Frostburg (8-1, 7-1 NJAC) vs. Salisbury (7-2, 6-2 NJAC)
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Frostburg Game Notes
Bobcat Stadium I Frostburg, Md. I 1:00 pm
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Setting the Scene
Frostburg State hosts its sixth and final regular season game this Saturday when it welcomes in-state rival Salisbury for the 18th Annual Regents Cup Game at 1:00 pm. The Bobcats are 5-0 at Bobcat Stadium this fall and are outscoring opponents 119-37 in the those five contests. FSU enters the game with an 8-1 overall record and a 7-1 NJAC slate. The Bobcats have also won their last seven games and have worked themselves into a tie for the league lead with No. 20 Wesley. The Bobcats are receiving votes in both the D3football.com and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Polls. According to D3football.com, the Bobcats are just two spots outside the top-25 with 26 votes.
With a win over Salisbury on Saturday, and if Wesley defeats William Paterson, the Bobcats will earn a share of the NJAC Title. If Frostburg downs Salisbury and with a Wesley loss at home to William Paterson, Frostburg would win the NJAC Title outright and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs.
Salisbury arrives for the Regents Cup game with a 7-2 overall record and a 6-2 league record. The Sea Gulls are currently third in the NJAC standings following a 44-27 loss at home to Wesley last Saturday. Prior to the Wesley loss, Salisbury had won three-straight games and had worked itself into a three-way tie for the league lead with Frostburg and Wesley.
The Sea Gulls also carry a 3-1 record on the road into the matchup with Frostburg having defeated Southern Virginia (35-0), William Paterson (77-19) and Christopher Newport (45-24) this fall.
Saturday's contest will be the 44th meeting between the Bobcats and Sea Gulls and is Frostburg's sixth and final home game of the regular season. The annual meeting between FSU and SU has occurred every year since 1973 and the last 17 meetings have had a little more incentive with the advent of the Regents Cup Game.
The Regents Cup is held the last Saturday of the regular season and members of the USM Board of Regents present the winning coach and team captains with the trophy. Frostburg and Salisbury are Maryland's only public, football playing schools at the NCAA III level.
The Series
Saturday's matchup between the Bobcats and Sea Gulls is the 44th meeting and the schools have met every year since 1973. SU currently leads the series 27-16 and has won the last 12 meetings.
Scouting Salisbury
Salisbury is under the direction of Sherman Wood and he is in his 18th season as head coach. Heading into the '16 season, he has guided the Sea Gulls to a 122-60 overall record with five conference titles, including the 2015 NJAC Championship. Last year's title carried Salisbury into the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time under Wood.
This fall, SU is 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the NJAC. Last Saturday, the Sea Gulls fell to Wesley, 44-27, but had won three-straight before the loss and had worked themselves into a three-way tie for the league lead.
Behind their multiple option offense, the Gulls lead the NJAC is scoring offense (40.6), total offense (473.2) and rushing offense (384.4). Those numbers also ranked SU as the nation's best rushing attack and 30th overall in total offense.
Salisbury is seventh in the NJAC in total defense (314.3) and fifth in scoring defense (19.9). The Sea Gulls are allowing the league's second-fewest rushing yards per contest (109.7) but are allowing the conference's most passing yards (204.7).
The Sea Gulls currently boast three of the NJAC's top 10 rushers and are led by Connor Canonico, who is averaging 90.4 yards per contest with nine touchdowns. Ryan Kolb is second on the team with 85.8 yards per game with four scores.
On defense, DJ Davis leads the charge with 53 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and an interception. Andre Boon is second with 50 tackles, three TFLs and two interceptions.
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 SU at 8-1 overall and in a tie for first in the NJAC standings.
The Bobcats enter the game against Salisbury with the nation's seventh-best defensive unit as they lead the NJAC by allowing just 224.9 yards per contest. The Bobcats also lead the country in tackles for loss per game (10.2), are third nationally in passing yards allowed (129.2) and 30th in rushing defense (95.7).
On offense, Frostburg is sixth in the NJAC at 299.1 yards per game behind the league's fifth-best passing attack (163.0 ypg) and fifth-best rushing attack (136.1).
Senior preseason All-American defensive end William Sewell leads the NJAC and is seventh in the country in tackles for loss per game (2.1) and he currently leads the Bobcats with 66 total tackles. Junior linebacker Dre'Quan Reed is second on the roster with 57 stops. Junior nose tackle Niles Scott leads the Bobcats with 6.5 sacks and is second with 15.0 tackles for loss.
On offense, sophomore quarterback Connor Cox paces the team in total offense with 181.9 yards per game and he has accounted for 16 touchdowns. Sophomore Jamaal Morant leads the Bobcat ground game with 679 yards on 149 carries and four touchdowns. He has eclipsed the 100-yard barrier in three of the last five games, including 145 yards on 33 carries two weeks ago in the win over Rowan. Junior Russell Neverdon is third in the NJAC in receiving yards per game (81.9) and receiving yards (737). He leads the league with eight touchdown catches this season.
Receiving Votes
Frostburg is 8-1 overall on the season and has won seven-straight games. The Bobcats are beginning to garner attention on a national level as they are listed as receiving votes in both the D3football.com and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III polls.
According to D3football.com, Frostburg is the second team receiving votes with 26, while in the AFCA poll, the Bobcats are receiving six votes. FSU has never been ranked in the D3football.com poll and was last ranked in the AFCA poll in 1999. That year, Frostburg was ranked as high as 12th in the country for two weeks in mid-October.
Frostburg is also ranked in the NCAA regional rankings. A week ago in the initial regional rankings of the fall season, Frostburg was ranked 10th and has moved to ninth in this week's poll.
Postseason Aspirations
Frostburg boasts an 8-1 overall record on the season heading into its matchup with Salisbury and the Bobcats have a chance at a pair of postseason berths.
The winner of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) will receive an automatic bid the 2016 NCAA Playoffs and Frostburg enters the weekend in a tie with Wesley for first-place in the league standings.
With a win over Salisbury on Saturday, and if Wesley defeats William Paterson, the Bobcats will earn a share of the NJAC Title. If Frostburg downs Salisbury and with a Wesley loss at home to William Paterson, Frostburg would win the NJAC Title outright and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs.
The NCAA selection show will take place on Sunday, November 13 at 6:00 pm and will be available at www.NCAA.com.
If Frostburg doesn't make the NCAA Playoffs, it could earn a trip to the 2016 ECAC Division III Football Bowl Championships at historic Franklin Field on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The event, termed #ECACD3FBFEST, will feature 12 teams competing in six bowl games from Nov. 18-20.
The selection show for the #ECACD3FBFEST will take place on Monday morning, Nov. 14 at 12:00 pm.
Logon on to www.FrostburgSports.com for all the up-to-the-minute information on Bobcat football.
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 nine weeks this season, the Bobcats are currently seventh in the country in total defense (224.9 ypg) and lead the nation in team tackles for loss per game (10.2).
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 Salisbury ...
"Salisbury is talented and well coached and I've never seen a Salisbury football team unprepared for a game. They will be ready to play on Saturday at 1pm."
On the matchup ...
"Saturday's game pits the best offense in our conference vs. the best defense in our conference. Salisbury runs the ball on every opponent they play and we make it a point not to let anyone run the football on us. Something is going to give on Saturday, it should be a lot of fun!"
"Our players are excited, and what's there not to be excited about. We've won seven-straight games, have an opportunity to win the conference title, have an opportunity to go undefeated at home this fall, and it's a trophy game. Our football program needs no motivational speeches this week!"
"The Regents Cup Game is exciting. I've heard from more alumni this week than any other week since I began working at Frostburg three years ago. This game matters to our alumni. The stadium will be packed on Saturday and our Frostburg football alumni will be here in full force!"
A Win Would ...
- Lift the Bobcats to 254-279-8 overall in 56 seasons
- Give the Bobcats their first 9-1 finish to the regular season since 1993
- Be the Bobcats' fourth 9-1 regular season finish in program history
- Hand Frostburg an eight-game winning streak for the first time since 1993
- Be just the third eight-game winning streak in program history
- End Frostburg's 12-game losing skid to Salisbury
- Be FSU's first win over SU at home since 1998
- Land FSU its first 6-0 regular-season home record since 1990
- Hand coach DeLane Fitzgerald his 19th win in three seasons at FSU
National Rankings (Stats) ...
Through nine games this season, Frostburg is ranked among some of the nation's elite teams. The Bobcats enter their matchup with SU ranked first in the country in team tackles for loss per game (10.2), third in passing yards allowed (129.2), fourth in passing efficiency defense (86.82), seventh in total defense (224.9), 10th in blocked kicks (5), 11th in scoring defense (12.3), 11th in first downs defense (118) and 21st in blocked punts (2).
Senior preseason All-American defensive end William Sewell is seventh in the country and leads the NJAC in tackles for loss per game (2.1) and he is 20th in the nation in forced fumbles (2). Freshman Graylin Walker is 17th in Division III in blocked kicks (2), while senior kicker Isaac Robinson is 18th in the country and paces the NJAC in field goals per game (1.22).
Speaking of the NJAC
All 10 NJAC schools are in action on the final weekend of the 2016 regular season and all 10 are in league play. On Friday, Rowan visits TCNJ at 7:00 pm, while the remaining four games will take place on Saturday.
Friday, Nov. 12
Rowan at TCNJ - 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 29
Montclair State at Kean - 1:00 pm
Salisbury at Frostburg - 1:00 pm
William Paterson at Wesley - 1:00 pm
Southern Virginia at CNU - 3:00 pm
All-Americans ...
Frostburg State had a pair of players take home preseason All-American honors during the month of the August. For starters, senior defensive end William Sewell was selected as a d3football.com Second Team All-American after leading the Bobcats in tackles (64), tackles for loss (14.5) and tied for the team lead with 6.0 sacks. He also garnered preseason All-American honors heading into the '15 season by USA College Football.
Sewell and senior return specialist Austin Bonsall were later named to the Football Gameplan 2016 Preseason D3 All-American Team. Sewell was named to the first team defense, while Bonsall was placed on the third team specialists as a punt returner.
A year ago, Bonsall was named the NJAC Special Teams Players of the Year after leading the NJAC and finished second in the nation with two punt return touchdowns. He also finished second in the league and 22nd nationally with a 12.9 yard per return average.
Kick It Up A Notch ...
Senior kicker Isaac Robinson is one of 16 place-kickers to be recognized during the month of October 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 seven kickers from Division III and is one of just two NJAC representatives on the list.
This fall, Robinson is 11-for-16 on field goal attempts with his longest FG coming from 47 yards out in FSU's 17-6 win over Christopher Newport. He is also 18-for-23 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.
NJAC Preseason Poll
The NJAC released the 2016 Preseason Coaches Poll in early August and Frostburg State was picked to finish third in the 10-team league. The Bobcats were chosen as the league's dark horse team for the second-straight season and received one first-place vote.
Defending champion Salisbury was picked to repeat as the league champion in '16, followed by Wesley in second place. Rowan, which received one first-place vote, was picked fourth, while Kean was fifth. Rounding out sixth through 10th place are Montclair State (6th), Christopher Newport (7th), TCNJ (8th), William Paterson (9th) and Southern Virginia (10th).
Frostburg Football History
Frostburg is in its 56th year of collegiate football in 2016 and the Bobcats have an overall record of 253-279-8. 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.
