A look back at UR v Albany 2015
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Football Scares No. 6 Richmond With Second Half Rally, But Falls 38-31
GAME STATS
RICHMOND, Va. – Trailing by 28 points in the third quarter Saturday night at Robins Stadium, the University at Albany football team rallied for three straight touchdowns to make it a one-score game in the waning minutes. However, No. 6/8 Richmond held off the tenacious Great Danes, 38-31, to improve to 7-1 on the season and 5-0 in the CAA, while UAlbany fell to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
“I was happy with our grit. It’s something we’ve been talking about,” said Head Coach Greg Gattuso. “I thought we fought back and really went after them in the second, third, and fourth quarter.
“We just didn’t have enough to get the game,” added Gattuso. “We had a couple opportunities, but you’ve got to credit the Richmond defense for making some good plays and stopping us, and making some good plays on offense.”
True freshman running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks broke away for a career-high 202 rushing yards on 25 carries, including two 40+ yard runs. The performance marked the most yards by a UAlbany player since 2013.
Making his debut in the starting role, freshman quarterback Neven Sussman totaled 170 passing yards (14-34-4) and threw his first two career touchdown passes finding tight end Anthony Manzo-Lewis both times in the end zone. Freshman Zee Roberson caught a team-high four passes for 29 yards, followed by Brad Harris’ three receptions for 64 yards.
Defensively, the Great Danes were led by redshirt freshman Julian Cox’s 14 tackles (11 solo), while DaSharnte Thompson (4 solo) and Samuel Gray (3 solo) each brought down eight. Forcing four turnovers, Jamal Robinson, Jamal Merritt, and Jojo McClary each logged an interception and Jack Forster picked up a fumble recovery.
In front of a Homecoming crowd on Halloween night, the Spiders quickly took a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Scoring on the first possession of the game, Richmond drove 71 yards on seven plays, capped by quarterback Kyle Lauletta’s 15-yard keeper.
Richmond then forced UAlbany into two turnovers in their first two offensive plays of the game. First, David Jones, picked off Sussman’s opening pass at the UAlbany-46 and returned it 31 yards. UAlbany’s defense fortunately held Richmond to a field goal attempt that sailed wide left, giving the Danes’ offense new life.
However, on Ibitokun-Hanks’ first carry of the contest, David Norris stripped the ball and the Spiders recovered at the UAlbany-27. This time, Richmond turned the turnover into a successful 27-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage with 8:53 left in the first quarter.
The Spiders then made it 17-0 on Kyle Lauletta’s 40-yard touchdown pass to Brian Brown at the 2:46 mark.
The Great Danes broke onto the board at the start of the second quarter when Ibitokun-Hanks exploded for a 47-yard gain, setting up Sussman’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Manzo-Lewis with 12:26 left in the half.
However, Richmond took control of the rest of the stanza, driving 75 yards on nine plays, ending with Jacobi Green’s one-yard rush across the goal line.
The Danes looked to answer, working their way down to the Richmond-16, but Jones recorded his second of what would turn into four interceptions on the night in the end zone and ran it out 31 yards.
While the offensive opportunity was lost, UAlbany’s defense annulled the damage as Robinson ended Richmond’s drive with an interception at the UAlbany-43. In the final 53 seconds of the half, Ibitokun-Hanks put the Danes in the red zone with his 40-yard scamper. Patrick Toole’s 32-yard field goal as time expired made the score 24-10 at the half.
Like the first quarter, the third started slow for UAlbany, as Richmond sacked Sussman on the opening drive and the hosts recovered the fumble on the Great Danes’ 31 yard line. Four plays later, the Spiders made it 31-10 on Green’s three-yard touchdown rush.
Forcing UAlbany to punt, Richmond stretched the margin to 28-points, 38-10, on Reggie Digg’s 13-yard touchdown reception with 9:17 remaining in the third quarter.
However, the Great Danes rapidly swung the momentum into their favor the rest of the way, scoring 21 unanswered points.
Freshman Dione Alston sparked the rally with his 96-yard kickoff return, marking UAlbany’s first return for a touchdown since 2012 and the second-longest return in program history.
On Richmond’s first play of the next drive, Cory Connell stripped the ball from Green’s grasp, and Forster recovered on the Richmond-37. From there, Sussman completed a 23-yard pass to redshirt freshman Jordan Crockett and a 14-yard touchdown toss to Manzo-Lewis, making the score 38-24 after Toole’s point-after.
With a total of seven interceptions in the game, a sequence of four consecutive picks ensued starting with McClary’s at the UAlbany-47 resulting from strong quarterback pressure by DaSharnte Thompson and Zach Troutman.
The Danes worked their way down to the 25-yard line, but Jones notched his third pick in the end zone, giving Richmond the ball on a touchback.
Merritt intercepted Lauletta’s toss at midfield, but on the Danes’ first play, Jones picked up his fourth pick of the contest, giving Richmond the ball with 2:26 remaining in the quarter.
However, the Great Danes’ defense stepped up and shut the Spiders out in the fourth quarter. With 8:49 remaining, UAlbany made it a one-score game, 38-31, on Sussman’s four-yard keeper.
Richmond’s field goal attempt from 26-yards out sailed wide left, giving life to the Danes with under five minutes remaining. But, the Spider defense forced a three-and-out and the offense ran the clock down to zero in their final drive, hanging on for the win.
The first-place Spiders totaled 519 yards of offense, led by Lauletta’s 293 passing yards (20-33-3_ two passing touchdowns and one rushing, while Green rushed for 186 yards and two TDs.
Up next, the Great Danes travel to take on Delaware on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 12 p.m.
GAME STATS
RICHMOND, Va. – Trailing by 28 points in the third quarter Saturday night at Robins Stadium, the University at Albany football team rallied for three straight touchdowns to make it a one-score game in the waning minutes. However, No. 6/8 Richmond held off the tenacious Great Danes, 38-31, to improve to 7-1 on the season and 5-0 in the CAA, while UAlbany fell to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
“I was happy with our grit. It’s something we’ve been talking about,” said Head Coach Greg Gattuso. “I thought we fought back and really went after them in the second, third, and fourth quarter.
“We just didn’t have enough to get the game,” added Gattuso. “We had a couple opportunities, but you’ve got to credit the Richmond defense for making some good plays and stopping us, and making some good plays on offense.”
True freshman running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks broke away for a career-high 202 rushing yards on 25 carries, including two 40+ yard runs. The performance marked the most yards by a UAlbany player since 2013.
Making his debut in the starting role, freshman quarterback Neven Sussman totaled 170 passing yards (14-34-4) and threw his first two career touchdown passes finding tight end Anthony Manzo-Lewis both times in the end zone. Freshman Zee Roberson caught a team-high four passes for 29 yards, followed by Brad Harris’ three receptions for 64 yards.
Defensively, the Great Danes were led by redshirt freshman Julian Cox’s 14 tackles (11 solo), while DaSharnte Thompson (4 solo) and Samuel Gray (3 solo) each brought down eight. Forcing four turnovers, Jamal Robinson, Jamal Merritt, and Jojo McClary each logged an interception and Jack Forster picked up a fumble recovery.
In front of a Homecoming crowd on Halloween night, the Spiders quickly took a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Scoring on the first possession of the game, Richmond drove 71 yards on seven plays, capped by quarterback Kyle Lauletta’s 15-yard keeper.
Richmond then forced UAlbany into two turnovers in their first two offensive plays of the game. First, David Jones, picked off Sussman’s opening pass at the UAlbany-46 and returned it 31 yards. UAlbany’s defense fortunately held Richmond to a field goal attempt that sailed wide left, giving the Danes’ offense new life.
However, on Ibitokun-Hanks’ first carry of the contest, David Norris stripped the ball and the Spiders recovered at the UAlbany-27. This time, Richmond turned the turnover into a successful 27-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage with 8:53 left in the first quarter.
The Spiders then made it 17-0 on Kyle Lauletta’s 40-yard touchdown pass to Brian Brown at the 2:46 mark.
The Great Danes broke onto the board at the start of the second quarter when Ibitokun-Hanks exploded for a 47-yard gain, setting up Sussman’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Manzo-Lewis with 12:26 left in the half.
However, Richmond took control of the rest of the stanza, driving 75 yards on nine plays, ending with Jacobi Green’s one-yard rush across the goal line.
The Danes looked to answer, working their way down to the Richmond-16, but Jones recorded his second of what would turn into four interceptions on the night in the end zone and ran it out 31 yards.
While the offensive opportunity was lost, UAlbany’s defense annulled the damage as Robinson ended Richmond’s drive with an interception at the UAlbany-43. In the final 53 seconds of the half, Ibitokun-Hanks put the Danes in the red zone with his 40-yard scamper. Patrick Toole’s 32-yard field goal as time expired made the score 24-10 at the half.
Like the first quarter, the third started slow for UAlbany, as Richmond sacked Sussman on the opening drive and the hosts recovered the fumble on the Great Danes’ 31 yard line. Four plays later, the Spiders made it 31-10 on Green’s three-yard touchdown rush.
Forcing UAlbany to punt, Richmond stretched the margin to 28-points, 38-10, on Reggie Digg’s 13-yard touchdown reception with 9:17 remaining in the third quarter.
However, the Great Danes rapidly swung the momentum into their favor the rest of the way, scoring 21 unanswered points.
Freshman Dione Alston sparked the rally with his 96-yard kickoff return, marking UAlbany’s first return for a touchdown since 2012 and the second-longest return in program history.
On Richmond’s first play of the next drive, Cory Connell stripped the ball from Green’s grasp, and Forster recovered on the Richmond-37. From there, Sussman completed a 23-yard pass to redshirt freshman Jordan Crockett and a 14-yard touchdown toss to Manzo-Lewis, making the score 38-24 after Toole’s point-after.
With a total of seven interceptions in the game, a sequence of four consecutive picks ensued starting with McClary’s at the UAlbany-47 resulting from strong quarterback pressure by DaSharnte Thompson and Zach Troutman.
The Danes worked their way down to the 25-yard line, but Jones notched his third pick in the end zone, giving Richmond the ball on a touchback.
Merritt intercepted Lauletta’s toss at midfield, but on the Danes’ first play, Jones picked up his fourth pick of the contest, giving Richmond the ball with 2:26 remaining in the quarter.
However, the Great Danes’ defense stepped up and shut the Spiders out in the fourth quarter. With 8:49 remaining, UAlbany made it a one-score game, 38-31, on Sussman’s four-yard keeper.
Richmond’s field goal attempt from 26-yards out sailed wide left, giving life to the Danes with under five minutes remaining. But, the Spider defense forced a three-and-out and the offense ran the clock down to zero in their final drive, hanging on for the win.
The first-place Spiders totaled 519 yards of offense, led by Lauletta’s 293 passing yards (20-33-3_ two passing touchdowns and one rushing, while Green rushed for 186 yards and two TDs.
Up next, the Great Danes travel to take on Delaware on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 12 p.m.
Both these guys are back from last years game:
1.True freshman running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks broke away for a career-high 202 rushing yards on 25 carries, including two 40+ yard runs. The performance marked the most yards by a UAlbany player since 2013.
2.Freshman Dione Alston sparked the rally with his 96-yard kickoff return, marking UAlbany’s first return for a touchdown since 2012 and the second-longest return in program history.
1.True freshman running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks broke away for a career-high 202 rushing yards on 25 carries, including two 40+ yard runs. The performance marked the most yards by a UAlbany player since 2013.
2.Freshman Dione Alston sparked the rally with his 96-yard kickoff return, marking UAlbany’s first return for a touchdown since 2012 and the second-longest return in program history.
