UNH FOOTBALL - NATION-LEADING 9 STRAIGHTNCAAAPPEARANCES
2013 SEASON PREVIEW
nation’s No. 15 rushing attack, as the ‘Cats averaged 220.8 rushing yards/game under first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Carty. Steriti, a junior, rushed for 921 yards and ranked sixth in the CAA in rushing yards/game (76.8) to along with a team-leading nine rushing touchdowns. Setian, a senior co-captain, battered his way to 490 rushing yards and five touchdowns to go along with 22 receptions for 185 yards and four TDs –all top receiving numbers among UNH running backs. Owens, a junior, averaged a backfield-leading 6.8 yards/ carry en route to 411 yards on 60 rushes. The running back stable promises to get deeper with the maturation of redshirt freshman Dalton Crossan (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.), who was tabbed the backfield’s most improved player by the coaching staff in the spring after scoring a pair of touchdowns in the Blue-White Game, and junior Jim Earley (Hopkinton, N.H.).
Giansante (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) battled through injuries last season to notch 14 catches for 200 yards in eight games, including seven starts. Senior Justin Mello (Dartmouth, Mass.) proved durable and reliable by making at least one reception in 10 of 12 games, including seven multi-catch efforts; he ranked fourth on the squad with 21 receptions for 215 yards and a pair of TDs. After his junior season was decimated by injury, Tim Farina (Plymouth, N.H.) is set to make the most of his senior campaign. Jared Allison (Cliffwood, N.J.) figures to play a larger role as a slot receiver in his sophomore season after collecting three receptions for 50 yards in the ’12 campaign. Mike Kelly (Merrimack, N.H.), who flashed his big-play ability with five catches for 103 yards and two TDs in last fall’s Blue-White Game and added a team-high 69 receiving yards and a TD in the spring game, will join a young crop of talented receivers that includes Kyon Taylor (Springfield, Va.), Mike DeTroia (Barnegat, N.J.), Cam Seymour (Hyannis, Mass.), Anthony Pante (Manalapan, N.J.) and Mark Accino (Hyde Park, Mass.). TIGHT ENDS Harold Spears (Perkasie, Pa.) made the most of his first year as the starter by earning a berth on the All-CAA Third Team last season. The junior will be seeking to build on a season in which he registered 20 catches (four TDs) for 305 yards. Brian Ciccone (Manchester, Mass.) is in line to serve as backup once again in ’13, and up-and-comers Andrew Lauderdale (Concord, N.H.), Ekene Nwokoye (Hanover, N.H.) and Jordan Powell (Forked River, N.J.) will be seeking a chance to climb the depth chart as well.
R.J. Harris WIDE RECEIVERS The most prolific quarterback in school history, Ricky Santos, is the new wide receivers coach. And he will find the cupboard full in 2013. R.J. Harris (Odenton, Md.) enters his junior season within 21 catches and 140 receiving yards of UNH’s all-time Top-10 on the heels of a ’12 campaign in which he garnered All-CAA First Team, All-New England and ECAC D-I All-Star honors. Harris made 84 receptions for 1,059 yards, which ranked fourth and sixth in school single-season history, respectively. He ranked second in the CAA in receptions/game (7.0) and receiving yards/game (88.2) while his nine receiving touchdowns ranked third in the league. While Harris headlines the WR corps, he is far from alone in supplying the offense with air weaponry. Junior Jimmy
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Seamus O’Neill OFFENSIVE LINE
2013 UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FOOTBALL
2009 New Hampshire Football 12• 12 •