Oct. 19, 2010
Georgia State Game Notes in PDF Format
Game Seven
Saturday, October 23rd - 3:30 p.m. (EST)
Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium - Norfolk, Va.
Old Dominion Monarchs (3-3) vs.
Georgia State Panthers (5-2)
TV: Cox Communications and The Comcast Network (TCN) throughout the east and southeast
(John Castleberry - Play-by-Play; Sonny Randle - Color Analyst)
Comcast Affiliate List in PDF Format
Radio: ESPN RADIO - 94.1 FM, WGAI-560 AM
(Ted Alexander - Play-by-Play; Andy Mashaw - Color Analyst; Demetrius Means - Sideline)
Video: Monarch All-Access (Subscription Required>
Livestats: Gametracker
Weekly Press Conference Video: Monarch All-Access (Subscription Required)
Breakfast With Bobby: Episode Seven
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HOMECOMING CENTRAL: Calendar of Events
SATURDAY, OCT 23 - What's Going On:
11:30 a.m. - Parking lots open for football game
Noon. - Walmart Tailgate and Fanfest opens for activities including alumni tent, student tent,athletic promotions tent, live music, food and beverages for sale
1:10 p.m. - Monarch March - ODU football team walks through Kaufman Mallen route to stadium
2 p.m. - Monarch Maniacs, Suites, and Loge Ticket holders admitted to stadium
2 p.m. - Stadium gates open
2:30 p.m. - ODU pre-game radio show begins from Walmart Tailgate and Fanfest
2:45 p.m. - Marching Monarchs, cheerleaders, and dance team perform at Walmart Tailgate and Fanfest then march into the stadium
3:16 p.m. - Marching Monarchs pre-game performance in the stadium
3:37 p.m. - Kick-off - Old Dominion vs. Georgia State
Post Game - "5th quarter" - Marching Monarchs performance in stadium
BATTLE OF THE NEWCOMERS:
It was just a year ago Old Dominion was in its first year as a FCS program and now they take on the newest member of the FCS family and soon-to-be CAA family. Georgia State announced plans to start up football in 2008 and kicked off its first season a mere seven weeks ago. Today they enter Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium with a 5-2 overall mark. The Panthers will join the CAA in 2012.
Here is a look at schools that have started football programs over the last few years:
School: - FCS/FBS: - Year Started: - Record First Season:
Old Dominion - FCS - 2009 - 9-2
Robert Morris- FCS - 1994 - 7-1-1
Coastal Carolina - FCS - 2003 - 6-5
FIU - FBS - 2002 - 5-6
South Florida - FBS - 1997 - 5-6
Florida Atlantic - FBS - 2001 - 4-6
Jacksonville - FCS - 1998- 4-5
Bryant - FCS - 1998 - 2-5
Campbell - FCS- 2008 - 1-10
ADDING FOOTBALL:
Old Dominion and Georgia State are just a handful of programs that have brought football to their campuses the last few years. Here are some others who are starting up football:
School: - FCS/FBS: - Conference: - Year Starting:
Georgia State - FCS - CAA - 2010
Lamar - FCS - Southland - 2010
UT-San Antonio - FCS - Independent - 2011/FBS - Sunbelt - 2014
Charlotte - FCS- TBA - 2013
South Alabama - FCS - Independent - 2010/FBS - Sun Belt - 2014
BLUE OUT:
Old Dominion is asking all the 12th Monarchs to wear blue to Saturday's Homecoming contest with Georgia State to "Blue Out" Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium for the Cox Communications cameras. Game Day Blue Out T-Shirts are currently available at the ODU Bookstore located on the corner of 45th street and Monarch Way. The Blue Out T-shirts are $15.
ABOUT GEORGIA STATE:
An Atlanta native and former head coach at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky, Panthers' head coach Bill Curry was introduced on June 12, 2008, eight weeks after the football program was officially launched on April 17, 2008. Curry has 17 years of experience as a head coach in the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference-- including Coach of the Year awards in both leagues--as well as an All- Pro playing career in the NFL and most recently, national notoriety as a college football analyst for ESPN. In the NFL, he participated in three Super Bowls and two Pro Bowls and was part of three cham- pionship teams (1965, 1966 and 1970).
The Panthers improved to 5-2 with a 20-17 overtime victory over North Carolina Central last Saturday at the Georgia Dome. After NCCU tied the game on a field goal with five seconds left in regulation, former Georgia Tech walk-on Iain Vance won it for GSU with a 33-yard field goal in overtime.
The Panthers hit the road for the first of two consecutive road games after playing six of their first seven games at home in the Georgia Dome. Georgia State's first game at home drew 30,237.
In just seven games played to date, Georgia State has already played in two overtime contests, going 1-1, including last weekend's win over North Carolina Central. In week three, the Panthers put a scare into then fourth-ranked Jacksonville State before falling 34-27 in overtime. GSU rallied to tie the game with four minutes left in regulation and then stopped the Gamecocks to force overtime.
KICKOFF RETURN RECORDS:
Old Dominion's Colby Goodwyn set the Division I record (FBS or FCS) for kickoff return yardage in a game with 333 yards in his nine returns against #14/16 Cal Poly two weeks ago. The old mark was 326 by Eastern Washington's Bashir Livingston on Oct. 31, 1998. The FBS record is 319 by Iowa State's Leonard Johnson on Nov. 1, 2008. Old Dominion also set the record for most kickoff return yardage by a team (365 yards on 11 returns).
On top of Goodwyn's new NCAA marks, he managed to also put his name into the Monarch record book as well. His 89-yard kickoff return that lead to Reid Evans' touchdown reception in the second quarter againt the Mustangs was the longest kick return by a Monarch to-date. Goodwyn would later have a 79-yard kick return that places his name again the record books, this time with the second-longest kick return in the brief history of ODU football. The previous high was a 76-yard return by Mario Crawford in ODU's historic opener against Chowan last year.
HE'S STILL NUMBER ONE:
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Plisco continues to lead the FCS in punting averaging 46.9 yards per punt. He has totaled 1079 yards on 23 punts with 11 of those punts reaching a distance of 50 yards or more.
ON THE MEND:
Center Jeremy Hensley will miss the remainder of the 2010 season after suffering a broken ankle against #14/#16 Cal Poly back on October 9th. Hensley had started all 17 ODU contests to date at center.
BREAKING-UP IS HARD TO DO:
T.J. Cowart (Va. Beach, Va.) registered three pass break-ups each in games against William & Mary and Gardner-Webb, tying for the most in a game by a Monarch. Cowart has interrupted opponent quarterback throws 10 times in his two years at Old Dominion as the Monarchs' leader in the stat.
MORE RECORD BOOK MATERIAL:
While the ODU Football program is only in its second year of existence and 17 games old, another set of records were broke in the Monarchs' 35-21 win over Monmouth on September 25th.
Wide receiver Prentice Gill (Los Angeles, Calif.) finished the game with 154 yards receiving, the most by a Monarch in a game and only the third time a Monarch receiver has recorded over 100 yards receiving. The junior transfer from LA Harbor College posted two touchdowns and also a two-point converstion on his six catches against the Hawks. He surpassed the previous receiving record of 103 yards held by Nick Mayers (Va. Beach, Va.) in the game last season at Fordham.
Quarterback Thomas DeMarco (Palm Desert, Calif.) connected on 28 of his 47 attempts in the air, including four touchdowns, en-route to his first 400+ yard passing game of his career. The redshirt junior signal caller captured 407 yards in the air, surpassing his previous high of 334 yards registered in the season opener against Jacksonville.
ANOTHER MILESTONE:
Quarterback Thomas DeMarco (Palm Desert, Calif.) surpassed the 1,000 career rushing mark at Monmouth on September 25th with 14 yards on 10 carries in the 35-21 win against the Hawks. To date, DeMarco has totaled 1113 yards on 231 attempts. Next on the career list is running back Mario Crawford who enters Saturday's contest with 842 yards on 161 carries.
NUMBERS GAME:
With his four touchdown passes in the 50-37 loss to #14/16 Cal Poly two weeks ago, Thomas DeMarco (Palm Desert, Calif.) brought his career touchdown pass number to 36. Demarco also has 20 rushing touchdowns to his name, his last being the game-winner against Gardner-Webb. He is currently ranked fourth in the nation in total offense at 311.83 yards a game.
BLOCK THAT KICK:
Special teams now has nine blocks to its credit in the last two seasons. Deron Mayo had a blocked field goal during the first quarter vs Gardner-Webb to preserve ODU's 7-0 lead against the Runnin' Bulldogs. Alex Arain blocked a punt, ODU's first blocked punt, at Monmouth the previous weekend. Chris Burnette has two blocked PATs and Edmon McClam holds an FCS record with five blocked PATs from last season.
JERSEY BOYS:
"In all due respect," this note isn't about ODU's trip up to New Jersey during week four. This note is about the new Nike uniforms brought out for the William & Mary game back on September 18th. The Monarchs warmed up in their normal dark blue jersey with white numbers, but right before kick head coach Bobby Wilder had a surprise for his team. Entering the locker room for one last time before the game started, the Monarchs walked in to see new black Nike uniforms with dark blue numbers sitting in each of their lockers. ODU also sported the "new look" against the #14/16 Cal Poly Mustangs in their last home game What uniforms will the Monarchs wear this weekend?
12th MONARCH MOMENTS:
There may be 11 Monarchs on the field, but the 12th Monarch is in the stands. Thanks to all the noise of being "Loud and Proud" from the 12th Monarchs at Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium, the opposition was charged with 41 penalties last season and 27 so far in 2010.
2009 12th Monarch Stats:
Chowan: Seven Penalties
Virginia Union: Eight Penalties
Monmouth: Three Penalties
Presbyterian: Four Penalties
Campbell: Eight Penalties
Georgetown: Five Penalties
N.C. Central: Six Penalties
2010 12th Monarch Stats:
Jacksonville: Seven Penalties
William & Mary:Eight Penalties
Gardner-Webb:Five Penalties
Cal Poly:Seven Penalties
OPENING WITH A BANG:
And no, we're not talking about the howitzer you hear being shot off before the Monarchs run onto Foreman Field. Old Dominion has scored on its opening drive in four of its games this season. In their last game, the Monarchs opened the game kicking off, when Lee Daniel (Balitmore, Md.) recovered the on-side kick and five plays later, ODU was up 7-0. Desmond Williams (Windsor, N.C.) found his way into the end zone on a 10-yard run, giving the Monarchs their earliest score of the year and making it the 11th time in the 17 game history of the program the Monarchs have scoring on its opening possession.
TOUGHEST TICKET IN TOWN:
Response for Monarch football has been overwhelming. 14,377 season tickets were sold with season ticket applications made available in Feb. 2008. The school had to unfortunately turn away 296 season ticket orders for a total of 1,065 season tickets due to demand in the first season. The Monarchs enjoyed a 92% percent renewal rate for year number two and went to the waiting list and promptly sold out of season tickets. A limited number of six-game packages were also available for purchase. Those tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. August 17th and sold out. Just under 500 tickets were scooped up in a little more than two hours. Tickets are also heavily in demand among the student population. Over 1,200 ODU students were in line when distribution began on Monday, August 24th at 8 a.m. for the inaugural game vs. Chowan on September 5th and over 2,500 student tickets were handed out on the first day. By the next night, only approximately 100 student tickets were available. The Monarch student population one-upped themselves this year as ticket distribution for the home opener vs. Jacksonville on September 4th were made available on Monday, August 30th at 7 a.m. and were completely gone by 2:30 p.m. that day. When the ticket windows opened, the line wrapped around the Ted Constant Convocation Center as head coach Bobby Wilder, his assistant coaches, and the 2010 captains were on hand to hand out donuts to those first in line. Student tickets for William & Mary, Gardner-Webb, and Georgia State were all scooped up in less than 24 hours.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING:
The Monarchs made history on September 5th when a three-year dream became a reality. On May 31, 2006, the ODU board of visitors voted to add football and 1,293 days later, the Monarchs kicked off their first season of Division I FCS play. ODU played an 11-game schedule, including seven home dates at the $24.8 million renovated Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium. The schedule was a mix of both D-II and D-I FCS opponents to help the Monarchs transition into not only its first year of football, but also to get ready for entering the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in 2011, the toughest FCS conference in the nation.
For more information on ODU Football, see complete game notes