Football Puts Undefeated Record On The Line at CW Post This Saturday
BRYANT FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
October 2, 2007
4-0 BULLDOGS TRAVELS TO C.W. POST SATURDAY
Game Notes
Game 4 - Bryant University (4-0, 4-0 NE-10) at
C.W. Post (2-2, 2-1 NE-10)
Saturday, October 6, 2007, Hickox Field (5,000)
Radio/TV: http://www.bryantbulldogs.com/ (John McCarthy),
http://www.ne10.tv/
UPDATE:
The first place Bryant University football team will
travel to Long Island this weekend to face 2-2 (2-1 NE-10) C.W.
Post this Saturday for a noon kickoff at Hickox Field. Bryant
(4-0, 4-0 NE-10) is off to its best start in school history and
will be seeking its first-ever win against C.W. Post. The
Pioneers hold a commanding 6-0 series lead against Bryant,
including a thrilling 24-21 win in Smithfield, RI last year,
scoring the game-winning touchdown in the final 32 seconds of the
game. The Bulldogs will return home to host Stonehill College
(3-0 NE-10, 3-1 overall) next Saturday for Parents and Family
Weekend.
MORE TIDBITS
* Saturday's game will be the 84th game for Bryant since becoming a varsity program in 1999.
* Bryant owns a 44-39 all-time record covering eight seasons.
* Last Saturday's win over Pace was Marty Fine's 23rd at Bryant. Fine owns a record of 23-11 in his fourth year, the most wins for a coach at Bryant.
* Bryant is 19-5 in its last 24 regular season games, not including last year's postseason loss. The Bulldogs were 7-3 in 2005 and were 8-3 last year including a loss to West Chester in the NCAA's.
SERIES:
This will be the seventh all-time meeting between Bryant
and C.W. Post. The Pioneers are 6-0 all-time against Bryant
including a 3-0 record in games played at Hickox Field.
Bryant's last visit to C.W. Post saw the Bulldogs come up short,
37-15 but last year came close to earning their first victory in
the series. Bryant scored with just over two minutes left to
take a 21-17 lead, but the Pioneers, ranked No. 22 nationally at
the time, came back with a game-winning drive in the final minute
to pull out the victory. The game ended when Bryant's final
drive ended on an interception at the C.W. Post 10 yard line with
nine seconds left.
A GLANCE AT C.W. POST UNIVERSITY:
The Pioneers, under the direction of 10th year coach Bryan
Collins, come into the game 2-2 on the season (2-1 in the
NE-10). He is just two wins shy of setting the C.W. Post
all-time win record. The Pioneers earned a share of the 2006
NE-10 Conference title with Bryant and Merrimack. This year,
quarterback Nick Georgetti has completed 73 of 114 passes (64
percent) for 908 yards and seven touchdowns. His favorite
target has been Chris Bone who has 24 catches for 388 yards and
four TDs. The Pioneers, who fell to Stonehill at home two
weeks ago, are averaging 405.2 yards per game of total
offense.
BULLDOGS IN THE NE-10
Rushing Lindsey Gamble, 2nd, 115.8 yards rushing per game
Passing Charlie Granatell, 6th, 165.5 yards per game
Receiving yards Sean Bergin,9th, 56.5 yards per game
Kick Returns Jerell Smith, 2nd, 25.6 yards per return
Scoring Lindsey Gamble, 1st, 10.5 points per game
PAT Kicking Chris Bird, tied for 1st, 12-for-12 PAT attempts
TALE OF THE TAPE - BRYANT AND PACE WITH NE-10 RANK OUT OF 10 TEAMS
Bryant CW POST
Scoring Offense 26.7 (5th) 29.2 (3rd)
Scoring Defense 21.8 (3rd) 16.8 (2nd)
Rushing Offense 161.5 (3rd) 178.2 (2nd)
Rushing Defense 162.0 (5th) 78.0 (1st)
Passing Offense 171.2 (7th) 227.0 (3rd)
Passing Defense 131.8 (1st) 190.0 (5th)
Total Offense 332.8 (5th) 405.2 (3rd)
Total Defense 293.8 (2nd) 268 (1st)
NE-10 STANDINGS
Team Conf. All
Bryant 4-0 4-0
Stonehill 3-0 3-1
Bentley 3-1 3-1
CW Post 2-1 2-2
Southern Conn. 1-2 2-3
AIC 1-2 1-3
Merrimack 1-2 1-3
Assumption 1-2 1-4
Pace 1-3 1-4
Saint Anselm 0-3 0-4
THE COACHES:
Bryant coach Marty Fine is currently in
his fourth season coaching the Bulldogs. Since his first year
in Smithfield in 2004, Fine owns a coaching record of 23-11. CW
Post Coach Bryan Collins is 82-22 in 10 seasons.
GAMBLE PAYS OFF:
Bryant has been going with a three-back rotation in the
backfield with Chris Peaks (29 yards vs. Merrimack), Howard
University transfer Jerell Smith (52 yards on 20 carries this
year), and Lindsey Gamble, sophomore who had just 27 yards on 9
carries in 2006 behind the Lorenzo Perry Show. But after
three games, it's been the Lindsey Gamble Show. After rushing
for 49 yards on 14 carries in the opener vs. AIC, Gamble ran for
177 yards on 26 rushes against Merrimack in Week Two and followed
with a career-best 182 yards and school record-tying 4 touchdowns
in the win over Assumption last week. So far this season, Gamble is
currently second in the Northeast-10 in rushing with a 115.8 yards
per game average and has six touchdowns.
WINNING WAYS:
Bryant has put together two consecutive winning seasons
since a 4-5 slate in Fine's first year as coach in 2004. In
2005, Bryant went 7-3 overall followed with an 8-3 campaign in
2006. The only other winning season was in 1999 when the team
went 5-4. Bryant is 19-5 in its last 24 regular season games,
not including last year's NCAA playoff loss.
MILESTONES:
Senior WR Sean Bergin (New Windsor, NY/ Newburgh
Free) is currently second all-time with 63 receptions and
second with 1,024 career receiving yards, going over the 1,000 yard
mark with 59 yards vs. Assumption on Saturday. Bergin trails
all-time leader Justin Kix in both categories (112 receptions, 1650
receiving yards).
RECORD BOOK UPDATES:
* Chris Peaks is currently fourth all-time with 1,311 career rushing yards. He needs 25 yards to move into fourth all-time.
* Peaks (10 TDs) needs five touchdowns to move into third all-time for career TDs
* Charlie Granatell moved into first all-time with 910 career total plays of offense vs. Merrimack.
* Chris Wohlheter (2nd, 8) needs four interceptions to become all-time career INT leader (11).
* Wohlheter is currently tied for 5th with 153 career tackles.
GRANATELL ON THE MARK:
Senior quarterback Charlie Granatell (Franklin
Lakes, NJ / Ramapo) has started every game (34) since
coming to campus as a freshman in 2004. Granatell's junior
year was his best yet, passing for a career-best 1,975 yards and 21
touchdowns. Granatell finished the season ranked second nationally
with a 167.5 efficiency rating.
GRANATELL ON THE SEASON
Granatell enters this week's game with 5,689 yards and 49
touchdowns. He is the holder of 15 school records. On
the season, Granatell has completed 59 of 104 passes (56.7 percent)
for 662 yards and 6 TDs. He has thrown just 2
interceptions.
GUNTHER SETS SEASON AND CAREER SACK RECORD:
Senior defensive end Mark Gunther (Clarksburg, NJ
/ Notre Dame) set a school single season record with 11.5
sacks, giving him the school career sack record with 20.5.
Gunther had three sacks in two different games last year (vs. Saint
Anselm and Assumption).
THE PACE GAME: Bryant 22, Pace 19, Sept. 29 @
Smithfield, RI
Charlie Granatell scored on a two-yard run on a
quarterback sneak with 4:19 left as the Bryant University football
team avoided an upset Saturday afternoon, defeating Pace University
22-19 before 3,317 fans on Homecoming at Bulldog Stadium. The win
extends Bryant's record start to the season as the Bulldogs are now
4-0 (4-0 NE-10) heading into next week's game at C.W. Post.
The Bulldogs trailed 10-7 entering through three quarters of play but regained the lead on a broken play early in the fourth. With Granatell scrambling outside the pocket, senior lineman Ralph Squitieri gave a key block allowing Granatell enough time to find Ryan Buckley in the back of the end zone to make it 14-10 with 14:09 left.
Bryant would hold Pace to a three-and-out on their next possession, but the Bulldogs gave the ball right back as Lindsey Gamble fumbled on his own 27. The Setters would make the hosts pay as quarterback Ray Gregg found Mike LaStella in the back of the end zone to put Pace back on top 17-14. On the ensuing kickoff, Bryant's Jerell Smith fielded the kick in the Bryant end zone and after running out to the one, tried to take a knee in the end zone and was flagged for a Pace safety, stretching the Pace lead to 19-14.
Bryant's defense would stiffen, holding Pace to another three-and-out and got the play of the game on the punt return by Chris Wohlheter. Wohlheter, who fumbled a punt in the first half, amended for the mistake by returning the punt 67 yards down to the Pace 11 yard line. Senior Chris Peaks would rumble through two Pace tacklers, down to the Setter's two yard line where Granatell was able to find a small hole in the line and put the Bulldogs on top for good.
THE ASSUMPTION GAME: Bryant 38,
Assumption 28, Sept. 22 @ Worcester, MA
A week after running for a career best 177 yards in a win over
Merrimack, Bryant sophomore running back Lindsey Gamble (Roxbury,
Mass.) turned in another career performance a week later, rushing
for a career-best 182 yards on 26 carries and four touchdowns as
the Bryant football team defeated Assumption 38-28. Win
improves the Bulldogs to 3-0 (3-0 NE-10) on the year, Bryant's best
start to a season in school history. The Bulldogs trailed 7-0
after one quarter of play but came back with 17 unanswered points
in the second quarter to take a 17-7 lead at the half. A Chris Bird
23 yard field goal helped get the Bulldogs on the board, early in
the second quarter. Gamble would score from five yards out to
make it 10-7. Assumption (1-3, 1-2 NE-10) would move the ball
to the Bryant 35 yard line, but Bryant's Michael Morgan intercepted
a Taylor Humphrey pass in the end zone and returned it back to the
Bryant 17 with 42 seconds left in the half. On the first play of
Bryant's ensuing possession, Gamble broke through for a 73 yard run
down the left sideline, setting up a first and goal from the
Assumption 10. Charlie Granatell hit Bryan Wood for a 9 yard
pickup down to the Assumption 1 yard line with 11 seconds
left. The Bulldogs would use two time outs before Granatell
hit Doug Emerzian with a one yard touchdown pass in the back of the
end zone to put Bryant up 17-7 at the break. The four rushing
touchdowns by Gambles equals a school record held by Lorenzo Perry
who had four last year against Southern Connecticut. Granatell
finished the day with 218 yards passing, completing 18 of 30
attempts and one touchdown. Jarett Solimando and Wood each
had four receptions for the Bulldogs. Assumption tailback
Herb Woodward had 126 yards on 23 carries for the Greyhounds.
THE MERRIMACK GAME: Bryant 37, Merrimack 34 OT,
Sept. 14 @ North Andover, MA
Sophomore tailback Lindsey Gamble rushed for a career-high
177 yards on 26 carries (6.8 ave.) and two touchdowns including a
12-yard scamper in overtime which proved to be the game winner as
Bryant stormed back from down 31-17 to defeat Merrimack 34-31 in
overtime. The Warriors, picked to finish third in the conference
after returning 22 starters from its NCAA playoff run to the second
round, led 24-10 at the half and stretched its largest lead of the
night early in the fourth, only to see Bryant score a pair of
touchdowns to tie it to force overtime. The Bulldogs had a chance
to win it in regulation but Chris Bird's 40-yard field goal attempt
with six seconds left was wide. The Warriors struck first in
the first OT, connecting on a 40-yard field goal to go up
34-31. But on Bryant's ensuing possession, the Bulldogs moved
the ball to the 12 yard line and Gamble rambled in with the
winner. Charlie Granatell completed 16 of 31 passes for 199
yards and had three touchdowns. Sean Bergin had five
receptions for 71 yards.
THE AIC GAME: Bryant 13, AIC 7, Sept. 8 @ Smithfield,
RI
Charlie Granatell (Franklin Lakes, NJ) completed 11 of 17
passes for 104 yards and sophomore linebacker Paul Polomski
(Franklin, Mass.) intercepted two passes (one returned 44 yards for
a touchdown) and had a fumble recovery to help lead Bryant to a
13-6 win before 2,242 at Bulldog Stadium in the opener Sept.
8. Bryant had just 181 yards of offense but the defense came
through, forcing four Yellow Jacket turnovers in the game.
Sophomore transfer Jerell Smith (Brooklyn, NY / Howard University)
rushed for 49 yards on 19 carries while Sean Bergin (New Windsor,
NY) caught a team-best four passes for 75 yards.
NE-10 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore LB Paul Polomski (Franklin,
Mass.) was named the Northeast-10 Conference Defensive
Player of the Week after recording six tackles, a fumble recovery,
and intercepting two passes, one of which was returned 44 yards for
a touchdown in the fourth in Saturday's win over AIC.
Polomski earned his first start at linebacker last year as a
freshman in Week 2, playing against of all teams AIC.
Incidentally, Polomski had a goal-line interception in the first
half of that game as well.
NEW ON THE STAFF:
Bryant returns all but one coach from last year's coaching
staff. Marc Klaiman, defensive coordinator for the past three
seasons, left last spring for an assistant position at Merrimack
College. In his place steps first-year coach Ben
Morie who will coach the team's quarterbacks and
receivers. Morie, a 2000 graduate of Bemidji State in Minnesota,
comes to Bryant from Upper Iowa University where he was recently
the team's offensive coordinator. Also joining the staff this
year is first year coach Art Bell (Rhode Island
'85). Bell, who will coach the Bulldogs' defensive
line, is a native of Newport and graduate of Rogers HS. He
played one year at Bridgewater State and played three years at URI
where he was a member of the Rams' 1981 Yankee Conference
Championship team. Prior to coming to Bryant, Bell coached at
Salve Regina and Middletown HS.
RHODE ISLAND ASSISTANCE
In addition to newcomer Art Bell to Fine's coaching staff,
other assistant coaches with Rhode Island ties include outside
linebackers coach Jay Monteiro (Rhode Island '89)
who was an assistant for 16 years at East Providence HS before
coming to Bryant three years ago. Also back is running backs coach
Jay Jones (Rhode Island College '94) who
previously was an assistant at Cranston West and is currently the
wrestling coach at RIC.
ROOKIE RHODE ISLANDERS:
Bryant has five local freshman on this season's roster
heading into opening week: Fullback Kyle Bell (Middletown, RI
/ Middletown); linebacker Joe Heiberger (Westerly, RI / Westerly);
tight end Matthew Kelly (Lincoln, RI / Bishop Feehan); wide
receiver Brendan Rice (Providence / La Salle); and kicker Karl
Turner (Woodriver Junction, RI / Chariho).
