University of Richmond Athletics
Photo by: Meg Lee
Football Ranked No. 22 In AFCA Coaches’ FCS Poll
08/16/2021 | Football
RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond football team is ranked 22nd in the nation in the preseason American Football Coaches' Association FCS Top 25 Poll Monday. The Spiders are one of four teams from the Colonial Athletic Association in the national rankings after finishing the spring season with a 3-1 record.
Richmond returns every starter on both offense and defense from last year's team that ended the year ranked No. 14 in the country in the AFCA Coaches' Poll. The Spiders return every snap from the spring season on the offensive line, headlined by All-CAA selections Clayton McConnell (Foley, Ala.) and Tim Coleman (Stone Mountain, Ga.).
Quarterback Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga.) leads the offense in his third season as the Spiders' starter and second year as a team captain. He ranks eighth all-time in program history with 5,245 yards of total offense, passing for 4,019 yards and rushing for 1,226 yards in his career. Running backs Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Savon Smith (Winchester, Va.) lead the ground game after averaging 5.2 and 4.7 yards per carry respectively in the spring.
Tight end John Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.) earned First Team All-Conference honors after leading all tight ends in the conference with 14 receptions and leading the position with 131 yards receiving. Wide receiver Leroy Henley (Pompano Beach, Fla.) led the team with 15 receptions and 193 yards receiving, while Jasiah Williams (Petersburg, Va.) added 11 receptions in four games in the spring.
Defensively, the Spiders are led by three preseason All-Conference selections starting up front with defensive lineman Kobie Turner (Clifton, Va.). Turner is a preseason All-America selection after being named CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the spring. Defensive end Darius Reynolds (Yorktown, Va.) returns after earning All-CAA honors in the spring and leading the team in sacks.
The Spider linebackers are led by two preseason All-CAA selections in Tyler Dressler (Covington, Va.) and Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.). Dressler is a two-time All-CAA selection and led the team with 104 tackles in 2019. Wheeler is on the preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List with Turner given to the top defensive player in all of NCAA FCS after leading the CAA with 9.5 tackles per game.
Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk (Indian Trail, N.C.) leads the defensive back group after being named All-CAA in the spring. He was tied for the league lead with two interceptions in four games. Redshirt freshman Aamir Hall (Baltimore, Md.) mans the other corner position after starting three games in the spring as a true freshman.
The CAA had four teams ranked in the top 25 in the preseason poll. James Madison is ranked No. 2, Delaware No. 5 and Villanova is No. 15.
The Spiders open the fall season with back-to-back home games, beginning September 4 hosting Howard. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Robins Stadium.
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Richmond returns every starter on both offense and defense from last year's team that ended the year ranked No. 14 in the country in the AFCA Coaches' Poll. The Spiders return every snap from the spring season on the offensive line, headlined by All-CAA selections Clayton McConnell (Foley, Ala.) and Tim Coleman (Stone Mountain, Ga.).
Quarterback Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga.) leads the offense in his third season as the Spiders' starter and second year as a team captain. He ranks eighth all-time in program history with 5,245 yards of total offense, passing for 4,019 yards and rushing for 1,226 yards in his career. Running backs Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Savon Smith (Winchester, Va.) lead the ground game after averaging 5.2 and 4.7 yards per carry respectively in the spring.
Tight end John Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.) earned First Team All-Conference honors after leading all tight ends in the conference with 14 receptions and leading the position with 131 yards receiving. Wide receiver Leroy Henley (Pompano Beach, Fla.) led the team with 15 receptions and 193 yards receiving, while Jasiah Williams (Petersburg, Va.) added 11 receptions in four games in the spring.
Defensively, the Spiders are led by three preseason All-Conference selections starting up front with defensive lineman Kobie Turner (Clifton, Va.). Turner is a preseason All-America selection after being named CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the spring. Defensive end Darius Reynolds (Yorktown, Va.) returns after earning All-CAA honors in the spring and leading the team in sacks.
The Spider linebackers are led by two preseason All-CAA selections in Tyler Dressler (Covington, Va.) and Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.). Dressler is a two-time All-CAA selection and led the team with 104 tackles in 2019. Wheeler is on the preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List with Turner given to the top defensive player in all of NCAA FCS after leading the CAA with 9.5 tackles per game.
Cornerback Tyrek Funderburk (Indian Trail, N.C.) leads the defensive back group after being named All-CAA in the spring. He was tied for the league lead with two interceptions in four games. Redshirt freshman Aamir Hall (Baltimore, Md.) mans the other corner position after starting three games in the spring as a true freshman.
The CAA had four teams ranked in the top 25 in the preseason poll. James Madison is ranked No. 2, Delaware No. 5 and Villanova is No. 15.
The Spiders open the fall season with back-to-back home games, beginning September 4 hosting Howard. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Robins Stadium.
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