Frostburg State (0-1) vs. SUNY Brockport (1-0)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Frostburg, Md. - Bobcat Stadium

Time: 1:00 pm
Series: Brockport leads 12-4
Series Streak: Brockport has won Eight Straight

Game Notes (pdf): http://www.frostburgsports.com/custompages/football/Brockport%20Game%20Notes%200920.pdf?path=football


Setting the Scene
The Bobcats look to recover from a week one 49-21 loss to then No. 13 Washington & Jefferson. FSU gave up 405 passing yards and 560 yards of total offense to the Presidents.

While this week's opponent SUNY Brockport isn't ranked, FSU has struggled against the team from New York. The Bobcats are just 4-12 all-time against the Golden Eagles and FSU hasn't won in the series since 1999. That year, Frostburg State walked away with a 35-18 victory.

Brockport heads into the contest with FSU with a 1-0 record after a week one win over William Patterson, 26-20 in double overtime. Garet Lynch ran in from eight yards out to hand the Golden Eagles their first win of the season.

The Series
The Golden Eagles hold a decisive 12-4 lead in the all-time series with Frostburg State. Brockport has won the last eight meetings including a 38-7 win last year in New York. From 2004-2007 the two teams squared as conference opponents, however, the Golden Eagles left the ACFC after the 2007 season and joined the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) this year.

This Week in the ACFC
Sept. 20
Widener at Wesley 1:00 pm
Apprentice at George Mason Club 1:00 pm
Christopher Newport at Salisbury 1:00 pm
SUNY Brockport at Frostburg State 7:00 pm

The Coaches
Tom Rogish is in his first season as head coach of the Frostburg State University Bobcats. The 12th coach in FSU's 47-year history, Rogish brings over 30 years of coaching experience to the sidelines at Frostburg including 29 years in the collegiate ranks.

Rogish began his collegiate coaching career at Juniata (Division III), but has spent the last 22 years at the Division II level at perennial powers Indiana (Pa.) and Shepherd (W.Va.).

Prior to his arrival in Frostburg, Rogish spent two years on the defensive staff at Shepherd College. The Rams made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2007 including a run to the NCAA Division II Northeast Region championship (2007). Shepherd finished 2007 with one of the top defenses in the country. The Rams were 25th in scoring defense (19.9), 13th in turnover margin (1.2) and 41st in total defense (321.3).

Rocco Salomone is in his 18th year with the SUNY Brockport football program. He has served as the head coach for the last 13 seasons and has led the Golden Eagles to a 81-51-1 overall record. Salomone led the team to four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2000-2003 including a trip to the quarterfinals in '02.

What the Coaches are Saying
The Frostburg State football team was picked to finish fourth in the 2008 Atlantic Central Football Conference preseason coaches poll.
Three-time defending champion Wesley recieved five first-place votes to win the conference, while Salisbury picked up three. Both teams have been receiving votes in national preseason polls as the Wolverines have been as high as third and in the top six in all polls, while the Sea Gulls have been in the top 15 in all polls.

2008 ACFC Preseason Coaches Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Wesley 6 (5)
2. Salisbury 9 (3)
3. Apprentice 14
4. Frostburg State 18


Frostburg State Football History
Frostburg State is 221-224-8 all-time in the programs 48-year history.

Home Grown Talent
FSU’s roster consists of 97 players from six different states. The largest number coming from Maryland (88) while neighboring Pennsylvania (4) comes in second.

Here is a breakdown of the FSU roster:
Maryland - 88
Pennsylvania - 4
Virginia - 3
Washington, D.C. - 1
Delaware - 1

A Win for Frostburg State would ...
- Lift FSU to a 222-224-8 record all-time
- FSU would earn just its fifth win in the 16 previous meetings with Brockport.
- End the Golden Eagles eight-game winning streak over the Bobcats
- Give FSU first win over Brockport since 1999 (FSU won 35-18)
- Drop Brockport to 1-1 on the season

A Loss for Frostburg State would ...
- Drop FSU to a 221-225-8 overall record all-time
- Drop the Bobcats to 4-13 all-time against the Golden Eagles
- Hand FSU its fourth-straight loss dating back to last season.

Leading the Bobcats ...
Junior Bryan Brosnan (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) steps into the spotlight and takes over the quarterback duties for the Bobcats this fall. In his first career start last Saturday, he was an efficient 11-of-14 for 141 yards and a touchdown.

Bringing home the bacon ...
Frostburg State junior punter Nick Payne (Frostburg, Md. / Northern Garrett) and sophomore Terryl Monroe (Temple Hills, Md. / Dematha) were honored by the ACFC this week for their performances against Washington & Jefferson last weekend.

Payne was named the conference's Special Teams Player of the Week for the third time in his career after averaging 40.5 yards per punt in four attempts against W&J. He also added one punt inside the 20 and hit a game-high 54 yarder early in the fourth quarter.

Monroe finished the game with 11 total tackles including seven solo stops. He also tossed in a tackle for loss and a pass break to complete his night.

NJAC Opponents ...
Frostburg State is just 15-27-1 against NJAC teams. Outside of contests against SUNY Brockport, FSU has won its last two games against NJAC teams. The Bobcats downed Montclair State 17-14 on Sept. 17, 2005 and defeated Buffalo State 27-26 on Oct. 1, 2005.

Last Time Against Brockport...
BROCKPORT, N.Y. - Senior wideout Fred Howze (Upper Marlboro, Md./FTH Catholic) scored the only touchdown for Frostburg State as it endured a 38-7 loss to Atlantic Central Football Conference opponent SUNY Brockport, Saturday.

The Golden Eagles (2-1, 1-1) scored touchdowns on four of its first five drives including 14 points in both the first and second quarters as they jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead before cruising to the victory. Brockport racked up 486 yards in total offense including 261 yards on the ground.

With the score 35-0, Howze hauled in an eight-yard pass from senior Andre Dixon (Washington, D.C./Roosevelt) late in the third quarter and sophomore Nathan Menhorn (Berlin, PA/Berlin Brothersvalley) added the extra point for the only Bobcat (1-2, 0-2) points.

After SUNY Brockport took a 7-0 lead on the opening drive of the game, Frostburg State had an opportunity to score on its first possession. FSU put together an eight-play 56-yard march that started on its own 28 and covered 7:19 but ended when a 33-yard field goal attempt was blocked by the Golden Eagles' Josh Day. Dixon sparked the drive with a 27-yard run down to the Brockport 23.

Matt McCormick ran in from six yards out and Mike Maciejewski caught a 37-yard pass from Zack Luke to account for the first quarter TDs. Luke finished the day 17-for-24 for 225 yards three scores and an interception.

The Golden Eagles continued the offensive assault in the second quarter as Garet Lynch ran in from 16-yards out, capping an 80-yard drive, to push the host lead to 21-0. After the Bobcats turned the ball over on downs on the Golden Eagle 45, Brockport drove 55 yards in 12 plays for its fourth score of the first half as Luke found Mike Smith from three-yards out.


The Bobcat defense had better success stopping the hosts in the second half holding the Golden Eagles to 10 points and just two drives over 30 yards. However, Luke started the second half as he ended the first with a nine-yard touchdown toss to Smith. The Golden Eagles took over on their on 12 and covered 88 yards in 10 plays for a 35-0 lead.

With 3:41 left in the third, FSU capitalized on a turnover at the Brockport 15-yard line. Freshman Derek Saunders (Laurel, Md./Palotti) picked off a Luke pass and four plays later, Howze scored his first touchdown of the season.

Jeff Cook hit a 28-yard field goal in the fourth to cap the scoring.

Also in the fourth, sophomore punter Nicholas Payne (Frostburg, Md./Northern Garrett) connected on an 82-yard punt setting both a Frostburg State and ACFC record. The punt beat the old FSU and ACFC record of 76 yards set by FSU 's own Tom Vanik in 2005.

Dixon finished 11-for-19 for 52 yards and freshman Anton Wade (Baltimore, Md./Patterson) led the team in rushing with 79 yards on six carries.

Senior Gabe Ellis (Laurel, Del./Delmar) posted 12 tackles including 1.5 for loss and classmate Johan Owens (Baltimore, Md./City College) had 11 tackles and one pass breakup.