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UNH shifts focus to Elon

DURHAM – After going on the road and losing two tough games to start the season, the University of New Hampshire football team returned home and has bounced back with a pair of wins, including Saturday’s 23-6 decision over Duquesne in front of a Family Weekend crowd of 7,920.

The path ahead holds nothing but Colonial Athletic Association games, starting with Saturday’s Homecoming test against Elon, the final of a three-game homestand and the team’s last contest in Wildcat Stadium until November.

“We’re definitely where we want to be,” said senior safety and captain Pop Lacey. “After the first two what we believe were two heartbreaking losses in the beginning, we’re finally in the win column and we’re finally hitting our stride. We’re playing UNH football and we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. We’re excited about that. Right now we have nothing but positives around our program. We have another home game next week, so we’re excited for that as well.”

Interim head coach Ricky Santos, who took over when Sean McDonnell announced he was taking a leave of absence to deal with health issues on Aug. 26, and the Wildcats are back on track. They led their opener at Holy Cross late in the fourth quarter and led halfway through the third quarter in their FBS game at Florida International University, but were unable to close out either game.

Against Rhode Island in Week 3, UNH let a lead slip away and then won the game 27-24 with a Jason Hughes field goal as time expired.

Saturday, the defense was dominant throughout and Jason Hughes kicked his third field goal of the game to make it 16-0 late in the third quarter. In the fourth, senior running back Evan Gray busted a 72-yard run for a touchdown to seal things before a Duquesne score in the last minute.

Seconds later, the Wildcats were evened up at two wins, two losses on the season and ready to carry momentum into Homecoming.

“It started out rough at 0-2,” said Gray, another of the team’s four captains. “But we all looked at each other saying we’re not panicking. We’re good. Got to keep playing. We’ve got to play for Mac. We’ve got to play as one. No bringing anybody down. It’s nobody’s fault. We’re playing together and I really enjoy that. It’s a good feeling. Defense picks us up and offense needs to get back and moving and start finishing the game.”

They did put Duquesne away eventually, but they want more.

The offense line led the way again and the Wildcats collected 231 rushing yards and 433 totals yards. It was explosive again, too. Each of the last three games the unit has produced at least one play of at least 72 yards.

That Hughes kicked three fields goals – including a career-best 45-yarder to cap UNH’s first possession of the game – was great. But the offense is looking for touchdowns in those situations.

“We’ve had to rely on Hughesie a lot,” Gray said. “He’s a great kicker but we need to start counting by sevens in these upcoming games. Got to work on that and it starts tomorrow.”

Finishing drives with touchdowns, as well as finishing the game will continue to be a focus against Elon, one of the rising teams in the CAA and one of several that have been ranked nationally this year.

“Any team in the CAA is a good team in my opinion,” Gray said. “It’s a statement game. We’ve got to get ready to play them. They got us last year at their house so we need to come together, have a great week of practice and be ready.”

The Phoenix beat UNH for the first time last season, 30-9, and were ranked as high as No. 5 in the country in November. They qualified for the FCS playoffs and lost in the first round at Wofford.

Elon was ranked No. 24 last week, but lost at home to No. 2 James Madison, 45-10, Saturday and will bring a 2-3 record into Saturday’s game.

Tony Trisciani, a Manchester native and former UNH assistant coach, is in his first year as head coach of the Phoenix. Trisciani coached the Wildcat running backs from 1998-2000 and defensive backs from 2001-2004.

Elon lost its opener at No, 21 North Carolina A&T, 24-21, beat the Citadel and Richmond and then dropped its FBS game at Wake Forest, 49-7, before falling to James Madison.

The Phoenix will be trying to snap their two-game skid, while the Wildcats look to extend their two-game winning streak.

“I’m so proud of the way we’re building from Week 1 to Week 2 to last week to now and I think we’re a completely different team than started the season and we have a lot of momentum going back into league play,” Santos said.

NEXT UP

  • Elon has lost its last two games to tough opponents: 49-7 at Wake Forest and 45-10 to No. 2 James Madison.
  • Elon junior quarterback Davis Cheek has completed 71 of his 130 passes for 925 yards with nine touchdowns and one interception.
  • JMU had 336 yards rushing against Elon on Saturday and 521 total yards.
  • The Phoenix had 33 yards rushing and 227 total yards.
  • UNH lost, 30-9, at No. 9 Elon last season and fell to 0-4 on the season.
  • The Wildcats went 4-3 the rest of the way.
  • The Phoenix rushed for 193 yards and had 451 total yards against UNH last year. They held the Wildcats to 44 yards rushing and 218 total yards.
  • UNH beat No. 7 Elon, 16-6, when the teams last met in Durham on Nov. 11, 2017.

UNH BY THE NUMBERS

  • The UNH defense held Duquesne to 50 yards rushing and 233 yards of total offense.
  • The Dukes averaged 31 points, 196.3 yards rushing and 364.3 yards of offense entering the game.
  • The Wildcats held Mark Allen, a transfer from Penn State, to 50 yards rushing on 13 carries.
  • Prince Smith, Jr. and Lacey each had his first interception of the season for the Wildcats.
  • Junior defensive end Brian Carter had his first two quarterback sacks of the season.
  • Freshman quarterback Max Brosmer completed 17 of his 31 passes for 202 yards.
  • Gray had 10 carries for 99 yards.
  • UNH is up to 192.5 yards rushing a game, fourth best in the CAA.
  • The Wildcats are giving up 18.2 points game, second to JMU’s 12.6.
  • The defense is allowing 135.5 yards per game, fourth in the league.
  • The offense is eighth in yards per game at 395.8.
  • The defense is third at 354.2 yards allowed.
  • UNH lost a fumble and picked off two passes for plus-one in turnover margin.
  • The Wildcats are minus-three in turnover margin for the season.
  • Hughes made three of his five field goal attempts in the game.
  • The 45-yarder Hughes made to open the scoring was the longest of his career. He is seven for 10 for the season.
  • UNH converted five field goals in all of 2018, six in 2017 and seven in 2016.
  • Hughes was the first UNH kicker to make three field goals in a game since Mike MacArthur had three against Albany on Nov. 16, 2013.
  • Gray is fourth in the league at 80.2 rushing yards a game.
  • Carlos Washington, Jr. is sixth at 67.8 per game.
  • Carter and Lacey had six tackles each to lead the defense.
  • Perkins had three pass breakups.
  • Junior safety Evan Horn had a sack and junior defensive tackle Elijah Lewis and senior defensive end Josh Kania had half a sack each.
  • Laube is sixth in the CAA in all-purpose yards with 116.8 per game.

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