Nov. 5, 2007

Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham University football Rams swept the weekly Patriot League awards with Jonte Coven (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) being named Offensive Player of the Week, James Crockett (Maple Heights, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel) earning Defensive Player of the Week honors, Ben Dato (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing) receiving his second straight Special Teams Player of the Week award and Xavier Martin (Staten Island, N.Y./Xaverian) being voted the Rookie of the Week, it was announced today.

Last Saturday, Fordham upended Holy Cross, 24-21, on Jack Coffey Field to clinch at least a share of the Patriot League title and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs. It will be Fordham's second appearance in the NCAA playoffs since the Rams moved to the NCAA I-AA in 1989, the first since 2002.

Coven, a senior running back, rushed 29 times for a career-high 167 yards against the Crusaders on Saturday. He scored the Rams' first touchdown on a 61-yard rush in the first quarter, the longest run of his Fordham career, while also setting up Fordham's final score, rushing eight times for 41 yards on a 13-play fourth quarter drive that ended with a field goal for a 24-14 Fordham lead with 6:30 to play. The 167 rushing yards surpassed his previous career-best of 152 yards set earlier this year at Georgetown.

On the year, Coven leads the Rams and is ranked second in the Patriot League, averaging 89.1 rushing yards/game. He has gained 891 yards on 171 carries with five touchdowns while also catching eight passes for 42 yards.

Crockett, a sophomore linebacker, had a career-day against Holy Cross, recovering a fumble in the end zone for a score and picking off a pass in the final seconds to secure the Fordham win. On the touchdown, Holy Cross' Josh Jenkins attempted to field a punt on the Holy Cross five but fumbled the ball into the end zone where Crockett fell on it for a 21-7 Fordham advantage with 4:18 left in the third. Then, with the Crusaders driving for a potential game-winning score, Crockett stepped in front of a Dominic Randolph pass attempt with ten seconds remaining, only Randolph's sixth interception this season in 393 attempts. Crockett finished with seven total tackles, four solo, including one for a loss and two pass deflections.

On the year, Crockett has 60 total tackles, 40 solo, including 6.5 for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He also has two interceptions and five pass deflections.

Dato, a senior punter, averaged 46.6 yards/punt on eight kicks, some into a stiff wind, against Holy Cross to earn his second straight Special Teams Player of the Week honor. He punted eight times for 373 yards with two of his kicks downed inside the Holy Cross 20.

On the year, Dato has punted 57 times for 2,563 yards, an average of 45.0 yards/punt, with a long of 66 yards. He has also placed 22 of his 57 punts inside the opponent's 20. He leads the Patriot League and is first in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in net punting average and second in overall punting average.

Martin, a freshman running back, carried 14 times for 75 yards in the Holy Cross game while also returning two kickoffs for 60 yards to earn his third Rookie of the Week award. He was part of a Fordham rushing attack that gained 298 yards on the day.

On the season, Martin is second on the team with 115 carries for 581 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns.

After a bye week this Saturday, Fordham will close out the 2007 regular season on Saturday, November 17th, as the Rams play host to the Bucknell University Bison in a Patriot League game on Jack Coffey Field at 1:00 PM.