SUNY Maritime Privateers capsize pitiful Western Connecticut, 48-0

Danbury, Connecticut - Because of my son Eric's high school football game on Saturday afternoon, I ventured to the closest venue available on Friday night where I could get my college football fix.  I ended up in Danbury to see two D-3 teams play for the first time where  SUNY-Maritime (1-1) defeated the worst college football team I've ever seen, Western

Connecticut, 48-0!  Where do I start regarding how bad the Colonials are?  First of all, the D-3 Privateers (1-1) lost to D-2 Bentley a week earlier, 50-3.  WC started with a fumbled snap on the first play of the game in the shotgun.  They turned the ball over on third down on a  fumble.  An unsportsmanlike call against the D was the first of many before Jamie Spanapolous scored his first of four TDs on a nine-yard run up the middle for the Privateers. WCSU HC John Burrell grabbed his instigator right away and ran him over to the sideline screaming at him.  I noted throughout the game, that he pulled players after they committed a penalty.  Maybe he should be instilling a little discipline during his practice sessions instead.  Madison Leary's point after gave SUNY an early 7-0 lead.  Before the game was over, Western Connecticut accumulated more penalty yards (13 for 139), most on stupid mistakes like unsportsmanslike calls and offsides, than total offensive yards (125). The Colonials (0-1) of the New Jersey Athletic Conference who went 0-10 last season, will face other D-3 teams that I've watched in recent years like Montclair, Cortland, and Kean (upset winner over No. 3 Wesley on Saturday).  WCSU's performance Friday night indicates that they are headed in that direction already. 

     After the Colonials punted the ball away and SUNY took over from their own 29, starting Privateer QB Joe Dickey left with a wrist injury and never returned again.  Inexperienced soph Tyler Trodden (14 runs for 104 yards; 3 of 6 passing for 59 yards, 1 INT)  stepped in and the visitors struggled at first as he was picked off by FS Dan Allen.  The Colonials stalled on a fourth down at the SUNY 17 for their deepest penetration of the evening with their new QB Will Arndt replacing starter Hime Rraci. Both are Freshman. SUNY got a few breaks on the subsequent drive as an unsportsmanlike was a bad call when a defender tried to blatantly strip a ball out from the ball carrier and a fumble was whistled dead on contact. Spanopoulos ran it in from the 11 for a 14-0 Maritime lead.  SUNY didn't skip a beat running their triple option. 

    In the second, SUNY PK Madison Leary impressed with his leg strength converting a 44-yard FG for a 17-0 lead.  Rraci came in for WCSU and fumbled another snap in the shotgun formation.  DE Thomas Boney recovered at his team's 28.  Spanopoulos (16 carries, 97 yards, four TDS) scored again edging it in from the one-yard line to lead 24-0. After a three and out by the home team, SUNY picked up a first down on third and two with a 33-yard completion to WC's 35. On an option play, WC CB Huza Abdul-Bashir clocked RB Thomas Davis on a helmet to helmet on an option where Davis was never pitched the ball.  Davis was knocked out briefly.  No flag was thrown and should have been.  SUNY DC Clayton Kendrick-Holmes made his point with the refs.  WC got away with one.  One player had previously been ejected from the game after an unsportsmanlike that I didn't see.  With :40 left in the half,  Leary split the uprights for a 47-yard FG and a 27-0 SUNY lead.  On the ensuing kickoff, the Privateers gang-tackled blocking back Kyle McCarthy on the kick return.  I note this because of the WC strategy that makes no sense to me.  McCarthy lined up in front to the two deep back on every kick return ( I saw enough of them). McCarthy is listed as a guard on the roster at 6'4", 305 lbs. He didn't look quick on his feet at all.  I'd kick to him every time. Why would any team do that?  The half was over.

     This was my first trip to Western Connecticut.  They have a very nice football facility.  The stadium at the Westside Athletic complex seats both home and visiting fans on one side.  The stands are covered half way out by a roof to protect from the elements.  The attendance was reported as 1,234, but there must have been a lot of students there free of charge not counted in the attendance.  They had a pretty good turnout to see a game on the opening night.  Some post game party was announced at one of the facilities after the game, but a lot of students at least showed enough interest to show up.  After what I saw and upcoming home games against Kean and Cortland with noon starts, I don't think too many WC fans will be coming back any time soon.  When I requested one ticket, I was asked if I wanted one ticket or one season pass.  I wonder how many of those they sold? There must be better things to do in Danbury on a Saturday afternoon.

     SUNY took the second half kickoff with a few blockers going after Abdul-Bashir.  Starting from their 42, the drive culminated in Spanopoulos fourth TD run, a six-yard score for a 34-0 lead.  WC DT Justin Rice was ejected after the extra point.  The officials were trying to regain control.  The Colonials fumbled the ball away and SUNY took over at their 30.  Soph FB Gary Bigham ran right up the middle for an 18-yard TD, and Maritime took a 41-0 lead into the final period.  With subs in on both sides now, WC tried a 44-yard FG and missed.  A WC fan nearby shouted, "Let's get a coach out there!"  I couldn't agree more. The next time SUNY had the ball, Andrew Lalonde capped a 61-yard drive with a 4-yard TD to make the score 48-0 with 5:29 left to play.  I'd see enough.  I looked forward to seeing a high school game the next day.  So much for this "fill-in". I could have gone to Alabama at Penn State or San Diego State at Army, but instead, I went to see the worst college football team I'd ever seen. 

    SUNY Maritime finished with 455 yards in total offense and an additional 139 penalty yards compliments of the Colonials. Next Saturday, Maritime will host the Merchant Marine Academy situated a few mile east of their Throggs Neck campus on the Long Island Sound. The Colonials visit Buffalo State next week.  Good luck to them.  Maybe WC's philosophy is best expressed on the t-shirts worn by their staff members: "Winning isn't a goal.  It's a belief!" Good for them.  If that's the case, they must wake up the next day after each butt-kicking thinking they won instead of lost! At least they THINK their on an eleven game winning streak!  As long as they keep believing that, at least the players will feel better. That's nice.  Everyone else will see the truth when they are 0-10 again.

   We step back up into the big-time next week.  South Carolina (2-0) hosts Navy (2-0).