akron's 66 points and 753 yards of total offense broke a nine-year mark set on Sept. 20, 2003, against Howard (65 points, 692 yds).
•  The Zips also finished with a program-best 43 first downs, also in that contest against Howard. UA set a school record for completions as well with 44.
•  Akron also set the program and Mid-American Conference mark for passing yards (565) and posted the third-most offensive yards in league history with 753. Akron's 59 pass attempts tied the UA school mark.
• Deshaun Summer led the Bears with 11 tackles and had a tackle for loss and pass breakup. Nate Ayers (Safeties Coach) collected the 2nd interception of his career, while Travis Davidson accounted for 105 all purpose yards.
 
A WIN WOULD ... 
...give Ernest T. Jones his first win as MSU's head coach and his 11th career win.
... would mark the Bears' first  win against Akron in school history.
... mark MSU's first road non-conference win since defeating Bowie State (28-23) on Sept. 13, 2014.
... mark MSU's first non-conference road win since defeating Towson 12-9 on Sept. 26, 2009.
... mark the Bears  road win  since a 35-24  win on Nov. 19, 2016.
... .mark MSU's earliest season victory since recording a 28-3 home win against Illinois State on Sept. 12, 2015.
 
QUICK HITS
• Junior DeAndre Harris, a 6-4, 210-pound quarterback from Washington (Ga.) opened the season as the Bears starter. He completed 12-of-21 passes for 101 yards, with an interception. He also led the team with 31 yards on 12 carries.
• The Bears' starting RB in Week 1 was talented redshirt-freshman Josh Chase (6-1, 210, Severn, Md.). Chase ran for 28 yards on 13 carries vs. Towson.
• LB Rico Kennedy, the team's leading tackler in 2017 with 70 stops, in addition to 19.5 tackles for loss (No. 3 in the FCS), posted eight tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks in the Bears' season opener vs. Towson.
• Senior LB Damare' Whitaker was a force in the Bears' home-opener against Towson, as the senior finished with a team-high nine solo tackles, including a sack.
• Senior DB Carl Garnes was a standout for the Bears secondary a season ago. The Columbus, N.J. native was named to the 2017 All-MEAC Third Team and garnered 35 tackles and a pair of INTs in 10 games played.
• The Bears drew first blood in last week's contest versus Towson. MSU took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when Towson's Coby Tippett mishandled a punt on their own 5-yard line leaving freshman long-snapper Zach Castano to recover for the Bears first score.
• Ernest T. Jones' Bears are predicted to finish 9th in the MEAC's 2018 Preseason Order of Finish. 
 
A GLANCE AT THE ZIPS
•  Akron finished the 2017 season with an overall mark of 7-7 and captured the MAC East Title with a 6-2 conference record. They capped the season with a 50-3 loss against Florida Atlantic in the Boca Raton Bowl.
•  Terry Bowden (West Virginia, '78) leads the Zips in his 7th season at the helm.
•  Akron, the defending MAC East champion, were picked to finish fourth in the MAC East in the league's preseason poll.
•  Akron returns 58 letterwinners, including 15 starters, to its spread offense and 4-3 defense.
•  Akron returns senior RB Van Edwards (Cape Coral, Fla.) who rushed for 343 yards and two touchdowns on 94 carries in 2017.
•  Sophomore QB Kato Nelson (Hollywood, Fla.) went 70-of-140 for 989 yards and eight touchdowns last fall.
•  Senior WR Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.) is the top returning receiver with 726 yards and seven TDs on 34 receptions.
• One of the defensive leaders for the Zips is two-time first-team All-MAC LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.) returns for his senior season after leading the Zips with 141 tackles, 9.5 TFL, five sacks, five hurries, four break-ups, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery in 2017.
• Senior CB Kyron Brown (Boynton Beach, Fla.) is a team captain for the Zips and last season finished with 49 tackles, 2.0 TFL, two interceptions for 108 yards, a team-best 11 break-ups, and a fumble recovery.  He was named to the 2018 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Preseason Watch List and preseason second-team All-MAC by Athlon Sports.
• For the third consecutive year, Akron's senior Kyle Foster (Parkersburg, W.Va.) has been named a preseason candidate for the 2018 Peter Mortell Holder of the Year Award. Foster, who has played in every game of his collegiate career as the holder, was a semifinalist for the award in 2016 and 2017.
• Following a three-hour delay for lightning and thunderstorms, Akron's season opening, non-conference football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers was cancelled.

MORGAN STATE/AKRON CONNECTIONS

• Akron has one player from the state of Maryland on its roster– junior OL Trevor Brown [Clinton, Md. | Wise HS].  Morgan State has two players from the state of Ohio– redshirt freshman RB Demerius Goodwin [Cleveland, Ohio | Glenville/Ginn Academy] and freshman TE Jack McCracken [Cincinnati, Ohio | Archbishop Moeller]. 
• MSU interim head coach Ernest T. Jones served as the associate head coach at MAC rival Buffalo (2010-11).
• The Bears' co-defensive coordinator Antonio James earned first-team All-Ohio accolades at Massillon Washington HS as a senior in 2005.

PRESEASON PICKED 9TH 
Morgan State was picked to finish ninth (9th) to MEAC defending champion and Preseason #1 North Carolina A&T and #2 Howard.
 
PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
Seven (7) Morgan State football players were named to the 2018 MEAC preseason team, which was voted on by the conference head coaches and sports information directors.  Senior defensive lineman Malachi Washington and junior linebacker Rico Kennedy were first-team selections. Senior offensive linemen Joshua Miles and Matthew Thompson were third-team picks, along with junior wideout Manasseh Bailey, junior linebacker Ian McBorrough, and senior defensive back Carl Garnes. The seven preseason All-MEAC performers are part of a group of 37 lettermen and 16 starters returning for the 2018 Morgan State football season.
 
BEARS OPEN 120th SEASON OF FOOTBALL SINCE 1898
MSU enters its 120th season of football and will open the 2018 campaign under interim head coach Ernest T. Jones, set to enter his first year at the helm and his third year at Morgan State.
 
RETURN MEN 
The 2018 Morgan State Bears return 37 letterwinners, including 16 starters - 7 on offense, 8 on defense and 1 on special teams.
 
CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS 
The Bears enter the 2018 season looking to post their first winning season since going 6-5 in 2009. MSU's 7-6 record in 2014 was vacated. 
 
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2018 campaign against four non-conference opponents. MSU opens the season against Towson (Sept. 1) in the 'Battle for Greater Baltimore', followed by road trips versus  Akron (Sept. 9), Univ. at Albany (Sept. 15) and the N.C. A&T (Sept. 22) game will also be recorded as a non-conference contest. 
 
BEARS OPEN 41st SEASON IN MEAC
The Bears will open its 41st season in the MEAC when they host South Carolina State for Homecoming on Oct. 6.
• The Bears opened the 2017 MEAC schedule with a 49-17 loss against #15 N.C. A&T at Hughes Stadium. 
• The Bears kicked off its first season in the MEAC in 1971. Morgan State withdrew from the conference at the end of the 1979-80 fiscal year, before returning to the MEAC in 1984.
 
EDWARD SCOTT NAMED TO FCS ADA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Division I Football Subdivision Athletics Directors Association announced that Morgan State's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Edward Scott will serve on its Executive Committee. Scott represents the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE CLASSROOM
The Morgan State football team has had great success in the classroom.
• Most recently, the Bears produced a 3.24 GPA during Summer 2018.
• The 2017-18 school year saw the Bears achieve their highest single-year GPA in program history.
• The program had 31 Athletic Director Honor Roll Members in the Fall of 2017, a 41% increase from the previous Fall. 

MSU LEGEND EDDIE P. HURT NAMED TO 2019 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOT
76 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks make-up the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.  Morgan State head coach Eddie P. Hurt is among the list of nominees.
•  Hurt led Morgan's football teams to six Black College National Championships and won 14 CIAA titles. 
• Eleven of his squads executed undefeated seasons, including a non-losing string of games from 1932 to 1938. 
•  His 1943 team did not allow a score from a single opponent.

WBAL-TV TO TELEVISE MORGAN STATE HOME FOOTBALL GAMES ON MeTV BALTIMORE

WBAL-TV has announced that it is partnering with Morgan State University (MSU) to televise the school's 2018 regular season home football games on MeTV Baltimore, WBAL-TV's digital channel.  The announcement was made by Dan Joerres, President and General Manager of WBAL-TV.
• All five home games at Morgan State's Hughes Memorial Stadium can be seen on MeTV Baltimore beginning on Saturday, September 1, 2018.  The season opener will feature Morgan against Towson University at 7:00 PM, billed as "The Battle of Greater Baltimore."
• "Morgan State is a wonderful institution with a rich history that is a part of the fabric of Baltimore City.   We could not be more excited to air Morgan State Football on MeTV Baltimore this fall," said Joerres.
• "Morgan Athletics is proud to be a part of the WBAL and MeTV family.   Morgan has a special place in the Baltimore community and we believe partnering with WBAL is only going to strengthen that relationship with Greater Baltimore.

FOLLOW US IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official web site of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
            Facebook: /MorganStateBears
            Twitter: @MorganStBears
            Instagram: /MorganStateBears

ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution offering more than 100 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
 
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Grambling State Tigers look to bounce back at Northwestern State Demons

GRAMBLING, Louisiana -- The Grambling State University football team will hit the road for the second weekend in a row and will seek its first win of the young season against Northwestern State on Saturday night under the lights. Kickoff from Turpin Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
 
Grambling State will broadcast the game on Grambling State Sports Radio Network. The game will broadcasted in Ruston (KPCH 99.3 FM) and Monroe (KJMG – 97.3 FM). The Tigers' broadcast crew of Santoria Black, Ossie Clark, Nick Harrison and Leon Thomas will call all of the action. The game will be streaming online at www.gsutigers.com.

 
Grambling State began last season with a loss to Tulane, but bounced back with a win over Northwestern State in Week 2. Both teams enter this week seeking their first win as he Tigers are coming off a 49-17 loss at Louisiana, while Northwestern State dropped a road tilt to SEC member Texas A&M, 59-7.
 
The matchup with the Demons marks the fifth time these two teams will meet. Last season, the Tigers got 231 yards through the air from Devante Kincade and 138 yards on the ground by Martez Carter in Grambling State's 23-10 victory against Northwestern State at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
 
Some things have changed from a year ago for both schools, as Kincade and Carter have moved on and graduated, while Northwestern State has a new head coach.

 Stadium Information

> Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, La.
> The game will be broadcasted (live audio) on KPCH 99.3 FM – The Peach (Ruston) and KJMG – 97.3 FM – Magic97 (Monroe).
> Video will be streamed live on the Northwestern State athletic website (nsudemons.com)
> Stadium capacity is 15,971
> A new bag check procedure is in place for Saturday's game inside Turpin Stadium.
> Any purse or bag brought to the stadium will be searched at gates by trained personnel.
> Fans who don't bring bags may more quickly enter the stadium at the southwest gate on the press box side, and at the east gate on the opposite side of the stadium, where the NSU student section is located.
> Reserved stadium seats are $25.  General admission tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for kids.  The east side of the stadium—Grambling's sideline— is exclusively GA seats.
> Parking is $10 per car and will be collected by the gatekeepers.  A very limited number of handicapped spots on the east side of the stadium area available, so arriving early is high recommended.  The entrance to that lot will be directly below the "S" in Sibley in the upper-right hand corner of the attached parking map.
> General parking will be in lot F (See Map Below).  There will also be some handicapped spaces available in lots A, B, and C, but those are on the opposite side of the Grambling side and fans parking in those lots will have to walk way around the stadium, kind of defeating the purpose of the handicapped spot. 

What to Watch For
> Grambling State will continue its two-quarterback system for at least one more game as Geremy Hickbottom and Aldon Clark will split time under center.
> GSU will look to complete a two-game, home-and-home sweep of Northwestern State.
> The Demons are looking for their first win in the series since 2008.
> Both teams are seeking their first win of the season.
> Northwestern State had a few extra days to prepare for Grambling State as the Demons played their first game on Aug. 30 (Thursday night).
> The Tigers begin the season 0-1 for the sixth straight year and will look to avoid its first 0-2 mark since 2015.
> Northwestern State is looking to avoid being 0-2 for the fifth consecutive season.
 
Grambling State-Northwestern State Connections
> This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools, with Grambling State holding a 3-1 lead in the series.
> The Tigers' lone loss in the series to the Demons came in 2008.
> GSU won the last meeting, which was in 2017, 24-10 at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium
> Grambling State head football coach Broderick Fobbss will be making a return trip to Natchitoches where he spent 2002-2007 in var­ious capacities, including assistant head coach.
> Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs will seeking his 18th victory in the state of Louisiana.
> This will be just the second game under new head coach Brad Laird at Northwestern State.
> The two schools are only separated by 71 miles.
 
Last Time Out
> Grambling State opened the season last week with a 49-17 loss to Louisiana.
> The Tigers racked up 306 total yards of offense and 15 first downs against the Ragin' Cajuns.
> Geremy Hickbottom led the way in the air and ground, passing for 112 yards (8-of-18) and rushing for 52 yards on four carries, with one score.
> Defensively, De'Arius Christmas paced the Tigers with nine tackles, including one sack.
> Northwestern State is coming off a 59-7 loss to Texas A&M on Thursday night (Aug. 30).
> Jazz Ferguson finished with 129 yards receiving on four catches, including a 71-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to put Northwestern State on the board.
> NSU recorded 251 total yards of offense and 13 first downs against the Aggies.



Football Facts
> Grambling State comes into the game unranked, but received votes in the STATS FCS Top 25 and FCS Coaches Poll.
> The Tigers are ranked No. 1 in the SBN Black College Football Poll and No. 2 in the HBCU BOXTOROW Coaches Poll.
> Grambling State was picked to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship.
> Northwestern State is unranked in all polls.
 
Up Next
Grambling State will have an extra week to prepare for its 2018 SWAC opener as the Tigers return to action against Alabama State on Sept. 22. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
 
Tickets Still Available
Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale at the GSU Ticket office and fan are encouraged to visit www.gsutigers.com or call the ticket office to purchase tickets. For more information on purchasing season tickets, call (318) 274-2625 or (318) 274-2629.
 
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.

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South Carolina State Bulldogs Football at UCF Knights

ORLANDO, Florida (UCFKnights.com) – After opening up the 2018 season with a 56-17 road victory at UConn this past Thursday, the UCF football team is set to return home for the first game in the Bounce House under new head coach Josh Heupel. The Knights will take on South Carolina State Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN3.

GAME INFORMATION 
Date: Saturday, Sept. 3
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN3
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Live Stats: http://statb.us/b/225174

SC STATE GAME - NOTES TO KNOW

• The Knights own the longest winning streak in the nation at 14 games, and have scored over 30 points in each of the 14 wins.
• After scoring 56 points in just 21:52 of possession time against the Huskies, UCF ranks third in the nation in points per minute, behind Oregon and Nevada.
• The Knights are 30-9 all-time in home openers and have won nine out of their last 10, including a pair of victories over South Carolina State in 2008 and 2016, UCF’s only two games ever against the Bulldogs.
• Tre Nixon hauled in five catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns in his first game as a Knight. He joins Tre’Quan Smith as the only two players to record more than 100 receiving yards in their first game in a UCF uniform.
• Trysten Hill recorded career highs in tackles and tackles-for-loss with four and 2.0, respectively, against the Huskies.
• In the last game between UCF and South Carolina State, the Knights won 38-0.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL GAME NOTES – UCF VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE



WEEKLY HONORS
McKenzie Milton was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after throwing for 346 yards and five touchdowns. Richie Grant was also named to the league’s honor roll after forcing a fumble, recovering it and grabbing an interception.

FROM THE PRESSER
At head coach Josh Heupel’s weekly press conference, he started by making mention of Aaron Robinson and how he’s doing after suffering an injury in the first play of the game at UConn.

“He’s back in town, doing well,” Heupel said. “I saw him again this morning and I definitely think he’s moving in the right direction. Obviously we’re all thankful that he’s going to be alright.”

When asked about the excitement of playing front of the home crowd, Heupel expressed that he can’t wait to get in front of Knight Nation.

“I think everyone’s excited to come home and play in front of a packed stadium,” he said. “We’re excited about the opportunity that we have. This is the second opportunity we have to play and compete as a team. I know our players and staff are excited to be here.”

PURCHASE 2018 TICKETS
Season tickets are going fast for the highly anticipated 2018 campaign. Fans can purchase theirs today and learn about all of their options by calling (407) 823-1000 or visiting us online at ucfknights.com/fbtix.

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Prairie View A&M University 2022 Building Challenge/Shuffle

Video1: Prairie View A&M University Class of 2022 "LIVEST HBCU BUILDING CHALLENGE EVER MADE" Shot & Edited By: @CJMKVisuals

Video 2: This is PV's newest shuffle, created in 2018.
Shot by Crooked Straight Media! Follow them on IG @crookedstr8media

RMU Hosts Virginia State In Home Opener

FULL NOTES PACKAGE (PDF)
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania -- Robert Morris kicks off the home portion of its 2018 schedule this Saturday, Sept. 8, when it hosts Virginia State in a Noon kickoff at Joe Walton Stadium. The Colonials opened the season on the road for the first time since 2013, falling 49-28 at Dayton last weekend. Virginia State, an NCAA Playoff team in 2017, lost in its season opener to Norfolk State, 34-13. RMU is 15-9 in home openers, including a 13-10 victory against Dayton last season.

All-Time vs. Virginia State

• This is the inaugural meeting between the Colonials and Trojans
• RMU has three first time opponents on its slate in 2018
• The Colonials have never played Virginia State, James Madison or Central State

Musket Shots

• Bernard Clark Jr. makes his head coaching debut in 2018
• RMU is 15-9 all-time in home openers
• RMU had 416 yards of offense at Dayton, the team's first 400-yard game since 2013
• The team's 26 first downs vs. Dayton were their most since 10/22/11 (27; Bryant)
• RMU leads the nation in third down conversion percentage (.722, 13-of-18)
• DL Amir Fenwick and LB Adam Wollet were named to the Preseason All-NEC Team
• Fenwick was the Colonials only All-NEC First Team pick last season
• Wollet led the NEC with 108 tackles
• Finished 18th in nation averaging 9.8 tackles per game
• Was named to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America team
• Junior WR Tim Vecchio has been the team's offensive MVP each of the last two seasons
• Sophomore C Eric McAllister was a Hero Sports Freshmen All-America pick in 2017
• Of active FCS players, Warren Robinson is eighth with a 12.2 yard punt return average
• 2018 marks the 25th season of football at Robert Morris
• RMU has won six NEC Championships — 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2010
• The 2018 roster features 30 former WPIAL players representing 23 schools

About the Trojans

• Virginia State went undefeated through the regular season in 2017, falling in the NCAA Division II First Round
• The Trojans were picked second in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
• VSU lost at Norfolk State, 34-13, to open the year
• QB Cordelral Cook was 14-26 for 170 yards, a TD and 2 INT
• RB Demetrius Strickland rushed for 40 yards on 14 carries
• WR Tre'Quan Reed led the team with 61 yards on three receptions and a TD
• RB Dazmine Palmer corralled four passes for 44 yards out of the backfield
• Alexander Williams and Patrick Prosser led the squad with eight tackles
• Prosser added 3.5 tackles for loss

TEAM NOTES

25th Season of RMU Football

• 2018 marks the 25th season of football at Robert Morris
• The program debuted in 1994, going 7-1-1
• RMU has won six NEC Championships — 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2010

Clark Makes Coaching Debut

• Bernard Clark Jr. makes his head coaching debut in 2018
• He served as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator at UAlbany for four years
• Won two national championships with Miami, including the 1988 Orange Bowl MVP
• Made 10 previous coaching stops before arriving in Moon Township

Dr. Howard In College Football

• RMU President Dr. Chris Howard is serving a three-year term on the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee
• He is also on the planning committee to commemorate the 150th birthday of college football
• Howard was a running back at Air Force
• He won the NFF Campbell Trophy, the highest academic award for a football player

RMU Football Leadership Committee

• Coach Clark has named a six-player leadership committee in 2018
• Offensive Leadership Committe Members:
• Junior WR DeLano Madison
• R-Sophomore OL Eric McAllister
• Senior QB Jimmy Walker
• Defensive Leadership Committe Members:
• R-Junior DB Tevaul Brown
• Senior DL Amir Fenwick
• Senior LB Adam Wollet

Delray Beach Connection

• A pair of Colonials hail from the Florida town of Delray Beach on the Atlantic Coast
• Warren Robinson and Thomas Neal list Delray Beach as their hometown
• They all attended different high schools
• Dylan Young lists Coral Springs as his hometown, just a short drive from Delray Beach

Score 30 or More

• Since the inception of RMU football in 1994, RMU is 72-5 (.935) when scoring 30 or more points
• The Colonials are 29-0 when tallying 40 or more points

Gridiron Graduates

• RMU has five players players currently taking graduate level classes
• DE Cameron Darley, QB Caleb Lewis and RB Kendall Rodgers Jr. are all graduate transfers
• QB Jimmy Walker finished his undergraduate work last year and is in grad school now
• LB Adam Wollet is in the integrated five-year finance and data analytics program at RMU

WPIAL Representation

• The 2018 roster features 30 former WPIAL players
• They represent 23 different schools
• Gateway, Montour, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Thomas Jefferson, Woodland Hills and West Allegheny each have two alums on the RMU roster

State of the Colonials

• Thirteen states and two countries are represented on the RMU roster
• Three dozen players from the Keystone State, Pennsylvania, lead the list
• Ohio (11) and Florida (10) also have double-digit representatives
• Two players came to RMU from Ontario

The Founding Father

• RMU had only one coach in its first 20 seasons of existence, Joe Walton
• Walton was a former NFL tight end and head coach (see sidebar)
• He was a four-time NEC Coach of the Year
• Under his guidance, RMU won two NCAA I-AA mid-major national titles
• Walton was inducted into the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013

DEFENSIVE NOTES

National Rankings - Team

• RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
• Fourth Down Pct. (1st, .000)

Preseason All-NEC Pick

• DL Amir Fenwick and LB Adam Wollet were named to the Preseason All-NEC Team
• Fenwick was an All-NEC selection following the 2017 season
• Wollet also garnered all-league plaudits as a junior as well

OFFENSIVE NOTES

National Rankings - Team

• RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
• 3rd Down Conv. Pct. (1st, .722)
• First Downs (11th, 26)
•  Fumbles Lost (1st, 0)
• Passing Offense (25th, 257.0)
• Red Zone Offense (1st, 1.000)
• Sacks Allowed (1st, 0)
• Time of Possession (29th, 32:32)
• Turnovers Lost (20th, 1)

National Rankings - Team

• RMU ranks in the top-40 in these categories:
• Passing Yards (Jimmy Walker, 37th, 219)
• Passing Yds/Gm. (Walker, 36th, 219.0)
• Passing Yds/Gm. (Walker, 27th, 13.69)
• Pts. Responsible For (Walker, 16th, 18)
• Pts. Responsible For/Gm. (Walker, 14th, 18.0)
• Receptions/Gm. (Chase Bodeman, 30th, 6.0; Tim Vecchio, 30th, 6.0)
• Total Offense (Walker, 28th, 252.0)

ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS