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University of New Hampshire Athletics
The Wildcats open Wildcat Stadium with a game against Holy Cross on Saturday night at 7.
Game 1 Report: Wildcat Stadium, Here We Come
9/4/2016 3:53:00 PM | Football, UNH Insider
For the first time since 1936, the University of New Hampshire football team will play in a new home on Saturday night.
Head coach Sean McDonnell's team will embark on a new era when it opens Wildcat Stadium – featuring the Service Credit Union Victory Club, an enhanced game-day experience for all and a seating capacitAy 11,015 – with a game against Holy Cross at 7 p.m.
"It's almost time," said director of athletics Marty Scarano. "It's such an exciting time. . . . It's turned out much better than we even thought it would. It's going to be great."
Tickets for the opener, as well as season tickets and tickets for all games, are available by CLICKNG HERE, by calling 603-862-4000 or at the Whittemore Center Box Office during business hours (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
The Wildcats dropped their season opener at San Diego State, an FBS team projected to be among the best in the country, by a 31-0 score on Saturday night.
"We've got to recuperate and go back and get ready for Holy Cross," McDonnell said after the game.
The team arrived back in New Hampshire about 8 a.m. on Sunday.
The Wildcats had a run-through in the stadium during a "soft opening" just over a week ago for the Blue-White final scrimmage of preseason camp.
"The response to the stadium has been unbelievable even as we've shown people around during the construction phase," Scarano said. "But during the soft opening, again, just about every single person in that facility was blown away by it. I just think when we have hopefully 10 or 11,000 people there Saturday they'll feel the same way."
This will be a busy week putting finishing – and opening night - touches on the facility.
"There's so much work that has been done and still to do," Scarano said. "In some ways, it's not been a reality that it's going to open. I know there's going to be a moment on Saturday night where I probably get a little teary-eyed. Because it's finally here. Then it will really hit me."
He figures it may hit him fairly hard.
"I'm sure when the team comes out on that field and there is an unbelievable reception for them . . . I don't know, I might just collapse," Scarano said with a laugh.
Opening Thoughts
Quoteboard
"Let me tell you, I feel a lot better walking out of this locker room tonight than I did after last year's game against San Jose State (a 43-13 loss). San Jose State was a very physical team like this San Diego State team. We were better prepared to stop the run. Our kids bought in and we were better prepared. I feel better, but it wasn't good enough."
UNH coach Sean McDonnell
"I felt on defensive side of the ball, as opposed to last year at this time, we time ran around and tackled and physically held up against a more physical team than us. Guys did a real good job flying around to the football. We gave up a couple of big plays on mistakes and those can happen. People's eyes weren't where they should be, or there was no one filling the gap. Those things can be corrected."
Sean McDonnell
"Offensively we just couldn't establish anything. Part of it was their ability on defense. They attacked us pretty well. You play guys at that level and they have a bunch of guys who are terrific athletes. We missed a pass early that would have been a touchdown. We're not going to make up plays like that against that team. That was disappointing."
McDonnell on the offense
"I thought in the kicking game we did everything we wanted to do. We kicked it away from them. Max Pedinoff did a great job of punting. Pinned them inside the 5-yard line twice, the 10 once."
McDonnell on the kicking game
"They're good with very good schemes. They're getting better when you watch them over the last year. They can throw it and run it and do a very good job on defense running to the ball. I haven't watched the whole Morgan State game yet, but they played downhill on those guys."
McDonnell on Holy Cross
"Mikah (receiver Mikah Holder) is the one who broke it open. New Hampshire came to play. They were physical, they were ready to try to upset us and then the big pass that went for the touchdown popped it open."
San Diego State coach Rocky Long
Next Up: Holy Cross at a Glance
UNH by the Numbers
Head coach Sean McDonnell's team will embark on a new era when it opens Wildcat Stadium – featuring the Service Credit Union Victory Club, an enhanced game-day experience for all and a seating capacitAy 11,015 – with a game against Holy Cross at 7 p.m.
"It's almost time," said director of athletics Marty Scarano. "It's such an exciting time. . . . It's turned out much better than we even thought it would. It's going to be great."
Tickets for the opener, as well as season tickets and tickets for all games, are available by CLICKNG HERE, by calling 603-862-4000 or at the Whittemore Center Box Office during business hours (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
The Wildcats dropped their season opener at San Diego State, an FBS team projected to be among the best in the country, by a 31-0 score on Saturday night.
"We've got to recuperate and go back and get ready for Holy Cross," McDonnell said after the game.
The team arrived back in New Hampshire about 8 a.m. on Sunday.
The Wildcats had a run-through in the stadium during a "soft opening" just over a week ago for the Blue-White final scrimmage of preseason camp.
"The response to the stadium has been unbelievable even as we've shown people around during the construction phase," Scarano said. "But during the soft opening, again, just about every single person in that facility was blown away by it. I just think when we have hopefully 10 or 11,000 people there Saturday they'll feel the same way."
This will be a busy week putting finishing – and opening night - touches on the facility.
"There's so much work that has been done and still to do," Scarano said. "In some ways, it's not been a reality that it's going to open. I know there's going to be a moment on Saturday night where I probably get a little teary-eyed. Because it's finally here. Then it will really hit me."
He figures it may hit him fairly hard.
"I'm sure when the team comes out on that field and there is an unbelievable reception for them . . . I don't know, I might just collapse," Scarano said with a laugh.
Opening Thoughts
- Saturday's inaugural game in Wildcat Stadium is at 7 p.m. (NESN Plus/American Sports Network).
- An Atlas Fireworks Show, the first in UNH football history, will follow the game.
- Tickets start at $9 and season tickets are available for $99.
- 11,000 fans will receive an Inaugural Game Rally Towel, courtesy of Service Credit Union.
- The first 5,000 fans will receive a commemorative program including rosters for both teams.
- 2,000 fans will get a Football/Men's Hockey 2016-17 Magnet Schedule, courtesy of Dunkin Donuts.
- Legendary former Wildcat coach and National College Football Foundation Hall of Fame inductee Bill Bowes will be honored at halftime.
Quoteboard
"Let me tell you, I feel a lot better walking out of this locker room tonight than I did after last year's game against San Jose State (a 43-13 loss). San Jose State was a very physical team like this San Diego State team. We were better prepared to stop the run. Our kids bought in and we were better prepared. I feel better, but it wasn't good enough."
UNH coach Sean McDonnell
"I felt on defensive side of the ball, as opposed to last year at this time, we time ran around and tackled and physically held up against a more physical team than us. Guys did a real good job flying around to the football. We gave up a couple of big plays on mistakes and those can happen. People's eyes weren't where they should be, or there was no one filling the gap. Those things can be corrected."
Sean McDonnell
"Offensively we just couldn't establish anything. Part of it was their ability on defense. They attacked us pretty well. You play guys at that level and they have a bunch of guys who are terrific athletes. We missed a pass early that would have been a touchdown. We're not going to make up plays like that against that team. That was disappointing."
McDonnell on the offense
"I thought in the kicking game we did everything we wanted to do. We kicked it away from them. Max Pedinoff did a great job of punting. Pinned them inside the 5-yard line twice, the 10 once."
McDonnell on the kicking game
"They're good with very good schemes. They're getting better when you watch them over the last year. They can throw it and run it and do a very good job on defense running to the ball. I haven't watched the whole Morgan State game yet, but they played downhill on those guys."
McDonnell on Holy Cross
"Mikah (receiver Mikah Holder) is the one who broke it open. New Hampshire came to play. They were physical, they were ready to try to upset us and then the big pass that went for the touchdown popped it open."
San Diego State coach Rocky Long
Next Up: Holy Cross at a Glance
- The Crusaders won at Morgan State, 51-24 in their opener in Baltimore on Saturday.
- Senior Peter Pujals is in his fourth year as the Holy Cross starting quarterback.
- Pujals completed 22 of his 38 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns Saturday.
- He passed for 3,195 yards and 28 TDs last season.
- Those efforts earned him Patriot League First-Team All-Conference honors.
- Junior tailback Diquan Walker carried eight times for 92 yards and two scores against Morgan State.
- Senior Gabe Guild ran 17 times for 85 yards and two scores.
- Holy Crossed balanced its offense with 258 yards passing and 240 yards rushing for 498 total yards Saturday.
- Morgan State had 159 yards rushing and 230 passing for 389 total yards.
UNH by the Numbers
- Sophomore Trevor Knight started at quarterback and completed four of his 16 passes for 37 yards and was intercepted once.
- Senior Adam Riese completed three of his four passes for 33 yards.
- Senior running back Dalton Crossan ran 11 times for 38 yards and caught two passes for 37 yards.
- Pedinoff averaged 38.4 yards on 11 kicks.
- The defense held San Diego State to nine yards on its first six plays.
- Redshirt freshman safety Rick Ellison and sophomore linebacker Jared Kuehl led UNH with 10 tackles each.
- Four redshirt freshmen started for the Wildcats: left guard Nick Velte, Ellison, safety Michael Balsamo and cornerback Isiah Perkins.
- True freshman Pop Lacey and Prince Smith, Jr. saw playing time in the defensive backfield.
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