Gameday Week 10/6/2006 - Game #4 College of NJ

Lions Blitzed By Profs Defense 14-6 30 second photo slideshow. Photos by Tom Wilson By Tom Wilson JT@rowanfootball.com Rowan showed again why the Profs have the number defense in the country. They have the ability to completely take over a game. TCNJ was limited to 102 total offensive yards with only 32 of those yards coming on the ground. They also opened up the scoring when Keith Heimerl grabbed a shovel pass in the TCNJ backfield and returned it two yards for a touchdown for a 7-0 lead at 12:57 in the first quarter. In the second quarter, super back Davon Edwards fumbled on the Rowan eight-yard line. Added by a Prof pass interference call, TCNJ quarterback Jeff Struble rushed in from the one-yard line. The extra point attempt failed, leaving Rowan ahead 7-6. Davon Edwards capped the scoring at 14-6 with 9:58 remaining in the third quarter breaking several tackles on his way to a 27-yard touchdown run. The score was set up be a Tim Harrison interception that he returned to the Lion 39-yard line. Rowan had other scoring opportunities including three shots from the TCNJ one-yard line late in the second half. Of the four TCNJ turnovers in Lion territory, the Profs only scored seven points. Penalties and miscues prevented the offense from scoring more points. "TCNJ was very good defensively, and they're usually very good. They play us tough and tonight was no different," explained Rowan head coach Jay Accorsi. Linebacker Zach Garren led the way with nine tackles and one pass breakup. Defensive end Randy Tosh posted eight stops and recovered a fumble. Linebacker Chris Pinto recorded eight tackles and linebacker Robert Niszczak had seven stops one forced fumble and 3.5 sacks. Defensive back Kelvin Bellamy also had seven tackles to go along with one forced fumble, four pass deflections and one sack. Cornerbacks Dawaine Whetstone and Tim Harrison and defensive end Keith Heimerl each had an interception. "We're experienced on this [defensive] side of the ball. We needed them to do what they did tonight in order for us to win," said Accorsi. "We're still not there yet offensively, we need to create turnovers. We have to get take those short fields and start converting," he concluded. Profs forced four fumbled and recovered two while grabbing three interceptions. They finished with six sacks and nine tackles for a loss of 58 yards. Next Saturday, Rowan travels to Buffalo to take on Buffalo State at 1 PM.

Friday Night Lights at TCNJ By Tom Wilson JT@rowanfootball.com Well, I just saw the T.V. show last night. I have FNL on the brain. This was the first headline that popped in my head. Last year Rowan defeated TCNJ in Glassboro 30-20. The Profs took a 23-0 half time lead on the strength of two touchdowns and three Matias Spahn field goals. In the second, half the Lions bounced back with 20 unanswered points to cut the Rowan lead to 23-20. Mike Orihel plunged over from the 1-yard line to cap the scoring and give the Profs the win. Many have said that this is a down year for the Lions. They enter this game at 2-2 after a 27-7 loss at Montclair. Funny things happen when these teams meet. The game is either closer than it should be or TCNJ gets an upset. The last actual regular season drubbing was seven years ago in 1999, a 40-3 Prof win. The atmosphere for these games has been exciting with a packed house at either field. Somehow TCNJ hangs around. The Rowan offense is still finding its identity and special teams mistakes have led to four opposing touchdowns. If the Lions can make a game of it, this will be the area they have to exploit. The Profs lead the nation in total defense and rushing defense yielding 144.7 and –5.3 yards per game respectively. Rowan also has 17 sacks in three games. Expect TCNJ to use a short drop, quick passing attack trying to minimize the Prof pressure. TCNJ wide receiver Ryan Ross and running back Cory Schoonover have been providing The College of New Jersey with an excellent one-two combination all season long. Ross, a two time NJAC Special Teams Player of the Week this season, leads the TCNJ receivers with eight receptions for 147 yards and three touchdowns. He has a team-high 32 points, with five touchdowns and one two point conversion. Ross is also the team’s kick and punt returner, totaling 180 yards and two touchdowns on three kick returns and 47 yards on nine punt returns. Ross has accumulated 1,357 all-purpose yards while Schoonover has 1,684 career all-purpose yards in 26 games. Lion defensive ends Marc Fabiano and Joseph King anchor the defensive line. In four games this season, Fabiano has totaled 20 tackles (16 solo and four assisted) and two sacks (-15 yards). King has contributed 18 stops (16 solo and two assisted). He leads the team in both tackles for a loss with eight (-46 yards) and sacks with six (-37 yards). Orihel is now just 181 yards away from tying Ed Hesson’s school record 7,035 career yards passing. In 28 career games, Orihel has completed 582 of 943 passes for 6,854 yards and 62 touchdowns. Mike is five touchdowns short of tying Hesson’s record of 67 career passing touchdowns. Orihel already holds 30 Rowan records. The Profs’ defense has accumulated 17 sacks in three games this season for a total loss of 114 yards. Leading the way is defensive end Randy Tosh with four sacks. Heimerl is next with three. Pinto and Niszczak have contributed 2.5 sacks apiece, while defensive back Kelvin Bellamy has two. Linebacker Aaron McCord has posted 1.5 sacks and defensive tackle Farid Syed has one. As long as Rowan continues shutting down offenses, I’d expect the Prof offense to take advantage of short field and turnovers. I’m looking forward to the inebriated blue painted frat boys getting hammered in the parking lot. The packed house… the animosity… the rivalry. Only thing tempering the game is the 60% chance of rain on Friday. See you in Ewing.