Football Drops CAA Opener To No. 25 Elon

Saturday, September 14

Richmond, Va.

6:00 PM

University of Richmond

1-2

Elon

2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Elon

Richmond

Photo by: Keith Lucas

09/14/2019 | Football

Box Score Richmond-Elon Book (PDF)Photo Gallery Russ Huesman Post-Game

RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond football team dropped its CAA opener against No. 25 Elon, 42-20, Saturday night at Robins Stadium. The Phoenix scored the first 14 points of the game and ran out to a 28-7 advantage at the halftime break. The Spiders are on their bye week coming up and return to action September 28 with a non-conference game at Fordham.

Graduate transfer Keyston Fuller (Griffin, Ga.) finished with a career high seven catches for 208 receiving yards, including a 66-yard touchdown to open the third quarter. Fuller's 208 receiving yards is tied for fourth-best in school history for a single game tied with former Spider Leland Melvin's 208-yard game against James Madison on Sept. 1, 1984.

Redshirt junior quarterback Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga.) was 11-for-16 for 234 yards passing and two touchdowns, all in the second half as he came off the bench for the first time this season. Redshirt sophomore Beau English (Stevenson, Md.) led the team with 44 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Spiders, who entered the game leading the CAA and ranking 10^th in the country in rushing, were held to just 96 yards rushing on 32 carries.

Elon's junior quarterback Davis Cheek finished with 234 passing yards and five touchdowns to five different receivers in the victory. The Phoenix accumulated 384 yards of total offense on the day, including 150 yards rushing. Wide receiver Kortez Weeks finished the game with 125 yards receiving on eight passes. Elon converted on 12-of-16 third downs in the victory, including its first nine of the game.

Elon scored the first two touchdowns of the game, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Cheek hit a 28-yard pass to Cole Taylor to open the scoring and added a 4-yard pass to Matt Foster with 2:27 left in the quarter.

Richmond cut the deficit to 14-7 with an 11-play, 73-yard drive capped off by an English 8-yard run, marking his first career collegiate score. The Phoenix answered right back with a momentum swinging score as Shamari Wingard returned the ensuing kickoff 96-yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead.

Mancuso came on in the second half and quickly found the end zone, connecting on a 66-yard touchdown pass with Fuller on the first possession making it a 28-13 deficit. Elon ended any doubt though with two more scores in a 2:11 span as Weeks scored on a 53-yard pass and the Spiders turned the ball over on a kickoff setting up a 10-yard pass for Cheek and a 42-13 advantage.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Isaac Brown (Winchester, Va.) closed out the scoring as he hauled in a circus catch from Mancuso on the sideline from 8-yards out for his second career touchdown and first of the year.

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