CAA FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE - DEC. 7
CAA Football -- NCAA Championship Notebook
-- James Madison’s No. 1-overall seed is the first for the league since 2005 when New Hampshire earned the top-seed. Richmond is the only remaining playoff team that was unseeded going into the Championships.
-- CAA Football’s five berths in the NCAA Division I National Championships mark the second-straight season the league has sent five to the playoffs. Prior to 2007, no conference had ever sent more than four teams to postseason play.
-- The five CAA Football teams in this season’s Championships up the league’s overall mark to 67 berths since the 1978 NCAA Championships selection.
-- CAA Football has sent two-or-more teams to the postseason in each of the last 18 years, which ranks as the longest active streak among all conferences.
-- CAA Football’s two teams among the semifinals mark the second time in two seasons and third time ever the league has advanced two into the semis. Last season both Delaware and Richmond advanced to the semifinal round. In 2004 James Madison travelled to William and Mary to make one of the two semifinal games.
-- At least one CAA Football team has played in the National Championship game four of the last five years.
-- CAA Football teams are a combined 5-7 (.417) in NCAA Division I National Championship semifinal games.
-- James Madison and Richmond are a combined 13-10 all-time in postseason play under the league banner. Eleven of the combined 13 wins have come over the last five seasons.
-- CAA Football’s two semifinal opponents -- Montana (2-3) and Northern Iowa (6-3) -- are a combined 8-6 against CAA Football squads in NCAA Division I Championship games.
-- James Madison is a perfect 3-0 in playoff games played at home since joining the league in 1993. Richmond is 3-3 in road playoff games since becoming part of CAA Football (Atlantic 10, Yankee) in 1986.
#5/5 MONTANA AT #1/1 JAMES MADISON
Friday, Dec. 12 - 8:00 p.m.
Bridgeforth Stadium (15,500), Harrisonburg, Va.
Television: ESPN2, ESPN2HD, E360 - Bob Wischusen (pbp), Brock Huard (analyst), Bruce Clark (producer)
Series: James Madison leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Dec. 17, 2004, James Madison 31-21 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Montana (13-1)
Coach: Bobby Hauck (Montana, 1988)
Career: 65-15 (6 years)
School: 65-15 (6 years)
Offense
Rushing: Chase Reynolds (14 G, 243-1413 yards, 19 TD)
Passing: Cole Bergquist (14 G, 195-318-7-2747 yards, 25 TD)
Receiving: Marc Mariani (14 G, 59-1086 yards, 15 TD)
Defense
Tackles: Colt Anderson (14 G, 52 solo, 51 assisted, 103 total)
Sacks: Jace Palmer (14 G, 8.5-59 yards)
Interceptions: Trumaine Johnson (11 G, 4-93 yards)
James Madison (12-1, 8-0 CAA)
Coach: Mickey Matthews (West Texas State, 1976)
Career: 76-45 (10 years)
School: 76-45 (10 years)
Offense
Rushing: Rodney Landers (13 G, 251-1799 yards, 16 TD)
Passing: Rodney Landers (13 G, 11-173-4-1519 yards, 21 TD)
Receiving: Rockeed McCarter (12 G, 21-347 yards, 6 TD)
Defense
Tackles: Marcus Haywood (13 G, 50 solo, 44 assisted, 94 total)
Sacks: Arthur Moats (13 G, 11.0-64 yards)
Interceptions: Marcus Haywood (13 G, 5-51 yards)
#7/6 RICHMOND AT #4/4 NORTHERN IOWA
Saturday, Dec. 13 - 4:00 p.m. (ET)
UNI-Dome (16,324), Cedar Falls, Iowa
Television: ESPN, ESPNHD, E360 - Joe Tessitore (pbp), Rod Gilmore (analyst), Ben Cerny (producer)
Series: First Meeting
Richmond (11-3, 6-2 CAA)
Coach: Mike London (Richmond, 1983)
Career: 11-3 (First year)
School: 11-3 (First year)
Offense
Rushing: Josh Vaughan (14 G, 315-1636 yards, 19 TD)
Passing: Eric Ward (14 G, 190-306-7 yards, 14 TD)
Receiving: Kevin Grayson (13 G, 56-777 yards, 2 TD)
Defense
Tackles: Eric McBride (14 G, 43 solo, 52 assisted, 95 total)
Sacks: Lawrence Sidbury, Jr. (14 G, 7.5-39 yards)
Interceptions: Justin Rogers (14 G, 7-116 yards)
Northern Iowa (12-2)
Coach: Mark Farley (Northern Iowa, 1987)
Career: 75-27 (8 years)
School: 75-27 (8 years)
Offense
Rushing: Corey Lewis (14 G, 248-1237 yards, 11 TD)
Passing: Pat Grace (11 G, 133-216-7-1817 yards, 12 TD)
Receiving: Johnny Gray (10 G, 29-380 yards, 2 TD)
Defense
Tackles: Josh Mahoney (14 G, 44 solo, 82 assisted, 126 total)
Sacks: James Ruffin (14 G, 9.0-49 yards)
Interceptions: Terrell McMoore (14 G, 5-67 yards)
2008 CAA Football All-Conference Honorees
CAA Football Champion James Madison earned a total of 18 all-conference honors, including four major award winners, as the league announced its 2008 All-Conference teams Monday.
The awards, voted on by the 12 CAA Football head coaches, were handed out after the league advanced a record-tying five squads into postseason play for the second-straight season and had seven programs log seven or more wins.
James Madison senior quarterback Rodney Landers was chosen as the 2008 CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year, while Defensive Player of the Year honors went to Maine defensive lineman Jovan Belcher. James Madison head coach Mickey Matthews was named the league’s Coach of the Year, after guiding the Dukes to the nation’s No. 1 ranking over the final 10 weeks of the regular season.
The Dukes also logged two other major awards as junior return man Scotty McGee was named Special Teams Player of the Year and freshman defensive back Pat Williams was named one of two Defensive Rookies of the Year. William and Mary’s freshman running back Jonathan Grimes was the overwhelming choice for CAA Football Offensive Rookie of the Year, while New Hampshire defensive lineman Brian McNally shared the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor with Williams.
As it did in 2007, Massachusetts led the way with seven selections to the All-CAA Football First Team. Richmond was not far behind with six on the First Team, while Madison logged five. Maine, Villanova and William and Mary picked up three First Team selections. New Hampshire had two and Delaware and Hofstra each had one apiece on the league’s First Team.
Landers led the league in per-game rushing and pass efficiency in 2008. The Virginia Beach, Va., native rushed for 1,377 yards and 14 touchdowns on 201 carries for a mark of 125.2 yards a game during the regular season. The senior was also impressive in the pass game carrying a 171.2 efficiency rating after completing 89-of-138 attempts for 1,236 yards and 15 touchdowns. On the season Landers went over the 100-yard rushing mark eight times while breaking his own JMU single-season quarterback rushing record of 1,273 set last season. Landers, who led his squad to the No. 1-overall seed in the 2008 NCAA Division I National Championships, is 10 yards shy of becoming just the fourth FCS quarterback to throw and run for 3,000 yards in a career.
Belcher received Defensive Player of the Year honors after being recognized as the league’s preseason favorite for the honor. The West Babylon, N.Y., native ranked 11th in the league, and first among defensive linemen, with an average of 7.8 tackles a game totalling 93 on the season. The senior, who also led his team to its first playoff berth since 2002, ranked second in the conference with 7.5 sacks for an average of 0.62 per game. Belcher, who was tops in the conference with 15.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, led a defense which ranked fourth in the league and currently 27th in the country in total defense, allowing 315.4 yards a game.
Matthews, in his 10th season at James Madison, garnered his first Coach of the Year honor since being given the award in 1999. He guided the Dukes to an undefeated 8-0 mark and JMU’s first 10-win season (10-1) in school history. Matthews and the Dukes, who finished the regular season with the nation’s longest active-win streak of 10 games, gained the league’s first No. 1 overall seed in the Championships since New Hampshire in 2005.
McGee was arguably the biggest game-changer in CAA Football this season. The Virginia Beach, Va., native led the Dukes with 518 kick return yards on 15 attempts. The junior took one of those 15 returns back 99 yards for a touchdown in James Madison’s 35-32 come-from-behind win over No. 1 Appalachian State in late September. McGee made his biggest contributions on the Madison punt return unit where he led the league with a 13.6 yard per return average, and equalled a CAA Football single-season and career record of three punt return touchdowns in 2008.
Grimes led the league with an average of 162.0 all-purpose yards in 2008, the best-ever single-season mark by a freshman in conference history. The Palmyra, N.J., native garnered 929 rushing yards and 314 receiving yards inside an offense which ranked second in the league and No. 25 in the country in total offense. The true freshman also contributed 539 yards (league-best 24.5 yards/attempt) and one touchdown to the Tribe’s kick return unit in 2008. One of the most decorated freshmen in league-history, Grimes earned First Team All-CAA Football kick returner and Second Team All-Conference running back honors in addition to the Offensive Rookie of the Year notation.
Both McNally and Williams will share Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2008. McNally totalled 7.5 tackles for loss in his first year of action for UNH, ranking among the league leaders in the category. The Cornwall, N.Y., native also ranked among the league’s Top-15 in tackles among defensive lineman with a mark of 4.1 per game. Williams was part of a JMU defensive unit which ranked second in the league and 15th in the country in total defense allowing 296.4 yards a game. The Virginia Beach, Va., native was tops among the league with three fumble recoveries on the year and finished his freshman regular season with 43 total tackles.
Check out page six of the weekly release for a complete rundown of CAA Football’s all-conference honorees.
CAA Football Single-Season Records Watch
With games this weekend for both James Madison and Richmond, single-season CAA Football records are in danger of succumbing to both the Dukes’ and Spiders’ success. Checkout pages 27-34 of the weekly release to see all of the league’s records heading into the weekend, including some which have already been broken this season.
James Madison’s scoring offense has been impressive, ranking among the nation’s Top-5 for most of the season. Below are four single-season league marks the Dukes are getting close to taking over.
-- Team Scoring - The Dukes must score 48 more points to tie Delaware’s record of 555 single-season points set in 2003.
-- Team Touchdowns - Six more Madison touchdowns will give them a share of the league mark (74), set by New Hampshire in 2005.
-- Team Rushing Touchdowns - James Madison needs nine rushing touchdowns to equal the single-season mark of 49 set in 1992 by Delaware.
-- Team PAT’s - James Madison is just three PAT’s away from equalling the league’s single-season mark of 21 set last season by Delaware.
Richmond’s kicking game has been consistent while its defense has been like a “stonewall” for most of the season. Those two facets of the Spiders’ team are also knocking on the door of several CAA Football single-season marks. Below are three league records the Spiders are inching closer to.
-- Team Interceptions - The Spiders’ defense needs three more interceptions to tie Delaware’s 22-year league record of 31 picks in a single-season.
-- Team Field Goals - Two more Richmond field goals will give the Spiders a share of the CAA Football single-season mark of 21 FG’s. Delaware set the record in 2007.
-- Team Field Goal Attempts - Richmond must attempt two more field goals to equal the league’s single-season record of 30 field goal attempts set in 1993 by Boston University.
CAA Football In The Polls
For a complete rundown of both the Sports Network Top-25 and the FCS Coaches Poll visit page 23 of the weekly release. Below are highlights and notes about CAA Football in this week’s rankings.
The Sports Network Top-25
No. 1 James Madison carries on what is now a 10-week span CAA Football has owned the top-spot in the poll. The last time a CAA Football school was ranked No. 1 in consecutive weeks was in 2006 when New Hampshire held on to No. 1 from Sept. 11-Oct. 9 (five weeks).
The Dukes’ No. 1 ranking also marks the ninth-straight week they have been in the poll’s top spot -- the first time since 2005 JMU has been at the top of The Sports Network Top-25 for consecutive weeks.
On Sept. 22 both Richmond (No. 1) and James Madison (No. 2) became the first duo from a single-league to hold the Top-2 spots in The Sports Network Poll since 1991. It also marked the first time in CAA Football’s 62-year history (Atlantic 10 and Yankee Conference) it has ever held the Top-2 spots in any National Top-25.
CAA Football’s six ranked squads in the Sports Network’s Top-25 mark the 13th time in the last 14 weeks the league has had at least six in the poll. From the 2008 Preseason poll until Oct. 6, Delaware, James Madison, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Richmond and Villanova represented the CAA -- William and Mary replaced Delaware in that same group Oct. 20, while Maine replaced Massachusetts in the group Nov. 17.
CAA Football’s six ranked squads in the Sports Network’s Top-25 are three more than any other conference can boast this week -- the Ohio Valley, Southern and Southland Conferences all have three teams in the Top-25. The CAA alone has four of its six among the Top-10, and all six among the Top-20. No conference can equal the CAA’s mark of three schools in the Top-10.
CAA Football teams among the 2008 Sports Network rankings continue a weekly string of at least three league squads ranked among the Top-25 since the poll’s inception.
CAA Football also extends its string of at least two teams in the Sports Network Top-10 to 54-straight weeks. The league can now boast having at least two teams in the Sports Network Top-10 in 80 of the last 84 weeks.
FCS Coaches Top-25
James Madison’s No. 1 ranking in this week’s poll continues the first-time accomplishment of CAA Football owning the top spot in the FCS Coaches Poll in consecutive weeks (now 10-straight weeks). When the Dukes first earned the No. 1 ranking (Sept. 22) it marked a first for CAA Football, as no team from the league had ever been ranked No. 1 by the Coaches during what is now the poll’s two-year existence.
On Sept. 22 both James Madison (No. 1) and Richmond (No. 2) held the Top-2 spots in the poll, marking another first-ever for CAA Football in the FCS Coaches Poll. Since the poll debuted in 2007 no league has held the Top-2 spots in the same week.
Since the FCS Coaches Poll debuted, CAA Football has had at least four squads ranked every week (28 weeks). The league’s total of six in this week’s poll marks the 25th-straight edition CAA Football has had five-or-more squads listed.
CAA Football has had four-or-more teams among the Coaches Top-15 each of the last 27 weeks of the Top-25 -- the poll has been released a total of 27 weeks dating back to the 2007 Preseason edition.
CAA Football Owns Five Of Top-10 Toughest FCS Schedules
Five CAA Football teams’ schedules ranked among the 10 toughest schedules in the FCS this season when calculating opponent’s win-loss record. The NCAA, which tabulates this information, includes only games played against the official roster of 118 NCAA FCS programs.
Rk. - Team - Conference - Total
1. - Delaware - CAA Football - 69-44 (.611)
2. - Massachusetts - CAA Football - 73-50 (.593)
3. - James Madison - CAA Football - 65-47 (.580)
4. - Chattanooga - Southern - 63-47 (.573)
5. - Dartmouth - Ivy League - 53-40 (.570)
6. - Lehigh - Patriot - 59-45 (.567)
7. - Villanova - CAA Football - 62-50 (.554)
8. - Lafayette - Patriot - 58-47 (.552)
9. - Hofstra - CAA Football - 68-56 (.548)
10. - Holy Cross - Patriot - 57-48 (.543)
CAA Football’s National Honor List At 19 After Regular Season
CAA Football’s national honor total is up to 19 after 13 weeks of regular-season play in 2008 -- seven more than any other FCS conference has won this season and four more than the league’s overall total of 15 in 2007.
Prior to the Oct. 20 release of National Players of the Week, which did not include any CAA Football players, league student-athletes had been recognized at least once in seven-straight weeks to open 2008.
The Sports Network and College Sporting News, both publications which devote major coverage to the FCS level of college football, select National Player of the Week honorees following each week of competition during the 2008 regular season.
CAA Football athletes were honored nine of the 12 weeks in 2007, and boasted a total of 15 national winners. CAA Football’s total in 2007 trailed only the Southern Conference’s 16 National Player of the Week honorees.
Check out page 21 of the weekly release for a complete rundown of CAA Football’s National Players of the Week.
Landers A Payton Award Finalist
James Madison senior quarterback Rodney Landers is one of three finalists for The Sports Network’s 22nd Walter Payton Award. The Payton Award, voted on by a panel of sports information directors, writers and broadcasters covering the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), goes to the nation’s top player.
Landers will be joined by two more finalists, Western Illinois running back Herb Donaldson and Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards, at The Sports Network’s annual awards banquet, Dec. 18, in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Landers, the 2008 CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference quarterback, led James Madison to the No. 1 overall seed in the 2008 NCAA Division I National Championships after going 10-1 in the regular season. The 6-1, 220-pound senior ranks seventh nationally and leads the CAA in rushing with 1,686 yards, averaging a league-best 129.7 yards per game and 6.7 yards per carry. The Virginia Beach, Va., native has passed for 1,519 yards, completing 111-of-173 passes for 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions. For his career, the quarterback has thrown for 3,273 yards and rushed for 3,393 yards making him just the fifth quarterback in FCS (formerly I-AA) history to throw and pass for 3,000 yards in a career.
CAA Football has been prominent in The Sports Network’s Walter Payton Award honors dating back to 1987. In all the league can boast six Walter Payton Award winners including Dave Meggett (Towson, 1988), Brian Finneran (Villanova, 1997), Jerry Azumah (New Hampshire, 1998), Brian Westbrook (Villanova, 2001), Lang Campbell (William and Mary, 2004) and Ricky Santos (New Hampshire, 2006).
Three CAA Football Head Coaches Among Eddie Robinson Award Finalists
The Sports Network released its list of 20 finalists for the 2008 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award. Three of CAA Football’s 12 coaches appear on the list, including James Madison’s Mickey Matthews, Maine’s Jack Cosgrove and Villanova’s Andy Talley.
Both Matthews and Talley are seeking their second career Eddie Robinson honor. Matthews, the 2008 CAA Football Coach of the Year, was named the Eddie Robinson Award winner in 1999. Talley garnered the National Coach of the Year honor in 1997.
Matthews led the Dukes to the No. 1 overall seed in the 2008 NCAA Division I National Championships and had his team holding on to the No. 1 ranking in both national polls for each of the last 10 weeks.
Talley guided Wildcat squad to a 9-2 mark during the 2008 regular season. Talley became the all-time winningest coach in CAA Football (Atlantic 10 and Yankee Conference) history with a 24-13 win over New Hampshire, Nov. 8, and has since pushed his overall league win total to 100 games. Villanova, under Talley’s direction, made it back to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2002 when it advanced to the semifinals.
Cosgrove motivated his 2008 Black Bears to a remarkable six-game win streak from Oct. 11-Nov. 15, which included wins on the road over two ranked foes. Maine, which was 2-3 prior to the streak, was awarded CAA Football’s fourth at-large spot into the 2008 NCAA field of 16, after it fell to New Hampshire on the final weekend of the season -- a game played in what some called blizzard-like conditions.
DELAWARE (4-8, 2-6 CAA)
Season Complete
-- The Blue Hens’ eight losses in 2008 sets a school record. Ohio State and Tennessee now remain the only long-standing NCAA Division I schools which have never lost eight games in a season.
-- Delaware extended scoring streaks in its game against Villanova -- 160-straight games scoring a point since 1996 and 168-straight home games scoring a point since 1983.
-- The Blue Hens finished 2008 averaging 17.5 points and 275.8 total yards per game - the program’s lowest single-season totals since 10.2 ppg in 1960 and 271.1 yards per game in 1961.
-- Delaware picked up four All-CAA Football honors following the regular season. Junior safety Charles Graves was the Blue Hens’ lone First Team honoree. Senior center Kheon Hendricks and junior defensive lineman Matt Marcorelle picked up Second Team All-CAA Football recognition. Robbie Agnone was a Third Team All-Conference selection at tight end.
HOFSTRA (4-8, 2-6 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Sophomore Aaron Weaver tied current Pride assistant coach Kahmal Roy and NFL standout Marques Colston for eighth on the Hofstra single-season receptions list with 70 for 595 yards.
-- Junior Luke Bonus led the Pride in tackles for the second time (2006) in his career finishing the season with 96, including 42 solos. He equaled his single-season solo tackle best of 42 set as a freshman, but fell two stops short of tying his season best total tackle number of 98 in 2006. Bonus finished the season with six tackles at UMass.
-- Freshman receiver Christian Dennis led the Pride at UMass with five catches for 55 yards. Dennis stepped into action late this season, and posted 15 catches for 153 yards.
-- Hofstra logged two All-CAA Football honors following the regular season. Junior linebacker Luke Bonus was one of four First Team All-League linebackers. Sophomore wide receiver Aaron Weaver also earned Second Team honors.
#1/1 JAMES MADISON (12-1, 8-0 CAA)
This Week: hosts #4/4 Montana (13-1)
Next Week: To be determined
-- JMU picked up its 12th-straight win Saturday (vs. Villanova). The 2008 Dukes now hold a share of the program’s longest-ever win streak. Prior to this season, Madison’s only other 12-game win streak came during the 1975 and 1976 seasons combined.
-- Quarterback Rodney Landers is just the fifth FCS quarterback ever with 3,000 passing (3,273) and rushing yards (3,393) in a career.
-- Landers recorded his sixth-straight 100-yard rushing game and his 10th of the year by wracking up 143 yards on 26 carries against Villanova.
-- JMU is 48 points shy of equalling the CAA Football single-season scoring record. The 2003 Delaware Blue Hens (National Championship season) set the mark by tallying 555 points in 16 games.
-- James Madison is 3-0 in home playoff games since joining the league in 1993.
#20/21 MAINE (8-5, 5-3 CAA)
Season Complete
-- The Black Bears concluded their 2008 season winning six of the last eight games to finish with at least eight wins in a season for the first time since 2002. The Black Bears’ playoff appearance in 2008 was its fifth in school history and first since 2002.
-- Maine finished second in the CAA North Division for the second time in the last three seasons -- falling to New Hampshire in the final game of the regular season. The Black Bears were picked to finish fourth in the North according to the preseason coaches poll, released by the league in July.
-- Maine had seven All-League selections following the regular season. In addition to earning First Team honors, senior defensive lineman Jovan Belcher earned Defensive Player of the Year recognition. Freshman fullback Jared Turcotte and senior offensive lineman Ryan Canary also were First Team honorees. Senior linebacker Andrew Downey was an All-League second team selection. Senior running back Jhamal Fluellen, senior lineman Chris Arnao and senior cornerback Lionel Nixon, Jr., all earned Third Team honors.
MASSACHUSETTS (7-5, 4-4 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Tony Nelson, CAA Football’s final Offensive Player of the Week in 2008, had his seventh-career 100-yard rushing game and sixth this season with 204 against Hofstra. Nelson had 111 in the first half alone against the Pride.
-- Nelson finished his junior season with 1,325 yards to place him eighth on the school’s single-season rushing list.
-- UMass placed a total of 11 on the league’s All-Conference lists. Senior running back Tony Nelson, senior wide receiver Victor Cruz, junior Vladimir Ducasse, senior linebacker Josh Jennings, senior cornerback Courtney Robinson, junior safety Jeromy Miles and senior punter Brett Arnold all were part of the league’s First Team. Senior quarterback Liam Coen was the Minutemen’s lone member of the All-League Second Team. Junior wide receiver Jeremy Horne, senior offensive lineman Sean Calicchio and junior defensive lineman Kyle Harrington all earned All-CAA Football third team honors.
#10/10 NEW HAMPSHIRE (10-3, 6-2 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Defensive back John Clements recorded the seventh 100-yard INT-return for a touchdown in league history at Northern Iowa. The return was also UNH’s second 100-yard INT-return of the season. Linebacker Matt Parent also returned an interception 100 yards against Massachusetts this eason.
-- The Wildcats ended this season and last season with losses at Northern Iowa. Last year UNH dropped a 38-35 contest in the NCAA Championship first round. This season’s NCAA Championship quarterfinal score at UNI was 36-34.
-- New Hampshire earned a total of nine All-Conference awards. Senior wide receiver Mike Boyle and junior tight end Scott Sicko all were part of the league’s First Team. Sophomore quarterback R.J. Toman, senior offensive lineman Josh Droesch, senior linebacker Matt Parent, sophomore cornerback Dino Vasso and senior safety John Clements were member’s of the league’s Second Team. Freshman defensive lineman Brian McNally earned one of the league’s two Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
NORTHEASTERN (2-10, 1-7 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Phil Higgins made 15 tackles in the final regular season game against Rhode Island, finishing 2008 with 122 stops, fifth-most in NU single-season history. He also finished the regular season as CAA Football’s leading tackler.
-- John Griffin earned his first career 100-yard rushing game with 110 yards on the ground against Rhode Island. He also scored a career-high two touchdowns.
-- Alex Broomfield missed the Rhody game due to injury, but finished his NU career as the only Husky in the school’s Top-10 in career rushing attempts and receptions.
-- Northeastern earned five All-CAA Football honors following the regular season. Senior tight end Brian Mandeville earned All-CAA Football second team recognition. Senior running back Alex Broomfield, junior offensive lineman Kevin Newhall, junior linebacker Phil Higgins and sophomore safety Nate Thellen all earned Third Team All-Conference honors.
RHODE ISLAND (3-9, 1-7 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Rhode Island closed out the season 1-7 in CAA Football play following a 29-14 victory over Northeastern on the road.
-- Senior Jimmy Hughes led the way offensively against Northeastern with 142 yards of all-purpose offense and one touchdown. The running back closed out his Rhody career with a season-high 93 yards rushing in the game.
-- Senior quarterback Derek Cassidy closed out his collegiate career against Northeastern going 13-of-22 for 157 yards passing.
-- Rhode Island garnered a total of two All-Conference honors following the regular season. Sophomore linebacker Matt Hansen was part of the league’s Second Team defensive unit. Freshman Brandon Johnson-Farrell, the league’s final Rookie of the Week honoree, also logged Third Team punt return honors as awarded by the coaches.
#7/6 RICHMOND (11-3, 6-2 CAA)
This Week: at #4/4 Northern Iowa (12-2)
Next Week: To be determined
-- In two career games against Appalachian State - both in the playoffs - quarterback Eric Ward has rushed for 160 yards and three TDs, while passing for 329 yards, three TDs and no interceptions.
-- The three interceptions by cornerback Seth Williams last Saturday set a career-high and tied the single-game school record. A number of players hold the record, including current assistant coach Scott Burton.
-- The Spiders are 29-39 against ranked teams since 1995 -- 11-3 since last season. Richmond is 4-2 in its last six games versus teams ranked 10th-or-better.
-- Richmond’s game at Northern Iowa will mark the fifth-consecutive CAA Football opponent to play at UNI in the playoffs. The Panthers defeated New Hampshire, 38-35, in the 2007 first round and lost to Delaware, 39-27, in the 2007 quarterfinals. This season, UNI defeated Maine, 40-15, in the first round and UNH, 36-34, in the quarterfinals.
TOWSON (3-9, 1-7 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Towson’s loss to James Madison marked the 15th time in Sean Schaefer’s career he passed for more than 300 yards and the sixth time in 12 games this season. Schaefer finished his career as the eighth-leading passer in NCAA FCS history with 11,644 yards.
-- Senior Marcus Lee became the Tigers’ career pass receiving leader against James Madison, hauling in six catches for 58 yards. The senior caught at least one pass in all 45 career games, and is tied for eighth on the CAA’s all-time receptions list. Lee finished his career with a school record 225 receptions for 2,389 yards and 13 touchdowns.
-- Towson picked up a total of four All-CAA Football honors following the regular season. Senior wide receiver Marcus Lee and senior safety Drew Mack were both made part of the Second Team. Senior quarterback Sean Schaefer, one of the most statistically-accomplished quarterbacks ever at the FCS level, was part of the league’s Third Team. Senior linebacker Jordan Manning also brought in Third Team All-League honors.
#6/7 VILLANOVA (10-3, 7-1 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Running back Aaron Ball is just the third Villanova player to record 1,000 rushing yards in a season. Curtis Sifford did it in 1996, while Brian Westbrook did it three times (1998, 2000, 2001). Ball ended the season with 1,073 yards on 214 carries (5.0 yards per rush) to go with 13 touchdowns.
-- Villanova earned 15 All-CAA Football honors this season. Senior offensive lineman Ben Ijalana, senior defensive lineman Greg Miller and junior linebacker Osayi Osunde represented the Wildcats on the First Team. Sophomore running back Aaron Ball, sophomore wide receiver Matt Szczur, senior offensive lineman Izzy Bauta, junior defensive lineman Tim Kukucka and sophomore linebacker Marquis Kirkland landed on the Second Team. Senior wide receiver Phil Atkinson, junior offensive lineman Brian Brannigan, senior kicker Joe Marcoux, sophomore kick returner Angelo Babbaro, senior defensive lineman Dave Dalessandro, senior cornerback Salim Koroma and senior safety Darrel Young were all part of the Third Team.
#19/18 WILLIAM AND MARY (7-4, 5-3 CAA)
Season Complete
-- Quarterback Jake Phillips had his 19th-career game of 200-plus passing yards, finishing the Richmond game with 204 yards (20-of-42). The senior also scored the team’s lone touchdown on a one-yard run (the score was the 75th combined TD of his career).
-- With 100 yards of offense (rush, receiving, returns) against Richmond, true freshman tailback Jonathan Grimes set the school’s single season record by averaging 162.0 yds/game in all-purpose offense.
-- William and Mary garnered a total of 10 All-Conference honors as well as a major individual award following the regular season. Freshman Jonathan Grimes was named the league Offensive Rookie of the Year, in addition to picking up First Team Kick Returner and Second Team Running Back honors. Junior placekicker Brian Pate and junior defensive lineman Adrian Tracy also earned First Team knods. Junior tight end Rob Varno and senior cornerback Derek Cox were Second Team honorees. Senior quarterback Jake Phillips, junior wideout D.J. McAulay, senior linebacker Josh Rutter and sophomore punter David Miller were on the Third Team.