GAME 3
East Tennessee State (1-2) vs. RMU (0-2)
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 • Noon
Joe Walton Stadium (3,000) • Moon Township, Pa.
 
TV: ESPN+
Audio: RMU Athletics Gameday App
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Ray "Smoke" Thomas (color)
Twitter: @RMU_Football • Instagram: RMU_Football
 
Slant Routes
 
- The RMU football team returns home to Joe Walton Stadium after a bye week to host East Tennessee State in a Noon kickoff as part of Parents/Family Weekend. Presented by Chick-fil-A Robinson, the first 1,000 fans receive a free cowbell.
 
- The Colonials are led by Bernard Clark, Jr., who is in his fifth season leading the Colonials. In his first head coach position, Clark was named the 2019 Northeast Conference (NEC) Co-Coach of the Year and owns an overall record of 13-25 (.342).
 
- In its first road game of the 2022 season, RMU dropped a 31-14 decision @ Miami (Ohio) (9/10). The Colonials led, 7-3, before three straight scores gave the RedHawks a 24-7 advantage at halftime en route to the victory.
 
- Junior quarterback Anthony Chiccitt finished 10-for-16 passing for 138 yards against the RedHawks before being replaced by junior Jake Simmons, who finished 8-for-13 for 41 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Amir Jordan.
 
- Defensively @ Miami (Ohio) (9/10), junior linebacker Amauri Floyd tied for game-high honors in tackles with 10 while also forcing a fumble. Redshirt junior linebacker Joe Casale also added 10 stops for the Colonials.
 
- RMU dropped a 22-20 decision to Dayton (9/3) at Joe Walton Stadium in its 2022 season opener. The Colonials led, 14-6, at halftime, but the Flyers scored 16 points over the course of 3:27 in the third quarter to grab a 22-14 lead en route to the victory.
 
- In his first collegiate start, junior quarterback Anthony Chiccitt finished 18-for-26 passing for 189 yards and a touchdown. Junior Jake Simmons also saw time under center in the second half in relief of Chiccitt, completing nine of his 16 passes for 107 yards.
 
- A total of 10 different receivers have caught a pass in each of RMU's first two games of the 2022 campaign. Against the RedHawks, redshirt junior Devon Mondy, a transfer from Morgan State, caught four balls for 28 yards. Mondy is tied for team-high honors with eight receptions with junior wide receiver Parker Fetterman. Combined, the duo has accumulated 124 receiving yards and a touchdown.
 
- The big catch @ Miami (Ohio) (9/10) came via junior tight end Dylan Smith, who caught a 15-yard ball from Chiccitt before racing 64 yards to the one-yard line of the RedHawks. Three plays later running back Anthony Purge plunged up the middle for two yards and a touchdown that gave the Colonials a 7-3 lead.
 
- A total of five Colonials were named to the 2022 Big South Preseason All-Conference Team, which came as part of Big South Media Day presented by Buy1.com, held at the Charlotte Marriott SouthPark Hotel. Named to the 2022 Preseason All-Big South First Team was defensive back Sydney Audiger, offensive lineman Hayden Baron, running back Alijah Jackson and defensive lineman Rico Watson. In addition, linebacker Jamar Shegog was tabbed 2022 Preseason All-Big South Honorable Mention.
 
- As part of Big South Media Day presented by Buy1.com, RMU was picked to finish sixth in the league in 2022. The Colonials posted an overall record of 4-6 (.400) in 2022, including a 4-1 (.800) mark at Joe Walton Stadium, and tied for third in the league standings. North Carolina A&T was selected as the 2022 preseason favorite in the Big South.
 
- RMU heads back out on the road after hosting the Buccaneers, traveling to Dover, Del., for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff against Delaware State Saturday, Oct. 1.

EAST TENNESSEE STATE LINKS
- RMU Two-Deep
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
- Tickets
 
The All-Time Series (East Tennessee State) – Saturday marks the third game in the all-time series between RMU and East Tennessee State, with the two programs having split the previous two meetings. The Colonials posted a 21-9 win over the Buccaneers Nov. 7, 2015, at Joe Walton Stadium before ETSU earned a 16-3 win over RMU at William B. Greene Stadium Oct. 7, 2017. In the victory over East Tennessee State at the Joe, former wide receiver Kyle Buss (2015-16) finished with nine catches for 138 yards and a touchdown.
 
Rico Suave – Defensive lineman Rico Watson has been a consistent presence for the Colonials on the defensive line during his time at RMU, and he'll be an anchor for the defense in 2022. Named to the 2022 Preseason All-Big South First Team, Watson finished third in the Big South in sacks with eight last year, including seven solo. He also finished with 36 tackles, including 26 of the solo variety, while notching a forced fumble and an interception. In the first two contests of the 2022 campaign, Watson has recorded four takedowns, including three solo.
 
Dynamic Duo – Linebackers Joe Casale and Amauri Floyd, each of who have earned their first career starts at RMU this season, have shined in the early going for the Colonials in the middle of the defense. Combined, the duo has racked up 43 tackles, including 23 from Casale, who also leads RMU in solo takedowns (15). Both Casale and Floyd have registered double digits in tackles in each of the first two games of the 2022 campaign for the Colonials. Casale, a transfer from UAlbany who recorded 64 tackles in 32 games with the Great Danes, is now 13 stops shy of 100 for his career. Floyd, meanwhile, entered the 2022 season with 11 tackles to his credit over the last two seasons and almost doubled his career total in the first two games of the year.
 
The Backfield – Fifth-year Alijah Jackson will be a key component for the offense in 2022 as well as a veteran presence for the unit. In 33 career games, Jackson has amassed 2,435 yards rushing on 556 attempts, an average of 4.38 yards per carry. He ranks fifth all-time in rushing yards and is looking to become just the third student-athlete in program history to eclipse 3,000 yards on the ground. All-time leading rusher Myles Russ (2007-10) posted 4,271 yards, while Sam Dorsett (1999-2003) finished with 3,847. Jackson owns eight career 100-yard rushing efforts, with each of his three from the 2021 campaign coming at Joe Walton Stadium. In RMU's season finale last year, a 20-17 overtime triumph over Campbell (11/20) at the Joe, Jackson finished with a season-high 132 yards on 23 attempts.
 
Seven – During the 2021 campaign, a total of seven different receivers caught a touchdown pass for RMU, four of which return for the Colonials in 2022. Fifth-year D'Andre Hicks paced RMU last season in receptions (38) and touchdown catches (5) and in the season opener against the Flyers hauled in four catches for 36 yards. Last season Hicks amassed 362 yards receiving, including nine catches for 79 yards and a touchdown in a 31-24 win over Charleston Southern (10/9) at Joe Walton Stadium.
 
Still On Top – The program's first running back, Tim Hall (1994-95), spent two seasons with the Colonials and during his career rushed for 2,908 yards. He accomplished the feat on 393 carries, an average of 7.40 yards per attempt. That total remains No. 1 in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) record book entering the 2021 season, a span that hits 26 years this fall.

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