Frostburg (4-1, 3-1 NJAC)  vs.  The College of New Jersey (0-5, 0-4 NJAC)
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Frostburg Game Notes
Lions Stadium  I  Ewing, N.J.  I  1:00 pm
 

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Setting the Scene
Frostburg State travels for the third time of the fall season when it visits the College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J. this Saturday for a 1:00 pm start. The Bobcats are 1-1 on the road this season following a 25-18 win over Kean two weeks ago. FSU enters the contest having won three-straight games, all in New Jersey Athletic Conference play. Frostburg is currently 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the NJAC.

TCNJ hosts Frostburg for its second home contest of the season and is 0-5 overall and 0-4 in the conference. The Lions have allowed 41 points in each of their last two contests and their closest game of the season came in a 16-7 loss at Kean in week three.

Saturday's contest will be the seventh meeting between the Bobcats and Lions and Frostburg has won three straight in the series.

Frostburg enters the matchup with a 4-1 overall slate after downing Geneva in its season opener, 31-10, and grabbing its first NJAC victory with a 24-7 win over Southern Virginia in week three. The SVU victory kick started Frostburg's three-game winning streak as the Bobcats have also collected wins over Kean (25-18) and William Paterson (23-0).

The matchup with FSU will be TCNJ's second home game of the season after it lost to then-#24 Christopher Newport at Lions Stadium on Sept. 24.

The Lions opened the season with a 51-3 loss at #3 Wisconsin-Whitewater and opened NJAC play two weeks later with a 16-7 setback at Kean.

Frostburg is trying for its second-consecutive 5-1 start and fourth-straight win over the College of the New Jersey. Last fall, FSU downed TCNJ 19-6 at Bobcat Stadium on Homecoming.

Last season, the Bobcats finished at 6-4, including a 5-4 finish in their first season as a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. FSU collected a five-game winning streak during the middle part of the season, the longest streak in the program since the 1999 team opened the season 6-0.

The Series
Saturday's matchup between the Bobcats and Lions is the seventh in the series between the two programs.

The series started in 1969 with a 21-14 TCNJ win. The Bobcats rebounded in 1970 with a narrow 7-6 win and the two schools tied 7-7 in 1971.

Since the tie, Frostburg has won three-consecutive games, starting with 27-16 and 24-21 wins in 1993 and 1994. Last fall, FSU won 19-6.

Scouting TCNJ
The College of New Jersey is under the direction of first-year head coach Rocky Hager and currently sits at 0-5 overall.

The Lions have struggled through the first five games of their schedule, allowing an average of 33.2 points per game while scoring just 3.2 ppg. TCNJ has been shutout twice and has allowed 41 points in each of the last two weeks.

The College of New Jersey is also struggling statistically as it is last in the NJAC in total offense (162.8 ypg) and is allowing the most yards in the league at 447.4 ypg.

Trevor Osler leads the Lions in passing with 393 yards and a touchdown on 49-of-97 attempts. His favorite target is Jeff Mattonelli who has hauled in 19 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown.

The rushing attack is led by Chad Scott and Khani Glover. Scott has rushed for 174 yards, while Glover has totaled 154.

On the other side of the line, the Lions are led in tackling by Max Busca with 41 total stops, including 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one recovered fumble. Troy Domenick is second on the roster with 37 tackles, including 2.5 TFLs and one sack. Abdelrahman Ragab is currently tied for fourth in the NJAC with 7.0 TFL's and 1.40 TFL's per game.

Scouting Frostburg
Frostburg is in its third season under DeLane Fitzgerald and he has his program headed in the right direction. He has increased Frostburg's win total in each of his first two years and his squad enters this weekend's matchup with TCNJ at 4-1 overall.

The Bobcats are averaging 303.2 yards per contest in total offense with 14 touchdowns through five games. The offensive numbers put the Bobcats in sixth place in the NJAC in total offense, while Frostburg's defensive unit is currently leading the league and is 12th in the country in total defense (240.8 ypg). In terms of scoring defense, the Bobcats are holding opponents to 19.5 points per contest. The Bobcats are also fourth in the nation in team tackles for loss at 10.4 TFL's per contest.

Senior preseason All-American defensive end William Sewell is second in the NJAC and is 16th in the country in tackles for loss per game (2.1) and he currently leads the Bobcats with 40 total tackles. Junior linebacker Dre'Quan Reed is second on the roster with 31 stops.

On offense, sophomore quarterback Connor Cox paces the team in total offense with 198.4 yards per game and he has accounted for seven touchdowns. Sophomore Jamaal Morant leads the rushing attack with 216 yards and three scores, while junior Russell Neverdon is Cox's favorite target with 25 receptions for 397 yards and three scores.

Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald
DeLane Fitzgerald is in his third season at the helm of the Frostburg State football program in 2016 and his impact has been immediate. The Bobcats finished 4-6 overall in '14 and posted a 6-4 mark a year ago. The six wins mark the first winning season for the Bobcats since the 2005 season, while the Bobcats' five-game winning streak is the longest since the 1999 team.

Frostburg hasn't just improved in the win/loss column, but the team GPA has improved every semester since Fitzgerald became head coach. Fitzgerald and his staff also see vast improvements in the weight room and around campus and in the town of Frostburg in terms of volunteer hours.

On the field, Fitzgerald's squad continues to improve statistically in every aspect of the game. On offense, the Bobcats set the school record in completion percentage (61.1%) last fall and finished fourth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference in rushing (164.3 ypg.).

On the other side of the ball, the Bobcats' improved in total defense for the second-straight year. In his first year, Fitzgerald's defense allowed 359.6 yards per game, while a year ago, FSU finished third in the NJAC at 313.4 yards allowed per contest. Prior to Fitzgerald's arrival, Frostburg allowed 464.2 yards per contest during the '13 season.

Through five weeks this season, the Bobcats are currently 12th in the country in total defense (240.8 ypg) and fourth in the nation in team tackles for loss per game (10.4).

Fitzgerald also placed an emphasis in special teams since the day of his arrival at Frostburg. Following the '14 season, the Bobcats finished 17th in the nation in blocked kicks (6) and they finished 18th a year ago (6). FSU also finished 11th in the country last season in punt returns (15.63) and 15th in kickoff return defense (14.95).

Fitzgerald's Weekly Quotes
On TCNJ ...
"The College of New Jersey is a smart, well coached football team. They are a pro-style offense led by #25 Khani Glover, #28 Chad Scott, and #20 Jeff Mattonelli. They run a 4-4 (1-high Safety) defense led by #90 Abdelrahman Ragab, #42 Max Busca, and #43 Troy Domenick."

On Saturday's game ...
"This Saturday's game is a trap game, point blank, end of discussion! They are a good football team and very capable of beating us. We need to make sure we are prepared to play well."

On his players and coaches ...
"We are working hard to improve each day. We are working to do things better now than we have ever done them! The team that improves each day will stand tall five weeks from now and we want to be that team."

A Win Would ...
- Lift the Bobcats to 250-279-8 overall in 56 seasons
- Give the Bobcats their second 5-1 start under coach DeLane Fitzgerald
- Improve Frostburg's record to 4-1-1 against TCNJ
- Push Frostburg's record this season on the road to 2-1
- Hand coach DeLane Fitzgerald his 15th win in three seasons at FSU
- Be the Bobcats fourth-straight victory

National Rankings (Stats) ...
Through five games this season, Frostburg is ranked among some of the nation's elite teams. The Bobcats enter their matchup with TCNJ ranked fourth in the country in team tackles for loss per game (10.4), 12th in total defense (240.8), 13th in passing yards per game (136.6), 17th in first downs allowed (66), 22nd in blocked punts (1) and 31st in scoring defense (15.6).

Individually, a pair of preseason All-Americans find themselves among the nation's elite. Senior DE William Sewell is 16th in the country and second in the NJAC in tackles for loss per game (2.1), while senior return specialist Austin Bonsall leads the NJAC and is 56th in the country in combined kick returns (334 yds.). Both were named to the Football Gameplan 2016 Preseason D3 All-American Team.

Senior defensive end J.R. Lowery has scooped up two fumbles this season and is seventh in the country in fumbles recovered. Junior wide receiver Russell Neverdon paces the NJAC and is 44th in the nation in punt returns (10.8 ypr).

Speaking of the NJAC
All 10 NJAC schools are in action on the sixth weekend of the 2016 season. All 10 schools are in league play and all five games kickoff at 1:00 pm.

Saturday, October 15
Frostburg at TCNJ - 1:00 pm
Montclair State at Christopher Newport - 1:00 pm
Salisbury at William Paterson - 1:00 pm
Rowan at Southern Virginia - 1:00 pm
Wesley at Kean - 1:00 pm

Kick It Up A Notch ...
Senior kicker Isaac Robinson is one of 16 place-kickers to be recognized during the month of September by the Fred Mitchell Award for his excellence on the football field and for his continued community service. He was also honored on the preseason watch list.

Of the 16 place-kickers on the watch list, Robinson is one of just five kickers from Division III and is the only NJAC representative on the list.

This fall, Robinson is 4-for-7 on field goal attempts with his longest FG coming from 44 yards out in FSU's 24-7 win over Southern Virginia. He is also 8-for-12 on extra point attempts.

Last year, Robinson earned First Team All-NJAC honors and was an ECAC All-Star kicker after finishing ninth in the nation in FG's per game (1.20) and 10th in the country in FG percentage (0.750). He led the NJAC with 12 field goals and he finished the season with 63 points that also included 23-of-26 PAT's.

In terms of community service, Robinson has volunteered with Beautify the Burg picking up trash around the city as well as mulching and painting parts of the town of Frostburg. He has volunteered at local nursing homes, Special Olympics, Storybook Forest, the Scottish Games and has helped with elementary school reading programs.

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.

Bringing Home More Bacon ...
Robinson's Fred Mitchell Award Watch List honor isn't the only preseason nomination for a national award that also honors his work off the field. In mid-July, the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced its 25th Anniversary Allstate Good Works Team nominees and Isaac Robinson was among the 156 nominations.

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team has recognized college football players from across the country who exemplify a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism.

During his time at Frostburg, Robinson has volunteered with Beautify the Burg picking up trash around the city as well as mulching and painting parts of the town of Frostburg. He has volunteered at local nursing homes, Special Olympics, Storybook Forest, the Scottish Games and has helped with elementary school reading programs.

A 2015-16 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) All-Academic selection, Robinson is also a two-time Empire 8 Athletic Conference President's List honoree and a four-time Dean's List Student. He majors in engineering and carries a 3.56 GPA.
 
On the field, Robinson was named a 2015 ECAC South All-Star and was a 2015 First Team All-NJAC Special Teams player after leading the league in field goals (12), FG's per game (1.20) and FG percentage (75.0). He was third in the conference in PATs with 23.

He was the lone AFCA Good Works Team nominee from the NJAC.

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. The Bobcats have blocked six kicks in each of the last two seasons and have finished 17th and 18th, respectively, in NCAA Division III.

The Bobcats also finished the 2015 season ranked second in the nation in punt return touchdowns (4), 11th in punt returns (15.63), 15th in kickoff return defense (14.95) and 40th in net punting (34.41).

Frostburg Football History
Frostburg is in its 56th year of collegiate football in 2016 and the Bobcats have an overall record of 249-279-8. 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 '16 season marks the second 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.

Last Time Against TCNJ
Frostburg  19    The College of New Jersey  6    Frostburg, Md.  -  Bobcat Stadium    Oct. 10, 2015
Junior Isaac Robinson kicked two field goals and sophomore Joe Beckford and freshman Connor Cox each tossed a touchdown as Frostburg State downed The College of New Jersey, 19-6, on Homecoming.
 
The Bobcats never trailed in the contest and nearly pitched a shutout before a fourth-quarter score put the Lions on the board. Frostburg's first points of the game came off the foot of Robinson and the Bobcats jumped out to a 19-0 lead early in the fourth on another FG from Robinson.