Albany (3-2 / 1-1 NEC) vs. Robert Morris (5-1 / 4-0 NEC)
Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010 at Noon
Joe Walton Stadium (3,000) - Moon Township, Pa.
Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team continues its longest homestand in school history Saturday afternoon when it welcomes Albany for a Noon kickoff at Joe Walton Stadium. The Colonials, winners of five straight and 10 of their last 11 dating back to the 2009 campaign, are coming off a thrilling 17-16 victory over Monmouth (10/9) to open a four-game homestand. In that contest sophomore defensive lineman Cory Nolton partially blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt by Eric Spillane with six seconds to play to help preserve the win. The block by Nolton capped a wild final two minutes of action. The Hawks pulled to within 17-16 when Kyle Frazier hit Chris Hogan with an eight-yard touchdown pass with 1:38 remaining, but the extra point attempt by Spillane hit the left upright and bounced away. Monmouth recovered the ensuing onside kick and drove to RMU 11-yard line to set up Spillane's game-winning field goal attempt before the RMU special teams unit came up big a second time. The win for Robert Morris over the Hawks gave head coach Joe Walton his 100th career collegiate coaching victory, helping him to improve to 100-68-1 (.595) all-time. RMU continues its homestand after hosting the Great Danes Saturday, Oct. 30, with a Noon kickoff against crosstown rival Duquesne. The Colonials have a bye next week.
Quick Stat of the Afternoon - Winners of 10 of its last 11 games dating back to the 2009 campaign, the success Robert Morris has had over that stretch can be attributed to the Colonials learning how to win close games. RMU's 17-16 win over Monmouth (10/9) that opened a four-game homestand at Joe Walton Stadiuim marked the program's fifth straight victory in games decided by a touchdown or less dating back to last season, a school record. The winning streak is a stark contrast for Robert Morris, as before winning five consecutive tight games the Colonials owned a mark of just 3-7 (.300) in its previous 10 games decided by seven points or less dating back to the beginning of the 2007 season. Overall in the 17-year history of the program, RMU owns a record of 27-36 (.429) in games decided by a touchdown or less.
Saturday's Opponent - Albany and Robert Morris will meet for the 12th time Saturday afternoon, with the Great Danes owning a 6-5 (.545) edge in the all-time series. RMU snapped a four-game losing streak against Albany with a 13-10 win in last year's meeting at University Field (11/7/09).
The All-Time Series
RMU vs. Albany
(Albany leads, 6-5)
10/30/99 - (W, 30-20), Away
11/11/00 - (W, 43-34), Home
11/10/01 - (W, 42-31), Away
11/2/02 - (L, 7-32), Home
11/8/03 - (L, 7-27), Away
11/6/04 - (W, 34-7), Home
11/5/05 - (L, 17-20), Away
11/4/06 - (L, 6-16), Home
11/3/07 - (L, 17-45), Away
11/7/08 - (L, 7-41), Home
11/7/09 - (W, 13-10), Away
The Albany Series
All-Time: Albany, 6-5
At Robert Morris: Albany, 3-2
At Moon Stadium: RMU, 2-1
At Joe Walton Stadium: Albany, 2-0
At Albany: Tied, 3-3
Current Streak: RMU, 1
Current Streak at RMU: Albany, 2
Current Streak at Albany: RMU, 1, 2
Monmouth Series Quick Outs - Robert Morris snapped a four-game losing streak against Albany with a 13-10 win in last year's meeting at University Field ... The Great Danes have won six of the last eight meetings between the two programs after the Colonials won the first three games of the all-time series ... Linebacker Alex DiMichele owns 25 tackles in two career games against Albany ... RMU will look for its first victory over the Great Danes at Joe Walton Stadium Saturday as well as its first win at home over Albany since 2004 ... In the last meeting at Joe Walton Stadium, the Great Danes scored 27 unanswered points en route to a 41-7 win (11/7/08) ... RMU's last home win over Albany came in the program's final home game at Moon Stadium (11/6/04), 34-7 ... In that contest former quarterback Drew Geyer (2002-05) finished 15-for-24 passing for 293 yards, three touchdowns and one interception ... Geyer tossed touchdown passes to three different receivers in the win, including a 93-yard strike with 10:01 to play in the third quarter to former wide receiver Tyjuan Massey (2002-05) that gave Robert Morris a 34-0 advantage ... Massey finished with four catches for 177 yards and a touchdown that afternoon ... In the first three games of the all-time series between 1999 and 2001, the fewest points the two teams combined for was 50 ... In 2000 the two teams combined for 77 points as RMU earned a 43-34 win.
Robert Morris 2010 Quick Outs - Robert Morris enters Saturday's game against Albany having posted an overall record of 101-68-1 (.597) since the program's creation in 1994 ... RMU was picked second in the 2010 Northeast Conference preseason coaches poll, trailing only preseason favorite and defending champion Central Connecticut State ... The Blue Devils earned four first-place votes in the NEC preseason coaches poll, while RMU garnered three ... Senior running back Myles Russ is the active leading rusher in the Northeast Conference with a career total of 3,576 yards rushing ... Russ ranks second all-time at RMU in career rushing yards ... Russ was one of four Colonials named to the 2010 All-NEC Preseason Team, joining senior cornerback Rolf Bathold, senior linebacker Alex DiMichele and senior kicker Garrett Clawson ... DiMichele ranks fourth all-time at Robert Morris with 284 career tackles.
Head Coach Joe Walton (17th Season; Pittsburgh '57) - If there has been one constant associated with Robert Morris University football through the program's first 16 years, it has been Joe Walton. He was named head coach on July 27, 1993. He started the program from scratch, completing 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. 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 15 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 almost 60 percent of the time.
Walton is RMU's only head coach ever, and he is 100-68-1 (all at Robert Morris) at the collegiate level (.595). 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.s.
Monmouth Notes - Robert Morris posted its second straight win over Monmouth to improve to 9-7 (.563) all-time against the Hawks ... The victory was the first in three games against the Hawks at Joe Walton Stadium as well as RMU's first home win over Monmouth since a 15-10 victory at Moon Stadium in 2002 ... The Colonials finished with 286 yards of total offense compared to 311 for Monmouth ... In the first half RMU possessed the ball for 17:58 compared to 12:02 for the Hawks ... In the second half Monmouth dominated time of possession, 20:47 to 9:13 ... In the fourth quarter alone the Hawks held the ball for 11:18 ... Robert Morris finished 3-for-11 on third down but were a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth down.
Many Happy Returns - Despite just two kickoff returns for 44 yards in a 17-16 win over Monmouth (10/9), junior Anthony Coleman established a new Robert Morris career record for kickoff return yards. Over the last three seasons, Coleman owns 1,245 career yards on 57 kickoffs, both of which are school records. Coleman broke the mark that was held by former wide receiver Tyjuan Massey, who finished with 1,221 return yards on 46 career kickoffs from 2002-05. Coleman enters Saturday's game against Albany with 1,903 career all-purpose yards and needs just 203 yards to crack the top 10 at Robert Morris.
Protection Plan - The experience that Robert Morris has on its offense line in 2010 is paying off in more ways than one. The group that includes seniors Carlos Andrade and Corey Konycki and juniors Brad Rodgers and Logan Miles is looking to pave the way for senior running back Myles Russ to become the first running back in school history to post three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Russ has gained 668 yards rushing so far in 2010, an average of 111.3 yards per game that ranks fourth in the Northeast Conference. What is more impressive, however, is that the group has allowed just 10 sacks through the first six games of the 2010 season. In 17 years as a program, an RMU offensive line has allowed less than 20 sacks in a season just twice. In 2001 Robert Morris allowed 13 sacks, and in 2000 RMU allowed just 12.
Fourth Quarter Fireworks - For the first time this season Robert Morris was held without a point in the fourth quarter in a 17-16 win over Monmouth (10/9), as all of RMU's points came in the first half. Despite the Hawks shutting down the Colonials after halftime, Robert Morris has still scored more points in the fourth quarter (83) so far this season than in the previous three quarters (77) combined. The school record for points scored in the fourth quarter is 105, which was set in 1996. That point total is also tied for the most points scored by RMU in a quarter during a season, as RMU also scored 105 points during the third quarter in 1998 and 105 points during the second quarter in 2004. Overall on the 2010 campaign RMU's scoring offense of 26.8 points per game ranks third in the Northeast Conference.
I See Red - Robert Morris entered the 2010 campaign having boasted the best red zone defense in the Northeast Conference over the last two years. In 2008 the Colonials were tops in the league by allowing opponents to convert just 27 of its 40 opportunities, a success rate of 67.5 percent. Last season, RMU led the conference again, allowing opponents to score just 66.7 percent (22-for-33) of the time in the red zone. Robert Morris seems to be heating up again in 2010, as well. Over the last three games, opponents are just 4-for-8 (50 percent) in the red zone against RMU, and on the year the Colonials are tied for second in the NEC at 72.2 percent (13-for-18).
Turkey Turnover - Another area that Robert Morris has excelled so far this season is creating turnovers. Through six games the Colonials own a turnover margin of +7, an average of 1.17 per game that is tops in the Northeast Conference and ranks 10th in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). So far this season Robert Morris has posted 10 interceptions and recovered three fumbles while suffering just four picks and a pair of fumbles. Over its last 11 games dating back to the 2009 campaign, a stretch in which RMU is 10-1, the Colonials own a turnover margin of +16, an average of 1.45 per game.
Quick Stat Fact - Robert Morris owns a record of 6-1 (.857) when quarterback Jeff Sinclair throws two or more touchdowns in a game, including six straight victories dating back to the 2009 campaign.
In The Groove - The five-game winning streak that Robert Morris carries into its game Saturday against Albany coincides with what has been the best stretch of football sophomore quarterback Jeff Sinclair has played in his young career. Over the last five games, Sinclair has completed 53.6 percent (60-for-112) of his passes for 1,073 yards, 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Entering Saturday's tilt against the Great Danes, Sinclair leads the Northeast Conference in touchdown passes (14) while ranking third in the league in passing yards per game (203.2). In addition, his pass efficiency of 152.20 leads the NEC while ranking ninth in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Shipment Received - RMU's passing game has flourished under sophomore quarterback Jeff Sinclair, and to prove it, look no further than the Northeast Conference leaderboard for average yards per catch. Robert Morris boasts three receivers in the top 10 in the category, with senior wide receiver T.J. Green tops in the NEC with an average of 23.4 yards per catch. Ranking fourth is junior wide receiver Anthony Coleman (18.0 yards per catch), while junior wide receiver Jamie Cobb ranks sixth (16.6 yards per catch).
Jazzy Jeff - Sophomore quarterback Jeff Sinclair enters Saturday's game against Albany having posted a career record of 10-3 (.769) as RMU's starting quarterback since being inserted as the starter at the position midway through the 2009 campaign. The only quarterback to have a better start to his career at quarterback in a Robert Morris uniform is inaugural signal caller Jake Newman (1994-97), who posted a record of 10-2-1 (.808) in his first 13 starts over the course of the 1994 and 1995 seasons. Sinclair has helped the Colonials average over 300 yards of total offense per game (317.3) since taking over the reigns as the starter at quarterback for Robert Morris, including an average of 372.8 total yards during RMU's five-game winning streak entering Saturday's game against Albany.
