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Weber State Football Notes vs. Boston College Add Comment Sep 19, 2010
G A M E # 1 @BOSTON COLLEGE
Saturday, September 4, 2010 1:00 p.m. (EDT)
Alumni Stadium (44,500) - Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
B O S T O N C O L L E G E "Eagles"
HEAD COACH
Frank Spaziani begins his 2nd year as head coach of the Eagles. He took a BC team in 2009 which was picked to finish last in the ACCs Atlantic Division, and guided them to an 8-5 record, finishing 2nd in the Atlantic Division and earning a berth in the Emerald Bowl. ... From 1999 to 2008, he served as the defensive coordinator for the Eagles and was the running backs coach in 1997 and 1998. ... He coaches four seasons in the Canadian Football League, two seasons each as the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. ... From 1982 through 1990, he served as an assistant coach at Virginia, and from 1975 through 1981, was an assistant at Navy. ... He is a 1969 graduate of Penn State where he played quarterback and linebacker for the Nittany Lions.
SERIES HISTORY
This is the first ever meeting between the two schools, and the first time the Wildcats have played a school from the ACC in football. ... The Eagles have been to Ogden, Utah before - in mens basketball. In 1983, Boston College played Virginia,led by Ralph Sampson, in the semifinals of the NCAA West Regional. The Eagles lost 95-92. Coach Gary Williams team was led by John Garris (25 pts) and Jay Murphy (23).
WEBER STATE VS. NCAA DIVISION I FBS
In 48 seasons of playing on the four-year level, Weber State is a combined 3-42-0 (.060) against teams in NCAA Division I FBS (old Division I). ... WSUs three wins have come against instate rival Utah State (44-25 in 1978) and against former Big Sky rival Nevada (1992: 23-21 / 1993: 47-30). Those were the first two years in which Nevada made the move up to NCAA Division I and were members of the Big West Conference.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Offensively, the Eagle present an NFL type offensive line. They starters average 6-6, 296 per man and the backups average 6-5, 282 per player!. .. ANTHONY CASTONZO (6-7, 295 Sr. OT) the left tackle, was named to the 2010 Lindys and Playboys Pre-Season All-America Teams and is among the top five tackles in next years 2001 NFL draft. ... He provides great protection for quarterback DAVE SHINSKIE (6-4, 216 So.). In 2009 he set a BC freshman record throwing for 2,049 yards and 15 touchdowns. MONTEL HARRIS (5-10, 200 Jr.) is well on his way to becoming one of the to runners in BC football history. He broke both the BC freshman and sophomore season rushing records. He is already the 10th all-time rushing yards leader at BC with 2,357 yards. He had eight 100+ yard rushing games in 2009 and was 2nd Team All-ACC. ... The Eagles were dealt a blow in 2010 Fall camp, losing COLIN LAMOND JR. (6-3, 200 Jr.) wide receiver for the season with an injury. He had 29 receptions for 596 yards and five touchdowns in 2009.
Defensively, the Eagles have a strong corp at linebacker, especially if MARK HERZLICH (6-4, 238 Sr.) makes it back on the field. Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewings sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer in mid-May of 2009. His story touched the country and on October 3, 2009, announced on ESPN College Game day that he was cancer-free. In November, he had a metal rod inserted into his right leg to strengthen the bone and used 2010 Spring ball to get back into shape. ... In his absence, first-year freshman LUKE KUECHLY (6-3, 225 Soph.) filled in. He was named the 2009 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named First Team All-ACC. He averaged 12.15 tackles per game, the highest average by a first-year freshman since the NCAA began tracking tackles in 2003.
WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Wildcats
COACH RON McBRIDE
Weber State head coach RON McBRIDE begins his 6th season as head coach of the Wildcats and his 19th overall as a head coach on the NCAA Division I level. ... McBride is now 32-27 (.542) at WSU and 120-90 (.571) overall. ... Mac is 24-16 (.600) in Big Sky Conference regular season games. ... Saturdays game will be McBrides first time coaching against a team from the ACC. ... In 2008 McBride was named the Big Sky Conference Coach-of-the-Year after leading the Wildcats to a 10-4 record overall and a 7-1 mark and the conference co-championship in Big Sky Conference play. It marked the first time since 1968 that the Wildcats had captured the Big Sky Conference championship. ... McBride guided his Wildcats to a 45-28 win over #2 ranked Montana during the regular season and a stunning 49-35 road win over #3 ranked Cal Poly in the first round of the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. Twelve of McBrides athletes earned First Team All-Big Sky Conference, the most by any team in a single season in the 47-year history of the league. Twenty Wildcats earned some type of all-conference honor in 2008. ... Ten Wildcats earned Second or Third Team All-America honors either by The Associated Press or The Sports Network. ... In 2009, he became the first coach in Weber State football history to guide the Wildcats to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs. WSU had made the playoff just four times since 1978, two of them have now come in the Ron McBride era. ... McBride, who will turn 71 on October 14, is one only SIX coaches in NCAA Division I (FBS / FCS) who are currently coaching. The other five are: Joe Paterno (Penn State), Howard Schnellenberger (Florida Atlantic), Bill Snyder (Kansas State), Bob Ford (University of Albany) and Jerry Moore (Appalachian State.
TRAVEL PLANS
Team and travel party are set to depart the Salt Lake City International Airport on Thursday, September 2 at 10:03 a.m. (MDT) on Delta Airlines #1210, arriving at Bostons Logan International at 4:45 (EDT). ... Team headquarters on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night will be the WESTIN WALTHAM (781) 290-5600. ... Team and travel party will depart on Sunday, September 5 at 6:30 a.m. (EDT) on Delta #1209 and arrive back in Salt Lake City at 9:59 a.m. (MDT).
RADIO / TV
Back for his 12th season as the football radio voice of Weber State football is Wildcat CARL ARKY. He will be joined in the broadcast booth by former WSU standout defensive back TY SPARROW. ... Once again, all Weber State football games will be carried LIVE on KLO (1430 AM) with the Pre-Game Show beginning 30 minutes for each kickoff. ... You can also log in at www.kloradio.com on your computer to hear the game as well. ... Saturdays game is being carried on ESPN3.com with Dave Popkin calling the action and former NFL Seattle Seahawks running back, Curt Warner, providing analysis.
WEEKLY POLLS
There will be TWO major weekly top 25 polls for NCAA Division I FCS this season. ... THE SPORTS NETWORK / FATHEAD.com poll is voted upon by sports information directors from all 125 FCS schools plus members of the media who cover those schools. ... THE FCS COACHES poll is just that. Coaches from various FCS schools representing each conference and independents vote each week. Both polls are released each Monday afternoon.
WEB SITE
The official web site for all Weber State University sports is: www.weberstatesports.com
NCAA DIVISION I FCS
...As in FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION, formerly Division I-AA. ... There are 120 members for the 2010 season. ... There are 13 Division I FCS leagues. ... Beginning this year 10 conference champions: (Big Sky, Big South, Colonial, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern and Southland) will receive automatic berths into the playoffs. ... There will be 10 At-Large teams selected for a 20-team playoff
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