University of Richmond Athletics
Football Falls To No. 15 UMass In Season Opener
Sept. 1, 2005
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond defense became the first team to hold No. 15 ranked UMass under 20 points in six games, but two costly interceptions by freshmen quarterbacks in Massachusetts' territory left the Spiders with a 19-6 season-opening loss Thursday night at UR Stadium.
The Spiders defense held highly touted UMass in check compared with the Minutemen's last seven season openers when they averaged 38 points per game. But a key 51-yard pass play after an interception and another UMass pick on its own 3-yard line kept the Spiders out of striking distance.
"Our defense played well, I put our freshmen in bad situations," Richmond head coach Dave Clawson said. "Our defense is the strength of the team and we must give them a chance to win."
The Minutemen hadn't been held under 20 points since eventual national champion James Madison defeated UMass 28-7 on Oct. 9, 2004.
"We did just enough on offense to win the game," Massachusetts coach Don Brown said. "The defense did a heck of a job. We played the type of defense we needed to play in this game."
Massachusetts running back Steve Baylark rushed for 120 yards for his 12th career 100-yard rushing game, including his second against Richmond.
The Richmond offense didn't have much success in the first half, but red-shirt Will Healy gave the Spiders a spark in the third quarter. Richmond gained 291 yards with an even balance of 147 yards rushing and 144 passing, but the Spiders only scored one touchdown. Richmond did have two other opportunities to score against a UMass defense that returned 11 starters from last season, but both drives ended with interceptions.
"We can't let things be a broken record like a year ago," Clawson said. "We are a better team than we showed tonight. We'll use the few extra days to prepare and execute for next week's game."
Richmond sophomore Will Healy came off the bench in the third quarter and completed his first eight passes in a Richmond uniform. He would finish the game 11-for-18 for 111 yards. Freshman starting quarterback Levi Brown was 5-for-17 for 33 yards.
Massachusetts put points on the board on their first drive of the season, marching 59 yards in 13 plays before the Richmond defense held strong in the red zone and forced UMass to settle for a 24-yard field field goal.
The Minutemen took over for their second possession on the Richmond 38 yard line and took just six plays to score their first touchdown of the season on a 12-yard pass from Tim Day to J.J. Moore. Richmond's Johnny Campbell blocked the extra point to keep the margin at 9-0 and it appeared like the Spiders would be cutting into the gap during a drive late in the second quarter.
Tim Hightower's 28-yard run put Richmond on the UMass 28-yard line, but on the next play Massachusetts' safety Shannon James intercepted his 17th-career pass, most among active Division I players, and returned it to midfield. On the next play, Day found Brandon London for a 51-yard touchdown and the extra point made it 16-0 with 53 seconds remaining in the half.
Richmond scored its first points of the season in the third quarter. Healy took over at quarterback and led the Spiders on an eight-play, 78-yard scoring drive. On the first play of the drive, Hale took an end around and raced 48 yards to the UMass 30-yard line. Healy then completed his first three collegiate passing attempts and guided Richmond down to the 1-yard line, where Stacy Tutt stepped in behind center and scored his 15th career touchdown, including 13th rushing, on a QB keeper.
The Spiders were driving for another score midway through the fourth quarter with Healy completing five of seven passes, but with the ball at the UMass 34-yard line, Brandon Smith picked off his second pass of the game, this time at the 3-yard line, and returned it 55 yards. That setup a 31-yard field goal by Armando Cuko to make it 19-6 with 4:14 to play.