2016 Southern Connecticut State University Football - Game 5 Notes
Southern Connecticut (2-2, 2-1 Northeast-10) at New Haven (2-2, 2-1 Northeast-10)
Oct. 1, 2016 • 1 p.m. • West Haven, Conn.
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Week 4 Game Notes | Week Four 2-Deep | 2016 SCSU Roster | 2016 SCSU Schedule | Offensive/Combined Stats | Defensive Stats
Bragging rights and the Elm City Trophy are at stake on Saturday as the Southern Connecticut State University football team makes the short trip to West Haven to face the University of New Haven in a 1 p.m. start. Both teams enter with identical marks of 2-2 overall and 2-1 in league action.
ALL-TIME VS. UNH
The Chargers lead the all-time series against the Owls by a 19-6-1 margin. UNH has won six of the seven games since the Chargers joined the NE-10 in 2009, including six in a row.
Looking Back at the Last Meeting - UNH 28, SCSU 14 (9/25/15)
LAST TIME OUT
Junior quarterback
Raymond Catapano connected with wide receiver
Devante Jenkins for the game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass with 3:22 remaining, and redshirt junior defensive back
Justin Potts followed with his third interception of the game to seal a 21-20 victory for the Southern Connecticut State University football team over AIC on Sept. 23.
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS WIN BY ONE
It had been five years since the Owls were on the winning end of a one-point decision. Coincidentally, that last triumph also came over AIC on Oct. 22, 2011. In that game, quarterback Kevin Lynch hit wide receiver Willie Epps for their third touchdown connection of the day with just three seconds left, as the Owls rallied from down 12 with under five minutes to play to claim a 48-47 victory.
A VERY BUSY SECONDARY
The Owls totaled four interceptions as a team in the win over AIC - three by
Justin Potts and one by
Brandon Martin. The last time the Owls had registered four interceptions in a game was Oct. 25, 2014 in a victory at Stonehill.
POTTS HAS A DAY FOR THE BOOKS
Justin Potts became the first Owl in eight years to register three interceptions in a game with his performance against AIC. Kyle Sandberg had been the last to do so in the 2008 season opener, at win at West Virginia Wesleyan.
POTTS EARNS WEEKLY HONOR
Justin Potts was named the Northeast-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his play in the win over AIC.
JENKINS SCORING IN BIG SPOTS
Devante Jenkins ranked among the NCAA leaders a season ago with 15 touchdown receptions in his first year as an Owl. This year, he continues to lead the club in all major receiving categories and his two touchdowns have been big ones - the game-winning scores in triumphs over Stonehill and AIC.
CATAPANO PROVIDES A SPARK
Raymond Catapano has seen plenty of time under center in his three years as an Owl and was selected to the Northeast-10 All-Rookie Team as a freshman. Last year, he came off the bench to engineer a victory against Pace, and he did the same in the win over AIC on Sept. 23. Catapano completed 3-of-4 passes for 40 yards and also rushed for 17 yards on the eventual game-winning drive against the Yellow Jackets.
PARKS PROVES VERSATILE
Running back
Eli Parks totaled 107 all-purpose yards in the win over AIC with career-highs of 68 yards (12 carries) rushing and 39 yards (two catches) receiving.
SPEEDING TO A DAY FOR THE AGES
Wide receiver/kickoff returner
Kendall Thomas had a night to remember in the win over Stonehill. He set a new Northeast-10 Conference record with 246 kickoff return yards. The old mark of 215 was set by Stonehill's Tom O'Connell in 2001. Thomas had three returns greater than 40 yards, including a 98-yard touchdown return.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Kendall Thomas' kickoff return for a touchdown was the first for an Owl since 2002, when Jeff Cupe last accomplished the feat.
RECORD NIGHT WELL-RECOGNIZED
Kendall Thomas received a host of honors following his performance against Stonehill. He was named the Northeast-10 Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, the ECAC Special Teams Player of the Week, and received the weekly Division II-III Gold Helmet Award from the New England Football Writers Association.
THOMAS, JENKINS EARN WEEKLY LAURELS
Kendall Thomas was named the Northeast-10 Special Teams Player of the Week and
Devante Jenkins was tabbed for the weekly honor roll following the Owls' win over Stonehill.
TWO OWLS NAMED TO NE-10 WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Devante Jenkins and
Ahmed Hourani were both named to the Northeast-10 weekly honor roll for their play against Gannon.
Complete Release
IN SEASON OPENERS
Following this year's result, the Owls are 35-33-1 all-time in season openers. The 2016 season was the 69th in program history.
IN THE NE-10 PRESEASON POLL
SCSU was selected eighth in the Northeast-10 preseason poll, as voted on by the league's coaches.
THE CAPTAINS
Kayjuan Bynum,
Vasilios Grigorakos,
Devante Jenkins and
Dylan Vano will serve as team captains for the Owls this fall.
FOUR OWLS NAMED ALL-AMERICANS
SCSU had a quartet of players named All-Americans at the conclusion of the 2015 season.
Kayjuan Bynum,
Devante Jenkins,
Kameron Tedder and
Jhaaron Wallace were all selected as All-Americans by USA College Football. Jenkins and Bynum were both named First-Team All-Americans, while Tedder was a Second-Team pick and Wallace was tabbed for the Freshman All-American Team.
QUARTET HONORED BY ECAC
The Eastern College Athletic Conference also recognized four Owls for their play in 2015 -
Kayjuan Bynum,
Devante Jenkins,
Kameron Tedder and
Robert Nittolo. Bynum, Jenkins and Tedder were named All-ECAC, while Nittolo was selected as the Division II Offensive Rookie of the Year.
SIX EARN CONFERENCE HONORS
Six members of the Southern Connecticut State University football team –
Kayjuan Bynum,
Devante Jenkins,
Kameron Tedder,
Robert Nittolo,
Jhaaron Wallace and
Seimou Smith - were awarded with year-end honors from the Northeast-10 Conference, as selected by the league's coaches. Bynum, Jenkins and Tedder were named All-Conference, while Nittolo, Wallace and Smith were tabbed for the All-Rookie Team.
JENKINS NAMED ALL-REGION
Devante Jenkins was recognized as well as an All-Region selection by Don Hansen's Football Gazette for his play during the 2015 season.
IN THE MIX
With a few bounces here or there, the Owls' overall record could have been a lot different in 2015. SCSU lost four games (Gannon, Bentley, LIU-Post and Merrimack) by a combined 16 points. In addition, the Owls led in the fourth quarter of the losses to Assumption and Merrimack and were tied in the fourth quarter of the loss to New Haven.
NEAR THE TOP IN TIME OF POSSESSION
Southern Connecticut ranked No. 6 in Division II in time of possession in 2015. The Owls hung on to the ball for an average of 33:44 a game.
A BIG IMPACT ON A NATIONAL STAGE
Devante Jenkins certainly made his presence felt in his first year as an Owl. His 15 touchdown receptions were No. 4 in Division II in that category.
SCHOOL RECORD BOOK SEES SOME SHIFTING
The 2015 campaign provided several notable efforts:
Devante Jenkins
• Registered second-highest single-game receptions total (11, at Bentley)
• Posted third-highest single-season reception total (66 - record - 68)
• Registered second-best single-season touchdown reception figure (15 - record - 17)
Robert Nittolo
• Posted top-two single-game marks for total offense plays - 65, vs. Assumption and 63, vs. LIU-Post (old record - 60)
• Set new single-game record for total offense (442 yards, vs. Assumption)
• Second-highest single-game passes completed total (28, vs. Assumption)
• Third-highest single-game passes attempted total (49, vs. Assumption)
• Set new single-season record for total offense plays (442)
• Notched third-highest single-season total for passes attempted (337)
Michael McNally
• Registered fifth-best single-season punting yard total (2,184)
Team
• Second-most passing attempts in a season (357 - record - 361)
AMONG THE NE-10 LEADERS
•
Devante Jenkins was first in the league with 15 touchdown receptions. He also ranked second in receiving yards per game, third in total yards and fourth in receptions.
• The Owls had three of the top nine leaders in sacks.
Kayjuan Bynum was third with 7.5 sacks.
Kameron Tedder finished eighth (6) and
Jamie Holbrook was ninth (5.5).
•
Robert Nittolo was third in the league in passing attempts and touchdowns and fifth in completions, yards and yards per game.
•
Robert Thomas finished third in rushing touchdowns, fourth in rushing yards/game and fifth in total rushing yards.
GRIESENAUER EARNS NE-10 ACADEMIC HONORS
Tight end
Ryne Griesenauer was named to the Northeast-10 Conference Football All-Academic Team for his work in the classroom and on the field at the conclusion of the 2015 season.
ON DECK
The Owls are back in action on Oct. 8 for a road game at Pace.