Football Set to Open League Play at Duquesne on Saturday

The Central Connecticut football team travels to Pittsburgh this weekend to face Duquesne on Saturday at 12 noon in the league opener for both teams.  The Blue Devils, 1-3 on the season, are playing their third road game of 2015.  Duquesne enters the game 2-2 after a loss to Dayton last week.

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Today's Game • The Central Connecticut football team plays its third road game and second straight on the road at Duquesne this afternoon.  The game is the Northeast Conference opener for both teams.  The Dukes have won two straight meetings vs. the Blue Devils, and also two straight at home vs. CCSU.  Head coach Pete Rossomando is 0-1 vs. Duquesne.  Following today's league opener the Blue Devils will return home to host Bryant next weekend on Homecoming, Oct. 10, beginning at 1 p.m.  The Blue Devils have four home games remaining this season, including a non-conference game vs. Dartmouth on Oct. 17 at noon.

Last Week • The Blue Devils traveled to #21 New Hampshire and dropped a 57-14 decision to the Wildcats.  In the game the Blue Devils posted positive rushing yardage of 313 yards, and finished the day with 229 yards on the ground (they lost -84 yards to sacks and a pair of fumbles).  Sophomore running back Cameron Nash rushed 16 times for 161 yards and a touchdown for the Blue Devils.  His scoring run came from 73-yards out and was one of two rushing touchdowns of at least 70 yards (Tavion Pauldo - 70 yard run) in the game for the Blue Devils.  Nine different Blue Devils caught a pass in the game.  Freshman quarterback Jacob Dolegala was 16-of-25 for 111 yards in the game.

Nash Honored - Third Blue Devil This Season • For the third time in four weeks a Central Connecticut football player has been named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week.  This time it's sophomore running back Cameron Nash.  Nash joins quarters Tavion Pauldo and Jacob Dolegala as recipients of the award.  CCSU has produced the Rookie of the Week three times in the first four weeks of the season. Nash made the most of his touches at nationally-ranked New Hampshire, totaling 221 all-purpose yards in the road contest. The 5-foot-7 running back, who redshirted his first year at West Virginia and did not see any action on the field in 2014, rushed 16 times for a career-high 161 yards and a touchdown against the CAA member. Nash put CCSU on the scoreboard when he exploded for a 73-yard touchdown run with 5:14 left in the first half. On his next carry, he produced a 40-yard gain to set CCSU up in the red zone. Nash totaled three receptions for 11 yards and also logged 49 kickoff return yards. 

Defense Numbers • Sophomore linebacker Randall LaGuerre leads the Blue Devils with 37 total tackles through the first four games of the season.  Seventeen of those are unassisted, including five for a loss.  Sophomore Najae Brown has 33 through three games, and is tied for the team lead with one interception.  Senior Brandon Hollomon, who made the move back to the defensive side of the ball this season, is third on the team with 31 tackles including 10 last week at UNH.  Junior captain Jevon Elmore has a team-high five pass break-ups to go along with 28 tackles, including 15 unassisted.

Rushing Yards • The Blue Devils allowed only four rushing yards in the win over Bowie State two weeks ago on Arute Field.  The Bulldogs rushed 14 times for four yards in the loss.  Bowie State ran 82 offensive plays, and threw the ball 68 times.  It's the fewest yards allowed on the ground for the Blue Devils since Sept. 8, 2007 when they allowed -35 rushing yards (on 22 rushes) in a home win over Merrimack.  CCSU won that game 45-7.  The last time they allowed single digits was Oct. 3, 2009 when Sacred Heart rushed 35 times for 9 total yards, also in New Britain.  CCSU won that game 24-12.

Next Up For the Blue Devils • Following tonight's game the Blue Devils return for the next two weeks hosting Bryant on Saturday at 1 p.m. for Homecoming, and then playing their final non-conference game of the season vs. Dartmouth on Arute Field at 12 noon.  The Blue Devils have four home games remaining this season, beginning next week.   Four at Night to Open the Year • The Blue Devils played four straight night games to open the 2015 season.  Today marks the first game of the season that is not a 6 or 7 p.m. start.

Captains • Pete Rossomando announced that juniors Dan Hebert and Jevon Elmore and seniors Jake Pinho and Tyler Hurd have been named captains for the 2015 season.  Pinho and Elmore represent the defensive side of the ball, while the offense is represented by Hebert and Hurd. 

Receiving • Fifteen different Blue Devils have caught a pass through the first four games.  Junior captain Dan Hebert has a team-high eight catches for a team-high 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  He had zero touchdown catches in his first two seasons with the Blue Devils.  Tight ends K.J. Smith and Eric McGlone each have six catches on the season.  

Preseason NEC Coaches' Poll • The Central Connecticut football team was picked to finish sixth in the 2015 Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.  The Blue Devils are under the direction of second-year head coach Pete Rossomando.  Three Blue Devils earned Preseason All-Conference honors.  On offense senior offensive lineman Tyler Hurd was chosen as one of five members of the First Team on the offensive line.  Hurd was a Second Team All-Conference selection in 2014.  He helped lead the Blue Devils to over 4,000 yards of total offense last season, including 159.0 yard on the ground.  Junior defensive lineman Asia Bolling and defensive back Jevon Elmore, also a junior, were named on the defensive side of the ball.  Bolling was sixth on the team with 53 total tackles a year ago.  He led the team with six sacks and 12 tackles for a loss, as well as forcing a team-high four fumbles. Elmore posted 42 tackles and had a team-best three interceptions as a sophomore.  His 31 solo tackles were second on the team.  Central was picked sixth in the preseason poll after finishing last season 3-9 overall and 1-5 in NEC action.  Bryant was picked first and received four first place votes.  Duquesne was picked second, followed by Sacred Heart, Wagner, St. Francis U, CCSU and Robert Morris.

Rookie of the Week Honors • Three Blue Devils have earned weekly award from the NEC this season, all have been named the league's Rookie of the Week.  Tavion Pauldo, Jacob Dolegala and Cameron Nash have each won the award giving Central the award three times through the first four weeks of the season.

Since the beginning of 2004 • Since the beginning of the 2004 season CCSU posts a record of 67-59, including 39-18 at home.

25 or More Almost Perfect • Since the start of 2004 the Blue Devils are 49-13 when scoring 25 or more points in a game. They are 59-26 when scoring at least 20.

News Radio 1410 • Every Central Connecticut football and men's basketball game will air live on radio.  News Radio 1410 will carry the action with Bruce Biel and Marc Robbins on the call.

NEC Front Row • Thanks to a continued partnership between the Northeast Conference and the Pack Network, live webcasts of NEC sports will be available free of charge on NECFrontRow.com. The site will carry every NEC football game this season (Excluding games broadcast on ESPN3.com).

Social Media • Follow the Blue Devils all season long on Social Media: Twitter: @CCSUBlueDevils In Game Twitter Updates: @KizerBlueDevil Facebook: CCSUBlueDevils Instagram: CCSUBlueDevils