Three UAlbany Football players named to AllCAA second team
RICHMOND » The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) today announced its 2021 spring football postseason awards. UAlbany student-athletes Karl Mofor, Danny Damico and Jared Verse have all landed a spot on the All-CAA Second Team. In addition to his AllCAA Second Team nod, Verse has also been named the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year.
“Jared is a great talent who really made tremendous progress this spring season,” said head coach Greg Gattuso. “He led the CAA in tackles for loss and was second in sacks. Those are incredible numbers for any freshman playing in a top league like the CAA. Jared has just scratched the surface of his talent and knowledge of the game, and we are excited about the future of our defense. Karl led the CAA in rushing yards per game and has been the most consistent running back that we have had at UAlbany. He is our rock, and he is our leader. Also, Danny put together a great spring season as well. He led our team in tackles and was fifth in the conference in tackles per game. We are looking forward to his continued development.”
Verse, a 6’4” - 250-pound defensive lineman, collects his first CAA major award as a Great Dane. The redshirt freshman stood out in his first year on the defensive line in UAlbany’s four games this spring, recording 22 tackles (15 solo), 10 tackles for loss for 36 yards, four sacks, one quarterback hit, and one blocked field
goal. He recorded a season-high two sacks against Rhode Island on Mar. 20, and followed that performance up with 10 tackles the next week against rival Stony Brook. Despite playing only four games, Verse ranked tied for second in the CAA in sacks (first among freshman) and first in the conference in tackles for loss, averaging 2.5 per game.
Mofor was a leader on offense for the Great Danes, picking up All-CAA Second Team honors. The senior running back from Greenbelt, Md., ranked first in the CAA in yards per game at 115.0 and also led the league in rush attempts at 114. He came in at second in the conference in all-purpose yards (136.2/game), seventh in total offensive plays (114) and 10th in total offensive yards (460). Mofor finished the season with three touchdowns to his name - two on the ground in UAlbany’s game against Maine, and another through the air the week prior when the Great Danes faced New Hampshire.
Redshirt junior linebacker Danny Damico enjoyed a great spring for UAlbany, leading the team with 34 tackles (28 solo, six for loss). That total mark put him tied for third in the CAA, behind only Richmond’s Wheeler (38) and Maine’s Stevens (36). His 28 solo tackles also stood out in the conference rankings, coming in at second only to Elon’s Jones (35), who participated in two more games than Damico. The Manlius, N.Y., native recorded a season high 14 tackles, 13 of which were solo, in UAlbany’s week two matchup against Maine. His nod to the All-CAA Second Team is the first conference accolade of his career.
The 2021 UAlbany football season is set to begin on Sept. 4 when the team travels to North Dakota State. The team will play its first CAA game the following week (Sept. 11) for its home opener, hosting Rhode Island, before traveling to face Syracuse for the final non-conference outing of the fall on Sept. 18. The 2021 UAlbany regular season concludes on Nov. 20 when the Great Danes battle rival Stony Brook on Long Island for the annual matchup for the Golden Apple Trophy.