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University of New Hampshire Athletics
UNH's first two games have attracted large crowds to the new Wildcat Stadium.
No. 6 JMU at No. 25 UNH: A Stadium Showdown at High Noon
10/14/2016 2:37:00 PM | Football, UNH Insider
James Madison, ranked No. 6 in the country and one of the most explosive offensive teams in the land, comes to town to take on No. 25 New Hampshire and its improving defense on Saturday at 12 p.m. in the new Wildcat Stadium.
The Dukes and the Wildcats. Two of the four teams that still have unblemished records in CAA play. Both are 3-0 along with Villanova. Stony Brook is 2-0.
James Madison averages 339.8 rushing yards a game, by far the best total in the Colonial Athletic Association and the second-best mark in the FCS division. The Dukes average a league-leading 44.8 points a game, more than double UNH's mark of 22.2.
"They're firing on all cylinders," said UNH coach Sean McDonnell.
UNH, 4-2 overall, and James Madison, 5-1, are each looking for a fourth straight win.
Tickets for Saturday's game may be purchased at www.unhwildcats.com, by calling 603-862-4000 or at the Whittemore Center box office. The game will be televised on the American Sports Network and NESN Plus.
The Dukes have two of the top five rushers in the CAA in senior Khalid Abdullah (132.8 yards a game) and junior Cardon Johnson (98.3).
The Wildcats allowed a season-low 65 yards rushing in last week's 13-10 win at Elon. They have allowed 128.5 rushing yards a game, the third-best total in the league.
"We better be better, let's put it that way," McDonnell said. "A couple of times Elon creased us and got 14- or 15-yard gains. James Madison creases us, they're going for house calls. They're taking off and they're going to score touchdowns on it. It goes back to tackling, tackling in open spaces. We've been pretty good with that this year. We better continue to do that."
The pressure is on.
"Coach Mac has been saying since Sunday we have to hit all of our run gaps and we have to tackle," said UNH redshirt freshman linebacker Quinlen Dean. "And we really have to keep up our violent strain to the ball."
Stopping the run comes first.
"We have to do a really good job of playing the run," said defensive coordinator John Lyons. "We have to fit things up properly and be very disciplined. Stay in our gaps and make sure we're sound fundamentally with where we need to be. And we have to keep the ball inside and in front. We can't let them throw the ball over our heads. They present a lot of challenges to you. They're a good football team and it will be a great opportunity to see where we are."
The game will give a good idea of how far the Wildcats have come, Lyons said.
"We've been getting better," Lyons said. "I think our kids the last couple weeks did a good job finding ways to win at the end of games. We're making progress."
On offense, the Wildcats counter with a group led by sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight and senior running back Dalton Crossan, who is ranked No. 4 in the league at 98.3 yards a game. He leads the league in all-purpose yards at 164.7 per game.
Crossan has been climbing on the career lists at UNH.
His 152 yards rushing last week at Elon moved him into the Top 10 on the career rushing board with 1,955 yards. He slipped past Jim Quinn (1,847 yards from 1979-82). Next up is Avrom Smith at No. 9 with 2,237 yards (1991-94).
The Wildcats average 202 yards a game on the ground.
Knight has completed 93 of 169 passes for 908 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. He's also the team's second-leading rusher with 306 yards.
UNH has drawn large crowds for its first two games in Wildcat Stadium – 13,242 for its opener against Holy Cross (a 39-28 win) and 21,943 for Homecoming against William & Mary (21-12 win) – and McDonnell says another good showing is important.
"It's humongous, if that's a word," he said. "You've got to have it. We've turned this place into a pretty good place to play football in at home. It's been a rambunctious, loud crowd in the student section that has other coaches talking to me about it when I'm in different places."
JMU presents a major challenge.
"I hope people understand who's coming to town," McDonnell said. "It's the No. 6 team in the country. Right here, I'm looking at quick stats. They have five, six categories they're in the Top 10 in. It's going to be a really explosive game on both sides of the ball."
XXX
Sophomore kicker Morgan Ellman was named the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday. His career-long, 40-yard field goal tied Friday's game against Elon early in the fourth quarter and his 35-yarder with 2:09 left was the game-winner. . . . Junior running back Trevon Bryant missed the Elon game with turf toe. He's likely to play against James Madison. . . . A pair of 4 p.m. events follow the football game. The women's hockey team takes on Merrimack College at 4 in the Whittemore Center. And the men's basketball team will play a Blue-White scrimmage in Lundholm Gymnasium at 4 as well.
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
The Dukes and the Wildcats. Two of the four teams that still have unblemished records in CAA play. Both are 3-0 along with Villanova. Stony Brook is 2-0.
James Madison averages 339.8 rushing yards a game, by far the best total in the Colonial Athletic Association and the second-best mark in the FCS division. The Dukes average a league-leading 44.8 points a game, more than double UNH's mark of 22.2.
"They're firing on all cylinders," said UNH coach Sean McDonnell.
UNH, 4-2 overall, and James Madison, 5-1, are each looking for a fourth straight win.
Tickets for Saturday's game may be purchased at www.unhwildcats.com, by calling 603-862-4000 or at the Whittemore Center box office. The game will be televised on the American Sports Network and NESN Plus.
The Dukes have two of the top five rushers in the CAA in senior Khalid Abdullah (132.8 yards a game) and junior Cardon Johnson (98.3).
The Wildcats allowed a season-low 65 yards rushing in last week's 13-10 win at Elon. They have allowed 128.5 rushing yards a game, the third-best total in the league.
"We better be better, let's put it that way," McDonnell said. "A couple of times Elon creased us and got 14- or 15-yard gains. James Madison creases us, they're going for house calls. They're taking off and they're going to score touchdowns on it. It goes back to tackling, tackling in open spaces. We've been pretty good with that this year. We better continue to do that."
The pressure is on.
"Coach Mac has been saying since Sunday we have to hit all of our run gaps and we have to tackle," said UNH redshirt freshman linebacker Quinlen Dean. "And we really have to keep up our violent strain to the ball."
Stopping the run comes first.
"We have to do a really good job of playing the run," said defensive coordinator John Lyons. "We have to fit things up properly and be very disciplined. Stay in our gaps and make sure we're sound fundamentally with where we need to be. And we have to keep the ball inside and in front. We can't let them throw the ball over our heads. They present a lot of challenges to you. They're a good football team and it will be a great opportunity to see where we are."
The game will give a good idea of how far the Wildcats have come, Lyons said.
"We've been getting better," Lyons said. "I think our kids the last couple weeks did a good job finding ways to win at the end of games. We're making progress."
On offense, the Wildcats counter with a group led by sophomore quarterback Trevor Knight and senior running back Dalton Crossan, who is ranked No. 4 in the league at 98.3 yards a game. He leads the league in all-purpose yards at 164.7 per game.
Crossan has been climbing on the career lists at UNH.
His 152 yards rushing last week at Elon moved him into the Top 10 on the career rushing board with 1,955 yards. He slipped past Jim Quinn (1,847 yards from 1979-82). Next up is Avrom Smith at No. 9 with 2,237 yards (1991-94).
The Wildcats average 202 yards a game on the ground.
Knight has completed 93 of 169 passes for 908 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. He's also the team's second-leading rusher with 306 yards.
UNH has drawn large crowds for its first two games in Wildcat Stadium – 13,242 for its opener against Holy Cross (a 39-28 win) and 21,943 for Homecoming against William & Mary (21-12 win) – and McDonnell says another good showing is important.
"It's humongous, if that's a word," he said. "You've got to have it. We've turned this place into a pretty good place to play football in at home. It's been a rambunctious, loud crowd in the student section that has other coaches talking to me about it when I'm in different places."
JMU presents a major challenge.
"I hope people understand who's coming to town," McDonnell said. "It's the No. 6 team in the country. Right here, I'm looking at quick stats. They have five, six categories they're in the Top 10 in. It's going to be a really explosive game on both sides of the ball."
XXX
Sophomore kicker Morgan Ellman was named the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday. His career-long, 40-yard field goal tied Friday's game against Elon early in the fourth quarter and his 35-yarder with 2:09 left was the game-winner. . . . Junior running back Trevon Bryant missed the Elon game with turf toe. He's likely to play against James Madison. . . . A pair of 4 p.m. events follow the football game. The women's hockey team takes on Merrimack College at 4 in the Whittemore Center. And the men's basketball team will play a Blue-White scrimmage in Lundholm Gymnasium at 4 as well.
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
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