DeGol Field (3,500) - Loretto, Pa.
Top Story - The
Robert Morris University football team makes the short jaunt east for its 2013 season finale this Saturday, Nov. 23, at Noon as the Colonials face in-state rival Saint Francis in a Northeast Conference (NEC) matchup at DeGol Field. If RMU wins, it will claim a share of the NEC championship, which would be the program's seventh league title in the last 18 seasons. Joe Walton, the only head coach the program has ever known, will be at the helm for the final game of his career Saturday as he is set to retire following the season. Both redshirt senior linebacker
Mike Cook (six tackles) and junior wide receiver
Duane Mitchell (six receptions) are within striking distance of breaking notable single-season school records entering Saturday's finale. Junior cornerback
Antwan Eddie sits third in the nation at the FCS level in punt return average (15.0) and, with a strong day Saturday, could make a play for the national lead in that category. When RMU takes the field next, current assistant head coach
John Banaszak will be leading the Colonials as he makes his Division I head coaching debut.
Quick Stat of the Afternoon - With head coach Joe Walton set to retire following the season, this Saturday's game will mark the final football contest with which he is directly involved. It will be his 207th game as RMU head coach in his 20th season with the Colonials. He has a chance to win his seventh NEC title in his final game. Of course, RMU was hardly the first stop in Walton's coaching travels. Saturday will be his 321st game as a head coach when adding in his time spent leading the New York Jets. Walton also served as an assistant coach for four different National Football League teams over 16 seasons. When those seasons are added in, Saturday will mark Walton's 558th game as a coach in a collegiate or professional environment. Finally, Walton was an All-American selection in college and also played seven seasons in the NFL. That means on Saturday he will participate in his 674th game as a player or coach at the collegiate or pro level.
Saturday's Opponent - Saint Francis is one of just three opponents Robert Morris faced in each of the first 19 years the Colonials fielded an intercollegiate program, joining fellow NEC foes Central Connecticut State and Wagner. All-time the Colonials are 15-3-1 (.816) against the Red Flash, but Saint Francis did claim a low-scoring affair in 2012. In fact, the 10-3 Saint Francis win last year at DeGol Field marked the lowest combined point total in series history. In the previous nine meetings, the winning score was at least 28.
All-Time Series vs. Saint Francis
Robert Morris leads, 15-3-1
10/29/94 -Â T, 14-14; Away
11/11/95 -Â W, 21-6; Home
11/9/96 -Â W, 16-15; Away
11/8/97 -Â W, 34-7; Home
11/7/98 -Â W, 35-3; Away
11/6/99 -Â W, 49-0; Home
9/30/00 -Â W, 63-0; Away
9/29/01 -Â W, 41-7; Home
11/16/02 -Â L, 7-14 (OT); Away
9/27/03 -Â W, 36-6; Home
10/2/04 -Â W, 28-10; Away
10/1/05 -Â L, 28-35; Home
9/30/06 -Â W, 45-13; Away
9/15/07 -Â W, 28-13; Home
11/15/08 -Â W, 35-20; Away
10/17/09 -Â W, 28-0; Home
10/2/10 -Â W, 35-14; Away
10/8/11 -Â W, 45-14; Home
10/6/12
-Â L, 3-10;
Away
@ Moon Township, Pa. - Robert Morris, 8-1
@ Loretto, Pa. - Robert Morris, 7-2-1
Saint Francis Quick Outs - Robert Morris had a six-game winning streak in the all-time series snapped in Loretto last year … RMU's 15 victories against the Red Flash are tied for the most against an opponent in the 20-year history of the program … The Colonials have averaged 31.1 points per game against Saint Francis in the all-time series while allowing an average of just 10.6 points per contest … RMU has given up more than 20 points to Saint Francis only once in the 19 previous meetings (in a 2005 loss) …  This year will mark the first time that either program has hosted games in back-to-back years in the series … RMU's game against Saint Francis in 2011 was its first-ever home night game.
On This Date (Nov. 23) in Robert Morris Football History - Robert Morris has never before played a regular-season game this late in the calendar year. However, the Colonials did compete on this date once before in a postseason affair. After an 8-2 regular season in 1996, RMU was rewarded with a spot in the ECAC Bowl against local rival Duquesne. Taking on an undefeated Dukes squad on the road was quite a test for a young RMU program, but the Colonials rose to the challenge. Robert Morris built a 14-0 lead fewer than nine minutes in courtesy of two
Archie Wannamaker (1996-98) touchdown runs. RMU would eventually open up a 28-7 lead early in the third quarter when
Jake Newman (1994-97) threw a 49-yard TD strike. Duquesne would make a late charge, but the Colonials held on for a 28-26 win. Wannamaker ran for 123 yards while Newman threw for 246 and two scores.
Brian Dunn (1994-97) and
Nate List (1994-97) tied for game-high honors with 12 tackles, and each added an interception.
Head Coach Joe Walton (20th season; Pittsburgh '57) - At the forefront of the football renaissance at Robert Morris University throughout its 20-year history is Joe Walton, who has built the Colonials from a fledgling program into one of the top Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams in the region.
The one constant associated with the program, Walton was named the first head coach July 27, 1993. He started the program from scratch, completing everything from hiring assistant coaches to purchasing equipment to recruiting student-athletes for the team's inaugural season in 1994. He owns an overall record of 114-91-1 (.556).
Walton's fingerprints are all over the football program,and to prove that, RMU has played its home games since 2005 in a stadium that bears his name. During his tenure, Walton has led Robert Morris to the first Northeast Conference championship in 1996, guided RMU to a perfect 10-0 season in 2000 and in 2010 helped lead the Colonials to the NEC's inaugural bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs with their league-high sixth regular-season championship.
"It's hard to believe," Walton speaks on how fast time has elapsed. "I've said this many times before, and I mean it when I say that this situation is one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life. It happened at the right time. Before this position became available, I felt I was too young to quit coaching, but I wasn't anxious to get back into pro football. When this came along, it was the perfect fit. This situation was the perfect opportunity for me to continue to do what I like to do, and I've loved every minute of it."
Under Walton's tutelage, the Colonials have claimed outright NEC regular-season titles three times (1997, 1999, 2000) while sharing three others (1996, 1998, 2010). Walton led Robert Morris to back-to-back ECAC Bowl victories in 1996 and 1997, and in 1999 and 2000 he guided RMU to a pair of NCAA I-AA mid-major national crowns according to Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette.
In 2010, Walton added to his legacy by engineering the Colonials on an eight-game winning streak for a share of the NEC regular-season title and the NEC's first bid in the NCAA FCS Playoffs. In the process he picked up his 100th career victory in the collegiate ranks.
Last Time Out - Robert Morris fell behind early and could never fully recover despite its fourth quarter comeback attempt as it fell to Sacred Heart, 42-25 … Robert Morris had a sizeable lead in time of possession and also held advantages in first downs and third down conversion percentage … The setback snapped RMU's three-game winning streak ... True freshman Connor Shennan converted career-long 41-yard field goal … Junior fullback Ryan Thermil rushed for a touchdown for the second straight week … Deontae Howard surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards on the day, thanks in part to a career-long 33-yard rush … Howard also scored a TD for the second straight week.
Cookie Monster - Linebacker
Mike Cook provided a game-high 14 tackles in last weekend's game against Sacred Heart. By posting his 10th double-digit tackle effort in the last 19 games, Cook moved within striking distance of the school's single-season tackle record. He now owns 111 tackles in 2013, ranking fourth in RMU single-season history. He enters Saturday's season finale needing just six tackles to break the record, held by former NEC Defensive Player of the Year and current assistant coach
Alex DiMichele (2008-10). Cook leads the NEC and ranks fourth nationally in tackles per game (11.1).
On Target -
Duane Mitchell failed to find the end zone for the first time in four games last week but still managed 67 receiving yards. In doing so, he moved into second in single season receiving yards at RMU (768) and slid into third in single-season catches (46). Mitchell would need six receptions and 132 receiving yards to break the single-season school records in those respective categories this weekend. Mitchell, who also provided a career-long 22-yard rush last Saturday, also edged into seventh in career receiving yards at Robert Morris (1,205) with his effort against the Pioneers.
Facing Former Colonials - In facing Saint Francis Saturday, Robert Morris will be going up against a number of former Colonials. Four members of the Red Flash coaching staff played and/or coached with RMU. Scott Benzel coached at RMU for nine years while Garrett Clawson, Colyn Haugh and Jake Nulph all lettered at RMU for at least two years each. Both Haugh and Nulph also coached at RMU in the previous decade.
Reversing a Trend - After having some struggles on third down earlier in the season, RMU has picked it up on both sides of the ball in this area recently. RMU has outperformed its opponent in third down conversion percentage in each of its past three games. RMU ranks second in third down defense within league play, allowing opponents to convert less than 28% of the time.
Punt It - Tony LaMancusa averaged 43.3 yards per punt last week. He drilled two of his punts over 60 yards, including providing a career-long 63-yard boot. LaMancusa knocked three punts inside the 20-yard line, marking the second time in the last four games that he tallied at least three punts downed inside the 20. His work in 2013 has helped RMU lead the league in net punting.
