Sept. 23, 2014
GoLeopards.com YouTube Channel Coverage
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THE OPENING KICK
MATCH-UP: On Saturday, Lafayette (1-2) hosts Wagner (1-2) at 6 p.m. as part of Family Weekend on College Hill. Wagner is the third NEC team on the Maroon and White ledger in 2014 and the final game before Lafayette jumps into conference play to open October. It's the first meeting between the schools since 1979.
LAST GAME: No. 13/19 William and Mary scored 24 unanswered points to rally for a 33-19 win over Lafayette on Sept. 20. William and Mary QB Steve Cluley was the difference maker in the second half. After being held to minus-10 rushing yards in the first half, Cluley carved his way through the Lafayette defense after intermission, finishing with 87 rushing yards and two running scores. Cluley also completed a four-yard TD pass to start the decisive third quarter. The Leopards' kicking game left points on the board in the first half, missing one PAT and having another blocked and returned for a defensive two-point conversion while also missing a 29-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
MOVING UP TO FIFTH: With 160 rushing yards at William and Mary, senior TB Ross Scheuerman moved into fifth place for career rushing yards. Scheuerman has 2,709 career yards and recently passed Ryan Priest '87 (2,597 yards). Scheuerman needs 228 yards to eclipse Tom Costello '91 (2,936) and could advance as high as third all-time with a healthy senior season. Scheuerman has led the team in rushing the past three seasons and carried for 1,113 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2013 as the first player since 2006 to rush for 1,000 yards.
BIG PLAYS: TB Ross Scheuerman has been responsible for the bulk of the Leopards' big plays in 2014. Of the eight plays that Lafayette has for 30 or more yards (on offense, defense and special teams), Scheuerman claims four. He opened the season with a 90-yard kick return at Sacred Heart, had a 72-yard rush for a touchdown at No. 13 William and Mary and has two other carries of 40 (Robert Morris) and 36 (Sacred Heart) yards. Scheuerman is averaging 7.6 yards per carry on the ground and 8.8 yards every time he touches the ball (rushes, kick returns and receptions).
THE RIGHT REED: Sophomore QB Drew Reed is coming off his best game of the season at William and Mary where he completed 22-of-29 for 217 yards and a touchdown. He connected with eight different targets, despite being sacked five times. Reed threw for 149 yards and two touchdowns vs. Robert Morris (14-26-2) and 131 yards and one score at Sacred Heart (19-39-3). In 2013, he completed a school-record 73 percent of his passes (132-of-182) while throwing for 17 touchdowns (eighth most in a season).
COLT 45: Senior LB Colton Kirkpatrick is in his second season in the starting lineup. In 2012, he started eight of 11 games in which he played, finishing third on the team with 71 tackles, including three sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble. He played behind Ben Aloi in 2013 and is back in the starting 11 in 2014. Kirkpatrick is second on the team in tackles with 23 (one behind team leader Chris Brockman) with 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
ABOUT WAGNER: The Seahawks enter the game at 1-2, coming off a bye week. Wagner last played on Sept. 13, losing 21-16 to
former NEC and current Big South foe Monmouth.
• Wagner returns seven starters on each side of the ball for the 2014 season after finishing tied for 6th in the NEC with a 3-8 record last year.
• Senior QB Brian Gehring is 46-of-77 for 456 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. His favorite target, senior WR Ralph Greene, has nine catches for 118 yards. Gehring and Greene were high school teammates as well in Tigard, Ore.
• Junior RB Otis Wright leads the Seahawks' ground attack, carrying 32 times for 102 yards and two scores on the season. His backup is sophomore RB Matthias McKinnon (22 carries for 86 yards).
• Defensively, senior LB Greg Hilliard leads the team with 14 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. Against Monmouth, senior DT Al Page recorded six tackles, including three tackles for loss and one sack.
• Walt Hameline (Brockport State '75) is in his 34th season as the Seahawks' head coach and athletic director. During his tenure, the Seahawks boast a 217-137-2 overall record. He is fifth in wins among active FCS coaches.
