Football | 9/4/2017 2:13:00 PM
Moon Township, Pa. – A 13-10 week one victory over Dayton by the
Robert Morris University football team helped propel a trio of Colonials to weekly honors from the Northeast Conference. Senior linebacker
Gerald Ferguson is the NEC Defensive Player of the Week, redshirt-freshman wide receiver
Tavin Allison is the NEC Rookie of the Week and freshman kicker
Nick Bisceglia was named the NEC Special Team Player of the Week.
Ferguson, who earned Rookie of the Week accolades in 2014, led a stalwart defensive effort that held a Dayton team that was picked to finish second in the Pioneer Football League to just 257 yards of offense. The senior outside linebacker led RMU with eight tackles, five of the solo variety. Ferguson recovered a second quarter fumble and also had a sack. He was credited with 1.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry as well.
Allison, a transfer from Eastern Michigan, caught two passes for 76 yards in his collegiate debut. The biggest play for the speedster came in the third quarter as he hauled in a bomb down the left sideline for 72 yards, tying the game at 10-10. His first touch went for four yards, converting a fourth-and-three into a first down on the team's opening drive.
Bisceglia's collegiate career started off with a miss on a 44-yard attempt, but he would redeem himself later. The rookie from Kiski Area was called upon with four seconds left in regulation to hit a 26-yard attempt that completed a come-from-behind victory over the Flyers. Bisceglia accounted for seven of the team's 13 points, connecting on a 28-yard attempt late in the first half and also converting his only point-after attempt of the game.
The last time the league recognized three Colonials in the same week was Oct. 20, 2014, when Forrest Mason (Defensive),
Nic Lamica (Rookie) and Hunter Khalegi (Special Teams) were honored for a 27-24 win over Central Connecticut.
The victory was the Colonials first win in a season-opener since 2008 and marked the first time they upended Dayton since 2000. Robert Morris travels to #9 Youngstown State on Saturday, Sept. 9. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
