ALBANY, N.Y. – Since the program began in 1970, the University at Albany football team has had one constant, and that is Head Coach Bob Ford. Retiring after this season, Coach Ford will call the shots one last time at home Saturday when the Great Danes host No. 23 New Hampshire at Bob Ford Field. The game will also serve as the final home contest for the squad’s 15 seniors, who will be honored in a pregame ceremony. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m.
GAME PROMOTIONS: MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY/POP WARNER DAY/SENIOR DAY
– All servicemen and servicewomen, active or retired, will receive free admission to the Great Danes’ final home game of the season versus New Hampshire.
– Pop Warner players wearing their team’s jersey will be admitted for free.
– UAlbany’s senior players will be honored in a pregame ceremony. Postgame, Coach Ford will be honored for his storied career at the University at Albany.
CATCH THE ACTION
VIDEO STREAM: Watch a live stream online at the Dane Zone.
AUDIO: The game can be heard in the Capital Region on Fox Sports 980 or anywhere online here. Rodger Wyland will have the call.
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.
THE UALBANY-NEW HAMPSHIRE ALL-TIME SERIES
Saturday’s meeting will mark the second in program history between UAlbany and New Hampshire. In their only clash, the No. 10 ranked Wildcats came away with a 32-24 win in Durham, N.H. on Sept. 20, 2008. The Great Danes held a 24-23 lead with 6:16 remaining in the third quarter, but UNH rallied to score an unanswered touchdown and field goal. Both teams went on to have outstanding seasons, as New Hampshire won the CAA North Division and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Playoffs, finishing with a 10-3 overall record and 6-2 mark in the CAA. Meanwhile, UAlbany captured the Northeast Conference title with a perfect 7-0 record, while winning the Gridiron Classic, accruing a 9-3 overall mark.
SCOUTING THE GREAT DANES
2013 Record: 1-9, 0-6 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) (256-167-0 / 265-189-1)
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 256-167 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.
UALBANY OVERVIEW: After winning back-to-back championships in the Northeast Conference, the Great Danes are in their first season competing in the CAA. Through 10 games, UAlbany owns a 1-9 record, overcoming Colgate 37-34 in week two for the lone victory of the season, while falling in three heartbreaking losses, decided by three or less points at the end of regulation. Offensively, the Great Danes are led by junior quarterback Will Fiacchi (170-303-8) who has thrown nine touchdowns with an average of 197.1 passing yards per game. Senior Kevin Chillis has served as Fiacchi’s top receiver, making 43 catches for 533 yards and five touchdowns. On the ground, junior Omar Osbourne ranks third in the CAA and leads the squad with 234 carries and 1,040 rushing yards (104.0/game), while crossing the goal line 11 times this fall. Defensively, Randall Exantus (71 tackles), Christian Dorsey (69 tackles), and TJ Idowu (67 tackles) lead the team.
LAST TIME OUT: Throughout much of Saturday night’s contest at Bob Ford Field, the hosting University at Albany Great Danes appeared as though they might spoil No. 8/9 Maine’s unblemished conference record, but in the end the Black Bears escaped with a 33-27 win over the hosts. Maine improved to 9-1 overall and 6-0 in CAA play, while UAlbany fell to 1-9 on the season and 0-6 in conference. Trailing by a touchdown with 1:50 remaining in the contest, the Great Danes started their drive on their own 20-yard line after Maine punted into the end zone. However, the Black Bears quickly quashed what would be UAlbany’s last chance for victory, as Trevor Bates sacked Will Fiacchi and forced a fumble. Maine recovered on the 12 and ran the remainder of the clock out, sealing the win. Offensively, junior quarterback Will Fiacchi totaled 139 passing yards and threw for two touchdowns, completing 9-of-20 passes. Senior Kevin Chilis served as his top target with three catches for a total of 74 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown reception. Tight end Brian Parker also caught a touchdown pass and totaled 39 receiving yards for the Danes. On the ground, junior running back Omar Osbourne netted 134 rushing yards and a touchdown, as he carried the ball 29 times. Out of the wildcat, Jake Meek found a number of holes, rushing eight times for a total of 59 yards, averaging 7.4 yard per carry. Defensively, junior Jake Dwyer led UAlbany with 11 tackles, followed by senior Tramaine Wilson’s nine, and classmate Andrew Smith’s eight, including a sack.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
2013 Record: 5-4, 4-2 CAA
2012 Record: 8-4, 6-2 CAA (3rd)
2013 CAA Preseason Poll: 3rd/11
Head Coach: Sean McDonnell (15th season at UNH) (109-70/same overall)
THE COACH: Sean McDonnell, a 1978 University of New Hampshire graduate, is in his 15th season as the head coach of his alma mater with a career record of 109-70. Under his mentorship, the Wildcats have qualified for the NCAA Division I FCS postseason for nine straight seasons, the longest streak in the nation. In May 2013, McDonnell was honored by the Joe Yukica-New Hampshire Chapter of the National Football Foundation, which presented him with the Andy Mooradian Award for his contributions to amateur football. The 2012, McDonnell led the Wildcats to a share of the CAA championship, the second in Coach Mac’s career (2005), with a 6-2 league mark. The ‘Cats compiled an 8-4 overall record that included an NCAA second-round game at Wofford. As a result, Coach Mac was tabbed the New England Division I Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston for the fourth time (2000, ’04, ’09, ’12), earned his fourth New England Football Writers Division I FCS Coach of the Year honor (’05, ’08, ’10, ’12) and was feted as the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year for the third time (’04, ’05, ’12).
UNH OVERVIEW: New Hampshire enters Saturday’s game ranked No. 23 in the Sports Network Top-25. The Wildcats have been ranked in the Top-25 for 137 consecutive polls, the longest streak in FCS football, which dates back to Sept. 13, 2004. UNH has won four of their last five games, and come off a 33-17 home win over James Madison. While the Wildcats are 4-0 on their home gridiron, they have struggled on the road, owning a 1-4 records, including a 17-0 shutout loss at William & Mary in their most recent away game. Offensively, quarterbacks Andy Vailas (115-189-5, 1,234 yard, 6 TD) and Sean Goldrich (79-120-3, 973 yards, 8 TD) have shared time in the pocket and have both proven to be effective. UNH’s passing offense ranks second in the CAA, averaging 255.3 yards per game. Wide receiver Justin Mello leads the team with 50 receptions and six touchdowns, while R.J. Harris (36 catches) and Harold Spears (27 catches) have each caught four TD passes. On the ground, Nico Steriti has netted 668 yards on 126 carries, rushing for six touchdowns. Defensively, Shane McNeely leads the squad with 72 tackles, including three sacks.
UNH’S LAST TIME OUT: Junior wide receiver R.J. Harris returned from a three-game injury absence to register a career-high three touchdowns to power the 25th-ranked University of New Hampshire football team to Saturday afternoon’s 33-17 CAA victory over No. 22 James Madison before a crowd of 6,084 at Cowell Stadium. UNH, which earned its fourth win in five games, improved to 5-4 on the season and 4-2 in the CAA. JMU, which dropped its third straight matchup against the Wildcats, dropped to 6-4, 3-3. Harris racked up 10 catches for 183 receiving yards, which marked his ninth career 100-yard receiving game. The WR climbed to No. 6 in all-time receptions (170) and No. 8 in all-time receiving yards (2,219) at UNH. Justin Mello set personal bests with 10 catches for 123 yards. Andy Vailas, who started at quarterback for the first time since Oct. 5 at Towson, completed 28 passes in 49 attempts for 397 yards – all career highs. The junior signal caller threw for two TDs and was picked off once after being named the starter just prior to game time. The UNH defense, which pitched a first-half shutout, was led by linebacker Shane McNeely, who posted a team-leading nine tackles (six solo), including a sack.
MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY
All servicemen and servicewomen, active or retired, will receive free admission to the Great Danes’ final home game of the season versus New Hampshire. UAlbany’s players will don stars and stripes on their helmets, in addition to the initials “TC” in honor of Lt. Col. Todd Clark and Wounded Warrior Project. Lt. Col. Todd Clark was a wounded warrior himself as well as recipient of the Purple Heart. On his fourth tour of duty, the Albany native was severely injured by an IED in Afghanistan. Todd’s great sense of honor and duty directed him to return to action for a fifth tour in Afghanistan in early 2013, where he was in charge of training Afghan forces. On June 8th Todd died at the hands of one of the native soldiers he was there to train. Todd’s family will serve as honorary captains for the game.
SENIOR DAY
Playing in the final home game of their collegiate careers, the UAlbany senior class will be honored prior to Saturday’s game vs. UNH. The class is made up of: DE Tom Bradley (Syracuse, N.Y.), WR Kevin Chillis (Buffalo, N.Y.), CB Randall Exantus (Staten Island, N.Y.), DL Joe Fasano (Franklin Square, N.Y.), Jameel Gay (Tampa, Fla.), LB Alex Helmer (Pompton Plains, N.J.), C Eric LaPorta (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.), S Justinian Mason (Mason, Ohio), LB Prosper Mbongue-Muna (Albany, N.Y.), DT Zach Morton (Burnt Hills, N.Y.), OL James Sanchez (Washington Heights, N.Y.), DT Andrew Smith (Wading River, N.Y.), WR Rhakeem Wiggins (Cheektowaga, N.Y.), OT Kadeem Williams (Jersey City, N.J), and S Tramaine Wilson (Staten Island, N.Y.). As a class, they compiled a 31-24 overall record in the past five seasons, including a 24-8 mark in the Northeast Conference before making the leap to the CAA. They also won two NEC championships and made an appearance in the NCAA Playoffs in 2011.
FIRST AND LAST HOME GAMES
Saturday marks Coach Ford’s final home game in his 44-season career at the University at Albany. Starting a club program in 1970, Ford’s first game at the helm of the Great Dane program was Oct. 10, 2013 against RIT. The Tigers were coached by two-time Super Bowl Champion New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. Coach Ford led UAlbany (formerly known as Albany State) to a 30-21 win on University Field in the program’s inaugural contest.
MION TO JOIN FORD IN RETIREMENT
With plans to retire following the season, assistant coach Don Mion will also be on the sidelines for his final home game Saturday. Mion received his B.A. in social studies with a minor in education from UAlbany in 1975, and went on to earn his master’s degree in the same discipline. A two-sport athlete in football and wrestling, Mion was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2001. He was also a member of the 1974 undefeated football team that was inducted into the hall of fame this fall. He is among the school’s all-time tackles leaders with 271 and owns the record for single-game tackles, recording 24 against Alfred on Sept. 28, 1974. Mion, who joined the UAlbany football staff in spring of 1997, is in his 17th season as a defensive coach.
BACK-TO-BACK 2,000 SEASONS
Redshirt junior quarterback Will Fiacchi has thrown for 1,971 passing yards this season – just 29 yards away from eclipsing the 2,000-yard milestone for the second consecutive year. No other quarterback in UAlbany program history has ever registered two 2,000+ passing yard seasons in a career. With 4,127 career passing yards, Fiacchi currently ranks third in the program archives.
OSBOURNE BREAKS 1,000
With 134 rushing yards against Maine last weekend, redshirt junior running back Omar Osbourne became the 12th UAlbany player in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a single season. Osbourne enters Saturday’s game against UNH with 1,040 rushing yards on the season – good for eighth in the record book, needing just 52 rushing yards to jump all the way up to fifth-place.
CHILLIS ENTERS TOP-10
Senior wide receiver Kevin Chillis currently ranks 10th in UAlbany’s record book for both career receptions (91), as well as career all-purpose yards (2,747). Teammate Cole King is also climbing the receptions ladder, currently sitting in fifth place with 97. At Old Dominion (9/28), King had his best performance of the season with five receptions for a total of 73 yards.
UP NEXT
UAlbany closes the 2013 season and the Bob Ford coaching era at Stony Brook next Saturday, taking on the Seawolves at 1:00 p.m.
