Frostburg (6-3, 5-3 NJAC)    @     #21 Salisbury (6-2, 6-1 NJAC)
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Frostburg Game Notes
Sea Gull Stadium  I  1:00 pm

Setting the Scene
Frostburg State caps its regular season this Saturday at in-state rival Salisbury for the 17th Annual Regents game. For the last 17 years the two schools have capped their regular seasons by facing one another. The meeting will be the ninth-straight NJAC meeting for the Bobcats.

FSU enters the weekend with a 6-3 overall record following a 33-27 loss to Montclair State last Saturday at Bobcat Stadium. FSU is 5-3 in the NJAC.

The Bobcats have dropped back-to-back games following a five-game winning streak, the program's first since 1999. The Bobcats' six wins this fall marks the first time since 2005 that a Frostburg football team has earned six wins in a season.

Frostburg is looking to snap an 11-game losing skid to the Sea Gulls as the last win for FSU came back in 2003, a 15-14 victory at Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University.

Second-year head coach Delane Fitzgerald won his season opener for the second year in a row after guiding the Bobcats to a 4-6 overall record in 2014. He is the only coach in program history to win his first game as the head coach of the Bobcats.

Salisbury enters the game with a 6-2 overall record and is fresh off a 38-35 upset of fourth-ranked Wesley last Saturday. Like Frostburg, SU collected a five-game winning streak during the middle part of its schedule and is looking to reach the seven-win plateau.

The Sea Gulls were picked to finish third in the NJAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Series
Saturday's matchup between the Bobcats and Gulls will be the 38th meeting between the two.

Salisbury leads the series 21-16 and the two schools have met every year since 1973.

Scouting Salisbury
After dropping its season opener, 21st-ranked Salisbury collected five-straight victories and currently sits at 6-2 overall on the season.

The Sea Gulls lost to Christopher Newport two weeks ago, 51-39, at Sea Gull Stadium, but rebounded with a 38-35 upset of fourth-ranked Wesley in Dover, Del.

Salisbury is eighth in Division III in scoring offense (46.9) and second in rushing offense (367.4) behind its triple option offense. SU was picked to finish third in the NJAC according to the preseason coaches poll, but the Gulls are currently tied for first in the league with a 6-1 mark.

Quarterback Ryan Jones paces the Sea Gull attack with 926 passing yards and 10 touchdowns and 491 rushing yards and another six scores.

Jerome Johnson leads the rushing offense with 774 yards on 64 carries and 10 touchdowns. Connor Canonico has added 720 rushing yards and eight scores.

Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald
DeLane Fitzgerald is in his second season at the helm of the Frostburg State football program in 2015 and his impact has been immediate. The Bobcats finished 4-6 overall in '14 that included a 2-6 mark in the Empire 8 and a 38-37 double overtime upset of 25th-ranked Ithaca at Bobcat Stadium on Homecoming.

Frostburg didn't just improve in the win/loss column in Fitzgerald's first season, but statistically all over the field. The Bobcats finished fifth in the Empire 8 in scoring defense (27.3) and fifth in total defense (359.6). When compared to the final statistics of the 2013 season, the Bobcats allowed 66 fewer first downs, improved their overall total defense by 104.3 yards per contest, allowed 57.3 fewer yards rushing per game and cut opponents' scoring by 17.4 points per game. Frostburg also led the Empire 8 and finished 12th in the nation for fewest turnovers with 12.
 
Fitzgerald also placed an emphasis on blocked kicks where the Bobcats finished 17th in the country and led the Empire 8 with six.
 
The Bobcats capped the season with four All-Empire 8 selections, three on defense, and a USA College Football All-American.

Fitzgerald was a speaker for the American Football Coaches Association (ACFC) in 2014 and was an AFCA Coaching Mentor in both 2014 and 2015.

Fitzgerald's Weekly Quotes
On Frostburg's need to finish ...
"After playing very good football for five-straight weeks, we have not finished the last two games. We have to be a team of finishers this week, we have to finish plays, finish quarters and finish the game on Saturday."

On Salisbury ...
"Salisbury is averaging 45+ points per game on offense and our defense is working on stopping their potent option offense in practice this week. They run an odd front (okie) defense that specializes in stunting/slanting, our offense is working/scheming to score points against it in practice this week."

"It's Frostburg vs. Salisbury for the Regents Cup! It's the biggest football game in the state of Maryland this week! Does anything else need to be said!?"

A Win Would ....
- Lift the Bobcats to 246-277-8 overall
- Mark the first seven-win regular season since 1999
- End an 11-game losing skid to the Sea Gulls
- Be the 17th win in the series for Frostburg
- Hand the Bobcats a 5-1 record on the road this fall

Speaking of the NJAC
All 10 NJAC schools are in action on the 11th weekend of the fall season and all 10 are in league play. TCNJ travels to Rowan for a Friday night game at 7:00 pm, while the other four league games kick off at 1:00 pm on Saturday.

Friday, November 13
TCNJ at Rowan - 7:00 pm

Saturday, November 14
Kean at Montclair State - 1:00 pm
Wesley at William Paterson - 1:00 pm
Christopher Newport at Southern Virginia - 1:00 pm
Frostburg State at Salisbury - 1:00 pm

Bring it home ...
Several Bobcat football players have collected weekly honors from both the New Jersey Athletic Conference and the Eastern College Athletic Conference this fall and this week, freshman quarterback Connor Cox was named the NJAC Rookie of the Week after throwing for a career-best three touchdowns and 163 yards against Montclair State.

Junior kicker Isaac Robinson
    - Two-time NJAC Special Teams Player of the Week (9/6, 10/11) ... ECAC South Special Teams Player of the Week (9/9)

Senior linebacker Rowan Pinkett
    - NJAC Defensive Player of the Week (10/6)

Senior defensive back Salaman Riddell
    - NJAC Defensive Player of the Week (10/25)

Freshman running back Gavin Lavat
    - Two-time NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week (9/20, 10/25) ... ECAC South Rookie of the  Week (9/22)

Freshman quarterback Connor Cox
    - NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week (10/18, 11/8) ... ECAC South Rookie of the Week (10/21)

Isaac Robinson
Junior kicker Isaac Robinson has been recognized for the third time this fall by the Fred Mitchell Award that recognizes place-kickers for their excellence on the football field and in the community. Robinson was first recognized prior to the start of the season and was honored following both the months of September and October. Robinson, one of 10 kickers from NCAA Division III on the recognition list, has made 10 field goals on the season, along with 20 extra points and is ninth in the NJAC in scoring.

The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be announced in mid-December based on performance on the football field and in the community.  Details are provided at www.fredmitchellaward.com.

Special Teams
When head coach DeLane Fitzgerald was hired at Frostburg, he made special teams a point of emphasis and it has showed through his first two seasons. Last season, Frostburg finished 17th in the nation and led the Empire 8 in blocked kicks (6).

Fast forward a year to the 2015 campaign and Frostburg is at it again. The Bobcats are one of just six schools in all four NCAA Divisions (FBS, FCS, II and III) with four punt returns for touchdowns.

The Bobcats are also 12th in Division III in blocked kicks (6), 13th in kickoff return defense (14.56), 18th in Division III in punt returns (15.63 ypr), 38th in sacks allowed (1.11), 41st in total defense (307.0) and 51st in time of possession (32:07).

Individually, senior Roland Kamara is sixth in the nation in blocked kicks (4), while junior Austin Bonsall is tied for the national lead with two punt return TDs.

More Rankings ...
Following 10 weeks of the season, Frostburg ranks nationally in several statistical categories. The Bobcats are currently ...

Blocked Kicks (6) - 1st in NJAC ... 12th in DIII
Defensive TDs (2) - 1st in NJAC ... 38th in DIII
Kickoff Return Defense (14.56 ypr) - 3rd in NJAC ... 13th in DIII
Punt Returns (15.63 ypr) - 2nd in NJAC ... 18th in DIII
Sacks Allowed (1.11) - 4th NJAC ... 38th in DIII
Scoring Defense (19.3) - 2nd in NJAC ... 45th in DIII
Total Defense (307.0) - 2nd in NJAC ... 41st in DIII
Time of Possession (32:07) - 4th in NJAC ... 51st in DIII

Senior Roland Kamara
Blocked Kicks (4) - 1st in NJAC ... 6th in DIII (Kamara finished 21st nationally following the '14 season)

Junior Isaac Robinson
Field Goals Per Game (1.11) - 1st in NJAC ... 13th in DIII
Field Goal Percentage (0.833) - 1st in NJAC ... 6th in DIII

Junior Austin Bonsall
Punt Return TDs (2) - 1st in NJAC ... Leads DIII
Punt Returns (12.9) - 2nd in NJAC ... 17th DIII

Senior Myles Burgess & freshman Sergio Andino
Punt Return TDs (1) - 2nd in NJAC ... 9th in DIII

Last Week
Frostburg  27    Montclair State  33    Frostburg, Md. - Bobcat Stadium
Freshman Connor Cox threw for three touchdowns, while senior Mike Ambrose hauled in two, but Frostburg suffered a 33-27 defeat to Montclair State. The Bobcats finished with 385 yards in offense, but hurt themselves with four turnovers and two missed opportunities on fourth down in the second half.
 
Cox finished with 163 yards and a season-high three scores behind 14-of-26 attempts. He connected with senior Myles Burgess for 97 yards on eight receptions and one score. Ambrose hauled in two passes as both went for touchdowns.

Junior Lyle Fugate posted a career-high 15 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Junior Will Sewell added eight tackles with one sack and one tackle for loss.

Frostburg Football History
Frostburg is in its 55th year of collegiate football in 2015 and the Bobcats have an overall record of 245-277-8. 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.

The '15 season marks the first year for the Bobcats as a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). It was announced in March 2014 that Frostburg, along with Christopher Newport, Salisbury and Wesley, would become associate members of the NJAC beginning with the 2015 season. Southern Virginia joined the conference a year earlier in 2014.

The NJAC also contains Rowan, Montclair State, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), William Paterson and Kean.

Prior to the NJAC, the Bobcats competed in the Empire 8 from 2011-14 and the Atlantic Central Football Conference for 12 seasons from 1999-2010, capturing league titles in 1999, 2003 and 2004.

Preseason All-Americans
Frostburg has had several players named Preseason Division III All-Americans by USA College Football over the last few years and this summer Frostburg placed three players on the 26th annual All-American list.

Senior defensive back Salaman Riddell led the way after being named a Second Team All-American. Senior linebacker Rowan Pinkett and junior defensive end William Sewell were both placed on the third team.

Riddell finished third last season with 63 tackles and led the team with four pass breakups. A two-time preseason All-American, Pinkett led the Bobcats in tackles for the second-straight season after posting 88 total stops and finishing third in the country with three recovered fumbles. Sewell compiled 67 total tackles and tied for the Empire 8 lead behind 13.5 tackles for loss. He also finished 26th in the country with nine sacks.

All three players earned All-Empire 8 honors following the '14 season.

NJAC Preseason Poll
The NJAC released the 2015 Preseason Coaches Poll in early August and Frostburg State was picked to finish sixth in the 10-team league. The Bobcats were chosen as the league's dark horse team and were picked ahead of seventh-place Kean, William Paterson (8th), TCNJ (9th) and Southern Virginia (10th). Wesley, ranked fifth in the D3football.com preseason poll, was picked to win the conference after receiving nine of 10 first-place votes. Rowan received one first-place vote and was selected to finish second. Salisbury (3rd), Montclair State (4th) and Christopher Newport (5th) round out the five schools selected ahead of Frostburg.