Frostburg State (0-0)
vs.
Geneva (0-0)

Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014
7:00 pm
Bobcat Stadium

Directions to Frostburg
Frostburg Game Notes
 

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Setting the Scene
Frostburg State and Geneva open their respective 2014 seasons on Saturday, Sept. 6 at Bobcat Stadium at 7:00 pm. This fall marks the sixth-consecutive year that the Bobcats and Golden Tornadoes will face one another in their season openers. Geneva has won three of the last five meetings as the Bobcats posted wins in both 2011 and 2012.

The Series
Frostburg and Geneva meet for the 24th time on Saturday, while GC holds a 12-10-1 edge in the series. This season marks the sixth-straight season the two schools met after renewing the series prior to the 2009 season.

From 1968-1992, the Bobcats and Golden Tornadoes met 18 times with Geneva holding a 9-8-1 lead.

It's A New Day
DeLane Fitzgerald was named Frostburg's 13th head football coach following a national search in January 2014. Upon his arrival at Frostburg, Fitzgerald quickly filled out his coaching staff and began recruiting his first class. He also set about raising the team's G.P.A through new study hall rules.

Fitzgerald came to Frostburg following an eight-year stint at Southern Virginia in Buena Vista, Va., including the last five seasons as head coach. Prior to his arrival, SVU averaged just two wins per season and after his fifth year, Southern Virginia finished 8-2 and was ranked No. 1 in the United States Collegiate Athletic Conference coaches' poll.

Fitzgerald also has coaching stints at Bethel University (Tenn.), Tennessee-Martin, James Madison and the Bridgton Academy (Maine).

Frostburg Football History
Frostburg is entering its 54th year of collegiate football in 2014 and the Bobcats have an overall record of 235-268-8. The Bobcats appeared in the 1993 NCAA Playoffs and have played in seven ECAC Bowl Games, the last coming at Bobcat Stadium against Moravian in 2005.

Prior to joining the Empire 8, FSU competed in the Atlantic Central Football Conference for 12 seasons from 1999-2010, capturing league titles in 1999, 2003 and 2004.

A Win Would ....
- Lift the Bobcats to 236-268-8 overall
- Be FSU's third win in a season opening game in the last four years
- Hand Frostburg its 23rd season opening win in school history
- Even the record at 3-3 with Geneva in the last six meetings

This Week In The Empire 8
All nine Empire 8 teams are in action this Saturday as St. John Fisher, Alfred and Buffalo State kick off the season with 12:00 pm games. Frostburg State and Geneva wrap up the day with their 7:00 pm kick.

Otterbein at St. John Fisher - 12:00 pm
Husson at Alfred - 12:00 pm
Cortland at Buffalo State - 1:00 pm
Oberlin at Brockport - 1:00 pm
Union at Ithaca - 1:00 pm
Utica at Misericordia - 1:00 pm
Hartwick at Western Connecticut - 5:00 pm
Salisbury at Christopher Newport - 6:00 pm
Geneva at Frostburg State - 7:00 pm

Empire 8 Preseason Poll
The Frostburg State football team was picked to finish ninth in the 2014 Empire 8 Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll released in late August. St. John Fisher received eight of the nine first-place votes along with 64 points and was picked to win the league title. Salisbury (53 pts.) and Ithaca (52 pts.) round out the top three.

The Coaches
Fitzgerald hit the ground running following his hire at Frostburg State and he quickly filled out his staff with some of the nation's top coaches. Tye Hiatt (OC/QB), John Kelling (DC/LB) and Peter Mayer (ST/DB) will serve as the Bobcats' coordinators. Joining them are Ben Crowder (RB), Sam Daniels (DT), Pete Hansen (DE), Angelo Luvara (T/TE), Nate Sievers (OL), Tyler Condiff (Asst. LB), Kenny Johnson (WR), Tyler Stevens (Asst. WR), Dernard Bryan (Asst. OL), Victor Andersen (Asst. DB) and Tim Arnold (Asst. RB).

Preseason All-American
Frostburg has had several players named Preseason Division III All-Americans by USA College Football over the last few years and this summer junior linebacker Rowan Pinkett was named to the preseason third-team defense.

Pinkett had a breakout season last fall after leading the Bobcats and finishing fifth in the Empire 8 with 104 total tackles. For his efforts, he was named to the All-Empire 8 Second Team. He averaged 10.4 tackles per contest and finished with 10 or more tackles in five games.

Defense Anyone?
Along with Pinkett, the Frostburg State defensive unit returns some of the top players in the Empire 8. Three Bobcats garnered All-Empire 8 honors and three players finished in the top-10 in the league in total tackles. Pinkett led the group with 104 total tackles and Second Team All-Empire 8 honors. Junior safety Marcus Moody earned second-team honors and finished sixth in the conference behind 96 total tackles. Senior safety Keith Smith finished 10th in the conference with 83 tackles. Up front, junior Roland Kamara has started every game since his arrival at Frostburg and he capped his sophomore season with Second Team All-Empire 8 honors and 30 tackles. Junior defensive back Salaman Riddell will help bolster the secondary after pacing the league with 62 solo tackles last season.

Calling the Signals
Senior Ken Emmons returns for his third year as the starting quarterback for the Bobcats and has the talent around him to have his best season to date. He enters his final season ranked ninth in program history in passing yards (2,866), eighth in touchdown passes (18) and seventh in career completions (218).

A year ago, Emmons accounted for 1,718 yards in total offense and 13 total touchdowns. He threw for 1,338 yards and nine touchdowns. Over the past two seasons, Emmons has also rushed for 626 yards and seven touchdowns.

On The Horizon
Frostburg State University, along with Christopher Newport University, Salisbury University and Wesley College recently agreed to become associate football members of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) beginning in the 2015-16 academic year. In addition, Southern Virginia will be an affiliate member of the NJAC starting in the fall of 2014 and will elevate to associate member in 2015-16.

Frostburg State currently competes in the Empire 8 as an affiliate football member and will begin its fourth season of competition in the league this fall (2014). The other associate football members, like FSU, compete primarily in the Capital Athletic Conference; the CAC does not sponsor football.

With the addition of the five schools in 2015-16, the NJAC will increase its football membership to 10 institutions, including full-league members Kean University, Montclair State University, Rowan University, The College of New Jersey and William Paterson University.

Last Time Against The Golden Tornadoes
Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013     -     Geneva 47, Frostburg State 3

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Frostburg State football team suffered a 47-3 defeat at the hands of Geneva College in the season opener for both schools, Saturday night under the lights at Reeves Field.

Geneva (1-0) scored a touchdown on five of its first six possessions and raced out to a 34-3 halftime lead. The Golden Tornadoes tacked on two third quarter touchdowns for the 47-3 final.

Geneva set the tone early by posting its longest drive of the game on its opening possession. GC marched 80 yards on 12 plays and Rocco Colavecchia scored from two yards out as the hosts led 7-0.

The Bobcats answered late in the first quarter on their third possession of the game. FSU moved 49 yards to the Geneva nine yard line, but the drive stalled, and sophomore Jake Armstrong knocked home a 26-yard field goal as the Bobcats trimmed the deficit to 7-3.

After scoring seven points in the first quarter, Geneva scored four touchdowns in the second quarter to blow the game wide open. Dylan Jones opened the second stanza with two touchdowns and Geneva carried a 34-3 lead into halftime.
Geneva finished the ballgame with 488 yards of offense behind 229 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Jones ran for a game-high 92 yards and one score, and added five receptions for 47 yards and another touchdown.

Making his collegiate debut, Bobcat freshman Janai Billips carried the ball 10 times for 68 yards and hauled in two passes for 19 yards. Junior quarterback Ken Emmons threw for 85 yards, while sophomore Mike Ambrose caught four passes for 37 yards.

Frostburg finished with 248 yards of offense, including 131 rushing yards.

Defensively, junior Keith smith made a game-high 11 tackles, including 10 solo stops and one tackle for loss. Junior Rowan Pinkett finished second with eight total tackles.