GAME SEVEN
vs. SACRED HEART PIONEERS
10.21.17 // NOON
Moon Township, Pa. // Joe Walton Stadium (3,000)
RADIO: ESPN 970 AM // WBGG 106.3 FM
> Chris Shovlin, Play by Play; Brian Cleary, Color Analyst
 
Capsule
Robert Morris University plays back-to-back home games for the first time since 2015 when they welcome Sacred Heart to Joe Walton Stadium for a Northeast Conference game at Noon on Saturday, Oct. 21. The Colonials have dropped two straight and are looking for their first league win while the Pioneers have lost their last four games and sit at 2-4 overall and 0-1 in the NEC.
 
All-Time vs. Sacred Heart
> The Colonials are 8-11 against Sacred Heart
> RMU is 4-6 at home vs. the Pioneers
> They have met each of the last 19 seasons dating back to 1998
> SHU has won the last four meetings
> The Colonials last victory was a 21-17 win in Fairfield in 2012
 
Musket Shots
> CB Drew Allen had his first career pick six, going 48 yards against Duquesne
> It was the third career interception by Allen
> RB Harrison Dreher scored his first career rushing TD against Duquesne
> Dreher had 78 yards rushing vs. the Dukes
> Zack Zamiska is third all-time at RMU with 32 starts at defensive tackle
> RMU is 15th in the nation holding opponents to 171.5 passing yards per game
> RMU is 24th nationally with two blocked kicks
> LB Gerald Ferguson is 13th nationally averaging 1.7 tackles for loss per game
> Punter Adam Check was named to the 2017 Preseason All-NEC team
> Check set team records for punts (85) and punt yardage (3,150) in 2016
> Ryan Richards Jr. is the only All-NEC pick returning to the team in 2017
> He was a second team selection last year with 51 tackles, 2.0 sacks and one interception
> WR Tim Vecchio was the Colonials offensive MVP in 2016 with 35 receptions (308 yds.)
> The Colonials return 15 starters - 7 on offense, 7 on defense and 1 special teams
 
About the Pioneers
> Sacred Heart is 2-4 overall and 0-1 in the NEC
> After opening with wins against Stetson and Lafayette, SHU has lost four straight
> Feature a balanced offense averaging 411.5 yards (192.7 rush/218.8 pass)
> RB Jordan Meachum leads a quartet of runners with over 200 yards
> Meachum has 259 yards on 50 carries and 2 TD
> QB Kevin Duke is 114-181 for 1,313 yards, 7 TDs and 10 interceptions
> WRs Byron Barney and Andrew O'Neill lead the team with 33 and 32 catches, respectively
> Barney averages 13.5 yards and has 2 TDs
> O'Neill averages 10.2 yards and has 2 TDs
> LB CJ Parvelius tops the team with 57 tackles (28-29) and has one interception
> LB Kevin Barry has 7.5 TFL and 49 stops
 
TEAM NOTES
 
DiMichelle joins RMU Hall of Fame
> RMU LB coach Alex DiMichelle was selected to join the RMU Athletics Hall of Fame
> He was the 2010 NEC Defensive Player of the Year, leading RMU to the NCAA Playoffs
> Finished second at RMU with 330 career tackles
> His 113 stops in 2008 set a school record at the time
 
Dr. Howard In College Football
> RMU President Dr. Chris Howard is serving a three-year term on the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee
> He is also on the planning committee to commemorate the 150th birthday of college football
> Howard was a running back at Air Force
> He won the NFF Campbell Trophy, the highest academic award for a football player
 
USMC Sports Hall of Fame
> RMU head coach John Banaszak was inducted into the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in July 2017
> He is one of just 45 members of the exclusive club
> When he separated from the Marine Corps, he was a corporal serving as a supply clerk after a two-year appointment
> Banaszak won three Super Bowls as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers
 
Colonials Marine Corps Members
> WR Janar Walker spent four years in the United States Marine Corps prior to enrolling at RMU
> He is a 2011 graduate of Woodland Hills
> RMU head coach John Banaszak was also a US Marine upon high school graduation
> Banaszak reported to Parris Island in 1969 and served a two-year appointment
 
Delray Beach Connection
> Three Colonials hail from the Florida town of Delray Beach on the Atlantic Coast
> Warren Robinson, Gerald Ferguson and TJ Neal list Delray Beach as their hometown
> They all attended different high schools
> Dylan Young lists Coral Springs as his hometown, just a short drive from Delray Beach
 
NFL Experience for Miller
> Offensive coordinator Mike Miller has spent 12 seasons in the National Football League
> Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals in 2011 and 2012
> He spent six seasons with the Cardinals
> Miller was also an assistant with the Buffalo Bills (2004-05) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1999-2003)
> He has also spent time in the press box as a public relations assistant with the Steelers, Colts and the Pittsburgh Penguins
> During his tenure as receivers coach with Arizona, he mentored Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston
 
Brother Act
> Freshman kicker Nick Bisceglia joins brother Matt Bisceglia at Robert Morris
> Matt is a goalkeeper on the RMU soccer team
> Both attended Kiski Area High School
 
Branch Lands With Atlanta Falcons
> DB Marcelis Branch '17 signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent
> He was given a spot on the practice squad
> Was fouth on the team with 12 tackles in the preseason
> Branch also plays on the Falcons kickoff return, kickoff coverage and punt coverage teams
> He was an All-NEC first team pick in 2016
> Started 42 games, a record for an RMU player on defense
 
Score 30 or More
> Since the inception of RMU football in 1994, RMU is 72-5 (.935) when scoring 30 or more points
> The Colonials are 29-0 when tallying 40 or more points
 
The Founding Father
> RMU had only one coach in its first 20 seasons of existence, Joe Walton
> Walton was a former NFL tight end and head coach (see sidebar)
> He was a four-time NEC Coach of the Year
> Under his guidance, RMU won two NCAA I-AA mid-major national titles
> Walton was inducted into the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013
 
DEFENSIVE NOTES
 
National Rankings - Team
> RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
    > Passing Yards Allowed (15th, 171.5)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> Colonials rank in the top-50 in these categories:
    > Fumbles Recovered (Gerald Ferguson, 6th, 2; Ryan Richards Jr., 6th, 2)
    > Sacks (Ferguson, 16th, 0.92)
    > Solo Tackles (Ferguson, 40th, 5.2)
    > Tackles for Loss (Ferguson, 13th, 1.7)
 
Against Unranked Teams
> When not playing teams in the national top-three, RMU is allowing just 278.8 yards per game
> Opponents are averaging just 68.8 yards rushing
> RMU is allowing only 19.2 points per game
> They have forced six turnovers in those four games
 
Positive Negatives
> RMU has 42 tackles for loss this season
> The Colonials take their opponents down for a loss on one of every 9.2 plays
> They have 15 sacks, or one in every 10.1 opponent pass calls
> 16 different players have a tackle for loss
> Seven different players have been credited with at least a partial sack
 
Fantastic Ferguson
> LB Gerald Ferguson has been the NEC Defensive Player of the Week twice this season
> Ranks 13th nationally averaging 1.7 tackles for loss
> Is 16th nationally at 0.92 sacks per game
> 40th in the nation averaging 5.8 solo tackles
> Leads the team with 9.0 TFL
> 6th in FCS with two fumble recoveries
> Second on the team with 45 tackles
Is second in NEC in TFL (10.0) and third with 5.5 sacks
 
Keydets Locked Up
> RMU shutout VMI, 23-0, the team's first shutout since 10/16/10 vs. Albany
> They held the Keydets to just 182 yards
> Its the fewest yards since holding Wagner to 170 on 10/3/15
> RMU has held 11 opponents under 260 yards since 2010
> That includes Dayton gaining just 257 yards in the season-opener
> Robert Morris has been a top-30 defense in eight of Farison's 13 seasons as DC
 
Guess Who's Back?
> S Andy Smigiera started against VMI, his first full game action since 2015
> He came up with the team's first INT of season, returning it 55 yards
> Smigiera has a total of 29 tackles this season
> Had a season-best 9 stops vs. Duquesne
 
Senior Laden
> The Colonials list five seniors on their starting two-deep
> Three of those seniors are in the defensive backfield
    > Ryan Richards, Jr.
    > Andy Smigiera
    > Drew Allen
> Linebackers Joseph Uhatafe and Gerald Ferguson are also seniors
> DT Zack Zamiska is also a senio
 
Brains and Braun
> ILB Adam Wollet leads RMU with 52 tackles
> Is 51st in the country averaging 8.7 tackles per contest
> Made 12 stops at Youngstown State, tying his career high
> Has tallied 11+ tackles in three games
> He led RMU with 89 tackles in 2016
> He was named to the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-District II Team
 
Derian on the D-Line
> Sophomore DL Derian Smith made his first start vs. Dayton
> Second on the team with 4.0 TFL and third with 2.0 sacks
> Leads RMU with three quarterback hurries
> Sixth on the team with 25 tackles
 
D-Line Depth
> Eight players have seen time on the defensive line for the Colonials
> Six different defensive linemen have registered a tackle for RMU
> Derian Smith leads that group with 25 stops
> Amir Fenwick, Chris Stanford, Zack Zamiska, Izon Pulley, Mike Lamb, Greg Rose and Justin Boyette have also played
 
OFFENSIVE NOTES
 
National Rankings - Individual
> Colonials rank in the top-50 in these categories:
    > Yards/Reception (Tavin Allison, 14th, 20.33)
    > Yards/Completion (Jimmy Walker, 26th, 13.49)
    > All-Purpose Yards (Harrison Dreher, 46th, 110.0)
 
Against Unranked Teams
> When not playing teams ranked in the national top-three, RMU is averaging 287.8 yards per game
> RMU is rushing for 152. yards in those games
> Jimmy Walker has an efficiency rating of 108.79 (62-128, 834 yards, 4 TD)
 
Transfer Impact
> A trio of transfers are listed as starters on the RMU offensive two-deep
> QB Jimmy Walker came to RMU from San Diego State
> Walker is 68-144 for 917 yards, 4 TDs and just three interceptions
> TE Reggie Green was once a Pitt Panther
> He has five receptions for 69 yards and a TD
> WR Tavin Allison first went to Eastern Michigan before arriving in Moon
> Allison has hauled in 12 passes for 244 yards and a score
> WR Eldin Anu, a transfer from Kent State, has one catch for 17 yards
 
Lucky 13 Targets
> 13 different players have caught passes for RMU
> Tavin Allison, Warren Robinson and Tim Vecchio lead the team with 12 catches each
> Every player who was been targeted this year has a reception
 
Favorite Targets
> QB Jimmy Walker is 29-43 targeting tight ends and running backs
> 16 of those completions have resulted in first downs and two in touchdowns
> 20-26 (.769) when targeting running backs
 
Dreher's Debut
> RB Harrison Dreher made his long-awaited debut for RMU at Youngstown State
> He rushed 19 times for 84 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry
> He leads RMU with 249 rushing yards
> Scored his first career rushing touchdown against Duquesne
 
Valuable Vecchio
> WR Tim Vecchio was the Colonials Offensive MVP in 2016
> He led the team with 35 receptions and 308 yards
> He had 7 catches for 71 yards against ETSU
> Tied for the RMU lead with 12 receptions and has 136 yards
 
Cole Train Back on Track
> Cole Blake rushed for 69 yards against Dayton, his first game back since 2015
> Blake rushed for 722 yards on 170 carries in 2015
> He averaged 4.2 yards per carry and had two TDs as a sophomore
> Is 11th all-time at RMU with 908 career yards
> Blake missed all of 2016 due to injury
 
Same Players, New Positions
> Former quarterbacks Mathew Barr and Andrew Romanchak have both moved to wide receiver
> Barr was the Colonials starting QB in 2015
> Barr will be available to take snaps under center if necessary
> Romanchak started four games at QB in 2016
 
Freshmen Front Five
> The two-deep lists five first-year players on the offensive line
> Four of those - LT Trevor Hicks, LG John Sheldon, RG Alex Minford, RT Dylan Young - are true freshmen
> C Eric McAllister is a redshirt-freshman
 
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
 
National Rankings - Team
> RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
    > Blocked Kicks (24th, 2)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> Colonials rank in the top-50 in these categories:
    > Punt Returns (Warren Robinson, 21st, 10.1)
 
Check Marks
> Adam Check was named to the Preseason All-NEC team as a punter
> Check owns the following RMU single game records
    > Punts - 12 vs. Youngstown State
    > Punt Yards - 455 vs. Youngstown State
> Check owns the following RMU single season records
    > Punts - 85
    > Punt Yards - 3,150
> Is averaging 36.8 yards per punt this season
> His 36.99 career average is 5th at RMU
 
Robinson Returns
> Warren Robinson is the only player in team history with two punt return TDs
> He had an 81-yard return for a TD vs. Malone
> Has 613 career punt return yards, 2nd at RMU (699, Brian Dunn '94-'97)
> His 13.33 career punt return avg. is third in team history
> In 2015, Warren Robinson set the single-season school record for punt return average (18.2 yds.)
> Robinson ranked second nationally in punt return average in 2015
> He has three of the four longest punt returns in team history - 81(T), 66(T) and 58
 
Freshman Foot
> Freshman kicker Nick Bisceglia won the starting kicking job in camp
> He will handle both kickoffs and field goals
> He is 4-11 on field goals
> His gamewinning FG against Dayton came with :04 left
> Was an all-conference punter and kicker in high school
> Also played soccer for Kiski Area
> His brother, Matt, plays soccer at RMU