University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass To Face Rhode Island On Saturday
November 18, 2002 | Football
Nov. 18, 2002
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Game Day Quick Facts
The Teams: UMass (7-4, 5-3 A-10) vs. Rhode Island (3-8, 1-7 A-10)
Date: November 23, 2002
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Place: Meade Stadium (5,180), Kingston, R.I.
UMass Football Radio Network: Ted Baker, play-by-play; Bob Pickett, color; WRNX 100.9 FM, Holyoke, flagship
UMass Student Radio: WMUA 91.1 FM, Amherst
Rams-on-Radio: Steve McDonald, play-by-play; Terry Lynch, color; WHJJ 920 AM, Providence, flagship
Series Record: UMass leads, 41-33-2
Last Meeting: UMass 24, Rhode Island 7 (Nov. 17, 2001, Amherst, Mass.)
THE SERIES WITH RHODE ISLAND: UMass holds a 41-33-2 lead in the all-time series which began in 1903. The Minutemen have won 13 of the last 16 meetings between the schools, including victories each of the last five years (24-7 in 2001, 29-21 in 2000, 31-9 in 1999, 23-13 in 1998 and 18-14 in 1997). UMass has faced Rhode Island 76 times in its history, more than any other school. For games played in Kingston, the Minutemen hold a 19-17 advantage, with wins in the last two meetings and six of the last eight. The last victory for the Rams over UMass came on Oct. 5, 1996 (41-21 in Kingston). UMass head coach Mark Whipple has a career record of 7-1 against Rhode Island, including a 3-1 mark during his four seasons as the head coach at Brown. (A complete breakdown of the series between UMass and Rhode Island can be found on page 114 of the UMass football media guide, while scores from each meeting are located on page 116.)
COBBS AND ROSARIO LEAD GROUND GAME: Redshirt freshman tailbacks R.J. Cobbs (Parsippany Hills, N.J.) and Raunny Rosario (Lowell, Mass.) have given the Minutemen an outstanding combination in the offensive backfield this season. Cobbs leads the team with 880 yards and nine scores on 162 carries, while Rosario has added 744 yards and three touchdowns on 144 carries. Cobbs has already set a new UMass record for most rushing yards by a freshman, while Rosario stands third on the list. The old UMass freshman rushing record was held by Marcel Shipp with 756 yards in 1997. Cobbs has four 100-yard games this season and Rosario three, with UMass having two 100-yard rushers in a game three times. At Richmond, Rosario ran 17 times for 131 yards and Cobbs rushed 17 times for 112 yards and two scores. Against American International College, Cobbs led the way by rushing 23 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns, while Rosario carried 14 times for 104 yards and a score. The previous week against Central Connecticut State, sophomore Jason Peebler (Modesto, Calif.) led the team with 126 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, and was named the Dinn Brothers UMass Athlete of the Week. Rosario chipped in with 116 yards and a score on 12 carries, and was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week. With the performances against AIC and Central Connecticut State, UMass had two 100-yard rushers in back-to-back games for the first time since the 1994 season, when Rene Ingoglia and Frank Alessio accomplished the feat. In a 32-0 victory at Holy Cross on Sept. 17, Ingoglia rushed 30 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns, while Alessio added 15 carries for 109 yards and two scores. The following week, in a 20-14 home victory over Maine on Sept. 24, Ingoglia had 26 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown, and Alessio chipped in with 24 rushes for 115 yards and a score.
MIRET LOOKS TO TIE RECORD FOR GAMES STARTED: Senior center Maikel Miret (Miami, Fla.), who has started all 46 of UMass' games since the beginning of the 1999 season, can tie the all-time school record for games started at Rhode Island this week. The record is currently held by Jerard White, who started 47 games for the Minutemen from 1996-1999. Miret already holds the UMass record for consecutive games started at 46, breaking the old mark of Vaughn Williams, who started 45 straight games from 1988-1991. If Miret starts against Rhode Island this week, he will also become the first Minuteman since Williams to start every one of the team's games during his four-year career. In addition, Miret stands only four appearances away from the career mark of 50 games played, shared by Kole Ayi (1997-2000), Chris Price (1996-1999), Dan Schneider (1997-2000) and Brian Smith (1997-2000).
DEFENSIVE TURNAROUND: The UMass defense has shown a great deal of improvement this season, compared to the numbers it put up in 2001. Under the direction of first-year defensive coordinator Tom Masella, the Minutemen have improved their numbers in virtually every statistical category:
2001 2002 Change
Scoring Defense 31.1 20.8 -10.3
Rushing Defense 205.3 120.4 -84.9
Total Defense 401.4 346.3 -55.1
First Downs Allowed 19.6 19.9 +0.3
Turnovers Caused 2.2 2.8 +0.6
MCKENZIE MAKING PLAYS: Senior strong safety Anton McKenzie (Medford, N.Y.) has been one of the top players on the UMass defense so far this season. Last week against Hofstra, McKenzie ranked second on the team with 12 total tackles, with a forced fumble and a tackle for loss. At New Hampshire, he made a game-high 16 total tackles and had two pass breakups, in addition to intercepting a pass and returning it 96 yards for a touchdown. In the victory at James Madison, he recorded 12 total tackles, with three tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Against Villanova, McKenzie recorded a career-high 18 total tackles, while also blocking a 38-yard field goal attempt in the final minute of play to preserve the one-point victory. Following the game, he was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week, Dinn Brothers UMass Athlete of the Week and a College Sporting News Division I-AA All-Star, in addition to winning the Coca-Cola Gold Helmet as the Division I Player of the Week in New England. Against Maine, McKenzie also led the team in tackles with 12, with one tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Some of McKenzie's other top games this year include: seven total tackles in the win over Delaware; nine tackles with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble at North Carolina State; and eight tackles with a tackle for loss and two pass breakups against Central Connecticut. For the season, McKenzie ranks second on the team with 111 total tackles, to go along with seven pass breakups, eight tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. Over the course of his UMass career, he has now totaled 207 total tackles with 13 pass breakups and 19 tackles for loss.
KIMENER COMING ON STRONG: Junior linebacker Mark Kimener (Oakton, Va.) has developed into one of the top playmakers on the UMass defense. Last week against Hofstra, Kimener led the team with 14 total tackles, including two sacks and four tackles for loss. In the victory over Delaware, he totaled seven tackles with a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and an interception which he returned for a touchdown. The previous week at James Madison, Kimener made five tackles with a tackle for loss and an interception in the end zone to help preserve the win. He also made a season-high 11 tackles against Villanova, while recording 10 tackles in the Central Connecticut State game. For the season, Kimener ranks fourth on the team with 79 total tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and three sacks, while intercepting two passes. Over the course of his UMass career, he has now totaled 166 tackles, with 20 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three interceptions.
STRONG AFTER SEPTEMBER: Since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass has a combined record of 7-11 in games played before Oct. 1, but the Minutemen have come on to record strong finishes every year. Over the last five years, UMass has a mark of 31-12 (.721) in games played in October, November or December. The Minutemen have a 12-6 record in November since 1998, including a 9-6 record against Atlantic 10 foes.
SANGER IS A WEAPON: Senior All-American David Sanger (Cocoa Beach, Fla.), who has already established himself as one of the top punters in school history, is having another outstanding season in 2002. Last week against Hofstra, Sanger averaged 41.2 yards on five punts, with one punt inside the 20. At New Hampshire, he had an average of 44.0 yards per punt, with one kick inside the 20. Against Delaware, Sanger averaged 42.5 yards on eight punts, with five of his kicks being downed inside the Blue Hen 20-yard line. Following the game, he was honored as the Dinn Brothers UMass Athlete of the Week. In the victory at Richmond, Sanger averaged 44.1 yards on seven punts, with four of his kicks downed inside the 20-yard line. His long punt of 68 yards against the Spiders tied for the 10th longest in school history, and following the game he was honored as the Special Teams Player of the Week by the Atlantic 10 Conference and Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. He also averaged 43.6 yards on five punts at North Carolina State, with two punts inside the 20, and averaged 43.7 yards on three punts at Northeastern, with a long kick of 67 yards and two punts inside the 20-yard line. Through 11 games, he has averaged 41.3 yards on 59 punts, with 23 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Over the course of his UMass career, Sanger has now punted 227 times for 9,263 yards, and his average of 40.8 yards per punt ranks as the best in school history. Seventy-six of his 227 career punts have pinned opponents inside the 20.
QUICK STRIKES: During the first 11 games of the season, the UMass offense has made a habit of putting points on the board quickly. On their 34 touchdown drives so far in 2002, the Minutemen have scored in two minutes or less 22 times. On those 34 drives, UMass has averaged 5.6 plays, 51.0 yards and 1:54 time of possession, with a number of short drives being set up by strong defensive or special teams play. The Minutemen have scored on single-play drives six times this year, with a six-second drive against American International College, a seven-second drive against Central Connecticut State, drives of eight and 12 seconds at North Carolina State, a 17-second drive at Richmond and a 10-second drive against Hofstra. The longest touchdown drive of the season was a 17-play, 92-yard march in the fourth quarter of the AIC game, which took 6:07 off the clock.
THE LAST MEETING - UMASS 24, RHODE ISLAND 7 (11/17/01): Valdamar Brower recorded 10 total tackles, including six tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble, to lead the Minutemen to a 24-7 victory over 15th-ranked Rhode Island at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The UMass defense held the Rams to only seven points, 251 total yards and 11 first downs on the day, with Rhode Island gaining only 69 yards and making three first downs after halftime. The Minutemen opened the scoring in the first quarter, when Matt Guice hit Omari Howard with a 23-yard scoring pass. UMass increased the lead to 14-0 on a one-yard run by DeShon Hardy, then went up 17-0 on a 30-yard field goal by Doug White. Rhode Island scored its only points late in the second quarter on a 16-yard run by David Jamison, to make the score 17-7 at halftime. The UMass defense continued to dominate play in the second half, and the only points scored after intermission came on a 19-yard pass from Guice to Adonis Kinsey in the third quarter. Kevin Quinlan led the Minuteman offense with 14 carries for 68 yards and five receptions for 39 yards, while Guice completed 14 of 25 passes for 175 yards and two scores. Jamison led Rhode Island with 24 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown, but Vince Nedimyer completed only three of nine passes for 65 yards, and rushed for a loss of two yards on 18 carries. Mark Kimener had 12 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble for the UMass defense, while L.A. Love added seven tackles with three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Lance Small made a game-high 14 tackles for the Rams.
CAIN A DEFENSIVE LEADER: Junior linebacker Jeremy Cain (Tamarac, Fla.) has had a number of outstanding games during the 2002 season. At New Hampshire, Cain ranked second on the team with 15 total tackles, including one tackle for loss. He was also second on the team with 12 total tackles at James Madison, while also forcing a fumble, and recorded 13 total tackles with one tackle for loss and a pass breakup against Villanova. In addition, Cain had eight total tackles with a pair of sacks and a blocked field goal against Maine, to earn Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week honors. Cain was also named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week earlier in the season, following his performance against American International College, when he had nine total tackles, including three sacks and five tackles for loss. Cain's other top games this season include: 10 total tackles against Hofstra; 10 total tackles and a sack for five yards against Delaware; nine tackles with one tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry at Richmond; a team-high 12 total tackles with two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two pass breakups at North Carolina State; eight total tackles, including one tackle for loss, at Northeastern; and a team-high 16 tackles in the season opener against Central Connecticut State, including one sack. For the season, he leads the team with 122 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Over the course of his UMass career, Cain now has 245 total tackles, including 171 solo stops and 28 tackles for loss.
KROHN TAKES OVER AT QUARTERBACK: Junior Jeff Krohn (Phoenix, Ariz.), who has had some solid performances since taking over as UMass' starting quarterback this season, is expected to return to the gridiron against Rhode Island after missing the last two games due to injury. At Northeastern, Krohn completed 33 of 52 attempts for 401 yards and two touchdowns. He set a new UMass single game record for most completions, while coming up only two yards shy of the school record for most passing yards in a game. Krohn also threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns against American International College; hit on 15 of 30 passes for 198 yards with four touchdowns against Central Connecticut State; passed for 194 yards and two scores at North Carolina State; completed 14 of 28 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns at Richmond; and hit on 12 of 22 passes for 176 yards and two scores against Maine. For the season, he has completed 122 of 228 passes for 1,648 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He already ranks seventh on the UMass single season list for touchdown passes and 10th for passing yards. Krohn, who transferred to UMass from Arizona State University in January, came to the Minutemen after leading the Pacific-10 Conference in passing efficiency last season. He started nine games for the Sun Devils in 2001, completing 115 of 213 passes for 1,942 yards and 19 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Over the course of his Arizona State career, Krohn completed 240 of 467 passes for 3,693 yards and 31 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.
SECOND HALF SURGE: A big part of the success of the UMass defense this season has been its strong play in the second half. In the victory at Richmond, UMass gave up only 65 second half yards, with the Spiders' only points after intermission coming on a 25-yard drive in the final minute of play, following a 61-yard punt return. Against second-ranked Maine, UMass again allowed only 65 yards of total offense after halftime, with the Black Bears' only points coming on an eight-yard drive after a bad snap on a Minuteman punt attempt. In the win over fourth-ranked Villanova, UMass gave up only 167 total yards and nine points after the break. At James Madison, the Minutemen allowed seven points and 212 yards following intermission. Against Delaware, UMass did not allow a point while giving up only 132 total yards. At New Hampshire, UMass gave up 125 yards and no points in the second half. For the season, the Minutemen are allowing opponents to average 9.6 points and 139.2 yards of total offense in the second half.
BROWER CONTINUES TO SHINE: Junior All-American Valdamar Brower (Florence, Mass.) is once again among the nation's premier defensive linemen in 2002, after emerging as one of the biggest bright spots for the UMass defense last season. Brower had an outstanding game at James Madison, totaling 10 tackles with three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Against Delaware he recorded four tackles with a sack and three tackles for loss, and against American International College he totaled four sacks for 23 yards among his six total tackles. On the season, he now has 53 tackles, seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss, six pass breakups, 16 quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and three blocked kicks. In 2001, Brower led the team and the Atlantic 10 with 10 sacks for 70 yards, to go along with 57 total tackles and 24 tackles for loss. He finished the season ranked second nationally in Division I-AA in tackles for loss, while standing fifth in sacks. Following the conclusion of the season, he received All-America honors from The Sports Network, the Associated Press, and Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. Brower now has a career total of 165 tackles, including 21 sacks and 48 tackles for loss.
JAMES PLAYING BIG IN SECONDARY: Redshirt freshman free safety Shannon James (Stratford, Conn.) is having an outstanding season in his first year in a UMass uniform. Last week against Hofstra, James recorded seven tackles with an interception, two pass breakups and a tackle for loss. Against Delaware, he recorded 10 total tackles with one tackle for loss and three pass breakups. At James Madison, James had nine tackles with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup, in addition to rushing 48 yards for a touchdown on a fake punt. Following the game, he was honored as the Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week. In the victory over Maine, James recorded 10 total tackles, an interception and two pass breakups. He also had a huge game at Northeastern, leading the team with 13 total tackles, while forcing a fumble. James' other performances this season include: 12 tackles with a tackle for loss and a pass breakup at New Hampshire; eight tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup against American International College; nine tackles and an interception against Central Connecticut State; eight tackles with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble at North Carolina State; six tackles with one tackle for loss and a pass breakup at Richmond; and 11 total tackles against Villanova. For the season, he now ranks third on the team in total tackles with 103, including 73 solo stops. James is also tied for the team lead in interceptions with four.
WHITE NAMED TO GOOD WORKS TEAM: Senior placekicker Doug White (Claremont, Calif.) has been selected to the 2002 American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. He is the first Minuteman to ever be selected to the squad, and is the only player from the Atlantic 10 Conference to be honored this year. Selection to the team is based on involvement and commitment to working with charitable organizations, service groups or other community service activities. White serves as the president of the UMass Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the UMass Jewish Varsity Athletes, and is also the UMass representative to the Atlantic 10 Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He has also volunteered time to the Claremont Meals-On-Wheels, the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center and Habitat for Humanity.
WHIPPLE ENTERS WEEK WITH 110 WINS: Now in his fifth season as head coach of the Minutemen, Mark Whipple has 110 victories in his collegiate coaching career. Whipple owns a career record of 110-56 (.663) in 15 years as a collegiate head coach, including five seasons at UMass (38-23 / 1998-present), four years at Brown (24-16 / 1994-97) and six seasons at New Haven (48-17 / 1988-93). He currently stands in third place on the all-time list for UMass coaching victories, after moving ahead of Bob Pickett (36-28 / 1978-1983) and Jim Reid (36-29-2 / 1986-1991) earlier this year. In 2000, Whipple became the first Minuteman coach in 20 years to lead his team to three consecutive winning seasons. The last UMass coach to accomplish the feat was Pickett, who led the Minutemen to four straight winning years from 1978-1981. Whipple was the fastest coach in school history to record 20 victories, picking up the 20th win of his UMass career against Connecticut in 1999. He needed only 26 games to reach the 20-win mark. Previously, Mike Hodges held the record for fewest games needed to reach 20 wins, going 20-7 in his first 27 games as UMass head coach. Whipple also became the first coach in school history to win 20 games in his first two seasons.
ZULLO ONCE AGAIN A RECEIVING THREAT: After not playing since October of 2000 due to injury, senior wide receiver Adrian Zullo (Pompano Beach, Fla.) has been outstanding in 2002. Against Delaware, he caught three passes for 56 yards, with a key 36-yard touchdown pass. In the victory over Maine, Zullo led the team with six receptions for 104 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and was named the Dinn Brothers UMass Athlete of the Week. At Richmond, he caught five passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns, giving him career totals of 25 catches, 452 yards and six scores in four games against the Spiders, all of which were played on the road. Some of Zullo's other top 2002 performances include: six catches for 37 yards at New Hampshire; three receptions for 21 yards at James Madison; three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown at North Carolina State; four receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown at Northeastern; a team-best seven catches for 93 yards against American International College, while totaling 110 all-purpose yards; and a team-high six receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown against Central Connecticut, while also opening the game with a career-long 59-yard kickoff return. Through 11 games this season, Zullo now has 47 receptions for 659 yards and eight touchdowns, all team highs. He has now posted 100-plus all-purpose yards 19 times during his collegiate career, including five games this season. Zullo has also caught at least one pass in each of his last 30 games and has multiple receptions in 36 of 43 career contests. He already holds a number of UMass records, including career marks for both receptions and receiving yards, and needs only two more touchdown catches to move into 23rd place on the all-time Division I-AA list for career regular season scoring receptions. Here is a look at every school record currently held by Zullo:
Single Game Receptions 11 (vs. Villanova & Richmond, 1999) Single Game Receiving Yards 210 (vs. Richmond, 1999) Single Game Receiving Touchdowns 4 (vs. New Hampshire, 1999) Single Season All-Purpose Yards / Play 15.6 (1999) Career Receptions 182 (1998-present) Career Receiving Yards 2,789 (1998-present) Career Receiving Touchdowns 31 (1998-present)
WHITE ENJOYS CONSISTENT SUCCESS: Senior placekicker Doug White has been remarkably consistent for the Minutemen over the course of his career. In the victory at Richmond, White made a pair of field goals (from 36 and 37 yards) in addition to all four of his extra point attempts, to tie his career-high of 10 points. He had first scored 10 points in the season opening victory over Central Connecticut State, making all seven of his extra points and his only field goal attempt (from 21 yards). White has made eight of 10 field goal attempts so far this season, including a career-long 44-yarder at Northeastern, a 36-yarder against American International College and a 35-yarder against Delaware. White also ranks second on the team in scoring with 57 points, including 33 of 37 extra points. Over the course of his career, he has now hit 27 of 35 field goals and 91 of 101 extra points for a total of 172 points. White ranks second all-time at UMass in points scored among kickers, second in extra points made and third in field goals made.
UMASS IN THE RANKINGS: Prior to last week's game with Hofstra, the Minutemen were ranked in all of the major national polls for the fifth consecutive week. Here is a look at where UMass has been ranked each week during the 2002 season:
Poll Sports ESPN / Don
Network USA Today Hansen
Preseason - - -
Sept. 2 - no poll no poll
Sept. 9 - - -
Sept. 16 - - -
Sept. 23 - - -
Sept. 30 - - -
Oct. 7 - - -
Oct. 14 20 20 21
Oct. 21 16 16 15
Oct. 28 13 13 14
Nov. 4 12 12 13
Nov. 11 19 17 17
MIRET EARNS NATIONAL HONORS FOLLOWING MAINE GAME: Senior center Maikel Miret was named National Offensive Lineman of the Week by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette following the victory over Maine. Miret led a UMass offensive line which allowed the Minutemen to rush for 119 yards and pass for 176 yards on a muddy field in their 20-10 upset victory over the second-ranked Black Bears. The offensive line allowed only one sack on 22 pass attempts, against a Maine defense which had totaled 27 sacks in its first six games of the season. He was also the key blocker on the final drive of the game, when UMass ran four straight quarterback sneaks behind him to gain 12 yards and a first down to run out the clock. For the season, Miret has started all 11 of UMass' games, helping the team average 162.0 rushing yards and 357.9 yards of total offense. Over the course of his career, Miret has started at center in all 46 of UMass' games since the beginning of the 1999 season.
UMASS ON THE 23RD: In this week's game at Rhode Island, the Minutemen will be playing on November 23 for only the seventh time in school history. UMass enters the game with a 1-4-1 mark on Nov. 23, including four straight losses. The Minutemen also stand 0-1 in road contests with an 0-1 mark in conference games on this date. The last time UMass played on Nov. 23 came in 1991, when it was defeated by New Hampshire 35-28 at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The lone Minuteman victory on this date came during the 1935 season, when they defeated Tufts 19-13 at home. UMass' first game played on Nov. 23 came during the 1929 season, when it tied Tufts 0-0.
MCGUIRK MAGIC: UMass has been tough to beat in the friendly confines of McGuirk Alumni Stadium since Mark Whipple took over as UMass' head coach prior to the start of the 1998 season. The Minutemen have gone 22-8 (.733) at home from 1998 to present, improving their all-time record at McGuirk to 130-69-2 (.652). Since 1992, UMass has had a losing record at home only once, while posting a home record of 43-21 (.672) during that span. The Minutemen also have a mark of 16-5 (.762) at McGuirk Stadium against Atlantic 10 Conference opponents under Whipple.
POTTER ENJOYING STRONG SENIOR SEASON: Senior linebacker Corey Potter (Doylestown, Pa.) is having another outstanding year in his final season in a UMass uniform. In the victory at James Madison, Potter led the team with a career-high 14 total tackles, with three tackles for loss and a sack. Following the game, he was honored as the Dinn Brothers UMass Athlete of the Week. Some of Potter's other top games this season include: 12 total tackles, including one tackle for loss against Hofstra; 12 tackles with a tackle for loss against Delaware; 10 total tackles in the victory over Villanova; nine tackles, an interception, a sack, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup against American International College; and eight tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack against Central Connecticut State. For the year, Potter now ranks fourth on the team with 81 total tackles, along with 10 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. Over the course of his UMass career, Potter has now recorded 241total tackles, with eight sacks, 29 tackles for loss, five interceptions and eight pass breakups.
UMASS AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: The Minutemen have faced three ranked Division I-AA opponents so far in 2002, defeating No. 2 Maine 20-10 and No. 4 Villanova 17-16, while falling at No. 18 Northeastern 42-17. UMass faced four ranked opponents during the 2001 season, defeating No. 15 Rhode Island 24-7, and falling 35-7 at No. 23 Delaware, 36-6 at No. 12 Hofstra and 37-7 at No. 20 Maine. Since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass now stands 12-12 against ranked opponents. The Minutemen concluded the 2000 season with a 1-2 record against ranked opponents, while going 2-3 against ranked teams in 1999 and 6-3 in 1998. UMass' six victories over ranked opponents in 1998 set a school single season record. The Minutemen also stand 8-10 against ranked teams at home over the last 10 years, including a 3-8 mark against top 10 teams at home. Prior to the back-to-back victories over Maine and Villanova, UMass had lost eight straight home games to top 10 opponents, since a 43-29 win over No. 7 Delaware on Oct. 23, 1993.
FOURTH AND GO: Since the beginning of the 1998 season, UMass has made a habit of going for it on fourth down. The Minutemen have converted 12 of 23 (.522) fourth down attempts so far this season, including three out of five at North Carolina State and two of three against Hofstra. In 2001, UMass converted 11 of 27 (.407) fourth down attempts, including four of six at Marshall. In 2000, UMass was successful 23 of the 34 times (.676) it went for it on fourth down. In 1999, UMass was successful on 23 of 37 fourth down attempts for a 62.2 percent success rate. In 1998, the Minutemen converted 21 of the 37 times they went for it on fourth down for a 56.7 percent success rate. UMass has now been successful on 57.0 percent (90 of 158) of its fourth down conversions since the beginning of the 1998 season. By comparison, UMass opponents have converted on only 44 of 104 fourth down attempts over the last five years, good for 42.3 percent.
MINUTEMEN BRING IN ACADEMIC HONORS: Senior placekicker Doug White has been named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District I team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. White, who carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.73 in Management, is also a top candidate for Academic All-America honors this year. Last season, five members of the UMass team were selected to the Academic All-Atlantic 10 Conference team. Junior linebacker Jeremy Cain, departed tight end Eddie Campbell, departed quarterback Matt Guice, junior linebacker Mark Kimener and White were all chosen, with both Cain and White being named to the squad for the second consecutive year.
MINUTEMEN USE BALANCE IN PASSING GAME: UMass has used a great deal of balance when throwing the ball this season, with at least six different players catching passes in seven of the first 11 games. The top four wide receivers on the squad have all been impressive thus far, with each of the four catching at least 15 passes in 2002. Senior Adrian Zullo leads the way with 47 catches for 659 yards and eight touchdowns, followed by sophomore Joe Bruce (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) with 26 receptions for 319 yards. Senior DeShon Hardy (Neptune, N.J.) has chipped in with 17 catches for 232 yards and three scores, and senior Neal Brown (Danville, Ky.) has 17 receptions for 229 yards and two touchdowns. On the year, UMass has now had 14 players catch at least one pass.
MINUTEMEN NEAR TOP OF NCAA STAT LEADERS: Three Minutemen are currently ranked among the NCAA Division I-AA statistical leaders, through games of Nov. 16. As a team, UMass currently stands 11th in turnovers caused and 18th in net punting. The rankings:
Category NCAA Rank Player/Team No./Avg. Turnovers Caused 11 UMass 2.8 Net Punting 18 UMass 36.4 Punting 18 David Sanger 41.3 Turnover Margin 27 UMass +0.6 Rushing Yards 37 R.J. Cobbs 88.0 Points Responsible For 36 Jeff Krohn 10.7 Completions 38 Jeff Krohn 14.8 Total Offense 43 Jeff Krohn 189.9 Passing Efficiency 50 Jeff Krohn 124.5
MINUTEMEN AMONG THE A-10 LEADERS: Several Minutemen are currently ranked among the Atlantic 10 leaders in various statistical categories, through games of Nov. 16. Tailback R.J. Cobbs ranks third in both rushing (88.0 yards/game) and all-purpose yards (106.7 yards/game), while quarterback Jeff Krohn ranks fourth in passing yards (198.8 yards/game) and fifth in passing efficiency (124.5 rating). punter David Sanger stands second in the league in punting (41.3 yards/punt) sophomore cornerback Steve Costello (Kingston, N.Y.) and free safety Shannon James are tied for second in interceptions (0.4 picks/game), and wide receiver Adrian Zullo stands fifth in receiving yards (59.9 yards/game). As a team, UMass ranks third in the league in turnover margin (+0.6 turnovers/game).
MINUTEMEN ON THE RADIO: All University of Massachusetts football games can be heard live on the UMass Football Radio Network, with WRNX 100.9 FM (Holyoke) serving as the flagship station. Bob Behler is in his fourth season as the play-by-play announcer, while former UMass head coach Bob Pickett is in his fifth year as color analyst and Eric Kopf joins the team this year as host of the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. Here is the list of this week's affiliates on the UMass Football Radio Network: WCAP 980 AM (Lowell / Boston), WATD 95.9 FM (Marshfield / Boston), WBRK 101.7 FM (Pittsfield) and WARE 1250 AM (Ware). In addition, WMUA 91.1 FM, the UMass student station, will carry most Minuteman football games during the 2002 season.
THE MARK WHIPPLE SHOW: Head coach Mark Whipple's weekly radio show, "The Mark Whipple Show," airs live from The Hangar Pub & Grill in Amherst each Thursday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. during the season on WRNX 100.9 FM. Bob Behler serves as the show's host. The show is open to the general public.
COACH'S CORNER WITH MARK WHIPPLE: Every Sunday night at 11:30 p.m., the Coach's Corner with Mark Whipple can be seen on WGGB TV, channel 40 in Springfield. The short segment, which runs at the tale end of the Sunday night news, features highlights from Saturday's game and a look ahead to the next week's opponent. The show will run through the end of UMass' season.
UMASS ON TELEVISION: The Minutemen will have one game carried on live television during the 2002 season. The lone television game was last week's contest against Hofstra, which was carried by the Atlantic 10 Television Network (shown locally on the New England Sports Network). The Minutemen have a record of 10-7 in televised games since the beginning of the 1998 season, including a 7-4 mark against Atlantic 10 opponents.
ABOUT THE RAMS: Rhode Island enters this week's game with an overall record of 3-8 and a 1-7 mark in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Rams have the Atlantic 10's top rushing offenses, averaging 234.9 yards per game on the ground. Freshman quarterback Jayson Davis leads the team with 679 yards and 11 touchdowns and 216 carries, while junior halfback Wendall Williams has rushed for 361 yards and one score on 29 carries. Through the air, Davis has completed 59 of 129 attempts for 734 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions, His top target has been sophomore wide receiver Curtis Horne, with 25 catches for 297 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, the Rams rank last in the Atlantic 10, allowing 428.3 yards per game. Sophomore linebacker Jamal Barnes leads the team with 78 tackles and three sacks on the season, while junior free safety Victor Crenshaw has 77 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups.
RHODE ISLAND HEAD COACH TIM STOWERS: In his third season as the head coach at Rhode Island, Tim Stowers has guided the Rams to an overall record of 14-19. Last year, he led Rhode Island to an overall mark of 8-3, with a 6-3 record in the Atlantic 10 Conference, its best season since 1985. Prior to taking over the program at Rhode Island, Stowers spent two seasons as the offensive line coach at Temple. He also served as the head coach at Georgia Southern from 1990-1995, posting an overall record of 51-23 and leading the Eagles to the 1990 NCAA Division I-AA National Championship. Stowers was named the Division I-AA National Coach of the Year in 1990, and the Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 1993. He is a 1980 graduate of Auburn University, where he earned two letters as a linebacker and offensive and defensive lineman.
EXTRA POINTS: A victory this week will give UMass eight wins for only the 13th time in school history ... Senior center Maikel Miret and senior linebacker Corey Potter are the co-captains of the 2002 Minutemen ... UMass did not turn the ball over during its victory over Delaware, marking the first time the Minutemen played an entire game without a turnover since an 18-14 win over Rhode Island on Sept. 27, 1997 ... Sophomore defensive back Steve Costello continues to play well this season, totaling 35 tackles with a team-best four interceptions, seven pass breakups and two forced fumbles on the year ... The 175 yards of total offense the Minutemen recorded in the victory over Villanova were their fewest in a win since totaling only 147 yards in a 13-9 victory over Villanova on Oct 24, 1992 ... Junior linebacker Mike Ziccardi (Coral Springs, Fla.) had his top game of the season against Villanova, recording six tackles with an interception, a sack and a pass breakup. On the season, he has now totaled 74 tackles, nine sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries ... Freshman quarterback Tim Day (Manchester, N.H.) is the first true freshman to see action at quarterback for UMass since Jeff Smith in 1996 ... Redshirt freshman linebacker Gerard Washington (Columbia, S.C.) had the top game of his career at Richmond, and was named Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week. Starting for the first time as a Minuteman, Washington led the team with 14 tackles, a sack, an interception, a pass breakup and two tackles for loss ... Junior defensive linemen Doran Davis (Elmont, N.Y.) and Malik Hall (Detroit, Mich.) both recorded the first interception of their collegiate career at North Carolina State, with Davis returning his 58 yards for a touchdown ... Two former Minutemen are currently on National Football League rosters: second-year linebacker Kole Ayi of the St. Louis Rams and second-year tailback Marcel Shipp of the Arizona Cardinals ... UMass has scored in 91 straight games since a 34-0 loss to Rhode Island on Sept. 30, 1995 ... The Minutemen have scored in 109 consecutive home games since a 17-0 loss to Holy Cross on Sept. 17, 1983.
