Football To Open Bob Ford Field And CAA Slate With Rhode Island Saturday
ALBANY, N.Y. – After much anticipation, the University at Albany football program is set to kickoff its first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) contest, as well as unveil its $ 19 million multi-sport complex Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at Bob Ford Field. Coaching his 44th and final season at UAlbany, Head Coach Bob Ford will lead the Great Danes into one last new chapter, as they host the University of Rhode Island for the first time in program history.
CATCH THE ACTION
TICKETS: Click here for UAlbany ticket information.
AUDIO: The game can be heard in the Capital Region on FOX Sports 980AM or anywhere online here. To listen on your mobile device, download the iHeartRadio app and search for FOX Sports 980. Rodger Wyland and Zach Bye will have the call.
TV: Saturday’s action will be aired live on Comcast SportsNet.
TWITTER: Follow @UAlbanySports on Twitter for live updates, photos and highlights.
LIVE STATS: Live stats can be found here. A full recap and box score will be available at the conclusion of the game at UAlbanySports.com.
GAME NOTES: An in-depth look at the weekend’s matchup.
SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
2013 Record: 1-1, 0-0 CAA
2012 Record: 9-2, 7-1 NEC (T-1st)
2013 CAA Preseason Poll: 10th/11
Head Coach: Bob Ford (41st varsity season at UAlbany/44th overall at UAlbany/45th overall as head coach) (256-160-0 / 265-181-1)
THE COACH: Bob Ford ranks first among active NCAA Division I FCS coaches with 265 career victories and is also fourth on the all-time FCS chart. Ford, the architect of the UAlbany program, has led the Great Danes to a 256-160 record in his 41st varsity season. Under his direction, the Great Danes have moved from the club level in 1970 to its present NCAA Division I FCS status. At the team’s media day on Aug. 13th, Ford announced that his 44th season at the helm in 2013 will be his last. More than 100 of Bob Ford’s assistant coaches are currently working in the professional, college and high school ranks.
LAST TIME OUT
Using Omar Osbourne’s historic running performance and a few key defensive plays, UAlbany overcame the hosting Colgate University Raiders, 37-34, Saturday night at Andy Kerr Stadium. With the victory, the Great Danes improved to 1-1 on the season, while the Raiders fell to 0-2. The biggest defensive play of the contest came with 4:26 remaining in the ball game. Colgate faced fourth-and-goal on the one-yard line, trailing by three, 30-27, and chose to take a gamble. Going for it with a run play, the Great Danes’ defensive line suffocated the attempt and gave UAlbany possession on a turnover of downs. The Danes then drove 99-yards down the gridiron on the back of Osbourne’s four carries, including a 36-yarder, as well as Presley Beauvais’ drive-capping 45-yard touchdown scamper. With Tom O’Riordan’s point-after attempt sailing through the uprights, the Great Danes held a 37-27 lead with 1:34 remaining. While Colgate did answer with a touchdown of their own with 18 seconds remaining, UAlbany handled the on-sides kick with ease, securing their first win of the 2013 season. Topping his career-high in the first half alone, junior running back Omar Osbourne rushed for 252 yards with 35 carries, marking the third-best rushing performance in program history. Osbourne also crossed the goal line twice and totaled 260 all-purpose yards. Beauvais totaled 59 yards with six carries, while wildcat quarterback Jake Meek rushed the ball four times, totaling 27 yards. Senior wide receiver Kevin Chillis also racked up the yards, recording his second straight 100+ receiving game, connecting with Will Fiacchi five times for 112 yards and a touchdown. Fiacchi totaled 180 passing yards, completing 13-of-24 attempts with just one interception. Defensively, junior Christian Dorsey finished with a career-high 12 tackles, including nine unassisted, as well as forced a fumble.
OSBOURNE NAMED CAA OFFENSIVE POW
Announced by the conference office Monday, junior running back Omar Osbourne was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the team’s victory over Colgate. Osbourne, a native of Syracuse, N.Y., finished with a career- and game-high 252 yards on the ground, including a pair of touchdowns, to lead the Great Danes to their second win in as many years over the Raiders. The junior, whose 252 yards on 35 carries marks the third-best rushing performance in program history, turned in his career-high rushing total in the first half alone as UAlbany moved to 1-1 on the season with Saturday’s 37-34 win. Osbourne gave the Great Danes their first lead of the season (7-0) with a 5-yard touchdown rush on their opening drive. Out of the halftime break, Osbourne struck again, rushing for 15-yards into the end zone on a 4th-and-1 situation, stretching the lead to 30-14. After the Great Dane defense made the key play of the game, stopping a 4th-and-goal attempt on the 1-yard line, Osbourne led the Danes to a 99-yard scoring drive. He rushed four times in the possession, including a 36-yarder that set up another UAlbany touchdown, putting the game out of reach (37-27, 1:34 4th).
WEEK ONE SUMMARY – DUQUESNE
UAlbany comes off a season-opening 35-24 loss at Duquesne in which the Great Danes never held a lead. The Danes totaled 421 yards of offense, including a DI program-record 354 passing yards. Junior quarterback Will Fiacchi completed a program record 27-of-45 passes with one interception and two touchdown tosses to senior Kevin Chillis. Chillis logged a team-high nine receptions, while Presley Beauvais (41 yards) and Cole King (31 yards) each had four. On the ground, Omar Osbourne carried the ball 21 times for a total of 79 yards and one touchdown. Defensively, Alex Helmer’s career-high 11 tackles, including eight unassisted, led the Danes. While UAlbany’s kicking game was an area of concern coming into the contest, punter Jonathan Martin and kicker Tom O’Riordan served as a highlight. Martin punted four times, averaging 48.8 yards, including two over 50-yards and two that pinned the Dukes within the 20-yard line. Also making his debut donning purple and gold, O’Riordan was 1-for-1 for field goals and 3-for-3 for point-after attempts. (For a full recap and stats, see page 8 of game notes).
UALBANY OVERVIEW
THE OFFENSE: While UAlbany loses eight all-conference players from 2012, there are plenty of strong pieces returning, including a solid offensive contingent. Quarterback Will Fiacchi returns after an impressive redshirt sophomore campaign in 2012, starting all 11 games and accumulating 2,156 passing yards. The Great Danes will have added depth at the quarterback position this fall with Guilderland native Ryan Smith. Running back Omar Osbourne will look to fill the shoes of Drew Smith, who rewrote the UAlbany record book last season. While Smith often powered his way up the middle, Osbourne (2012: 503 yrds-108 carries-5 TDs) is best at weaving his way through traffic with a good deal of acceleration. The Great Danes will also have a number of experienced linemen protecting the pocket in Kadeem Williams, Eric LaPorta, and Adam Pasnik, as well as a deep selection of outstanding receivers down field — Cole King, Kevin Chillis, and Jameel Gay. The Danes will also look to tight end Brian Parker and fullbacks Pat O’Connor and Nic Ketter as other options for first downs.
THE DEFENSE: Defensively, UAlbany will have the task of replacing four solid linebackers in Chris Wilk, Dave Plungas, Jon Morgan, and Chris Bouchard. The Great Danes will look to Christian Dorsey and Jake Dwyer to step up, while Kyle Jordan (2012: 45 tackles, 5 pbu) and Alex Helmer (2012: 36 tackles, 1 sack) return after playing a majority of the snaps at the outside linebacker position. Defensive end Andrew Smith (2012: 28 tackles) and defensive tackle Tim Kologrivov (2012: 24 tackles) will serve as the group’s veterans on the line, while seniors Tramaine Wilson (2012: 11 tackles, 3 interceptions) and Randall Extantus (2012: 40 tackles, 6 pbu) will look to be a presence at the safety and cornerback positions, respectively. In 2012, UAlbany’s rushing defense ranked first in the NEC and 14th in the nation (117.91 yrds/game), second in the league in scoring defense (22.73 pts/game), and third in total defense (340.45 yrds/game).
THE SPECIALISTS: With the graduation of kicker Sean Kenny and punter Paul Layton, who is currently first on Temple’s 2-deep as a graduate student, the Great Danes will look to fill the void with fresh faces. Jonathan Martin, a redshirt freshman from Delmar, N.Y. has taken over punting duties and currently ranks third in the CAA, averaging 44.8 yards per punt, while redshirt sophomore Tom O’Riordan has won the place kicking starting spot.
SCOUTING THE RAMS
2013 Record: 0-2, 0-1 CAA
2012 Record: 0-11, 0-8 CAA (11th)
2013 CAA Preseason Poll: 11th/11
Head Coach: Joe Trainer (5th season at Rhode Island/8th overall) (9-36/22-56)
THE COACH: Entering his fifth season as the head coach at Rhode Island, Joe Trainer is in his sixth season overall with the Rams. After serving as the defensive coordinator for Darren Rizzi in 2008, Trainer became the 19th head coach in Rhode Island history the following year. Trainer came to URI in 2009 after serving as the Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at Bowling Green State University under two-time Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coach of the Year Dave Clawson – a former UAlbany assistant under Ford (1989-90). Trainer also spent three seasons as the head coach of Millersville University (2007-07), and eight seasons prior as an assistant coach at Villanova.
RHODE ISLAND OVERVIEW: After taking its lumps in 2012 (0-11, 0-8 CAA), Rhode Island returns 14 starters for 2013, including eight on the defensive side of the ball. In 2012, Trainer had three players earn all-conference honors, as senior wide receiver Brandon Johnson-Farrell, junior cornerback Jamaal Bess and sophomore linebacker Andrew Bose all garnered third-team recognition. Johnson-Farrell also earned a spot on the Division I FCS All-New England Football Team. In the first two weeks of the 2013 season, Rhode Island fell to Fordham, 51-26, on Aug. 29th and CAA foe Stony Brook, 24-0, on Sept. 7th. URI senior quarterback Bob Bentsen has accrued 3,070 passing yards in his career. Against Stony Brook, Benten’s No. 1 receiver was Robbie Jackson who totaled eight catches for 53 yards.
CHILLIS BREAKS 100 TWICE
Senior wide receiver Kevin Chillis recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game against Duquesne in week one (8/31), making a career-high nine receptions, totaling 135 yards (T-15th all-time) and two touchdowns. He then repeated the feat against Colgate (9/7), recording 115 receiving yards and a touchdown with five catches. Ranking first in the CAA, Chillis is averaging 123.5 yards and 7.0 receptions per game.
TRIPLE THREAT
UAlbany is the only team in the CAA to have a trio of players record a 300-yard passing performance, 200-yard rushing performance, and a 100-yard receiving performance this season. Quarterback Will Fiacchi totaled 346 yards at Duquesne (8/31), running back Omar Osbourne rushed for 252 yards at Colgate (9/7), and wide receiver Kevin Chillis received over 100-yards in both outings. In addition, the trio also owns the top single-game performances in the conference for passing, rushing, and receiving.
BREAKING EVEN
Through two games this season, UAlbany owns a +0 turnover margin, both gaining and losing four turnovers. The Danes have recovered three fumbles and one interception, while losing one fumble and three interceptions.
RED ZONE SUCCESS
UAlbany is 5-for-5 for red zone scores through weeks one and two, recording four rushing touchdowns and one passing.
THE ROLE OF THE UNDERDOG
Entering their first season in the CAA, the Great Danes plan to embrace the role of the underdog. UAlbany, who had 35 scholarships as a member of the NEC, has moved up to 54 scholarships for the 2013 season. While it is more, it is still well under the 63 limit that a majority of the CAA programs are at. UAlbany looks to average 57 scholarships across the next two seasons in order to play an FBS opponent in 2015 and have that game count in the opposition’s bowl eligibility.
NEARING 100 DIVISION I WINS
Since becoming a Divison I FCS program in 1999, UAlbany owns a 98-59 overall record – just two victories away from the century mark.
UP NEXT
UAlbany hosts former NEC foe Central Connecticut State on Saturday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m. on Hall of Fame Weekend.
