Robert Morris @ VMI Game Notes
Game Notes

Robert Morris (1-2) @ VMI (1-3)
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013, at 1:30 p.m.
Foster Stadium (10,000) - Lexington, Va.

Top Story - The Robert Morris University football team returns to action after its first bye week of the 2013 campaign this Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1:30 p.m. as the Colonials travel to take on non-conference foe Virginia Military Institute at Foster Stadium. The Colonials are coming off of a tight, 21-14, setback at home to longtime nemesis Dayton. The squads were tied, 7-7, after three quarters of play, but the Flyers had the edge in the final stanza and held on late by recovering a Colonial onside kick attempt. Senior linebacker Mike Cook nearly equaled a single-game school record last time out when he totaled 19 tackles against Dayton. Robert Morris has had success throughout its history when playing after a bye week, a fact that has been true in recent years as well. RMU enters the weekend ranking among the top 15 at the NCAA's FCS level in punt returns (14.25 yards per return) and among the top 20 in sacks (3.0 per game). This is the opening contest of a two-game road trip for the Colonials as they will face former Northeast Conference (NEC) member Monmouth in a non-conference matchup next Saturday, Oct. 5.

Quick Stat of the Afternoon - Robert Morris is coming off of its first bye week of the 2013 season, and if history is any indication, this should bode well for the Colonials. RMU is 15-6-1 (.705) all-time when playing after an off week, including 15-5-1 (.738) in the regular season. RMU has won each of its past four regular-season games when playing after a bye week, winning one such game in each of the past four seasons. This will also mark the third consecutive season in which Robert Morris has had a bye immediately after playing its first three games of the season. RMU posted three-point wins in both 2011 and 2012 when playing its fourth game after a bye week. Greg Langer (2009-12) kicked a game-winning field goal in the final half-minute to down Lafayette, 31-28, last year while current assistant coach Jeff Sinclair (2009-12) led a game-winning, 79-yard drive in the fourth quarter to help defeat Monmouth, 23-20, in 2011.

Saturday's Opponent - RMU will renew a series with VMI when it takes the field Saturday. Robert Morris will meet the Keydets for just the third time overall, and it will be the first meeting since 2009. VMI has won the previous two meetings in the series, using strong rushing attacks to surge past the Colonials. In the last matchup, Robert Morris had a lead late in the game, but VMI scored with fewer than 90 seconds left to pull ahead, 14-13. The contest was the 2009 season opener for both teams.

All-Time Series vs. VMI
VMI leads, 2-0
9/29/07 - L, 13-40; Home
9/5/09 - L, 13-14; Away

@ Moon Township, Pa. - VMI, 1-0
@ Lexington, Va. - VMI, 1-0

VMI Quick Outs - Robert Morris recovered three fumbles in both of its previous meetings with the Keydets … Former Colonial linebacker and current assistant coach Alex DiMichele broke the school record, which still stands, when he recovered three fumbles in the 2009 meeting with VMI … RMU defensive back Eric Lowry and defensive lineman Farren Mason made their collegiate debuts in the last meeting with VMI … In each of the previous two meetings, the Keydets threw exactly six passes in each contest … In the last meeting in Virginia, Robert Morris yielded just 25 passing yards, the fewest passing yards the Colonials have conceded in a game since the beginning of the 2007 season … Former Colonial and current assistant coach Myles Russ tallied 267 all-purpose yards combined in his two contests against the Keydets … RMU scored 13 points in both of its previous matchups against VMI.

On This Date (Sept. 28) in Robert Morris Football History - Robert Morris enters Saturday with a 2-0 mark on September 28 in its history with its most recent game on that date coming in 2002. In that contest, RMU used a fourth-quarter rally to come away with a 15-10 victory over Monmouth, one of just two games in program history in which the Colonials netted exactly 15 points. A 14-yard touchdown catch from Ricky Daldo (2001-03) and a safety gave RMU a 9-0 lead fewer than seven minutes into the game. Monmouth found the end zone late in the first quarter, and then neither team scored for more than 35 minutes. The Hawks would take the lead on a field goal early in the final stanza. However, the Colonials retook their edge when Shawn Martin (1999-2002) hit Stephen McNair (2001-02) with a 74-yard touchdown pass to cap a 97-yard drive with just 3:53 left. McNair threw for 231 yards while James Noel (2002-05) led the defensive effort with 13 tackles and 1.5 TFL. RMU held the Hawks to just 121 yards of total offense.

Head Coach Joe Walton (20th season; Pittsburgh '57) - At the forefront of the football renaissance at Robert Morris University throughout its 20-year history is Joe Walton, who has built the Colonials from a fledgling program into one of the top Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams in the region.

The one constant associated with the program, Walton was named the first head coach July 27, 1993. He started the program from scratch, completing everything from hiring assistant coaches to purchasing equipment to recruiting student-athletes for the team's inaugural season in 1994. He owns an overall record of 110-88-1 (.555).

Walton's fingerprints are all over the football program,and to prove that, RMU has played its home games since 2005 in a stadium that bears his name. During his tenure, Walton has led Robert Morris to the first Northeast Conference championship in 1996, guided RMU to a perfect 10-0 season in 2000 and in 2010 helped lead the Colonials to the NEC's inaugural bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs with their league-high sixth regular-season championship.

"It's hard to believe," Walton speaks on how fast time has elapsed. "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 ever happened to me in my life. 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 outright NEC regular-season titles three times (1997, 1999, 2000) while sharing three others (1996, 1998, 2010). Walton led Robert Morris to back-to-back ECAC Bowl victories in 1996 and 1997, and in 1999 and 2000 he guided RMU to a pair of NCAA I-AA mid-major national crowns according to Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette.

In 2010, Walton added to his legacy by engineering the Colonials on an eight-game winning streak for a share of the NEC regular-season title and the NEC's first bid in the NCAA FCS Playoffs. In the process he picked up his 100th career victory in the collegiate ranks.

Last Time Out - A 75-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter gave Robert Morris a chance to even the score, but the Colonials could not recover the ensuing onside kick as Dayton topped RMU, 21-14 … Redshirt senior A.J. Holderman batted down an attempted pass to prevent a touchdown on a botched field goal attempt by the Flyers … Sophomore Kenny Davis caught a career-long 22-yard pass in RMU's final scoring drive … Junior Hunter Khaleghi made his first collegiate appearance and was 2-for-2 on point after attempts … Tony LaMancusa tied his career high with three punts downed inside the 20-yard line … RMU fell to 13-9 (.591) all-time when tied at the half.

200 - Robert Morris head coach Joe Walton will coach his 200th game on the sidelines for the Colonials this week against VMI.

Cookie Monster - Redshirt senior Mike Cook nearly matched a single-game school record last time out as he finished with a career-high 19 tackles. The 19 tackles, one shy of matching the record, are tied for the third-highest amount by a Colonial in a contest and are the most since current assistant coach Alex DiMichele (2008-10) notched 19 in 2010. It was Cook's seventh double-figure tackle effort and sixth in his last 12 games. He leads the team with 38 on the year and surpassed 150 for his career last time out.

Nose For The Ball – Linebacker Mike Stojkovic has made an impact in each of his first two games in a Colonial uniform. In addition to his 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in the last two games, Stojkovic has also tallied a fumble recovery in each of his first two appearances. His first came after a fumble was forced on a sack while his most recent came on punt coverage.