University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Shatter Offensive Records In Rout Of Huskies
Sept. 8, 2007
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BROOKLINE, Mass. - Tim Hightower had touchdown runs of 90 and 67 yards, en route to a career-best 246 yards and four scores, as Richmond opened CAA Football play with a convincing 49-14 win at Northeastern Saturday in Boston.
The Spiders (1-1, 1-0 CAA) set team records for rushing (443 yards) and total offense (642 yards), while scoring their most points in a conference game since 1987. The defense, led by seven tackles and a forced fumble from freshman LB Eric McBride, held the Huskies (0-2, 0-1) to just 214 yards for the game (91 on the ground).
On a sweltering 95-degree day, Hightower sizzled the Parsons' Field turf with 19 carries, averaging 12.9 yards a touch, on his career Saturday afternoon. He capped a 97-yard first drive with a three-yard score. The senior then broke off TD runs of 90 and 67 yards as the Spiders sprinted out to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Hightower's four touchdowns set a career-high and ranks as the second-most in a game for a Spider running back ever.
Sophomore QB Eric Ward was also impressive, finishing the day 11-for-16 with 180 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. Ward completed passes to seven different receivers, led by the three catches for 72 yards from freshman Kevin Grayson. Backup Will Healy played the final quarter at QB.
Josh Vaughan collected 110 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. The Spiders averaged 8.5 yards on their 52 carries, while scoring six rushing touchdowns. Justin Forte had 78 yards and a late score.
The Spiders struck first with Ward engineering a nine-play, 97-yard drive capped by a Hightower three-yard touchdown jaunt. Ward was five-for-six on the drive, completing passes to William Bischoff (27 yards), Grayson (30 yards) and Hightower (28 yards). That drive nearly stalled, but a scrambling Ward on third-and-long found John Crone down the sidelines for 10 yards and a first down.
The lead quickly opened to 14-0 when Hightower took a handoff, turned the left corner and raced 90 yards down the sideline and into the end zone with 9:24 left in the first. The run was the longest from scrimmage for the Spiders in 52 years and ranks as the third-longest run in school history. Jordan Mitchell threw a key block downfield to help free Hightower.
Hightower, Ward and the Spiders kept the pedal to the metal, marching down field on their second possession of the second quarter. The duo accounted for all 96 of Richmond's yards on the drive - all on the ground - with Hightower's 67-yarder up the middle for TD the capper.
Hightower's fourth TD put Richmond up 35-7 on the team's first possession of the second half. He scored from 12 yards out, after picking up four yards on a third-and-one to keep the drive alive.
Kicker Andrew Howard was spotless on all seven of his extra-point attempts, setting a new Spiders' record, now with 43 consecutive made. The sophomore has yet to miss a PAT in his collegiate career.
An Andrew Harris interception set up Richmond's next score. Northeastern QB Anthony Orio threw a pass in the flat; Harris read the play, cut in front of the intended receiver and dove to pick the pass out of the air.
Vaughan carried it on six of the eight plays on the ensuing drive and scored from a yard out to finish what Harris started. Vaughan's 110 yards ties a career for the junior. Harris, a senior safety, now has an interception in four of the team's last five games.
The Huskies got on the scoreboard with 5:22 left in the first half as Maurice Murray's two-yard TD run completed a 10-play, 57-yard drive to pull the hosts within 21-7. Murray also scored late in the fourth quarter to account for NU's points. He finished the day with 83 yards on 22 carries.
But the Spiders answered Murray's first score and never looked back. Scot Riddell reeled in a four-yard TD pass -- the first of his career -- from Ward in the final minute of the half to make the score 28-7 at halftime.
Richmond, which heads into its bye week, scored on seven of its 12 possessions in the game, punted twice and turned the ball over just once. That turnover was a late-game interception thrown by Healy.