Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Appalachian State loses starting defensive back
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Appalachian State defensive back Doug
Middleton will miss the rest of the season due to an ankle injury he suffered in
Saturday's season-opening loss against East Carolina.
Middleton played in all 12 games last season as a freshman, starting two
games at free safety. Before injuring his ankle, he had five tackles and
returned a kickoff 29 yards versus ECU.
The sophomore, from Winston-Salem, N.C., will apply for a medical redshirt,
which most likely will be granted and should have three years of eligibility
remaining.
The Mountaineers must also deal with a hand injury to Rod Chisholm, a senior
who made his first start at running back on Saturday. Chisholm is expected to
miss four to six weeks.
09/04 14:02:45 ET
Monday, September 3, 2012
East Carolina Pulls Away Late in Season Opener in Greenville, Downs Mountaineers 35-13
Sept. 3, 2012. GREENVILLE, N.C. — Appalachian State University trailed East Carolina by just one point late in the third quarter but an array of miscues and the sweltering weather took their toll on the Mountaineers down the stretch in a 35-13 loss in Saturday’s season opener at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
Appalachian State (0-1) racked up 419 yards of offense — including 300 passing yards by junior quarterback Jamal Jackson (Atlanta, Ga./North Atlanta)— but surrendered touchdowns on a fumble and kickoff return, allowed a long punt return that set up another score, turned the ball over three times and was penalized 11 times for 100 yards in the hard-fought loss.
The Mountaineers trailed just 14-13 with 2:35 to go in the third quarter after Drew Stewart (Gastonia, N.C./North Gaston) made his second field goal of the day from 41 yards out. However, East Carolina’s Lance Ray returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a game-changing touchdown and Conference USA’s Pirates used their superior depth to wear down the Apps from there.
Appalachian held a commanding 332-242 advantage in total yardage through three quarters but was outgained 148-87 in the final period and ECU tacked on a pair of fourth-quarter scores to account for the deceiving final margin.
Things couldn’t have started out much better for the Mountaineers, who have been slow out of the gates in recent season openers. Troy Sanders (Chester, S.C./Chester) intercepted ECU quarterback Rio Johnson on the first series of the ballgame. Appalachian took over on its own 42 and marched 58 yards in 10 plays, capped by a four-yard touchdown run by Jackson that gave the Apps a 7-0 lead. Jackson almost did it all on the 10-play drive, completing 5-of-5 passes for 48 yards and rushing twice for 10 more yards and the score.
Thanks largely to its stifling defense, Appalachian State still led 7-0 early in the second quarter and was approaching ECU territory on its third possession of the game when the C-USA officiating crew ruled that Jackson fumbled at the end of a five-yard run. East Carolina’s Chris Thompson scooped up the loose ball and, with the majority of the players on the field and the 49,023 in attendance believing that Jackson was down, ran to the end zone before officials whistled the play dead. After a lengthy video review, it was ruled that there was not enough evidence to overturn the call on the field and the touchdown stood, tying the contest at 7-7.
Two possessions later, after a 43-yard punt return by Justin Hardy, the Pirates needed to go just 17 yards to take their first lead of the game on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Andrew Bodenheimer.
Despite what could have been a back-breaking turn of events, Appalachian grabbed the momentum back shortly before the intermission. After the Mountaineer defense capped a dominant first half by forcing an ECU three-and-out that ran just 25 seconds off the clock, the offense used terrific catches by Malachi Jones (Roswell, Ga./North Gwinnett) and Tony Washington (High Point, N.C./T.W. Andrews) to march 40 yards in just 38 seconds and Stewart kicked a 26-yard field goal to send the Apps to the locker room trailing 14-10.
Appalachian’s defensive dominance continued well into the third quarter, highlighted by Brandon Grier (Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte) forcing a fumble with a vicious hit on East Carolina running back Michael Dobson that was recovered by Ronald Blair (Greensboro, Ga./Greene County) on the ECU 43 yard line. The turnover, the second of the day forced by the Mountaineer defense, set up the 19-yard drive that culminated with Stewart’s second field goal of the day and brought the Apps within a point of the upset.
Despite battling cramps brought on by the extreme heat and humidity in Greenville, Jackson completed 23-of-40 passes for 300 yards and ran seven times for 34 yards and a touchdown in the gritty loss. Washington hauled in seven of Jackson’s 23 completions for a career-best 102 yards, while Andrew Peacock (Durham, N.C./Northern Durham) and Jones notched 77 and 69 yards, respectively, on five catches each. Steven Miller (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) was one of three Appalachian ball-carriers to notch at least 30 yards on the ground, finishing with 47 yards on 14 carries.
Appalachian’s valiant defensive performance was led by Jeremy Kimbrough (Decatur, Ga./Cedar Grove), who tallied a game-high 13 tackles. Sanders added 10 stops to go along with his interception.
After the gutsy season-opening effort, the sixth-ranked Mountaineers return to Kidd Brewer Stadium next week for the 2012 home opener and perhaps the most anticipated non-conference game in NCAA Division I FCS regular-season history versus No. 11 Montana. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at The Rock and the contest can be seen nationally on ESPN Gameplan and worldwide on ESPN3.
Game notes
Appalachian State’s first-quarter touchdown marked the first time since its historic win at Michigan in 2007 that it scored on its first possession of the season … Sanders’ interception on ECU’s opening series kept Appalachian’s opponent off the scoreboard on the first offensive possession of a season-opener for the first time since 2006 at NC State and also marked the first time since the ‘06 loss at State an FBS opponent failed to score a touchdown on their opening possession against the Mountaineers … ECU’s fumble return for a touchdown was the first against Appalachian since the 2009 NCAA Division I Championship quarterfinals at Richmond … the Pirates’ kickoff return touchdown was the first surrendered by the Mountaineers since the opening kickoff of the second half at James Madison in 2008 … despite its sixth-straight loss to ECU, Appalachian State still holds a 19-12 lead in the all-time series with the Pirates … Appalachian also holds a 33-21 all-time edge against current members of Conference USA … DB Jamill Lott (Kannapolis, N.C./A.L. Brown), WR Sean Price (Reston, Va./South Lakes) and LB Jamal Ware (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) did not participate in Saturday’s game due to a violation of team rules — Coach Jerry Moore said after the game that all three would return to action on Sept. 15 vs. The Citadel.
Appalachian State (0-1) racked up 419 yards of offense — including 300 passing yards by junior quarterback Jamal Jackson (Atlanta, Ga./North Atlanta)— but surrendered touchdowns on a fumble and kickoff return, allowed a long punt return that set up another score, turned the ball over three times and was penalized 11 times for 100 yards in the hard-fought loss.
The Mountaineers trailed just 14-13 with 2:35 to go in the third quarter after Drew Stewart (Gastonia, N.C./North Gaston) made his second field goal of the day from 41 yards out. However, East Carolina’s Lance Ray returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a game-changing touchdown and Conference USA’s Pirates used their superior depth to wear down the Apps from there.
Appalachian held a commanding 332-242 advantage in total yardage through three quarters but was outgained 148-87 in the final period and ECU tacked on a pair of fourth-quarter scores to account for the deceiving final margin.
Things couldn’t have started out much better for the Mountaineers, who have been slow out of the gates in recent season openers. Troy Sanders (Chester, S.C./Chester) intercepted ECU quarterback Rio Johnson on the first series of the ballgame. Appalachian took over on its own 42 and marched 58 yards in 10 plays, capped by a four-yard touchdown run by Jackson that gave the Apps a 7-0 lead. Jackson almost did it all on the 10-play drive, completing 5-of-5 passes for 48 yards and rushing twice for 10 more yards and the score.
Thanks largely to its stifling defense, Appalachian State still led 7-0 early in the second quarter and was approaching ECU territory on its third possession of the game when the C-USA officiating crew ruled that Jackson fumbled at the end of a five-yard run. East Carolina’s Chris Thompson scooped up the loose ball and, with the majority of the players on the field and the 49,023 in attendance believing that Jackson was down, ran to the end zone before officials whistled the play dead. After a lengthy video review, it was ruled that there was not enough evidence to overturn the call on the field and the touchdown stood, tying the contest at 7-7.
Two possessions later, after a 43-yard punt return by Justin Hardy, the Pirates needed to go just 17 yards to take their first lead of the game on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Andrew Bodenheimer.
Despite what could have been a back-breaking turn of events, Appalachian grabbed the momentum back shortly before the intermission. After the Mountaineer defense capped a dominant first half by forcing an ECU three-and-out that ran just 25 seconds off the clock, the offense used terrific catches by Malachi Jones (Roswell, Ga./North Gwinnett) and Tony Washington (High Point, N.C./T.W. Andrews) to march 40 yards in just 38 seconds and Stewart kicked a 26-yard field goal to send the Apps to the locker room trailing 14-10.
Appalachian’s defensive dominance continued well into the third quarter, highlighted by Brandon Grier (Charlotte, N.C./West Charlotte) forcing a fumble with a vicious hit on East Carolina running back Michael Dobson that was recovered by Ronald Blair (Greensboro, Ga./Greene County) on the ECU 43 yard line. The turnover, the second of the day forced by the Mountaineer defense, set up the 19-yard drive that culminated with Stewart’s second field goal of the day and brought the Apps within a point of the upset.
Despite battling cramps brought on by the extreme heat and humidity in Greenville, Jackson completed 23-of-40 passes for 300 yards and ran seven times for 34 yards and a touchdown in the gritty loss. Washington hauled in seven of Jackson’s 23 completions for a career-best 102 yards, while Andrew Peacock (Durham, N.C./Northern Durham) and Jones notched 77 and 69 yards, respectively, on five catches each. Steven Miller (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) was one of three Appalachian ball-carriers to notch at least 30 yards on the ground, finishing with 47 yards on 14 carries.
Appalachian’s valiant defensive performance was led by Jeremy Kimbrough (Decatur, Ga./Cedar Grove), who tallied a game-high 13 tackles. Sanders added 10 stops to go along with his interception.
After the gutsy season-opening effort, the sixth-ranked Mountaineers return to Kidd Brewer Stadium next week for the 2012 home opener and perhaps the most anticipated non-conference game in NCAA Division I FCS regular-season history versus No. 11 Montana. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at The Rock and the contest can be seen nationally on ESPN Gameplan and worldwide on ESPN3.
Game notes
Appalachian State’s first-quarter touchdown marked the first time since its historic win at Michigan in 2007 that it scored on its first possession of the season … Sanders’ interception on ECU’s opening series kept Appalachian’s opponent off the scoreboard on the first offensive possession of a season-opener for the first time since 2006 at NC State and also marked the first time since the ‘06 loss at State an FBS opponent failed to score a touchdown on their opening possession against the Mountaineers … ECU’s fumble return for a touchdown was the first against Appalachian since the 2009 NCAA Division I Championship quarterfinals at Richmond … the Pirates’ kickoff return touchdown was the first surrendered by the Mountaineers since the opening kickoff of the second half at James Madison in 2008 … despite its sixth-straight loss to ECU, Appalachian State still holds a 19-12 lead in the all-time series with the Pirates … Appalachian also holds a 33-21 all-time edge against current members of Conference USA … DB Jamill Lott (Kannapolis, N.C./A.L. Brown), WR Sean Price (Reston, Va./South Lakes) and LB Jamal Ware (Tyrone, Ga./Sandy Creek) did not participate in Saturday’s game due to a violation of team rules — Coach Jerry Moore said after the game that all three would return to action on Sept. 15 vs. The Citadel.
Rising in the Missouri Valley, Youngstown State is No. 6
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - 09/03 13:13:54 ET The ranked teams in the Missouri Valley
Football Conference performed so well this past weekend that Northern Iowa lost
its game but still rose in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 on Monday.
It didn't hurt that the Panthers put a scare into reigning Big Ten champion
Wisconsin during the opening weekend of college football.
And the biggest move in the Top 25 belonged to Youngstown State, which moved
up seven spots to No. 6 on the heels of its 31-17 triumph at Pittsburgh - the
Missouri Valley's first win against a Big East school.
Along with No. 2 North Dakota State, which opened defense of its 2011 FCS
national title with a 52-0 rout of Robert Morris, and No. 8 Northern Iowa, which
fell at Wisconsin, 26-21, the Missouri Valley has three teams among the top
eight in the poll.
Overall, the Missouri Valley has five teams in the Top 25 - one fewer than
CAA Football. Illinois State moved up one spot to No. 18 after beating Dayton,
56-14, while Indiana State remained at No. 23 following a 24-17 loss at Big Ten
member Indiana.
The top five teams in the poll were unchanged from the preseason poll, each
representing a different conference.
No. 1 Sam Houston State was the lone team in that group to have a bye in Week
1. The Bearkats, who lost to North Dakota State in the national championship
game last season, received 87 of 164 first-place votes and 3,985 points to hold
onto the top spot.
The defending Southland Conference champions will open their season on
Saturday by hosting Incarnate Word.
After North Dakota State (1-0) remained at No. 2, Georgia Southern (1-0) was
at No. 3 following a 58-0 victory over Jacksonville. Then it was No. 4 Montana
State (1-0), which beat Chadron State, 33-6, and No. 5 James Madison (1-0),
which handled St. Francis (Pa.), 55-7.
No. 6 Youngstown State (1-0), which received seven first-place votes in
Monday's poll, never trailed in its win over Pittsburgh. Kurt Hess threw for two
touchdowns and Andre Stubbs rushed for one and caught one.
The Penguins won four FCS (then Division I-AA) national championship during
the 1990s, and Monday's ranking was their highest since they were No. 6 in the
Sept. 10, 2007 poll.
"We've got to move on. We've got bigger fish to fry. And that's what we're
measured by," coach Eric Wolford said after the win over Pittsburgh.
Old Dominion (1-0) was ranked No. 7, followed by No. 8 Northern Iowa (0-1);
No. 9 Eastern Washington (1-0), which impressed with a 20-3 win at Western
Athletic Conference member Idaho; and No. 10 Wofford (1-0).
Next up were No. 11 Appalachian State (0-1) and No. 12 Montana (1-0), two
perennial national powers who will meet in the regular season for the first time
Saturday in Boone, N.C.
They were followed by No. 13 Towson (0-1), No. 14 New Hampshire (1-0), No. 15
Delaware (1-0), No. 16 Lehigh (1-0), No. 17 Stony Brook (1-0), No. 18 Illinois
State (1-0), No. 19 Stephen F. Austin (1-0) and No. 20 Maine, which will begin
its season Saturday at Boston College.
Rounding out the Top 25 were No. 21 Eastern Kentucky (0-1); No. 22 McNeese
State (1-0), which moved into the ranking after posting a 27-21 win at Sun Belt
Conference member Middle Tennessee; No. 23 Indiana State (0-1); No. 24
Jacksonville State (0-1); and No. 25 Central Arkansas (0-1).
UT Martin, the fourth and final FCS team to beat an FBS school this past
weekend - 20-17 over Conference USA member Memphis - collected the third-most
votes outside the Top 25.
A national panel of sports information and media relations directors,
broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the Top 25. A first-place
vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one
point for a 25th-place vote.
During the regular season, the Top 25 will be released every Monday
afternoon, except for the final weekend of the regular season, when it will be
released Sunday morning, Nov. 18, prior to the selection of the FCS playoff
field.
The Sports Network will release a final Top 25 following the FCS championship
game, which will be held Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.
| The Sports Network FCS Top 25 | ||||||
| College Football Poll | ||||||
| Team (First-place votes) | 2012 Record | Points | Previous Rank | |||
| 1. | Sam Houston State Bearkats (87) | 0-0 | 3985 | 1 | ||
| 2. | North Dakota State Bison (65) | 1-0 | 3947 | 2 | ||
| 3. | Georgia Southern Eagles (4) | 1-0 | 3651 | 3 | ||
| 4. | Montana State Bobcats (1) | 1-0 | 3457 | 4 | ||
| 5. | James Madison Dukes | 1-0 | 3269 | 5 | ||
| 6. | Youngstown State Penguins (7) | 1-0 | 2988 | 13 | ||
| 7. | Old Dominion Monarchs | 1-0 | 2842 | 8 | ||
| 8. | Northern Iowa Panthers | 0-1 | 2727 | 9 | ||
| 9. | Eastern Washington Eagles | 1-0 | 2505 | 12 | ||
| 10. | Wofford Terriers | 1-0 | 2488 | 10 | ||
| 11. | Appalachian State Mountaineers | 0-1 | 2484 | 6 | ||
| 12. | Montana Grizzlies | 1-0 | 2240 | 11 | ||
| 13. | Towson Tigers | 0-1 | 2236 | 7 | ||
| 14. | New Hampshire Wildcats | 1-0 | 2063 | 14 | ||
| 15. | Delaware Blue Hens | 1-0 | 1779 | 15 | ||
| 16. | Lehigh Mountain Hawks | 1-0 | 1530 | 16 | ||
| 17. | Stony Brook Seawolves | 1-0 | 1484 | 17 | ||
| 18. | Illinois State Redbirds | 1-0 | 1229 | 19 | ||
| 19. | Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks | 1-0 | 1082 | 20 | ||
| 20. | Maine Black Bears | 0-0 | 743 | 21 | ||
| 21. | Eastern Kentucky Colonels | 0-1 | 689 | 18 | ||
| 22. | McNeese State Cowboys | 1-0 | 594 | NR | ||
| 23. | Indiana State Sycamores | 0-1 | 531 | 23 | ||
| 24. | Jacksonville State Gamecocks | 0-1 | 443 | 22 | ||
| 25. | Central Arkansas Bears | 0-1 | 356 | 24 | ||
| Others receiving votes: Harvard 327, Liberty 213, UT Martin 173, South Carolina State 169, William & Mary 168, Norfolk State 146, Bethune-Cookman 134, Cal Poly 84, Chattanooga 76, Tennessee Tech 52, Eatern Illinois 48, Northern Arizona 43, North Dakota 43, Murray State 40, Albany 38, Portland State 34, South Dakota State 34, Penn 17, Samford 17, Alabama State 16, Tennessee State 16, Dayton 12, Morgan State 9, SE Missouri State 8, Idaho State 7, Southern Utah 7, Duquesne 7, Richmond 5, Georgetown 4, Furman 4, Alabama A&M 3, Alcorn State 3, Jackson State 3, Villanova 2, The Citadel 2, Cornell 2, San Diego 2, Western Illinois 1, Drake 1, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1, UC Davis 1. The Sports Network FCS Top 25 Voters - The Sports Network: Aaron Corrill; Craig Haley; Tim McDonnell; Phil Sokol; Kevin Spiegel. Big Sky Conference: Brian Berger; Brad Bugger; Eric Burdick; Dave Cook Neil Gardner; Matt Gerrish; Paul Grua; Jeremy Hoeck; Mick Holien; Jon Kasper; Doug Kelly; Heather Kennedy; Bill Lamberty; Jeff Lasky; Mike Lund; Scott Marsh; Fritz Neighbor; Ryan Powell; Mike Robles; Steve Schaack; Randy Scovil; Steve Shaff; Mitch Strohman. Big South: Zeke Beam; Wade Branner; Mike Cawood; Matthew Clark; Adam Gutes; Matt Hogue; Chris Lang; Marc Rabb; Mark Simpson; Eric Thacker; Todd Wetmore; Simon Whitaker; Alan York. CAA Football: Ted Alexander; Scott Burns; Pete Clawson; Dave Cohen; Glenn Frazer; Dean Kenefick; Allen Lessels; Andrew Mahoney; John Martin; Scott Meyer; Mike Murphy; Dan O'Connell; Scott Selheimer; Mike Stoss; Kevin Tresolini; Kimberly Zivkovich. Ivy League: Rick Bender; Eric Dolan; Jeremy Hartigan; Chris Humm; Craig Larson; Dan Loney; Craig Sachson; Kurt Svoboda; Ron Vaccaro. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Thomas Grant; Bill Hamilton; Ed Hill Jr.; Brian Holloway; Chris Hooks; Ronnie Johnson; Dennis Jones; Matt Michalec; Patricia Porter; Dan Ryan; Michael Stambaugh; Maurice Williams; Brent Woronoff. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Bryan Boettcher, John Bohnenkamp; Scott Gierman; Todd Golden; Jeremy Hoeck; Jason Hove; Todd Hefferman; Ace Hunt; Mike Kern; Rick Kindhart; Jeff Kolpack; Colin McDonough; Tyler Merriam; Patrick Osterman; Trevor Parks; Randy Reinhardt; Jeff Schwartz; Mike Williams; Terry Vandrovec. Northeast Conference: Lizzie Barlow; Matt Harmon; Spencer Kowitz; Andrew Santillo; Chris Shovlin; Jason Sullivan; Jeff Symonds; Ralph Ventre; Greg Viscomi. Ohio Valley Conference: Neal Bradley; John Brush; Michael Clark; Wallace Dooley; Jeff Honza; James Horne; Brad Kirtley; Travis Kriens; Joe Lofaro; Rich Moser: Brian Nielsen: Karl Park: Mike Parris: Rob Schabert: Kyle Schwartz: Greg Seitz. Patriot League: Charles Bare; Bill Bowman; Joe DiBari; Matt Dougherty; Keith Groller; Phil LaBella; Steve Lomangino; Eric Malanowski; Matt Markus. Pioneer Football League: Ty Patton, Mark Brumbaugh; Cody Bush; Jack Cronin; Mike Ferraro; Ted Gosen; Doug Hauschild; James Nasella; Terry Norvelle; Paul Oren; Matt Schabert; Matt Segal; Jason Williams; Ryan Wronkowicz. Southern Conference: Jay Blackman; Tommy Bowman; Mike Flynn; Barrett Gilham; Don Heath; Mike Hoffman; David Jackson; Joey Mullins; Tyler Norris Goode; Chris Rash; Hunter Reid; Todd Shanesy; Adam Smith; Brent Williamson. Southland Conference: Jason Barfield; Louis Bonnette; Matthew Bonnette; Jamie Bustos; Erik Cox; James Dixon; Kevin Gore; Alex Hickey; Doug Ireland; Todd Lamb; David McCollum; Brent St. Germain; Gene Shallenberg; Matt Sullivan. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Antoine Bell; Santoria Black; Rodney Bush; Natalie Hicks; Chris Jones; Duane Lewis; Leonard Moon; Edrin Nicholson; Wesley Peterson; Brandon Willis. Other Representatives: Rolf Bertulies; Brian Brennan; Josh Buchanan; Jim Seman. | ||||||
Moore, Nguyen rush for 250 yards in 35-24 win
Sept. 1, 2012
Final Stats | Photo Gallery
| Video Highlights
The University of Montana Grizzlies' two senior running backs rushed for more than 100 yards each, as the 10th/11th-ranked host Grizzlies defeated the University of South Dakota Coyotes 35-24 in the season opener for the teams Saturday afternoon in front of 25,156 partisan fans in UM's Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
Dan Moore had career-highs of 27 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown, while fellow UM senior halfback Peter Nguyenhad 10 totes for 192 yards and a score. The Grizzlies picked up a school-record 34 first downs in the win.
The Grizzlies (1-0) dominated the Coyotes in total yards (568 to 233) and first downs (34 to 9), but found themselves in an eight point (24-16) deficit mid-way through the third quarter.
Montana led 16-10 at halftime, but the Coyotes, coached by former (2000-02) Griz mentor Joe Glenn, scored back-to-back touchdowns in a little more than a minute to take a 24-16 lead at the 9:47 mark of the third stanza.
On its first play of the third period quarterback Josh Vander Maten hit fellow sophomore Terrance Terry for an 80-yard downtown bomb, giving USD a 17-16 edge. Just a few plays later safety Charlie Goro picked off a Trent McKinneypass and returned it 50 yards for another score to give the visitors the 24-16 advantage.
The Grizzlies quickly regained the momentum, though with a bit of trickery, as on the their next series senior tight end Greg Hardy connected with senior wide receiver Bryce Carverfor a 39-yard touchdown, and UM cut the USD lead to 24-22 with 7:11 left in the third.
Two series after Hardy's first career pass attempt and subsequent TD, the Grizzlies scored back-to-back touchdowns thanks to two straight USD turnovers.
The first USD mistake came when junior linebacker John Kanongata'apicked off a Vander Maten pass and the Griz took possession of the ball on the Coyotes' 34-yard line. Two runs by Nguyen picked up 20 yards, and then after that Moore broke free for a 14-yard scoring jaunt, and Montana led 28-24 with 4:49 remaining in the third stanza and would lead the rest of the way.
The Griz added an insurance score when sophomore defensive end Tonga Takairecovered a Coyote fumble on the USD 13-yard line. Three plays later Nguyen scored on a 3-yard run with 3:25 left in the third, in what proved to be the final points of the game.
Montana took an early 10-0 lead on a 21-yard field goal by redshirt freshman kicker Chris Lider and a 4-yard scoring pass from McKinney to senior wide receiver Sam Gratton. USD then cut the UM lead to 10-3 on a field goal by Kevin Robb with 10:33 left in the second quarter.
The Griz took a 16-3 lead on an 18-yard scoring strike from McKinney to junior wide receiver Cam Warren(his first career TD) with 6:08 left until intermission. An 8-yard Vander Maten to Terry pass made it 16-10 Grizzlies at the break.
The USD pick for a touchdown was one of the few mistakes that McKinney, a redshirt freshman in his first start, would make in the contest. The 6-0, 205-pounder from Mililani, Hawaii, was 26-of-32-1 (81.3%) for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and he also rushed 13 times for 65 yards.
Gratton and sophomore wide-out Sean Hayneshad a game-high 5 receptions each, while Carver and Nguyen had 4 grabs each. Warren had 3 grabs for 41 yards and a score.
The Griz racked up 315 yards rushing on 64 carries; ran 98 plays; had a 11-minute (35:57 to 23:03) edge in time of possession, to go along with their single-game record of 34 total first downs.
Junior linebacker Jordan Tripp led the Griz defense with 10 tackles, and also had a sack and a forced fumble. Kanongata'a added 8 stops, while senior linebacker Josh Stubergadded 6 tackles. UM's "D" held USD to 233 total yards (61 rushing) and 9 first downs.
Vander Maten was 12-of-19-1 for 172 yards and two TDs. USD sophomore linebacker Kyle Guziec had a game-high 15 tackles.
Montana plays sixth-ranked Appalachian State next Saturday, Sept. 8, in a 4:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) game in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers lost 35-13 at FBS member East Carolina today (Sept. 1) in front of 49,023 fans, but ASU and out-gained ECU 419 to 390 in total offense.
USD hosts Colgate on Sept. 8.
Final Stats | Photo Gallery
| Video Highlights The University of Montana Grizzlies' two senior running backs rushed for more than 100 yards each, as the 10th/11th-ranked host Grizzlies defeated the University of South Dakota Coyotes 35-24 in the season opener for the teams Saturday afternoon in front of 25,156 partisan fans in UM's Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
Dan Moore had career-highs of 27 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown, while fellow UM senior halfback Peter Nguyenhad 10 totes for 192 yards and a score. The Grizzlies picked up a school-record 34 first downs in the win.
The Grizzlies (1-0) dominated the Coyotes in total yards (568 to 233) and first downs (34 to 9), but found themselves in an eight point (24-16) deficit mid-way through the third quarter.
Montana led 16-10 at halftime, but the Coyotes, coached by former (2000-02) Griz mentor Joe Glenn, scored back-to-back touchdowns in a little more than a minute to take a 24-16 lead at the 9:47 mark of the third stanza.
On its first play of the third period quarterback Josh Vander Maten hit fellow sophomore Terrance Terry for an 80-yard downtown bomb, giving USD a 17-16 edge. Just a few plays later safety Charlie Goro picked off a Trent McKinneypass and returned it 50 yards for another score to give the visitors the 24-16 advantage.
The Grizzlies quickly regained the momentum, though with a bit of trickery, as on the their next series senior tight end Greg Hardy connected with senior wide receiver Bryce Carverfor a 39-yard touchdown, and UM cut the USD lead to 24-22 with 7:11 left in the third.
Two series after Hardy's first career pass attempt and subsequent TD, the Grizzlies scored back-to-back touchdowns thanks to two straight USD turnovers.
The first USD mistake came when junior linebacker John Kanongata'apicked off a Vander Maten pass and the Griz took possession of the ball on the Coyotes' 34-yard line. Two runs by Nguyen picked up 20 yards, and then after that Moore broke free for a 14-yard scoring jaunt, and Montana led 28-24 with 4:49 remaining in the third stanza and would lead the rest of the way.
The Griz added an insurance score when sophomore defensive end Tonga Takairecovered a Coyote fumble on the USD 13-yard line. Three plays later Nguyen scored on a 3-yard run with 3:25 left in the third, in what proved to be the final points of the game.
Montana took an early 10-0 lead on a 21-yard field goal by redshirt freshman kicker Chris Lider and a 4-yard scoring pass from McKinney to senior wide receiver Sam Gratton. USD then cut the UM lead to 10-3 on a field goal by Kevin Robb with 10:33 left in the second quarter.
The Griz took a 16-3 lead on an 18-yard scoring strike from McKinney to junior wide receiver Cam Warren(his first career TD) with 6:08 left until intermission. An 8-yard Vander Maten to Terry pass made it 16-10 Grizzlies at the break.
The USD pick for a touchdown was one of the few mistakes that McKinney, a redshirt freshman in his first start, would make in the contest. The 6-0, 205-pounder from Mililani, Hawaii, was 26-of-32-1 (81.3%) for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and he also rushed 13 times for 65 yards.
Gratton and sophomore wide-out Sean Hayneshad a game-high 5 receptions each, while Carver and Nguyen had 4 grabs each. Warren had 3 grabs for 41 yards and a score.
The Griz racked up 315 yards rushing on 64 carries; ran 98 plays; had a 11-minute (35:57 to 23:03) edge in time of possession, to go along with their single-game record of 34 total first downs.
Junior linebacker Jordan Tripp led the Griz defense with 10 tackles, and also had a sack and a forced fumble. Kanongata'a added 8 stops, while senior linebacker Josh Stubergadded 6 tackles. UM's "D" held USD to 233 total yards (61 rushing) and 9 first downs.
Vander Maten was 12-of-19-1 for 172 yards and two TDs. USD sophomore linebacker Kyle Guziec had a game-high 15 tackles.
Montana plays sixth-ranked Appalachian State next Saturday, Sept. 8, in a 4:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) game in Boone, North Carolina. The Mountaineers lost 35-13 at FBS member East Carolina today (Sept. 1) in front of 49,023 fans, but ASU and out-gained ECU 419 to 390 in total offense.
USD hosts Colgate on Sept. 8.
2012 Big Sky Conference Football Standings
| School | Conf | Pct | Overall | Home | Away | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | W1 |
| Eastern Washington | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-0 | W1 |
| Montana | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | W1 |
| Montana State | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | W1 |
| North Dakota | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | W1 |
| Portland State | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | W1 |
| UC Davis | 0-0 | 0.000 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | W1 |
| Idaho State | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | L1 |
| Northern Arizona | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | L1 |
| Northern Colorado | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | L1 |
| Sacramento State | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | L1 |
| Southern Utah | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | L1 |
| Weber State | 0-0 | 0.000 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | L1 |
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Mick Delaney Football Coaches radio show debuts Tuesday, August 28th
Aug. 28, 2012The Mick Delaney Grizzly Football Coaches Show, which airs on the radio every Tuesday during the season, will have its first show of the 2012 season on Tuesday, August 28. It runs from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on the Grizzlies' flagship stations, Missoula's KGVO-AM (1290) and KVWE-FM (101.5).The show can also be heard on most of the 16-station The Grizzly Football Network, which blankets the entire state of Montana.The show is hosted by Mick Holien, the 20-year "Voice of the Grizzlies" along with the UM's two radio color commentators, Scott Gurnsey and Greg Sundberg.The show features insight from the head coach, player interviews, a scouting report on the upcoming opponent, and fans can call in and ask Coach Delaney questions as well.It is broadcast live from Paradise Falls, located at 3621 Brooks Street in Missoula.2012 Grizzly Football Radio NetworkAnaconda/Deer Lodge: KQRV-FM 96.9Billings: KYSX-FM 105.1Butte: KQRV-FM 99.3Glasgow: KTTZ-AM 1240Great Falls: KXGF-AM 1400& 98.3 FMHelena: KCAP-AM 1340Kalispell: KOFI-AM 1180Lewistown : KXLO-AM 1230Miles City: KMTA-AM 1050Missoula: KGVO-AM 1290 & 101.5 FM (Flagship)Plentywood: KATQ-AM 100.1 & 101.1 FMPolson: KERR-AM 750Ronan: KERR-FM 93.9
In the FCS Huddle: FCS more like FC-yes
By Craig Haley, FCS Executive Director
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The "identity crisis" in the Football
Championship Subdivision might be overstated.
After Week 1 of the new season, plenty of people across the nation know just
who plays under the old Division I-AA umbrella, even if the FCS moniker gets
renamed in the future.
Four FCS teams opening their season with an upset of FBS competition is an
eye-catching total.
Maybe they can call the FCS the FC-yes.
McNeese State beat Middle Tennessee, 27-21, and Eastern Washington handled
Idaho, 20-3, on Thursday night, and Youngstown State defeated Pittsburgh, 31-17,
and UT Martin slipped past Memphis, 20-17, on Saturday.
None of the four teams was picked to win its conference title, but each can
be a factor if it can sustain the early high level of play. That hasn't been
easy, however, for many of the teams that upset FBS competition in recent
seasons.
Youngstown State's win was particularly rewarding because it showed the
Penguins can put the results behind the high expectations surrounding their
team.
Eastern Washington, the 2010 FCS national champion, appears back on track
after a disappointing, injury-plagued season a year ago, and new gunslinger Kyle
Padron has his share of wide receiver talent.
McNeese State didn't get Tyrann Mathieu from LSU, but it has its own dynamic
defensive back in safety Malcolm Bronson.
UT Martin's offense can be scary good at times, and with a new defensive
coordinator, the Skyhawks hope to match up on that side of the ball.
All four teams went 6-5 or 5-6 last season, but returned an influential
amount of starters, so better seasons clearly are in the works.
The way the four come back to action next Saturday is quite a contrast.
Eastern Washington (Washington State) and UT Martin (Northern Illinois) take on
more FBS competition, while McNeese State hosts a Division III school (McMurry)
and Youngstown plays a non-scholarship school (Valparaiso) that has lost 33 of
its last 35 games.
TOP 25 SCOREBOARD
A recap of games in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 can be found at
http://tinyurl.com/9cxo47y.
STOCK RISING, STOCK FALLING
Rising: First-year coach Dino Babers' passing attack at Eastern Illinois was
in full flight with seven touchdown passes in a 49-28 win over rival Southern
Illinois. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 369 yards and five touchdowns with no
interceptions, while Erik Lora caught two touchdowns and threw for one.
Falling: The Walter Payton Award candidacy of Elon wide receiver Aaron
Mellette and Southern Utah quarterback Brad Sorensen - perhaps the FCS' top
senior prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft - took a hit. Elon was embarrassed by
North Carolina, 62-0, and the record-setting Mellette caught only two passes for
nine yards. Sorensen was 12-of-31 for 153 yards and one interception in a 34-3
loss at Utah State.
AROUND THE NATION
Big Sky: New quarterback Trent McKinley was up to the task in his first
career start, a 35-24 rally past South Dakota. McKinley completed 26-of-32
passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. The Hawaiian also
rushed for 65 yards on 13 carries.
Big South: 2012 NFL Draft choice Josh Norman returned to Coastal Carolina to
watch Saturday's 29-13 Chanticleers win over North Carolina A&T. He saw
senior cornerback Dontavais Johnson tie his school record of three interceptions
in a game (Norman's brother Marrio also shares the CCU single-game record with
three picks) ... Brian Hudson appeared to solidify the quarterback position
during Liberty's 20-17 loss at Wake Forest. That's welcome news for new coach
Turner Gill.
CAA Football: The near-miss of Week 1 was William & Mary's 7-6 loss at
FBS Maryland. The host Terps needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to avoid the
upset ... Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco didn't treat his uncle, new
Richmond coach Danny Rocco, so well while throwing for 311 yards and a touchdown
in the Cavaliers' 43-19 win over the Spiders, who have lost nine straight games
... Andrew Pierce became the first Delaware junior to surpass 3,000 career
rushing yards. He has 3,020 after a 41-21 win over West Chester.
Ivy: Cornell's Shane Savage, Kurt Ondash and Luke Tasher ranked 1-2-3 in
receiving yards per game last season, and all three return for quarterback Jeff
Mathews. All Ivy teams open their campaign on Sept. 15.
MEAC: Few endings were more exciting than Morgan State outlasting Sacred
Heart, 30-27, in four overtimes. Ervin Gonzalez's 20-yard field goal was the
difference ... In Norfolk State's first shutout since 2001 - 24-0 over Virginia
State - the Spartans defense registered 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks and
four takeaways. Senior linebacker Jamal Giddens collected seven tackles, 4.5 for
loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles despite missing much of the second half
due to cramps ... It can't get any worse for Savannah State, can it? After
falling to Oklahoma State, 84-0, the Tigers travel to Florida State next
Saturday.
Missouri Valley: Going back to last year's FCS playoffs, defending national
champion North Dakota State has allowed one touchdown in its last four games ...
South Dakota State's Zach Zenner had a 99-yard touchdown run against Kansas.
Northeast: Wagner shut out Florida Atlantic for three quarters before falling
7-3 in its first-ever game against an FBS school. Dominique Williams rushed for
117 yards on 24 carries and safety Pat O'Connor had 10 tackles and a fumble
recovery in the loss.
Ohio Valley: Florida A&M's Darien Fleming was stopped twice on
quarterback sneaks from the Tennessee State 1-yard line, preserving the Tigers'
17-14 win in the final minute of the John A. Merritt Classic ... Eastern
Kentucky fourth-year starting quarterback T.J. Pryor missed the opener against
Purdue because of a hamstring injury.
Patriot: With a 55-0 shutout of Lock Haven, Fordham became the 15th Division
I school to reach 750 wins and the fifth FCS team to do so ... Don't overlook
Georgetown senior linebacker Robert McCabe, who was tremendous last season and
collected 17 tackles, including three for a loss, in the Hoyas' 35-14 win at
Davidson.
Pioneer: Not to be lost in Marist's 4-7 record last season is the Red Foxes
led the 10-team league in total defense and ranked third in scoring defense.
Coach Jim Parady apparently has another stout unit as it routed Bryant, 35-10,
on the road while limiting Bulldogs running back Jordan Brown (1,815 yards last
season) to 43 yards on 22 carries.
Southern: Samford got a jump-start on the conference race with a 24-21
victory over Furman. Cameron Yaw kicked a game-winning 27-yard field goal with
37 seconds left - the 53rd of his career. Head coach Pat Sullivan, who has been
dealing with a bout of pneumonia, returned to the team, but did not do his
coaching from the sideline ... The FCS' top-three rushing teams of a year ago
came out in force on Saturday. Wofford rushed for 402 yards, Georgia Southern
went for 557 and The Citadel had 479.
Southland: Nicholls' postponed game at Oregon State (travel after Hurricane
Isaac) will be played Dec. 1 depending on the postseason schedule of both teams.
SWAC: The West Division race has taken on an interesting feel with defending
conference champion Grambling State and Prairie View A&M both suffering SWAC
losses to open their campaign ... Arkansas-Pine Bluff beat Langston, 17-14, on
Tyler Strickland's 27-yard field goal with one second remaining.
Extra point: New FCS head coaches combined on a 7-6 record in Week 1.
Columbia's Pete Mangurian and Yale's Tony Reno will make their debuts on Sept.
15.
A LOOK AHEAD
An exciting Week 1 gets an encore next Saturday with many more non-conference
matchups and FCS opportunities against FBS competition.
No game stands out more on than Montana's visit to Appalachian State, which
has the feel of Armageddon considering their program histories and large fan
bases. The two national powers have never met in the regular season, but twice
previously in the FCS playoffs, with Montana winning both times at home (2000
and 2009).
"It's almost like a playoff game, only it's happening the second week of the
season," Montana coach Mick Delaney said.
The FCS-vs.-FBS menu features defending national champion North Dakota State
at Colorado State and New Hampshire at Minnesota. Illinois State has a shot at
Eastern Michigan, while UC Davis returns to San Jose State, where the Aggies won
two years ago.
Other big non-conference games include Central Arkansas at Murray State, Old
Dominion at Hampton, Chattanooga at Jacksonville State, Norfolk State at
Liberty, Montana State at Drake in Bobcats coach Rob Ash's return to the school
where he is the all-time wins leader, and Jackson State vs. Tennessee State in
the Southern Heritage Classic at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tenn.
The inside track to the MEAC title could be gained in the Bethune-Cookman at
South Carolina State matchup. In the Southern Conference, Georgia Southern
visits The Citadel in a rematch of last year's 14-12 GSU win.
Oh, yes, No. 1 Sam Houston State also kicks off its season against Incarnate
Word, a future rival in the Southland Conference.
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