NEWARK, Del.- Monmouth University's football team went into No. 12 Delaware looking for their first win of the season but the Hawks were turned away with a 42-7 loss at the hand of the Blue Hens
Monmouth falls to 0-4 for the first time since the 2002 season, while Delaware improved its record to 5-0 on the season.
The Delaware offense was led by quarterback Joe Flacco who completed 15-of-19 passes for 215 yards and two scores in just over a half of work. Runningback Omar Cuff had 16 carries for 73 yards, also scoring twice for the Blue Hens. MU quarterback Brett Burke (Wall, N.J./Wall) was 18-of-25 passing for 132 yards but threw two costly interceptions, both in Delaware territory.
Delaware scored all of its points in the first half, as did the Hawks who were out-gained on offense by a 393-234 margin.
After receiving the opening kickoff, Delaware got off to a hot start moving down the field primarily behind the running of Cuff, Monmouth forced two third downs but each were converted by Cuff runs, including the Blue Hen's first touchdown of the game, a three yard scamper around the right side with 10:19 left in the first quarter. The senior accounted for 42 of Delaware's 61 first drive yardage.
Monmouth first play from scrimmage was a Burke rollout pass to John Nalbone (Lawrenceville, N.J./Lawrence) which fell incomplete. Two plays later the Blue Hen defense forced a punt, bringing the 21,000 plus in attendance to their feet.
Delaware came out throwing on its next possession with Flacco hitting Curtis Michaud for a 21 yard gain, down to the MU 46. Monmouth forced a third and long but Flacco was able to convert with his legs, running for a 15 yard first down. The Hawk defenders forced another third and nine but Flacco converted again, hitting Curtis Michaud for a 12 yard completion. On the next play from scrimmage Cuff dodged his way down to the one yard line, finishing the job two plays later to put Delaware up 14-0 with 5:42 to play in the opening quarter.
Monmouth converted its first down of the game on David Sinisi's (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) first reception, a 12 yard shovel pass. Sinisi picked up five yards on his first carry, converting the first down one play later on a eight yard dive. On the next play Burke hit Troy Yudin (Stevenson Ranch, Calif./William Hart) for the second time in the game, with the freshman picking up a 20 yard completion down to the UD 34. On third and 10 Burke hit Nalbone on a shallow post, getting to the Delaware 10 yardline after the 19 yard completion. On second down Sinisi rumbled up the middle of the field for an eight yard score, his fifth of the year. Fred Weingart (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) converted the extra point and the Hawks were down just 14-7 with 2:39 to go in the first frame.
The scored remained close for just three plays, as Flacco engineered a three play drive that ended with a 14 yard Phillip Thaxton touchdown run, putting Delaware up 21-7 on the three-play 66 yard drive. At the start of the second quarter, two personal foul penalties for the Hawks killed a drive and set the Hens up inside MU territory for their fourth drive of the game. The Hawks forced a third down, but Flacco hit Cuff for a 11 yard gain, keeping UD a perfect five-for-five on third downs. Minutes later Flacco hit a wide-open Cuff for a seven yard touchdown pass, giving Delaware a 28-7 lead with 10:02 left in the half.
An illegal procedure call to start the next MU drive- which negated a Sinisi first down run, set the tone for the drive as the Hawks went three-and-out forcing a Jack Daniels (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) punt from his own 10 yardline. Flacco started UD off with a 29 yard pass, setting up a first down from the 11. Two downs later Flacco threw his second touchdown of the game and the Blue Hens were ahead 35-7 with 6:35 to play in the second half. After a muffed handle on fourth down punt attempt, Delaware took over at the MU 23 yardline. Two plays later Monmouth regained control of the ball after Walsh forced a fumble that was recovered by Derek Bischoff (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury).
With Burke moving the team down the field, the senior threw his second pick of the year, with Delawares' Fred Andrew returning the ball 78 yards for a touchdown, putting the home team up 42-7 heading into halftime. One positive note from the first half was Monmouth became the only team this season to score a touchdown on the Blue Hens in the first half, as UD has outscored their opponents 135-12 in the first 30 minutes of play.
The Hawks took the second half kickoff and moved the ball down into Blue Hen territory mainly on Sinisi runs, with the exception of a 12 yard Burke to Adam San Miguel (North Bergen, N.J./St. Peter's Prep) completion and a nine-yard Marion Easley (Someville, N.J./Somerville) run which also hi lighted the first half of the drive. Three plays later Burke threw his second interception of the night, killing the MU drive at the Delaware 28 yardline.
The Hawks were once again unable to stop the Blue Hens on third down, as Flacco hit Jared Bradley for a 16 yard completion. After the completion, which put Flacco over 200 yards for the 10th straight game, redshirt freshman Sean Scanlon was put in the game. A Troy Butler (Pennsauken, N.J./Woodrow Wilson) sack on third down gave the Hawks their second stop of the game and UD was forced to punt for the first time with 7:54 left in the third quarter. UD got the ball across midfield but Butler picked up his second sack on third down to force a Blue Hen punt.
With 13:23 to go MU got its best field position of the day after Tom Larkin (Hamilton, N.J./Steinart) recovered a fumble after true freshman Garrett Culloo recorded his first career sack. With sophomore Andrew Mandeville (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) now under center, the Hawks were unable to convert a third down a for a second time, after the first conversion was called back for holding.
Mandeville moved the Hawks down to the Blue Hen 28 yardline, where Ryan Folsom (Somerdale, N.J./Triton Regional) took over at quarterback in his first collegiate action. Freshman Matt Miller (Tenafly, N.J./Tenafly) missed his first collegiate field goal- a 35 yarder that just sailed to the right.
Delaware is now 15-1 at home against non-conference opponents under K.C. Keeler, with the only loss coming against Albany last season. The 42 points surrendered was the most since the first game of the 2005 season when MU dropped a 54-26 game to No. 14 Lehigh.
Sinisi led the Hawks on the ground with 69 yards on 21 rushes while extending his consecutive game with a touchdown streak to 16. Wideout Chris Kiley (Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Boro) had a career-day, hauling in eight passes for 43 yards. San Miguel finished with five catches, while Yudin had a career-best 40 yards on four grabs. Safety Jon Stolarz (Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong) led the way for the Hawks defensively, earning a career-best 10 tackles including six solo. Derek Bischoff had five stops, while Butler had three tackles including two sacks.
MU had 15 first downs, compared to Delaware's 20, while the Hawks led in time of possession, 31:22 to 28:38. MU struggled on third down going just four-of-14.
The Hawks will continue their search for that elusive first win against Sacred Heart next weekend when they face the Pioneers at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Fairfield, Conn.
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