UNH FOOTBALL – NATION-LEADING 12 STRAIGHT NCAA APPEARANCES
2016 SEASON PREVIEW
The University of New Hampshire football program owns claim to the nation’s longest active playoff streak of 12 consecutive years and looks to continue that success as UNH ushers in a new era with the opening of Wildcat Stadium in the 2016 season. The Wildcats return seven starters, including four linemen, to an offense that averaged 358.8 yards and 23.9 points per game. The defense returns five starters and looks to reduce the numbers of 390.7 yards and 22.0 points allowed per game.
QUARTERBACKS Who will be the starting quarterback when the Wildcats open the 2016 season with a game at San Diego State on Sept. 3 and then open the new Wildcat Stadium the next Saturday, Sept. 10, with a home game against Holy Cross? The contenders for the starting spot at quarterback are left-hander Adam Riese, a senior captain from Hamilton, N.J., and Trevor Knight, a sophomore out of Nashua South High School. Riese has an edge in his knowledge of the system and game experience. He played in 10 games last year and completed 54 of 79 passes for 513 yards with six touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Riese started against Elon and Central Connecticut when Sean Goldrich was out with an injury and led the Wildcats to a pair of wins. He also got a key victory against fifth-ranked Richmond off to a rousing start by driving UNH to a score on its first possession before Goldrich took over at quarterback. Knight has shown an ability to scramble to make something out of little and has a very strong arm, but has seen more limited playing time. He played in six games last season and was 10 for 19 passing for 124 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran 18 times for 52 yards and a score. “Adam’s had a good jumpstart to the competition because of what he did last year,” offensive coordinator and QB coach Ryan Carty said in the spring. “In fairness, Trevor didn’t do poorly when he was playing last year either. He just played less. We’ve got to get both those guys in a situation where they’re ready to compete on a daily basis and get us better as a team.”
The third returning quarterback is redshirt freshman Ivan Niyomugabo, who worked with the scout team as a true freshman last fall and starred at Merrimack Valley High School in Penacook, N.H., before that. The fourth QB on the roster is incoming freshman Christian Lupoli, who played at Notre Dame High School (West Haven, Conn.), the same school that produced one of UNH’s top all-time quarterbacks, 2015 graduate Sean Goldrich.
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RUNNING BACKS Dalton Crossan is the definition of an all-purpose back. Last season, he led UNH in rushes (172), rushing yards (885), rushing TDs (13), TDs (16), kickoff returns (19), kickoff return yards (482) and all-purpose yards (1,708). He tied for second in receptions (46) and TD catches (three), and ranked fourth in receiving yards (341). Crossan made the Colonial Athletic Association All-Conference Third Team as both a running back and kick returner a year ago. His 155.3 all-purpose yards per game was second best in the league and ranked No. 10 in the nation. Crossan is a very dynamic, explosive player who is always on the verge of breaking a play for a huge gain. He accounted for UNH’s four longest runs (three of which were TDs), the top two pass plays (both TDs) and two of the three longest kickoff returns.
Now a senior, Crossan fronts a deep and veteran running game that includes juniors Trevon Bryant (St. Augustine, Fla.) and Donald Goodrich (York, Maine) and will no doubt have a major say in what kind of a season the Wildcats have. Bryant carried the ball 60 times for 297 yards (4.9 yards/carry) last season and also had six receptions for 58 yards (9.7 yards/catch). Goodrich finished with 111 yards on 30 rushes (3.7 per carry) as well as five catches for 44 yards (8.8 per catch). Junior Jerickson Fedrick (Salem, N.H.) transferred to UNH from Maine and Evan Gray (Centreville, Va.) is a redshirt freshman. Fedrick is coming off a strong spring while Gray’s development could give the ‘Cats five options at running back. “I would hope the running game would be a strength of the team, knowing the guys we have coming back,” McDonnell said. “Crossan obviously is a very good football player, can do it in a lot of different ways. I think Bryant and Goodrich are very, very solid and the two guys behind them have done very, very well.” WIDE RECEIVERS The Wildcats must once again come up with a top receiver. This year, they have a stock of more proven pass catchers – along with a newcomer or two – looking to step up. “It’s probably a more talented group overall than what we’ve had in the past,” said assistant coach Michael Ferzoco, who moves over to work with receivers after spending six years with the running backs. “There may not be the one R.J. Harris or David Ball, so to speak, but from top to bottom it’s an extremely talented group that we have.”
2016 UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FOOTBALL 2009 New Hampshire Football 15 • 15 •