University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond Football Hits The Road To Face No. 17 James Madison
Oct. 24, 2005
Photo Gallery -- Spider Sportsline At Buffalo Wild Wings
Complete Richmond Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Complete Opponent Game Notes in PDF FormatDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Complete Atlantic 10 Release in PDF FormatDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Richmond, 4-1 in the A-10 for the first time since 2000, hits the road to face its third-straight Top-25 opponent in the 17th-ranked James Madison Dukes. Kickoff in Harrisonburg, Va., Oct. 29, is set for 3 p.m. The game's radio broadcast can be heard on the Spider Radio Network and at RichmondSpiders.com. Bob Black will handle the play-by-play with former Richmond defensive standout, Jasmonn Coleman, as analyst and Matt Smith on the sidelines.
The Spiders (4-3, 4-1) are coming off a thrilling 43-37 double-overtime win over then-No. 23 Hofstra at UR Stadium last Saturday. The win gave them a four-game conference win streak for the first time since the 2000 season. James Madison (4-3, 2-2) will be looking to snap a two-game losing skid after falling at UMass, 10-7, Oct. 15, and 38-24 last weekend at Delaware. Richmond leads the all-time series with the Dukes, 12-10, but has not beaten James Madison since the 2002 season.
Richmond is under the direction of second-year head coach Dave Clawson, who has compiled a seven-year career record of 36-40 and a 7-11 mark in two seasons at Richmond. Mickey Matthews is in his seventh season as the Dukes' head coach. Matthews has compiled a seven-year career mark of 44-36, all coming at James Madison.
QUICK OUTS...
-- Senior Stacy Tutt is currently fifth on the Spiders' all-time list for pass attempts with 610. He needs 32 more attempts to overtake Charlie Richards (1968-70) in fourth place with 641.
-- Tutt needs 120 passing yards to move into fourth on the Spiders all-time list ahead of Buster O'Brien (1966-68) with 4,424, and 169 passing yards to move into third on the Spiders' all-time list ahead of Charlie Richards (1968-70) with 4,473.
-- Tutt needs 278 yards of total offense to move into third on the Spiders' all-time list ahead of Jimmie Miles (1996-99) with 5,570.
-- Tutt needs to be part of 56 plays (run, pass) to move into third on the Spiders' all-time list ahead of Jimmie Miles (1996-99) with 1,023.
-- Richmond's defense has limited opponents to two touchdowns and a field goal in the fourth quarter. Vanderbilt and Delaware each scored touchdowns and UMass posted a field goal. In comparison the Spiders have scored 37 points in the fourth quarter including five touchdowns and a field goal.
-- Senior David Freeman is averaging 27.4 yards per kickoff return. That average is tops in the league and sixth-best in the country.
-- Sophomore Sherman Logan has recorded a sack in each of the last five games, and a tackle-for-loss in each of the last six. His 0.93 sacks per game ranks second in the conference and is tied for 13th in the country.
-- Richmond was 10-for-17 (59%) in third down situations for the second-straight game last weekend against Hofstra.
-- In the last two games Tutt has gone 19-for-24 for 276 yards on third-down situations. He also has tossed three touchdown passes on third-down conversions in those two games.
-- Junior Matt Hale has hauled in a touchdown catch in each of the last three contests.
RICHMOND-JMU SERIES
The Richmond-James Madison series began Oct. 3, 1981, when the Spiders topped the Dukes, 34-7, in Richmond, Va... The Spiders went on to win each of the next three, before falling in five-straight from 1987-91... Since 1992 each team has not won more than three-straight, as the Spiders posted the only three-game win streak in the series from 2000-2002... JMU's biggest win in the series was a 41-3 victory in Harrisonburg, Oct. 10, 1987... Richmond's largest margin of victory came Nov. 5, 1983 when it defeated the Dukes 32-0 in Richmond... The two team have met on Oct. 29, when JMU won 29-16 at Richmond, in 1994.
A QUICK LOOK AT JMU
The James Madison Dukes come into Saturday's game looking to snap a two-game losing skid, in what will be their homecoming in more ways than one. JMU has been on the road the last two weeks, but the game will also be celebrated as part of the Dukes' homecoming weekend. Their two losses have come at league-leading UMass, 10-7, Oct. 15, and at Delaware last weekend, 34-28. Junior quarterback Justin Rascati leads an offense averaging more than 400 yards a game. Rascati has a completion percentage of 70.5 on the season and has throw for 1,271 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior tailback Alvin Banks leads a ground attack averaging 217 yards per game. Banks has scored six times in seven games and averages 5.4 yards per carrry. Sophomore Tony LeZotte anchors a defense which is ranked second in the Atlantic 10 in total defense and is limiting opponents to 260 yards a game and just 4.0 yards per play.
A RICHMOND WIN WOULD...
-- Give the Spiders a 5-3 mark for the first time since the 1999 season.
-- Give the Spiders a 5-1 mark in the Atlantic 10 for the first time since the 2000 season.
-- Make the Spiders 15-32 against ranked opponents dating back to 1995.
-- Mark the third consecutive win over a ranked opponent.
-- Mark the first five-game conference win streak for the Spiders since the 2000 season.
-- Give head coach Dave Clawson his first five-win season at Richmond.
-- Make the Spiders 4-6 on the road under Clawson.
-- Make the all-time series with James Madison 13-10, in favor of the Spiders.
-- Up the Spiders' record to 6-5 against the Dukes when playing in Harrisonburg.
-- Snap the Dukes' two-game win streak in the all-time series.
-- Mark Richmond's first win over James Madison since the 2002 season, and the first win against JMU in Harrisonburg since the 2001 season.
-- Move Clawson's marks to 37-40 as a head coach and 98-86-1 in his coaching career.
-- Give Clawson his first win all-time against James Madison and make his record 1-1 against the Dukes.
-- Give the Spiders an all-time record of 445-588-53.
A RICHMOND LOSS WOULD...
-- Give the Spiders a 4-4 mark for the first time since the 1986 season.
-- Give the Spiders a 4-2 record in the Atlantic 10 for the first time since the 1993 season.
-- Snap Richmond's four-game conference win streak and it's three-game overall win streak.
-- Make the Spiders 14-33 against ranked opponents dating back to 1995.
-- Make the Spiders 3-7 on the road under head coach Dave Clawson.
-- Make the all-time series with James Madison 12-11, in favor of the Spiders.
-- Drop the Spiders' record to 5-6 against the Dukes when playing in Harrisonburg.
-- Extend James Madison's win streak to three games in the all-time series.
-- Give Clawson a mark of 36-41 as a head coach and 97-87-1 in his coaching career.
-- Drop Clawson to 0-2 against the Dukes in his coaching career.
-- Give the Spiders an all-time record of 444-589-53.
TIME OF POSSESSION -- BALL HOGS
Some might say the best defense can be your offense. In Richmond's case that is somewhat true. The Spiders' offense is helping rest and rejuvenate the defense by holding onto the ball and sustaining long and timely scoring drives. In the last two games the Spiders have had seven scoring drives of three minutes or longer and four which have lasted longer than 4:30 seconds. In the fourth quarter against Hofstra, the Spiders had two touchdown scoring drives of 6:18 and 4:58, which allowed the Pride to have the ball just 4:03 in that quarter. Richmond is averaging scoring drives of 56.6 yards over its last two games. That average includes four drives of 79-or-more yards. For more on the Spiders' scoring drives take a look at page 14 of the notes.
THROW IT TO SHIELDS
Up until the Vanderbilt game, sophomore Arman Shields had caught one pass for one yard. In the last four games the Washington, D.C., native has caught 36 balls for 469 yards. His four-game 100+ yard performance marked the first time since 1969 a Richmond receiver has wracked up four-straight 100-yard receiving games. Walker Gillette, a Richmond Hall of Fame member, had four-straight games with 100 yards receiving from Oct. 25-Nov. 15. No Spider has ever had five-straight games of 100+ receiving yards. Also in the past four Arman has broken career high numbers in receptions and yards, twice. His latest career achievement came against Hofstra when he hauled in 14 for 147 yards and one touchdown -- the game-winner in the second overtime.
THIRD DOWN AND RISING
Richmond's third down conversion percentage against Hofstra and Delaware was a phenomenal 59 percent (10-of-17 each game). Up until that game the Spiders had a season-best third-down conversion of 30 percent (3-of-10) against Vandy. Going into the Delaware game the Spiders had a season percentage of 21 in third-down situations and have upped it to 33 percent in just two games. Senior Stacy Tutt has been sensational in third-down situations going 19-for-24 for 276 yards, three touchdowns and an average of 14.5 yards per gain. Against Hofstra, Tutt was 10-for-13 for 152 yards. Eight of those 10 passes went for 11 yards or more, while the other two combined for nine yards. Tutt also rushed three times in the situations and gained a total of 21 yards on the ground. For a breakdown of Richmond's success in third down situations take a look at page 14 of the notes.
TUTT NAMED ATLANTIC 10 CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The Tappahannock, Va., native was named the conference's Co-Offensive Player of the Week, along with New Hampshire's Ricky Santos, after helping the Spiders to a come-from-behind win in overtime over No. 23 Hofstra, 43-37, Saturday at UR Stadium.
Tutt threw for a career-best 376 yards, going 32-of-50, both of which were career-highs, and four touchdowns. He also set a career best in rushing attempts (27) and scored one TD on the ground. His 32 completions and 50 attempts both ranked second all-time at Richmond in the respective categories. Tutt's 376 yards through the air rank fourth on the all-time single-game list at Richmond.
He was responsible for both of the Spiders' touchdown in the overtime periods, scoring one on a one-yard sneak. The other was the game-winner, a 15-yard pass to a heavily covered David Freeman also caught one touchdown pass each, as Tutt tied a career-high with four total.
The Spiders, who are now 4-3 overall for the first time since 1999, and 4-1 in the A-10 for the first time since 2000, were 10-for-17 in third down conversions, due in large part to Tutt. He amassed 152 yards passing (10-of-13), 21 rushing yards and two touchdowns in third down situations against the Pride.
NOTES FROM THE HOFSTRA GAME...
-- Tim Hightower's two-yard touchdown run on the Spiders' first drive of the game was the first TD run of his career.
-- Richmond's defense has at least two sacks in its last six games, and four in each of the last three games.
-- Hofstra's Rob Zarrilli kicked the longest field goal against the Spiders this season, connecting on a 47-yarder in the second quarter.
-- The Spiders had given up just six plays over 35 yards this season, but gave up three plays of at least 44 yards in Hofstra's first three drives of the game.
-- David Freeman 17-yard catch in the third quarter was his second receiving touchdown of the season.
-- Arman Shields caught a career-high 14 passes for 147 yards, giving him his fourth-straight 100-yard receiving game. The last Spider to notch four-straight 100-yard receiving games was in 1969 when Walker Gillette did so Oct. 25-Nov. 15.
-- Matt Hale has caught a touchdown pass in three-straight games after a six-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter.
-- Hale caught a career-high nine passes for 112 yards.
-- Shields and Hale both were over 100 yards in receiving, the first time Richmond had two players over 100 yards receiving since Oct. 10, 1992 against New Hampshire when Rodney Bowens had 110 yards and Sterling Brown had 101.
-- Stacy Tutt set career highs in completions (32), attempts (50), passing yards (376) and rushing attempts (27). He also tied a career-high with four TD passes. His previous marks for completions was 26-of-42 both coming against Hofstra on Oct. 30, 2004. He previous best in passing yards came against James Madison, Sept. 11, 2004. Tutt rushed 21 times against Maine on Sept. 17, 2005.
-- Tutt moved into fifth place on the all-time pass attempts list at Richmond, passing Jimmie Miles (1996-99) with 597.
-- Tutt moved into fourth place on the all-time plays list at Richmond, passing Buster O'Brien (1966-68) with 913.
-- Harry Wilson hauled in his first catch of the season, a TD pass from Tutt, with 1:31 left in the game.
-- The Spiders played in overtime for the first time since Nov. 4, 2000, when they topped Rhode Island, 13-10, in Richmond.
-- Saturday's game also marked the first time the Spiders have gone into a second overtime since Oct. 7, 1995, when they beat Northeastern, 26-23, in Richmond.
-- The Spiders set season highs in first downs (35), pass attempts (50), passing yards (376), total offense (547), total plays (102), penalty yards (95), penalties (8) and points scored (43).
-- The Spiders' 50 pass attempts are the most during a single game in the Clawson era, and the second most in school history.
-- Richmond's 32 pass completions are the second most in school history, its 376 passing yards are the fourth-most in school history, its 35 first downs are the most ever in a single game by the Spiders, and its 547 total yards rank fourth all-time in yards gained during a single game.
-- Shields' 14 catches rank third all-time in single-game receptions.
-- Tutt's 376 yards passing rank fourth all-time in single game yardage at Richmond, and his 32-for-56 performance passing both rank second in all-time single-game completions and attempt at Richmond.
-- The win gave the Spiders a 4-3 mark for the first time since the 1999 season.
-- The win gave the Spiders a 4-1 mark in the Atlantic 10 for the first time since the 2000 season.
-- The win made the Spiders 14-32 against ranked opponents dating back to 1995.
-- The win marked the second consecutive win over a ranked opponent.
-- The win marked the first four-game conference win streak for the Spiders since the 2000 season.
-- The win gave head coach Dave Clawson his first four-win season at Richmond.
-- The win made the Spiders 5-5 at UR Stadium under Clawson.
-- The win made the all-time series with Hofstra 3-2, in favor of the Pride.
-- The win upped the Spiders' record to 1-1 against Hofstra when playing in Richmond.
-- The win snapped the Pride's three-game win streak in the all-time series.
-- The win marked Richmond's first win over Hofstra since the 1999 season, the first-ever meeting in the series.
-- The win moved Clawson's marks to 36-40 as a head coach and 97-86-1 in his coaching career.
-- The win gave Clawson his first win all-time against Hofstra and makes his record 1-1 against the Pride.
-- The win gave the Spiders an all-time record of 444-588-53.