UVa. backup transfers to Richmond
Head football coach Danny Rocco has announced redshirt-freshman quarterback Michael Strauss will transfer from the University of Virginia and has enrolled at the University of Richmond, effective with Monday’s start of the spring semester.
“We are very excited to announce the signing of transfer quarterback Michael Strauss out of Miami, Florida,” said Rocco. “Michael was in a quarterback battle at the University of Virginia before deciding to transfer at the end of the semester. This addition will offer us another option at the quarterback position heading into spring football. The competition will benefit all the quarterbacks in our program and I am excited to evaluate their progress.” Continue reading “UVa. backup transfers to Richmond” »
#8 JMU rolls over #10 Richmond
Fueled by 297 yards rushing and seven quarterback sacks from its defense the James Madison football team powered past the University of Richmond 31-7 at Bridgeforth Stadium on Saturday.
JMU won its fourth straight game to improve to 4-1 this season and 2-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association. UR lost its second straight, dropping to 3-2 and 0-2 in the conference.
JMU running backs combined to average 5.5 yards per carry, gaining 297 yards and four touchdowns on 54 carries. Redshirt sophomore running backJordan Anderson (Chanitlly, Va./Westfield) rushed for a career-high 162 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Redshirt freshmanJauan Latney (Fredericksburg, Va./Massaponax) added 98 yards and a touchdown on 19 rushes.
Richmond struck for the game’s first score as DeShawn Holmes blocked a punt during the Dukes’ opening drive and ran it back to the three-yard line. Three plays later, Kendall Gaskins plunged in from a yard out for the first score of the game. Wil Kamin added the extra point and the Spiders led 7-0 less than four minutes into the game.
The Dukes evened the score with an 11-play, 62-yard drive that took more than five minutes off the clock. Latney finished the drive with a five-yard scoring run and sophomore kickerCameron Starke’s (Halifax, Va./Halifax County) extra point split the uprights to tie the game at seven at the 12:29 mark in the second quarter.
After a three-and-out by the Spiders, the Dukes’ started their next drive on the UR 43-yard line. Latney led another scoring drive with four rushes for 18 yards, and redshirt freshman quarterbackJace Edwards (Midland, Texas/Robert E. Lee) capped the drive with a 10-yard scramble up the middle for the touchdown.
On the next possession, Richmond was held to just four plays, before quarterback Aaron Corp fumbled on fourth-and-12 on a sack from freshman defensive endSage Harold (Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes). JMU redshirt senior defensive endD.J. Bryant (Baltimore, Md./Randallstown) recovered at the 37-yard line to send Madison into the half with a 14-7 advantage.
In the opening drive of the second half, the Dukes snuffed out a fake punt as redshirt senior safetyVidal Nelson (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam) intercepted punter Nick Hicks’ throw to set the Dukes’ up at their own 30. The Dukes went 70 yards In just three minutes in a six-play scoring drive. Anderson broke off the drives’ big play, scoring from 45-yards out to stretch the JMU lead to 21-7.
Starting the fourth quarter at its own one-yard line, Richmond was forced to punt and JMU began its next possession on its own 47. On the second play of the drive, Anderson outraced the UR defense, scoring from 49-yards out for his second touchdown of the day.
On the ensuing drive, JMU’s defensive line continued its domination as it forced another three-and-out to set up a 44-yard field goal by Starke to cap the day’s scoring at 31-7.
Harold finished the day with two and a half sacks and a pair of forced fumbles to lead the defense. Redshirt senior defensive tackleLamar Middleton (Newark, N.J./Shabazz) added two tackles for loss, including a sack while redshirt senior linebackerPat Williams (Virginia Beach, Va./First Colonial) had a team-high eight tackles. Collectively, JMU’s defense limited the Spiders to -12 yards rushing.
In his first start at quarterback, Edwards went 5-for-12 for 34 yards, adding 11 yards rushing and a touchdown. Redshirt junior tight endBrian Barlow (Stephens City, Va./Sherando) led the team with two catches for 22 yards.
Corp finished his day 16-for-31 for 130 yards. Tre Gray picked up 38 yards receiving on four catches while running back Kendall Gaskins was limited to 22 yards on nine carries.
Linebacker Darius McMillan led all playes with 15 tackles and strong safety Colin Pehanick added 13 tackles, including one and a half for a loss.
JMU continues its three-game homestand next weekend as it hosts Maine at Bridgeforth Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3:30 p.m.
Late rally falls short for #5 Richmond
Senior WR Tre Gray had a career night with 16 catches for 194 yards, but No. 5 Richmond’s furious fourth-quarter comeback fell short in a 45-43 shootout loss to No. 11 New Hampshire Saturday at Robins Stadium.
The Spiders (3-1, 0-1) put three touchdowns on the board in a frantic fourth-quarter but were back-broken when UNH QB Kevin Decker hit R.J. Harris for a quick-strike 47-yard touchdown that put the Wildcats (2-1, 1-0) up 45-36 with 2:45 left.
Richmond, though had one more answer as senior QB Aaron Corp, who also posted career numbers, marched the Spiders downfield with a 12-play, 77-yard drive, capped by a Kendall Gaskins one-yard touchdown with 28 seconds remaining that pulled Richmond within 45-43.
An onside kick ensured and Richmond kicker Wil Kamin blasted a line-drive that ricocheted off a UNH player and into the arms of diving Tre Gray. But the ball changed hands in the scrum and the officials ruled it belonged to the Wildcats, sealing the thriller at sold-out Robins Stadium in the CAA Football opener for both teams.
Corp finished the game 35-of-50 passing for 351 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The senior was a spotless five-for-five on the Spiders’ opening drive, passing for 53 yards and putting Richmond up 7-0 with his one-yard toss to Stephen Barnette. Corp completed his first nine of the game.
Two possessions later, Corp moved the Spiders into field-goal range following a Darryl Hamilton interception and Kamin drilled a 36-yarder that made it 10-0.
Richmond dominated the stat sheet, out-gaining the Wildcats 475-368 in total offense, owning a 13-minute advantage in time of possession and scoring points on all seven of its Red Zone trips (five touchdowns).
But things unraveled quickly and the Spiders went from up 10 to down 15, thanks in part to a pair of Corp interceptions on tipped balls that were returned for touchdowns. Randi Vines rumbled 60 yards for a score that gave the visitors a 14-10 lead early in the second quarter. Ten minutes later, Matt Evans swiped the ball out of the air and his 31-yard interception return gave UNH a 28-13 advantage.
Gaskins, who finished with 81 yards rushing and a career-high three touchdowns, got the first of his three scores on some trickery as he took a pitch on a fake field goal try and scored from six yards out, breathing life back into the Spiders late in the first half and cutting the deficit to 28-20.
Decker threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 48 yards and two more scores, scampered in from 12-yards on the opening possession of the second half to give UNH its 15-point advantage back.
The teams traded field goals before the Spiders 20-point fourth-quarter uprising. Kamin matched his career-high of three field goals made (36, 45 and 37 yards) and set a career high with 13 points scored.
For Gray, his 194-yard effort stands as the seventh-best single-game performance in school history and is the most yards by a Richmond receiver since Rod Boothes had 197 versus James Madison in 1992. His 16 catches ties the second-highest single-game performance in school history (16 by Walker Gillette vs. Mississippi State in 1969), only trailing 20 grabs by Gillette vs. Ohio in the 1968 Tangerine Bowl.
Gray is averaging 126.0 yards receiving this season and is now just 17 catches and 252 yards shy of the respective UR career records.
The loss snapped a six-game home winning streak for the Spiders, who hit the road next Saturday for another key CAA Football tilt at James Madison. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Bridgeforth Stadium.
UR holds off VMI
Senior WR Tre Gray’s 96-yard, two-touchdown effort helped No. 6 Richmond build a 34-0 lead in third quarter and hold off VMI, 34-19, Saturday night at sold-out Robins Stadium.
Gray, who is averaging 103.3 yards receiving this season, matched his career-high with two touchdown receptions, and moved to a tie for 10th on Richmond’s career list with 12 touchdowns to lead his Spiders (3-0) to their ninth-consecutive win over the Keydets (0-3).
Senior QB Aaron Corp was 12-for-18 passing with 220 yards and two touchdowns and the Spiders feasted on VMI’s first-half miscues to build a 27-0 lead at the half and extend the margin to 34-0 midway through the third quarter.
Richmond opened the scoring with a dazzling special teams play early in the contest when freshman Rodney Barnes busted through the line and swatted away Cameron Murray’s punt. Sophomore WR Ben Edwards scooped up the loose ball and returned it 34 yards for the score.
VMI’s ensuing possession ended when senior S Colin Pehanick forced a Chaz Jones fumble that was pounced on by Jacob Pierce. Junior K Wil Kamin booted a pair of 31-yard field goals and Gray reeled in a 37-yard TD pass from Corp as the Spiders cashed in 13 points off three VMI fumbles – two of which came on muffed punts.
Gray found paydirt again on a four-yard TD reception to cap a four-play, 77-yard drive before halftime that put Richmond up 27-0. Two big pass plays set up that score as Corp hit junior TE Kevin Finney for 11 yards on second-and-17 and then connected with redshirt freshman WR Stephen Barnette for a 69-yard strike on third-and-six.
Finney finished with four catches for 28 yards, while Barnette established a career-high with 89 yards on three grabs. All three of Barnette’s catches moved the chains – two came on third-and-long situations.
Pehanick finished with six tackles, forced a fumble and recovered another. Junior LB Darius McMillan was in on a team-leading 11 tackles, while senior DB Tremayne Graham had eight stops and broke up three passes.
But VMI didn’t go quietly. A 74-yard kickoff return by Tracy Hairston resulted in a 28-yard field goal with seven minutes left in the third quarter that snapped the shutout.
A 21-yard touchdown strike from Eric Kordenbrock to Hairston made it 34-10 with 11:17 left and things got dicey when Kordenbrock hooked up with Mario Thompson for a 70-yard TD pass less than three minutes later.
Richmond punted on the ensuing drive and a 47-yard return from Trent White, along with a Spider penalty gave VMI first-and-goal at the nine. But Richmond’s defense bowed up, stopping Jones on third-and-goal at the one and forcing an incompletion on fourth down with five minutes left.
Richmond took a safety on punt in their end zone, and then stopped VMI again with just over a minute remaining to put the victory on ice.
Kordenbrock finished 15-of-35 passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns, while Thompson finished as the game’s leading receiver with two catches for 114 yards. Hairston rolled up 212 all-purpose yards thanks to his 55 yards through the air and 157 more on five kickoff returns.
For Richmond, junior Kendall Gaskins rushed 14 times for 67 yards and his third touchdown in as many games this season. Senior Garrett Turner carried for a career-high 21 times for 79 yards.
The Spiders are 3-0 for the first time since opening the 2009 season 8-0 and open CAA Football play next Saturday versus New Hampshire at Robin Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on Family Weekend.
#9 UR knocks off Wagner
Senior QB Aaron Corp threw for a career-high 236 yards and two touchdowns and No. 9 Richmond recovered from a balky first half to beat Wagner, 21-6, Saturday night at a sold-out Robins Stadium.
Corp put Richmond (2-0) on the board early, hitting sophomore WR Ben Edwards for a 56-yard touchdown pass on the game’s third play, but the Spiders leaned heavily on their defense after turnovers on the five-consecutive possessions after the touchdown.
Wagner managed just three points off its first-half takeaways, and Richmond took care of the ball in the second half, while rolling up 412 yards of total offense to secure its 13th-consecutive victory over non-conference FCS opponents in the regular season.
Junior LB Darius McMillan made 10 tackles, senior S Colin Pehanick had seven stops and an interception, while sophomore DE Kerry Wynn recorded two of Richmond’s three sacks as the Spiders limited Wagner (1-1) to just 189 yards of total offense (68 yards rushing).
Junior TE Kevin Finney hauled in a six-yard TD pass from Corp that capped a nine-play, 72-yard drive midway through the third quarter. A 32-yard hook-up from Corp to Stephen Barnette helped set-up the score that put Richmond up 14-3.
A 45-yard field goal from David Lopez cut the margin to 14-6 on Wagner’s next possession, but junior FB Kendall Gaskins, who finished with 98 yards on a career-high 24 carries, put the game on ice when he punched in a one-yard TD early in the fourth quarter.
Corp finished the night 16-of-25 passing for 236 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Senior RB Garrett Turner carried 15 times for 75 yards, while senior WR Tre Gray had six catches for 85 yards.
Richmond owned a seven-minute advantage in time of possessions and converted on seven of its 12 third-down attempts.
The Spiders remain home next Saturday to host long-time rival VMI at Robins Stadium. Kick off in the 87th all-time meeting with the Keydets is set for 6 p.m.
Richmond upsets Duke in opener
An early chess match turned into an entertaining second half and No. 16 Richmond held off Duke, 23-21, Saturday night at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. The victory is the first for interim head coach Wayne Lineburg and is the Spiders’ third-straight at Duke since 2006.
Senior QB Aaron Corp threw for 193 yards and touchdown, while senior WR Tre Gray reeled a career-high 129 yards on a career-best eight catches. Redshirt freshman WR Stephen Barnette’s first career catch was a six-yard TD grab that opened the scoring in the second quarter.
The Spiders (1-0) were limited to just 95 yards rushing, but junior FB Kendall Gaskins eight-yard TD put Richmond up 17-14 in the third quarter and senior RB Garrett Turner’s one-yard plunge was the eventual game-winner with 10:12 left on the clock.
Richmond’s defense forced two key fumbles and junior S Cooper Taylor – a Georgia Tech transfer – made his Spider in hard-hitting fashion. Taylor recorded a game-high 14 tackles, had a tackle for loss, forced a fumble and broke up a pass. Junior LB Darrius McMillan was in on 12 stops and senior S Colin Pehanick set a career-high with nine tackles (six solo). Pehanick also forced a fumble.
Corp’s arm set-up the Spiders’ late go-ahead score and Turner’s one-yard TD run put the visitors up 23-21 with 10 minutes left. Corp hit Kevin Finney for 26 yards early in drive, and found Gray for hook-ups of 12 and 33 yards to put the Spiders in the Red Zone for the fifth time on the night.
And on fourth-and-goal at the one, Turner punched it for his sixth career score. Richmond converted on four of its five Red Zone trips and scored all 23 points from inside the 20.
The Spiders, though, had to survive some late-game drama and Duke kicker Will Snyderwine missed a 28-yard field goal wide right with 1:43 left, then came up short on a desperation 59-yard try as time expired.
After a scoreless first quarter, Taylor made his presence felt by laying the lumber on Duke QB Sean Renfree and knocking the ball loose deep in Duke territory. Brandon Scott pounced on the loose ball at the eight-yard line. Three plays later, Corp hit Barnette with a perfectly-place ball for the six-yard score.
But Duke (0-1) answered right back on their next possession and Desmond Scott’s 29-yard run knotted the game at 7-7.
Another turnover in the shadow of Richmond’s end zone led to a field goal as Pehanick stripped Brandon Braxton and McMillan recovered the fumble at the Duke 26. Five plays later, freshman Remington Hinshaw’s 29-yard field goal put the Spiders back up 10-7 with 4:18 left in the half.
Duke would run out of time deep in Richmond territory and the game went to halftime 10-7.
The lead changed hands three times in a wild third quarter.
The ground game got rolling for Duke, and the Blue Devils compiled an 11-play, 79- yard drive, capped by a six-yard TD run from Brandon Connette to claim their first lead of 14-10 at the 8:23 mark.
Gaskins’ touchdown run finished up a long drive by the Spiders to put Richmond back in front with five minutes left in third, but the Blue Devils countered again with a lengthy drive and seized a 21-17 advantage in the closing seconds of the third.
Renfree finished 23-of-33 passing for 201 yards, while Juwan Thompson and Scott each surpassed the 80-yard rushing mark. Duke out-gained Richmond 379-288.
Richmond opens its home schedule Saturday night versus Wagner. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET and good seats are still available for the first-ever night game at Robins Stadium. Call 1-877-SPIDER-1 or purchase them online at RichmondSpiders.com.
Postgame Quotes: Richmond Interim Head Coach Wayne Lineburg
Opening statement
“Just a tremendous win for our kids. I think they’ve hung together over some adverse conditions over the last few weeks and we’re all just proud of them and we’re proud of the staff for sticking together and doing things the right way. We’ve got great kids in this program and it showed tonight. They played hard and got after it, and it was a great win for the program.”
On the third quarter
“I think both teams just kind of looked like they found a little bit of rhythm on offense. On our side of the ball I think Aaron [Corp] and Tre [Gray] made some plays out there, and Kendall Gaskins started getting the run game going. Those guys, they kind of looked like they started to run the ball and maybe started to wear us down just a little bit, but our guys hung in there and when it mattered really made some plays at the end that obviously won the game for us.”
On adversity over the last week
“I just think it’s about these kids and how they hang together and how tough they are. I just think it’s a great group of kids that works hard and they believe in each other. It’s more about them than anything else.”
On the defense
“Every time we needed a play those guys kept stepping up and making a play.”
On Tre Gray’s big catches
“I wouldn’t trade him for anybody. He’s as a tough a kid as they come. He made a lot of huge plays and a lot of runs after catches that were crucial in the game.”
Miami TE transfers to UR, will be eligible in 2011
Head football coach Latrell Scott has announced that University of Miami TE Andrew Tallman has signed a grant-in-aid and will enroll at the University of Richmond for the Fall 2011 semester. Tallman is immediately eligible with four years to play for the Spiders.
Tallman (pronounced “tall-man”) a native of Carthage, N.Y., who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 260 pounds, redshirted as a true freshman this past season for the Hurricanes. Continue reading “Miami TE transfers to UR, will be eligible in 2011” »
Defense prevails in 2011 Richmond Spring Game
The Richmond Football team brought its 2011 spring season to a close Saturday afternoon, hosting the annual Spring Game for the first time at Robins Stadium. The Defense prevailed, 54-26, using a modified scoring system.
Rising junior QB John Laub finished the afternoon 21-of-30 passing for 172 yards and a touchdown, while rising sophomore James McKinney carried 22 times for 59 yards. Rising sophomore WR Ben Edwards reeled in seven catches for 81 yards. Continue reading “Defense prevails in 2011 Richmond Spring Game” »
Richmond announces 17-member signing class for 2011
Richmond football head coach Latrell Scott announced Wednesday the signing of 17 student-athletes, who have submitted their intent to attend the University of Richmond and play for the Spiders next season. The class features one local standout, nine linemen, and 10 from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
This marks the first class entirely recruited by Coach Scott and his staff, and began with the addition of former Georgia Tech S Cooper Taylor, who transferred to Richmond in December. Scott is entering his second season with the Spiders after taking the head-coaching job in December 2009. Continue reading “Richmond announces 17-member signing class for 2011” »
UR Football: 2011 season to open at Duke
For the second time in as many seasons, the University of Richmond is set for six home football games on campus at Robins Stadium as the Spiders have announced their 2011 schedule. The 11-game slate opens Sept. 3 at Duke.
In addition to the 2011 regular-season schedule, Richmond also announced the annual Spring Game will be played Saturday, April 9 at 1 p.m. at Robins Stadium.
Following the opener at the ACC’s Blue Devils — an opponent the Spiders have defeated in their last two visits to Wallace Wade Stadium — Richmond is home for three-consecutive tilts at Robins Stadium. Continue reading “UR Football: 2011 season to open at Duke” »
UR rides D to win over Rhode Island
No. 21 Richmond used a dazzling 77-yard TD pass from John Laub to Donte Boston to take the lead in the fourth quarter and the defense forced seven turnovers, allowing the Spiders to overcome their five giveaways in a wild, 15-6 victory over Rhode Island Saturday at Robins Stadium.
The victory keeps the Spiders (6-4, 4-3) in the hunt for an NCAA Playoff bid, ensures Richmond its sixth-consecutive winning season and allows this year’s seniors to tie the school record as the winningest senior class (41).
The teams combined for 12 turnovers, with each QB throwing four interceptions, and the Spiders were out-gained in total yards 358-247 by a Rhode Island (4-6, 3-4) team that had knocked off then-No. 3 Villanova last week and Top-10 New Hampshire earlier this season.
Roundup: JMU goes down again
#18 Massachusetts scored 18 unanswered points in the second half and came away with a 21-14 Colonial Athletic Association road win against #15 James Madison against at Bridgeforth Stadium, Oct. 30. With their third-straight loss, the Dukes fell to 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the league while the Minutemen improved to 5-3 and 3-2 in conference play.
UMass jumped out on top to open the contest with the opening drive, taking the ball 60 yards on eight plays over 3:05. However, the Dukes’ defense stiffened again in the red zone and held the Minutemen to a field goal attempt. Caleb Violette hit the 33-yard field goal attempt to give UMass a 3-0 lead with just over three minutes gone in the game.
The Minutemen found their way back deep into JMU territory on their second drive, with a second and goal at the JMU 1. The Dukes held for the first two plays and on fourth down, forced an incomplete pass to get the ball back and stop the threat, keeping the margin at 3-0.
