Frostburg (1-8, 1-1)
vs.
Salisbury (4-5, 1-1)
When: Saturday, November 14
Place: Sea Gull Stadium, Salisbury, Md.
Time: 4:00 pm
Series: SU leads 20-16
Live Stats
Bobcat Game Notes
Media Contacts
Frostburg State
Noah Becker - nzbecker@frostburg.edu
Office Phone - 301-687-4371
Internet web address - frostburgsports.com
Salisbury
Joe Nolan - sportsinfo@salisbury.edu
Office Phone - 410-543-6016
Internet web address - http://www.suseagulls.com
Setting the Scene
The meeting on Saturday against the Sea Gulls will be the Bobcats final game of the season. FSU is coming off a 35-30 win over ACFC opponent, Apprentice, last Saturday.
FSU looks to push its winning streak to two games and finish out the season with two conference wins.
The Series
This is the 36th meeting between the two teams and marks the 11th Annual Regents Cup. SU leads the all time series 20-16 and is currently holding a five-game winning streak.
This Week in the ACFC
Nov. 14
Ohio Dominican at Wesley 1:00 pm
Southern Virginia at Apprentice 1:00 pm
Frostburg State at Salisbury 4:00 pm
Coaching the Cats
The Bobcats are led by Tom Rogish in his second season as head coach in the program’s 48-year history. Last season, Rogish guided FSU to a 3-6 overall record against arguably the nation's toughest schedule. The Bobcats led the ACFC in interceptions (12) and turnover margin (+2) and finished second in red zone offense (81.8), pass offense (182.7) and pass efficiency (138.1).
Rogish brought over 30 years of coaching experience to Frostburg State including 29 years in the collegiate ranks. He 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 this past fall.
First Year Hits
This year, the FSU coaching staff has also seen some additions and changes that will bring new perspective and excitement to the all ready veteran staff.
Jim Crawley, legendary coach and avid supporter of Frostburg State athletics, rejoins the staff in 2009 and will be in charge of the kicking game. Crawley served as head football coach for seven seasons from 1968-74 and is the winningest coach in school history with 33 victories. Crawley coached 17 FSU Hall of Fame selections, including Bob Maddox, who was drafted by the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals in 1972.
Tom Vent, who helped the Bobcats in 2008, returns to the coaching staff in 2009 as the director of quality control. He will oversee all aspects of the team and will be in charge of gameday and pressbox organization. He will also serve as the chief alumni liaison, as he is an alum himself (Class of 1972).
Four-year NFL veteran Javin Hunter joins the Frostburg State staff this fall as the wide receivers coach after playing for both the Baltimore Ravens (2002-04) and the San Francisco 49ers (2005). While with the Ravens, Hunter helped the team to 26 wins and the franchises first-ever AFC North Division Title in 2003. Hunter will direct a wide receiver group featuring three returners that make up one of the finest units in the ACFC.
Jeff Rogish, son of head coach Tom Rogish, also joins the FSU staff this fall, bringing a strong background in computer technology and video to the team’s efforts. He will direct the technology side of the staff and will also work with the tight ends.
Frostburg State Football History
Frostburg State is 225-237-8 all-time in the programs 48-year history.
Home Grown Talent
FSU’s roster consists of 114 players from seven different states. The largest number coming from Maryland (101) while neighboring Pennsylvania (6) comes in second.
Here is a breakdown of the FSU roster:
Maryland - 101
Pennsylvania - 6
Virginia - 2
Washington, D.C. - 2
Delaware - 1
New Jersey - 1
West Virginia - 1
Leading the Way
Five Bobcats are still on top of the leaderboard for the ACFC this week. Linebacker Travis Blair leads the league in tackles with 78. Senior wide receiver Avery Willie has control of all-purpose yards (1152). Senior punter Nick Payne leads the ACFC punters with 1,837 yards on 48 punts with the longest at 57. Freshman kicker Zachary Beukers is tied for field goals made in the ACFC with five. Junior defensive back Terryl Monroe joins his teammates this week on the leaderboards with three forced fumbles on the season.
After his effort against Apprentice last Saturday, Monroe earned ACFC defensive player of the week honors. The defensive back made nine total tackles (seven solo, two assisted), one pass breakup, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles in the35-30 win.
As a team, the Bobcats control the red zone offense leaderboard, scoring 22 times on 26 chances with 17 touchdowns and five fieldgoals. They also lead in third down conversions with a conversion rate of 79.1%. FSU has the highest number of passing first downs in the ACFC with 89.
All-Purpose Player
The Bobcats senior wide receiver Avery Willie has proven to be the go-to-guy when the Bobcats want to move the ball down field. Last week against Apprentice, Willie picked up 155 more yards to bring his total to 1,152 all-purpose yards so far this season including 648 from kickoff returns and 428 receiving yards. He has also caught four touch downs for the Bobcats.
Making History
In just six career starts, sophomore quarterback Josh Volpe has made an impressive impact on the field. After competing in his fifth game, Volpe has thrown for a total of 1,212 yards and seven touchdowns. Volpe stepped in to replace Butler-Poole starting six weeks ago against Widener.
Leading the Rush
Frostburg State junior running back Anthony King is running away with the Bobcats rush offense. King is leading the team with 552 yards in 134 carries and three touchdowns.
Above and Beyond
Frostburg State senior wide receiver Makiha Cooper continues to build on his over 1,000-yard receiving career. Cooper picked just 33 yards against UNC Pembroke to bring his all time total to 1,421, and now sits ninth all-time for career receiving yards. Averaging 77.8 yards a game, he looks to surpass eighth all-time against Salisbury.
The Big Stop
Sophomores Jim Lohr and Travis Blair continue to build on their season success leading the team in tackles together averaging 16 tackles a game. The duo of Lohr and Blair have combined for five interceptions, 5.0 TFL, one sack, five broken-up passes, 10 passes defended and two forced fumbles. Following closely behind are senior George Feiser, junior Terryl Monroe and sophomore Gideon Obamwonyi who are averaging a combined 19 tackles per game and have posted three interceptions, 11 TFL, one sack, six broken up passes, nine passes defended and four forced fumbles.
I'll Take That...
Frostburg State has caused a turnover in 24 of its last 27 games, including three forced fumbles and an interception last week against Apprentice.
Total Offense
In the first eight games of the season, the Bobcats have averaged 287.8 yards of total offense a game. At this mark last season, FSU was averaging 289.9. FSU looks to continue this success against a Salisbury defense that is allowing 317.7 total offensive yards a game.
In the Red Zone...
The Bobcats have proven to be good under pressure scoring 22 times on 26 chances when they get into the red zone. Scoring 84.6% of the time in the red zone is good enough for FSU to lead the ACFC and overpower SU's 67% scoring rate.
A Win for Frostburg State Would ...
- Lift FSU to 226-237-8
- Give the Bobcats their 17th win over SU
- Extend the its winning streak to two games
- Snap a five-game losing streak to Salisbury
- Give Frostburg its first win at the Regents Cup since 200 when it defeated SU 15-14
A Loss for Frostburg State Would ...
- Drop FSU to 225-238-8
- Extend SU's winning streak at the Regent's Cup to six games
- Snap Salisbury's two-game losing streak
The Bobcats Last Week ...
Juniors Anthony King (Germatown, Md./Northwest) and Anton Wade (Baltimore, Md./Patterson) each scored two touchdowns to power the Frostburg State University football team to a 35-30 victory over Atlantic Central Football Conference opponent Apprentice School, Saturday afternoon.
The Bobcats (1-8, 1-1) scored three touchdowns in the second quarter for a 28-10 lead at the break. The Builders (1-8, 0-3) made a late charge with 20 points over the finals two quarters to draw within five points, but FSU recovered an on-side kick with less than a minute to go to seal the win.
Frostburg State scored touchdowns on four of six first half possessions and capitalized on an Apprentice fumble at the FSU 37 late in the second quarter.
The Builders outgained the Bobcats in total yards (367-262), yards passing (284-211) and completed over 50.0 percent on third down (6-of-11), but couldn't overcome a total of four turnovers.
King carried the ball 14 times for a game-high 56 yards, Wade ran 11 times for 14 yards and the duo scored all four first half touchdowns.
Trailing 3-0 after NNA's first possession, the Bobcats moved 74 yards on 11 plays for their first touchdown. King capped the drive with a 28-yard scamper for his first score of the afternoon.
Senior Avery Willie (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) setup the next Bobcat touchdown drive when he returned a punt 15 yards to the Newport News 22-yard line. Wade touched the ball all five times on the short drive, including an 18-yard reception down to the one. Two plays later, he punched into the endzone handing FSU a 14-3 lead.
Apprentice narrowed the gap to 14-10 when Phil Caralla found Bryan Cain for a 59-yard touchdown toss at 11:10 in the second quarter.
The Bobcats then mounted the game's longest drive (7:35), covering 74 yards on 14 plays and Wade again scored from a yard out to put FSU up 21-10. On the ensuing Apprentice drive, Frostbrug State junior defensive back Terryl Monroe (Temple Hills, Md./Dematha) forced a fumble and recovered the ball inside Builder territory at the 39. Five plays later, with the help of an Apprentice facemask penalty, King carried the ball into the endzone from four yards out for a 28-10 halftime edge.
The third quarter saw a change of momentum, as the Builder offense scored two touchdowns and forced punts on both Bobcat drives. Teo Ellis capped an 84-yard 10-play drive for the Builders with a 14-yard touchdown catch from Caralla and Sam Arnold ran into the endzone from three yards out late in the third as NNA trailed 28-23.
On its first drive of the fourth quarter, FSU padded its lead when sophomore quarterback Josh Volpe (Germantown, Md./Northwest) found Willie for a 41-yard score and a 35-23 lead. Newport News wouldn't back down, however, and Caralla scored from four yards out with 23 seconds left to setup the on-side kick.
Volpe finished the game 19-of-28 for 211 yards and a touchdown while Caralla was 19-of-30 for 284 yards and two scores. Monroe led the FSU defense with nine tackles, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and the second quarter fumble recovery.
Last Time Against the Sea Gulls ...
Quarterback Ronnie Curley ran for two scores and passed for another to lead No. 23 Salisbury to a 55-14 win over Frostburg State in the Tenth Annual Regents’ Cup football game at the Naval Academy’s Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, on a wet and rainy Saturday evening.
The Sea Gulls (8-2, 2-1) amassed 484 yards in total offense including 441 on the ground and scored points on nine of their 11 possessions. SU, which earned its fifth-straight win in the series that dates back to 1973, ran out to a 27-0 lead early in the third quarter and never looked back.
Salisbury scored back-to-back touchdowns to take a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter and tacked on to Tommy Kowalick field goals (25 and 30 yards) in the second as well to lead 20-0 at halftime.
Curley ran for 99 yards on 15 carries and two scores and passed for 43 yards (2-of-9) and another touchdown to earn the Mike McGlinchey Most Outstanding Player for the Sea Gulls.
Frostburg State (3-6, 1-2) found its offensive rhythm on its first drive of the third quarter. Trailing 27-0, the Bobcats marched 73 yards in seven plays for their first touchdown with 3:36 left. Freshman quarterback Josh Volpe (Germantown, Md./Northwest), seeing his first action of the season, was a perfect 4-of-4 (62 yards) on the drive including a three-yard touchdown toss to fullback Derek Sheely (Germantown, Md./Northwest).
Salisbury extended its lead to 34-7 on the ensuing possession, but FSU answered again with its second score of the contest. After junior wideout Makiha Cooper (Baltimore, Md./Forest Park) took the kickoff 42 yards and into Sea Gull territory, Volpe completed three more passes and capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge up the middle to cut the deficit to 34-14.
Salisbury answered with three touchdowns, two from junior William Midgette, and two interceptions all in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Cooper earned the Mike McGlinchey Most Outstanding Player award for the Bobcats after finishing the contest with six receptions for 100 yards and four kickoff returns for 107 yards.
Volpe, who played just the second half, finished the game 9-of-12 for 156 yards and two touchdowns and two late interceptions. Sophomore tailback Anton Wade (Baltimore, Md./Patterson) led the Bobcat ground game with 52 yards on 21 rushes.
Freshman safety Jim Lohr (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) made a career and game-high 13 tackles while sophomore Terryl Monroe (Temple Hills, Md./Dematha) and George Feiser (Hagerstown, Md./Smithsburg) made 12.
Salisbury’s Warren Anderson led all players with 114 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries while Midgette added 51 yards (six carries) and a pair of late touchdowns. Chris Ross led the SU defense with eight total tackles (one TFL), while All-American Jarrell Chandler made six stops
