UAlbany FCS Football Home Versus #20 Maine

PIECE #1

The Great Danes can ease their pain with a victory over 19th-ranked Maine in Saturday's home opener. "That would make me feel very good Saturday night," said UAlbany coach Bob Ford. "I think it's possible. We're going to have to play well. We can't turn the ball over."

The Great Danes welcome Maine (2-0) of the Colonial Athletic Association to University Field for the first time for a 4 p.m. kickoff. UAlbany (0-2) committed a combined seven turnovers in season-opening losses at Georgia Southern and No. 17 Massachusetts, which battered the Great Danes 44-7 last Saturday.

The Great Danes are minus-5 in turnover margin after finishing plus-10 in that department last season. "I believe that we can beat anyone," senior tailback David McCarty said. "We've just got to settle down." Already hampered by a hamstring problem, McCarty sustained a hip pointer in the loss to UMass. He's averaging 52.5 yards rushing per game, far off his 154.3 pace of last season, behind an inexperienced offensive line.

"It's been a big morale killer," McCarty said of his injuries. "It (stinks) that I'm hurt for four weeks of training camp and now the first two weeks of the season." Ford said he believes senior quarterback Vinny Esposito, who's thrown four interceptions, might be trying to do too much because of McCarty's limited availability. Even with their problems, the Great Danes enter Saturday with an eight-game home winning streak. Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said he's concerned with his team coming off an overtime win over Division II St. Cloud State and a road victory over unheralded Northeastern.

Maine lost 11 starters, including seven on defense, from a team that went to the Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs last year. "We're well aware of (UAlbany)," Cosgrove said. "I told our guys that this is a team that I could see being in our league (the CAA) in the future. They have a winning tradition." Maine added a dimension in the Northeastern game with sophomore quarterback Warren Smith, an Iona transfer who came off the bench to throw for 145 yards and a touchdown. osgrove said senior Mike Brusko, more of a runner, will still start but Smith should see action.

Ford said that his team was down emotionally after last Saturday's loss. But safety Dave Casale of Troy said the Great Danes have recovered with Ford imploring the team's seniors to "step up" and lead. Casale said the three-point loss to Georgia Southern was more difficult to stomach than the blowout against UMass. "I think as a team, we realize the past is the past," Casale said. "It's time to start fresh and turn this season around."

Courtesy: M Singleais



PIECE #2

If you don’t turn the ball over, you’ll likely win in football and Bob Ford has the stats piled high in his office to back it up.The problem for Ford and his University at Albany Great Danes is that they’ve been way too turnover prone during the first two weeks of the 2009 season. “You can’t beat yourself,” Ford said. “You have to force the other guy to play better than you and beat you.”

So far, UAlbany (0-2), which takes on No. 19 Maine (2-0) today at University Field at 4 p.m., has turned the ball over seven times this season, including five last week against the University of Massachusetts. “We can’t continue that or it’ll be a disastrous season,” Ford said. “We have to put a stop to it.”

The Great Danes are currently ranked 101st out of 110 Football Championship Subdivision teams in turnover ratio at minus 2.5 per game. “We just have to be more careful with the football,” said senior quarterback Vinny Esposito. “There’s no reason why we should turn the ball over five times (in a game).” The turnovers are a bit odd considering UAlbany was +10 in turnovers in 2008 and +14 in 2007, both seasons in which they won the Northeast Conference title. “We just have to hold on to the ball and establish a running attack, which will be far easier if David McCarty is healthy,” Ford said.

McCarty, a La Salle Institute graduate and the school’s all time leading rusher has only 105 yards rushing this season and saw his streak of 21 consecutive games with a touchdown snap last week in a 44-7 loss to the Minutemen. The Gansevoort native has been dealing with a bad hamstring and injured his hip in the second quarter of last week’s game. The UMass game was a disaster for the offense, which turned the ball over on three of their first four drives and quickly found themselves trailing 10-0.

“I think that last week was more of an exception to the rule than something that will be a trend the rest of the season,” Esposito said.Esposito was 13 of 26 for 124 yards against the Minutemen, but threw three interceptions. “You can’t press when you’re on the football field,” Esposito said. “You have to play with confidence.” Ford is confident that Esposito can still be successful, he just has to play within the Great Danes offense. “Vinny is an excellent college quarterback within our scheme,” Ford said. “He can’t go out and win the game by himself. He’s not Tom Brady.”

Esposito says he feels if the team plays well they can beat any team on their schedule and that they are trying to look forward after their worst loss since a 40-0 loss to UMass on Sept. 17, 2005.“I think we rallied the troops this week,” Esposito said. “The seniors and the captains talked to the team and I think things will get going in the right direction.” Esposito celebrated his 22nd birthday on Thursday and wide receiver Tim Bush turns 22 on Sunday, but both would like to open the home schedule with a victory today. “I think the best birthday present would be to get this thing going and get in the left column with a win,” Esposito said.

Courtesy: Andrew Santillo