Scouting Hawai’i
The Rainbow Warriors come into Saturday’s matchup with an 0-2 record. The team fell 28-35 in a cross-country matchup with Vanderbilt to start the season. Quarterback Brayden Schager thew for a career-high 351 yards and three touchdowns and directed a pair of fourth quarter scores to pull the Rainbow Warriors to within seven, but the effort was not enough to finish the comeback. Lat week, Stanford was able to edge Hawai’i by a score of 37-24. Schager threw for a career-high 355 yards, passing his previous best set six days earlier at Vanderbilt, and three touchdowns. But Stanford opened up a 14-point lead in the second quarter and kept the Warriors at arm's length in the second half.
Through two games, Schager has amassed a 150.12 QBR with 57 completions on 88 attempts for 706 yards and six touchdowns. His favorite target has been Pofele Ashlock (15 rec, 241 yards) followed by Steven McBride (10 rec, 138 yards). In the backfield, Landon Sims (9 attempts, 38 yards) and Tylan Hines (14 attempts, 20 yards) have been given most of the reps. Defensively, Logan Taylor and Isaiah Tufaga lead the team with 14 tackles each. Tufaga also leads the team in sacks with two so far this season.
Into the rankings
After a strong start to the season, UAlbany has officially crept into the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll, having received votes to be listed in the honorable mention section. The last time UAlbany’s name appeared in the Top 25 was in the Spring of 2021, where the team started off ranked No. 13.
Record Breakers
The UAlbany defense combined to record 10 sacks in the season opener against Fordham, a single-game record. The previous record, eight, was set in 2017 against New Hampshire. Leading that charge was defensive end Anton Juncaj, Juncaj finished with four sacks on the day, claiming his own individual record for most sacks in a single game. Also having impressive nights were AJ Simon, who finished with three sacks, Dylan Kelly (2), and Ronnell McCorn (1).
UAlbany Football Weekly
Turn the channel to MY4* Albany every Saturday morning at 11:30 for UAlbany Football Weekly, presented by USX Pest Control. See Coach Gattuso and players in studio, hear special mic’d up segments, and learn about the team with weekly feature stories. It’s all UAlbany football, every Saturday, all season long.
*UAlbany Football Weekly will also be posted to UAlbanySports.com every Saturday at 12:00 p.m. for fans to watch online.
Year Two for Poffenbarger
Sophomore quarterback Reese Poffenbarger enters year number two with the Great Danes in 2023. Poffenbarger joined UAlbany in the spring of 2022 as a transfer from Old Dominion, heading into a four-way quarterback battle during training camp. The rookie QB earned his starting role and never looked back. It only took him three games to surpass the UAlbany single-game passing record, throwing for 412 yards and three touchdowns. Poffenbarger went on to toss 2,999 yards on the season with a 62% completion rate. He collected 24 touchdowns, throwing just four interceptions. He was named the CAA Rookie of the Week an unprecedented six times before claiming the conference’s Rookie of the Year title and being named to the CAA Third Team All-Conference. In addition, he was named the ECAC Division I FCS Rookie of the Year, the 2022 Jerry Rice Award Runner-Up, and a HERO Sports Freshman All-American.
This season, Poffenbarger looks to build off of his historic 2022 campaign. He has already been named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List, which is presented to the national offensive player of the year in football's Division I subdivision, and was also named CAA Preseason All-Conference Honorable Mention. He enters year two with offensive Coordinator and Associate Head Coach Jared Ambrose guiding him from the sidelines.
Defensive Upgrades
It’s no secret the Great Dane defense struggled in 2022. The unit ranked second to last in the conference, allowing 34.1 points per game and a total of 51 touchdowns. That script is looking to get flipped. Enter first-year Defensive Coordinator Bill Nesselt. Nesselt enters year seven at UAlbany, taking over the defense after serving as the team’s Special Teams Coordinator last season and as the team’s defensive line coach from 2018 to 2021. But it’s not just Coach Nesselt that makes the 2023 defense stand out from a season ago.
Aamir Hall and DaeSean Winston look to be immediate playmakers for the purple and gold. Hall transfers in from CAA foe Richmond, where he has totaled 24 games played with two interceptions, 19 passes defended, and 5.5 tackles for loss. He was named a Phil Steele Freshman All-American in the spring of 2021. Hall comes to Upstate New York with Temple Transfer DaeSean Winston. Winston brings a plethora of experience from a top-level program and immediately slots in as the team’s starting full safety. Those two will match up with a slew of returners coming into 2023 with another year under their belts, including CAA Preseason Honorable Mention winners Anton Juncaj (defensive end) and Dylan Kelly (Linebacker), defensive leader Larry Walker Jr. (strong safety), defensive lineman Joseph Greaney, AJ Simon, and Elijah Hills, linebackers Jahlil Johnson and Ori Jean-Charles, and corner Bill Hackett.
Running Back Room
In 2021, the Great Danes relied heavily on running back Karl Mofor. The same can be said with Todd Sibley in 2022. In 2023 however, UAlbany is still looking to find a potential bell cow in the backfield. Training camp has been a battle ground for all the backs looking for the coveted RB1 slot. The top names in that conversation include Utah Transfer Faysal Aden, Bentley transfer Nate Larkins, and returners Jose Lopez, Griffin Woodell, and Landon Alexander. According to the depth chart, Aden will get the nod as the top back in week one against Fordham. The number two spot comes down to Larkins and Woodell. It will be a key position battle to keep an eye on as UAlbany plays four-consecutive non-conference games before facing off against Villanova on Sept. 30.
Meet the Leadership Council
Every year, the UAlbany players and coaching staff elect a “Leadership Council” comprised of players who show an extortionary level of leadership both on and off the field. This year’s council is comprised of nine total student-athletes, five coming from the offensive side of the ball and four coming from the defensive side. On offense, Leadership Council selections include quarterback Reese Poffenbarger, Tight End Ian Renninger, wide receiver Roy Alexander, and linemen Scott Houseman and Ozzie Hutchinson. On defense, safety Larry Walker Jr., lineman AJ Simon, and linebackers Dylan Kelly and Ori Jean-Charles get the nod.
A Decade at UAlbany
It’s been a decade since Head Football Coach Greg Gattuso took over the reigns of the UAlbany program, replacing legendary long-time coach Bob Ford. In ten years, Gattuso has amassed a 39-57 overall record, leading the Great Danes on some of their most historic seasons. The 2019 season saw the Great Danes win nine games, including their first-ever FCS playoff game, at home against Central Connecticut State. The Danes went 9-5 overall, including 6-2 in the CAA to finish second after being picked 11th in the preseason coaches’ poll. The 2019 team featured six All-CAA selections and two major awards, including Offensive Rookie of the Year Jeff Undercuffler, with Gattuso landing CAA Coach of the Year honors. Gattuso was also a finalist for the STATS Eddie Robinson Award, presented annually to the top head coach in FCS football.
Gattuso was a defensive lineman at Penn State, where he helped lead the Nittany Lions to a national title in 1982. In his first collegiate head-coaching role, Gattuso piloted Duquesne to a 97-32 record during his 12-season tenure, and while making three bowl appearances at Pittsburgh, he turned the defensive line into one of the best in the nation as an assistant head coach.
Around the CAA
CAA Football had five teams ranked and four more teams receive votes in the 2023 AFCA Coaches FCS preseason Top 25 poll that was released on Monday.
William & Mary topped the group of ranked CAA teams at #4, followed by New Hampshire at #12, Richmond at #16, Delaware at #21 and Rhode Island at #23. Elon, North Carolina A&T, Campbell, and Villanova were among other teams receiving votes.
CAA Football’s five ranked teams trailed only the Big Sky (6) and the nine teams ranked or receiving votes was the most of any conference.
William & Mary went 11-2 overall and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs in 2022. The Tribe returns nine starters from an offense that ranked third nationally in rushing and averaged 33.5 points per game. Back is dual-threat quarterback Darius Wilson, leading rushers Bronson Yoder and Malachi Imoh and an experienced offensive line. Five of the Tribe’s eight returning starters on defense were All-CAA honorees, including linebacker John Pius and defensive end Nate Lynn, who both garnered All-America accolades, as well as linebacker Isaiah Jones and cornerbacks Ryan Poole and Jalen Jones.
New Hampshire has nine starters back on offense and defense from a 9-4 squad that advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Wildcats’ offense features All-America running back/returner Dylan Laube along with quarterback Max Brosmer, receiver Joey Corcoran and tight end Kyle Lepkowski. All-America defensive ends Josiah Silver and Dylan Ruiz are joined by leading tackler Ryan Toscano and veteran safety Max Oxendine on defense.
Richmond is coming off its best season since 2016, going 9-4 overall and reaching the second round of the FCS playoffs. Six starters are back on offense, including four linemen and receiver Nick DeGennaro. The Spiders’ defense is anchored by All-America linebacker Tristan Wheeler. He is joined by All-CAA standouts Marlem Louis, Jeremiah Grant and Aaron Banks among seven returning starters.
Delaware went 8-5 a year ago and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs. Leading rusher Kyron Cumby and top receiver Jourdan Townsend highlight a group of seven starters back offensively. The Blue Hens face the task of replacing nine starters on defense, but All-CAA defensive end Chase McGowan returns.
Rhode Island is coming off a 7-4 campaign last season. Seven starters are back for the Rams offensively including veteran quarterback Kasim Hill, wide receiver Kahtero Summers and All-America offensive lineman Nick Correia. All-CAA linebacker Evan Stewart and defensive lineman Westley Neal, Jr. are among four starters returning on defense.
Going Cashless
UAlbany Athletics will shift to an entirely cashless payment model for all events starting with the 2023-24 season. Additionally, gates for UAlbany football games will now open 60 minutes prior to kickoff.
In shifting to cashless operations, the UAlbany Department of Athletics modernizes the pregame and gameday experience for Great Danes fans, who will now enjoy shorter wait times in line for tickets, concessions, and merchandise, as well as enhanced security and convenience in their transactions.
On gameday, the UAlbany Athletics ticketing box office, merchandising, concessions, and parking will accept all major credit cards. Additionally, concessions will further accept Apple Pay, and parking will further accept both Apple Pay and Google Pay.
All events hosted by the UAlbany Department of Athletics will be subject to the new cashless policy. For more information, please contact the UAlbany Ticket Office by phone at (518) 442-DANE or by email at GreatDaneTickets@albany.edu.
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