Robert Morris (3-5 / 2-2) @ #3 Albany (5-3 / 3-0)
Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007 at 1:00 p.m.
University Field (5,000) - Albany, N.Y.

Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team closes out a three-game road trip Saturday afternoon when it travels to University Field for a 1:00 p.m. tilt with Albany in a game that will be televised live on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh. The Colonials enter the game on a four-game losing streak and will also look to snap a two-game slide on the road after winning seven straight road contests. The Great Danes are ranked No. 3 in the latest FCS Mid-Major poll according to The Sports Network and are in first place in the Northeast Conference with a perfect 3-0 record. RMU closes out its 2007 campaign Saturday, Nov. 10, by hosting Sacred Heart at Joe Walton Stadium for a 1:00 p.m. tilt.

Quick Stat of the Afternoon - Robert Morris will look to snap a four-game losing streak Saturday when it travels to Albany for a Northeast Conference game, and the Colonials will look to come out on top of what should be another close battle. RMU has lost its last three games by a total of 16 points, falling to Wagner (10/6) at Joe Walton Stadium by seven, 20-13, at Central Connecticut State (10/13) by six, 16-10, and at Duquesne (10/20) by three, 17-14. Hopefully, a week of rest Robert Morris received due to its bye week will help. Entering Saturday's game against Albany, the Colonials own a record of 9-3-1 (.731) all-time after a bye week, including a 49-13 win over Butler (9/17/05) in the inaugural game at Joe Walton Stadium after the program's last bye week during the 2005 campaign.

Saturday's Opponent - Albany and Robert Morris will meet for the ninth time Saturday, with the Great Danes and Colonials having split each of the previous eight meetings. Albany garnered a 16-6 victory over RMU in last year's game at Joe Walton Stadium (11/4/06).

Albany Series Quick Outs - The Great Danes have won four of the last five meetings between the two clubs to help settle the all-time series at 4-4 ... In last year's contest, Albany and Robert Morris combined for just 170 yards of total offense in the game ... RMU finished with 79 total yards, while Albany compiled 91 ... Albany sacked quarterback Erik Cwalinski a total of 10 times in last year's meeting, the most sacks allowed by Robert Morris in a game in school history ... The last two games in the all-time series have been decided by a total of 13 points ... The Robert Morris defense did not allow a touchdown against Albany in last year's meeting, yielding just three Jason Fralicker field goals as the lone touchdown for the Great Danes came on a 21-yard interception return by Dave Nicomini.

Head Coach Joe Walton (14th Season; Pittsburgh '57) - If there has been one constant associated with Robert Morris University football through the program's first 14 years, it has been Joe Walton. He was named head coach on July 27, 1993. He started the program from scratch, including everything from hiring assistant coaches to purchasing equipment to recruiting student-athletes. His fingerprints are all over the program, and to prove that, the University named its on-campus football stadium in his honor. Joe Walton Stadium hosted its first football game in 2005 to rousing success, as the Colonials defeated Butler, 49-13, on Sept. 17, 2005. 

“I've said this many times before, and I mean it when I say that this situation is one of the best things that has happened to me in my life,” Walton said. “It happened at the right time. Before this position became available, I felt I was too young to quit coaching, but I wasn't anxious to get back into pro football. When this came along, it was the perfect fit. This situation was the perfect opportunity for me to continue to do what I like to do, and I've loved every minute of it.” 

Under Walton's tutelage, the Colonials have claimed five Northeast Conference titles and a pair of mid-major national crowns in the program's first 13 years of existence. Robert Morris is one of just two programs to claim a pair of victories in the ECAC Bowl, having won it in back-to-back seasons in 1996 and 1997. The success has done nothing to dampen Walton's enthusiasm for coaching football at Robert Morris, and with him on the sideline RMU wins over 60 percent of the time. 

Walton is RMU's only head coach ever, and he is 84-54-1 (all at Robert Morris) at the collegiate level (.608). Walton was the head coach of the New York Jets from 1983-89, when he went 53-57-1 (.482). Also included among Walton's 35 NFL seasons is two (1990-91) as offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A two-time All-America tight end at Pittsburgh, Walton played seven years in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and New York Giants. 

Duquesne Game Notes -  Robert Morris has dropped three straight to Duquesne, with the Dukes owning a 5-4 edge in the all-time series ... RMU is 2-4 against Duquesne at Rooney Field and have dropped four straight at the venue after winning the first two in the all-time series ... Four of the nine games between Robert Morris and Duquesne have been decided by five points or less ... As a club the Colonials finished with 154 yards rushing, just three yards off a season high ... Robert Morris finished with 310 yards of total offense, while Duquesne racked up 396 total yards ... The Colonials finished 4-for-11 in third-down conversions, while the Dukes were 8-for-17 ... Duquesne owned a 32:25 to 27:35 edge in time of possession ... Freshman Nick Schirtzinger finished with five punts for 196 yards, an average of 39.2 yards per punt ... Schirtzinger also posted two punts inside the Duquesne 20-yard line and one for a touchback.

Bend Don't Break - The Robert Morris defense has done a solid job of keeping opponents in check in 2007, as the club ranks 40th in FCS in total defense, allowing an average of 341.00 yards per game. Despite a high amount of total yards allowed, it hasn't led to points. Take away the club's 40-13 loss to VMI (9/29), and in the seven games against FCS mid-major programs the Colonials have allowed just 10 touchdowns.

Start Me Up - Senior Julian Ellison earned his first collegiate start at flanker @ Duquesne (10/20) and posted a career game for the Colonials, leading the receiving corps with four catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. Ellison was making the start in place of senior Mario Hines, who suffered a shoulder injury @ Central Connecticut State (10/13). Ellison became the 21st Colonial to make their first collegiate start for RMU in 2007, including the 10th on offense. Of the 21 players to earn their first starting assignments in a Robert Morris uniform this year, 11 have been either a freshman or a sophomore.

The Three Amigos -  RMU's linebacking trio in seniors Jordan Howard and Chad Wengert and sophomore Adam Lawrence have been the steady force on the Colonial defense in 2007, and after a stellar performance @ Central Connecticut State (10/13), the trio came through again @ Duquesne (10/20). Wengert, Howard and Lawrence combined for 39 of RMU's 97 tackles, including a game-high 17 from Wengert. Each of the three rank in the top seven in the Northeast Conference in tackles, as Wengert ranks second (11.0 per game), Howard fifth (9.8 per game) and Lawrence seventh (8.2 per game).

Tackle Box - RMU established a new single-game team record for tackles @ Central Connecticut State (10/13), posting 121 takedowns in the contest, including 39 solo stops. The mark eclipses the old record of 119, which was set just a year earlier in RMU's 23-17 overtime victory over the Blue Devils at Joe Walton Stadium (10/14/06). A total of five Colonials recorded double-digit tackle games against CCSU, as RMU's trio of linebackers in Jordan Howard, Chad Wengert and Adam Lawrence combined for 55 stops.

In the Zone - Chad Wengert has been on a tear defensively for Robert Morris in recent weeks, as the senior outside linebacker has averaged 13.0 tackles per contest over the last six games. His 78 total tackles over that span has pushed his season total to 88, tops on the team and a tally that also ranks eighth in the Colonial single-season records. Based on his season average of 11.0 tackles per game, Wengert is on pace to finish with 110 stops in 2007, a total that would rank second in the single-season annals. Wengert would also become just the third Colonial in school history to finish a season with at least 100 takedowns.

Defensively Speaking - Senior linebacker Chad Wengert hasn't been the only Colonial to post impressive tackle totals in recent weeks for Robert Morris. Senior middle linebacker Jordan Howard has posted double-digit tackles in each of his last four games and owns 55 tackles (13.8 per game) over that span. Sophomore safety Michael Landers, who has earned his first three collegiate starts the past three games, owns 32 tackles over that span (10.7 per game) after posting a career-high 14 stops @ Duquesne (10/20).

I Can See for Myles and Myles - Freshman Myles Russ posted the first 100-yard rushing game of his young career in RMU's last game, finishing with 116 yards on a career-high 25 carries @ Duquesne (10/20). Included in those totals was a 22-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter. It marked RMU's first 100-yard rusher in 19 games, snapping the longest drought in school history. Russ enters Saturday's game with 549 yards rushing on 132 carries, an average of 4.2 yards per rush, and has an outside shot with two games remaining this season to establish the Robert Morris freshman record for rushing yards. The mark is currently held by former Colonial Archie Wannamaker (1996-98), who rushed for 735 yards in 1996.

20/20 - Senior linebacker Jordan Howard tied the single-game school record for tackles @ Central Connecticut State (10/13), posting 20 tackles, including five solo stops. Howard tied the mark of former linebacker Reggie Chambers (1998-2001), who finished with 20 in a 42-31 win @ Albany (11/10/01). Howard was joined by his pair of linebacker teammates with at least 15 tackles against the Blue Devils, as senior Chad Wengert posted 19 and sophomore Adam Lawrence 16. Howard, Wengert and Lawrence became the 11th, 12th and 13th different Colonials in school history to finish a game with at least 15 tackles, and they are the first trio to accomplish the feat in the same game.

Red Alert - A key reason the Robert Morris defense has allowed an average of just 19.4 points per game, second in the Northeast Conference to Wagner (15.9) in 2007, has been the club's ability to turn away its opponents in the red zone. So far this season the Colonials have allowed opponents to convert just 18 of its 27 opportunities inside their own 20-yard line, a success rate of just 66.7 percent. That total tops the NEC. Robert Morris has recorded one interception, forced two fumbles and also forced a pair of turnover on downs in the red zone. Additionally, the Colonials have blocked a field goal. On the flipside, RMU's offense has converted on 70 percent (14-of-20) of its trips to the red zone, which ranks sixth in the NEC.