Wondering what’s going on behind the scenes in Tampa? Sports editor Sam Kilb will provide his thoughts on all the action live from Raymond James Stadium as the Stony Brook Seawolves take on the University of South Florida in both teams’ season openers at 7 p.m.
This post will be updated throughout the day with all the news from the game. You can also get updates on Sam’s Twitter page (you do not have to use Twitter to view the page).
Links: Stony Brook Gameday Central – – – USF Gameday Central – – – Sam Kilb’s preview (Examiner.com) – – – Doric Sam’s preview (SBStatesman.com) – – – Listen Live (WUSB 90.1 FM)
(Posts appear in reverse chronological order)
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Postgame: Okay well that’s all from Tampa, goodbye everybody. Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you next week at LaValle Stadium for the American game. Stay tuned to sbstatesman.com for a follow-up game story with player and coach reactions. I’m @samkilb, saying goodnight and drive safely.
Postgame: I fear the reaction of the student body will be that the football team stinks; not so, it was simply outclassed tonight. For our division/conference, Stony Brook is very strong. It was a disappointing night, but it will still be an exciting season.
Postgame: The good news is, Stony Brook’s next opponent is Division II American on Sept. 11. With this experience, hopefully the Seawolves can recover and kick the stuff out of them. It would be nice as a way to move on.
:00 Final Score: 59-14, USF. Stony Brook isn’t exactly ready to make the jump to the FBS, I would say.
:18 Oh, NOW you’re going to try to score…
2:22 Maysonet loves that spin move…go ahead and give yourself a 99 in the spin category in NCAA Football 11. Seriously, he’s going to rock in conference play.
3:17 Stony Brook makes a third down conversion, which still isn’t points but it’s better than punting (Gosh, what we’ve been reduced to. The glass is always half full.).
4:27 Coulter still under center for the Seawolves, Maysonet got stuffed trying the middle.
At least the traffic won’t be bad getting out of here…the glass is always half full.
4:35 Rub it in why don’t you…a 63-yard run by USF’s Marcus Shaw.
5:27 Stony Brook punting again. USF ball at its own 30.
6:30 A lot of the crowd has gone home. Logan filed his story already. That’s how over it is.
7:13 Stony Brook takes over on its own 20.
He missed! It’s not quite Stony Brook scoring but it’s not conceding either…the glass is always half full.
7:18 Eveld throws two straight incompletions, USF to try for the field goal.
7:25 Probasco blocks an Eveld pass.
8:30 USF driving now, led by Eveld at QB. Stony Brook defense looks very, very tired.
13:00 Aaaaand Coulter is picked off again. A lobbed pass under pressure, never advisable and this time he paid for it.
14:23 Another good run from Maysonet. Give that kid the football. 14 yards, first and goal SBU at the 9.
Fourth Quarter
:06 Gowins takes another 11 yards. I suspect he’s running against a second-string defense.
:33 A nice run by Gowins ends when he was brought down by a facemask. Stony Brook has the ball at the USF 33.
Fumble recovered by Stony Brook!
1:08 Sure, he gained 11 yards, but isn’t it better to watch Arin West drive his facemask into the ground? West and Reyes are going to go off on Big South teams…highlight film stuff.
2:53 Official attendance announced as 40, 201. Or almost exactly four times LaValle Stadium’s largest ever crowd.
3:37 Another Coulter pass is blocked, and Stony Brook is forced to punt. Again. How long until we play American?
4:50 Maysonet with another nice run…he’s showed great agility outside the tackles when he can find the space. He beats people. He’s going to have a good year in the Big South.
Important for Stony Brook to keep fighting. If they don’t, they might get hurt. Plus, USF might throw some backups in…score some points here, Seawolves.
5:09 Coulter intercepted after his pass was deflected high in the air, and it was returned for a touchdown. 52-14, USF.
6:25 Gush makes a nice move and runs a Coulter pass for about 15 yards. First down, Stony Brook.
7:14 Jackolski almost did with a great return on the kickoff, but a flag we all thought was a facemask wound up being holding and Stony Brook starts from its own 13.
Updating this is going to be painful for the next hour or so. Not loving it. Hoping Stony Brook gives us something to smile about.
7:21: Touchdown, USF. Pass by Eveld, Daniels’ backup, to Murray. 45-14, Bulls.
8:44: Coulter’s pass was (deflected, I believe, and) intercepted. USF ball at the SBU 32.
9:42 Touchdown, USF. Plancher runs around the right side from the five, his fullback gets away with a hold, and it’s 38-14 USF.
Daniels hits Landi for 41 yards, USF to the Stony Brook 26. A nice catch by Bogan moves it to the 12 with 10 mins to go in the third.
11:16 A USF first down, and Stony Brook’s other starting cornerback is down. Donald Porter went out with a knee injury in the first half, not Al-Majid Hutchins is in some pain near the sidelines.
Tough to not get any points out of that one, puts a lot of pressure back on the defense.
11:29 A 45-yard punt sails out of bounds…that’s strange. With USF’s punt return difficulties, you have to kick it to the guy there.
12:10 And Coulter was forced to eat the football and absolutely took one on the chin, sacked for a loss of 8. Stony Brook to punt.
12:40: Coulter connects with his tight end for six yards…third and 7.
Gowins takes a direct snap on first and gets dropped in the backfield. Loss of 3.
13:26 Stony Brook starts on its own 40 on a pretty big drive here…Coach Priore has got to be hoping to get some points out of this one. Coulter MUST keep his head here.
13:39 Rousseau lays a BIG hit on Daniels, whose throw was off on third down…big stop for the Seawolves.
Third Quarter
Second Half USF receives and take it back to the 20.
Halftime: About five minutes until the second half.
Halftime: Some halftime stats…
-Coulter is 6 of 12 for 82 yards, a touchdown and a pick. Daniels is 12 of 19 for 196 yards and two touchdowns.
-Gowins leads the Seawolves in rushing with 29 yards. Wow, I guess the running game really hasn’t done anything. A total of 45 rushing yards for Stony Brook to 64 for USF. All credit to the defenses there.
-USF has gone for about 130 more total yards than Stony Brook.
Halftime: There’s still a lot of football left…the question is whether Stony Brook is already spent or not. If so, it’s going to get ugly. If not, we could have a good football game right down to the wire. Stay tuned folks, second half to come.
Halftime: As far as changes Coach Priore should make in the second half, it can’t be too many. The Seawolves haven’t really made any serious mistakes, other than the high snap on the punt that resulted in a USF touchdown. Coach Holtz of USF can say the same, except for his special teams, with the same exception.
Halftime: Defensively, the Seawolves haven’t been able to stop much of anything. The stop on fourth down at their own one was a highlight, as well as a few awesome hits. But BJ Daniels has shown himself as the dual threat he’s known as, rushing for a touchdown and passing for two more. The wide receiver screen has been beating Stony Brook up all game, but they have to respect the speed of the USF receiving corps.
Halftime: The band is playing Margaritaville. Yes Florida.
Halftime: It’s been a tough game for Stony Brook. Offensively, the running game has been able to get the job about half done. It hasn’t proven enough of a threat to open up the passing game enough for Coulter, who has played exceptionally in my opinion.
Halftime, 31-14 USF
Stony Brook kneels, and the teams head into the locker rooms.
:06 Touchdown USF, Daniels throws a strike to Joel Miller right down the middle for a 19 yard touchdown. 31-14, USF.
:11: First down USF at SBU 19. Strong two-minute drill by Daniels and USF.
:21 USF first down, ball at the SBU 31
:57: Daniels scrambles and finds Brown on the sidelines for 14 yards. Moving into SBU territory.
1:05 BIG hit by Reyes to break up a USF pass play, he really planted the kid.
USF recovers. They got away with one there…two Stony Brook players had a clear shot at it and they bounced off each other. USF ball at their own 39.
Fumble!
1:50: Coulter and the receiver read it differently on that one, and Coulter throws deep when the receiver went wide. SBU to punt.
A Seawolves lineman down on the play (Brian Crew).
Gowins again on second, for another 4. Third and 4.
Gowins spins away and gets about 2. Ball at SBU’s 3.
3:06 Stony Brook makes the stop! SBU football. Now they face getting away from their own one yard line. Here comes the noise…
Not exactly a major coaching decision for Skip Holtz, but the Bulls faithful would love to see six…he’s sent the offense back out for fourth.
3:43: Daniels stopped just short at the one…the crowd appeals loudly for Holtz to go for it on fourth from about the one and a half yard line, but the coach declines then calls timeout. USF’s second.
4:30 West gets in the backfield on second down and pushes USF back a yard, 3rd and goal from the 5
Didn’t catch who it was, but he walked off. USF runs it down to the SBU four yard line now.
Another Seawolf shaken up.
6:46: Face guarding of course if legal in college…the ball hit the corner in the back, so no call. USF gets a first down on the next play, at the SBU 15 now.
The Mexican wave goes around the stands…the Stony Brook fans objected by not participating and were roundly booed.
6:52: This time the snap is good, the kick is good and the return is good. USF runs it back to the 26 before being pushed out of bounds, a 31 yard return.
7:34: Stony Brook stopped well short on third down, and again the Seawolves are forced to punt.
8:31: Stony Brook falling apart. They really need a play here…they get second down over after a five yard penalty on an incomplete pass.
Finally the USF special teams doing serious damage to Stony Brook and not to themselves…and it hurts. Really wish they would have taken a look though, the player who recovered the ball appeared to be standing out of bounds.
9:12: Curse of the commentator, sort of. Punt blocked and recovered in the end zone (though clearly out of bounds) for a USF touchdown. 24-14, USF.
9:40: Three and out for the Seawolves. No momentum, lucky to come away without a turnover.
Myles Campbell dropped the kickoff, but fell on it. Stony Brook starts from its own 12.
10:55: It’s good, from 37 yards. 17-14 USF.
11:00: HUGE third down stop for Stony Brook…USF to try a 37-yard field goal.
Some first quarter stats…Coulter 71 yards and a TD, Gowins six carries for 18 yards.
11:03: Stony Brook uses its second timeout of the half.
All that for a four yard run. Right.
12:20: Coming out of the injury timeout, Daniels calls a USF timeout. Take your time kid.
12:41: An injured Seawolf on the field…the trainers are helping Donald Porter.
Coulter threw it a little behind his intended receiver as well. Not a great throw, trying to force the first down.
14:13: Interception USF…Coulter was in trouble and tried to toss it to a covered Richardson for a first down…it got picked at the 38 yard line. USF football.
If Stony Brook can stop that WR screen and not get beat for big plays, it has a real chance in this game. Definitely closer than a lot of people thought it would be at this point. Still a lot of football left to be played though.
Second Quarter
:18 Great catch by Gush, Coulter threw behind him and he tipped it in the air and hauled it in. Looks like Coulter got shaken up on the play. End of First Quarter, Stony Brook 14, USF 14. SBU has the ball on the USF 41.
1:20: Maysonet shows his stuff with a 9-yard gain, a nifty sidestep followed by a spin move. Stony Brook picks up the first down on the next play.
1:31: Stony Brook will start at its own 40 after USF kicked the ball out of bounds…special teams are hurting the Bulls.
On one hand, I’m impressed that every USF cheerleader can do a standing backflip. On the other, one almost killed herself trying.
1:31: Touchdown USF…QB BJ Daniels scrambles and gets flipped on his head right on the goal line. 14-14.
2:28: I take that back, they tried it on the other side and he only got 6. It must run out of steam by the time you’re in the end zone. Setting the Seawolves up for a fake and deep throw, though.
2:57: Another WR screen…they could work that every play, it went for another 9.
3:24: Delay of game on USF, second and 8 fromt he Stony Brook 29.
4:12: West just saved touchdowns on consecutive plays, the first a deep pass play and the second a run.
5:22: Strong return by the USF player but his return comes back to the 30 yd line on a penalty.
You have to wonder how this affects the psyche of both teams…Stony Brook now will have tremendous confidence, USF will begin to wonder. Overconfidence a danger for the Seawolves.
5:30: TOUCHDOWN STONY BROOK!! TOUCHDOWN STONY BROOK!! It’s 14-7 SBU after a 27 yard pass from Coulter to Jackolski!! Coulter had plenty of time in the pocket, found Jackolski streaking out of the backfield and Jackolski walked it into the end zone…Skiffington is good.
5:24: Instead, Stony Brook will take over from the USF 27 after a low snap forces the kicker to put his knee down.
5:47: Nearly intercepted by Stony Brook, but it was tipped into a USF receiver’s hands…the receiver was judged to be out of bounds and USF will punt. Stadium reacted negatively to the replay…might have been in. Punt downed at SBU 4 yard line, but a flag will bring it back.
6:25: Good, strong stop by D-line sets up 3rd and 8 for USF.
7:18: USF went back to the same play they scored on, but this time Porter and Reyes sniffed it out and it only went for a first down. Stony Brook getting killed by the wide receiver screen…they can’t get too close because of USF’s speed.
8:14: TOUCHDOWN GOWINS! (The name of my fantasy team incidentally) The Stony Brook fans go crazy, Skiffington hits the extra point, and the Seawolves have new life here! 3 plays, 35 yards…the pass was a great pump and go by Coulter, he hit Gush in stride. The horrific fumble by the USF returner was key…I would be surprised to see him back out there for the next punt. 7-7
8:45: Coulter to Gush for 31 yards! First and goal from the three.
9:21: Gowins went straight ahead and lost his cap but fought on for three yards.
The play stands!
9:34: Stony Brook recovers the fumble and will have the ball on the USF 35!! Vitale recovered for the Seawolves after the returner bobbled the catch, ran and dropped it eventually. The play is being reviewed.
FUMBLE
9:49: Still no complete passes for Stony Brook after this one goes of Maysonet’s hands…fourth down and the Seawolves will punt.
10:20: Maysonet now…running game picking up.
11:08: Stony Brook first down!! Gowins for 10 yards.
11:23: Gowins for three up the gut.
12:01: Daniels to Bogan for a 59-yard touchdown pass on USF’s first play from scrimmage. Point After is good, 7-0, USF. Wow. That didn’t take long at all…it could be a long day.
First Quarter, 12:38: Three and out after Gowins went for nothing off the left side. USF returned muffed the punt but got it back in time. USF ball at their own 46.
First Quarter: Crowd noise really getting to the Seawolves…Coulter tried to audible but the offense couldn’t hear, and it ended in a false start.
First Quarter: USF thought they had a fumble, but Gowins went for no gain.
First Quarter: Jackolski received the opening kick, contrary to media reports up here…Stony Brook starts with a timeout. Wow, crowd noise get to you much? The ball is at the 25.
Pregame: HERE WE GO!! Stony Brook will receive a kickoff for the first time against an FBS opponent, and it will be Maysonet and Jackolski, the two Hofstra transfers, back to receive.
Pregame: National anthem done, teams being announced…are you ready for some (college) football?
Pregame: Plenty of noise coming from down below but I’m not impressed by the number of empty seats. I think the size of the crowd will be easier to handle like this. The stadium’s capacity is 65k-plus, but I don’t think anywhere near that number is here.
Pregame: USF marching band takes the field…20 minutes to kickoff. I was feeling good about this game until Coach Priore mentioned in the reception that he isn’t a scoreboard watcher. Now, I wonder if Stony Brook will be able to keep it close. What margin is considered a victory?
Pregame: USF and Stony Brook on the field for warmups now…stadium clock shows 38 minutes. I’ll be around, tweet me!
Pregame (Part II): Finally up in the press box at Raymond James…amazing stadium. Palm trees, the pirate ship…intense. I’m sitting next to Greg Logan from Newsday, who explained that my below description of FBS and FCS takes up too much space in a newspaper, so he still uses Division I-A and Division I-AA.
Pregame: Both teams received votes in the national rankings coaches poll in their respective divisions (FBS and FCS).
Pregame: While this is Stony Brook’s first game against FBS opposition, the Seawolves have added Buffalo (2011), Army (2012) and Boston College (2013). USF is 13-0 in home openers in season history.
Pregame: Stony Brook’s defense features a very new group filled with transfers (Rutgers, Hofstra, Utah State). Former wide receiver Donald Porter is listed as a starting cornerback this season. For USF, they have a very strong front seven which will provide a good challenge to Stony Brook’s also strong offensive line.
Pregame: The big story on Stony Brook’s offense is the three-headed monster that is the Seawolves’ running back corps. Junior Eddie Gowins is joined by Hofstra transfers Brock Jackolski and Miguel Maysonet, who were Hofstra’s key backs while the school had a program. They will be running behind a very strong offensive line that contributed to Stony Brook’s rushing attack being one of the top 30 in the country in 2009.
Pregame: A key returnee for USF is quarterback BJ Daniels. Daniels took over for senior quarterback Matt Grothe in the fourth game of last season and threw for nearly 2,000 yards at 14 touchdowns. He also led the team in rushing, gaining 772 yards and scoring nine times. Daniels is a real dual threat who now has good game experience under center and will be a serious threat to the Seawolves defense today. The USF media guide calls him “Mr. Big Play.”
Pregame: One of the keys to the game for the Seawolves will be to avoid being scared by the sheer size of the crowd. USF has the largest fan section in its conference; at 12, 501 its student section is nearly 2,500 people larger than the biggest crowd ever seen at LaValle Stadium (10,024 for the NCAA lacrosse quarterfinals). The stadium seats 65,000-plus, and last season the average attendance was 52,553. The good news? Many of USF’s players aren’t incredibly experienced in the stadium, and Coach Holtz spoke in his weekly press conference on Tuesday about the importance of not panicking in front of a crowd of that size and the television cameras. USF returns six starters on offense and three on defense.
Pregame: USF is beginning the Skip Holtz era today. Holtz, in his 11th season as a collegiate head coach, joined USF from East Carolina last winter. At East Carolina, Holtz won two consecutive Conference USA championships before leaving for South Florida. Holtz has assistant coached at Florida State, Notre Dame, Colorado State and South Carolina and spent four years as the head coach at Connecticut.
Pregame: If you don’t know who Stony Brook is, you may be from USF, in which case we welcome you anyways. Stony Brook, of course, won a share of the Big South title last season in dramatic fashion, beating Liberty in the final minute of the final game.
Pregame: Who is USF, you ask? USF competes in the Big East, a conference in which they were picked to finish in sixth (third from last) by the preseason polls. Last year, they had a program-record five players selected in the NFL draft. Since becoming an FBS team, USF is 18-1 against FCS teams and hasn’t lost to an FCS team since 2000, its first year in the FBS. Last season, USF finished in fifth in the Big East and went to the International Bowl, where it defeated Northern Illinois, 27-3.
Pregame: Welcome folks to Tampa, Florida where tonight, for the first time in school history, the Stony Brook Seawolves will compete against a Football Bowl Subdivision team.
A brief aside for those unfamiliar with college football’s levels: Football Division I (and football only–all other Stony Brook sports compete on the highest level of Division I) is split into a higher and lower tier. These divisions used to be called Division I-A and Division I-AA (with I-A being that of the bigger schools), but have since been reclassified as FBS (I-A) and FCS (1-AA). Each has its own system for deciding a national champion, so an FCS team (like Stony Brook) doesn’t have to beat Ohio State or USC to be named the national champion. If you are watching bowl games in December and January, those teams are FBS. If you are watching college football playoffs, that is FCS. This year, the winner of the Big South conference in which Stony Brook competes is granted an automatic bid to the FCS national championship playoffs.
