GAMEDAY CENTRAL
SFU GAME NOTES
NEC FRONT ROW
PLAYER PREVIEWS

FLASH FACTS
- Saint Francis University is undefeated in home openers under head coach Chris Villarrial and the Flash have combined to score 91 points in their first two home openers under Villarrial.
                                                                       
- The Red Flash have never won against Bryant in tries but SFU came close last season falling to the Bulldogs 24-24.
 
- In last season's meeting, Keion Wade (East Orange, N.J./East Orange) posted a career high 135 rushing yards against Bryant and John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) threw for 216 but it was not enough to best the Bulldogs in Smithfield.
 
- Several players saw their first action of their college careers against James Madison including Semo Silva, who earn a start at outside linebacker.
 
- Max Ma'afala-Maiava (Pearl City, Hawaii/Aiea ) led the Flash in total tackles against the Dukes making nine total stops.
 
- Khairi Dickson (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic) racked up 56 rushing yards to led SFU on the ground against James Madison and rank the rookie eighth in the NEC in rushing after week one.
 
- Kelly showed solid accuracy against the Dukes but failed to create several big plays. The senior's log pass of the day was to fellow senior Kevin Parker (Monessen, Pa./Monessen) for 21 yards.
 
- Franklyn Williamson (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara) picked up the first catch of his college career against James Madison as the second year player made a six-yard grab in his first career start.
 
- Grant Price (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) made his return to the Red Flash football team grand fashion at the punter position. Price forced two fair catches posted two kick over 50 yards and once pinned the Dukes inside their own 10-yard line.
 
- Saint Francis struggled early on third down and James Madison took advantage. SFU went just 3-for-12 on third down while allowing the Dukes to convert on four of their first five third down. The Red Flash slowed the conversions for JMU later in the game but the Duke stayed on the field by going three of four on fourth down conversions.
 
- James Madison limited the usually potent Red Flash offense to just nine first downs the whole game, while the Dukes were able to rack up 39 first downs of their own.
 
COMING HOME
The Red Flash return this weekend and recent history tell us that could be a good thing for SFU. All of SFU's wins under Villarrial have come at DeGol Field and the Flash have won two of their last five at home. The home opener has been a big benefit to the Red Flash under Villarrial as they are 2-0 with a combined score of 91-45. The last time the Red Flash opened the home schedule with a conference foe, the Flash knocked off Sacred Heart 41-0 in Villarrial's DeGol Field debut.
 
BIG LEG
Grant Price (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) started the season well with eight kicks and 356-yards for a 44.5-yard average with a long of 53 yards. He also forced two touchbacks and pinned the Dukes inside the 10 once. His 44.5-average ranks first in the Northeast Conference after the opening weekend of the football season and the average also ranks eighth national after week one.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET: SFU 34, BRAYNT 45
The Red Flash and the Bulldogs played an offensively charged game with the two team's racking up a combined 79 points with 69 coming in the final three quarters. The contest looked like to would be a showdown between two of the nation's top running back with Jordan Brown from Bryant and Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) for the Flash. Harbridge was injured on the opening kickoff and did not return but Keion Wade (East Orange, N.J./East Orange) put together an excellent performance on ground in place of the Easton, Pa. native. Wade racked up 135 yards on the ground with a touchdown. John Kelly (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) posted on of the best games of his career against the Bulldogs with 73 yards on the ground and 216 through the air to go along with three passing touchdowns. AJ Alexander posted his best game with Flash with 114 receiving yards and three scores.
 
Saint Francis fell behind early, 10-0 at the end of the first quarter but then rallied behind their strong offensive showing. Alexander scampered across the goal line with 11:22 left in the fourth to cut the Bryant lead to just four after a missed Josh Thiel (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) PAT. Saint Francis could not stop the Bryant rushing attack and Brown posted sealed the win for the Bulldogs with a 23-yard touchdown with less than nine minutes left.
 
NEXT UP
The Red Flash return to the road for three games away from DeGol Field, the trip opens Sept. 15 with a non-conference tilt against Morehead State set for a 1 p.m. kickoff.