University of Richmond Athletics
Thanksgiving in New England
11/19/2001 | Football
Nov. 19, 2001
For just the second time in the past two decades, and only the third time in the past 34 years, the Richmond football team will play a regular season game after the traditional rivalry with William & Mary. The Spiders travel to Amherst, Massachusetts for a Friday noon kickoff with the Minutemen. The game was postponed from September 15th.
Here are more notes for Friday's game at Massachusetts...
Complete release in PDF format
Regular-Season Finale ... Richmond is 2-4 in its regular-season finale during the Jim Reid-era ... Last season, Richmond defeated William & Mary 21-18 on November 18 ... The Spiders are 45-62-8 all-time in their regular-season finale ... This year marks the first time in program history that Richmond will complete its season with the Minutemen.
Last Game. Where's the Tribe? ... For the first time since 1995, Richmond will not complete the regular season against long-time rival William & Mary ... The Spiders and Tribe have played in UR's last regular season game in 18 of the last 19 years and 31 of the last 33 seasons ... Richmond has closed its regular season with William & Mary 73 times.
Returning Home for Final Game ... Richmond senior offensive lineman Ken Farrar will play his final collegiate game in his home state .... The Peabody, Mass., native has started the last 34 games ... Farrar earned All-Atlantic 10 Third Team honors last season and was selected Preseason All-Conference last summer ... He earned Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-State honors as a senior at Peabody High School.
Coaching Ties to Massachusetts ... Richmond's seventh-year head coach Jim Reid served in the same capacity at the University of Massachusetts for six years (1986-91) ... Before becoming the head coach, Reid served as an assistant coach from 1975-85 and as a graduate assistant coach from 1973-74 ... In total, Reid spent 19 years on the Amherst school's sideline ... In addition to his connection, two Richmond football assistant coaches played under Reid at UMass ... Running backs coach Bill Durkin is in his fifth season at UR ... Durkin (`94) was an All-American offensive lineman for the Minutemen ... Defensive line coach Rich Cavanaugh (`91) is in his second year with the Spiders ... Cavanaugh was an All-Conference offensive lineman.
Second Half Lockdown ... The Richmond defense has dominated the last two games during the second half ... Against Delaware (Nov. 10), the Spiders allowed just one first down and 42 total yards in the second half ... In Richmond's last game, a 23-20 loss to William & Mary (Nov. 17), the Spider yielded just two first downs and 43 total yards ... The Tribe scored three second-half points while Delaware didn't score.
Tough on Third Down ... The Spider defense ranks second in the Atlantic 10 in holding its opponent on third down ... Richmond has stopped its opponent 89 out of 124 chances (72 percent) ... UR was a perfect 10-for-10 holding Delaware on third-down opportunities ... In the last five games, Richmond has held on 56 of 70 attempts (80 percent).
