Oct. 6, 2011

David Williams Podcast | Matt Piotrowicz Podcast

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy will play its first of two consecutive road games this Saturday when it travels to Mansfield to meet the Mountaineers at 1 p.m. The Midshipmen currently lead the CSFL with an overall record of 3-0, including a 2-0 mark in conference play. Mansfield has an overall, and conference, record of 1-2.

Link to Live Stats | Live Audio

First-and-10
• Navy remains the only undefeated team in the Collegiate Sprint Football League at 3-0, overall, on the season.

• Saturday's game will mark just the third meeting between Mansfield and Navy...The Mids have yet to allow any points to the Mountaineers as they shut them out in the previous two meetings, 49-0 and 45-0, respectively.

• Through three games, Navy has out-rushed opponents by a margin of 949-64...Navy is averaging 316.3 yards per game on the ground, well above it's average of 197.3 in 2010.

• Sophomore running back David Williams leads the league in rushing with 540 yards on 63 carries (8.6 avg.) this season...Williams has rushed for more yards than any other Midshipman since 2006 when Richard Engel ran for a total of 659.

• Navy is 12-of-15 in the red zone this season and has scored touchdowns on 10 of its trips inside the 20-yard line.

• Navy's starting linebacker trio of T.J. Leonard, Will Parker and Matt Piotrowicz have all produced a team-leading 17 tackles this season...Leonard leads the team with 2.0 sacks.

• Navy posted a total of 16 rushing touchdowns last season - through just three games this season the Mids have a total of 11, led by Williams who has rushed for six scores.

• Navy has held opponents to 10-of-54 (19%) on third downs this season, while the Mids have gone 20-of-44 (45%).

• The Mids have started fast this season, outscoring opponents 34-0 in the first quarter...Navy has scored touchdowns on each of its first two possessions in the last two games.

• In registering back-to-back shutout wins over Penn and Post, Navy has now recorded two consecutive shutouts in each of the last three seasons.

Shutdown Defense
Through three games this season, the Navy defense has yielded a total of just 535 yards (178.3 yards per game). While the entire defease has been impressive, it has been the Mids' rushing defense that has been the most dominant - allowing a total of just 64 yards (21.3 yards per game). Opponents are averaging a miniscule 0.7 yards per carry.

Navy led the CSFL in defense last season, allowing an average of 184 total yards per game.

A Force on the Ground
Sophomore David Williams has racked up a total of 540 rushing yards on 63 carries (8.6 avg.) so far this season.

Williams is averaging a staggering 8.6 yards per carry and leads the league with six rushing touchdowns.

Williams' 540 yards are the most by a Midshipman since Richard Engel rushed for a total of 659 in 2006. Matt Sobecki holds the Navy record for rushing yards in a season as he racked up 984 in 1997.

The Roanoke, Va., native's seven touchdowns match his season total from 2010. The last Navy player to score seven touchdowns in a season prior to Williams was D.J. Green, who also found the end zone seven times in 2007.

Quoting the Coach
Coach Maury's take on this week's matchup with Mansfield...

"On film, Mansfield is a much improved team, especially offensively. They have talented, young players in the backfield who will give us a good test. Their speed can cause problems if we don't execute and take good angles.

"My guys played hard last week but I was disappointed with our lack of discipline. Once we correct this issue, it will really come together. As with any week in this league, the game will be a challenge. It is Mansfield's homecoming so it should be a very good atmosphere and I know we are excited to get after it."

STAT LEADERS
Navy (through three games)
Rushing - David Williams (63 carries, 340 yards, 8.6 avg., 6 TDs)
Passing - Lewis Correale (17 of 32, 176 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs)
Receiving - Drew Presnell (9 catches, 84 yards, 9.3 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles - T.J. Leonard (17 tackles, 13 solos, 4 assists)
Matt Piotrowicz (17 tackles, 9 solos, 8 assists)
Will Parker (17 tackles, 12 solos, 5 assists)

Mansfield (through three game)
Rushing - Mike Maniscalco (43 carries, 133 yards, 3.1 avg., 3 TDs)
Passing - Mike Maniscalco (24 of 49, 254 yards, 2 TDs, 5 INTs)
Receiving - Pat Mackewicz (9 catches, 104 yards, 11.6 avg., 1 TD)
Tackles - Cody Croasdale (26 tackles, 16 solo, 10 assists, 3.5 TFL)

Something Special
Defensive back Brendan West and running back David Williams have both returned punts for touchdowns this season. West returned an unblocked punt 48 yards for touchdown in Navy's win over Penn.

Williams had Navy's first punt return for a touchdown this season when he blocked and Army punt and returned it six yards for a score in the season-opening game.

This season marks the first time since 2002 that Navy has returned two punts for touchdowns.

Last Time Out: Navy 37, Post 0
Navy scored 30 points in the first half as it went on to defeat Post, 37-0, to record its second consecutive shutout win. David Williams rushed for two touchdowns as he racked up 179 yards on just 16 carries.

In his first-career start, freshman quarterback Lewis Correale went 12-of-21 for 136 yards, throwing three TD passes and two interceptions.

The Midshipmen outgained the Eagles, 296-29, on the ground and, 447-79, in total offense.

Foley Sets Punt Return Mark
With a career total of 607 punt-return yards, senior Jordan Foley is Navy's all-time leader in the category. Last season, Foley also set the single-season mark for kick return yards with 259 and currently has a career total of 387.

Trevor Garabedian-Prophet (2002-05) holds the Navy kick-return yardage record with 657.

Up Next
The Mids will have a bye next week and then return to action at Princeton on Friday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.