Sept. 15, 2010
Complete Game Notes
Game #3 - Dukes to Face First Nationally Ranked FCS Opponent in School History
DUQUESNE (2-0)at No. 11/12 (Sports Network/AFCA) DELAWARE (2-0)
Saturday, Sept. 18 at 6:00 p.m.
Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium (22,000/FieldTurf artificial surface) • Newark, Del.
RADIO: WMNY-AM 1360 with Alex Panormios (play-by-play) & Tad Maurey (color)
STREAMING AUDIO: RedZoneMedia.com or GoDuquesne.com
LIVE VIDEO: www.ums.udel.edu/udlive
LIVE STATS: www.bluehens.com/sportsinfo/livestats/football/xlive.htm
DUKES AT NATIONALLY RANKED DELAWARE: Duquesne (2-0), coming off a dramatic 35-31 win over Pioneer Football League preseason favorite Dayton, hits the road for the first time this season to face nationally ranked Delaware (2-0) on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 6:00 p.m. (WMNY-AM 1360). The Blue Hens, who defeated No. 9 South Daktota State 26-3 on Saturday, are ranked No. 11 by the Sports Network (media) and No. 12 by the AFCA (coaches).
FIRSTS AGAINST THE FIGHTIN' BLUE HENS: This is the first game between Duquesne and Delaware. It is also Duquesne's first game against an active member of the Colonial Athletic Association. Duquesne played both Richmond (in 1937) and Villanova (seven times between 1922 & 1950) prior to the formation of the CAA. This will be DU's first game in the state of Delaware and first against a nationally ranked FCS opponent. Duquesne, competing as a non-scholarship I-AA mid-major at the time, appeared in the Sports Network and then-USA Today/ESPN (coaches) polls for the first - and only - time for two weeks during the 2002 season. The Dukes debuted at No. 24 (TSN) and No. 25 (ESPN) on Nov. 11 and peaking at No. 21 in both polls on Nov. 18 before a season-ending loss to Albany in the ECAC Classic.
IN BIG HOUSES: Tubby Raymond Field at Delaware Stadium, the largest stadium of its kind in Delaware, seats 22,000. In 2009, Delaware averaged over 20,000 fans during the regular season for the 11th straight year, becoming the only team in NCAA FCS football to accomplish that feat. Duquesne has played at two 15,000+ seat venues under head coach Jerry Schmitt. In fact, Schmitt's first two road games at Duquesne were at 52,593-seat Franklin Field (a 41-14 loss to Penn) at Columbia's 17,000-seat Lawrence Wein Stadium (a 23-13 defeat). UD has won 15 of its last 21 home games and is 272-86-4 (.757) in 59 seasons all-time at Delaware Stadium.
LARGEST ROAD CROWDS: Here is a list of the largest crowds Duquesne has played in front of since the program's reinstatement in 1969. DU regularly played before large crowds from the 1930s until the program was disbanded following the 1950 season:
8,672* at Penn Sept. 17, 2005 L 14-41
8,181 at Penn Sept. 20, 2003 L 10-51
8,016 at Robert Morris Oct. 8, 1994 L 6-28
6,972 at Bucknell Sept. 6, 1997 L 16-23
6,478 at Holy Cross Sept. 4, 2004 W 31-7
* - under current head coach Jerry Schmitt
NOTING DELAWARE: Delaware announced in August that it will be coming to Pittsburgh to face Pitt at Heinz Field in 2014 and 2019 ... Delaware has moved up a level to play a FBS opponent five times in eight seasons under head coach K.C. Keeler ... the Blue Hens annually rank among the NCAA leaders in strength of schedule, ranking No. 2 among all FCS schools in 2007 and 2009 and No. 3 in 2008 ... UD quarterback Pat Devlin is on the Watch List for the 2010 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award ... he is the only NCAA Division I FCS player on the list ... Devlin started all 11 games and completed 220 of 344 passes (64 percent) for 2,664 yards and 16 touchdowns (9 INTs) a year ago, his first with the Blue Hens after transfering from Penn State ... Devlin is also one of 20 players on the pre-season Walter Payton Award Watch List (FCS National Player of the Year).
DAYTON LEFTOVERS: Duquesne is now 21-5 in non-conference home games since 1999 ... DU has won three of the past four against Dayton to tie the all-time series at 4-4 ... this is the second 2-0 start for sixth-year head coach Jerry Schmitt who won his first two games as a rookie in 2005 ... quarterback Sean Patterson (Toledo, Ohio/St. John's Jesuit) set new career highs for completions (27), attempts (40), yards (326) and TD passes (3) in being named NEC Offensive Player of the Week ... the sophomore was flawless in the two-minute offense, guiding the Dukes to a TD with no time left at the end of the first half (7 plays, 66 yards in 1:03) and a game-winning touchdown with 21 seconds left (8 plays, 66 yards in 1:03) ... Patterson completed passes to seven different receivers ... senior receiver Connor Dixon (South Park, Pa./South Park) tied his career high with seven catches (for 77 yards) ... Dixon caught a 13-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first half to tie the game at 21-21 ... Akeem Moore (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brentwood) and Dave Williams (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) who missed nine and six games respectively last season due to injury combined for 12 catches for 123 yards (Moore 5-60-1 and Williams 7-63-0) ... senior Nathan Totino (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle) finished with a team-high eight solo tackles ... DU's team-leader in total tackles in each of the past two seasons, Totino has led the Dukes in stops in each of the first two games of 2010 (he had 13 vs. Bucknell) ... sophomore Zach Richert (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) was credited with a half-sack, giving him a team-high 2.0 total on the young season.
BLUE HEN NOTES: Then-No. 16 Delaware moved to 2-0 with an impressive 26-3 home win over No. 9 South Dakota State ... freshman Andrew Pierce led the way with 165 rushing yards for the Blue Hens who ran for 267 of their 400 total yards ... UD picked off three passes and held SDSU to 11 first downs and 25 yards rushing (250 yards overall) ... the 5-11, 200 pound Pierce is the first freshman in Delaware history to rush for 100 yards in his first two games ... UD has intercepted six passes in two games and held opponents without a TD for the last 143 minutes over three games dating back to last season.
OUCH!: Last year, a total of 13 starters missed at least one game due to injury. The list included the following returnees: TE Sean Bunevich (season/injured in preseason), QB/WR Connor Dixon (one game), CB Aaron Fitzpatrick (four games), TE (now OL) Brian Layhue (season/played in the opener), CB Justin Melhado (one game), WR Akeem Moore (season/injured in game two), LB Anthony Rhoades (one game), DL Tyler Scruggs (two games), DL Aldon Sutton (one game), LB Nathan Totino (two games) and WR Dave Williams (season/injured in game five).
WELCOME BACK: Three players who were expected to be the heart-and-soul of the 2009 receiving corps are back after missing significant playing time due to injuries. 2009 Preseason All-NEC tight end Sean Bunevich (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville) saw his season ended before it began with a non-contact knee injury suffered at practice last August 11. Bunevich, who was held out of spring drills while rehabbing, was slowed by a hamstring injury in fall practice. He made his first catch since Oct. 25, 2008 in the opener versus Bucknell and followed that with an emotional eight-yard touchdown catch with 21 seconds left in DU's 35-31 win over Dayton. Promising sophomore receiver Akeem Moore (Pittsburgh, Pa./Brentwood) was sidelined with internal injuries suffered on the first series at Nicholls State last Sept. 12. Moore who started 10 times in the defensive backfield as a freshman, had four catches in two games (20.4 ypc.) prior to the injury. Moore, now back at full strength, has nine catches for 112 yards in 2010. Michigan State transfer Dave Williams (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway), who went down with a shoulder injury in week five last year versus Robert Morris, had four catches for 42 yards including a nine-yard third quarter TD that put the Dukes up 17-10 in the 17-13 DU's opening day win over the Bison. Williams, who was leading the Dukes with 29 catches for 385 yards at the time of last year's injury, leads the team through two games with 11 catches for 105 yards.
