Stony Brook defense presents tall order for Elon
(10/17/14 1:34pm)
An Elon University offense shaped by inconsistency and lack of touchdowns will have its hands full this Saturday.
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An Elon University offense shaped by inconsistency and lack of touchdowns will have its hands full this Saturday.
Before the season began, the Elon University football team’s Oct. 18 date with Stony Brook University looked like a potential break in a schedule filled with proven national powers.
The Elon University football team surged with 21 second-half points but was unable to break through in a 34-24 road loss to the University of Delaware in Colonial Athletic Association action on Saturday, Oct. 11 at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Del.
After dropping consecutive games to No. 3 Coastal Carolina University and No. 4 University of New Hampshire, the Elon University football team will travel to the University of Delaware Oct. 11 in search of its second win of the season.
When Rich Skrosky accepted the head coaching position at Elon University in December, he was returning to a familiar program — he was an assistant there from 2006-to-2010. Skrosky brought with him various assistant coaches he knew previously, as well as one player from Ball State University, who no one knew much about at the time: Chris Blair. Blair used his redshirt year last year at Ball State before transferring to Elon with Skrosky. Skrosky’s decision to accept the head coaching position at Elon was a relief for Blair, who said he wasn’t sure where he would end up. “If [Skrosky] didn’t come [to Elon], I’m not sure where I would be right now,” Blair said. “When I found out he got the job at Elon, it was a no-brainer to come. I have a lot of trust in him.” Early in his first season at the helm, Skrosky has already shown a tendency to play his young players early and often, giving them a chance to showcase their skills. Blair, a redshirt freshman safety, is one of these inexperienced players. He made his Elon debut Aug. 30 at Duke University, collecting six tackles in a reserve role. Blair logged a total of 10 tackles in the next two games — against North Carolina A&T State University Sept. 13 and against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Sept. 20 — before junior starting safety Miles Williams went down with an injury. Williams started all 11 contests for the Phoenix in 2012 before missing last year with an injury. Blair was thrust into the starting lineup to replace Williams, but his mindset didn’t change. “It’s really not a difference,” Blair said, comparing his reserve role on defense to the sixth-man role in basketball. “I have to bring a spark to the team. You have to prepare the same way, if not better. It’s more physical, so you just have to be ready.” Blair certainly had large shoes to fill with Williams out, but has done his job and then some. In his first start against Coastal Carolina University Sept. 27, Blair made six tackles, forced a fumble and was credited with a quarterback hurry. It was an impressive performance that didn’t go unnoticed. “[Blair] loves football, and that’s what we need in this program,” Skrosky said. “Playing Division I college football is hard, and you’ve got to be passionate about it. And that’s what he is.” Blair made his second start against the University of New Hampshire Saturday, Elon’s first-ever Colonial Athletic Association game. He was one of the few bright spots for a Phoenix defense that gave up 48 points and more than 400 yards of offense. Blair led the team with 13 tackles, the most by an Elon player this season. He is not afraid to lay down a big hit or two, using his slight 5-foot-11-inch, 210-pound frame to his advantage. For Blair, a Winston-Salem native and East Forsyth High School graduate, Elon’s home opener was special because his family was able to make the 45-minute trip to Elon to see him play. It’s that type of atmosphere at Elon, what Blair described as “family-oriented,” that attracted him to the school. Now that Blair is closer to home and in a comfortable situation, he is enjoying the opportunity that much more. On the field, Blair likes to keep it simple. “I just want to have fun,” he said. “If the game is not fun, there’s no point in playing.” It’s players like Blair, players who have a certain attitude and approach to the game, that Skrosky is trying to bring to Elon. “[Blair’s] passionate about playing, and it shows in his play. Therefore, he is an inspiration of how to play,” Skrosky said. “We’ve got to get more guys like that. That can’t be the exception. That has to be the rule.”
The Elon University football team received a rough welcome into the Colonial Athletic Association from the University of New Hampshire Oct. 4 at Rhodes Stadium. The Wildcats got off to a quick start and didn’t look back en route to a 48-14 shellacking of the Phoenix.
There was a ceremonial feeling in the air around Rhodes Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Elon prepared to kick off its inaugural game in the Colonial Athletic Association. But following the pre-game festivities, that feeling quickly evaporated as #4 New Hampshire scored early and scored often to run through the Phoenix 48-10.
After suffering a 31-3 loss at the hands of No. 3 Coastal Carolina University Sept. 27 in South Carolina, the Elon University football team returns home Oct. 4 to host No. 4 University of New Hampshire in its first ever Colonial Athletic Association game. The Phoenix (1-3) is amid a tough portion of its schedule — its first four opponents have a combined record of 16-4 while the remaining eight are a combined 19-17, although they are all CAA teams.
With the uncharted waters of the Colonial Athletic Association approaching, a trip to play Coastal Carolina University served as a measuring stick for the Elon University football team and first-year head coach Rich Skrosky. After the game, it seems the main area of focus is an offense that’s failed to score touchdowns in two of four games, keeping what’s been a stout defense on the field too long. Elon (1-3) couldn’t capitalize on three turnovers and two missed field goals in a 31-3 loss to No. 3 Coastal Carolina, which left Skrosky searching for answers from his offense. “We have to evaluate it,” he said. “I think we’re making progress. When you have breakdowns up front, it’s hard to get in a rhythm. We have to evaluate offense and evaluate personnel.” The Phoenix has managed just 48 points in four games, its highest scoring total of 20 coming in its lone victory against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Sept. 20. A number of drives have stalled out in the red zone, leaving behind opportunities to seize control of games. “Right now, offensively, we’re not executing at all,” Skrosky said. “Whether it’s drops, unforced penalties, wrong reads; up front, we have a ways to go from an execution standpoint.” Elon’s been relying more on senior quarterback Mike Quinn and the passing game more than its ground game. Quinn completed a program-record 43 passes against Charlotte and threw 59 total passes, resulting in 331 yards, also a career high for Quinn. MORE: Jonathan Spain climbing all-time tackles list Drops have proved to be costly, and the run game was worked into the offense more. Against Coastal Carolina, Elon began the game with four run plays, all handoffs to sophomore B.J. Bennett, on its first drive before throwing 11 consecutive times midway through the first half. Bennett and junior Tracey Coppedge have shared carries for Elon, but Bennett went down with an arm injury early in the fourth quarter. Coppedge provides more speed whereas Bennett’s 6-foot, 218-pound frame sets him apart. Senior Kierre Brown has led Elon’s receiving corps thus far with 26 catches for 362 yards. Sophomore Demitri Allison has emerged as another weapon, catching 19 passes and gaining 205 yards. The pieces seem to be in place at skill positions, but Skrosky has pointed to a developing offensive line as an area that needs more improvement. Of the five starters on the offensive line, three of them — redshirt freshman Ikenna Nwokeji, sophomore O’Shane Morris and sophomore Austin Richardson — hadn’t started a game before this year, and junior Jacob Ingle had started just once. The only holdover is senior Austin Sowell, who had 25 starts entering this year, but he’s transitioned from the tackle position to center. “The biggest thing right now is up front, we have to start executing,” Skrosky said. The loss to Coastal Carolina left Quinn speechless in terms of finding the problem on offense. “The offense is proven with Elon 3 to 4 years ago and Ball State [University],” he said, pointing to Skrosky’s success as Elon’s offensive coordinator from 2009-to-2010 and as Ball State’s offensive coordinator the past three years. “The throws are there, the catches are there. I don’t know what it is. We need to make plays. I don’t know what it is.” The schedule only gets tougher as four of Elon’s final eight opponents, all in CAA play, are ranked in the latest national poll. It starts with Saturday’s home game against No. 4 University of New Hampshire. As for playing teams slated in the top five, Skrosky said it’s still too early to go with the rankings. “Whether or not [Coastal Carolina] is the third-ranked team in the country, I don’t know,” Skrosky said. “They’re there, though, because of the success they had last year, and they’re 5-0 right now. It’s just like where Alabama would be. You have to let the season play out.” But through nonconference play, Skrosky knows there’s lots of work to do, and that it needs to happen fast in order to succeed against the high level of competition in the CAA. “I know this about our team: we have a long way to go before we’re competitive on the elite level in the FCS,” Skrosky said.
Jonathan Spain is confident when it comes to sports.
CONWAY, S.C. — With opportunities coming from every which way, an already struggling Elon University offense once again failed to capitalize.
After picking up its first win of the season Sept. 20 against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the Elon University football team will head to South Carolina Sept. 27 to face No. 3 Coastal Carolina University.
While far from perfect, the Elon University football team showed a shifted mindset from past years in its 20-13 win against the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Sept. 20 at Rhodes Stadium. In past years, Elon would have found a way to lose but against the 49ers, the Phoenix instead found a way to win. The victory marked the first of the season for Elon and for head coach Rich Skrosky, who said after the game that this was a big one for his team. “[The players] needed that validation,” Skrosky said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, especially when you’re starting new, and you’re a new staff, and they’re under a new coach. You keep sending that same message, and sometimes if you don’t get that validation for a while with a ‘W,’ it starts to show.” On Sept. 13, Elon lost 17-12 to North Carolina A&T State University, squandering multiple opportunities to take control of the game. The Phoenix left the door open against the 49ers as well — throwing an interception and missing three field goals — but was able to lean on its defense to hold Charlotte’s final push and win the game. “Losing maximizes mistakes sometimes,” Skrosky said. “After last week’s game, everybody was like, ‘That might be the worst red-zone offense in the world.’ Winning minimizes mistakes, and we can’t let that be a problem with us. We have to make sure that we’re critiquing ourselves just as hard as we did last Sunday after a tough loss to [NC A&T].” Coming up big for the Phoenix were senior wide receiver Kierre Brown and senior linebacker Odell Benton. Brown hauled in 13 passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns while Benton had five tackles, a forced fumble and recovery, as well as an interception. “[Brown and Benton] were a big part of the leadership element, which is so important when you get into games like that — there’s going to be trust, there’s going to be confidence in that, ‘Hey, we’ve worked our tails off,’” Skrosky said. For veterans Brown and Benton, this win was one of, if not the most, rewarding of their careers. “That’s probably one of the best moments of my whole career,” Benton said. “Being out there on the field and seeing all 80-some guys running onto the field and seeing the happiness in everybody’s face. That was just a really great feeling, and I’ll never forget it. It was beautiful.” Winning is something that hasn’t been associated with Elon football in recent years, as the Phoenix was 5-18 over the past two seasons under head coach Jason Swepson. “It was great seeing the entire team show some type of enthusiasm and finally have that winning feeling,” Brown said, “Some guys haven’t come from winning programs in high school. They don’t really know how it feels to win. And to actually get that feeling for everybody is great.” Under Skrosky’s leadership, players who have played under both coaches have a different mentality. “Something that Coach Skrosky has come in and really instilled in us is we play for the community, and that’s something that we really haven’t — I personally haven’t — thought about, that is playing for something bigger than us,” Benton said. “We know that this is the foundation we’re setting. It definitely feels good for sure.” As with any football game, Skrosky said there are certain areas the Phoenix will need to examine and improve before Elon’s Sept. 27 game at Coastal Carolina University. But there is more to this season than wins and losses — it’s about building for the future. “It feels pretty good,” Brown said. “We got the win for Elon and for the program. With this win, I feel like it’s going to help change things around here and get on the right track.” Following the win, Skrosky mentioned many times how excited he was for the players. It was the definition of a team win, and he leaned on one of his common sayings to express it. “I’m so confident each and every day the program’s moving in the right direction,” he said. No matter the struggles a team goes through during a season or even in the years prior, there is nothing that winning can’t solve. “It’s a great feeling,” Brown said. “Winning is always the best feeling in the world, honestly.” And it’s a feeling that the Phoenix is trying to experience a little more often under Skrosky.
On Sept. 13 against North Carolina A&T State University, the Elon University football team found itself looking back on the mistakes it made in a 17-12 loss.
The Elon University football team, still seeking its first win of the 2014 campaign, will host the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Sept. 20 at Rhodes Stadium for Family Weekend.
One for eight.
Generally, if the kicker is the most impressive player on your football team in a game, it means something went wrong in the other offensive phases. That was the case Sept. 13 at Rhodes Stadium, where the Elon University football team took on North Carolina A&T State University. The Phoenix had multiple drives that stalled out deep in Aggie territory, leading to sophomore kicker John Gallagher booting a career-high four field goals in Elon’s 17-12 loss. The game was reminiscent of Elon’s season opener at Duke University Aug. 30, when the Phoenix had many of the same issues on offense. “One thing for us was trying to score,” said junior wide receiver Andre Davis heading into Saturday’s game. “It was a lot of times we had drives that ended up stalling because of a drop, or someone didn’t execute a block, so just trying to execute and score more points can take a lot of pressure off the defense.” After the game, Davis noted the similarities between the team’s performances in the two games. “We just didn’t execute the way that I think we should or could have been able to execute,” Davis said. “Pretty much the same thing, just execution.” Against Duke, the Elon offense looked serviceable and was able to finish a drive with a touchdown, scoring 13 points on the Blue Devils. The drive-killers on that night were usually drops, but against the Aggies, basic execution was the issue. “To me, there are five elements of winning football, and it’s turnovers, big plays, first down, third down and red zone,” said Elon head coach Rich Skrosky. “And that’s a probability that I’ve been studying for a long time. If you hold a team to field goals, you’re going to be in the game. And credit to A&T. They did a good job in the red zone.” Skrosky added he met with his captains on Friday night before the N.C. A&T game to discuss these five elements. But on the field, problems persisted. Senior quarterback Mike Quinn threw two interceptions, the Phoenix were 3-of-16 on third down, and the offense failed to score a touchdown despite consistently threatening to score in the red zone. “[We] just didn’t get the ball where it needed to go,” Quinn said. “We didn’t establish the run game as [well] as we should’ve, and once you do that it opens up the passing lanes, and we’re off to the races, as you can see with our yards after catch. It literally all comes back to execution. There were more opportunities this game to actually score, and we just have to capitalize.” In all, the Phoenix had the ball inside N.C. A&T’s 20-yard line five different times. Four of those drives ended in field goals, while one attempt was blocked. “On offense, the obvious thing that sticks out is the red-zone productivity, or lack thereof — being held to four field goals and then having the one blocked,” Skrosky said. “That has an effect on the rest of our team, when the defense sees the offense not getting in the end zone.” Once deep in Aggie territory, the Phoenix tried a variety of different plays to punch it in for a touchdown. But everything from a run to a corner fade to a slant route was snuffed out by the Aggie defense. “There were more opportunities, and I give them credit because they played man coverage down there, and we got the one-on-one battle for the most part,” Skrosky said. Despite Elon’s inefficiency in the red zone, Skrosky was pleased overall with the progress he saw from his players, namely Quinn and Davis. “You move ahead,” Skrosky said. “That’s what gets you excited. When you see a kid reach his potential and keep getting better on a daily basis, it validates what you tell him. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t believe we’re going to go on the field and do it consistently. You just have to keep working at it.”
Football and tailgating weren't the only seasonal favorites welcomed at Elon this Saturday; so was Apples and Airplanes, a Raleigh-based multi-instrumental alternative modern rock band.
If one thing was known about the Aggies of North Carolina A&T State University heading into its Sept. 13 game against Elon University, it was this: they like to run.
Jerry Jones has been in command of “America’s Team” since 1989 when he bought them for what was then an unprecedented $140 million. As SportsCenter reported last Sunday morning on a special feature about the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jones assumed ownership of the team when it had reached an all-time low financially and through their abysmal play.