GAME FIVE
at East Tennessee State Bucs
10.7.17 // 3:30 PM
Johnson City, Tenn. // William B. Green, Jr. Stadium (7,694)
RADIO: ESPN 970 AM / WBGG 106.3 FM
> Chris Shovlin, Play by Play
 
Capsule
After a bye week, the Robert Morris Unviversity football team takes to the road for the third time in four games when they travel to East Tennessee State for a 3:30 p.m game Saturday, Oct. 7, at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium. The Colonials and Bucs last met in 2015, a 21-9 RMU win at home.
 
All-Time vs. East Tennessee State
> The Colonials won the only meeting between these teams
> RMU upended the Bucs, 21-9, at Joe Walton Stadium in 2015
> This is the team's first meeting in Tennessee
 
Musket Shots
> LB Adam Wollet tied his career-high with 12 tackles at YSU, his fourth game with 12 stops
> Wollet has tallied 10 or more tackles in three of four games this seaosn
> LB Gerald Ferguson has been the NEC Defensive Player of the Week twice this season
> RMU ranks seventh nationally averging 17.25 yards per punt return
> RMU is 11th in the nation allowing just 152.0 pass yards 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 Bucs
> East Tennessee State is 2-3 and 1-2 in the Southern Conference
> Two of the Bucs losses are to top-15 teams —James Madison (1) and Citadel (13)
> Both of their wins came at home over Limestone (Div. II) and Mercer
> QB Austin Herink threw for a school record 434 yards vs. Furman going 24-37 with 3 TD
> Herink is connecting at 64.4% for 1,257 yards, 9 TD and just two INT for the season
> RB Jajuan Stinson leads the team with 168 yards rushing and two TD
> WRs Drake Powell and Vincent Lowe are Herink's favorite targets
> Powell has 19 receptions for 217 yds (11.4)
> Lowe has 17 catches for 234 yards and 4 TD
> K JJ Jerman is 7-8 on FG, including 4-4 from 40+ yards
> River Boruff leads the team with 46 tackles
> Dylan Weigel has 45 stops and a sack

A post shared by RMU Football (@rmu_football) on Oct 7, 2017 at 10:05am PDT

 
TEAM NOTES
 
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
 
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
 
Standing in the Hall of Fame
> Three football players joined the RMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016
   > DB Jason Hempstead (1999-03)
   > WR Tyjuan Massey (2002-05)
   > RB Myles Russ (2007-10)
> The trio brings the total number of football members in the Hall of Fame to 17
 
DEFENSIVE NOTES
 
National Rankings - Team
> RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
   > 4th Down Defense (27th, .333)
   > Fumbles Recovered (17th, 5)
   > Passing Yards Allowed (11th, 152.0)
   > Sacks (25th, 2.75)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> Colonials rank in the top-50 in these categories:
   > Fumbles Recovered (Gerald Ferguson, 3rd, 2; Ryan Richards Jr., 3rd, 2; Gregory Rose, 38th, 1)
   > Sacks (Ferguson, 11th, 1.00)
   > Solo Tackles (Ferguson, 38th, 5.3)
   > Tackles for Loss (Ferguson, 48th, 1.4)
   > Total Tackles (Adam Wollet, 17th, 10.3)
 
Against Unranked Teams
> When not playing teams in the national top-three, RMU is allowing just 219.5 yards per game
> Teams are throwing for just 114.5 yards
> They have given up just 10 points
> Come up with five turnovers
 
Positive Negatives
> RMU has 25 tackles for loss this season
> The Colonials take their opponents down for a loss on one of every 10 plays
> They have 11 sacks, or one in every nine opponent pass calls
> 14 different players have a tackle for loss
> even 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 11th in the nation averaging 1.0 sack per game
> Second on the team with 27 tackles
> Leads the team with 5.5 TFL, 48th nationally
> 3rd in FCS with two fumble recoveries
> Tops the team with 21 solo stops
 
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 14 tackles this season
 
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 41 tackles
> He ranks 17th nationally averaging 10.3 tackles per game
> Made 12 stops at Youngstown State, tying his career high
> Has tallied 11+ tackles in three of four 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
> Is fifth on the team with 18 tackles
> Second on team with 4.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks
> He was one of four players to tally seven tackles against Dayton
> Smith has six solo stops and 12 assisted 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 18 stops
> Amir Fenwick, Chris Stanford, Zack Zamiska, Izon Pulley, Mike Lamb, Greg Rose and Justin Boyette have also played
> Mike Lamb may also see time in that position
 
OFFENSIVE NOTES
 
National Rankings - Team
> Colonials rank in the top-30 in these categories:
   > Fourth-Down Conv. Pct. (11th, .800)
   > Passing Yards/Completion (29th, 13.74)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> Colonials rank in the top-50 in these categories:
   > All-Purpose (Harrison Dreher, 43rd, 120.33)
   > Yards/Completion (Jimmy Walker, 11th, 15.05)
   > Yards/Attempt (Walker, 50th, 7.33)
   > Yards/Reception (Allison, 20th, 20.88)
 
Against Unranked Teams
> When not playing teams ranked in the national top-three, RMU is averaging 328.0 yards per game
> Jimmy Walker is 32-62 for 489 yards and 4 TDs
> RMU is averaging 18.0 points in those games
 
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 38-78 for 572 yards, 4 TDs and just one interception
> TE Reggie Green was once a Pitt Panther
> He has three receptions for 48 yards and a TD
> WR Tavin Allison first went to Eastern Michigan before arriving in Moon
> Allison leads RMU with eight receptions and 167 yards
> WR Eldin Anu, who will see time at receiver, transferred from Kent State
 
11 Targets
> 11 different players have caught passes for RMU
> Tavin Allison leads the team with eight catches
> Every player who was been targeted this year has a reception
 
Favorite Targets
> QB Jimmy Walker is 18-26 targeting tight ends and running backs
> 11 of those completions have resulted in first downs and two in touchdowns
> 12-15 (.800) when targeting running backs
> 6-11 (.545) when targeting tight ends
 
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 also returned three kickoffs for 41 yards
> Is 43rd nationally, averaging 120.33 all-purpose yards
 
Valuable Vecchio
> WR Tim Vecchio was the Colonials Offensive MVP in 2016
> He led the team with 35 receptions and 308 yards
> He hauled in eight passes for 64 yards against Malone
> Its the third most catches in team history and ranks 11th in the record book (10 - two players; 9 - eight players)
 
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 890 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:
   > Punt Returns (7th, 17.25)
 
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
> He averaged 37.1 yards on 85 punts in 2016
> He planted 22 punts inside the 20
> His career avg. of 36.99 is fifth 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
> His 12.95 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 3-9 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
 
Specialty Scoring
> Special teams accounted for five of the teams 14 touchdowns in 2016
> LB Gerald Ferguson had a 26-yard blocked punt return for a TD at Bryant
> Marcelis Branch blocked a FG and returned it 63 yards for a TD, the first in team history
> Warren Robinson had an 81 yard punt return TD in 2016