The Hofstra Pride kick off their 68th season of football tonight when they tackle the Huskies of the University of Connecticut at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised live in the metropolitan area on SportsNet New York (SNY) with Bob Picozzi calling the play-by-play and Jim Donnan providing color commentary.
Tonight's game is the fifth meeting between Hofstra and Connecticut in a series that started in 1996. But it is also the first meeting against the Huskies since UConn became a FBS and Big East member. The series stands tied at 2-2 with each team posting a 1-1 mark at home. The Pride defeated the Huskies, 24-16, at Memorial Stadium in Storrs in 1996, and 56-17 at Shuart Stadium in Hempstead in 1999. The Huskies downed the Pride on Long Island, 35-31, in 1997, and 40-18 in Storrs in 1998. UConn, the 2007 Big East Champions, posted a 9-4 overall record, a 5-2 mark in conference play and played in the Meinke Car Care Bowl last season.
The Pride is 0-2 against members of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly I-A. Hofstra dropped games at Marshall in 2003 and 2006. In addition the Pride defeated two other current FBS teams while in their transition from I-AA. In 1999 the Pride, who recorded a 10-1 mark that season, defeated Buffalo, 20-13, and South Florida, 42-23, on the road.
The Pride has 10 starters, including seven on offense, returning from the 7-4 squad in 2007. Leading the offense is senior tri-captain, quarterback Bryan Savage (Springfield, PA). Savage completed 232 of 367 passes for 2,668 yards with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions last season. His yardage total in 2007 ranks sixth on the Hofstra single season passing list. He ranked fourth in the CAA and was 15th in the FCS in total offense (270.0 ypg). Savage, who posted six games with 250 or more passing yards including three 300-yard games in 2007, was also fourth in the CAA in passing yards per game with a 242.5 average.
On defense, junior tri-captain, linebacker Luke Bonus (Medford Lakes, NJ) leads a young but talented unit in 2008. The 2006 conference Defensive Rookie of the Year and all-conference selection, Bonus was third on the Pride and 24th in the CAA in tackles with 84 (42-42) last season. He posted four double-digit tackle games in 2007. Bonus also led the Pride in pass deflections with six.
Bonus' and Savage's experience and leadership will be key as Hofstra's probable starters for the season opener against Connecticut include seven defensive players, three offensive players and a kicker who will be making their starting debut in a Hofstra uniform. The Pride, who graduated 24 seniors including 14 starters, will be starting three new faces in the secondary, two at linebacker, two on the defensive line, two offensive linemen and a tailback. Three of the newcomers, graduate student linebacker Anthony Vernaglia (Anaheim Hills, CA), from Notre Dame, junior cornerback Leslie Jackman (Freeport, NY) from Rutgers, and junior safety Ray McDonough (Los Angeles, CA), from Glendale (CA) CC, are transfers while three others, safety Greg Melendez (Brooklyn, NY), offensive tackle Derek Moore (Granville, OH) and tailback Larry Gaskins (Conshohocken, PA) are red-shirt freshmen. Junior defensive tackle Zach Carney (Wynatskill, NY), sophomore defensive tackle Andrew Nelson (Uniondale, NY), linebacker Deron Mayo (Hampton, VA) and center Jaren Harrell (Quartz Hill, CA), and true freshman kicker Brian Hanly (Wyckoff, NJ) will also be making their Pride starting debut.
Hofstra has won 23 of its last 25 season openers dating back to 1983. The Pride has posted a 42-23-2 all-time record in season openers. In 2002 the University of Montana ended Hofstra's streak of 19 consecutive season opener victories, as well as the Pride's 255-game, non-shutout streak in a 21-0 decision. In 2003 the Pride dropped its season opener at FBS Marshall, 45-21.
The Pride has posted a .500 or better record in 46 of their 67 seasons. Hofstra has recorded a 394-254-11 record (.606) in its 659 games. 2008 also marks the second season of Colonial Athletic Association Football, which sent a record five conference members to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs last season. The Pride is 64-48 (.571) in regular season play since the start of the 1998 season and has posted a 96-58-1 (.623) record since becoming a member of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly I-AA, in 1994.
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