Football

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SPORTS 1/21/17 9:30pm

HB2 creating scheduling issues for Elon football

By Alex Simon

No matter how hard Elon University tried to keep the influence of North Carolina’s House Bill 2 off of its campus, the controversial bill has created yet another problem for Elon. And this time, it’s with the football team.

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SPORTS 1/17/17 3:45pm

A surprising change: Cignetti arrives at Elon

By Alex Simon

The phone in Curt Cignetti’s office was ringing regularly once the Indiana University of Pennsylvania football team’s season ended. The sixth-year coach was content with the Crimson Hawks, seeing a future with at least 10 wins a season for the next two years. So he graciously declined each request, taking the time to answer the call but never giving what the person on the other end wanted. But in late December, Cignetti got a call from Elon University.

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SPORTS 1/2/17 4:00pm

Cignetti introduced as Elon football coach

By Alex Simon

The Elon University football team introduced Curt Cignetti as its 22nd head coach in program history Monday afternoon at a press conference. Cignetti, former coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, made it clear that he was content to stay at IUP despite other offers from FCS schools, but once he visited Elon, his “mindset had totally changed in terms of what I wanted to do.” “I really wasn't looking to make a move,” Cignetti said.

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SPORTS 12/31/16 9:00am

Curt Cignetti hired as Elon football coach

By Alex Simon

The Elon University football team has hired Curt Cignetti as the 22nd head coach in the school’s history. “I am excited about the great opportunity at Elon and humbled and honored to be chosen to lead the Phoenix football program,” Cignetti said.

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SPORTS 12/20/16 7:45am

Skrosky resigns as Elon football coach

By Alex Simon

Elon University Director of Athletics Dave Blank announced Tuesday that head football coach Rich Skrosky resigned to take a coaching position at Florida International University. In the statement, Blank said, “This was an unexpected development.

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SPORTS 12/1/16 10:30am

SIMON: Football needs improved results in 2017

By Alex Simon

There’s no sugarcoating the struggles that the Elon University football team had during the four years that seniors, like me, have been here. In total, the Phoenix won just nine of its 46 games — less than 20-percent.

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SPORTS 11/19/16 6:48pm

JMU ends Elon football's season with 63-14 rout

By Alex Simon

HARRISONBURG, Va. — A season that was supposed to be one of growth and fulfilled promise finished its freefall Saturday afternoon with expected humiliation, as the Elon University football team lost its seventh straight game 63-14 to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) champion James Madison University (JMU) in Harrisonburg, Virginia. James Madison’s offense moved the ball at will, gaining 699 yards with a near perfect balance of 362 rushing and 337 passing. “Obviously, their offense is very high-powered,” said sophomore linebacker Matt Baker, who finished with five tackles.

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SPORTS 11/16/16 10:45am

Football keeps Allison at forefront

By Alex Simon

For the Elon University football team, November 11 was more than just a day of practice ahead of its Senior Day game the next day. It had been exactly a year since teammate Demitri Allison died when he fell off of a residential building at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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SPORTS 11/12/16 8:14pm

Football falls flat in blowout loss to last-place Rhode Island

By Alex Simon

The Elon University football team’s season hit a new low Saturday afternoon, as last-place University of Rhode Island blew out the Phoenix 44-14 in a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) matchup. It’s a sixth-straight loss for Elon, dropping the Phoenix into a tie for last place and making 2016 Elon’s fourth-straight season with just a single home victory. “Obviously, a really frustrating day in every regard,” said head coach Rich Skrosky.

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SPORTS 11/5/16 7:54pm

Football sputters to 5th-straight loss at Towson

By Alex Simon

TOWSON, Md. — Another Saturday of opportunities squandered led to the Elon University football team dropping its fifth straight game, this one a 23-6 defeat at Towson University Saturday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action. The Phoenix had three drives reach inside the Towson 10-yard line, but none of the three resulted in touchdowns, including a fumble at the 1-yard line that Towson recovered. “I think this one went similar to our previous several,” said head coach Rich Skrosky.

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SPORTS 10/29/16 5:45pm

Football loses 4th straight at UAlbany

By Alex Simon

The losing skid continued for the Elon University football team Saturday afternoon as the Phoenix lost its fourth straight game, this one a 27-3 defeat at the State University of New York at Albany in a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game. The Phoenix offense continued its weeklong sputter as the Phoenix only scored three points against the Great Danes.

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SPORTS 10/28/16 4:15pm

5 student-athletes reprimanded after shooting paintballs at President Lambert's house

By Alex Simon

Five Elon University freshmen student-athletes were reprimanded by their respective athletic teams for shooting paintballs at the house of President Leo Lambert late last week, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. Three of the athletes were football players — wide receiver Jeremiah Bridges, defensive back Khalil Moore and defensive lineman Marcus Willoughby — and two were women’s basketball players — guards Jada Graves and Madison Wilder.

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SPORTS 10/26/16 12:00pm

Football finding footing in run game

By Alex Simon

Even though the Elon University football team has struggled to score points offensively, the Phoenix has been able to move the ball well on the ground. Things were no different on Saturday, as Elon ran for 156 yards on 39 carries, averaging exactly four yards per rushing play in its 35-7 loss to the sixth-ranked University of Richmond.

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SPORTS 10/22/16 9:07pm

Football drops Homecoming game to Richmond

By Alex Simon

The Elon University football team kept it close against the sixth-ranked University of Richmond in the first half, but the Spiders turned on the jets after halftime en route to a 35-7 win Saturday afternoon at Rhodes Stadium. The Phoenix only trailed 6-0 after two quarters during the Homecoming game, but the Spiders scored touchdowns on their first four possession after the break. “Early on, we came out pretty competitive in the first half and made some big stops,” said Elon head coach Rich Skrosky.

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SPORTS 10/12/16 11:30am

Lopez jumps at the chance of a lifetime with Miami Marlins

By Jamie Snover

While most students work all four years at Elon to get one step closer to their career, John Lopez found himself at his dream job before graduation. “I flew down to Miami for a job fair.

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SPORTS 10/8/16 4:40pm

Last-gasp pass broken up as football loses to New Hampshire

By Alex Simon

On its final play of the night, the Elon University football team went for the win. But sophomore quarterback Daniel Thompson’s pass intended for freshman wide receiver Cole Taylor was broken up and the Phoenix lost to the University of New Hampshire 13-10 Friday night at Rhodes Stadium. “It was a good college football game — it was two good teams that put it all on the line,” said head coach Rich Skrosky.

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SPORTS 10/4/16 8:15pm

Hurricane Matthew forces football game to move to Friday night

By Alex Simon

The Elon University football team has moved its game against the University of New Hampshire to 7 p.m.

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SPORTS 10/4/16 2:00pm

SIMON: Football suffers 'humiliating' defeat

By Alex Simon

Sophomore quarterback Daniel Thompson didn’t want to look at the stats after the Elon University football team’s game Saturday afternoon against Villanova University. And frankly, I can’t blame him. Not after the Phoenix was blown out by the Wildcats 42-7, a 35-point loss that felt like much more.

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SPORTS 10/3/16 5:56pm

Football puts out suicide prevention video

By Alex Simon

While the Family Weekend game did not go well for the Elon University football team Saturday afternoon, the Phoenix received attention around campus for something positive. The football team partnered with Active Minds — the student advocacy club that “strives to break the stigma surrounding mental illness” — to create a 40-second video that was shown on the videoboard during the first half of Saturday’s game.

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SPORTS 10/1/16 11:15pm

Football dominated by #14 Villanova 42-7

By Alex Simon

In a complete reversal from the previous week’s upset, the Elon University football team got shellacked by Villanova University Saturday afternoon, falling behind by 35 at half and losing the game 42-7 at Rhodes Stadium. In front of 10,424 fans — Elon’s seventh-largest crowd for Family Weekend — the Wildcats scored on all five of its first half drives, thoroughly silencing a relatively raucous Elon fanbase. “Well obviously, it was a disappointing effort in every phase of the game,” said head coach Rich Skrosky.

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