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

Saturday, Sept. 5
Reeves Field - Beaver Falls, Pa.
7:00 PM

Frostburg Game Notes
Live Stats/Radio/Video - Courtesy of Geneva athletics

2015 Frostburg Football Media Guide - Now Available Online

 

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Setting the Scene
Frostburg State travels to Geneva this Saturday to kickoff the 2015 season with a night contest (7:00 pm) at Reeves Stadium against the Golden Tornadoes.

The Bobcats finished the 2014 season with a 4-6 overall record under the direction of head coach Delane Fitzgerald, his first season at the helm.

This fall, Fitzgerald enters his second campaign and has the talent to carry Frostburg to five or more wins for the first time since 2005.

Geneva finished last season with a 3-7 overall record following two wins in its final four games. The Golden Tornadoes look to bounce back after posting a 3-7 record in two of the last three years.

The 2015 season marks the seventh-consecutive year that Frostburg and Geneva will meet to open the season. The Bobcats won last year's meeting 24-19 at Bobcat Stadium and have captured three of the last four contests.

The Series
Saturday's matchup between the Bobcats and Golden Tornadoes will be the 25th meeting between the schools, while GC holds a slim 12-11-1 edge in the series.

Frostburg has won three of the last four meetings, including the 2011 matchup in Beaver Falls, 34-21.

Scouting Geneva
Geneva finished the 2014 season at just 3-7, but the Golden Tornadoes return a total of 17 starters on offense and defense. Offensively, GC returns its leading passer and rusher from a year ago, including three starters on the line. On the other side of the ball, Geneva returns its top two tacklers and a total of nine starters.

Sophomore Aaron Channing returns as the team's starting quarterback and will again pace the offense after throwing for 1,786 yards and 13 touchdowns. Meanwhile, junior linebacker Jimmy Quinlan led the defense in '14 with 88 total tackles and 7.0 tackles for loss.

Frostburg Football History
Frostburg is in its 55th year of collegiate football in 2015 and the Bobcats have an overall record of 239-274-8. 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.

A Win Would ....
- Lift the Bobcats to 240-274-8 overall
- Mark the second-straight win in a season opener
- Be the fourth win over Geneva in five years
- Give the Bobcats their 24th season opening victory in program history
- Be Fitzgerald's 29th victory as a head coach

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 place 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.

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 statically 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
Preseason ...
"Every player in our football program has a better understanding of our offensive, defensive, and special teams then they did three weeks ago. And every member of our football program (players and coaches) has improved over the last three weeks. We have worked very hard and I'm proud of this group of young men."

Geneva ...
"Playing at Geneva is always a challenge. They are well coached and they usually play well at home."

Start of the 2015 season ...
"We are very excited! Our players and coaching staff are ready for the start of the season, as I'm sure the Geneva football team is as well. We've both waited nine months since the end of last season. It's time to play again. They'll pack their stadium on Saturday night and the atmosphere will be electric. What's there not to be excited about!"    

Speaking of the NJAC
Nine of the 10 NJAC schools are in action on opening weekend of the 2015 campaign. A pair of schools, TCNJ and Christopher Newport, jump right into conference play in week one as they will battle in the first NJAC game of the '15 season on Saturday in Newport News, Va. at 4:00 pm. Frostburg State wraps up the action with the weekend's final game as the Bobcats travel to Geneva at 7:00 pm.

Friday, September 4
Salisbury at Albright - 7:00 pm

Saturday, September 5
Southern Virginia at Rhoades - 1:00 pm        Rowan at Widener - 1:00 pm
William Paterson at Alfred State - 1:00 pm        TCNJ at Christopher Newport - 4:00 pm
Montclair State at Delaware Valley - 1:00 pm    Frostburg at Geneva - 7:00 pm

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.

The Coaches
Fitzgerald boasts one of the top coaching staffs in the nation and their impact on the Bobcat program were immediate in their first year in 2014. Tye Hiatt (OC/QB), John Kelling (DC/LB) and Peter Mayer (ST/DB) will serve as the Bobcats' coordinators. Joining them are Sam Daniels (DT/RC), Pete Hansen (DE), Angelo Luvara (T/TE), Nate Sievers (OL), John Candelas (RB/ST), Tyler Condiff (Asst. LB), Kenny Johnson (WR), Bernard Bryan (Asst. OL) and Tim Arnold (Asst. RB).

Last Meeting With Geneva
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014     -     Frostburg 24, Geneva 19

FROSTBURG, Md. – The game took longer than expected, but in the end Frostburg State opened its 2014 campaign with a 24-19 victory over Geneva, Saturday night.

Just 31 seconds into the first quarter, lightning in the western Maryland area forced an hour-long delay. However, the weather did little to slow down the Bobcats (1-0) on the night as they raced out to a 17-0 lead following the first quarter.

Senior quarterback Ken Emmons set the tone on the first play from scrimmage following the delay as he scampered 66 yards up the Frostburg sideline for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
 
Late in the first quarter, sophomore kicker Isaac Robinson booted a 29-yard field goal that capped a 14-play 43-yard drive for the Bobcats as they led 10-0.
 
On Geneva's ensuing possession, Bobcat sophomore William Sewell stripped quarterback Aaron Channing on the first play from scrimmage and junior Rowan Pinkett recovered the fumble at the Golden Tornadoe 25. On the very next play, Emmons connected with junior wideout Haydan Roberts for a 25-yard touchdown strike and FSU quickly led 17-0.
 
The game remained in favor of the Bobcats until midway through the third quarter when the hosts posted a seven-play, 72-yard drive that resulted in their third touchdown of the evening. Frostburg's drive appeared to stall at the Geneva 20 yard line, but on fourth down, Bobcat head coach DeLane Fitzgerald got a little creative. Robinson lined up for a 37-yard field goal, but instead, Emmons flipped the snap to Robinson who outraced the Geneva defenders to the endzone pylon for the touchdown and a 24-0 lead.
 
The Golden Tornadoes got in gear late in the third quarter with a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown. They later scored a touchdown with 2:36 left in the fourth quarter and again with 1:03 to play. However, the Bobcats hung on for the win.
 
Frostburg posted 302 yards in offense, including 159 on the ground. The Bobcat defense was also impressive limiting Geneva to just 26 yards rushing, while forcing two turnovers and posting four sacks.
 
Emmons finished with 217 yards in total offense. He threw for 143 yards and one touchdown, while running for 74 yards and another score. Junior Myles Burgess hauled in four passes for 76 yards, while Roberts finished with four catches for 47 yards and a score.
 
Pinkett led all players with 12 tackles, with one tackle for loss, a forced and recovered fumble. Senior Keith Smith added 10 stops, while Sewell notched eight tackles and two sacks.