Frostburg State (0-1) vs. No. 10 Washington & Jefferson (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009
Bobcat Stadium

Time: 7:00 pm
Series: W&J leads 4-0

Frostburg State Game Notes

Live Stats
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Setting the Scene
The Bobcats look for a victory against Washington & Jefferson to recover from the 49-21 loss against the Presidents last season.

The Series
The meeting against the Presidents will be the fifth in the series. Washington & Jefferson leads the all-time series 4-0 and won the 2008 meeting 49-21.

This Week in the ACFC
Sept. 12
Salisbury at N.C. Wesleyan - 1:00 pm
Apprentice at Virginia-Wise - 1:30 pm
Wesley at North Greenville - 7:00 pm
Washinton & Jefferson at Frostburg - 7:00 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 agruably 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.

New Additions
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, brining 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 224-230-8 all-time in the programs 48-year history.

Home Grown Talent
FSU’s roster consists of 122 players from six different states. The largest number coming from Maryland (106) while neighboring Pennsylvania (7) comes in second.

Here is a breakdown of the FSU roster:
Maryland - 106
Pennsylvania - 7
Virginia - 3
Washington, D.C. - 2
Delaware - 2
New Jersey - 1
West Virginia - 1

Through the Air
The Bobcats true freshman quarterback Phoenix Butler-Poole is coming off a successful start to his collegiate football career. In the game on Sept. 5 agaisnt Geneva, Butler-Poole threw for 232 yards completing 14 of his 33 passes, three for touchdowns.

Almost There
Frostburg State junior tailback Anton Wade needs just 101 yards to eclipse 1,000 for his career. He enters the season averaging 50.0 yards per game and at that pace, should reach the plateau in FSU's trip to Widener on Sept. 26.

Nice Hands
Senior wide receiver Makiha Cooper finished the contest against Geneva with 106 yards on just seven receptions, including a 41-yard catch in the third quarter. It is the fifth 100-yard receiving game of his career and third contest with two or more touchdown receptions.

For his efforts against GC, Cooper was named this year's first ACFC Player of the Week on Monday, Sept 7.

Total Offense
The Bobcats look to continue to exceede last season's average of total offense. FSU averaged 188 yards a game last season and have already increased that by picking up 292 yards last week agaisnt Geneva. FSU looks to carry that momentum against W&J who held Oberlin to just 188 last week .

I'll Take That ...
Frostburg State has caused a turnover in 16 of its last 19 games.

Second Times A Charm
Coach Rogish will try and increase his win total in his second year at the helm after posting a 3-6 overall record in 2008. Seven coaches in FSU's 48-year history have increased their win total from their first season to their second. The largest increase in wins came in 1993 when Mike McGlinchey, who won six games his first season in '92, won 10 games and took the Bobcats to their first-ever NCAA Tournament.

Welcome Back
The Bobcat secondary returns six players from a year ago that helped the FSU defense lead the ACFC in interceptions (12) and turnover margin (+2).

A Win for Frostburg State Would ...
- Lift FSU to 225-230-8
- Give the Bobcats their first win over the Presidents.
- Hand Frostburg State an even 1-1 record for the 13th time in school history
- Give FSU its first win over a team from Pennsylvania since 2006, a string of six consecutive losses
- Hand the Bobcats their first win over a PAC school since FSU downed Westminster 14-6 in 2006

A Loss for Frostburg State Would ...
- Drop FSU to 224-231-8
- Give Washington & Jefferson a 5-0 series lead
- Hand W&J a four-game regular-season winning streak that dates back to the final three games of the 2008 season
- Give the Presidents their fifth-straight win against the Bobcats

The Bobcats Last Week ...
Freshman quarterback Phoenix Butler-Poole (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) and senior wideout Makiha Cooper (Baltimore, Md./Forest Park) connected on two fourth quarter touchdowns as the Frostburg State football team rallied from a 20-point deficit and came within six points late in the game before Geneva added a late score to seal a wild 41-28 victory in the season opener for both teams, Saturday evening.

The Bobcats (0-1) trailed 34-14 heading into the final quarter, but Butler-Poole found Cooper for a five-yard touchdown with 7:32 to play and the duo hooked up again on a seven-yard scoring strike with 5:18 showing to bring the Bobcats to within six points, 34-28. The FSU defense then came up big, holding the Golden Tornadoes (1-0) to five yards and a punt on their ensuing possession. However, Geneva's punt pinned the Bobcats at their own two-yard line and on the first play, FSU fumbled the ball and Geneva recovered at the eight-yard line. Five plays later, GC quarterback David Girardi scored from two yards out to seal the final score at 41-28.

FSU got on the board first in the opening quarter (12:25) when senior return specialist Avery Willie (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) returned a punt 43 yards for a touchdown as the Bobcats moved ahead 7-0. Geneva tied the ballgame on its next possession when Gerard Muschette scored from three yards out.

Willie scored again early in the second quarter (12:58) when Butler-Poole found him for an 80-yard touchdown reception, the eighth longest in school history, that capped a five-play 96-yard drive that started on the Bobcats' own four-yard line.

Geneva then scored three-straight touchdowns over the next 5:30 to take a 27-14 lead into halftime. Matt Dean found the endzone from two yards out and the Golden Tornadoe defense scored twice, a 23-yard fumble recovery and a 97-yard interception return.

With 11:40 left in the third, AJ Delmonico caught a 10-yard scoring pass from Girardi to give GC a 34-14 lead. Both teams struggled over their next three possessions, until FSU scored with 7:32 left in the fourth.

Butler-Poole finished his collegiate debut with 232 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-33 pass attempts. Cooper led all receivers with seven receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. Wilie finished with 164 all-purpose yards, including two receptions for 86 yards and that 80-yard score in the second. He also finished with 46 punt return yards, aided by the 43-yard touchdown to open the game's scoring.

On defense, sophomore defensive back Jim Lohr (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) led the team with nine tackles followed by junior Michael Joseph (Hyattsville, Md./Northwest) and sophomore Travis Blair (Upper Marlboro, Md./Oxon Hill) with eight stops each.

Girardi led the Geneva offense with 200 yards passing (19-of-32), a touchdown through the air and the two-yard scoring run late in the fourth.

The Last Meeting with The Presidents ...
Frostburg State hung tough for as long as it could but in the end No. 13 Washington & Jefferson proved to be too tough as the Bobcats dropped their season opener to the Presidents 49-21, Saturday at Cameron Stadium.

The high powered W&J offense scored touchdowns on seven of its 10 possessions of the ballgame including six scoring drives of five minutes or less. Washington & Jefferson quarterback Bobby Swallow and running back Curt Jones each scored three touchdowns to lead the attack. Swallow threw for 391 yards on 29-of-39 pass attempts while Jones ran the ball 14 times for 85 yards.

The Presidents came out firing with touchdowns on their first three possessions for a 21-0 lead. Swallow tossed a pair of touchdown passes around a Jones 16-yard scoring run as W&J looked to be in control early on.

The Frostburg State offense, which struggled on its first three drives, got rolling on its fourth as the Bobcats chewed up 10:31 of the second quarter and marched 85 yards in 17 plays before finding the endzone on a sophomore Anton Wade (Baltimore, Md./Patterson) one-yard scoring run. The FSU offense converted four third downs to keep the drive alive. Wade led the Bobcats in rushing as he carried the football 12 times for 57 yards and the touchdown. Classmate Anthony King (Germantown, Md./Northwest) was second on the team with 47 yards on 16 rushing attempts.

On the ensuing W&J drive, junior linebacker Chindy Agugua (Gaithersburg, Md./Watkins Mill) intercepted a Swallow pass and returned it 44 yards for an FSU touchdown as it cut into the deficit and trailed just 21-14.

Swallow helped regain the momentum for the Presidents as they scored on their final drive on the first half to push their lead back to double digits, 28-14. Swallow found David Revida for a 16-yard touchdown with 1:13 to play to cap a wild first half.

Washington & Jefferson started the second half as it did the first, needing just 1:46 to extend its lead to 35-14. Swallow tossed his third touchdown of the ballgame, this time a 37-yarder to Ryan Church with 13:14 left in the third quarter to complete a five-play 67-yard drive.

However, Frostburg State came right back and narrowed the gap to 35-21 when the Bobcats covered 76 yards in 5:11 to score its second offensive touchdown. Junior Bryan Brosnan (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) tossed his first career touchdown, a two-yard fourth-down strike to junior wideout to Ali Konteh (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern Hyattsville), as the Bobcats refused to back down.

Washington & Jefferson answered again with another touchdown with 31 seconds left in the third to extend it lead to 42-21. Jones found the endzone from 20 yards out to cap a seven-play 60-yard drive that lasted just 3:11.

Backup quarterback Steven Shumaker scored the seventh and final touchdown of the game for W&J with 3:13 to go in the fourth to lift the score to 49-21. The possession was the only drive that lasted more than five minutes for the Presidents all game as they moved 78 yards in 17 plays in 10:07 to eat away much of the fourth quarter clock and keep the Bobcat offense on the sideline.

Brosnan, in his first career start, was very efficient completing 11-of-14 pass attempts for 141 yards and a touchdown. Junior Avery Willie (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) led the FSU receiving corps with four catches for 63 yards. Sophomore Terryl Monroe (Temple Hills, Md./Dematha) led the Bobcat defense with nine tackles, one TFL and a pass breakup.