After a dramatic, energy-driven win at Homecoming, the Stony Brook Seawolves plan to ride the momentum as they leave the comfort of Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium to face off with the 1-4 Colgate Raiders in Hamilton, New York.
Heading into a softer part of the schedule, Stony Brook needs to chalk up what on paper should be a win before heading into a bye week, or a week of rest. This game serves as the last warm up before an onslaught of conference matchups that will last through the end of the regular season.
In the four losses for the Raiders this season, they have given the Seawolves coaching staff an extremely useful example of how to attack their defense. In each of their losses, Colgate had more than just a little trouble stopping the run; they could not stop it at all. With multiple 300-yard games for the opposing teams running attack, Stony Brook needs to expose the mostly inexperienced Colgate defensive front early and often. With their three-pronged bulldozer coming behind an offensive line, which has done a good job opening up holes so far this season, James Kenner, Jameel Poteat and homecoming scorer Tyler Fredericks need to set the tone.
Forcing Colgate to buckle down on the running game should open up some pretty glaring holes in the secondary, giving quarterback Lyle Negron a chance to outdo his, arguably, greatest performance at Stony Brook in his masterful effort against Bryant. Although by the numbers Colgate’s rushing defense is inferior to its secondary, the Negron, Malcolm Eugene and Will Tye trio should be able to keep the pass defense modest. Putting the ball over the top multiple times during the game like Stony Brook has been doing, should keep the safeties back to enough of an extent that the short passing game could operate well.
On the defensive side of the ball, Coach Chuck Priore’s team needs to look for itself in the mirror, with a strong rushing attack from Colgate, which has rushed for double the amount of touchdowns as they have thrown. Averaging five yards a rush, letting Colgate establish a running game can turn the time of possession in favor of the Raiders, slowing down Stony Brook’s offensive flow. With their strong secondary, Stony Brook may be able to afford throwing blitzes in man to man coverage with comfort. This is an important win for the Seawolves to get on the road, making it two in a row.
