League Notes
Central Connecicut State and Sacred Heart opened their seasons with home victories, while Albany and Monmouth dropped tight decisions on the road against Colonial Athletic Association members. ... The Nutmeg State, home of both CCSU and Sacred Heart, was home to two 200-yard rushing performances from a pair of first-year starters this weekend. CCSU junior running back James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) ran 29 times for 256 yards and two touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ 42-35 victory over Bryant. SHU senior tailback Evin Jones (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic) bested Mallory’s 8.8 yards-per-carry average by amassing 210 yards and four scores on 22 rushing attempts (9.5 ypc). ... Albany’s date at No. 5 Massachusetts marks the first of five straight road games to open the Great Danes’ season. The Great Danes are the only Division I FBS or FCS program to not play at home before October. ... The four idle teams during opening week (Duquesne, Robert Morris, Saint Francis [PA], and Wagner) kick off their seasons this weekend. Seven of the NEC’s eight programs are scheduled to play in week two with defending champion Albany being the lone idle club.
Sinisi Continues to Claw at Hawks’ Record Book
Monmouth junior tailback Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, Nj/Cedar Grove) began his 2008 campaign the same way he ended 2007 -- in record-breaking fashion. Sinisi’s 11-yard touchdown run in the second half of the season opener at Rhode Island made the preseason all-NEC selection the program’s career rushing touchdowns leader (31). Sinisi surpassed former Hawk Chris Reed’s former mark the season after he shattered Reed’s single-season rushing record from 1998. Sinisi ran for 1,184 yards on 206 carries to become Monmouth’s all-time single-season leader.
All-NEC Backs McCarty and Sinisi Show No Signs of Slowing
The NEC’s top two returning rushers, and 2007 all-NEC second team selections, Albany junior David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute) and Monmouth junior running back Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) each turned in 100-yard rushing performances on the road against member of the Colonial Athletic Association. McCarty, who came up 22 yards shy of a single-season program record by rushing for 1,503 yards as a sophomore, carried the ball 24 times for 125 yards and a touchdown at No. 5 Massachusetts, the defending CAA champion. A proven pass catcher, McCarty, who opened the game’s scoring with a first-quarter, 52-yard touchdown catch, had four receptions for 72 yards. Climbing his way up Monmouth’s all-time rushing list, Sinisi tallied 138 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
Blue Devils Top-Tier Rushing Attack Back
Central Connecticut State boasted the nation's 10th-ranked rushing offense last season, averaging 258 yards per contest with contributions from numerous ball carriers. The Blue Devils compiled 270 yards via the ground game in their 42-35, seaosn-opening victory over Bryant with first-year starter James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) accounting for much of the total. Mallory, a junior, eclipsed his entire season output from 2007 (42 car., 243 yds.) by rushing 29 times for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
Pioneers’ Jones Can Bring the Payne Too
One of the biggest question marks facing Sacred Heart during the 2008 preseason was centered around finding a competent replacement for graduated tailback Jason Payne, who rushed for 1,282 yards last season on his way to first team all-NEC honors. After an impressive training camp, SHU senior Evin Jones (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic), a three-year back-up, proved his readiness to take on the starting role. Jones’ 2008 debut resulted in 210 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 22 carries with 171 of his yards coming in the second half when the Pioneers needed them most. Trailing 14-7 at the half, SHU jumped out to a 21-14 lead mid-way through the third quarter thanks to Jones’ TD runs of five and 50 yards.
Week One (1) By The Numbers
31 career rushing touchdowns by Monmouth’s Dave Sinisi, a preseason all-NEC selection, including the junior tailback’s 11-yard score in the second half of the Hawks’ season opener at URI.
171 second-half rushing yards gained by Sacred Heart’s Evin Jones. With the Pioneers trailing 14-7 at halftime, Jones exploded for four second-half touchdowns to power SHU to a 42-21 victory over Assumption. His TD runs of five and 50 yards put Sacred Heart in front, 21-14, mid-way through the third quarter.
7 consecutive games that Albany’s David McCarty has rushed for at least 125 yards. After closing the Great Danes’ 2007 title run with six 100-yard rushing performances, McCarty opened his junior season with 125 yards on 24 carries against No. 5 UMass. The all-NEC tailback made four receptions for 72 yards, including a 52-yard pass play that staked UA to an early 7-0 lead.
28 more catches by Sacred Heart’s Steve Tedesco will make the junior all-NEC receiver the program’s all-time receptions leader. Tedesco, who the the NEC in receptions (57) and receiving TDs (11) in 2007, made nine receptions for 97 yards in the Pioneers’ 2008 opener.
70 yards on the game-winning connection between CCSU QB Aubrey Norris and WR Nick Colagiovanni in Saturday’s 42-35 win over Bryant. The pass play, which put the Blue Devils ahead for good with 3:25 remaining in regulation, was the second-longest between the two. Norris and Colagiovanni set career highs when they hooked up for 71 yards against Merrimack last year.
Team-by-Team Notes
Albany (0-1, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: No. 5 Massachusetts 28, ALBANY 16
Next Game: September 13 at Hofstra, 7:00 pm
• UAlbany surprised Massachusetts, the nation's fifth-ranked team and a 2007 NCAA quarterfinalist, by jumping out to a 9-0 lead. … QB Liam Coen helped the Minutemen recover with two second-quarter touchdown passes and the defense held the Great Danes off the scoreboard in a first-and-goal situation to record a 28-16 victory. … UMass extended its home winning streak to 15 straight, dating back to Oct. 29, 2005. … the Great Danes, who were opening in the month of August for the first time, played before the third-highest ranked opponent in the program's FCS history … the crowd of 15,211 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium was the fourth largest in team history. … TB David McCarty (Gansevoort, NY/LaSalle Institute) rushed for 125 yards and one TD and added a career-best 72 receiving yards. … McCarty, who scored on a 52-yard screen pass to give his team a 7-0 advantage, accounted for 197 all-purpose yards, the third-highest total of his career … McCarty has posted seven consecutive 100-yard rushing games, tying a mark set by Gary Jones in 2002 … QB Vinny Esposito (Demarest, NJ/Northern Valley Regional) passed for 172 yards, the fourth-best figure of his career, but was intercepted twice for the second time as a collegian … Esposito became the 13th player to reach the 2,000-mark in career total offense and is now 10th with 2,129. ... WR Tim Bush (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) hauled in a career-best five receptions, while TE Marcus Miles (Watertown, NY/Watertown) had a personal-best 48 receiving yards. … DE Trevor Anderson (Warnersville, NY/Cobleskill-Richmondville), CB Ross Bertrand (Stamford, CT/Stamford) and OLB Rich Duff (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) each established or tied career-highs with six tackles apiece … ILB Justin Brancaccio (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) made a team-high eight tackles, his third-best total as a collegian … DE Tony Sparano (Colleyville, TX/Grapevine) had a career-high four tackles … Sparano is the son of Tony Sparano, who is in his first year as the Miami Dolphins' head coach. … Chris Lynch (Lindenhurst, NY/Lindenhurst) booted a 53-yard punt in the fourth quarter, his 26th 50-plus yard kick. … the Great Danes, who won last year's Northeast Conference title, played a Division I FCS top-25 team for the thirteenth time. … UAlbany, idle this week, opens with five consecutive road games before meeting Central Connecticut State in the home opener on Oct. 11th … the Great Danes are the lone FBS or FCS team to not have a home date before October … Nebraska is the contrast with five straight home games before traveling to Texas A&M on Oct. 11
Central Connecticut State (1-0, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE 42, Bryant 35
Next Game: September 6 at No. 2 North Dakota State, 6:00 pm (local time)
• Central Connecticut defeated Bryant, 42-35, at Arute Field to open the 2008 season. … Junior James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) posted 256 of Central Connecticut's 270 rushing yards and two touchdowns to lead the Blue Devils offense, while the special teams scored twice on punt blocks. Mallory eclipsed his rushing total from last season (42 car., 243 yds.) in just one game. On Saturday, he averaged 8.8 yards per carry and had three rushes of 25 yards or more, including a 94-yard touchdown jaunt. … Sophomore T.J. Radzilowski (Germantown, MD/New Mexico) led the Blue Devil defense with six tackles in the opening 30 minutes, while senior captain Mike Cooke (Brooklyn, NY/Lackawanna JC) added four tackles, two for loss, during the same span. Cooke led the Blue Devil defense with a career-best 12 tackles. Radzilowski finished with 10 tackles and a pair of pass break-ups. … Junior quarterback Aubrey Norris (Staten Island, NY/Hargrave Military) hooked up with junior receiver Nick Colagiovanni (Plainville, CT/Milford Academy) for a 70-yard touchdown pass to break a 35-35 tie with 3:25 remaining in regulation. The pass play was the second-longest in each of the two culprits' careers. The same two men accounted for a 71-yard connection last season versus Merrimack at Arute Field. … The Blue Devils began their season at home for the fourth time since 2000. They are 4-0 in those games. CCSU is now 21-12-1 overall in season-opening home games. … Since the start of the 2004 season, the Blue Devils are now 18-3 at home. They have outscored their opponents 618-329 in the 18 victories and have scored 21 or more points in 15 of the victories. Overall, CCSU is 30-14 since 2004. Central Connecticut's 30 wins are now tied for the fourth most victories among New England, New York and New Jersey FCS schools. Only New Hampshire, UMass and Harvard have more. The Blue Devils are tied with Northeast Conference foe Monmouth. … Since 2004, CCSU is now 22-2 when scoring 25 or more points. They are 26-4 when scoring at least 20. … The Blue Devils have scored 40 or more points eight times in 23 games under head coach Jeff McInerney. CCSU is averaging 30.9 points per game during his tenure. .. The Blue Devils will face No. 2 North Dakota State on Saturday in Fargo, ND. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. EST.
Duquesne (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: Idle
Next Game: September 6 at Bucknell, 6:00 pm
• Duquesne kicks off its inaugural NEC season, and 82nd season of football, at Bucknell on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 6:00 p.m.. ... Overall, the Dukes are 47-20-3 in season openers (records available since 1902, DU fielded its first team in 1891), including a 1-2 mark under fourth-year head coach Jerry Schmitt. This marks the seventh time in the past 12 years Duquesne has faced Bucknell in the season-opener (1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006 & 2007 are the others). The Dukes are 11-5 in season-openers since 1992 with all five losses coming to Bucknell. ... Last year, DU finished 6-4 in securing its ninth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League championship with a 2-1 mark. The Dukes, who enter 2008 with a streak of 14 consecutive winning seasons, claimed 11 MAAC championships in 14 years in the league from 1994-2007: 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 (co-), 2007 (co-). ... Duquesne embarked on a new era for the football progam in accepting an associate membership in the Northeast Conference in January. With the move to the NEC, Duquesne offered 18 scholarships beginning in February of 2008 and will increase that number by two for the ensuing three years. Duquesne granted only need-based financial aid for football playing student-athletes as a member of the MAAC. Duquesne returns 13 position starters and one specialist from last year's team.
Monmouth (0-1, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: Rhode Island 27, MONMOUTH 24
Next Game: September 6 vs. Maine, 1:00 pm
• Monmouth opened the 2008 season with a 27-24 loss against the CAA's University of Rhode Island. Monmouth is now 4-12 in season openers, while URI has won their home opener seven of the last eight years. … The Hawks fell behind 17-3 in the first half but closed the gap to 20-17 early in the fourth quarter. … Senior quarterback Brett Burke (Wall, NJ/Wall) led Monmouth on a six-play, 72-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to Troy Yudin (Stevenson Ranch, CA/William Hart), the first of the sophomore's career. … Monmouth was one yard off of legally receiving the ensuing onsides kick with just under a minute to play, but URI was able to run out the clock. … Running back David Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) broke the MU records for career rushing touchdowns (31) and career 100-yard games (9) with his 138-yard performance (6.6 ypc) against URI. Sinisi moved into third all-time in career rushing yards with 2,076, just 89 off of the second place spot (Matt Merklinger). … Burke hit 10 different receivers against the Rams, including one pass to junior Nick Romeo (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) for his first TD reception. … Tight end John Nalbone (Lawrence, NJ/Lawrenceville) had four catches for 20 yards against the Rams. … Monmouth converted nine-of-14 third down conversions (64%), while the Hawk defense held URI to just six of 14 on third down (43%). … Fifth-year senior Ayo Falae (Newark, NJ/Barringer) registered 117 yards on kickoff returns, including a pair of 50-yard returns that set up Monmouth touchdowns. … Junior Kenny Amsel (Demarest, NJ/Northern Valley Regional) recorded a career-high seven tackles against the Rams, including five solo stops. … Sophomore Dave Ogden (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) recorded his first career sack at URI. … Monmouth's defense allowed under 100 yards rushing by the Rams (93), a team that averaged over 229 yards rushing per game under a different head coach last season. … Monmouth will look to win its home opener for the 10th time in school history on Saturday when they face the University of Maine at 1:00 p.m.
Robert Morris (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: Idle
Next Game: September 6 vs. Morehead State, 1:00 pm
• Robert Morris opens its 2008 season against Morehead State on Saturday, September 6 at Joe Walton Stadium. ... Selected sixth in league’s preseason coaches’ poll, RMU continues its quest to return to NEC prominence under legendary head coach Joe Walton. ... Senior quarterback Erik Cwalinski (Jacobsburh, OH/Shadyside) has the arm strength and physical tools to excel, but a 49.6 completion percentage in 2007 prevented the signal caller from living up to his preseason all-NEC selection. The senior quarterback will look to improve on his 183.8 yards per game passing average and 12 TDs from a year ago with senior receiver Sherrod Evers (Philadelphia, PA/Mastbaum Area) as his main target. ... Junior defensive end Mark Szymanski (Cadogan, PA/Ford City), a 2007 second team all-conference member, averaged nearly seven tackles per game while pestering the passer as well as anyone in the league last season.
Sacred Heart (1-0, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: SACRED HEART 42, Assumption 21
Next Game: September 6 vs. Bentley, 6:00 pm
• Sacred Heart opened the 2008 season ushering in a new era of Pioneer football under the lights on Campus Field. The newly installed lights and newly renovated Campus Field Sprintturf made a stellar debut in front of 2,113 Pioneer fans Saturday night. … SHU posted a 41-20 win at Assumption last season and this year welcome the Greyhounds to Fairfield coming away with a 42-21 win. The Pioneers trailed 14-0 for much of the first half of Saturday's game before senior running back Evin Jones (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic) exploded for 171 second-half rushing yards and four touchdowns. … SHU improves to 8-3 in the all-time series with Assumption. The Pioneers are now 6-12 all-time in season openers and 4-1 under head coach Paul Gorham. ... Quarterback Dale Fink (Swansea, IL/Althoff Catholic), the reigning NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year, completed 23-of-35 passes for 175 yards and a score in the win. Fink put SHU on the board late in the second quarter, hitting fellow sophomore Tony Patterson (Groton, CT/Fitch) on a 10-yard scoring strike with eight seconds left. Patterson finished with four catches for 40 yards. … Preseason All-NEC receiver Steve Tedesco (Mission Viejo, CA/Trabuco Hills) made nine catches for 97 yards in the win. Tedesco came into this season needing 37 catches to become the school's all-time leader in receptions. … Senior Evin Jones (Pennsauken, NJ/Roman Catholic), who had been a three-year back-up, had a record day in his new starting role. Jones ran for a career-high 210 yards, his first 200-yard game and second-career 100-yard-plus rushing game, to lead the way to a win. His four touchdowns tied the second-highest single-game total in SHU history. … SHU ran for 279 yards in all, 249 of which came in the second half. The Pioneers converted nine-of-15 third down situations. … The Pioneers defense held the Greyhounds to 55 yards rushing and just three-of-14 on third down chances. … The Pioneers will play host to another Northeast-10 school on Saturday night as Bentley, picked second in the league's preseason poll, pays a visit to Campus Field.
Saint Francis (PA) (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: Idle
Next Game: September 6 at Virginia Military, 1:00 pm
• The Red Flash open their 2008 season on September 6 at VMI. ... Saint Francis (PA)generated some late excitement last season by winning three of its final four contests. ... Sophomore Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/Bishop McCort), the 2007 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year, returns to lead the defense after completing his freshman season ranked fourth amongst all DI FCS tacklers (12.60 tackles/gm). Lewis' league-high 126 tackles stand as the fourth-best single-season total in NEC history and his 55 solo stops were 18th in the nation. ... Junior quarterback George Little (Duquesne, PA/Duquesne), who showed signs of progress as his first season as the starter unfolded, is back under center. The NEC's top-ranked player in total offense, Little will look to up his numbers with the help of all-NEC second team receiver Antoine Rivera (Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro). The senior wide receiver led the league in receiving yards (885) and receiving yards per game (88.5) in 2007 as seven of his 48 receptions went for touchdowns.
Wagner (0-0, 0-0 NEC)
Last Game: Idle
Next Game: September 5 at Stonehill, 7:00 pm
• Wagner opens its new season under the lights Friday, September 5 at Stonehill. ... After a tough 2006 season, long-time Wagner head coach Walt Hameline brought his Seahawks back into contention last season before some late struggles sunk their 2007 title hopes. ... Wagner's top-ranked scoring defense, which surrendered a stingy 16.1 points per game, remains fairly in tact with the return of three important players up front and two experienced linebackers. Senior Adrian Adderley (Carver's Ranch, FL/Monsignor Pace) and junior Joseph Harkins (Washington, DC/St. John's HS) join third team Associated Press All-American Robert Brown (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) on the defensive line.