Robert Morris (0-0) @ Dayton (0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010 at Noon
Welcome Stadium (11,000) - Dayton, Ohio
Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team opens its 2010 campaign and 17th season of intercollegiate football Saturday, Sept. 4, when it visits Welcome Stadium in Dayton, Ohio, for a 1:00 p.m. matchup with the University of Dayton. Dating back to the program's first season in 1994, the Colonials own a record of 9-7 (.563) in season openers. RMU has posted an all-time record of 3-6 (.333) in season openers on the road and will look to snap a three-game losing streak in such games, as the last season-opening road win for the Colonials came in a 33-23 win @ Buffalo State (9/6/03). Under the direction of Joe Walton, the only head coach in the history of the program, RMU returns 19 starters from last season. A total of 18 of those returning starters will lineup Saturday against the Flyers. Robert Morris opens its 2010 campaign with a pair of road games, as after squaring off with Dayton Saturday the Colonials will open their 2010 Northeast Conference schedule when they visit Sacred Heart Saturday, Sept. 11, for a Noon tilt against the Pioneers at Campus Field in Fairfield, Conn.
Quick Stat of the Afternoon - Robert Morris closed out its 2009 season as the hottest team in the Northeast Conference, earning victories in each of its final five games of the year. It marked RMU's longest winning streak since winning five straight during the 2006 season, and a victory @ Dayton Saturday will match RMU's longest winning streak since closing out the 2001 campaign with six straight wins. Over its final five games of the 2009 season, Robert Morris averaged 22.0 points on offense while the RMU defense held opponents to an average of just 7.2 points per contest. Another huge key for the Colonials during their five-game winning streak to close out 2009 was cutting back on penalties. In the first six games of 2009, RMU averaged 7.6 penalties a contest, compared to just 4.6 during the final five games of the season.
Saturday's Opponent - The longest running rivalry with a non-conference opponent in program history, Robert Morris and Dayton will meet for the 13th time Saturday. The Flyers own a 10-2 (.833) advantage and carry a seven-game winning in the all-time series into the contest. In last year's contest at Joe Walton Stadium (9/19/09), the Flyers posted a 21-14 victory over the Colonials as Dayton quarterback Steve Valentino finished 14-for-29 passing for 192 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 21 times for 58 yards.
The All-Time Series
RMU vs. Dayton
Dayton leads series, 10-2
10/12/96 - (L, 21-31), Away
9/20/97 - (L, 13-16), Home
9/12/98 - (L, 22-31), Away
9/11/99 - (W, 34-7), Home
10/14/00 - (W, 17-13), Away
9/8/01 - (L, 9-37), Home
9/14/02 - (L, 10-24), Away
10/16/04 - (L, 12-29), Home
9/2/06 - (L, 14-21), Away
9/1/07 - (L, 12-23), Home
9/20/08 - (L, 14-31), Away
9/19/09 - (L, 14-21), Home
The Dayton Series
All-Time: Dayton, 10-2
At Robert Morris: Dayton, 5-1
At Moon Stadium: Dayton, 3-1
At Joe Walton Stadium: Dayton, 2-0
At Dayton: Dayton, 5-1
Current Streak: Dayton, 7
Current Streak at RMU: Dayton, 4
Current Streak at Dayton: Dayton, 3
Robert Morris 2010 Quick Outs - Robert Morris enters the 2010 campaign having posted an overall record of 96-67-1 (.588) 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 2,908 yards rushing ... Russ is tied for second all-time at RMU in career rushing yards with inaugural running back Tim Hall (1994-95) ... Russ is 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 enters the 2010 season ranked second among active career leaders in the Football Championship Subdivision for average tackles per game (10.7).
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 95-67-1 (all at Robert Morris) at the collegiate level (.586). 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.
Training Camp Notes - Entering training camp in 2010, a total of 19 starters returned for the Colonials, with 18 of those earning starting assignments in Saturday's season opener @ Dayton ... Junior Logan Miles earns the start at center in place of incumbent starter Sam Miller ... Also earning their first career starting assignments in the 2010 season opener @ Dayton are senior T.J. Green at split end, sophomore Brad Banas and junior Jon Krepps at outside linebacker and sophomore Steve Mitchell at right end ... A total of six true freshman earned spots on the 2010 varsity roster and will travel to Dayton for the season opener ... Three of RMU's six freshman traveling to Dayton play in the secondary, with Malik Johnson and D.J. Myers serving as backups at safety and cornerback, respectively, and Evan Taylor serving as a backup return specialist ... RMU's other three freshman making the travel squad for the 2010 season opener are tight end Andrew Smith, quarterback Tyler Forbes and defensive lineman Chris Thompkins.
Follow the Leaders - Junior Logan Miles owns four career starting assignments under his belt entering Saturday's season opener @ Dayton, but he will lineup at center for the first time in a Robert Morris uniform against the Flyers. Miles can lean on an experienced group of offensive linemen around him, as the incumbent starters in seniors Corey Konycki (RT) and Carlos Andrade (LT) and juniors Brian Bevilacqua (RG) and Brad Rodgers (RT) own a combined 82 career starts between them.
Experience Counts - Having an experienced offensive line is paramount for RMU's success in 2010, and to prove it, look no further than how the group performed in the final five games of the 2009 season. In five straight victories to close out the year, the offensive line paved the way for the Robert Morris offense to average 285 yards of total offense per contest, including 156 yards rushing per game. Those totals helped the Colonials score an average of 22.0 points per game over its final five games.
Jazzy Jeff - While the offensive line helps pave the way for the Robert Morris offense, it also helps provide protection for quarterback Jeff Sinclair. The sophomore started the final seven games of the 2009 season, posting a record of 5-2 (.714) and completing 78 of his 145 passing attempts for 828 yards and nine touchdowns. Sinclair, who enters his first full season as the starter at quarterback, can also make things happen with his feet, as he finished third for RMU in rushing yards (128) last season, including three touchdowns runs.
I Can See for Myles - The 2010 campaign marks the final collegiate season for running back Myles Russ, who will look to cement his status as another in a long line of great running backs to wear an RMU uniform. Russ enters his final season of eligibility with 2,908 career rushing yards, which is tied for second all-time at Robert Morris with inaugural running back Tim Hall (1994-95). Russ enters the 2010 campaign needing 940 yards rushing to become the all-time rushing leader for the Colonials. Former Colonial and current assistant coach Sam Dorsett (1999-2003) owns the career record for rushing yards at Robert Morris with 3,847.
King of Queens - While senior running back Myles Russ highlights a deep and capable backfield for Robert Morris in 2010, junior Shadrae King enters his second full season as the starter at tight end. King finished second for the Colonials last season in receptions (34), receiving yards (369) and touchdown catches (4) and will look to anchor a 2010 receiving corps that is inexperienced with the loss of former wide receiver Sherrod Evers (2006-09). RMU's starting wide receivers Saturday @ Dayton, senior T.J. Green at split end and junior Anthony Coleman at flanker, own combined career totals of just 37 receptions for 558 yards and three touchdowns. King, meanwhile, owns career totals of 51 catches for 643 yards and nine touchdowns.
Looking to Start Strong - In order for Robert Morris to challenge for a Northeast Conference title in 2010, the Colonials will need to reverse trend from the past couple of seasons and start strong. RMU enters Saturday's 2010 season opener @ Dayton carrying a seven-game losing streak in games during the month of September. The last victory for Robert Morris in September was its 2008 season opener, a 27-13 victory over Morehead State (9/6) at Joe Walton Stadium. Over the last two seasons, the Colonials own a record of 1-7 (.125) in the month of September, but a mark of 9-5 (.643) in the months of October and November.
Alex The Great - At the heart of the 2010 Robert Morris defense is senior linebacker Alex DiMichele. A transfer from Temple, DiMichele has compiled 225 career tackles over the last two seasons, an average of 10.7 per game that ranks second for active players in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), behind only Scott Lewis of Saint Francis, who averages 12.1 tackles per contest. DiMichele enters the 2010 season ranked 10th all-time at Robert Morris and has a legitimate shot to become just the third player in school history to accumulate 300 career stops. Former linebackers James Noel (2002-05) and Nate List (1994-97) are the only two players to eclipse 300 career takedowns in school history, with Noel finishing his career with 437 and List compiling 309.
The Colonel - Joining senior linebacker Alex DiMichele at the heart of the Robert Morris defense is redshirt senior safety Michael Landers. Landers was one of three Colonials to eclipse 200 career tackles in 2009, and he enters the 2010 campaign with 209 career takedowns. Landers is the third defensive back in school history to eclipse 200 career tackles, joining former Colonials Brian Dunn (1994-97) and Ray Thomas (1996-2000). Dunn finished with 267 career stops, while Thomas posted 240.
The Bat Man - While redshirt senior safety Michael Landers serves as the quarterback of the RMU defense, the Colonials return one of their best cornerbacks in school history in senior Rolf Bathold. The senior led the Northeast Conference in passes defended last season with 15, compiling 12 pass breakups and three interceptions. Landers and Bathold have combined for 13 interceptions over the last three seasons, with Landers recording seven picks and Bathold six.
Streakers - Senior punter Nick Schirtzinger enters the 2010 season and his final year of eligibility as RMU's active leader for consecutive starts by a Colonial. Schirtzinger has started each of his 32 career games at Robert Morris at punter, and should he start all 10 games of the regular season in 2010 he will tie an RMU school record for career starts. The record of 42 is is currently held by former punter Chris Longo from 1994-97. Five other Colonials in school history own 41 career starting assignments. The next longest streak for consecutive starts by a Colonial after Schirtzinger is owned by redshirt senior Michael Landers, who has started 27 straight games at safety.
