September 14, 2008

BRYANT UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA NOTES (pdf)

BULLDOGS HOST MONMOUTH SATURDAY AT 1 PM
Game 4 - Bryant (2-1) vs. Monmouth (0-3) 

DATE: Saturday, September 20, 2008

TIME: 1:00 pm EST

SITE: Bulldog Stadium (3,400), Smithfield, R.I.

SERIES: First Meeting

COACHES: Bryant, Marty Fine, 5th year, 29-15; Monmouth Kevin Callahan, 16th year, 89-65

RECORDS: Bryant 2-1,  Monmouth 0-3

RADIO:  WOON-AM 1240, www.bryantbulldogs.com.  John McCarthy calls the live action with Pat Sullivan providing analysis. Bryant's WJMF 88.7 FM will also call the live action.

Winners of two-straight, the Bryant University football team hosts Monmouth University Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools and Bryant's first at home this season against a Division I future Northeast Conference opponent.  Bryant brings a 2-1 record into today's game while Monmouth is searching for its first win after falling to 0-3 after a 26-7 loss to Coastal Carolina last Saturday.  Bryant is currently 16-1 at home in the regular season over the last four seasons. 

THE BULLDOGS

After opening the season with a tough 42-35 loss at Central Connecticut, the Bulldogs have strung together a pair of wins at home to run their record to 2-1 on the season.  Two weeks ago, Bryant earned a hard-fought 39-36 win over Southern Connecticut and last week picked up a big 20-7 win over Merrimack before 5,530 fans on Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.  Jerell Smith rushed for 130 yards, his second-straight 100-yard game while the Bulldog defense forced Merrimack into seven turnovers to earn the victory.  Freshman Samad Wagstaff had a pair of interceptions in the game, giving him five for the season.  Smith leads the Bulldogs with a 148.0 yards rushing per game average while quarterback Jay Graber has been steady in the pocket this year, completing 46 of 83 passes (55.4 percent) for 497 yards and five touchdowns.  Bryce Martins leads the defense with 24 tackles while Paul Polomski has 22 with two interceptions.

THE HAWKS OF MONMOUTH

Monmouth, located in West Long Branch, New Jersey and a member of the Northeast Conference, comes into today's game 0-3 on the season after falling to Rhode Island (27-24), Maine (21-17) and Coastal Carolina (26-7).  Head Coach Kevin Callahan is in his 16th season at the helm of the Hawks football team.  Running back David Sinisi is averaging 133.0 yards per game on the ground while quarterback Brett Burke has completed 42 of 78 passes for 359 y ards (119.7 ave) this season.  His primary targets have been John Nalbone (10 catches - 62 yards) and Nick Romeo (8 catches - 73 yards).  Defensively Jose Gumbs has 21 tackles.  Last week against Coastal Carolina, Sinisi rushed for 79 yards while Burke completed 14 of 26 passes for 84 yards and was intercepted twice.

TALE OF THE TAPE               Bryant             MU

Scoring Offense                 31.3              16.0

Scoring Defense                 28.3              24.7

Rushing Offense                 192.0            154.7

Rushing Defense                 143.7            135.7

Passing Offense                  165.7            133.3

Passing Defense                 257.3            232.3

Total Offense                    357.7            288.0

Total Defense                    401.0           368.0

THE COACHES:

Bryant coach Marty Fine is in his fifth season coaching the Bulldogs.  Since his first year in Smithfield in 2004, Fine owns a coaching record of 29-15. Monmouth coach Kevin Callahan is 89-65 in his 16th season. 

TALKING POINTS

* Bryant is 16-1 at home in the regular season over the past four seasons and have won six-straight at home dating back to last season.

*  Bryant has not allowed a field goal in three games this season

* The Bryant - Merrimack game was the second game this year neither team scored in the third quarter (Central Connecticut). 

* Bryant has only scored 7 points in the third this year (6-yard TD pass to Steve Branch vs. So. Conn)

* Bryant has a +10 in the give-away take-away department.  The Bulldogs have forced 16 turnovers and only given the ball away six times in three games.

* Bryant has had the ball 33 more minutes this year than opponents after three games.  The Bulldogs had the ball a whopping 41 minutes compared to just 19 minutes for Merrimack last week.  Bryant has owned the time of possession in all three games (31-29 vs. CCSU, 35-25 vs. SCSU).

BRYANT VS. DIVISION I

Bryant is currently 0-4 all-time vs. Division I-AA teams coming into the Monmouth game.  

9/9/00           at Sacred Heart                  15-19           L        2,173

8/31/02         at Rhode Island                    0-28           L        3,346

10/27/07       at Stony Brook                     0-30           L        2,238

8/30/08         at Central Connecticut        35-42            L        3,218

HOME SWEET HOME

The Bulldogs are 16-1 at home in regular season games in the past four seasons.  The Bulldogs were 4-0 last season and 5-1 in 2006.  The lone loss was a 24-21 defeat to C.W. Post in 2006.  The Bulldogs fell to West Chester in the NCAA Playoffs that same year.  This year, Bryant has wins over Division II opponents Southern Connecticut and Merrimack College.

STANDING ROOM ONLY TO SEE THE BULLDOGS

Bryant, which led the Northeast-10 Conference in average attendance for four-straight seasons, drew 5,530 fans last Saturday's Homecoming & Reunion game.  It was the second-largest in school history, just behind the 5,561 fans that showed up for Bryant's first-ever football game, a 30-14 win over Assumption in 1998.  Saturday's total eclipsed last year's season-best of 5,434 against Stonehill.

1.       5,561 vs. Assumption (9/26/98)

2.       5,530 vs. Merrimack (9/13/08)

3.       5,434  vs. Stonehill (10/13/07)

4.       5,234 vs. West Chester (11/18/06)

5.       4,854 vs. Merrimack (9/19/06)

HE'S NOT A FRESHMAN ANYMORE

Freshman defensive back Samad Wagstaff (New Rochelle, NY) has shown he has a nose for the ball.  Last week against Merrimack, Wagstaff tied a school record (held by six others) with two interceptions in the game.  In just three games this season, Wagstaff has five interceptions, already the second-most in a season, trailing only Jesse Lewis who had six in 2003. 

DEFENSE ROLLING SEVENS

After forcing Southern Connecticut into seven turnovers (3 INTs, 4 fumbles), the Bryant defense forced seven more turnovers against Merrimack last Saturday. The Warrior quarterbacks were intercepted five times by the Bryant defense (twice by Samad Wagstaff) and fumbled the ball away twice.  This season, Bryant has 9 interceptions and recovered 7 fumbles (forcing 16 turnovers).  Bryant's offense has thrown just four interceptions by comparison and fumbled away the ball twice (6 turnovers). 

10 YEARS OF BULLDOG FOOTBALL - TEAM GETS 50TH ALL-TIME WIN

Bryant is celebrating its 10th season of varsity football this season.  The Bulldogs, who fielded a club team in 1998, started its first varsity season in 1999.  Saturday's game is the 94th game in the history of Bryant football with the Bulldogs owning a 50-43 record. 

MILESTONES:

Junior running back Lindsey Gamble went over the 1,000-yard mark against Central Connecticut in the season opener August 30, becoming the sixth player in school history to reach 1,000 yards in his career.  Teammate Jerell Smith became the seventh-player in school history last Saturday against Merrimack to reach the 1,000-yard mark.  His 130 yards rushing moves him to seventh all-time with 1,063 yards. Kicker Chris Bird, who missed his first PA attempt in his career against Southern (41-for-42 all-time), is second all-time with 11 field goals.  The sophomore, who set a school record with a 46-yarder against Central Connecticut, trails all-time leader Peter DiMartino's record of 15 career field goals.  

CAREER RUSHING YARDS

1.       3,521          Andre McLeod (2000-03)

2.       3,259          Lorenzo Perry (2005-06)

3.       1,555          Chris Peaks (2003-07)

4.       1,335          Austin Martin (1999-00)

5.       1,272          Tony Granieri (1999-02

6.       1,134          Lindsey Gamble (2006-pres.)

7.       1,053          Jerell Smith (2007-present)

NEXT UP

Bryant will travel to Wagner College next Saturday for a 1 p.m. game on Staten Island in New York City.  It will be the first of two games on the road for the Bulldogs who will visit Maris on Oct. 11 before returning home to host Robert Morris Oct. 18 for Parents & Family Weekend.

BULLDOGS DEFEAT MERRIMACK 20-7 ON HOMECOMING

Jerell Smith rushed for 130 yards and the Bryant defense forced seven turnovers as the Bulldogs defeated Merrimack 20-7 on Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.  Chris Bird (Monument Beach, MA) connected on a pair of field goals while Samad Wagstaff (New Rochelle, NY) intercepted two passes in the win. Smith, after a career-best 221 yards against Southern Connecticut last week, went over the 1,000 yard mark in his career Saturday.  His 130 yards against Merrimack gives him 1,063 yards, becoming the seventh player in school history to go over 1,000 yards rushing in a career. Quarterback Jay Graber (Clarksburg, NJ) completed 14 of 22 passes for 117 yards while Ross Giffune (Foxboro, MA) had a fine day, catching four passes for 43 yards including a long of 17.   In addition to forcing seven turnovers, Bryant's defense held Merrimack's run-and-shoot offense to 278 yards in the game. Leone finished the game completing 12 of 36 passes for 143 yards.  Backup Mike Sarnese came on later in the second half to replace Leone and completed 4 of 14 attempts for 84 yards but was intercepted three times including once in the end zone by Andre Whyte (Bennington, VT).

SMITH RUNS WILD IN WIN OVER SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT

Junior running back Jerell Smith rushed for a career-best 221 yards on 34 carries in Bryant's hard-fought 39-36 win over Southern Connecticut last Saturday.  Smith, a transfer from Howard University, helped the Bulldogs overcome a fourth quarter deficit with a pair of rushing touchdowns while also adding 83 yards of kick returns.  Quarterback Jay Graber completed 13 of 25 passes for 164 yards and threw a pair of TDs.  But it was the defense that came through down the stretch as Paul Polomski's fourth quarter interception helped seal the victory.  The Bulldogs did a magnificent job in holding Southern's star running back Jarom Freeman to just 70 yards rushing.  Bryce Martins had 11 tackles in the game.  Bryant forced Southern Connecticut into seven turnovers in the game.  Smith's 221 yards is the seventh-best single game rushing total, tying him with Lorenzo Perry who rushed for 221 against Assumption in 2005.

TOUGH MAN IN THE POCKET

Senior quarterback Jay Graber played a solid game in his first-ever game as a starter against Central Connecticut. The transfer from Hofstra was a backup for Charlie Granatell last season but did see action against Saint Anselm, throwing a 35-yard TD. 

JAY GRABER GAME BY GAME

Opponent                         C-A-I            Yards  TD               

Central Connecticut            19-36-1        216     3       

Southern Connecticut         13-25-1        164     2

Merrimack                         14-22-2        117     0

Total                                46-83-4        497     5

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

The backfield duo a junior running backs Jerell Smith and Lindsey Gamble give the Bulldogs a dangerous one-two punch out of the backfield.  The pair combined for 174 of the team's 134 yards with Smith finishing with 93 yards including a long of 32.  With Gamble out of the lineup against Southern Connecticut, Smith picked things up with a career-high 221 yards against the Owls.  Smith followed with another strong outing against Merrimack, rushing for 130 yards and one touchdown. Gamble returned to the lineup to add 85 yards on 30 carries and one touchdown.

SMITH AND GAMBLE

Looking at junior's Jerell Smith and Lindsey Gamble's game-by-game rushing numbers.

                                       5- SMITH       23-  GAMBLE

Opponent                          Att-YDS-TD   Att-YDS-TD  

Central Connecticut            14-93-0        18-81-1

Southern Connecticut         34-221-2       DNP

Merrimack                         27-30-1        30-85-1

SOUTH CATCHES ON 

Junior receiver Vinton South caught four passes for 57 yards against Central Connecticut in the opener.  South scored Bryant's first Division I touchdown by hauling in a 24-yarder from Graber  with 2:41 left in the first quarter pulling the Bulldogs to within 21-10.  South would haul in a two-point conversion from Graber with 12:41 left in the fourth, tying the game up at 21-21.  South had three catches for 64 yards including a 48-yarder against Southern Connecticut last week.

SCORING DRIVES IN 2008

Opponent      Plays-Yds      Time   Type   Scoring Play

CCSU  7-61   1:43    FG      Bird 37 yd FG

CCSU  5-58   1:36    TD      South 24 yd reception

CCSU  4-36   0:56    FG      Bird 46 yd FG

CCSU  9-68   3:29    TD      Canfora 15 yd reception

CCSU  3-16   1:11    TD      Gamble 1 yd run

CCSU  8-70   2:48    TD      Canfora 20 yd reception

SCSU  5-41   2:32    TD      Solimando 15 yd reception

SCSU  8-61   1:37    TD      Canfora 1 yd run

SCSU  5-33   1:51    TD      Branch 6 yd reception

SCSU  3-54   0:48    TD      Smith 10 yd run

SCSU  3-19   1:03    TD      Smith 5 yd run

SCSU  5-23   2:04    TD      Canfora 1 yd run

MER    4-8     1:27    FG      Bird 31 FG

MER    7-55   2:56    TD      Gamble 1 yd run

MER    5-60   1:18    TD      Smith 20 yd run

MER    4-7     1:31    FG      Bird 19 FG

BULLDOGS ON WOON-AM 1240

All eleven Bryant University football games will be heard live on WOON-AM 1240 this season.  Fans can also listen in online at www.bryantbulldogs.com during the season.  John McCarthy returns for his seventh season calling the action.  He'll be joined by Patrick Sullivan who will provide color analysis.  The WOON-AM 1240 signal reaches throughout Northwestern Rhode Island, reaching south to North Providence and Pawtucket and as far as Bellingham, Attleboro, Mansfield, and Milford, Massachusetts.  In addition, the station will air the Marty Fine Coaches Show on Wednesday night starting at 6 p.m. The half-hour call-in show will take a look at this week's opponent as well as a look back at last week's game.

THEY'LL BE JUST FINE

If there is anyone who knows what it takes to compete at the highest level, it's Bryant's fifth-year coach Marty Fine.  Fine came to Bryant in 2004 after coaching at Iowa State and Indiana University. In fact, Fine has coached at all levels.  Prior to his stint at Indiana (1996-2000) where he coached the offensive line and special teams, Fine was the offensive line coach at Colgate (1995-96), offensive coordinator at Indiana State (1990-95), and head coach at Navy Prep and Sonoma State (1987-88).

NEW FACES ON THE SIDELINES

Coach Fine added several new faces to his staff this offseason.  Defensive line coach Chris Woods was previously at Harvard and was the head coach at Mansfield and Stonehill College. Wide receivers coach Mark DeBrito comes to Bryant from Bentley College.  Offensive line coach Joel Rodriguez was an assistant at Mississippi and was a standout player at the University of Miami and played for the Tennessee Titans. Defensive backs coach Chad Walker coached with Nick Saban at LSU and the Miami Dolphins. Graduate assistant Tom Woznicki joined the program this summer after concluding his career at Yale.

THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE

While Bryant will be playing a majority of Northeast Conference schools in the next couple of years, the Bulldogs won't become official members until the fall of 2012 when the school's four-year reclassification process towards Division I membership is complete.  Central Connecticut was picked to finish third overall with Albany and Monmouth picked to finished first and second in the preseason coaches' poll.  Albany, one of just two NEC schools Bryant won't play this year, garnered five first-place votes after an undefeated conference record last year.  The Danes are searching for their fourth conference title.  Five-time champion Monmouth earned two first-place votes with CCSU earning one first-place vote.

2008 NORTHEAST CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL

1.       Albany (5)

2.       Monmouth (2)

3.       Central Connecticut (1)

4.       Wagner

5.       Duquesne

6.       Robert Morris

7.       Sacred Heart

8.       Saint Francis (PA)