MONMOUTH HAWKS (4-2, 2-1 CAA) AT MAINE BLACK BEARS (1-4, 1-1 CAA)
Saturday, October 15, 2022; 1 p.m.
Alfond Stadium, Orono, Maine

BROADCAST INFORMATION
FloSports/ABC 7/CW Maine
Jim Churchhill (Play-by-Play); Bryan Stackpole (Color Analyst)
 
Monmouth Digital Network Audio
Gary Kowal (Play-by-Play); Mike Basile (Color Analyst)

TICKET INFORMATION
For tickets click HERE for more information.

VIEW THE GAME WITH OTHER HAWKS FANS AT OFFICIAL "WATCH" LOCATIONS
If you can't make it out to the game, catch Saturday's game with other Hawks' fans, at one of two official watch party locations. You can catch the game at Asbury Ale House in Asbury Park and Jack's Goal Stand in West End, Long Branch. Both locations will host viewing parties for the remainder of Monmouth's games this season, both home and away. 

OPENING KICKOFF
Monmouth continues conference play riding a four-game winning streak while Maine is 1-4, but coming off its first win of the season. The Hawks have won two CAA games after a 38-31 win over UAlbany and Maine picked up a 31-24 road victory at Hampton.
 
A WIN WOULD
A win would extend Monmouth's winning streak to five straight games and give the Hawks a third victory in conference play. Monmouth would also improve to 3-1 on the road in 2022 and give the Hawks their first ever victory against the Black Bears. Monmouth's last five-game winning streak was in the 2019 season.
 
STANDINGS WATCH
Monmouth is one of five teams with at least two wins in conference play. Two teams remain unbeaten in the CAA, New Hampshire (4-0) and Elon (3-0) while Delaware (3-1) sits in third place. Monmouth and William & Mary are tied with a 2-1 CAA mark.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Maine leads 3-0
Last Meeting: 09/11/10 L, 31-23 at Monmouth
at Maine: Maine leads 1-0
Streak: L3

DID YOU KNOW?
Maine is hosting Monmouth during its homecoming weekend and has won its last five homecoming games. The last time Monmouth was a visiting team on homecoming the Hawks beat North Carolina A&T, 35-16.
 
REID ALL ABOUT IT
Junior Mike Reid became the first Hawk to earn a CAA Defensive Player of the Week award after having perhaps his most complete game as a Hawk, finishing second on the team in tackles with nine, recovering a fumble and registering a career-high three pass breakups in Monmouth's win over UAlbany. In the second quarter Reid pounced on a ball that was knocked out of the receiver's hand, ending a 44-yard strike and giving the ball back to the Hawks. Reid, who has a team-high nine pass breakups this season, had one of the biggest of his career on the final play from scrimmage. With the Great Danes driving to tie the game from the Monmouth 26, Reid reached in front of the wide receiver and knocked the ball away to secure the Hawks' first home CAA victory.
REID IN THE RANKINGS
Mike Reid's nine pass breakups this season is tied for the third most of any player in the country. He currently ranks ninth in passes defended per game in the NCAA with 1.7 while his 10 passes defended is seventh in the FCS. Reid's 17 career pass breakups ranks him 11th in the Monmouth history books while his 19 passes defended is just two away from checking into the top-15. His nine PBU's this season is the eight most in school history, tied with a number of players including teammate Tyrese Wright's 2021 total.
 
BROTHERLY LOVE Monmouth's first-year Quarterbacks Coach Jimmy Robertson is the brother of Maine sophomore Quarterback Derek Robertson. Both Yonkers, NY natives starred at quarterback at Iona Prep in high school with Jimmy resetting the record books at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was recently inducted to their Hall of Fame. Derek has yet to see action this season but appeared in eight games with seven starts in 2021, throwing for 1,505 and 12 touchdowns.
 
BACKS ON BACKS
The duo of Jaden Shirden and Owen Wright have paced Monmouth's rushing attack. Wright is the CAA leader with 12 rushing TDs and Shirden leads the FCS in rushing with 932 yards. In the win against UAlbany, Wright set a career-high with 114 yards, while Shirden totaled 160 on the ground. The effort was the first time since April 2021 that Monmouth had two 100-yard rushers, when Juwon Farri and (124 yards) and Romeo Holden (112) ran past Gardner-Webb.
 
WRIGHT'S RECORD RUN
Owen Wright's 99-yard touchdown run against UAlbany marks the third time in program history that a Monmouth back has tied the FCS record with a 99-yard rushing touchdown. Former backs David Sinisi (2007) and Jim Varick (1994) share the Monmouth record of 99-yard runs, each done against Sacred Heart. Earlier this year, Jaden Shirden had a 95-yard touchdown run against Fordham. Shirden's touchdown scamper is the fourth longest run in school history and Pete Guerriero had a 93-yard touchdown run in the 2019 NCAA Second Round against JMU. Monmouth's defense has allowed just one 90+ yard run, in the 2013 opener against Montana State (90).
 
CAN'T CATCH SHIRDEN
As a rookie in 2021, Shirden had a pair of 75-yard touchdown runs against Holy Cross and Robert Morris and seven of his 10 career touchdown runs have been at least 55 yards in length after a 75-yarder against UAlbany. Shirden's 917 rushing yards over the past five games are the most in a five-game span in program history. Shirden ran for 100 yards for the fifth consecutive game and became the first Hawk since David Sinisi in 2008 to have five straight games with at least 100 yards rushing. Shirden and Sinisi are the only two Monmouth backs to run for 100+ in five straight games.
 
JADEN MAKES MORE HISTORY
Jaden Shirden became the 16th player in Monmouth history to rush for 1,000 career yards – achieving the feat in just 15 games with his 211-yard performance against Villanova. The sophomore's 211-yard effort was the 14th 200-yard game in Monmouth history and the first by a Villanova opponent since 1995 (Jerry Azumah). Shirden became the third Hawk with multiple 200-yard games, joining Pete Guerriero (five times) and David Sinisi (four times). Shirden has 1,429 career rushing yards entering Saturday's game.
 
OWEN WRIGHT: TD MACHINE
Running back Owen Wright has been a touchdown machine this season with a CAA leading 13 total touchdowns. Wright has at least two touchdowns in five games this season and his three rushing touchdowns against Fordham are the most for a Monmouth player in a game this season. Wright has 14 career rushing touchdowns at Monmouth after running for two in 2021. Wright had two rushing touchdowns against UAlbany, giving him 12 rushing scores this year. His 12 rushing TDs are tied for eighth in a single season in program history.
 
CAA LEADERS
Monmouth has the top scoring offense in the CAA at 39.5 points per game. The Hawks also lead the conference with 33 total touchdowns, 22 rushing touchdowns, yards per rush (6.56), and in total offense at 492.3 yards per game. Individually, Jaden Shirden is tops in rushing yards per game (155.3) and Owen Wright leads the conference in scoring (78 points) and total touchdowns (13).


FCS ELITE
Monmouth ranks in the top 10 in the FCS in three offensive categories. The Hawks are sixth in total offense (492.3 yards per game), sixth in rushing offense (246.2) and seventh in scoring offense (39.5 ppg). Individually, Jaden Shirden is first in rush yards per carry (9.61), first in total rushing yards (932) and rushing yards per game (155.3), and fifth in all-purpose yards per game (157.3). Owen Wright is second in the FCS in total touchdowns (13) and rushing touchdowns (12). Mike Reid ranks ninth in the country in passes defended (10).
 
GRIMES MOVES INTO TOP TEN
Linebacker Da'Quan Grimes led Monmouth with 10 tackles in the win over UAlbany. It was the third time this season that Grimes led the team in tackles and he had a team season-high of 12 in the win at Villanova. Grimes leads the Hawks with 43 tackles on the season and is 10th in program history with 235 career stops.
 
MUSKETT'S STREAK CONTINUES
Tony Muskett has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game of his career dating back to the Spring 2021 season. He has at least two touchdown passes in 13 of his 21 career games and has 45 career touchdown passes to go along with just 14 career interceptions. Muskett ranks fourth among active FCS players in career passing efficiency (148.14) and seventh in total offense per game (247.9 yards). Muskett set a new career standard with 78 rushing yards at Villanova and had 56 more at Lehigh.
 
CAA COACHES PRESS CONFERENCE
Audio Replay

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