University of Richmond Athletics
Spider Football Heads To Maine For A-10 Showdown
Sept. 12, 2005
Complete Maine Game Notes in PDF Format
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| Coach Dave Clawson |
| Senior RB David Freeman |
| Junior DB Damien McCallum. |
Richmond gets back on the road this weekend to play its first conference game away from Richmond. The Spiders will face the Maine Black Bears, Saturday, Sept. 17 at Morse Field in Orono, Maine. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 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 (0-2) will be looking to snap Maine's four-game winning streak in all-time series which dates back to 1984. Last season the Spiders wracked up 421 yards of total offense compared to just 235 for the Black Bears. Two short second-half touchdown passes and an 88-yard kick return touchdown dealt a devastating blow to the Spiders. Maine will be facing the first I-AA opponent of its season after falling at I-A Nebraska, 25-7, to open the season then topping NAIA William Penn, 28-0, last week.
Richmond is under the direction of second-year head coach Dave Clawson, who has compiled a seven-year career record of 32-39 and a 3-10 mark in two seasons at Richmond. Jack Cosgrove is in his 13th season as the Black Bears' head coach. Cosgrove has compiled a 13-year mark of 66-73, all coming at Maine.
QUICK OUTS...
-- Richmond's defense has limited opponents to a 29 percent touchdown rate in the redzone and 57 percent scoring rate overall, ranking fifth in the Atlantic 10. Opponents have scored only two TD's against the Spiders in seven trips to the redzone.
-- Senior David Freeman reached the 100-yard mark in a single-game for the fifth time in his career last Saturday against Lafayette. It was also the second-straight year he has rushed for more than 100 yards against the Leopards. (201 in 2004)
-- Freshman Levi Brown opened last week's game by leading the Spiders on a 16-play 75-yard drive. In the drive Brown completed his first five passes and wracked up 21 yards.
-- Last season against the Black Bears, Richmond's total offense of 421 yards was 186 more than Maine's 235. The Spiders' defense limited their opponents to just 15 first downs and 76 yards of rushing the entire game.
-- Seniors David Freeman, Harry Wilson and Stacy Tutt had career-days against Maine in 2004. Freeman rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries. Wilson caught 13 balls, third all-time in a single-game for the Spiders, for 146 yards. Tutt threw for 219 yards and rushed for 86 with two touchdowns.
-- Junior Matt Hale has led the Spiders in receiving each of the past two games. Against UMass he hauled in six catches of 73 yards. Last week he made four receptions for 40 yards. He also was responsible for two punt returns for 20 yards total.
RICHMOND-MAINE SERIES
The Richmond-Maine series began Sept. 15, 1984, when the Spiders beat the Black Bears, 30-13 in Richmond, Va... Richmond and Maine split the next 10 games before the series went on hiatus from 1995-96... Since then the Spiders have won just three eight against Maine... The Black Bears own a four-game win streak in the series dating back to a 14-3 win in 2001... Since the 11-point loss in 2001, Richmond has fallen to the Black Bears by an average of seven points... Last season the Spiders outgained Maine, 421-235, but still lost due in part to a kickoff return for a TD... The current Maine win streak is the longest for either team in the series, prior to it neither team won more than two consecutive games in the series.
A QUICK LOOK AT MAINE
The Black Bears of Maine will be facing a I-AA opponent for the first time this season when the Spiders visit Orono. Maine opened the season with a 25-7 loss to I-A Nebraska at famed Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. Last week the Black Bears kicked off their home schedule by welcoming NAIA opponent William Penn. Maine shutout its home-opening opponent for the second-straight year, downing William Penn 28-0. Maine returned 11 starters from the 2004 season including six on offense and five defensively. Senior co-captain Jermaine Walker anchors a defense which ranks fourth in the conference in total defense. The Teaneck, N.J., native was a Preseason First Team All-Atlantic 10 pick and has recorded 20 total tackles in two contests. Offensively, the Black Bears are led by junior quarterback Ron Whitcomb. The East Rochester, N.Y., native has completed 54 percent of his 52 passes thus far this season and is averaging 175 yards a game through the air. Maine's kick return game is very lethal when factoring in 2004 All-American Arel Gordon. The Rochester, N.Y., native was named the A-10 Special Teams Player of the Week three times last season and has amassed 136 return yards (punts and kickoffs) already in 2005. He is currently averaging 22 yards every kickoff return he takes.
A RICHMOND WIN WOULD...
-- Give the Spiders a 1-2 mark for the first time since 2004. Richmond lost to NC State to open last season then beat VMI and UMass the following two weeks.
-- Snap a four-game losing streak for the Spiders dating back to the final two contests in 2004.
-- Give Richmond a 1-1 mark in the Atlantic 10 Standings.
-- Make the Spiders 3-5 on the road under Head Coach Dave Clawson.
-- Stop a four-game losing skid to Maine dating back to the 2001 season.
-- Even the overall series with Maine at 10-10.
-- Even the mark at 5-5 for each team when playing the all-time series in Orono, Maine.
-- Give Clawson a mark of 33-39 as a head coach and 94-85-1 in his coaching career.
-- Level Clawson's career mark to 1-1 against Maine.
-- Give the Spiders an all-time record of 441-587-53.
A RICHMOND LOSS WOULD...
-- Give the Spiders an 0-3 mark for the first time since the 2003 season. The Spiders lost their first five contests in 2003.
-- Extend the Spiders' losing streak to five games, the longest since falling in five-straight from Sept. 25-Oct. 30, 2004.
-- Drop Richmond to 0-2 against Atlantic 10 opponents in 2005.
-- Make the Spiders 2-6 on the road under Head Coach Dave Clawson.
-- Extend the Black Bears' win streak to five games in the all-time series with Richmond.
-- Up the Black Bears' record to 11-9 in the all-time series.
-- Make the Spiders 4-6 when playing Maine in Orono, Maine.
-- Give Clawson a mark of 32-40 as a head coach and 93-86-1 in his coaching career.
-- Drop Clawson to 0-2 against the Black Bears in his coaching career.
-- Give the Spiders an all-time record of 440-588-53.
FREEMAN KEEPS RUNNING
Watch out!!! Senior David Freeman may get on another one of his streaks. Freeman carried the ball 18 times last week for 116 yards against Lafayette. Last season the Fayetteville, N.C., native rolled up 201 yards against the Leopards then rushed for 104 the following week against No. 12 Maine. Freeman, a Preseason First Team All-Atlantic 10 selection, ranks ninth in the conference averaging 75.0 yards a game. His 116-yard day against the Leopards was the fifth time in his career he surpassed the 100-yard plateau. Last season he ran for 100+ yards against VMI (130), Lafayette (201), Maine (104) and William & Mary (126).
DEFENSIVELY SPEAKING
The Spiders defense has been keeping Richmond in ballgames this season. In seven trips to the redzone, Richmond opponents have scored just 12 points, which ranks fifth in the A-10. Against Lafayette last week, the Spiders made an unbelievable stand at their own one-yard line. Richmond stuffed four-straight attempts at a touchdown and forced the Leopards to turn the ball over on downs. The Spiders have allowed an average of just 13.0 points per game which ranks fifth in the league. Lafayette posted just seven points against Richmond's defense marking the fewest points allowed in a Spider loss since falling 7-0 at Northeastern, Oct. 20, 2001.
THE KID CAN KICK
Senior Chris Radford has been amazing in the punting game. The Wilson, N.C., native ranks first in the Atlantic 10 in yards per punt with 42.2. He has the Spiders' punt coverage team in the Top-3 in the Atlantic 10 averaging a net yardage of 37.9. Last week Radford set a career-high by punting nine times against Lafayette for an average of 40.6 yards. Each of the last two games he has landed at least one inside the opponent's 10-yard line. Against UMass to open the season Radford uncorked a career-best 64-yard blast.
IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME
A total of 95 percent of last season's rushing yards will return this season for the Spiders. Seniors David Freeman and Stacy Tutt as well as sophomore Tim Hightower accounted for almost 93 percent of the Spiders rushing carries in 2004 -- they all return in 2005.
In the passing game, the Spiders return 83 percent of the receiving yards, largely by senior Harry Wilson and sophomores Arman Shields and Andy Lehatto. The trio, along with Freeman and Hightower and a few others accounted for 79 percent of the catches in 2004 -- they all return in 2005.
Defensively, 85 percent of Richmond's total tackles are back in 2005. That number includes 13 of the Top-15 on last season's team. Junior Adam Goloboski and Lance Gray both garnered more than 100 total tackles in 2004 -- they both return in 2005.
FREEMAN, GOLOBOSKI NOTCH PRESEASON HONORS
Richmond senior David Freeman and junior Adam Goloboski were both selected to the 2005 Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference team, as it was announced, Aug. 3, at the A-10 Conference Football Media Day, held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, R.I.
Freeman, a Third Team All-Conference honoree following the 2004 season, rushed for 958 yards last season, eclipsing the 100-yard barrier in four games. The senior ranked third in the league in 2004, averaging 85.9 yards per game, while his total for the season ranked ninth all-time at Richmond. One of this year's four captains, Freeman rushed for 201 yards in the Lafayette game in 2004, which placed him 11th in the Spiders' single-game rushing records.
Goloboski is one of Richmond's seven returnees to its defensive front. The Hereford, Md., native led the Spiders with 116 tackles in 2004, including 7.5 for loss. The linebacker was an All-Conference third team selection last season after ranking third in the conference with 10.5 tackles per game.
GOLOBOSKI PICKS UP HONOR FROM 1-AA.ORG
Richmond junior linebacker Adam Goloboski added to his list of preseason honors, Aug. 16, by being named Preseason First Team All-Atlantic 10 by I-AA.org.
The Hereford, Md., native also was listed second among the league's Top-5 linebackers as picked by the publication.
The 2005 Preseason All-Atlantic 10 selection led the Spiders with 116 total tackles in 2004, including 51 solo stops. One of Richmond's returning front seven, Goloboski ranked third in the A-10 last season with 10.5 stops which led to Third Team All-Conference honors following the season.
NOTES FROM LAFAYETTE GAME...
-- Freshman Levi Brown opened the game by completing five consecutive pass attempts and amassing 21 yards before his sixth attempt was broken up.
-- Junior Adam Goloboski 12-yard sack with 8:29 remaining in the third quarter was the first of the season for the Spiders. With the sack he equals a single-game career-high of one. His last sack came against James Madison, Oct. 23, 2004.
-- Senior David Gracia's three-yard sack with 11:53 remaining in the game was jis first of the season.
-- Senior Chris Radford nine punts were a single-game career-high.
-- Richmond's 37 passing attempts and 14 completions were both season highs.
-- Freshman Josh Vaughan's six rushing attempts and 26 rushing yards marked two single-game season-bests.
-- Senior David Freeman 116 rushing yards marked a season-best for the Spider running back and a season-best for any Richmond rusher this season.
-- Freeman's 116 rushing yards marked the fifth time in his career he has gained 100+ yards on the ground in a single game. It was also the second-straight game Freeman has gone over the 100-yard mark against Lafayette. Last season he gained a career-high 201 yards on the ground against the Leopards.
-- The Spiders were shutout for the first time since the first game of the 2004 season, Sept. 4, 2004. Richmond lost 42-0 at NC State. The last time the Spiders were shutout by a 1-AA opponent was Nov. 15, 2003 at Northeastern (45-0).
-- The loss gave the Spiders an 0-2 mark for the first time since the 2003 season. The Spiders lost their first five contests in 2003.
-- The loss made the Spiders 2-5 on the road under Head Coach Dave Clawson.
-- The loss allowed the Leopards to remain undefeated in the all-time series with the Spiders, 3-0.
-- The loss gave Clawson a mark of 32-39 as a head coach and 93-85-1 in his coaching career.
-- The loss dropped Clawson to 4-3 against the Leopards in his coaching career.
-- The loss gave the Spiders an all-time record of 440-587-53.
OVER THE AIR
Spider football game can be heard live on the Spider Radio Network. The network includes six affiliates across the state of Virginia, including the flagship station Sportsradio 910 (WRNL-AM 910) in Richmond. All Richmond games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Spiders" Bob Black, a veteran broadcaster in his 22nd season for the Spiders.
Former Spider defensive standout Jasmonn Coleman (analyst) will join Black in the booth after former analyst, Spider Hall of Famer Ray Tate, retired after his 20th season as an analyst for Spider football. Coleman, a Henrico High School product, played in 42 games on the defensive line for the Spiders during his career. During the 1997 season, as a senior, Coleman tied for the team lead with seven sacks.
Matt Smith (sideline) rounds out the radio team, Smith will offer listeners a field level view of all of the action.
RICHMONDSPIDERS.COM
Richmond's official athletics website can be found at www.RichmondSpiders.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the College Sports Television Network. CSTV currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including numerous Atlantic 10 schools.
SPIDER GAMES ON THE INTERNET
The radio call from all of Richmond's games can be heard free of charge live on the internet at www.RichmondSpiders.com. All broadcasts are available in archive format for listening pleasure after the game happens. Log-on to find out more about Richmond Athletics.