Flash Points:

• SFU Football hosts Robert Morris on Saturday for Homecoming.
• SFU returns to DeGol Field after a four-game road trip.
• Kickoff is scheduled for Noon on NEC Front Row.
• The Red Flash is 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the NEC, while RMU is 2-5 overall and 0-2 in the NEC.
• The matchup features the top two pass defenses in the NEC.

SFU Notes | RMU Notes | SFU Two-Deep | RMU Two-Deep | NEC Front Row | Live Stats | Scouting Report | Homecoming | Whiteout
 
LORETTO, Pa. – After a four-game road trip, the Saint Francis Football team is finally back at DeGol Field and is looking to get back on track in NEC play as it hosts Robert Morris for Homecoming.  Kickoff is set for Noon on NEC Front Row, with Pat Farabaugh, play-by-play, and Jay Roberts, color analyst, on the call.
 
The Red Flash, led by Head Coach Chris Villarrial, is 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the NEC after a 24-7 setback at Duquesne last Saturday.  After the loss, Saint Francis is looking for a strong start to its final three NEC matchups this season as it looks to climb back into the NEC Title picture.
 
Robert Morris, coached by John Banszak, is 2-5 overall and 0-2 in conference play after a tough 21-14 loss against Sacred Heart last week.  Harrison Dreher returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to put the Colonials ahead, 14-7, with nine minutes left in the game.

Fans are encouraged to wear white to White Out DeGol Field! 
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saint Francis trails the all-time series, 15-7-1, against Robert Morris, but has won five straight games in the season.  SFU earned a 24-10 win at Robert Morris last season.  The SFU defense had a strong performance, setting a school record with eight sacks.  Malik Duncan (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic) and Lorenzo Jerome (Sunrise, Fla./J.P. Taravella) each had two interceptions, while Jerome added a 48-yard touchdown reception.
 
LAST WEEK
The Red Flash fell 24-7 at Duquesne last Saturday.  Two first-half turnovers by SFU led to Duquesne scores.  Duquesne had a strong day running the ball, led by All-NEC RB A.J. Hines, who had 123 yards.
 
Saint Francis totaled 153 yards on offense, including 123 passing and 30 rushing.  However, SFU allowed five sacks and three turnovers.
 
Quarterback Bear Fenimore (Austin, Texas/Westwood) completed 13-of-32 passes and threw two interceptions, but had a one-yard rushing touchdown on SFU's opening drive.  Jorge Solano (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs Charter) caught five passes for 42 yards, while Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) had three catches for 58 yards.
 
On the defensive side, SFU did not force a turnover for the first time this season.  Duquesne gained 377 yards, including 235 rushing and 142 passing.
 
Safeties Hakeem Kinard (York, Pa./York Catholic) and Nick Rinella (Collegeville, Pa./La Salle College) and linebacker Zane Stewart (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) all tied for the team lead with seven tackles.  Stewart had two tackels for loss and Kinard had one, while Rinella and Kinard added pass breakups.  Defensive end Austin Gray (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) contributed two tackles for loss.
 
TOP PASS DEFENSES MEET
This week, the top two pass defenses in the NEC will meet.  Robert Morris is allowing only 174 passing yards per game, leading the conference, while SFU is just behind, giving up 176.7 yards. 
 
SFU leads the conference in pass efficiency defense (95.2) and passing touchdowns allowed (4), while ranking third in the league in interceptions (10).  Robert Morris is second in the conference in passing touchdowns allowed (11), sixth in passing efficiency defense (147.3) and seventh in interceptions (2).
 
RMU's pass defense is aided by a strong pass rush, which has produced 17 sacks this year.
 
TURNOVER BATTLES
Despite losing three turnovers last week, Saint Francis still leads the conference with a +11 turnover margin, good for sixth in the FCS.  SFU has forced 19 turnovers and given up eight. 
 
SFU broke its streak of eight straight games with a turnover forced, but still has forced a turnover in 21 of its last 23 games.  SFU is also sixth in the nation in turnovers forced, including 10 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries.
 
KAM BEING KAM
Junior Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) is off to a strong start in 2017.  He set career highs against Bryant with 15 catches for 202 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown.  Lewis became just the second SFU player to have over 200 yards receiving in a game and the third player to have 15 or more receptions in a game.  Lewis has touchdown catches in nine of his last 11 games. 
 
Lewis ranks eighth in the FCS in receptions per game (7.4), 17th in receiving yards (677) and receiving yards per game (96.7) and 21st in receiving touchdowns (6).  Lewis has two 100-yard games, two games with 10 or more receptions and five games with at least one touchdown reception this season.
 
The All-American now has 2,262 career yards, he is now 179 yards behind Antoine Rivera (2005-09) for second all-time at Saint Francis.  His 138 career receptions are also six away from tying Todd Eckenroad (1991-93) for fifth all-time at SFU.  Lewis' 17 career touchdowns are good for fourth all-time at SFU, three behind Rivera. 
 
THE DARKSIDE
The Saint Francis defense, known as "The Darkside", has been lights out this year.  The Red Flash currently ranks fourth in the FCS, allowing just 13.7 points per game. 
 
The Red Flash also ranks sixth in the nation in turnovers forced, with 10 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries.  SFU also has 36 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
 
Saint Francis is 22nd in the FCS in total defense (310.7 yards per game), 44th in rushing defense (134.0), 15th in passing defense (176.7), third in pass efficiency defense (95.2) and is fifth in the FCS in Red Zone defense, allowing conversions on just 63 percent of opponents' trips into the Red Zone. 
 
SFU's defense is a balanced effort with seven players recording 30 or more tackles through the first seven games.  Ten players have at least two tackles for loss, six players have recorded at least one sack, six players have forced a fumble and four players have at least two interceptions.  Linebacker Ben Bruni (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) leads SFU with 46 tackles, while Sean Orsini (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) has 45, with 2.5 for loss.  Safety Hakeem Kinard (York, Pa./York Catholic) has filled the stat sheet with 43 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.  Zane Stewart (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) leads SFU with 6.5 tackles for loss and Da'Jon Lee (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) tops SFU with three sacks.  Nick Rinella (Collegeville, Pa./La Salle College) leads the squad with three interceptions.
 
SEASON RECORDS WATCH
Halfway through the season, a couple Red Flash are already approaching SFU season records.
 
Quarterback Bear Fenimore (Austin, Texas/Westwood) has 133 completions this season, only 19 behind the fifth-most in a season at SFU.  He also has 14 touchdowns, one behind fifth-most in a season and two behind fourth.  Fenimore is on pace to break SFU season records for touchdowns (22) and passing efficiency (139.8).
 
Receiver Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) has 677 receiving yards, 180 behind the fifth-most in a season at SFU.  His 52 receptions are 12 away from the fifth-most in a season and his six touchdown catches are two away from tying for fourth in a season.
 
With three interceptions, safety Nick Rinella (Collegeville, Pa./La Salle College) is two interceptions away from tying for the fifth-most in a season at SFU. 
 
VILLARRIAL NAMES TEAM CAPTAINS
The 2017 team captains were named before SFU's scrimmage on August 26.
 
Senior safety Delondo Boyd (Indian Head, Md./Henry E. Lackey), senior cornerback Malik Duncan (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic), junior tackle Mederick Flavius, Jr. (Lauderhill, Fla./Northeast) and senior tight end Matt Valenzuela (Sterling, Va./Dominion) were elected by their fellow players to represent the program as captains.  Boyd is in his second year as a captain after being the only underclassman captain last season.
 
MEET THE COLONIALS
Robert Morris is 2-5 overall and 0-2 in the NEC.  Head Coach John Banszak is in his fourth year leading the program, with a 9-31 career record.
 
The Colonials are averaging 9.6 points and 224.0 total yards per game.  RMU is gaining 160.4 passing yards and 63.6 rushing yards per contest.  RMU ranks seventh in the NEC in all four categories.
 
Junior quarterback Jimmy Walker, a transfer from San Diego State, leads the Robert Morris offense.  He has completed 48 percent of his passes for 1,104 yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.  Joining Walker in the backfield is freshman Harrison Dreher, who has emerged at running back.  The five-foot-nine, 185-pound Dreher came to Robert Morris as a receiver, but after a redshirt year, converted to running back.  He has rushed for 302 yards and a touchdown, averaging 50.3 yards per game and three yards per rush.  He also has 13 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.  Sophomore Tim Vecchio, 5-foot-10, leads the receivers with 17 catches for 166 yards.  Freshman Tavin Allison, six-foot-one, is RMU's down-field threat, averaging 19.7 yards per catch for a total of 256 yards, and a touchdown, on 13 receptions.  The Robert Morris offensive line features four freshmen and a sophomore.  Sophomore left guard Conner Mundy leads the group with 15 career starts. 
 
The Colonials use a 3-4 defensive scheme.  Robert Morris has allowed 26.3 points per game and 339.7 total yards per game, ranking fourth in both categories.  RMU also ranks fourth in rushing defense, giving up 165.7 yards per game.  However, the Colonials lead the conference in pass defense, allowing just 174 yards per contest.  RMU has forced seven turnovers, including two interceptions, and has recorded 17 sacks.  RMU tops the NEC with 7.7 tackles for loss per game.
 
Sophomore defensive end Derian Smith leads the RMU defensive line with 28 tackles, eight solo, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.  The RMU linebacking group accounts for four of the team's top six tacklers.  Junior inside linebacker Adam Wollet leads the team with 68 tackles and tops the NEC with 9.7 tackles for game.  Wollet has 23 solo tackles and three tackles for loss.  Senior Joseph Uhatafe also lines up inside with 45 tackles, 22 solo, six tackles for loss and two sacks.  Senior outside linebacker Gerald Ferguson ranks fifth in the FCS in tackles for loss, with 12.5, and 12th in sacks, with 6.5, to go with 52 tackles, 34 solo, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.  Senior safety Ryan Richards, Jr. leads the secondary with 39 tackles, including 27 solo, four for loss, 1.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and three pass breakups.  At cornerback, senior Drew Allen has 24 stops, 18 solo, 1.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup, an interception which he returned for a touchdown against Duquesne and a blocked kick.  Sophomore Tevaul Brown sees significant time at cornerback and leads the team with eight pass breakups to go with 20 tackles, 17 solo, two tackles for loss and a sack.