Robert Morris (0-2) @ Morgan State (0-2) Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. McHughes Stadium (10,000) - Baltimore, Md. Radio: WPIT-AM 730 (Chris Shovlin - play-by-play & Jim Duzyk - color) Audio on the internet (live and archived) at: www.rmucolonials.com Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team continues a three-game road trip and closes out the non-conference portion of its 2011 schedule Saturday when it visits Baltimore, Md., for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff against Morgan State at McHughes Stadium. The Colonials are coming off a 38-7 loss @ No. 24 Liberty (9/10), their fourth straight loss dating back to the 2010 campaign. Against the Flames senior wide receiver Anthony Coleman finished with 165 all-purpose yards, including a career-high six receptions for 59 yards. Coleman enters Saturday’s game against the Bears with 2,521 career all-purpose yards, which ranks eighth all-time at Robert Morris. The Colonials scored their only touchdown of the contest @ Liberty when junior quarterback Jeff Sinclair connected with sophomore tight end Vince Mongelluzzo for a nine-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Robert Morris will have a bye week after taking on Morgan State Saturday and will close out its three-game road swing with a Noon kickoff @ Monmouth (10/1) in its 2011 Northeast Conference opener. Quick Stat of the Afternoon - It’s been stated often that defense wins championships, and for Robert Morris, its defense already seems to be in peak form through two games. RMU has led the Northeast Conference in total defense in each of the last two seasons as well as three of the last five years and enters Saturday’s final non-conference game of the 2011 schedule @ Morgan State at the top of the league leaderboard again. Through the first two games of the season the Colonials are yielding an average of 294 yards per game, including a rush defense of 71.5 yards per contest that ranks second in the NEC. Opponents own six scoring drives so far this season that have resulted in touchdowns, but amazingly only two have been longer than 50 yards. Robert Morris already have had 10 different players earn their first collegiate start on defense through two games of the 2011 campaign, including juniors Mike Cook and Cameron Chadwick last week in a 38-7 setback @ Liberty (9/10). Cook started at inside linebacker for senior Jon Krepps, while Chadwick started in place of junior Ben Ridgeley at weak safety. Saturday’s Opponent - Saturday’s game between Robert Morris and Morgan State marks the inaugural meeting between the two programs. The contest is the start of a home-and-home series between the Colonials and Bears, as Morgan State will visit Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township, Pa., during the 2013 season. Robert Morris owns a record of 17-10-1 (.625) when facing off with an opponent for the first time, and the last time the Colonials had an inaugural matchup with a new opponent was Nov. 27, 2010, a 43-17 setback @ North Dakota State in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs. On This Date (Sept. 17) in Robert Morris Football History - After 11 years of playing its football games less than a mile up the street at Moon Stadium, Robert Morris University opened Joe Walton Stadium, the first on-campus football field named in honor of the only head coach the program has ever known, with a 49-13 victory over Butler Sept. 17, 2005, in front of a standingroom-only crowd of 3,516. The 49 points scored by Robert Morris are the most ever scored by the program in a home opener. Robert Morris cruised in the contest, scoring five touchdowns in the first half in building a 35-0 halftime lead. Four different Colonials scored touchdowns on the afternoon, including a five-yard touchdown catch by former tight end Jeremy Wise (2002-05). That reception was the only catch of his four-year career.
2011 Schedule Sept. 3 Sept. 10 Sept. 17 Oct. 1 Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Nov. 5 Nov. 12 Nov. 19
DAYTON @ No. 21 Liberty @ Morgan State @ Monmouth * SAINT FRANCIS * # @ Albany * BRYANT * ^ SACRED HEART * @ Central Conn. State * WAGNER * $ @ Duquesne *
L, 13-19 L, 7-38 1 p.m. Noon 7 p.m. 1 p.m. Noon Noon Noon Noon Noon
* NEC game; # Homecoming; ^ Hall of Fame Day; $ Senior Day
Colonials At A Glance Starters Returning / Lost ............................ 9 / 15 Offensive Starters Returning / Lost ............ 6 / 5 Defensive Starters Returning / Lost ............ 3 / 8 Specialist Starters Returning / Lost ............ 0 / 2 Letterwinners Returning / Lost .............. 36 / 22 Offensive Starters Returning / Lost .......... 6 / 5 LT - A.J. Dalton .................................. 6-5, 285, So. C - Logan Miles .................................. 6-2, 290, Sr. RG - Brad Rodgers ............................ 6-2, 305, Sr. TE - Shadrae King ............................. 6-3, 225, Sr. QB - Jeff Sinclair ............................ 6-3, 190, Jr. FL - Anthony Coleman ................... 5-11, 200, Sr. Defensive Starters Returning / Lost ........... 3 / 8 LE - Nolan Nearhoof ......................... 6-2, 280, Jr. RE - Steve Mitchell ............................ 6-2, 250, Jr. OLB - Brad Banas ............................... 6-1, 220, Jr. Specialist Starters Returning / Lost ........... 0 / 2
For the latest information on Robert Morris University football, including news, stats, features and videos, please visit:
www.rmucolonials.com