Frostburg State (1-8, 0-6)
vs.
Salisbury (5-4, 4-2)
Friday, Nov. 15, 2013
Sea Gull Stadium
Salisbury, Md. 21801
7:00 pm
Directions to Salisbury
Frostburg Game Notes
Live Stats
Live Video
Live Audio
Setting the Scene
Frostburg State travels to in-state rival Salisbury for the 15th Annual Regents Cup Game this Friday night. The contest also marks the regular-season finale for both schools.
The Series
Salisbury currently holds a 24-16 edge in the series and the Sea Gulls have won the last nine meetings. The Bobcats last defeated SU in 2003 (15-14) and began the Regents Cup series with four wins in the first five games.
This Week in the Empire 8
November 15th
Frostburg at Salisbury 7:00 pm
November 16th
Cortland at Ithaca 12:00 pm
Hartwick at Utica 1:00 pm
St. John Fisher vs. Alfred 1:00 pm
Coaching the Cats
Tom Rogish is in his sixth season as head coach of the Bobcats. Last season, Rogish guided FSU to a 3-7 overall record.
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.Â
Frostburg State Football History
The Bobcats kick off their 53rd season of action with an overall record of 235-267-8. The Bobcats have reached the postseason eight times, including a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 1993. The school's most recent postseason appearance occurred in 2005 when FSU lost the ECAC Southwest Championship to Moravian, 14-7.
Returning Suitors
The Bobcats return eight starters on offense including four on the offensive line that has arguably been the team's biggest strength for the past two seasons. The foursome has combined to start nearly 80 games over the past few years and paved the way for the Empire 8's fourth best rushing attack last season (150.6).
On defense Frostburg returns five starters from a 2012 unit that had its struggles at different times throughout the year. However, Peter Mayer was named the team's defensive coordinator prior to the start of preseason camp. The defense is spearheaded by juniors Rowan Pinkett and Keith Smith and sophomore Marcus Moody. The trio has combined for 258 tackles this season.
Speaking of Defense
Just before preseason camp head coach Tom Rogish made the announcement of several changes to his staff for the 2013 season. Most importantly, Peter Mayer was named defensive coordinator and the Bobcats have seen significant results in their first nine games.
Junior Rowan Pinkett is currently 34th in the country and second in the Empire 8 with 10.7 tackles per contest. Sophomore Marcus Moody ranks 78th in the nation and is fourth in the league with 9.7 tackles per game, while junior Keith Smith is 161st in the country and eigth in the conference at 8.3 tackles per game.
Sophomore Salaman Riddell is currently 21st in the country and first in the conference in solo tackles per contest at 6.8, while Pinkett is 61st nationally and second in the Empire 8 at 5.7.
Offensive Momentum
Entering its 10th contest of the season, the Bobcats have racked up 3,178 yards in total offense.
FSU currently leads the league and is seventh in the country in fewest penalties per game (4.56), is third in the Empire 8 and 123rd in the country in rushing offense (156.7) and is sixth in the conference in total offense (353.1).
Additional Numbers
Aside from its total offensive numbers, FSU is also ranked 19th in the nation and leads the Empire 8 in blocked kicks (5) and 11th in the country and first in the league in fewest penalty yards per game (36.63).
Backfield Trio
The Bobcat rushing trio of Emmons, junior Mike Fourth and freshman Janai Billips have powered the ground game this season and have put the Bobcats near the top of the Empire 8 for much of the year.
Fourth currently leads the team with 679 rushing yards on 169 attempts with eight touchdowns. He has rushed for 100 or more yards in three of nine games and is currently third in the league in rushing yards. Emmons has rushed for 375 yards and four scores. Billips has added 208 yards with two touchdowns on the ground.
A Win for Frostburg State Would ...
- Lift FSU to 236-267-8
- Snap a six-game losing skid this season
- Hand the Bobcats their first win over Salisbury since 2003
- Give FSU its first road victory of the season
Bobcats Last Week
FROSTBURG, Md. – With a slight 14-13 deficit in the third quarter, Hartwick rattled off 28 unanswered points to down the Frostburg State football team 41-14, in FSU's last home game of the season, Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Teron Tyre tossed an 18-yard touchdown to freshman Aaron Turner with 6:42 left in the third quarter as the Bobcats (1-8, 0-6) grabbed their first lead of the game, 14-13.
The Hawks (5-4, 2-4) snapped a four-game losing streak behind their 28 unanswered points. HC found the end zone three times in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Despite the Hawks totaling 482 yards in total offense, the Bobcat defense posted a season-high eight sacks that included 14 tackles for loss. Freshman William Sewell had a standout effort with 11 total tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss for 30 yards. He erupted for four sacks for a loss of 25 yards, good for the fourth-most in a single game in Bobcat football history.
Junior Rowan Pinkett tied Sewell with 11 total tackles including two behind the line of scrimmage and one sack. Classmate J.R. Lowery finished with nine stops, 3.5 TFL's and 1.5 sacks.
Offensively for FSU, junior Mike Fourth ran for 71 yards on 22 carries, including a touchdown early in the second quarter that brought the Bobcats within 10-7. Tyre finished with 66 yards through the air and the third quarter score to Turner.
Hartwick proved too much in the end with its second half surge. John Garcia threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns. Tanner Williams caught nine passes for 118 yards and two scores while Frankie Molina hauled in six catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. Kurtis Ahart added 81 rushing yards and a score for the Hawks.
Last Time Against the Sea Gulls (2012)
FROSTBURG, Md. – Salisbury University scored 28 second half points and limited host Frostburg State University as SU earned a 48-2 victory in the 14th Annual Regents Cup game, Saturday.
Frostburg State ends the 2012 season with a 3-7 overall record and a 1-6 Empire 8 slate. No. 11/15 Salisbury (#11 d3football.com & #15 AFCA) caps its regular season 8-2 overall and 6-1 in the conference. SU captured the Empire 8 Title last Saturday and awaits word from the NCAA on its first round contest.
Frostburg starting running back Michael Fourth provided an offensive spark for the Bobcats for much of the afternoon. Fourth earned Mike McGlinchey Most Valuable Player honors after running for 96 yards on 21 carries. He also hauled in one pass for four yards.
Salisbury's Isaiah Taylor earned MVP honors after totaling 220 all-purpose yards with a pair of touchdowns. Taylor caught four passes for 116 yards and one touchdown and returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown late in the third.
The Sea Gulls scored on their first two possessions of the contest and added a defensive touchdown for a 20-0 lead. Ross Flanigan scored from eight yards on SU's opening drive and quarterback Dan Griffin scored from 15 yards out on the second drive for a 14-0 lead.
On the ensuing Bobcat drive, Salisbury's Paul Moore recovered an FSU fumble and returned the ball for a 20 yard score as the visitors surged ahead 20-0.
The Bobcats recorded their only points of the game on the extra point attempt. The snap went over the head of holder Calvin Ford and the ball was scooped up by Mikal Davis and returned 90 yards for two points.
The score remained at 20-2 through the second quarter and halftime.
In the third, Salisbury forced the Bobcats to punt three times and the visitors scored a touchdown on all three of its possessions. Griffin connected with Taylor for a 37 yard touchdown pass at 10:48 and Griffin scored on a two-yard run at 5:58 as SU led 34-2.
On the third and final FSU punt of the third quarter, Taylor fielded the ball at his own 30 and weaved his way through traffic before finally scoring for a 41-2 edge. Flanigan scored on a 10 yard run with 4:59 showing on the fourth quarter clock to cap the scoring.
Salisbury totaled 415 yards of offense, including 299 on the ground. Flanigan finished with a game-high 98 rushing yards and two scores. Griffin finished with 116 passing yards (4-of-8) and one score and ran for 70 yards and two more scores.
FSU totaled 271 yards, nearly even with 136 through the air and 135 on the ground. Sophomore quarterback Ken Emmons completed 10 passes (10-of-31) for 136 yards. Senior Anthony Young hauled in six passes for 74 yards.
Senior defensive back Brendon Blanchette and SU's Chris Everett each posted 12 tackles. Bobcat sophomore Colton Sibley added nine stops while freshman Joe Persichetti added seven. Blanchette's 12 stops push his to 107 tackles this season, the first Bobcat football player with over 100 tackles since the 2005 season.
