COAST GUARD ACADEMY FOOTBALL AT NICHOLS
When: Today, 7 p.m. Where: Vendetti Field, Dudley, Mass. Records: Coast Guard 1-1 overall, Nichols 1-1.
Players to watch: Coast Guard, QB Ryan Jones (42for-72, 551 yards, 2 TDs, 4 INT; 26 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD), RB Jon Wagner (17 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD; 5 catches, 51 yards), WR Justin Moffatt (20 catches, 263 yards), WR Liam Middleton (3 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD), WR Chip Crowley (4 catches, 87 yards), LB Titus Creamer (9 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks), LB Tyler Clemmer (9 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 1 sack), DB Patrick Crowley (15 tackles), DB Colby Coco (7 tackles, 1 INT), P Chip Crowley (40.8 yards per kick), K Cole Austin (4-for-5 PATs, 3-for-3 FGs).
Nichols, QB Michael Pina (14-for-37, 197 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs; 25 carries, 81 yards, 3 TDs), RB Joshua Pierre-Charles (19 carries, 131 yards), WR Eric Mooney (5 catches, 93 yards, 1 TD), LB Christopher Lawrence (23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss), LB McCoy Scott (19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss), LB Michael Spraulding (15 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss).
Analysis: Coast Guard coach Bill George has been stopped quite a few times around the academy and asked about last week's opposing wide receiver, Union College freshman Andre Ross Jr., who finished with 16 receptions for 215 yards and three touchdowns. “Union has some exceptional players,” George said. But George's take on last week's 28-10 loss to Union is pretty much the same as it was shortly after the game was over. “I thought we played physically good,” George said. “There were some assignment busts, little things here and there.
They outmuscled us a little on both perimeters. We struggled moving the ball early on, but the defense clamped down. Once we settled in, I was impressed.” … The Bears move on to Nichols, which is coming off a 35-14 win last week over Anna Maria. Pina, the quarterback, had five touchdowns in the victory, three rushing, two passing, and junior safety Jared Abbruzzese tied a program record with three interceptions, being named Commonwealth Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week. “Jared was all over the field on Friday night,” Nichols coach Dale Olmsted said in a press release on the team's web site. “That was the best game he's ever played at Nichols. He worked extremely hard this offseason and that came to fruition against Anna Maria.” Pina, a junior, has accounted for all three of Nichols' rushing touchdowns. The Bison are averaging 282 yards offense per game, 185.5 rushing and 98.5 passing, and are allowing 369.5 yards, 229 rushing and 140.5 passing. The Bison, in the midst of beginning the season with four straight home games, lost to Westfield State 25-14 in Week One. Against Westfield State, wide receiver Jake Wood had two kick returns for 174 yards and two touchdowns. … Last year, Coast Guard held Nichols to 123 yards of total offense, just 25 in the second half, to beat the Bison 13-0. The Bears registered six sacks in the win, two by lineman Jack Brandt, and had interceptions by Crowley, Coco and Michael Goldsworthy. … Next week, Coast Guard returns home to kick off New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference play against Norwich (1:30 p.m., Parents Weekend).