Oct. 31, 2000
Audio from Weekly Media Luncheon
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LAFAYETTE (2-6, 1-3 Patriot League)
at
FORDHAM (2-6, 0-3 Patriot League)
When: November 4, 2000, 12:30 p.m. EST
Site: Jack Coffey Field (7,000), Bronx, N.Y.
Series: Lafayette leads, 15-2-1
Current Series Streak: Lafayette +2
Last Meeting: 11/6/99, in Easton (LC won, 27-7)
First Meeting: 10/17/03, in Easton (LC won, 48-0)
Last Lafayette Win: 11/6/99, in Easton (27-7)
Last Fordham Win: 9/6/97, in Easton (23-0)
The Series
(Lafayette leads, 15-2-1) Lafayette and Fordham have met 18 times on the gridiron, dating back to the first encounter in the 1903 season. The two teams have met in the Bronx five times, and the Leopards have won each of those contests. The largest margin of victory in the series was a 48-0 Lafayette win in the first meeting of the series on Oct. 17, 1903, in Easton.
The Last Meeting
(Lafayette 27, Fordham 7 -- Nov. 6, 1999, in Easton, Pa.) Lafayette extended its win streak to three games as it jumped out to a 19-0 lead in the first half and never looked back. The Leopards' defense recorded six sacks and limited Fordham to just 30 yards rushing.
The Head Coaches
The newest era in the proud history of Lafayette football began when Frank Tavani (Lebanon Valley '75) was named the 27th head football coach in the history of the program. Tavani had been a top member of the College's coaching staff for the past 13 seasons, serving most recently as associate head coach since 1994.
Dave Clawson (Williams '89) is in his second season at Fordham and as a collegiate head coach. His overall career record stands at 2-17 (.105), and he is 0-1 vs. Lafayette.
Yarberough 8th in Division I-AA
Lafayette senior co-captain Phil Yarberough (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) is ranked eighth in the current NCAA statistical rankings in pass receptions per game with an average of 7.00 despite playing with a torn ligament in his elbow for the past two weeks. He recorded a career game statistically vs. Harvard in which he caught 11 passes for 175 yards, the seventh-best single-game receiving yardage total in Lafayette history. He is now in second place all-time in Lafayette history in both career receptions (139) and career receiving yards (1,974).
Media Information
"weather.com" forecast: Partly cloudy with a high of 60? and a low of 44?.
Radio: WEST (1400 AM Stereo), 65th Season, Aired Live on www.lafayette.edu. - Dick Hammer, play-by-play (34th season)
Television: none
Media Luncheons: Head Coach Frank Tavani and at least two members of the team will address the media at noon each Tuesday during the season. Members of the media are invited to join Coach Tavani at Larry Holmes' Ringside Restaurant in downtown Easton.
Quotes: Written excerpts and audio files from the weekly Lafayette football media luncheon will be available by 5:00 p.m. each Tuesday. They can be obtained by calling Lafayette's Office of Athletic Communications or by logging on to the Lafayette Athletics Web site at www.lafayette.edu.
Interviews: All interview requests for Head Coach Frank Tavani and members of the team should be submitted to Lafayette's Office of Athletic Communications. No player interviews will be granted on game day until after the game.
Practices: Members of the media wishing to attend a practice must be accompanied by a member of the Lafayette Athletic Communications staff.
Crossing the Line
Three Lafayette juniors changed sides of the ball in preparation for the Holy Cross game. Rob Wildasin (Annville, Pa./Annville-Cleona) was moved from flanker to free safety and started against the Crusaders, coming through with five tackles, including the first one of the game. Also, Adriel Linyear (Brooklyn, N.Y./Shaker), who has played linebacker and defensive back, was moved to tailback, and Jeff Werrell (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury), who is now wearing number 18, was moved from split end to corner back.
Touchdown May-ker
Lafayette junior flanker Andrew May (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Ketcham) has produced touchdowns at a rampant pace. The art major has officially touched the ball 18 times in Leopards' eight games, including 12 receptions for 286 yards, one rush for 11 yards, and five kickoff returns for 203 yards. Of those 18 "touches," five have resulted in touchdowns. In other words, nearly 30 percent of the time May touches the ball he scores a touchdown.
... And He Breaks Records Too!
The momentum shifted dramatically in the Leopards' 28-13 victory over Holy Cross when junior Andrew May (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Ketcham) returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and a 14-7 Lafayette lead. The return, which was the first returned for a Leopard touchdown since Scott Kershaw went 90 yards for a score at Fordham on Nov. 3, 1990, set a new Lafayette school record for the longest kickoff return in history. The previous record was 95 yards by Angelo Giombetti vs. Fordham on Nov. 5, 1977.
NCAA Division I-AA Leaders
Through games of Oct. 28, 2000, Lafayette senior split end Phil Yarberough (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) is ranked eighth among NCAA Division I-AA leaders in receptions per game with an average of 7.00 and 16th among leaders in receiving yards per game with an average of 91.00. The Leopards among the top-50 NCAA Division I-AA leaders:
INDIVIDUAL
Receptions per game -- Phil Yarberough (7.00 avg.) -- 8th
Receiving yards per game -- Phil Yarberough (91.00) -- 16th
TEAM
Passing offense -- 36th (225.63 avg.)
Watch Out for The Warden
Leopard junior tailback Scott Warden (Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks West) has taken on a more serious role since starting tailback Bill Stocker (Easton, Pa./Wilson) suffered a lower back injury. Warden has started the last four contests and came through in a huge way against Holy Cross. He scored three touchdowns and rushed for 76 yards on 19 carries. In the Leopards' near upset at Colgate, Warden rushed for a career-high 101 yards on 32 carries.
Leopards Blitz the TV Airwaves ... Again!
The 2000 Lafayette College football season will see a minimum of five contests, including the Lafayette-Lehigh game, hit the television air waves via the Lafayette Sports Network. The Lafayette Sports Network, the most expansive television package in the Patriot League three years running, can be seen by more than 5.2 million viewers in the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, central New Jersey, New York City, and Boston. Locally, the telecasts are aired on RCN TV-4 and WBPH-TV 60, and can be seen on RCN Cable channels 4 and 60, Service Electric Cable channel 51, Suburban Cable channel 17, Blue Ridge Cable channel 5, and broadcast channel 60.
Renowned local sports broadcaster Gary Laubach handles all of the Leopards' play-by-play duties for the fourth season. In his third full season of football broadcasts is John Leone, Lafayette's Acting Director of Alumni Affairs, who provides color analysis. In his fourth season on the crew, RCN's Scott Barr handles analysis on the Leopards from the sidelines.
Top 10 in Graduation Rates for Football -- 1st in Basketball
The Lafayette football program is ranked 10th in all of NCAA Division I in graduation rates for student-athletes who entered from 1989 to 1992. The Leopards' 81 percent graduation rate ties them with Stanford and Vanderbilt.
In fact, Lafayette College is the only NCAA Division I institution in the nation with a perfect graduation rate for men's and women's basketball players who entered from 1989 to 1992. The College is ranked first in the nation as one of four Division I institutions to graduate all men's basketball players entering during that time within six years, which is how the NCAA measures graduation rates. Lafayette is also among 13 schools from which all women's basketball players earned degrees.
Oh Canada!
Lafayette freshman quarterback Marko Glavic (Pickering, Ontario/St. Mary Catholic) made his collegiate debut with 1:36 remaining in the second quarter vs. Princeton, and impressively completed 18-of-30 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. His first TD pass was a 66-yard bomb to Andrew May (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Ketcham), and his second was a game-winning two-yard fade to Phil Yarberough (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) with :02 remaining in the game. In less than 30 minutes vs. Harvard, he completed 16-of-29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. In fact, Glavic has thrown for over 200 yards in three contests.
No Respect
The Lafayette football program, Patriot League Champions in 1988, 1992, and 1994, received no respect in the head coaches' 2000 preseason poll. The Leopards were picked to finish last of the seven teams in the conference. The League sports information directors picked the Leopards to finish sixth, ahead of Fordham.
2000 Team Captains
The 2000 Lafayette College football team captains, as chosen by their teammates, are senior defensive tackle Mike Levy (Bel Air, Md./Fallston), and senior split end Phil Yarberough (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon).
Freshmen Impact
A total of 37 freshmen entered Lafayette's preseason camp this season. Three of those freshmen have started for the Leopards -- offensive tackle Kevin Moss (New York, N.Y./Simsbury) has started seven contests, quarterback Marko Glavic (Pickering, Ontario/St. Mary Catholic) started five of the last six, and Pat Brown (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) made his first collegiate start at Columbia. Two others have already made an impact for the Leopards. Receiver Jeremy Burkes (Memphis, Tenn./Memphis East) is second on the team with 24 receptions for 195 yards, while Joel Cesare (Whitehall Pa./Whitehall) has returned 12 punts and 15 kickoffs.
Lafayette vs. the Patriot League
The Leopards have played 295 games all-time against the six fellow members of the Patriot League, and are 147-132-16 (.525) in those contests. Since the Patriot League began play in 1986, the Leopards are 41-32-1 (.561) vs. member schools and have won league titles in 1988, 1992, and 1994. Lafayette vs. the Patriot League: Bucknell 41-31-6 Fordham 15-2-1 Lehigh 71-59-5 Colgate 9-31-4 Holy Cross 9-6-0 Towson 2-3-0
Mr. Sure Hands
Leopard senior co-captain Phil Yarberough (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) has quickly moved up Lafayette's all-time receiving charts, recording two 11-reception games already this season. He caught 11 passes for 119 yards and the game-winning touchdown with :02 remaining vs. Princeton. Against Harvard, he caught 11 passes for a career-high 175 yards. Yarberough is the first Lafayette receiver to catch 10 or more passes in a game since Frank Corbo, the Leopards' second all-time leading receiver, caught 11 passes vs. Columbia on Sept. 24, 1983.
Reigning Academic All-Americans
Earning a spot on the 1999 CoSIDA/GTE District II Academic All-America team were Lafayette defensive back Kenya Allen (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny), who carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.56 majoring in Business/Economics, and tight end Stewart Kupfer (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh), who carries a 3.41 GPA in Economics. Kupfer earned a spot on the first team while Allen was named to the second team.
Weekly Radio Show
Lafayette Sports Weekly, a comprehensive half-hour radio show will air live each Thursday at 7:00 p.m. from September through March on the Lafayette Sports Network's flagship radio station, WEST AM Stereo 1400, and online at www.lafayette.edu. WEST-AM's Jack Logic will be joined each week by either Gary Laubach or John Leone, Lafayette Sports Network's television commentators, for an exciting half-hour devoted exclusively to Lafayette sports. Head football coach Frank Tavani will be a featured guest during the football season.
Yarberough Moving Up the Charts
Lafayette senior split end Phil Yarberough (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) is currently second all-time in Lafayette history in career receptions with 139, and third in career receiving yards with 1,974. He needs 14 receptions and 138 receiving yards to become Lafayette's all-time leading receiver, passing Philip Ng (1985-88, 152 rec. and 2,111 yds).
In the Patriot League record books, Yarberough is currently 18th place all-time in receptions. To crack the top ten, he would need 20 receptions.
Home Sweet Home
Erected in 1926, Lafayette College's Fisher Field is in its 74th season as the home of the Leopards, having played host to 358 Lafayette football games. Lafayette has recorded 12 undefeated home seasons at Fisher Field. The Leopards are 215-130-13 (.619) overall at Fisher Field.
Local Flavor -- 10 Lehigh Valley Leopards
The 2000 Lafayette College football team boasts 10 members from the Lehigh Valley. Consistently a heavy recruiter in the Lehigh Valley, Lafayette brought in three local freshmen this past recruiting year. The Lehigh Valley Leopards:
78 Pat Brown (Fr./DL/Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic)
7 Joel Cesare (Fr./WR/Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall)
2 Andy Ficzko (Sr./TB/Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East)
36 Brian Gregorek (Sr./LB/Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic)
20 Mike Palos (Sr./TE/Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic)
34 Bill Stocker (So./TB/Easton, Pa./Wilson)
4 Scott Warden (Jr./FB/Warrington, Pa./Central Bucks West)
86 Jeff Werrell (Jr./SE/Allentown, Pa./Salisbury)
95 Jermaine Williams (Sr./DL/Easton, Pa./Easton)
62 Curt Wilson (Fr./OL/Northampton, Pa./Northampton)
All-Time Record
The Leopards are in their 119th football season, having played 1,125 games. Lafayette boasts an impressive all-time record of 590-496-39 (.542) and ranks 30th on the nation's all-time victories list. Lafayette leads the Patriot League in all-time wins, with Lehigh the closest at 561.
Lafayette vs. the Ivy League
The Leopards have played 202 games against the eight members of the Ivy League, and are 56-139-7 (.294) in those contests. Lafayette vs. the members of the Ivy League: Brown 3-8-0 Cornell 8-14-2 Harvard 2-4-0 Princeton 3-32-3 Columbia 20-11-2 Dartmouth 2-6-0 Pennsylvania 18-58-0 Yale 0-6-0
Hello . . . Nice to Meet You
There are a total of seven changes made to the Lafayette football coaching staff for the 2000 season, most notably the naming of Frank Tavani as the 27th head coach in the history of the program. Tavani's first order of business was naming Mike Faragalli as offensive coordinator and John Loose as defensive coordinator. Faragalli served as the offensive coordinator at Division I-A Bowling Green eight of the past nine seasons, while Loose was the linebackers coach at Division I-A Army the past eight seasons. Tavani also named Matt Hachmann as the running backs coach, Bryan Cook as a defensive assistant, and both Kevin Keating and Keita Malloy as offensive assistants.
Leopard Injury Update
The current listing of Lafayette football injuries:
- Kenya Allen -- out indefinitely (concussion).
- Darnell Azeez -- questionable (ankle).
- Michael Beatrice -- out for the season (knee).
- Jim Brown -- probable (broken hand).
- Collin Crotty -- questionnable (2nd degree burn on foot).
- Dan Errigo -- out at least 1 week (concussion).
- Brian Gregorek -- out indefinitely (shoulder).
- Casey McKeen -- out indefinitely (thigh contusion).
- Mike McTavish -- out indefinitely (minor knee surgery).
- Kevin Moss -- day-to-day (ankle).
- Chris Partridge -- out for season (knee).
- Kevin Pickering -- out for the season (back).
- Paul Stack -- doubtful (shoulder).
- Bill Stocker -- out indefinitely (lower back).
- Trey Weaver -- out for the season (knee).
- Phil Yarberough -- probable (elbow).
