Northeastern Football Game Notes vs. Rhode Island
On the Air:
NORTHEASTERN:
The Northeastern Huskies look to finish the 2008 season on a strong note, playing the Rhode Island Rams on Senior Day. The Huskies are in the midst of a six-game losing streak, four coming to nationally-ranked teams. Northeastern will honor its 14 seniors in a pregame ceremony. Playing their final game at Parsons Field are RB Alex Broomfield, LB Cornelius Bunch, DL Wil Colon, OL Art Dias, TE Brian Mandeville, QB Anthony Orio, DB Cord Parks, OL Tyler Perkins, WR Chris Plum, QB John Sperrazza, WR Rob Theoudele, DL Corey Thomas and DL Mark Washington. Also included is former offensive lineman Josh Belko, whose career was cut short due to injury. This is the 56th all-time meeting between Northeastern and Rhode Island, the longest series for NU against any opponent. This is also the longest active series for the Huskies as this is the 12th consecutive season that the two teams will play. Except for not playing between 1995-96, the two teams have met every season since 1971. The Rams lead the all-time series 28-25-2, but the Huskies have won five of the last six and eight of the last 10 games. The Huskies are 15-9-2 against URI at home and have won three straight. Last season, Rhode Island handed NU a 35-30 loss, but Maurice Murray broke the NU all-time rushing record in the contest. Last week, the Huskies suffered a 42-14 defeat at the hands of Hofstra on a rainy and windy day at Shuart Stadium. The Huskies gave up a season-high 523 yards of total offense, including 342 rushing yards, in the loss. Anthony Orio had a tough day, throwing for just 66 yards on 11-for-22 passing. He threw two interceptions. He did however pass the 2,000-yard mark for the season, just the fifth NU quarterback to ever do so. Going into his final game, Orio is third all-time in passing yards, third in total offense, first in completion percentage and tied for sixth in TD passes. Alex Broomfield had 80 all-purpose yards in the game and scored his 23rd career touchdown. Going into his final game, he is tied for sixth in total touchdowns, sixth in all-purpose yards, fifth in receptions and tied for eighth in rushing TDs. He is also 108 yards away from becoming just the fifth NU rusher to gain 1,000 yards on the ground in a season. John Sperrazza came in in relief of Orio and was 6-for-7 for 31 yards. He scored his first career touchdown on a two-yard run late in the fourth quarter. Phil Higgins made 16 tackles, surpassing the 100-tackles mark, the first Husky since Liam Ezekiel to do so. He’s now ninth all-time at NU in single-season tackles.
RHODE ISLAND:
Rhode Island comes into the game on a five-game losing streak and is winless in CAA Football this season. Overall, URI is 2-9. The Rams have had a difficult schedule, playing five nationally-ranked teams, but URI did beat one of them, taking down No. 25 Brown at home 37-13. Both of Rhode Island’s wins came at home, leaving the team 0-5 on the road. Last week, Rhode Island fell to Maine 37-7. Though Rhode Island’s record is on the losing side, the Rams have optimism under first-year head coach Darren Rizzi, who is returning to his alma mater. Rizzi was an All-Conference and All-American tight end at Rhody and still ranks fourth at the school in career receptions and receiving yards and fifth in touchdown catches. Rizzi came to Rhode Island after six seasons as an assistant coach at Rutgers. He was the associate head coach in 2007, a season in which the Scarlet Knights advanced to the International Bowl and defeated Ball State. Rizzi is familiar with Parsons Field; he served as Northeastern’s special teams and linebackers coach under Barry Gallup in 1998. Rizzi has made a 180-degree turn on the offense. Previously, the Rams ran the triple option, but Rizzi has installed the spread offense, allowing his quarterbacks to throw the ball. The URI passing offense has more than doubled its yardage from last season to this season, racking up 2,704 yards after having just 1,298 last season. The running game has struggled, however, with just 607 yards on the season after rushing for 2,529 yards last season. Part of the problem has been the absence of fullback Joe Casey, who was lost for the season with a leg injury just six minutes into the team’s first game of the year. Casey, a first-team All-CAA selection last season, rushed for 782 yards in 2007 before missing the final three games with an injury. Derek Cassidy is URI’s quarterback and he has more than doubled his production from last season. As a junior in 2007, Cassidy had just 1,025 yards and five touchdowns. This season, he has 2,602 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes, as well as four rushing TDs. He won a Gold Helmet Award earlier this season after throwing five touchdown passes against Brown. Despite the change in offense, Rhody has struggled at times. The Rams have scored 20 or more points six times, but have been shutout three times and were held to seven points twice. The Rhode Island defense is a 4-3 and has been led by sophomore linebacker Matt Hansen, who has 105 tackles, three sacks, two INTs, four forced fumbles and two blocked kicks.
Huskies vs. Rams: This is the 56 all-time meeting between Northeastern and Rhode Island, the Huskies’ longest series with any opponent. This series beats out the NU-New Hampshire series by one game. The Rams lead all-time 28-25-2, but the Huskies have won five of the last six meetings and eight of the last 10. Rhody did beat the Huskies last season, 35-30, in Kingston. This is the 12th consecutive season the two teams will play, the longest active streak with any NU opponent. Also, except for not playing in 1995 and 1996, these two teams have faced off every year since 1971. Northeastern is 15-9-2 at home against URI and has won three straight against the Rams at Parsons Field. Head coach Rocky Hager is 3-1 against the Rams while first-year head coach Darren Rizzi has never faced the Huskies. Rizzi was an assistant coach at Northeastern in 1998.
Last Time Out: The Huskies went to Hofstra and battled the rain, the wind and their own injuries, falling to the Pride 42-14. The NU defense struggled, allowing 523 yards of total offense, including 342 rushing yards. Meanwhile, the NU offense could not get anything going, gaining just 171 yards on the day while turning the ball over three times. Hofstra got it rolling with a first-quarter touchdown that came as a result of an Anthony Orio interception. Hofstra continued to pound the ball picking up a pair of TDs near the end of the first half. The Pride led 22-7 at halftime and finished off the Huskies in the second half with two rushing touchdowns by Brock Jacolski. Alex Broomfield and John Sperrazza scored touchdowns for the Huskies. Orio threw for just 66 yards, though he did become just the fifth NU quarterback to throw for 2,000 yards in a season. Sperrazza was 6-for-7 in passing and his rushing TD was his first career score. Phil Higgins finished with a career-high 16 tackles, surpassing the 100 tackles mark. Everette Benjamin led Hofstra with 122 yards while Jackolski had 91. QB Steve Probst was 16-for-22 for 181 yards and two touchdowns. The wind and rain created havoc for the kicking game. Ron Conway had a 20-yard punt, but also had a 52-yard punt. Roger Williams for Hofstra had a 54-yard field goal, but also missed a PAT when it hit the crossbar.
Last Time vs. Rams: The Huskies ended the 2007 season with a 35-30 loss to Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I. Northeastern had a 17-7 lead near the end of the first half, but fell apart when Rhode Island used some trickery to grab the lead before halftime. After Jimmy Hughes caught a 32-yard TD pass from Derek Cassidy to cut URI’s deficit to three points, the Rams lined up for a regular kickoff, but ended up kicking onside, completely surprising the Huskies. Rhode Island recovered the loose ball and then marched down the field and scored again in 12 plays, this time a four-yard pass from Cassidy to Shawn Leonard. Rhode Island led 21-17 at the half. Northeastern regained the lead on an Anthony Orio touchdown, but the Rams added two touchdowns to take a 35-24 lead. Darryl Jones returned a blocked punt for a touchdown to give the Huskies hope, but with five minutes left, Rhody took the ball and ran enough to run out the clock. The bright spot in the loss was Maurice Murray, who rushed for 182 yards and broke NU’s all-time rushing and touchdowns records. Joe Mele made 17 tackles in his final game at NU.
Hager honored: On Monday, Nov. 10, head coach Rocky Hager was honored by the Boston Chapter of the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Football Officials with the Murray Lewis Award for contribution to college football. Hager was presented the award at Lombardo’s Restaurant in Randolph, Mass.
Strong Offensive Line: Once again, the Northeastern offensive line is proving to be a strong unit. After finishing the 2007 season second in the nation in fewest tackles for a loss allowed, this year’s offensive line is tied for 12th in the nation in fewest sacks allowed, averaging just one a game. The team is also tied for 13th in the country in fewest tackles for a loss allowed.
Second Half Struggles: Northeastern has really struggled after halftime this season. NU is just 1-3 when leading at halftime. Moreover, the Huskies have been outscored in the second half 134-79, including overtime points. The Huskies are averaging just 7.2 points per second half game this season.
Difficult Schedule: The Huskies have played one of the most difficult schedules in Football Championship Subdivision this season. NU’s 2008 opponents have a .543 winning percentage so far this season. The Huskies have played two Football Bowl Subdivision teams and have played five ranked FCS teams.
Dealing with Injuries: Northeastern has had a tough season with regards to injuries. Nine players, who were deemed starters in the preseason, have missed games due to injury.
Homecoming Struggles: With a 33-21 loss to New Hampshire, the Huskies are now 21-23 all-time in Homecoming games. New Hampshire is NU’s most common Homecoming opponent, and the Wildcats now hold a 5-3 advantage in eight Homecoming meetings.
Third-Down Warriors: The Huskies have done fairly well converting on third down. They are 65-for-150 on the season, good for 43 percent.
Going After the QB: The Huskies recorded 13 sacks over a four game span from Sept. 27 to Oct. 18. Wil Colon had four, Corey Thomas had three, Jason Vega had 2.5 and David Akinniyi and Wil Colon each had two.
Comeback Kids: The 35-17 Oct. 4 win over Towson after trailiing at halftime 17-14 was the first win for Northeastern after falling behind at the half since a 27-24 win over Delaware in 2006.
Earning the Attention: Thellen’s mighty performance against UC Davis has earned him Defensive Player of the Week honors from the Sports Network, ECAC and CAA Football. He was also awarded the Boston Globe Gold Helmet and named one of this week’s Boston Herald “Herald Heroes.”
Turnover Plenty: The Huskies forced six turnovers on UC Davis in a 27-10 win on Sept. 27. The last time NU forced that many tunovers on an opponent came on Nov. 23, 2002, when the Huskies had seven takeaways against James Madison.
CAA Football Rankings: Through the Nov. 8 games, Alex Broomfield is sixth in CAA Football in rushing and third in touchdown scoring, Nate Thellen is first in interceptions, Ron Conway is fifth in punting, Phil Higgins is first in tackles, David Akinniyi is fourth in sacks and Wil Colon is 10th in sacks.
National Rankings: Through the Nov. 15 games, tailback Alex Broomfield is 43rd in the nation with a 81.0 rushing yards per game average. Quarterback Anthony Orio is 56th in the country in total offense, averaging 193.8 yards a game, and 44th in total passing yards with 2,011. Punter Ron Conway is 36th in the nation in punting at 40.3 yards per punt. Free safety Nate Thellen is tied for ninth in the country in interceptions at 0.5 a game. Linebacker Phil Higgins is tied for 23rd in the nation in tackles at 9.7 a contest.
CAA Football Openers: After a 35-17 win over Towson Oct. 4, the Huskies are now 7-9 in conference openers. Prior to the win, their last conference-opening victory also came against Towson, 27-3, in 2004.
Overtime Notes: The Sept. 13 overtime loss at Georgia Southern was Northeastern’s ninth overtime game played. The Huskies are now 3-6 all-time in overtimes, 0-2 against Georgia Southern. The Huskies are 1-3 OT on the road, 2-3 at home. NU’s last OT win came on Oct. 21, 2006, a 36-35 victory over New Hampshire.
Huskies vs. the FBS: After its Sept. 20 loss to Syracuse, Northeastern is now 2-6 all-time against FBS opponents. The Huskies defeated Connecticut in 2000 and Ohio in 2002. They fell to Boston College in 1999, Navy in 2004, Virginia Tech in 2006, Northwestern in 2007 and Ball State and Syracuse in 2008.
More to Come: The Huskies will continue to play FBS teams in the years to come. They will play Boston College next season on Oct. 3, 2009.
All-Time History: This is the 73rd season of Huskies football, and the team has an all-time record of 286-355-17 (.448).
Captains: Seniors Brian Mandeville, Cord Parks and Corey Thomas were named team captains in NU’s 73rd season of competition. The three were selected in a team vote held during fall camp in Winchendon, Mass.
Honor Roll: The Huskies return two All-Conference players from last season. Offensive tackle Kevin Newhall, who was second-team All-CAA Football, returns to anchor the offensive line. Second-team All-CAA Football tight end Brian Mandeville returns as well. In four seasons, head coach Rocky Hager has led 24 players to All-Conference honors.
Academic Honor Roll: The Huskies also return two members of the CAA Football Academic All-Conference team, sophomore David Akinniyi and senior Anthony Orio. In four seasons, head coach Rocky Hager has mentored 23 players to the Academic All-Conference team.
Rank and File: The Huskies enjoy playing the best teams in the country and it shows as they have defeated at least one nationally ranked team in five of the last six seasons. Last year, the Huskies knocked off No. 8 New Hampshire and No. 18 Hofstra in back-to-back weeks.
Junior Roster: The Northeastern roster breakdown: 14 seniors, 23 juniors, 17 sophomores, 12 redshirt freshmen and 21 true freshmen.
Boxer Tough: This year’s squad has five members (Jason Vega, Art Dias, Woody Romelus, Nate Thellen, Paul Branco) from Massachusetts football power, Brockton High School. The five were members of the Boxers’ 2004 Division I Eastern Mass. State Championship.
Track Stars: Several of the Huskies double as members of the Northeastern track & field team. Greg Abelli is a sprinter, Lloyd Clarke competes in the shot put, Ron Conway competes as a decathlete, John Griffin is a sprinter and long jumper and Cord Parks competes as a sprinter and hurdler.
Unprecedented Exposure: CAA Football will have at least 40 games on television this season and Northeastern is a big part of it. The Huskies will be on television six straight weeks from Sept. 20 to Oct. 25, including three at home on Comcast SportsNet.
CAA Schedule: The Huskies endured one of the toughest schedules in CAA Football last season, thanks in large part to facing five conference foes that went on to qualify for the FCS Playoffs. Northeastern took on Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Delaware, James Madison and Richmond last season. Those five teams combined for a 47-19 record last season, including six wins in the playoffs. Delaware reached the championship game.
Up Next: The Huskies will close out the 2008 season with a home game against Rhode Island at Parsons Field at 1 p.m. The team will honor its 13 seniors before the game.
Player Notes
Anthony Orio
The QB2k Club: At Hofstra on Nov. 15, Orio became just the fifth NU quarterback to surpass 2,000 passing yards for the season.
Season Career Highs: With 158 yards and a touchdown pass against Villanova on Nov. 1, Orio surpassed his career highs in passing yards and touchdown passes for a season. He had 1,558 yards and eight touchdowns in 2007.
Draddy Trophy Nominee: Orio was named a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy, which is given to the nation’s finest student-athlete. Orio graduated from Northeastern summa cum laude with a degree in Biochemistry and is currently working towards a master’s degree in Applied Nutrition.
Tough Day: Orio threw three interceptions at Maine on Oct. 25, the first time he’s committed that many mistakes since three against Massachusetts in 2005.
Busy Arm: Against New Hampshire on Oct. 18, Orio set career highs in completions (28) and pass attempts (41). In the same, game he surpassed Allen Deary for third place all-time in NU passing yards history.
Launched Pass: Orio set a career best when he tossed an 80-yard touchdown pass to Rob Theoudele. It was both Orio’s longest pass and longest touchdown pass of his career, surpassing his 76-yard strike to Brian Mandeville in 2007 at Delaware.
Career High Again: For two consecutive weeks, Orio set his career high in passing yards, this time throwing for 293 yards at Syracuse Sept. 20. He also tied his career high with two TD passes.
Loves the Eagles: Orio had a career-high 287 passing yards at Georgia Southern Sept. 13. In two career games against the Eagles, Orio has thrown for 508 yards and three TDs.
Career Season: Orio had a breakout 2007 season that saw him surpass or tie many of his career highs. He threw for a career-high 1,558 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 60.7 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 190 yards and four touchdowns.
Historically Accurate: Orio is currently Northeastern’s all-time leader in completion percentage, holding steady at 57.1 percent. Orio is also NU’s single-game completion percentage leader, throwing at a 91.7 percent clip at New Hampshire last season, and the single-season completion percentage leader, throwing for 61 percent in 2006.
John Sperrazza
First Career Score: Sperrazza finally crossed the goal line for the first time when he scored a touchdown on a two-yard run in the fourth quarter at Hofstra Nov. 15.
Lateral Pass: Sperrazza surprised everyone on Oct. 4 when he lined up at flanker against Towson and took a lateral pass from Anthony Orio and then flung it 37-yards to Rob Theoudele for a touchdown.
Strong Showing: Sperrazza came in at the end of NU’s 48-14 loss at Ball State and had a strong outing, completing six of seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, a 10-yard pass to Conor Gilmartin-Donohue. The TD pass was Sperrazza’s 10th in his career and first since 2006. Sperrazza played in just three games last season as backup to Anthony Orio.
Alex Broomfield
Touchdown Topper: With two scores at William & Mary on Nov. 8, Broomfield moved into the Northeastern top 10 in career total touchdowns.
First-half Scorer: Against New Hampshire on Oct. 18, Broomfield broke his career high in touchdowns scored with three, and it only took him the first half to do it. He scored two rushing TDs and caught a TD pass before halftime.
Workhorse Rusher: Broomfield got his work in against Massachusetts on Oct. 11. He rushed 27 times for a career-high 169 yards. He also scored a TD on a 22-yard run. For Broomfield, it was his sixth-career 100-yard rushing game.
Play Maker: Broomfield had a big outing in the home opener vs. UC Davis Sept. 27. He rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown. He also threw a 21-yard TD pass to Brian Mandeville.
Broom Rush: Broomfield recorded his third-career 100-yard rushing game when he racked up 126 yards at Georgia Southern Sept. 13. He also tied his career high in rushing touchdowns with two. The 126 yards is the second-highest total for him in his career.
Halfback Pass:Broomfield has shown a knack for the halfback option pass. He threw the fifth touchdown pass of his career when he hit Brian Mandeville with a 12-yard pass against Villanova on Nov. 1. Earlier this season, he found Mandeville on a 31-yard pass against UC Davis on Sept. 27. Last season, he threw the game-winning nine-yard touchdown pass to Mandeville in NU’s 35-31 win over Hofstra. Broomfield connected with Tony Lott for an 80-yard TD against Richmond and hit Kendrick Ballantyne with a 20-yard TD pass against New Hampshire, both in 2006.
John Griffin
First Score: Griffin set a career high in rushing yards with 66 at Towson Oct. 4. He also scored his first career TD on a nine-yard run in the first quarter.
Greg Abelli
Acrobatic Catch: For his first receiving TD, Abelli reached high in the air to make a great 27-yard catch from Anthony Orio at Syracuse Sept. 20.
Reverse Star: Abelli scored his first career touchdown in NU’s 48-14 loss at Ball State. He took a reverse 20 yards into the end zone.
Brian Mandeville
Back in Action: After missing four games due to injury, Mandeville returned on Nov. 1 against Villanova and caught three passes for 48 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter.
Good Start: Mandeville had a good start before going down with a knee injury. He had 15 catches for 244 yards through four games.
Preseason Honors: Mandeville was named a second-team preseason All-American by the Sports Network. Mandeville is Northeastern’s first preseason All-American since Cory Parks in 2005. Liam Ezekiel was NU’s last All-American, earning second-team honors in 2004.
Big All-Star: Mandeville’s breakout 2007 season led to some postseason honors. Mandeville was named second-team All-CAA Football and All-New England for his 411-yard, five-touchdown season. At 6’7 and 253 pounds, he is a polarizing target on the field and a draw for NFL scouts.
Chris Plum
The Traveling Plummer: Plum has enjoyed great success on the road this season. He has 21 catches for 411 yards and three touchdowns on the road. At Parsons Field, he has 12 receptions for 96 yards.
Long Plummer: Plum caught a 56-yard pass at Maine Oct. 25, the longest catch of his career.
Double the Plummer: Plum reached the end zone twice at Towson Oct. 4. He caught a 24-yard TD pass in the second quarter and a 30-yard TD pass in the third quarter.
Deep Plummer: Plum caught a 54-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Orio at Syracuse Sept. 20, a career long for the senior wideout.
Tony Lott
Touchdown Dance: Lott celebrated his first touchdown of the season on Nov. 1 when he caught a 20-yard pass from Anthony Orio against Villanova.
Back in Action: Lott returned from injury to play against New Hampshire on Oct 18. He caught two passes for 40 yards. He missed his first game in three seasons on Oct. 11 against Massachusetts.
Tony Time: Lott had an excellent second half last season that has the Huskies excited about a breakout 2008 year. In the first seven games of 2007, Lott had only 12 catches for 117 yards and no touchdowns. In the final four games, he had 16 catches for 256 yards and one TD. Lott’s best game came against Hofstra, when he had a career-high six receptions and 102 yards.
Conor Gilmartin-Donohue
Catching Passes: Gilmartin-Donohue set career highs in catches (6) and receiving yards (50) against New Hampshire on Oct. 18. Starting in place of the injured Brian Mandeville, Gilmartin-Donohue has 10 receptions for 117 yards over a three-game span from Oct. 4-18.
Three for Three: In the first four games, Gilmartin-Donohue had just three catches but he made the count, as all were touchdown catches. The first was a 10-yard catch at Ball State Aug. 28, the second a three-yard catch at Georgia Southern Sept. 13 and the third a three-yard reception vs. UC Davis Sept. 27. These are the first three TD catches of his career.
Rob Theoudele
Bomb Catch: Theoudele has made a big impact since coming to the Huskies from Connecticut. He caught an 80-yard touchdown catch from Anthony Orio against Massachusetts on Oct. 11.
Memorable First Catch: Theoudele, a senior transfer from Connecticut, made his first NU catch one no one will forget. At Towson Oct. 4, he caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from John Sperrazza, who received a lateral pass from Anthony Orio.
Kevin Newhall
Anchorman: Newhall, who has started every game since 2006, is the anchor of the excellent Husky offensive line. He was recognized last season as one of the best, as he was named second-team All-CAA Football.
Tyler Perkins
Ironman: Perkins is in his senior season and has been a rock on the offensive line. In three seasons, he has started every game and has missed just one play.
Wil Colon
Colon the Disruptor: Colon added two more sacks to his resume, taking down New Hampshire quarterback R.J. Toman twice on Oct. 18.
More Sacks: Colon picked up another multi-sack game, recording two in the 27-10 win vs. UC Davis Sept. 27. He totaled 14 yards lost on the sacks and forced a fumble on one of them.
Sack Master: Colon went wild on opposing quarterbacks and tailbacks last season, racking up eight tackles for a loss, including a career-high five sacks. He had a career-best 2.5 sacks vs. Hofstra on Nov. 10, 2007.
Corey Thomas
A Force on the Line: Thomas forced his first career fumble when he popped the ball loose out of Sean Jellison’s hands in the loss to New Hampshire on Oct. 18.
Career High: Thomas made a career-high two sacks in the 35-17 win at Towson Oct. 4.
Surprise Return: After playing the 2007 season as a senior, Thomas received news that he had earned another year of eligibility to replace his 2004 season, which was lost to a knee injury. He returns to anchor the defensive line at nose guard.
Jason Vega
Season Ended: Vega will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury.
Limited Return: Vega returned to action on Nov. 1 after missing two games with a cracked bone in his elbow. He didn’t start, but made two tackles in limited action.
All Over the Place: Vega had a big game against UC Davis on Sept. 27. He recorded two sacks for a total loss of 16 yards. He also made an interception, leaping high in the air to snag an attempted screen pass.
Back on Track: After losing the 2007 season to an injury, Vega is back to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. In 2006, he racked up 46 tackles, six of which were for a loss, plus four sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Mark Washington
Block Party: In just his second career football game, Washington made his presence known by blocking an extra point at Georgia Southern Sept. 13 that helped send the game to overtime. In basketball, Washington had 42 career blocks.
Former Hoop Star: Washington joins the Huskies after four seasons as a member of the Northeastern men’s basketball team. Washington was co-captain of the hoops team last season. He averaged 1.3 points over 106 games in four seasons.
David Akinniyi
Sack Happy: Akinniyi picked up two more sacks in the win at Towson Oct. 4.
Picking Up Loose Balls: Akinniyi recovered two fumbles against UC Davis Sept. 27. He returned one of them five yards.
Destructive Down South: Akinniyi had a monster game at Georgia Southern Sept. 13, making eight tackles, including two sacks that totaled 23 yards.
Young and Dangerous: As a redshirt freshman, Akinniyi started all 11 games and made an immediate impact. To go with 42 tackles, he had two sacks, three pass breakups, one interception, two forced fumbles and a blocked punt.
Phil Higgins
Sweet 16: Higgins made a career-high 16 tackles at Hofstra Nov. 15.
Career Tied: Higgins made 11 tackles at Maine Oct. 25, tying a career high that he’s accomplished twice before.
Tackle Leader: Higgins has led the Huskies in tackles in seven of 10 games this season. He is currently first in CAA Football in tackles per game at 9.7.
Cornelius Bunch
Tackle Maker: Bunch had a career-high 18 tackles (6 solo, 12 assisted) at Maine Oct. 25, shattering his previous high of 11. He is the first NU defender to have as many as 18 since Liam Ezekiel had 20 against William & Mary in 2002.
Erik Lichter
First Sack: Lichter picked up his first career sack when he pulled down Jake Phillips of William & Mary on Nov. 8.
FG Block: Lichter blocked Brian Harvey’s third-quarter field goal attempt at Maine Oct. 25. NU’s last field goal block came Nov. 11, 2006 when A.J. Lillie blocked Rob Zarrilli’s kick.
Craig Kenney
Wait ’til 2009: Kenney had a setback recovering from knee surgery. He will be redshirted and miss the entire 2008 season. He will return in 2009 as a senior.
Nate Thellen
The Picks Keep on Coming: Thellen picked off Sean Schaefer in NU’s 35-17 win over Towson on Oct. 4 and then got one from Liam Coen against UMass on Oct. 11, giving him five interceptions in a three-game span.
Ripe for the Picking: Thellen had a day for the ages against UC Davis on Sept. 27. He had three interceptions and returned one for a 92-yard touchdown in a 27-10 win. Thellen’s three picks are tied for second-most in NU single-game history and he’s the first Husky to return an INT for a touchdown since 2002. He was named CAA Football’s Defensive Player of the Week, the Sports Network’s National Defensive Player of the Week, the ECAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week and one of the Boston Herald “Herald Heroes” on Sept. 29. He was given the Boston Globe Gold Helmet Award on Oct. 1.
First-year star: Thellen stepped in as a redshirt freshman and earned the starting free safety job just three games into last season. He made 52 tackles, broke up four passes, made one interception and caused two fumbles while recovering one. He is Northeastern’s best safety at defending the run and has shown a knack for getting involved in creating turnovers.
Ron Conway
Inside the 20: Conway has nailed 11 of his 45 punts inside the opponent 20 this season, good for 24.4 percent of his punts.
Blast Punts: Conway set career highs in punts and punt yards at Ball State Aug. 28. He had nine punts for 370 yards, an average of 41.1 yards per punt. Currently, Conway is first all-time in NU history with a career punting average of 40.0 yards (minimum 50 career punts).
Mat Johnson
2-for-2: Johnson converted on both field goal tries at Georgia Southern Sept. 13, his first two attempts of the season. He made kicks from 19 and 39 yards, tying a career high for field goals made in a game. For his career, Johnson is now 11-for-20 (55 percent) in field goal tries.
Nov. 22, 2008
Parsons Field (Brookline, MA)For expanded notes and statistics, see the PDF notes.
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