at #2 JAMES MADISON DUKES
9.13.18 // 7:00 p.m.
Harrisonburg, Va. // Bridgeforth Stadium / Zane Showker Field

Capsule
Originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 15, the Robert Morris (1-1) football game at #2 James Madison (1-1) will now kickoff at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 13, at Bridgeforth Stadium due to weather concerns related to Hurricane Florence. It marks the fourth Thursday game in RMU history and will also be the team's first meeting against the Dukes.
 
All-Time vs. James Madison
> This is the inaugural meeting between the Colonials and Dukes
> RMU has three first time opponents on its slate in 2018
> The Colonials have never played Virginia State, James Madison or Central State
> Robert Morris defeated Virginia State, 22-19
 
Musket Shots
> Matthew Gonzalez is third among FCS tight ends with 197 receiving yards
> This is the Colonials fourth Thursday night game in program history (0-3)
> RMU had 416 yards of offense at Dayton, the team's first 400-yard game since 2013
> The team's 26 first downs vs. Dayton were their most since 10/22/11 (27; Bryant)
> RMU is fifth in the nation in third down conversion percentage (.531, 17-of-32)
> 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 led the NEC with 108 tackles
> Finished 18th in nation averaging 9.8 tackles per game
> 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
> Of active FCS players, Warren Robinson is eighth with a 12.2 yard punt return average
> 2018 marks the 25th season of football at Robert Morris
> RMU has won six NEC Championships — 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 & 2010
> The 2018 roster features 30 former WPIAL players representing 23 schools
 
About the Dukes
> James Madison is ranked second in the STATS FCS Top-25 and the AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll
> The Dukes have appeared in the national championship in each of the last two seasons
> JMU is 1-1 this season, falling at FBS North Carolina State, 13-24, and defeating Norfolk State, 17-0
> The game at Norfolk State lasted less than one quarter due to heavy storms
> QB Ben DiNucci is 24-for-33 for 209 yards throwing the ball
> DiNucci also leads the team in rushing with 146 yards on 18 carries
> RB Marcus Marshall has toted the rock 15 times for 77 yards
> WR Riley Stapleton tops the squad with 10 catches and 100 yards
> LB Dimitri Holloway and S Adam Smith are tied for the team lead with 12 tackles
> DL Ron'Dell Carter tops the squad with 3.0 TFL and a sack
 
{ 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 (10th, .545)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
   > Interceptions/Gm. (Tyler Lamica, 30th, .500)
 
Triple-Double
> Three Colonials - Jon Muehlbauer, Adam Wollet and Amir Fenwick - had double-digit tackles against Virginia State
> Muehlbauer had 12 tackles, a career high
> Fenwick's 10 stops were also a career best
> Wollet tacked on 11 tackles
> 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
 
Positive Negatives
> RMU had 77 tackles for loss in 2017
> The Colonials took their opponents down for a loss on one of every 9.2 plays
> They had 25 sacks, or one in every 10.0 opponent pass calls
> 20 different players had a tackle for loss
> 11 different players had been credited with at least a partial sack
 
Brains and Braun
> ILB Adam Wollet led the NEC with 108 tackles
> 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
> Tallied 10+ tackles in seven games
> 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
> He finished with 35 tackles, 23 in league games
> Had 4.5 TFL in NEC games, six overall
> Totalled 14 tackles in the final three games of 2017
> Had a career-best seven solo stops at Wagner
 
Keydets Locked Up
> RMU shutout VMI (9/16/17), 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
 
Neal Now Tackling Thomas
> Thomas Neal, who used to go by TJ Neal, is now at linebacker
> The OLB has 11 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
 
{ OFFENSIVE NOTES }
 
National Rankings - Team
> RMU ranks in the top-30 in these categories:
   > 3rd Down Conv. Pct. (5th, .531 (17-32))
   > Sacks Allowed (21st, 1.00)
   > Passing Yards/Comp. (24th, 14.18)
   > First Downs (30th, 40)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> RMU ranks in the top-50 in these categories:
   > Passing Yards/Comp. (Walker, 8th, 16.96)
   > Points Responsible For (Walker, 16th, 32)
   > Passing TDs (Jimmy Walker, 17th, 4)
   > Receiving TDs (Matthew Gonzalez, 18th, 2)
   > Receiving Yards (Gonzalez, 22nd, 197)
   > Points Responsible/Gm. (Walker, 23rd, 16.0)
   > Receiving Yards/Gm. (Gonzalez, 23rd, 98.5)
   > Yards/Attempt (Walker, 31st, 8.00)
   > Passing Yards (Walker, 39th, 424)
   > Passing Yards/Gm. (Walker, 43rd, 212.0)
   > Total Touchdowns (Gonzalez, 44th, 2)
   > Total Offense (Walker, 48th, 222.5)
 
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 25-of-53 for 424 yards and 4 touchdowns
> He ranks in the top-48 nationally in eight different stat categories
> His 190.3 yards passing per game rank second all-time at RMU
> Threw 272 times in 2017, tied for third most in team history
> His 160 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
> His eight receptions, 197 yards, and two TDs lead the team
> Is third among nation's TE with 197 yards
> He is 13th nationally averaging 24.63 yards per reception
> Is 23rd in the nation with 98.5 receiving 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 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 73 career receptions for 709 yards
> 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
> He led the team with 35 receptions and 308 yards as a freshman in 2016
 
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
 
Matching With Wanat
> Junior RB 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
 
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
   > 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 (10th, 1)
   > Kickoff Return Defense (13th, 13.83)
 
National Rankings - Individual
> Colonials rank in the top-50 in these categories:
   > Combined Kick Returns (Terence Stephens, 41st, 104)
   > Kickoff Returns (Stephens, 46th, 20.8)
 
Check Marks
> Sr. P Adam Check in RMU career records:
   > Punts (3rd, 218)
   > Yards (3rd, 8,058)
   > Punt Average (5th, 36.96)
> 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
> Of active FCS players, he is eighth with a 12.2 yard punt return average
> He had an 81-yard return for a TD vs. Malone in 2016
> 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.)
> Robinson ranked second nationally in punt return average in 2015
> His 53 punt returns rank third in team history
> 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