NEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
BEAR FENIMORE, SAINT FRANCIS
QB, Jr., 6-1, 225 lbs, Austin, TX/Westwood
STAT LINE: 293 pass yards, 3 TD passes, 64.5 completion pct., 9.5 yards per pass attempt
Fenimore was efficient at the controls during Saint Francis’ triumphant NEC opener. Playing turnover-free football for the second consecutive week, the transfer quarterback completed 64.5 percent of his passes while averaging 9.5 yards per attempt. Fenimore, who began his collegiate career with Houston, went 20-of-31 passing for 293 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball around to nine different receivers during the 31-6 victory and each of his three scoring strikes went to a separate player. Fenimore’s first TD toss went to junior Kamron Lewis. With the Flash looking to increase their 7-3 lead and facing a 2nd-and-5 at the Wagner 30, Fenimore executed a play fake and found the reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Year in the near-left corner of the endzone. His two-yard strike to Terrell Johnson bumped SFU’s advantage to 21-6 with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter. Capping the team’s scoring, Fenimore hit Jorge Solano in the endzone on a 19-yard play 7:28 into the final period.
NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
HAKEEM KINARD, SAINT FRANCIS
S, Sr., 5-10, 195 lbs, York, PA/York Catholic
STAT LINE: 6 total tackles (2 solo), 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT, 2 PBU
Kinard’s ability and versatility were on full display during the Red Flash’s 31-6 victory over NEC rival Wagner. Whether it was coming up to stop the run, dropping back to defend the pass or flying in on a blitz, the starting safety made plenty of plays for a defense that limited the opponent to 3.9 yards per play. Kinard, who credited with 1.5 TFL and 1.0 sack, totaled six tackles as the Flash kept Wagner out of the endzone for the full 60:00. He also intercepted a pass and broke up two others. All six of the safety’s stops prevented the opponent from gaining a first down on the play. Each of his three hits in run defense limited the ball carrier to one yard or less. With Wagner looking to convert a 3rd-and-4 on its opening possession, Kinard put himself in between the ball and Wagner receiver D’Erren Wilson to force a punt. He broke free on a blitz midway through the second quarter, dropping the quarterback for a loss on 2nd-and-Goal with SFU protecting a 14-3 lead. In the third quarter, he recorded a pass break-up going against preseason all-NEC receiver John Williams on a third-down play from the SFU 14-yard line. With the Seahawks still in search of their first touchdown midway through the final period, Kinard picked off a second-down pass at the goal line and returned it 70 yards.
NEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
TAJIK BAGLEY, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
DB, So., 5-11, 190 lbs, Ansonia, CT/Ansonia
STAT LINE: 95-yard KOR TD
Prior to his busy day on defense, Bagley took a handoff from teammate Najae Brown on the opening kickoff and ran 95 yards to give CCSU a quick 7-0 lead over Patriot League member Fordham. The sophomore defensive back scored the Blue Devils’ first kickoff return touchdown since November 7, 2015. Bagley, who returned three kickoffs for a total of 65 yards at Syracuse in Week 1, received only one chance against Fordham. Defensively, Bagley was responsible for eight tackles, one forced fumble and one pass break-up.
NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
RA’SHAUN HENRY, SAINT FRANCIS
WR, R-Fr., 6-2, 170 lbs, Copperas Cove, TX/Copperas Cove
STAT LINE: 3 receptions, 81 receiving yards
Henry’s first appearance in a Northeast Conference contest yielded a 27.0 yards per catch average. The redshirt freshman receiver accounted for a pair of explosive plays during the Red Flash’s 31-6 triumph over Wagner. All three of his receptions came during the second half, helping the Red Flash seize complete control of their NEC opener. With SFU facing a 2nd-and-14 situation at its own 11-yard line midway through the third quarter, Henry made receptions on back-to-back plays to move the offense into Wagner territory. After a four-yard gain on second down, he pulled in a 47-yard pass to give the Flash a new set of downs at the Wagner 37. The drive ended in a touchdown that bumped the lead to 21-6. Henry also made a key contribution on SFU’s final touchdown drive of the game. His 29-yard reception converted a 3rd-and-8, putting the ball at the Wagner 19 and setting the stage for a TD pass to Jorge Solano on the next snap.
TWEET SHEET
@FCS_STATS
(Sep 9) .@RedFlashFB impressive with 31-6 win over @Wagner_Football
@TheWizOfOz11
(Sep 9) 9:02 left: Saint Francis leads 24-6. SFU ball on the 50. Dominating performance by the Red Flash defense
@CCurti_Trib
(Sep 9) Kamron Lewis with a circus catch at pylon. 14-3 @RedFlashFB over Wagner midway thru 2nd
@connpost
(Sep 9) Sacred Heart football rallies past Lafayette
@bradwsports
(Sep 9) You’d have to say Sacred Heart has had better of the play; @LafColFootball has 10 points off turnovers and that’s it
@NCAA_FCS
(Sep 9 ) Defending their house!
No. 6 Youngstown State freezes Robert Morris in the Ice Castle, 30-0 #GoGuins #FCS
@timesscores
(Sep 9) Robert Morris had a tough time stopping Nathan Mays, who put up 212 total yards and 2 TDs against the #Colonials
@FoxABCMaine
(Sep 10) Mack, defense lead @BlackBearsFB in impressive victory over Bryant, 60-12. #mesports
@DowntownRichK
(Sep 9) Price Wilson finds Jean Constant for a 59 yard scoring strike and Bryant cuts the Maine lead to 43-12, 8:56 left in the 3rd quarter
@NewBritHerald
(Sep 9) Late interception seals loss for CCSU football in home opener against Fordham
@FCS_STATS
(Sep 9) With All-American Chase Edmonds sidelined in 2nd half, @FORDHAMFOOTBALL escapes @CCSUfootball 38-31 on Lawrence Menyah’s late 29-yard INT TD
@DavidGlovach
(Sep 9) Andre Morris blocks a potential #Fordham winning field goal with 1:49 left in the game. #CCSU has the ball.
@desmondconner
(Sep 9) With 12:14 to play in Q1 #CCSU leads #Fordham 17-0 - 95yd KOR to open game; 3 pts from fumbled KOR and 32yd ret off fumble by Chase Edmonds
@ZacharyMWeiss
(Sep 9) A big road win for @DuqFB 45-40 over Valparaiso. Duquesne had a balanced 250 rushing yards and 292 passing yards.
@_DaveMelton
(Sep 9) Duquesne takes a 45-28 lead with 10:43 left in the game. Time running out for a VU comeback.
@The_MrMcDowell
(Sep 9) Everyone is talking about Pitt vs Penn State, but Duquesne vs Valpo is the real match up of the day #GoDukes
@CCurti_Trib
(Sep 9) What do @RedFlashFB & @WagnerAthletics have in common? Both have a player suiting up in the #NFL on Sunday. @numerolUNO_1 @Mr_NxtLvl
AROUND THE NEC IN 7 SENTENCES
BRYANT leads the league in passing yards (648) and interceptions (7) through the season’s first two games.
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT scored two non-offensive touchdowns – Tajik Bagley’s 95-yard KOR and Tymir Hinton’s 31-yard fumble return -- during the first 3:00 versus Patriot League member Fordham.
DUQUESNE, which received 100 yards on 11 carries from sophomore AJ Hines, rushed for 250 yards (the team’s highest total since Sept. 17, 2016) in the 45-40 road victory over Valparaiso.
ROBERT MORRIS rookie receiver Tavin Allison, a transfer from Eastern Michigan, has made a pair of catches in each of his first two games as a Colonial and owns a 31.5 yards per reception average.
SACRED HEART, which has defeated Stetson and Lafayette by double-digit margins, has surrendered only 58 total rush yards during the season’s first two weeks with opponents averaging 1.0 yard per carry.
SAINT FRANCIS, which last suffered a loss at DeGol Field in the 2014 regular season finale, puts its 10-game home win streak on the line when CAA member Towson visits in Week 3.
WAGNER, which was without starting quarterback Alex Thomson for the second half of Saturday’s NEC opener, steps back out of conference for a short trip to Ivy League member Columbia on September 16.
QUOTABLE
JALEN WELLS (SFU), Senior DB
We really went into this game hungry. They took away our perfect NEC record last year. We definitely weren’t going to lose at home. We’re still bitter about that even though we got the ring.”
- on the revenge factor in the Flash’s Week 2 game against Wagner, the lone NEC team to beat SFU in 2016
CHRIS VILLARRIAL (SFU), Head Coach
“They challenged each other this whole week. Coach Pecora had them buzzing around, the defensive staff did a heck of a job getting these guys ready. When adversity hit us a couple times, we were able to come up with the big play. That’s what we’re going to have to be able to do to be a championship football team.”
- when speaking to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat following a 31-6 win over Wagner in the NEC opener. .
JERRY SCHMITT (DUQ), Head Coach
“We showed some resilience. We made some mistakes and they made some good plays to jump back in the game, but we stuck it out. The offensive line did a really good job with the running game and then protecting [Tommy] Stuart in the passing game. The offense was really balanced. We sharpened up from last week.”
- after Duquesne significantly upped its offensive output from Week 1 and held on for a 45-40 road win over Valparaiso
PETE ROSSOMANDO (CCSU), Head Coach
“In this game you’ve got to make throws. We’ve got guys wide open down the middle of the field. You’ve got to make throws. Jake will be the first to tell you that, and I can put it on his shoulders. He’s our guy. We love him. He’ll be under center next week, but you’ve got to make throws, got to make plays.”
- he told the Hartford Courant after a 38-31 home loss to Fordham.
PRIME PERFORMERS (WEEK 2)
The following athletes earned #NECPrimePerformer status for their effort this past week...
JYMERE JORDAN-TONEY (SAINT FRANCIS)
The junior ball carrier gained 125 yards from scrimmage and scored the Flash’s first touchdown in a 31-6 home win.
NEHARI CRAWFORD (DUQUESNE)
The junior receiver scored two touchdowns in Duquesne’s road win over Valpo while setting single-game career highs for catches (9) and receiving yards (138).
TAJIK BAGLEY (CENTRAL CONNECTICUT)
The sophomore defensive back returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and added eight tackles, one sack and one forced fumble in a 38-31 setback to Fordham.
TOMMY STUART (DUQUESNE)
The Dukes’ signal caller accounted for four touchdowns and 315 yards of offense in a 45-point showing at Valparaiso.
BEAR FENIMORE (SAINT FRANCIS)
The turnover-free quarterback threw for 293 yds and 3 touchdowns in his first conference start, a 31-6 win over Wagner.
MATT ILALIO (SACRED HEART)
The Alaskan-born defensibe back made six solo stops and logged three pass break-ups in SHU’s comeback road win over Lafayette.
JORDAN MEACHUM (SACRED HEART)
The veteran running back, who piled up 168 all-purpose yards, averaged 7.0 yards per rush and scored two touchdowns in the Pioneers’ 38-24 triumph at Lafayette.
HAKEEM KINARD (SAINT FRANCIS)
The safety was credited with six tackles, two pass break-ups, one interception and one sack in the Flash’s triumphant NEC opener.
KHAAMAL WHITAKER (SACRED HEART)
The veteran defensive back contributed three tackles, three pass break-ups and one interceptions in SHU’s road win.
SAINT FRANCIS TAKES FIRST STEP
The Red Flash’s most-recent NEC game was a 31-24 road loss to Wagner in the 2016 regular season finale.
Already bound for the FCS playoffs, Saint Francis was taking aim at a perfect conference record before the Seahawks spoiled the party.
As fate would have it, the two teams would meet again in the 2017 NEC opener.
This time, the Flash took control early en-route to a 31-6 victory. Taking a successful first step in their quest to secure the NEC’s automatic FCS playoffs bid for the second year in a row, Saint Francis played turnover-free football while out-gaining Wagner by a 390-212 margin.
Saint Francis, which is 2-0 for the first time as a FCS program, completes its season-opening three-game home stretch against CAA member Towson in Week 3. The Red Flash, which played the first four games of the 2016 season on the road, jumped out to a 28-10 lead over Towson in an eventual 35-28 defeat last fall.
Through two games this season, SFU has yet to commit a turnover. The Red Flash lead the circuit in scoring offense (50.0 ppg), scoring defense (4.5 ppg), total defense (217.5 ypg), takeaways (7), turnover margin (+7), pass yards per attempt (9.5), passing touchdowns (7) and third-down conversion percentage (67.7).
SACRED HEART BEATS STRONG OUT OF CONFERENCE
Mark Nofri’s Pioneers are off to a 2-0 start for the fifth consecutive season.
During three of the past four years, Sacred Heart has opened the schedule with no fewer than three straight non-league wins.
If the Pioneers are to make it to 3-0 this season, they’ll need a road win over CAA member Stony Brook for the second year in a row. In 2016, SHU posted a 38-10 victory over the Seawolves to move to 4-0 at the time.
Beginning with a 31-6 win over Cornell on October 17, 2015, Sacred Heart has won its last eight non-conference contests.
The Pioneers’ first two victories of the 2017 campaign have come as a result of suffocating run defense coupled with an efficient offensive attack. Sacred Heart outscored Valparaiso and Lafayette by a
combined 80-27 margin over the last two weeks.
Having allowed only 29.0 rush yards per contest, SHU sits fifth overall amongst FCS team leaders in rushing defense.
Meanwhile on offense, the Pioneers have rushed for 588 yards to the tune of a 5.7 yards per carry average with both numbers standings as league highs.
While completing 78 percent of his pass attempts, senior quarterback Kevin Duke has also been a key contributor in the ground game. The 5-foot-11 signal caller ranks third amongst NEC rushing leaders with 154 yards. Even with negative sack yardage counting against him, Duke owns the highest yard per carry average (7.0) in the conference.