MU-RMU football preview, news from the NEC, and my prediction
Key info from MU football game notes from Greg (I hate the New Orleans Saints) Viscomi (plus my comments):
RMU preview:
Colonials are averaging
196 yards per game, edging out Monmouth by two yards per game. RMU quarterback Erik Cwalinski has completed 60% of his passes this season with 15 touchdowns and almost 1350 yards. Jarvis Powers and Michael Rogers lead the team in receiving yards with 303 and 301 yards per game. Powers has grabbed a team-high 22 balls and scored five touchdowns.
Defense: By the numbers, the RMU defense is one of the best in the country.
The Colonials are third in all of I-AA in pass defense, fourth in total defense,
eighth in sacks and third in passing defense, all categories in which they lead the Northeast conference. Mike Niklos is one of the league leaders in interceptions with three on the season. Linebacker Jeff Rommes leads the team in tackles with 55 total on the season. Defensive End Ray Gensler has 17 tackles for a loss, which is second in the nation while picking up 47 total tackles. Gensler also ranks second in the country in sacks, dropping opposing quarterbacks nine times.
Key stat: • The Hawks have intercepted a league-leading 10 passes this year and the Colonials have thrown a league-high nine interceptions this season.
Also: MU • QB Brian Boland needs just one touchdown pass to become Monmouth’s
all-time leader in career passing touchdowns with 53. CB David Jiles needs one pick for a school record 12th career INT.
David Sinisi carried the ball a season-
high 23 times against Wagner and scored for a seventh game in a row. The school record is nine (Chris Reed).
Joe Migliore was the last Hawk to carrie the ball that many times (30 vs St. Francis, Pa. on 11/13/04)• Junior Chris Kiley caught his first touchdown pass of his career on Saturday, a 40-yarder in the third quarter.
This was announced Thursday by the NEC: The Northeast Conference and Pioneer Football League have changed the selection procedures regarding participating teams and the date of the Gridiron Classic.
The Gridiron Classic, an exempted postseason football game that will match the champions of the two I-AA football conferences, originally was scheduled to be played November 18 at the Northeast Conference champion. However, the date of the 2006 game has been moved to December 2 to provide an opportunity for either league’s regular-season champion to participate in the NCAA I-AA Football Championship if selected as an at-large participant.
In the event the regular season champion of either conference is selected to participate in the NCAA I-AA Football Championship, the two leagues agreed the second-place team from that conference will participate in the Gridiron Classic:
My take: Doubt if any NEC team will get an invite. But San Diego (6-0) of the PL may be a possibility.
Joe Arneth sighting soon? Coach Callahan told me this week the rookie DB from Jackson is very close to playing.
And without further delay: my prediction.
Gave serious thought to picking RMU. But I look for MU secondary to neutralize RMU air game and Colonials don't run the ball well.
Another key factor: RMU came within a whisker of losing to Wagner and MU dominated the Seahawks.
An MU must: MU must keep the RMU sack pack off Boland.
My record: 3-1.
Final: Monmouth 24, RMU 14.
Since I will not be attending the game I will open a blog Friday for anyone who attends to offer first hand comments.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
RMU preview:
Colonials are averaging
196 yards per game, edging out Monmouth by two yards per game. RMU quarterback Erik Cwalinski has completed 60% of his passes this season with 15 touchdowns and almost 1350 yards. Jarvis Powers and Michael Rogers lead the team in receiving yards with 303 and 301 yards per game. Powers has grabbed a team-high 22 balls and scored five touchdowns.
Defense: By the numbers, the RMU defense is one of the best in the country.
The Colonials are third in all of I-AA in pass defense, fourth in total defense,
eighth in sacks and third in passing defense, all categories in which they lead the Northeast conference. Mike Niklos is one of the league leaders in interceptions with three on the season. Linebacker Jeff Rommes leads the team in tackles with 55 total on the season. Defensive End Ray Gensler has 17 tackles for a loss, which is second in the nation while picking up 47 total tackles. Gensler also ranks second in the country in sacks, dropping opposing quarterbacks nine times.
Key stat: • The Hawks have intercepted a league-leading 10 passes this year and the Colonials have thrown a league-high nine interceptions this season.
Also: MU • QB Brian Boland needs just one touchdown pass to become Monmouth’s
all-time leader in career passing touchdowns with 53. CB David Jiles needs one pick for a school record 12th career INT.
David Sinisi carried the ball a season-
high 23 times against Wagner and scored for a seventh game in a row. The school record is nine (Chris Reed).
Joe Migliore was the last Hawk to carrie the ball that many times (30 vs St. Francis, Pa. on 11/13/04)• Junior Chris Kiley caught his first touchdown pass of his career on Saturday, a 40-yarder in the third quarter.
This was announced Thursday by the NEC: The Northeast Conference and Pioneer Football League have changed the selection procedures regarding participating teams and the date of the Gridiron Classic.
The Gridiron Classic, an exempted postseason football game that will match the champions of the two I-AA football conferences, originally was scheduled to be played November 18 at the Northeast Conference champion. However, the date of the 2006 game has been moved to December 2 to provide an opportunity for either league’s regular-season champion to participate in the NCAA I-AA Football Championship if selected as an at-large participant.
In the event the regular season champion of either conference is selected to participate in the NCAA I-AA Football Championship, the two leagues agreed the second-place team from that conference will participate in the Gridiron Classic:
My take: Doubt if any NEC team will get an invite. But San Diego (6-0) of the PL may be a possibility.
Joe Arneth sighting soon? Coach Callahan told me this week the rookie DB from Jackson is very close to playing.
And without further delay: my prediction.
Gave serious thought to picking RMU. But I look for MU secondary to neutralize RMU air game and Colonials don't run the ball well.
Another key factor: RMU came within a whisker of losing to Wagner and MU dominated the Seahawks.
An MU must: MU must keep the RMU sack pack off Boland.
My record: 3-1.
Final: Monmouth 24, RMU 14.
Since I will not be attending the game I will open a blog Friday for anyone who attends to offer first hand comments.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
posted by Tony Graham at 9:11 PM
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