aceinthehole
September 5th, 2008, 10:31 PM
Somerset, NJ -- Four teams wet the appetites of NEC football fans when they kicked off their seasons last Saturday, but this weekend will send the 2008 campaign into full swing. Seven of the conference’s eight teams are in action with defending NEC champion Albany idle after its near upset of No. 5 Massachusetts in the opener. Robert Morris, Saint Francis (PA), Wagner, and Duquesne take the field for the first time this season with the DU Dukes playing their first contest as a NEC member. Due to severe weather advisories through the region, Sacred Heart has moved the start time of its game with Bentley up to 1:00 pm on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers were scheduled to play their second straight game under the new lights at Campus Field where they doubled up Assumption last week.
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Selected Game Previews:
Maine (0-1) at Monmouth (0-1)
Location: West Long Branch, NJ (Kessler Field)
Kickoff: Saturday at 1:00 pm
Nearly knocking off Rhode Island on the road, Monmouth faces another tough test at home. Playing its second Colonial Athletic Association member in as many weeks, Monmouth looks to break into the win column against Maine by avenging its seven-point road defeat to the Black Bears in last season's opener.
Hawks' Quarterback Brett Burke (Wall, NJ/Wall) began his senior season by completing 18-of-26 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the three-point loss to the Rhody Rams. Maintaining his trademark accuracy, Burke will have an opportunity to increase his passing totals against a Maine defense that was victimized for 457 yards and 46 points in an opening week loss at Iowa (DI FBS). In order for Burke to achieve that end, all-NEC left tackle Nick LoCastro (Wenonah, NJ/Gateway) will have to contain Maine's Lavon Belcher. The CAA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Belcher made 85 tackles and 10 sacks last season. Monmouth will need to pound Maine with its running game to keep the pressure off Burke, and junior tailback Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) should be up to the task following a 138-yard performance last week at URI.
Maine running back Jamal Fluellen will provide a challenge for Monmouth's defense as he did a year ago when he rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 victory. The Hawks have improved on that side of the ball, however, since their last meeting with the Black Bears. Returning 10 starters, Monmouth is one of the more-experienced units in the NEC. One of those returnees, senior cornerback Ayo Falae (Newark, NJ/Barringer) provided a specials teams' spark last week with two 50-yard kickoff returns that earned him NEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Central Connecticut State (1-0) at No. 1 North Dakota State (1-0)
Loctaion: Fargo, ND (Fargodome)
Kickoff: 6:00 pm (local time)
Off its opening day home win over Bryant, Central Connecticut State faces the top-ranked team in the latest coaches' poll. For the second straight season, the Blue Devils head west to take on a big-name foe. Last season they became the first NEC program to take on a Division I FBS program when they played at Western Michigan. This season, they'll take on DI FCS No. 1 North Dakota State which dismantled Austin Peay, 41-6, last week.
How a pair of first-year starters respond after big opening week performances will be key to determining the game's outcome. CCSU junior James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) ran for a nation-high 256 yards last week, a promising sign for a program that did most of its damage through a nationally-ranked ground attack last season. NDSU junior quarterback Nick Mertens will keep the Blue Devils' secondary active after throwing for 300-plus yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start. CCSU senior cornerback Anthony Wilson (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon) and Co. will have to lock up receiver Kole Heckendorf, who caught eight balls for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the opener.
Duquesne (0-0) at Bucknell (0-0)
Location: Lewisburg, PA (Christy-Matthewson Memorial Stadium)
Kickoff: Staurday at 6:00 pm
Duquesne kicks off its inaugural season as a Northeast Conference member against a familiar opening day foe. For the third consecutive season, the Dukes open against the Bucknell Bison in what will be the 10 meeting in twelve years between the NEC's newest member and the Patriot League program. Bucknell, which has won eight of those 11 prior meetings, spoiled the Dukes' 2007 home opener, 28-19. This year, Jerry Schmitt's program looks to return the favor to the Bison, who have lost their last three times out at Christy-Matthewson Memorial Stadium.
Whether its preseason all-NEC quarterback Kevin Rombach (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin) or Michigan State transfer Connor Dixon (South Fork, PA/South Fork) taking the snaps, the Dukes' offense will be in good hands. Although former All-American wide receiver Bruce Hocker is gone, senior Alex Roberson (Waynesboro, GA/Baptist) is a big-play option that could prove trouble for a Bucknell secondary that allowed 252 yards passing per game last season. Bison quarterback Marcello Trigg, who ranked third in the Patriot League with a 133.2 passer efficiency rating, has an inexperienced, senior-less offensive line in front of him, which could play to the advantage of Duquesne pass rusher Mykol Gardiner (Cleveland, OH/Benedictine).
Saint Francis (PA) (0-0) at Virginia Military (0-0)
Location: Lexington, VA (Foster Stadium)
Kickoff: Saturday at 1:30 pm
Saint Francis (PA) looks to carry the late-season momentum that its young core generated last year over into 2008. The Red Flash won three of their final four contests after a slow start. To break into the win column early this season, Saint Francis (PA) will have to stop one of the top rushing attacks in Division I FCS. With the three main pieces of its vaunted triple-option attack returning, VMI has a good chance at repeating the success it had when the Keydets led the Big South with 282 rushing yards per contest. The good news for Saint Francis (PA) is the return of its linebacking corps that prominently featured three productive freshmen in 2007. The centerpiece of that unit, sophomore Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/Bishop McCort) is the conference's top returning tackler after being named the 2007 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
VMI linebacker Jacob Rochester and defensive end Andy Viola are the only two senior starters on that side of the ball for a team that 88-man roster contains only four seniors. Red Flash quarterback George Little (Duquesne, PA/Duquesne) has the physical tools and all-NEC receiver Antoine Rivera (Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro) to take advantage of an inexperienced VMI secondary that starts two freshmen, but SFPA's ability to establish the run is key to the passing game. Junior Calvin Williams (Cleveland, OH/Cleveland South) developed into a reliable option at tailback as his sophomore campaign transpired. Highlighted by a 159-yard performance in a 23-20 road victory at Wagner, Williams totaled 721 yards and five scores on 147 attempts.
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Selected Game Previews:
Maine (0-1) at Monmouth (0-1)
Location: West Long Branch, NJ (Kessler Field)
Kickoff: Saturday at 1:00 pm
Nearly knocking off Rhode Island on the road, Monmouth faces another tough test at home. Playing its second Colonial Athletic Association member in as many weeks, Monmouth looks to break into the win column against Maine by avenging its seven-point road defeat to the Black Bears in last season's opener.
Hawks' Quarterback Brett Burke (Wall, NJ/Wall) began his senior season by completing 18-of-26 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the three-point loss to the Rhody Rams. Maintaining his trademark accuracy, Burke will have an opportunity to increase his passing totals against a Maine defense that was victimized for 457 yards and 46 points in an opening week loss at Iowa (DI FBS). In order for Burke to achieve that end, all-NEC left tackle Nick LoCastro (Wenonah, NJ/Gateway) will have to contain Maine's Lavon Belcher. The CAA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Belcher made 85 tackles and 10 sacks last season. Monmouth will need to pound Maine with its running game to keep the pressure off Burke, and junior tailback Dave Sinisi (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) should be up to the task following a 138-yard performance last week at URI.
Maine running back Jamal Fluellen will provide a challenge for Monmouth's defense as he did a year ago when he rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown in a 21-14 victory. The Hawks have improved on that side of the ball, however, since their last meeting with the Black Bears. Returning 10 starters, Monmouth is one of the more-experienced units in the NEC. One of those returnees, senior cornerback Ayo Falae (Newark, NJ/Barringer) provided a specials teams' spark last week with two 50-yard kickoff returns that earned him NEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Central Connecticut State (1-0) at No. 1 North Dakota State (1-0)
Loctaion: Fargo, ND (Fargodome)
Kickoff: 6:00 pm (local time)
Off its opening day home win over Bryant, Central Connecticut State faces the top-ranked team in the latest coaches' poll. For the second straight season, the Blue Devils head west to take on a big-name foe. Last season they became the first NEC program to take on a Division I FBS program when they played at Western Michigan. This season, they'll take on DI FCS No. 1 North Dakota State which dismantled Austin Peay, 41-6, last week.
How a pair of first-year starters respond after big opening week performances will be key to determining the game's outcome. CCSU junior James Mallory (Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West) ran for a nation-high 256 yards last week, a promising sign for a program that did most of its damage through a nationally-ranked ground attack last season. NDSU junior quarterback Nick Mertens will keep the Blue Devils' secondary active after throwing for 300-plus yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start. CCSU senior cornerback Anthony Wilson (Norwalk, CT/Brien McMahon) and Co. will have to lock up receiver Kole Heckendorf, who caught eight balls for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the opener.
Duquesne (0-0) at Bucknell (0-0)
Location: Lewisburg, PA (Christy-Matthewson Memorial Stadium)
Kickoff: Staurday at 6:00 pm
Duquesne kicks off its inaugural season as a Northeast Conference member against a familiar opening day foe. For the third consecutive season, the Dukes open against the Bucknell Bison in what will be the 10 meeting in twelve years between the NEC's newest member and the Patriot League program. Bucknell, which has won eight of those 11 prior meetings, spoiled the Dukes' 2007 home opener, 28-19. This year, Jerry Schmitt's program looks to return the favor to the Bison, who have lost their last three times out at Christy-Matthewson Memorial Stadium.
Whether its preseason all-NEC quarterback Kevin Rombach (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin) or Michigan State transfer Connor Dixon (South Fork, PA/South Fork) taking the snaps, the Dukes' offense will be in good hands. Although former All-American wide receiver Bruce Hocker is gone, senior Alex Roberson (Waynesboro, GA/Baptist) is a big-play option that could prove trouble for a Bucknell secondary that allowed 252 yards passing per game last season. Bison quarterback Marcello Trigg, who ranked third in the Patriot League with a 133.2 passer efficiency rating, has an inexperienced, senior-less offensive line in front of him, which could play to the advantage of Duquesne pass rusher Mykol Gardiner (Cleveland, OH/Benedictine).
Saint Francis (PA) (0-0) at Virginia Military (0-0)
Location: Lexington, VA (Foster Stadium)
Kickoff: Saturday at 1:30 pm
Saint Francis (PA) looks to carry the late-season momentum that its young core generated last year over into 2008. The Red Flash won three of their final four contests after a slow start. To break into the win column early this season, Saint Francis (PA) will have to stop one of the top rushing attacks in Division I FCS. With the three main pieces of its vaunted triple-option attack returning, VMI has a good chance at repeating the success it had when the Keydets led the Big South with 282 rushing yards per contest. The good news for Saint Francis (PA) is the return of its linebacking corps that prominently featured three productive freshmen in 2007. The centerpiece of that unit, sophomore Scott Lewis (South Fork, PA/Bishop McCort) is the conference's top returning tackler after being named the 2007 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
VMI linebacker Jacob Rochester and defensive end Andy Viola are the only two senior starters on that side of the ball for a team that 88-man roster contains only four seniors. Red Flash quarterback George Little (Duquesne, PA/Duquesne) has the physical tools and all-NEC receiver Antoine Rivera (Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro) to take advantage of an inexperienced VMI secondary that starts two freshmen, but SFPA's ability to establish the run is key to the passing game. Junior Calvin Williams (Cleveland, OH/Cleveland South) developed into a reliable option at tailback as his sophomore campaign transpired. Highlighted by a 159-yard performance in a 23-20 road victory at Wagner, Williams totaled 721 yards and five scores on 147 attempts.