University of Massachusets Athletics
LIVE BLOG: Football Vs. Richmond
October 18, 2008 | Football
Oct. 18, 2008
AMHERST, Mass. -
In a match-up of Top 10 teams, No. 10/7 UMass (4-2 overall, 2-1 CAA) hosts No. 9/9 Richmond (4-3, 2-2) on Saturday at McGuirk Alumni Stadium at 3:30 p.m. It will be an action packed day in Amherst as the regionally-televised game is a the centerpiece of Homecoming weekend at UMass. As part of the festivities, the Athletic Department is honoring the 1998 NCAA Championship team. Most of the team members are expected to be on hand for the 10th Anniversary including stars Marcel Shipp, Todd Bankhead, Kole Ayi, Adrian Zullo and Mike Wynne along with head coach Mark Whipple.
6:32 p.m.
Richmond kneels on it and that will do it. UMass falls to 4-3 and 2-2 in the CAA. The Minutemen will be back in action next Saturday right here at McGuirk Alumni Stadium where they will take on Bryant at 1 p.m. It will be Band Day as well.
Thanks to everyone that checked out today's blog. I'll be right here next week and look forward to typing to you again then.
Good night.
6:28 p.m.
There were flags everywhere following the kickoff and Victor Cruz has apparently been ejected from the game.
On UMass' first play, Scott Woodward's pass was intercepted and Richmond takes over with 1:10 left.
6:23 p.m.
Josh Vaughn runs it in from five yards out and that should ice it for the Spiders.
Richmond 29, UMass 15, 1:22 4th
6:19 p.m.
Richmond is running the ball and trying to use clock. On third and one at the UMass 41, Ward kept it himself and got the push to pick up the first down with three minutes left.
6:12 p.m.
On fourth and six, Coen hit Cruz over the middle giving the Minutemen a first down at the Spiders' 30. The offense gets only four yards from there and Cuko's 43-yard attempt was plenty long but just missed left.
Richmond takes over with 6:12 left.
6:06 p.m.
The defense forces another punt - they are doing their job here in the second half - and UMass takes over at its own 30.
Liam Coen is back in at quarterback.
6:00 p.m.
The drive stalls from there and Cuko hits a 38-yard field goal to get UMass within a touchdown and 2-point conversion.
It is the first three-field goal game of Cuko's career.
Richmond 23, UMass 15, 12:46 4th
5:58 p.m.>
UMass got the break it needed. The defense forced a fumble, recovered by Darrlyn Fenner.
Woodward comes in at quarterback. The Minutemen run a double reverse, with Woodward leading the way and throwing a huge block to spring Victor Cruz 21 yards down to the Richmond 22.
5:54 p.m.
Third quarter ends.
Richmond 23, UMass 12, end of 3rd
5:51 p.m.
Liam Coen was injured after being hit as he threw a pass. Jeff Smith and Bob Kuzmeski are out on the field taking a look at him and helping him off the field. Not sure what was injured.
Scott Woodward in at quarterback for the Minutemen. He runs one play before UMass is forced to punt and Justin Rogers returns the punt 49 yards to the UMass 45.
5:45 p.m.
This afternoon's attendance: 15,593
It ranks as the 21st biggest crowd at McGuirk Stadium. It is also the third crowd over 15,000 this season.
Richmond goes for it on fourth down and the pass falls incomplete. UMass takes over on its own 34 yardline with 2:21 left in the third.
Something you don't usually see, UMass called timeout after the change of possession before running a play.
5:42 p.m.
The UMass offense goes backwards and is forced to punt from its own end-zone. Richmond takes over at the UMass 36 with just over three minutes left in the third.
5:40 p.m.
There are numerous UMass football alums in the house today, as the 1998 National Championship was honored at halftime.
Two of the notables are Steve Baylark and Marcel Shipp, who flew up here together from Phoenix.
5:38 p.m.
With Vaughn's eight career 100-yard game, UMass has now surrendered 100 yards to opposing players five times this year. Last season that happened only three times.
5:35 p.m.
UMass is forced to punt and the punt is blocked by Eric McBride, giving the Spiders the ball at the UMass 13.
It was te first UMass punt that was blocked since at Rhode Island last year.
Vaughn then takes it in from 13 yards out for the touchdown. That gives him 110 yards on the day.
Richmond 23, UMass 12, 5:23 3rd
5:30 p.m.
The UMass defense looks really good so far in the second half. They force another three and out after Kyle Harrington sacked Ward as he dropped back to pass on third down. After the punt, UMass takes over at its own 26.
5:25 p.m.
UMass forced Richmond to punt with a blitz on third down by Brian Ellis that made Ward intentionally ground the ball.
After a Spiders punt, UMass took it down to the 28-yard line. Armando Cuko then hit a 44-yard field goal to get UMass within four.
It is the longest kick of Cuko's career, surpassing his 42-yard game-winner at Holy Cross earlier this season.
Richmond 16, UMass 12, 8:48 3rd
5:15 p.m.
Richmond squibs again on the opening kickoff. Terrance Farris picks it up and takes it to the Richmond 49.
Farris is a former 100-meter state champion in the state of Georgia and the fastest man on the team according to head coach Don Brown at ast week's sports luncheon.
Coen's first pass was ruled incomplete, but after viewing the replay, it looks like UMass might have gotten away with one as it looked like the Richmond player intercepted it.
UMass is forced to punt.
5:08 p.m.
Some key halftime stats:
Rushing Yards:
Richmond 129
UMass 12
Passing Yards:
Richmond 72
UMass 126
Passing:
Ward: 10-for-16
Coen: 12-for-14
Possession:
Richmond: 17:42
UMass: 12:18
Third downs:
Richmond: 4-of-6
UMass: 4-of-7
4:52 p.m.
Richmond uses its final timeout with six second left and the ball at the 38.
Andrew Howard's 55-yard attempt is short. His career long is 45.
Richmond 16, UMass 9, Halftime
4:45 p.m.
UMass pooch kicks it on the kickoff and it backfires with return taking the ball all the way down to the UMass 43. Richmond has all three timeouts left.
4:40 p.m.
A 20-yard pass to Nelson gets UMass in Richmond territory. The Minutemen then burned their final timeout.
Three plays later, Coen finds Victory Cruz down the left sideline for a 22-yard touchdown pass. It was Coen's first TD pass in four games. He now has 11 on the season.
The snap wasn't handled on the extra point attempt and Cuko doesn't even get a chance to kick it.
Richmond 16, UMass 9, 0:47 2nd
4:38 p.m.
After Courtney Robinson's kickoff return to the 34, he moves into third in all-time kickoff return yards at UMass. He now has 1,206 and passed Dennis Dent's 1,178.
4:34 p.m.
Ward runs it in himself on a keeper from two yards out to extend the Richmond lead. The Spiders go 60 yards on 12 plays and use 6:30.
Richmond 16, UMass 3, 3:11 2nd
4:28 p.m.
As Richmond is driving into UMass territory...
I just spotted UMass President Jack Wilson taking in today's Homecoming game from the Chancellor's box next door to us here in the press box.
4:20 p.m.
The offense doesn't pick up any yards after that, forcing a field goal attempt. Armando Cuko knocks through a 22-yard attempt and the Minutemen are on the board.
Cuko is now 4-for-5 on field goal attempts this season.
Richmond 9, UMass 3, 9:41 2nd
4:16 p.m.
On third and one at the 17, Tony Nelson was stopped short, but the Minutemen went for it on fourth down and Nelson picked it up by taking th pitch from Coen and taking down to the six.
Nelson has 21 yards on eight carries.
4:12 p.m.
The first quarter ends with UMass driving. First and 10 at the Spiders 45.
UMass has been outscored 74-21 in first quarters this season.
Richmond 9, UMass 0, end of 1st
4:05 p.m.
On fourth down, Eric Ward found TE Joe Monteverde in the end zone for a 13-yard score. Howard's PAT attempt was no-good, the first PAT miss of his career.
Richmond 9, UMass 0, 1:30 1st
4:02 p.m.
On third and eight at the UMass 19, Richmond completed a pass but the receiver was stopped two yards short of the stakes, giving the Spiders a fourth and two at the 13. The Spiders kept the offense on the field and UMass called timeout.
3:53 p.m.
The Minutemen got one first down, but that is it. On third down, Liam Coen was sacked by Jordan Shoop. It's just the fifth time Coen has been sacked this year.
Brett Arnold punts and Richmond will start at its own 35.
3:58 p.m.
It looked like UMass got a turnover on Richmond's second play. Vaughn took the handoff and got through the line but was then greeted with a hard hit from Eric Dickson. UMass came out of the pile with the ball, but the officials ruled the runner down. After watching the replay on the monitor next to me, it was clearly a fumble. Tough break for the Minutemen.
3:50 p.m.
On Richmond's kickoff they ran a squib kick, something we've seen a lot this season as teams avoid Courtney Robinson. Chris Cefalo recovered the kick at the 29 and that's where UMass will take over.
3:45 p.m.
After the Spiders picked up another first down to have a first and goal, the UMass defense stepped up and forced a field goal by Andrew Howard.
Richmond 3, UMass 0, 10:37 1st
3:40 p.m.
On third down of the first set of downs, Josh Vaughn broke a 49-yard run to take the ball down to the UMass 20. Jeromy Miles made the tackle to save a touchdown.
3:35 p.m.
UMass has won the coin toss and will take the ball to start the second half. Richmond will start with the ball.
3:25 p.m.
The teams are off the field, the band is on the field and getting this crowd warmed up.
Another side note... The UMass cheerleaders are debuting their new uniforms today. I swear I didn't notice myself, someone told me.
3:20 p.m.
The only replacement to UMass' lineup I know of is the return of head athletic trainer Jeff Smith to the sideline. Smith, who now works with the Minutemen hockey team, is filling in today for Jen Brodeur, who is at her brother Jeffrey's wedding to the lovely Leah. So congrats to them.
3:15 p.m.
As we near kickoff, both teams are warming up on the field. Most of the crowd hasn't reacked their seats as I look out of the press box. I'm sure the parties in the parking lots will be breaking up soon and people will make their way in.
Some housekeeping ... For Richmond, RG #53 Tim Silver is out. He is being replaced by #75 Evan Lehner. At MLB, #6 Collin McConaghy is out. He is replaced by #39 Patrick Weldon.
All of UMass' starters are good to go.
2:00 p.m.
Welcome to today's live game blog! Dave Gunn and Jason Yellin from the UMass Media Relations office will be bringing you all the action and added information to hopefully make your watching/listening of today's game more enjoyable.
On the way in to McGuirk Stadium the Homecoming atmosphere is incredible. It's a perfect fall day with the sun shining and just a bit of chill in the air. The tailgaters looked like they were having a great time as I drove in. As difficult as it was, I resisted the urge to stop and partake in some of the tailgating activities.
