DUQUESNE DUKES
10.13.18 // 7:00 p.m.
Pittsburgh, Pa. // Arthur J. Rooney Field

Capsule
The Robert Morris University football team makes the short drive to downtown Pittsburgh to take on the Duquesne Dukes in a 7:00 p.m. Northeast Conference game Saturday, Oct. 13, at Arthur J. Rooney Field. These teams have met every season dating back to 2003 and first met in the Colonials inaugural season of 1994. Midfield for the two programs is just over 13 miles apart as the crow flies.
 
All-Time vs. Duquesne
> Robert Morris trails Duquesne, 7-12, all-time
> RMU has lost five straight in the series
> The Colonials are 2-8 on the Bluff
> RMU last won in the series, 17-13, in 2012
> The Colonials last victory at Rooney Field came in the 1996 ECAC Bowl, 28-26
 
Musket Shots
> Senior LB Adam Wollet was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy
> The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation
> RMU has scored 81 points in its last two games, the most by the Colonials in a two-game span since 2001
> RMU had 487 yards vs. CCSU, its best output since posting 491 yards vs. SFU (9/30/06)
> Freshman RB Alijah Jackson was named the NEC Rookie of the Week  with 124 rushing yards and two TDs against CCSU
> Matthew Gonzalez is 3rd among FCS tight ends averaging 17.61 yards per reception
> Gonzalez is 11th nationally with 5 receiving TDs
> Jimmy Walker is second all-time at RMU averaging 186.5 yards passing for his career
> Tim Vecchio is 7th at RMU with 83 career receptions
> RMU is 9th in the nation in red zone offense, converting at .947 (18-19)
> The Colonials current average of 365.0 yards per game is the team's best since 2001
> The team's 26 first downs vs. Dayton were their most since 10/22/11 (27; Bryant)
> Bernard Clark Jr. makes his head coaching debut in 2018
> DL Amir Fenwick and LB Adam Wollet were named to the Preseason All-NEC Team
> Fenwick was the Colonials only All-NEC First Team pick last season
> Wollet was named to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America team
> Junior WR Tim Vecchio has been the team's offensive MVP each of the last two seasons
> Sophomore C Eric McAllister was a Hero Sports Freshmen All-America pick in 2017
> 2018 marks the 25th season of football at Robert Morris
> RMU has won six NEC Championships — 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2010
 
About the Dukes
> Duquesne stands 3-3 overall and 0-1 in the NEC
> The Dukes average 338.7 yards per game, 119.2 rushing and 219.5 passing
> They allow 391.8 yards, 175.5 rushing and 216.3 through the air
> RB A.J. Hines leads the team with 407 rushing yards and six touchdowns
> QB Daniel Parr is 96-153 for 1,240 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions
> WR Nehari Crawford leads the NEC with 38 receptions
> He averages 17.1 yards per catch and has six touchdowns
> WR Kellon Taylor has 23 catches for 244 yards
> LB Brett Zanotto tops the team and is fourth in the NEC with 44 tackles and has 3.0 TFL
> DB Jonathant Istache has two interceptions, tied for the NEC lead
> LBs Jalen Booker and Mike O'Malley top the squad with two sacks apiece
 
{ TEAM NOTES }
 
25th Season of RMU Football
> 2018 marks the 25th season of football at Robert Morris
> The program debuted in 1994, going 7-1-1
> RMU has won six NEC Championships — 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2010
 
Clark Makes Coaching Debut
> Bernard Clark Jr. makes his head coaching debut in 2018
> He served as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator at UAlbany for four years
> Won two national championships with Miami, including the 1988 Orange Bowl MVP
> Made 10 previous coaching stops before arriving in Moon Township
 
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
 
RMU Football Leadership Committee
> Coach Clark has named a six-player leadership committee in 2018
> Offensive Leadership Committe Members:
   > Junior WR DeLano Madison
   > R-Sophomore OL Eric McAllister
   > Senior QB Jimmy Walker
> Defensive Leadership Committe Members:
   > R-Junior DB Tevaul Brown
   > Senior DL Amir Fenwick
   > Senior LB Adam Wollet
 
Delray Beach Connection
> A pair of Colonials hail from the Florida town of Delray Beach on the Atlantic Coast
> Warren Robinson and Thomas 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
 
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

Gridiron Graduates
> RMU has four players players currently taking graduate level classes
> DE Cameron Darley and QB Caleb Lewis are graduate transfers
> QB Jimmy Walker finished his undergraduate work last year and is in grad school now
> LB Adam Wollet is in the integrated five-year finance and data analytics program at RMU
 
WPIAL Representation
> The 2018 roster features 30 former WPIAL players
> They represent 23 different schools
> Gateway, Montour, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Thomas Jefferson, Woodland Hills and West Allegheny each have two alums on the RMU roster
 
State of the Colonials
> Thirteen states and two countries are represented on the RMU roster
> Three dozen (36) players from the Keystone State, Pennsylvania, lead the list
> Ohio (11) and Florida (10) also have double-digit representatives
> Two players came to RMU from Ontario
 
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:
   > Red Zone Defense (22nd, .733)
   > Fewest Pen./Gm. (15th, 4.8)
   > Fewest Penalties (18th, 24)
   > Fewest Penalty Yards (21st, 207)
   > Fewest Pen. Yds./Gm. (21st, 41.4)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> RMU ranks in the top-50 in these categories:
   > Forced Fumbles (Darrell Mason, 15th, 2)
   > Fumbles Recovered (Devon Dickerson, Darrell Mason, Janar Walker, 41st, 1)
   > Solo Tackles (Adam Wollet, 42nd, 5.2)
   > Total Tackles (Adam Wollet, 33rd, 9.2)
 
Red Zone Resistance
> RMU is 22nd in nation in red zone defense
> Opponents are converting on just 73.3 percent of their red zone chances (21-of-30)
> Virginia State was just 2-of-6
 
Triple-Double
> 3 Colonials - Jon Muehlbauer, Adam Wollet and Amir Fenwick - had 10+ tackles against VSU
> Muehlbauer and Fenwick had career highs with 12 and 10 tackles, respectively
> Wollet made 11 stops
> Joe Uhatafe (14), Adam Wollet (12) and Ryan Lewis (11) were the last trio to record 10-plus tackles (at Sacred Heart; 10/22/16)

Preseason All-NEC Picks
> DL Amir Fenwick and LB Adam Wollet were named to the Preseason All-NEC Team
> Fenwick was an All-NEC selection following the 2017 season
> Wollet also garnered all-league plaudits as a junior as well
 
Brains and Braun
> ILB Adam Wollet was named a semifinalist for the NFF Campbell Trophy
> Is third in the NEC and leads RMU with 46 tackles
> Has 10+ tackles in 10 of last 16 games
> Is 33rd in nation averaging 9.2 tackles
> Last season, led the league and finished 18th in nation averaging 9.8 tackles per game
> Was named to the 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America team
> Was the NEC Fall Scholar-Athlete for football
> Had 16 tackles, a career-best, against Sacred Heart (10/21/17)
> He led RMU with 89 tackles in 2016
> Is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District II Team selection (2016, 2017)
 
Amir, Amir on the Line
> Senior DL Amir Fenwick was the Colonials only All-NEC First Team pick last season
> Garnered Preseason All-NEC plaudits
> Is fifth on the team with 23 stops
> Recorded a career-high 10 tackles against Virginia State (9/8)
> Finished 2017 with 35 tackles, 23 in NEC games
> Had 4.5 TFL in NEC games, six overall
> Totalled 14 tackles in the final three games of 2017
 
Lamica's Line
> Junior LB Tyler Lamica is third on the squad with 25 tackles
> Posted 8 tackles in win against Virginia State
> Also has an interception and a pass break up
 
Muehlbauer Emerges
> Sophomore S Jon Muehlbauer is second on the team with 30 tackles
> Has 26 tackles in his last three games
> Had a career-high 12 tackles against Virginia State (9/8)
 
Neal Now Tackling Thomas
> Thomas Neal, who used to go by TJ Neal, is now at linebacker
> The OLB has 24 tackles this season
> The athletic Neal started his career at RMU as a defensive back
> He was moved to running back late in his freshman campaign due to injuries
 
Matching With Wanat
> Junior LB Jonathan Wanat donated bone marrow to a anonymous recipient last spring
> Wanat was put on the donor list through The Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation
> In two seasons working the Andy Talley Foundation, RMU has added 260 donor names to the list
> Moved from FB to LB following Bryant game
 
{ OFFENSIVE NOTES }
 
National Rankings - Team
> RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
   > 4th Down Pct. (1st, 1.000)
   > Red Zone Offense (9th, .947)
   > Fewest Pen./Gm. (15th, 4.8)
   > Fewest Penalties (18th, 24)
   > 3rd Down Pct. (18th, .455)
   > Fewest Penalty Yards (21st, 207)
   > Fewest Pen. Yds./Gm. (21st, 41.4)
   > Sacks Allowed (23rd, 1.20)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> RMU ranks in the top-50 in these categories:
   > Receiving TDs (Matthew Gonzalez, 11th, 5)
   > All Purpose (Terence Stephens Jr., 15th, 139.8)
   > Passing Yds./Comp. (Jimmy Walker, 35th, 13.27)
   > Pts. Responsible For (Walker, 44th, 12.8)
   > Yards/Carry (Stephens Jr., 49th, 5.38)
   > Yards/Reception (Gonzalez, 49th, 17.61)
   > Yards/Attempt (Walker, 50th, 7.6)
 
Point Parade
> RMU has scored 81 points in its last two games
> It's the best two-game output by a Colonials team since 2001
> Robert Morris tallied 46 points at Bryant and had 35 against CCSU
 
Keeping The QB Clean
> The Colonials offensive line has allowed just six sacks this season
> They rank 23rd in FCS in sacks allowed (1.20)
> RMU allowed 41 sacks in 2017
 
First Time In a Long Time
> The offense put up numbers at Dayton that it hasn't seen in a long time:
   > 416 yards; 448 @ VMI, 9/28/13
   > 26 1st Downs; 27 vs. Bryant, 10/22/11
   > 28 points; 35 vs. Notre Dame (Ohio), 9/19/15
 
Walker On Air
> QB Jimmy Walker is 71-of-134 for 942 yards and 7 touchdowns
> He ranks in the top-50 nationally in three different stat categories
> His 186.5 yards passing per game rank second all-time at RMU
> Threw 272 times in 2017, tied for third most in team history
> His 206 career completions are sixth all-time at RMU, the most by a non four-year player in team history
 
Going, Going Gonzo
> Junior TE Matthew Gonzalez caught four passes for 113 yards and a TD vs. Virginia State
> He is the team's first 100-yard receiver since 2015
> His 81-yard touchdown reception is tied for fifth-longest passing score in team history
> Leads RMU with 18 receptions, 317 yards and five touchdowns
> Is third among nation's TE averaging 17.6 yards per reception
Alijah's Arrival
> Freshman RB Alijah Jackson has back-to-back 100 yard rushing games
> He had 109 yards at Bryant and 124 against Central Connecticut
> Jackson is a two-time NEC Rookie of the Week
> Leads RMU and is third in NEC with 74.6 yards per game
 
Transfer-vania
> An entourage of transfers will likely spend plenty of time toting the pigskin on offense
> QB Jimmy Walker is a transfer from San Diego State
> RB Terence Stephens Jr. previously played at Bowling Green
> TE Steve Petrick was at Temple University
> QB Caleb Lewis comes to RMU from LSU
> WR Tavin Allison spent one season at Eastern Michigan
 
Valuable Vecchio
> Junior WR Tim Vecchio has been the team's offensive MVP each of the last two seasons
> He has 83 career receptions for 761 yards
> Ranks 7th all-time at RMU in receptions
> Another 30 catch season will put him into the RMU career top-five for receptions
> In 2017, he led the team with 32 catches, 321 receiving yards and two receiving TDs
 
Mentioning McAllister
> Sophomore C Eric McAllister was a Hero Sports Freshmen All-America pick in 2017
> Named to the RMU Football Leadership Committee
> Preseason All-NEC Pick according to Phil Steele
 
Returning Experience
> RMU returns nine starters on offense in 2018
> The only voids left from 2017 were at running back and tight end
> Those spots will be filled by transfers and upperclassmen:
   > RB - Terence Stephens Jr.
   > TE - Steve Petrick and Matthew Gonzalez
> Nine different offensive linemen return with at least one start to their credit
 
{ SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES }
 
National Rankings - Team
> RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
   > Blocked Kicks (35th, 1)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> RMU ranks in the top-50 in these categories:
   > Combined Kick Returns (Terence Stephens, Jr., 18th, 367)
   > Kickoff Returns (Stephens, Jr., 28th, 24.5)
 
Check Marks
> Sr. P Adam Check in RMU career records:
   > Punts (2nd, 234)
   > Yards (3rd, 8,658)
   > Punt Average (5th, 37.00)
> Check in the RMU single season records
   > Punts (1st, 85, 2016; 3rd, 67, 2017)
   > Punt Yards (1st, 3,150, 2016; 5th, 2,489, 2017)
> Check in the RMU game records:
   > Punts - 12 vs. Youngstown State
   > Punt Yards - 455 vs. Youngstown State
 
Block Party
> Frank Antuono blocked a last second FG try against Virginia State making this the seventh consecutive season RMU has at least one blocked kick
> The Colonials have 14 blocked kicks in the last four seasons
> RMU has blocked 17 kicks since 2012
 
Robinson Returns
> Senior WR Warren Robinson is the only player in team history with two punt return TDs
> Has 645 career punt return yards, 2nd at RMU (699, Brian Dunn '94-'97)
> His 12.17 career punt return avg. is second in team history
> In 2015, Warren Robinson set the single-season school record for punt return average (18.2 yds.)
> He has three of the four longest punt returns in team history - 81(T), 66(T) and 58
 
Diablo
> Sophomore K Nick Bisceglia connected on 7-of-17 field goals last season
> 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