Holy Cross Crusaders (0-0, 0-0 PL) at Monmouth Hawks (0-0, 0-0)
Saturday, September 5, 2015; 1:04 p.m.
Kessler Field at Monmouth Stadium, West Long Branch, N.J.
 

BROADCAST INFORMATION
ESPN3

Matt Harmon (Play by Play); Ed Occhipinti (Color Analyst)

HD STREAMING INFORMATION
Big South Network

DIRECTIONS TO MONMOUTH STADIUM
Directions to Monmouth University and Kessler Field can be found here:
http://www.gomuhawks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=14300&ATCLID=735103

TICKET INFO:
For tickets call 732-263-6889 or visit www.MonmouthHawks.com for online sales
Day of game tickets can be purchased at the MAC's ticket window. 

MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY:
Today is Military and First Responders Appreciation Day. All servicemen and women as well as first responders receive a group rate ticket discount of $5. Wounded Warrior will have a tent with giveaways, information and will be taking donations.

A LOOK AT TODAY'S GAME
Monmouth and Holy Cross kick off the 2015 season today at Monmouth Stadium. The Hawks are coming off a 6-5 season, their first in the Big South while Holy Cross finished 4-8 in 2014. Monmouth jumped out to a 5-1 non-conference record but struggled in their first season in the Big South dropping four straight contests before closing out in strong fashion with a win at home against Gardner-Webb. Holy Cross saw six of their eight losses come in games decided by a touchdown or less in 2014. The Crusaders finished tied for fifth place in the Patriot League but won two of the team's final four games. Today's game is featured on ESPN3, with Matt Harmon and Eddy Occhipinti on the call.

Monmouth begins its 23rd season of football at home for just the seventh time in school history. The Hawks graduated their starting receivers and quarterback but a veteran offensive line and second team all-conference running back Lavon Chaney return to pace the offense. Defensively, Big South Rookie of the Year Mike Basile returns to head up a deep secondary while junior John Sieczkowski will lead a linebacking corps that has plenty of depth. Up front, Dimitrius Smith and Andrew Jurczynski are two players with starting experience and they lead a young, talented group. The Hawks were chosen sixth in the Big South preseason poll just ahead of Kennesaw State.

Holy Cross, which returns seven starters on both sides of the ball, was selected sixth in the 2015 PL Preseason Coaches Poll. Led by the dangerous offensive duo of preseason all-conference quarterback Peter Pujals and wide receiver Jake Wieczorek, the Crusader offensive unit returns almost all of its receiving threats but just two starters on the offensive line. Defensively, Holy Cross returns three players on the defensive line and three in the defensive backfield but loses its top two tacklers. The Crusaders averaged a hair under 21 points per game last season while allowing 24.2, both of which were sixth in the Patriot League.

THE COACHING MATCHUP

Kevin Callahan is in his 23rd season at Monmouth as the Hawks' head coach. Callahan owns a 126-102 career coaching record, all with Monmouth. Coming into the season, Callahan's 126 victories ranked him 13th among active coaches in the Football Championship Subdivision. The only coach in Monmouth history, he has led the Blue & White to five conference championships, in 1996, 1998, 2003, 2004 and 2006. Callahan has earned conference coach of the year accolades in 1998, 2003 and 2006. Prior to arriving in West Long Branch, Callahan served as defensive coordinator at Colgate for eight seasons and at Wagner for three years. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Albany (1977-79) and Syracuse (1980) before becoming a Seahawk assistant in 1981.

Tom Gilmore is in his 12th season as the Holy Cross head coach, owning a career record of 60-64 in his time with the Crusaders. In his first season with Holy Cross in 2004, Gilmore helped the team triple their win total from the year before, finishing with an overall record of 3-8. In 2009, Gilmore led the Crusaders to their first Patriot League Championship since 1991, earning League Coach of the Year honors. Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Gilmore spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Lehigh and eight seasons leading the defense at Dartmouth College. During his time playing at Penn, he helped lead the team to four Ivy League titles and earned Academic All-American honors. He was also named one of 11 National Scholar Athletes by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1985.

INSIDE THE HOLY CROSS SERIES

Today marks the second time the two teams match up. The first meeting came in 2013 at Holy Cross where the Hawks took down the Crusaders 21-14. The Hawks dominated the first 55 minutes of the game, building up a 21-0 lead but Holy Cross would not go away quietly, scoring twice in the final five minutes of the contest. Monmouth's three touchdowns were scored by Lamar Davenport, K.B. Asante, and Julian Hayes. The Hawks quarterback, Brandon Hill, was 12 for 22 139 yards and a touchdown pass. Peter Pujals threw two touchdown passes for the Crusaders, connecting with Mike Fess and Nate Stanley late in the 4th quarter. Pujals came off the bench in that game, and has started every game since for Holy Cross.

MONMOUTH AGAINST THE PATRIOT LEAGUE

Monmouth University is 7-8 all-time against members of the Patriot League, with its most recent win coming last season against Lehigh. Monmouth is 1-0 against Holy Cross and Fordham, two teams that the Hawks will face in 2016. MU has recorded two wins against Georgetown, while going 0-1 against Lafayette and 1-5 against Lehigh. In 2006 MU defeated Colgate but the Raiders have won three straight in the series. Monmouth will face Holy Cross and Fordham in 2015 with Lehigh set to return to the schedule in 2016.

THREE HAWKS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-BIG SOUTH

Redshirt junior John Sieczkowski and sophomores Mike Basile and Alex Thompson were each selected to the preseason All-Big South team. Basile was a First Team selection and Sieczkowski was a second team pick in 2014. Monmouth was the only school to have sophomores featured on the all-conference preseason team. Basile, who hails from nearby Brick Township, was the Big South Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. Sieczkowski and Basile started every game last season while Thompson started 10 of 11 games as a true freshman in 2014.

HAWKS CHOSEN SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL

Monmouth University was picked to finish sixth in the 2015 Big South Preseason Coaches Poll. Coastal Carolina was picked to win the conference earning 15 first place votes and 139 total points. Right behind them was Liberty with 129 points and six first place points followed by Charleston Southern (106 points) and Presbyterian (72). Gardner-Webb was chosen fifth with 57 points while Monmouth was just four points behind with 53. First year program Kennesaw State was picked seventh with 32 points.

Monmouth finished 6-5 overall and 1-5 in conference in 2014, its first season in the Big South. In addition to Basile and Sieczkowski, the Hawks had five other members earn all-conference honors. MU returns nine starters on defense and six starters on offense, including junior RB Lavon Chaney.

WILLIAMS SLATED TO MAKE FIRST CAREER START

With the graduation of two-year starter Brandon Hill, redshirt freshman Cody Williams won the quarterback battle in camp and will get the start against the Crusaders. While he has not played in a collegiate game, Williams was 30-5 as a high school starter in Springfield, Mass., accumulating 6,975 yards with 89 total touchdowns.

MONMOUTH IN SEASON OPENERS

MU is 5-17 all-time in season openers, but Hawks have posted a 3-3 record all-time when opening the year in West Long Branch. Last season, Monmouth opened in convincing fashion with a 52-14 win over Delaware State at Kessler Field.

MU ANNOUNCES 2015 CAPTAINS

On Tuesday of last week, Monmouth Head Coach Kevin Callahan announced the 2015 team captains would be seniors Hakeem Valles, Ed Royds, Andrew Jurczynski and Joe Johnson. Valles, who moved to tight end last season, starting nine games and finishing in the top-five in receptions and reception yardage. Royds had 171 yards on 22 rushes but was one of the most integral parts of special teams, finishing second in kickoff return yards while making 14 tackles on special teams. Johnson, a two-year starter at cornerback, led the team in interceptions in 2014 and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 45. Jurczynski appeared in seven games as a defensive lineman last season.

DID YOU KNOW?

Every Monmouth home game will be televised on ESPN3 this season, thanks to the University's partnership with the Worldwide Leader in Sports. In addition, road contests with Kennesaw State and Central Michigan will also be show on ESPN3.

Social Media Links:

Follow the Hawks all season long on twitter (@MUHawksFB)
Facebook (facebook.com/MUFootball) 
Monmouth's YouTube page (YouTube.com/monmouthhawks)