University of Massachusets Athletics
LIVE BLOG: UMass At New Hampshire Football
November 15, 2008 | Football
Nov. 15, 2008
DURHAM, N.H. -- The battle for New England supremacy in the CAA kicks off a 12 Noon with #22/20 UMass (6-4, 3-3) taking on #13/12 New Hampshire (7-2, 4-2). The new fieldturf field at Cowell Stadium has taken on a lot of water and more rain is expected throughout the game. You can watch on Comcast SportsNet or listen on the UMass Sports Network (100.9 FM, 95.9 FM, 830 AM, 980 AM).
3:20 p.m.: Be sure to come out to McGuirk Stadium next Saturday as we honor the senior class in the game's final regular season contest vs. Hofstra at 2:30 p.m. With a win, the seniors would become the winningest class in school history (over their four-year span).
And remember, the Mass Attack is home tonight at 7 p.m. looking to keep their momentum going from a huge win over #1 Boston University...Come out and make it a raucous atmosphere, just like last night!
Signing off from Cowell Stadium...have a great rest of the weekend...see you tonight at the Mullins Center and next Saturday at McGuirk!
3:15 p.m.: Back with some final stats. Clearly, the star of the day for UMass was Tony Nelson who finished with 154 yards on 24 carries, including some tough running. His yard total was only 21 yards shy of his career-high of 175 set this season at Northeastern.
Liam Coen finished 22-for-41 for 211 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. Victor Cruz led the way with 80 receiving yards on nine catches, in the process going over 1,000 on the season.
In terms of total teams stats, UNH had more total, passing, and rushing yards.:
Total: 621-377
Passing: 295-211
Rushing: 328-166
3:11 p.m.: It's all over...The Bill Knight MVP given to the UNH-UMass game MVP has been awarded to Matt Parent, who came up with that huge game-changing 100 yard interception for a TD early in the game...Back with some stats and final thoughts in a bit.
3:09 p.m.: Liam Coen's tough two week stretch continues with an interception. UNH takes over and will most likely take a knee to finish it off.
3:00 p.m.: Victor Cruz fumbles the ball away and UNH's Matt Parent reccovers his second of the game and UNH gets the ball back on their own 14 ... the big debate right now is who should get the Bill Knight trophy as the game MVP ... should it be QB Toman? Parent an INT and 2 FR or the UNH Offensive Line.
2:56 p.m.: Chris Geannot scores his second touchdown of the game on a 15-yard catch with 7:46 left in the fourth. UNH leads 52-21. That play put UNH over 600 yards of total offense. It is the first time since 1997 that UMass has allowed 600 yards of total offense, when the Blue Hens had 636.
2:52 p.m.: UNH's Mike Boyle with a tremendous individual effort on a 60-yard catch and run ... UNH down to the UMass 21 ... The Wildcats have 592 yards of total offense, the most allowed by UMass this season.
2:47 p.m.: An ox all day, Tony Nelson runs in from three yards out with a great block by Emil Igwenagu. UMass trails 45-21 with 10:38 left in regulation. Nelson is up to 154 yards. His career-high is 175 at Northeastern.
CAA Final: Maine 37, Rhode Island 7
Also, Villanova now up 20-17 at the start of the third quarter.
2:44 p.m.: UMass driving down the field with consecutive passes to Julian Talley and Joe Sanford. Minutemen to the UNH 35 yard line with 12:41 left.
2:38 p.m.: End of the third quarter UNH 45, UMass 14. Contest between the quarters has a brand new red-streak scooter up for grabs if the fan can throw two balls into the flatbed of a truck ... Ben the contestant landed NO balls in the back.
2:34 p.m.: UMass Touchdown ... Matt Silver catches a 1-yarder from Liam Coen to make the score UNH 45-14. Its Silver's second TD of the season, his other was an 80-yarder vs. Bryant ... so two TDs one of 80 yards the other 1 yard.
2:30 p.m.: Tony Nelson gets loose down the right side for a big gainer of 35 yards ... he's up to 136 for the game ... next carry to Chris Zardas for another first down and UMass is in business with over a minute left
Victor Cruz becomes the sixth-ever UMass receiver with 1,000 yards on a 12-yard catch.
2:26 p.m.:UNH is over 500 yards of total offense with an 11-yard Chad Kackert rush. Kackert is closing in on 100 rushing yards while Robert Simpson of UNH has 105. 3:20 left in the third UNH driving to the UMass 31.
CAA Scoreboard Update
Maine 30, URI 7 in 4th
Towson 17, Villanova 14 in 2nd
Hofstra 22, Northeastern 7 in 2nd
JMU 14, William & Mary 7
2:22 p.m.: On defense, redshirt freshman lineman James Gilchrist is playing for the first time. He is wearing No. 92 out of Dartmouth, Mass. and Dartmouth High School.... 6:00 left in the third.
2:16 p.m.: UMass set to punt again, Brett Arnold has posted the most impressive stats of the day with a 50-plus yard average. That boomer went for 54 yards... Also for the Minutemen, Brian Ostaszewski has made his debut in the game at right tackle with Calicchio moving to right guard.
Looking at the series history, UNH's largest margin of victory in the series is 49 points back in 1921, a 56-7 victory. On the flip side, check out this senquence in UMass' favor from 1963 to 1965 UMass won be consecutive scores of 48-2, 47-0 and 46-0.... 48-47-46.
2:10 p.m.: When it rains it pours ... as R.J. Toman is being chased for a near sack by Anthony Rouzier, he hits Mike Boyle for a 20-yard touchdown with 8:34 left in the third ... UNH 45-7.
2:02 p.m.: The rain his lightened up but most of the fans have departed Cowell Stadium. Looking out, the have some interesting food choices here at UNH. They have an Apple Crisp hut with a large apple on top of it. They have the classic French Fries stand from a carnival.
1:56 p.m.: A look at the CAA scoreboard: Maine 16, URI 7 in the third; Towson leads Villanova 10-7 in the second, Hofstra is ahead of Northeastern in the second and JMU is up 7-0 on William & Mary.
Courtney Robinson takes the opening kickoff and reaches 100 kickoff return yards for the game, giving him 1,357 for his all-time career UMass kick return record.
1:52 p.m.: Back from Cowell Stadium, the clock has been reset for the second half at 15:00, but UMass has not emerged from the lockerroom.
In the tough first half, UMass gave up six plays of more than 30 yards as the Wildcats piled up 356 total yards. UMass had 163 yards of offense and controlled the clock 18:30 to 11:30. Nelson is 19 carries for 100 yards, his fifth game this season with 100 yards. Following the captains entrance Brian Ellis on crutches emerged followed by his mates.
1:32 p.m.: It is an total deluge here at Cowell Stadium ... Nelson has gone over 100 rushing yards but at halftime: UMass trails 38-7. The fans are leaving in droves as the rain has intensified.
1:28 p.m.:Chris Jeannot grabs a Toman pass and dashes 76 yards down the left sideline for a UNH 38-7 lead with 59 seconds left in the first half. UNH has 356 yards of total offense in the first half.
1:28 p.m.:The fog has lifted with 1:12 left in the first half, UMass calls timeout hoping for a big stop on 3rd down.
1:21 p.m.: UNH's Tom Bishop, who kicked a 46-yard field goal earlier, attempts a 48-yard field goal and it comes up short, UMass takes over with the 31-yard line with 3:07 left and down 31-7.
1:18 p.m.: Brett Arnold booms a 57-yard punt to raise his average today to just under 50 yards per punt today. Arnold is in line to set the UMass single-season punting mark with 44.3 entering the game. Andrew Maclay's 43.3 is the record from 1998.
Maine has rallied to take a 16-7 lead at Rhode Island in the mud and muck at Meade Stadium at halftime... UMass needs Maine to lose to help any hopes of a slim NCAA playoff berth.
1:11 p.m.: Field hockey's fantastic season is over, UMass falls at No. 3 Syracuse, 3-2. Minutewomen and Justine Sowry close the year at 16-5. Congrats to them on a sensational run in the A-10 and beating Kent State in the NCAA Play-In game.
1:08 p.m.: Chris Zardas pounds the ball in from 1-yard out for his fifth overall TD, fourth rushing and UMass trails 31-7.
1:05 p.m.:UMass blocks a punt at the UNH 11-yard line ... start the comeback. Terrance Farris with the block ... short field for the Minutemen.
12:57 p.m.: One bright note, Courtney Robinson is now the career kickoff return leader in UMass history. He has passed Tim Berra (Yogi's son) and Stephen Parnell and now has 1,336 with this game and one next week remaining.
12:55 p.m.: The fog is rising slightly and UMass' playoff hopes are falling hard ... UNH takes a 31-0 lead on a 30-yard pass from Toman to Kackert with 13:10 left in the second quarter. The Wildcats continue to make quick work on big plays. UNH has 228 yards of offense in 4:40.
12:50 p.m.: First play of the quarter is a 64-yard pass from Toman to Boyle down the left sideline ... gives UNH the ball at the 25-yard line of UMass.
Syracuse has taken a 3-2 lead on the Minutewomen, Shannon Taylor in the 47 minute ... Just 15 minutes left at Coyne Field.
12:48 p.m.: How about this stat at the end first quarter: Time of possession, UMass 12:10, UNH 2:50 ... yet Wildcats lead 24-0. Again, UMass still has plenty of time and are moving the ball on offense.
Nelson has 14 carries for 70 yards (on pace for 280 yards). Total yards: UNH 124, UMass 106.
END OF FIRST: UNH 24, UMass 0
12:39 p.m.: UMass goes for it on fourth down and Coen is sacked and loses the ball. Matt Parent of the 100-yard INT return, picked it up and had clear sailing but stumbled and his own man bumped him down.... but UNH's first play after the turnover results in a 48-yard TD run by Chad Kackert. UNH 24-0 UNH has just seven plays from scrimmage, but leads by 24. Again, UMass has moved the ball, but turnovers have been a huge bug-a-boo and as head coach Don Brown says, to win the game, we have to win the turnover battle.
12:37 p.m.: Tony Nelson, who loves playing in the rain (and mud), busts up the middle again, he is just having his way with the UNH defense. 64 yards on 11 carries. UMass driving, down to the UNH 41.
12:32 p.m.: Things looking bleak right now, but this game has the feel of a shootout. UMass has moved the ball up and down the field very easily just two unlucky passes by Coen have been intercepted so expect UMass to mount a charge. Down 17 in the first quarter with 52 minutes left is plenty of time ... just look at the Patriot down 18 on Thuesday night, rallying back before losing to the Jets in OT ... The rain has just opened up. Luckily the fieldturf is here so no mud in sight.
12:28 p.m.:Coen picked off again. He has thrown five interceptions in the last 11:38 of game action dating to last week. Devon Jackson with the interception on the pass intended for Julian Talley ... UNH quarterback R.J. Toman dashes up the middle for 43 yards and the score UNH 17-0.
12:23 p.m.: How this for turnabout, Liam Coen's pass to the end zone looking for Joe Sanford is deflected by John Clements at the goal line and picked off by Matt Parent, who rumbled down the field for a 100-Yard Interception return. UNH 10-0. Nelson looked to have a chance to get him but the UNH convoy pushed him to the side and Parent went in for the score.
Field hockey is tied at 2-2 at Syracuse on Katelyn Orlando's goal in the 30th minute.
12:22 p.m.: Nelson gets to 1,000 first with a 12-yard rush. That gives UMass seven straight years with a 1,000-yard rusher. Minutemen on the doorstep after recovering a fumble for Nelson on the play following the one to give him 1,000 yards. UMass ball on the 6.
12:17 p.m.: The race to see who can get to 1,000 yards first is on. Tony Nelson needs 33 for 1,000 rush yards ... Victor Cruz needs 32 yards for 1,000 receiving yards and Jeremy Horne needs 140. Nelson gets three carries in the first four plays for 16 yards ... so he needs 17 ... the other play goes to Cruz for 19 yards, so he needs 13 ... the tension is building and UMass drives to the UNH 26 yard line.
12:14 p.m.: Tom Bishop, the punter turned kicker (and still punter) booms a 46-yard field goal with 13:34 left in the first. You have to wait for the refs signal with the fog.UNH 3-0.
12:10 p.m.: Mass confusion on the field ... illegal motion on UNH on the first play from scrimmage ... the clock just kept running ... it seemed like no one was ready ... the microphone from the referee is muffled with the weather as well as he wants the game clock reset ... once it is reset to 14:45, senior UNH receiver Mike Boyle takes the ball 31 yards for a big gainer up the right side of the field to the UMass 29 yard line.
12:02 p.m.: UMass captains have made it out with Liam Coen, Sean Calicchio and Brandon Collier ... Sean Smalls did not make the trip. With the bad weather conditions fotmer UMass SIDs Howie Davis and Dick Bresciani says the "most invisible" UMass game came on Oct. 25, 1980 at Boston University. In a massive storm with less than 200 people in the stands, the Terriers beat the Minutemen, 3-0. Davis says the game was televised and you could barely see anything on TV with the fog and storms.
UNH wins the toss and will receive ... Cuko to kickoff.
11:54 a.m.: Field hockey is now tied at 1-1 at Syracuse, Martina Loncarica scored for the Orange. The game has the feel of the regular season match-up, an Orange 5-4 win.
Back to football here in Durham, we are just 11 minutes from kickoff and the UNH band is leaving the field and pea soup fog is still very present. With no lights here at Cowell Stadium it has a dark and dim feeling. The UMass cheerleaders are looking peppy as they prepare to welcome the Minutemen to the field. UMass has returned to its traditional white tops and maroon pants after three weeks of black pants.
11:47 a.m.: Cat Scratch Fever ... that's what the UNH band is playing right now ... A little Ted Nugent to get you fired up.
Update from field hockey in Syracuse, the Minutewomen are up 1-0 on a Cher King goal, three minutes into the action.
Now the band is on to Green Day's "Holiday" ... Blog hello to Joan Hopkins, UMass' Associate A.D. for Academic Services and thanks for the text message as she is with the men's soccer team in Pittsburgh as they go to the A-10 title tomorrow against Dayton. What a time for UMass teams. Field hockey in the NCAAs, men's soccer looking for the second A-10 title in a row, men's cross country has already won the A-10, hockey beating No. 1 BU last night and football hoping for an NCAA Tournament berth.
11:35 a.m.: The fog is rolling in here in Durham. It will be very difficult to see the game action for the fans and those watching on TV to be honest. Right now from one side of the field where the press box is, you can just make out the stands on the others side. The crowd has been held down by the weather. This comes from the warm air that is rolling in and of course more rain is expected. It is 59 degrees and 99 percent humidity with 90 percent chance of rain ... the weather map just has a huge green blob over the entire eastern portion of the country.
11:20 a.m.: Where to begin with the changes ... Hmmm ... here goes for UMass on the offensive line, John Ihne will continue to start at center as he has for the last two weeks. Rob Getek returns at right guard after missing action with a neck injury. Senior captain Sean Calicchio moves to right tackle, his starting spot for all of last season. It will be his third starting role this season along with center and right guard. On the defensive side, Bob McLaughlin will start in place of Michael Hanson, who is banged up, but will play. In the secondary Shane Viveiros will draw his first career start in place of Brian Ellis, who broke a bone in his left leg in the Maine game.
OK ... that was a lot and that was just one team ... for UNH, four of the five offensive line starters have been changed due to one injury. With normal starter at left tackle Josh Droesh out with a knee injury, Andrew Elwell, the normal right tackle starter moves to the left side. At left guard Chris McClurg will start as normal starter Dan Larkin moves to right guard. The normal starter at right guard Eric Cumba will start at right tackle with Elwell's move to the other side. All-CAA tight end Scott Sicko is out with a shoulder/ribs strain. Starting at tight end will be Seth Price, who is normally an offensive lineman. Price will wear No. 84 when he plays tight end and No. 77 if he gets in on the O-Line. Additionally, third tailback Sean Jellison is questionable with a concussion. On the defensive side, defensive tackle Steve Young (not that Steve Young who you will see on ESPN tomorrow morning) is also questionable with a concussion. Finally, the kicker will be the punter as Tom Bishop handles both duties with Tom Manning out with a hamstring pull.
Phew.... that was a mouthful... five minutes just to type that note.
10:40 a.m.Live from the wet and dripping press box at Cowell Stadium, this is Jason Yellin from the UMass Media Relations Office with today's football live blog. What looked like a huge match-up a week ago prior to both teams losing last Saturday is still big but playoff fates of both teams are up in the air. UNH is in a better spot that UMass with just two losses, but the Minutemen can severely dent the Wildcats hopes with a win on Saturday while keeping their dreams alive.
Back with extensive line-up changes for both teams in a few minutes. Its that 11th week of the season thing where football is football and the knicks and knacks are everywhere.
