#11/12 Football Opens Season with Win over Saint Francis

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Bronx, N.Y. (August 30, 2014) – Missing some keys players, Fordham head coach Joe Moorhead preached to his players in the week leading up to the season opener that the Rams should not use it as an excuse. He told those who were stepping into the role to embrace the opportunity to contribute, which many did, as the #11/12 Rams opened the 2014 season with a 52-23 win over Saint Francis University on Jack Coffey Field.
 
The win was Fordham's eighth straight on Jack Coffey Field, setting a school record for longest home winning streak since the venue opened in 1970. The former seven-game mark was set between 2001 and 2002.
 
No one on the squad took Moorhead's plea to heart better than freshman running back Chase Edmonds. He set the school freshman rushing record with 181 yards on 19 carries with two touchdowns (the former mark was 157 yards set by Xavier Martin in 2007). He also accumulated 119 kickoff yards on three returns and for good measure made a tackle on special teams. About the only thing he didn't do tonight was sell popcorn, but if given the opportunity, it would probably be a good bet to invest in Orville Redenbacher's® stock.
 
The 52 points put on the board by the Rams is the most by Fordham in a season opener on Jack Coffey Field against an NCAA FCS opponent (previous record was the 51 points scored by Fordham against Rhode Island in last year's season opener).
 

The Rams amassed 427 yards of total offense, led by Edmonds and quarterback Mike Nebrich, who completed eleven passes for 188 yards and three scores.
 
Not to be outdone by the offense, the Fordham defense stepped up, recording eight tackles for loss, five sacks, forcing three fumbles and holding the Red Flash to just 36 passing yards in the game.
 
Edmonds got things going for the Rams, taking the opening kickoff 65 yards to the Saint Francis 35 but the Rams couldn't take advantage of the field position as they turned the ball over on a fumble.
 
After holding the Red Flash to a three-and-out, Fordham took over on its own 34 and drove to the Saint Francis 12 where Michael Marando connected on a 29-yard field goal to give the Rams 3-0 lead with 8:51 left in the first.
 
Later in the first, the Rams took over on the Red Flash 41 and Edmonds went to work, carrying six straight times to put the ball on the three where Nebrich connected on a three-yard pass with Dan Light for a 10-0 Fordham lead with 2:01 on the clock.
 
On their next possession, Edmonds again stepped up for Fordham, gaining 44 yards on a second down carry to put the ball on the Saint Francis 25. On the next play, Nebrich found Robbie Cantelli in the end zone and a 17-0 lead 1:21 into the second quarter. It was Cantelli's first collegiate reception and touchdown.
 
Later in the quarter the Rams used another big play from special teams to set up a score. Brian Wetzel returned a punt 52 yards to the Saint Francis three where Kendall Pearcey picked up the three yards on two carries to give Fordham a 24-0 lead with 6:40 remaining in the half.
 
Saint Francis responded with a seven-play, 51-yard drive that stalled on the Fordham 13 where Lance Geesey booted a 30-yard field goal with 3:31 left to make it a 24-3 game.
 
The 24-3 score held up until Fordham's first possession of the second half. The defense held the Red Flash to a three-and-out and Saint Francis lined up to punt but the snap sailed over the head of punter Zach Drayer who was tackled back at the four. Edmonds covered those four yards on the next play to put the Rams up 31-3, 2:16 into the second half.
 

Later in the third, Marlon Crook, Jr. sacked Saint Francis quarterback Max Ward, casing a fumble which was recovered by Fordham's Nick Merino on the Red Flash 24. Four plays later Pearcey scored his second touchdown of the game with a 12-yard run to give the Rams a 38-3 advantage with 2:09 left in the third.
 
The Saint Francis offense came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring on a Khairi Dickson one-run run three minutes into the period but Edmonds responded with another long kickoff return (44 yards) and Nebrich found Wetzel in the end zone on the next play for a 45-10 Fordham lead 17 seconds after the Red Flash score.
 
Dickson scored again for Saint Francis on a 46-yard run on the next possession but the Rams came right back, covering 75 yards on just five plays with Edmonds covering the final five for his second score of the contest and a 52-17 Fordham lead with 7:36 left.
 
Saint Francis' Marcus Begley closed out the night's scoring with an eight-yard run with 2:09 remaining.
 
Tebucky Jones, Jr., led all receivers with five catches for 72 yards while Light had four for 13 yards and Wetzel three for 78.
 
Defensively, Victor DiFusco led all tacklers with 12 stops, nine solo, while Crook added seven, including 2.5 sacks and he forced a fumble, while JQ Bowers also had seven tackles, including one sack.
 
The Rams return to action next Saturday, September 6, when they travel to Villanova, Pa., to face the Villanova University Wildcats in Villanova Stadium at 3:30 p.m. in a game that will be televised by the American Sports Network.
 
Notes
The Rams a displayed a two tight end offense tonight with Light and Phazahn Odom starting, something that hadn't been seen at Rose Hill the past three years… Along with Odom, Pearcey, Kyle Vaughn (OL), and Tony Fox (DL) all made their first starts for the Rams… Joining Edmonds and Fox in making their collegiate debuts were freshmen Jarred Brevard, Caleb Ham, Liam Cadman, Niko Thorpe, Ben Hartman, Anthony Coyle, Conor Cassidy and Robert Carlyle along with sophomore Kyvaune Brammer (who missed last year with an injury)…  Moorhead became the first Fordham head coach since G. Dean Loucks (1972-74) to win his first three season openers… The Rams are now 11-1 on Jack Coffey Field under Moorhead… Fordham is 48-29 all-time in season openers since 1920, winning the past three... The Rams are also a perfect 3-0 when playing on August 30 and 3-0 against Saint Francis.