THIS WEEK
Sat., Sept. 5 – vs. Monmouth (Hamilton, N.Y.), 6 p.m.
The Colgate football team will kickoff the 2009 season this week when they host Monmouth University at 6 p.m. under the lights at Andy Kerr Stadium.
THE SERIES
This is the second meeting between Colgate and Monmouth, with the Hawks leading 1-0. Monmouth won the first meeting 17-12 in 2006.
THE COACHES
Colgate head coach
Dick Biddle, who is the winningest football coach in school history, is in his 14th season at the helm of the Raiders. His overall record is 104-49 and is 0-1 against Monmouth.
Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan is in his 17th campaign with the Hawks. He is the only head coach in the history of football at Monmouth and has compiled an overall mark of 96-66.
2009 SEASON OUTLOOK
Called upon to replace starter
Alex Relph in the first quarter of the 2008 season opener, junior
Greg Sullivan (6-1, 204) quickly established himself as a major contributor to the Raider offense.
Sullivan, who was selected second team all-Patriot League, carried 172 times for 898 yards and seven touchdowns, while connecting on 125-of-206 passes for 1,695 yards and 12 touchdowns. His rushing yardage was the most ever by a Colgate quarterback in a season.
Sullivan finished third on the team in rushing and fifth in the Patriot League with 74.8 yards per game. He had two games over 100 yards rushing ripping off 136 against Dartmouth and 107 vs. Fordham.
Despite the loss of Colgate's and the Patriot League's all-time leading rusher
Jordan Scott, the Raider running game shouldn't miss a beat in 2009. Returning is Patriot League Rookie of the Year
Nate Eachus (5-10, 206), who was the team's second leading rusher with 932 yards on 172 carries and 10 touchdowns. He was fourth in the league in rushing with 77.7 yards per game, after moving from linebacker to the backfield in the seventh game of the season.
Eachus finished the season with three games over 100 yards rushing and two over 200 yards, including the eighth highest single-game performance in school history with 241 yards in just over The Raiders will have a strong one-two punch at wide receiver. All-America candidate
Pat Simonds (6-6, 223) proved to be a valuable offensive threat in 2008. The senior was named Colgate's offensive MVP and first team all-Patriot League. He was the leading receiver with 65 catches for 1,136 yards and nine touchdowns.
Simonds became only the fifth player in school history to go over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He averaged 5.42 catches per game and 94.7 yards per outing. He comes into his final season tied for 10th in career receptions (105) and eighth in receiving yardage (1,785).
The defensive line is the most experienced group on the Raider defense, in terms of both career starts and number of seniors. Three projected starters have combined to start 56 career games.
The leaders of the “D” line are senior defensive end
Austin Douglas (6-4, 248) and senior nose tackle
Paul Mancuso (6-2, 287) - both second team all-Patriot League in 2008.
Douglas, who had off-season shoulder surgery, won Colgate's Unsung Hero Award last fall. He started all 12 games making 45 tackles including six quarterback sacks. Mancuso has 26 games of starting experience. Last season he made 28 tackles with 5.5 TFL and three quarterback sacks.
The Raiders should also have some solid depth at linebacker led by second team all-Patriot League linebacker
Greg Hadley (5-11, 228). Hadley will be in the starting lineup for his third straight season. Last fall, he led the team in tackling with 80.
MONMOUTH NOTEBOOK
The Hawks return five starters on offense and eight on defense from last year's 7-4 team. Leading the way on offense is tailback David Sinsi, who was named to the 2009 Payton Award preseason watch list. Last season Sinsi rushed for 1,674 yards with 22 touchdowns. Defensively, the Hawks are led by senior Kenny Amsel and classmate David Kennedy.
BY THE NUMBERS
• Colgate has won 59 of its last 86 games.
• Colgate has won 62 of its last 79 Patriot League games.
• Colgate has won 27 of its last 40 games decided by nine points or less.
• Colgate has won 32 of its last 40 games at Andy Kerr Stadium.
OPENING DAY NOT SO KIND
The Raiders have a record of 3-10 on opening day under head coach
Dick Biddle, and are 2-4 at home.
THE BIDDLE ERA
Last season became a major milestone in the coaching career of Colgate head coach
Dick Biddle. On September 7, Biddle became the winningest football coach in school history with his 97th victory, passing the legendary Andy Kerr.
Entering his 14th season with the Raiders, Biddle has an overall mark of 104-49. He has achieved the best winning percentage (.679) of any Colgate coach with seven or more years at the helm of the Raiders. Biddle is also the first Colgate coach to ever record nine straight seasons with seven or more victories.
He has been named Patriot League Coach of the Year four times while guiding the Raiders to six Patriot League titles and six appearances in the FCS (formally I-AA) playoffs.
In 2003, Biddle was named the American Football Coaches Association Division I-AA National Coach of the Year after leading the Raiders to a 15-1 record, and to the national championship game of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
FOOTBALL PROMOTIONS vs. MONMOUTH
• Community Day – Bring coupon for (4) free tickets, (4) free hot dogs, and (4) free beverages. Food and drinks are while supplies last.
• Brand new team introduction video!
• Fireworks after the game provided by Little Big Shots Fireworks
• ROWDY RAIDERS GAME!!!
UP NEXT
Colgate will host Stony Brook Saturday, Sept. 12. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Andy Kerr Stadium.
Game Notes
