Fordham Football Picked to Win Patriot League

CampusInsiders Coverage | NY Post Coverage

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (July 30, 2014) – It's been five years since the Fordham football program has been eligible for the Patriot League title but the Rams are looking to make up for lost time as they were selected as the unanimous choice to win the crown in the League's preseason poll announced on Wednesday at Patriot League Football Media Day at Green Pond Country Club.
 
The Rams notched all 12 first-place votes from their opponents to finish with 72 points in the poll. Lehigh came in second with 54 points, followed by Lafayette with 51 and the remaining two first-place nods as voters could not select their own school. Bucknell (43), Colgate (33), Holy Cross (29) and Georgetown (12) rounded out the preseason rankings which were voted on by Patriot League football head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Fordham comes off a historic season where it finished 12-2 overall, made the second round of the FCS playoffs and placed in the top ten of both national polls. The Rams are predicted to pick up right where they left off as they feature a senior-laden roster that has received plenty of preseason accolades. Quarterback Mike Nebrich and wide receiver Sam Ajala are both candidates for the Walter Payton Award as the Most Outstanding Player in the FCS, while linebacker Stephen Hodge is up for the Buck Buchanan Award as the Top Defensive Player in the nation. Nebrich and Hodge were the Patriot League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, last season, and carry those same titles for the preseason. All three players are all Preseason All-America selections along with tight end Dan Light and offensive lineman Mason Halter. Seven others joined the group as Preseason All-Patriot League picks including wide receivers Tebucky Jones and Brian Wetzel, placekicker Michael Marando, defensive linemen DeAndre Slate and Brett Biestek, defensive back Ian Williams and punter Joe Pavlik. Linebacker Austin Hancock and defensive backs Jordan Chapman and Levon Williams were also All-Patriot League picks last season as the Rams return all but two of their 17 All-League players. Fordham will be in search of its first Patriot League title since 2007.

 

Individually, senior quarterback Mike Nebrich and senior linebacker Stephen Hodge were named Patriot League Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, while ten other Rams were named preseason All-Patriot League.  
 
Nebrich and Hodge, the 2013 Patriot League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, have amassed numerous preseason honors in 2014. Nebrich, who placed fifth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award as the Most Outstanding Player in the FCS last fall, was named to the Payton Award Watch List in 2014 while Hodge was named to the 2014 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List for the FCS Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Nebrich enjoyed one of the best regular seasons for a quarterback in school history in 2013, completing 353-of-480 passes (73.5%) for 4,380 yards with 35 touchdowns, and also rushed for 513 yards and nine scores. His completion percentage led the nation as did his total offense (376.4 yards/game) while he also ranked in the top five nationally in passing yards per game (336.9 - third), passing efficiency (171.3 - second), completions per game (27.15 - third), and points responsible for per contest (20.5 – third). He went 11-0 as the starting quarterback during the regular season in 2013, one of only two FCS signal-callers to put up an undefeated mark for the season. He set every school single season passing record this fall, eclipsing John Skelton's 2009 record of 284 completions for 3,708 yards and Mark Carney's 2001 mark of 27 passing touchdowns. Nebrich also set a Fordham record with 524 passing yards in a win against Holy Cross on Nov. 2.
 
Hodge finished the 2013 season with 124 tackles, 94 solo, including 16 tackles for loss, five sacks, five forced fumbles, four quarterback hurries, three fumble recoveries and an interception. He led the nation in solo tackles/game (6.7) and led the Patriot League and was eighth the in country with the five forced fumbles. Hodge helped key Fordham's upset of Temple on Sept. 14 by making 11 tackles with a sack and a forced fumble, and also earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Georgetown (14 tackles, sack) and Holy Cross (15 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 FF). He was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week three times, tying Hodge for the most in League history.
 

Joining Nebrich on the Preseason All-Patriot League team selections on offense for the Rams are the senior wide receiving trio of Sam Ajala, Tebucky Jones and Brian Wetzel, along with tight end Dan Light, offensive lineman Mason Halter and placekicker Michael Marando.
 
Along with Hodge, other defensive Rams named to the Preseason All-Patriot League team are senior DeAndre Slate and graduate student Brett Biestek on the defensive line along senior defensive back Ian Williams and sophomore punter Joe Pavlik.
 
Fordham opens the 2014 season on Saturday, August 30, when they host the Saint Francis (Pa.) University Red Flash on Jack Coffey Field at 6:00 PM. Season and individual game tickets are available through the Fordham Ticket Office.