University of Richmond Athletics
Photo by: Keith Lucas
Football Hits The Road Saturday For Game At Elon
03/12/2021 | Football
RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond football team hits the road for the first time in the 2021 spring season Saturday as the Spiders travel to Elon for a Colonial Athletic Association contest. Game time is set for 1 pm. At Rhodes Stadium.
The game will be streamed online on FloFootball.com. A paid subscription is needed to view the game. No over the air television is available for this road game. Additionally, the game will be radio broadcast on 99.5 FM/950 AM ESPN Richmond and TuneIn with Bob Black and Christ Anderson providing the call.
Social media for the game will be found on Twitter @SpiderAthletics for Saturday's game at Elon.
Richmond opened the season last weekend with a 21-14 victory over rival William & Mary at home in the first of two meetings for The Capital Cup. The Spiders scored the go-ahead touchdown with 6:20 remaining in the fourth quarter and its defense forced a three-and-out. Richmond never gave the ball back as its offense ran out the clock with the ground game.
The Spiders opened the season rushing for 169 yards of offense. Three different Spiders reached over 50 yards rushing in the victory. Quarterback Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga.) led the way with 63 yards on 11 carries. Redshirt sophomore running back Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.) was second with 57 yards rushing on 13 carries while sophomore running back Savon Smith (Winchester, Va.) added 56 yards on 12 carries. It marked the first time since the season opener against Jacksonville in 2019 that the Spiders had three rushers over 50 yards. In that game, Mancuso, Dykes and Xavier Goodall all reached the 50-yard mark.
Mancuso finished the game pass 15-of-27 for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Graduate transfer tight end John Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.) led the team with five receptions for a team-high 44 yards while posting the go ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Fitzgerald's first game as a Spider almost eclipsed the Spiders' entire output from the tight end position in 2019. That year, the Spiders' tight ends combined for eight receptions and 81 total yards receiving. Fitzgerald's receiving touchdown was the Spiders' first from the tight end position since Stephon Jacob caught a score in the 2018 season against James Madison.
Defensively, the Spiders limited the Tribe to 14 points and held William & Mary scoreless in the first half. Sophomore linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.) led the way with seven tackles while senior linebacker Tyler Dressler (Covington, Va.) added six tackles.
Saturday's game marks the 11th meeting all-time between Richmond and Elon. The Spiders lead the all-time series by a 7-3 margin but have dropped three straight in the series since opening it with seven-straight wins. Richmond is 4-1 all-time at Rhodes Stadium with its last win there coming in 2016 by a 35-7 margin. In 2019, the Spiders dropped a 42-20 contest at home at Robins Stadium to the Phoenix. Mancuso threw for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns in relief while also rushing for 49 yards. Elon quarterback Davis Cheek threw for 234 yards and five touchdowns while Kortez Weeks hauling in eight receptions for 125 yards.
Elon enters Saturday's game with a 1-2 overall record. The Phoenix opened the year with a victory over Davidson before falling at home to Gardner-Webb. Elon gave No. 1 James Madison all it wanted, leading the game for a majority of the game before giving up two late touchdowns in the 20-17 loss to the Dukes.
Elon is starting a true freshman quarterback after injuries to Cheek and Joey Baughman. JR Martin connected on 12-of-26 passing for 126 yards and a touchdown while throwing an interception. Running back Jaylan Thomas added 49 yards on 15 carries while McKinley Witherspoon added a rushing touchdown.
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The game will be streamed online on FloFootball.com. A paid subscription is needed to view the game. No over the air television is available for this road game. Additionally, the game will be radio broadcast on 99.5 FM/950 AM ESPN Richmond and TuneIn with Bob Black and Christ Anderson providing the call.
Social media for the game will be found on Twitter @SpiderAthletics for Saturday's game at Elon.
Richmond opened the season last weekend with a 21-14 victory over rival William & Mary at home in the first of two meetings for The Capital Cup. The Spiders scored the go-ahead touchdown with 6:20 remaining in the fourth quarter and its defense forced a three-and-out. Richmond never gave the ball back as its offense ran out the clock with the ground game.
The Spiders opened the season rushing for 169 yards of offense. Three different Spiders reached over 50 yards rushing in the victory. Quarterback Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga.) led the way with 63 yards on 11 carries. Redshirt sophomore running back Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.) was second with 57 yards rushing on 13 carries while sophomore running back Savon Smith (Winchester, Va.) added 56 yards on 12 carries. It marked the first time since the season opener against Jacksonville in 2019 that the Spiders had three rushers over 50 yards. In that game, Mancuso, Dykes and Xavier Goodall all reached the 50-yard mark.
Mancuso finished the game pass 15-of-27 for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Graduate transfer tight end John Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.) led the team with five receptions for a team-high 44 yards while posting the go ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Fitzgerald's first game as a Spider almost eclipsed the Spiders' entire output from the tight end position in 2019. That year, the Spiders' tight ends combined for eight receptions and 81 total yards receiving. Fitzgerald's receiving touchdown was the Spiders' first from the tight end position since Stephon Jacob caught a score in the 2018 season against James Madison.
Defensively, the Spiders limited the Tribe to 14 points and held William & Mary scoreless in the first half. Sophomore linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.) led the way with seven tackles while senior linebacker Tyler Dressler (Covington, Va.) added six tackles.
Saturday's game marks the 11th meeting all-time between Richmond and Elon. The Spiders lead the all-time series by a 7-3 margin but have dropped three straight in the series since opening it with seven-straight wins. Richmond is 4-1 all-time at Rhodes Stadium with its last win there coming in 2016 by a 35-7 margin. In 2019, the Spiders dropped a 42-20 contest at home at Robins Stadium to the Phoenix. Mancuso threw for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns in relief while also rushing for 49 yards. Elon quarterback Davis Cheek threw for 234 yards and five touchdowns while Kortez Weeks hauling in eight receptions for 125 yards.
Elon enters Saturday's game with a 1-2 overall record. The Phoenix opened the year with a victory over Davidson before falling at home to Gardner-Webb. Elon gave No. 1 James Madison all it wanted, leading the game for a majority of the game before giving up two late touchdowns in the 20-17 loss to the Dukes.
Elon is starting a true freshman quarterback after injuries to Cheek and Joey Baughman. JR Martin connected on 12-of-26 passing for 126 yards and a touchdown while throwing an interception. Running back Jaylan Thomas added 49 yards on 15 carries while McKinley Witherspoon added a rushing touchdown.
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