UAlbany Holds Annual Football Media Luncheon; Bob Ford Names 2010 Team Captains

Albany, N.Y. - University at Albany head football coach Bob Ford announced on Tuesday, Aug. 17 that Andy Sparano, Mike Kelly, Chris Blais and Kyle O'Keefe will serve as football captains for the 2010 season. The Great Danes begin their schedule on the road against Maine on Thursday, Sept. 2.

Sparano, a 5-foot-11, 270-pound offensive lineman from Colleyville, Texas, has moved from guard to center this season. He was named to the preseason All-Northeast Conference squad. Sparano, whose father is the Miami Dolphins' head coach, shared the team's top offensive lineman award last year and has made 29 career appearances.

A senior defensive end from West Long Branch, N.J., Kelly has earned three varsity letters and totaled 88 tackles and 10.5 hits for a loss during his career. Kelly, who also works as a long snapper on special teams, missed three games last year due to an injury. He had 52 tackles and 5.5 sacks, the seventh-highest total in the program's FCS history, as a sophomore.

Blais, a senior from Troy, N.Y., missed all of last season with two separate hand injuries. A 6-foot outside linebacker, Blais made 31 tackles during the 2008 campaign when the Great Danes won the Gridiron Classic and Northeast Conference championship.

O'Keefe, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound offensive guard, is in his second year as a starter. As a sophomore, he blocked for an offense that ranked among the NEC leaders at 26.6 points and 341.3 total yards per game.

Paw Prints: The Sports Network has released its national Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Top 25 Preseason Poll ... Stephen F. Austin, the Great Danes' opponent in Nacogdoches, Texas on Sept. 11, is ranked No. 8 ... Maine, Robert Morris and Central Connecticut State, more teams on the UAlbany schedule, are receiving votes in the poll.

Media Day Quotes

Head Coach Bob Ford (Do you like what you have seen from this team so far?)
"Yes, there is nothing that I have seen that I don't like. We have had great enthusiasm. We are missing a lot of veterans and lost 17 of them, which is a problem you have in college if you are doing it right. We have talent, but it's untested talent. We will find out pretty quickly how good they are going to be, but I think when all the smoke clears we will be a pretty good football team."

Tailback/Quarterback Andrew Smith (Do you have any clue where you will be playing this season?)

"There is a lot speculation going on, but right now it's just a little bit of everywhere. I have had to learn every position in the playbook which is pretty hard, but it's fun. That's what I want to do. I told coach when I came in that yes, I want the ball. Obviously, being quarterback is my dream, but this is a close second and it doesn't matter to me as long as I get the ball a lot and just go out there and play and have fun. It should be fun, and hopefully I can go out there and do what I came to do."


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information