CI Week 15 Highlights
12/11/2023
The college regular season is officially complete with the Black Knights’ win in the 124th edition of Army-Navy. Congratulations to Army Special Teams Coordinator Sean Saturnio (@CoachSaturnio) and RB Coach Darren Paige (@RBCoachPaige) on the win and Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy! At the FCS level, a trio of CI coaches advanced to the semifinals. Montana CB Coach Kim McCloud (@CoachKimMcCloud) and the Grizzlies opened up quarterfinal action with a win on Friday night while Albany Assoc. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Jared Ambrose (@CoachJambrose) and OLB Coach Chris Calabrese (@Coach_Calabrese) wrapped up the fourth and final spot in the semifinals late on Saturday night. Congratulations to them as well as to Florida A&M Head Coach Willie Simmons (@HCWillieSimmons) and new South Carolina State Head Coach Chennis Berry (@coachberry77) on winning AFCA Coach of the Year awards for their respective regions! Keep reading for this week’s highlights and a list of CI coaches who have accepted new positions in the past week.
Cowboys dominant against Eagles as NFC playoff race heats up
Dallas TE Jake Ferguson is a man of his word. During an autograph signing on Saturday, the second-year pro promised a Cowboy fan that he would hurdle an Eagle defender on Sunday night. In the fourth quarter, with the Cowboys already holding a 27-13 lead, Ferguson delivered. After catching a pass in the flat, Ferguson hurdled Eagle CB Kelee Ringo to move the sticks and help setup a Dallas field goal. While Ferguson can provide the flash, he has also produced the substance for Dallas Asst. TE Coach Chase Haslett (@Coach_Haslett) and the Cowboys. Ferguson finished Sunday night’s action as the team’s leading receiver, catching five passes for 72 yards in the Cowboys’ 33-13 win. In the last two weeks, Ferguson has hauled in 11 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown and has been an integral component of the Cowboys’ passing attack in their five-game win streak that has seen the club catapult up the standings into a tie with Philadelphia for first place in the NFC East at 10-3. For the season, Ferguson has tallied 51 receptions for 570 receiving yards and five scores as he has cemented his place as one of the league’s top 10 tight ends. Congratulations to Haslett on the win and Ferguson’s breakout year!
UAlbany football beats Idaho in FCS quarterfinal
One of the special aspects of the FCS Playoffs is the homefield advantage that teams enjoy in high stakes settings. It also presents a formidable challenge to road teams. Albany and Idaho were separated by just one seed line when the playoff bracket was announced, the Great Danes occupying the #5 seed and the Vandals at #4, but that one line resulted in a 2,600-mile road trip for the CAA champs. Luckily for Albany, defense travels as the saying goes. So, too, does WR Brevin Easton. The junior wideout had a career game, catching nine passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. His first two scores helped the Great Danes stay within striking distance and go into the halftime break down just two points, 16-14. His third touchdown came in the fourth quarter and gave the visitors their first lead of the night at 23-19. Albany’s defense ensured the lead would hold. On the Vandals’ ensuing possession, Albany DE Anton Juncaj forced a strip sack that DL Elijah Hills recovered near midfield. Six plays later, Great Dane RB Griffin Woodell punched it into the end zone from 29 yards out to put the game on ice. Juncaj’s sack was his 15th of the season and set a new program record for sacks in a season. Albany QB Reese Poffenbarger also had a record-breaking night, setting new program highs for single-season total yards and career touchdown passes. With the win, the Great Danes are heading to the FCS semifinals for the first time in program history, where they will meet #1 South Dakota State with a berth in the national championship game on the line. Congratulations and good luck to Assoc. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Jared Ambrose (@CoachJambrose) and OLB Coach Chris Calabrese (@Coach_Calabrese)!
On the move...
Congratulations to the following CI coaches who have accepted new positions in the last week:
A quartet of CI coaches will be in action tonight as Miami Offensive Assistant Kolby Smith (@coachkolbysmith) and the Dolphins host Tennessee OL Coach Jason Houghtaling (@UpstateNYHom) and the Titans while New York RB Coach Jeff Nixon (@CoachNixon_NYG) and the Giants play host to Green Bay Offensive Assistant Rob Grosso (@the_real_robbyg) and the Packers.
The college regular season is officially complete with the Black Knights’ win in the 124th edition of Army-Navy. Congratulations to Army Special Teams Coordinator Sean Saturnio (@CoachSaturnio) and RB Coach Darren Paige (@RBCoachPaige) on the win and Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy! At the FCS level, a trio of CI coaches advanced to the semifinals. Montana CB Coach Kim McCloud (@CoachKimMcCloud) and the Grizzlies opened up quarterfinal action with a win on Friday night while Albany Assoc. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Jared Ambrose (@CoachJambrose) and OLB Coach Chris Calabrese (@Coach_Calabrese) wrapped up the fourth and final spot in the semifinals late on Saturday night. Congratulations to them as well as to Florida A&M Head Coach Willie Simmons (@HCWillieSimmons) and new South Carolina State Head Coach Chennis Berry (@coachberry77) on winning AFCA Coach of the Year awards for their respective regions! Keep reading for this week’s highlights and a list of CI coaches who have accepted new positions in the past week.
Cowboys dominant against Eagles as NFC playoff race heats up
Dallas TE Jake Ferguson is a man of his word. During an autograph signing on Saturday, the second-year pro promised a Cowboy fan that he would hurdle an Eagle defender on Sunday night. In the fourth quarter, with the Cowboys already holding a 27-13 lead, Ferguson delivered. After catching a pass in the flat, Ferguson hurdled Eagle CB Kelee Ringo to move the sticks and help setup a Dallas field goal. While Ferguson can provide the flash, he has also produced the substance for Dallas Asst. TE Coach Chase Haslett (@Coach_Haslett) and the Cowboys. Ferguson finished Sunday night’s action as the team’s leading receiver, catching five passes for 72 yards in the Cowboys’ 33-13 win. In the last two weeks, Ferguson has hauled in 11 passes for 149 yards and one touchdown and has been an integral component of the Cowboys’ passing attack in their five-game win streak that has seen the club catapult up the standings into a tie with Philadelphia for first place in the NFC East at 10-3. For the season, Ferguson has tallied 51 receptions for 570 receiving yards and five scores as he has cemented his place as one of the league’s top 10 tight ends. Congratulations to Haslett on the win and Ferguson’s breakout year!
UAlbany football beats Idaho in FCS quarterfinal
One of the special aspects of the FCS Playoffs is the homefield advantage that teams enjoy in high stakes settings. It also presents a formidable challenge to road teams. Albany and Idaho were separated by just one seed line when the playoff bracket was announced, the Great Danes occupying the #5 seed and the Vandals at #4, but that one line resulted in a 2,600-mile road trip for the CAA champs. Luckily for Albany, defense travels as the saying goes. So, too, does WR Brevin Easton. The junior wideout had a career game, catching nine passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. His first two scores helped the Great Danes stay within striking distance and go into the halftime break down just two points, 16-14. His third touchdown came in the fourth quarter and gave the visitors their first lead of the night at 23-19. Albany’s defense ensured the lead would hold. On the Vandals’ ensuing possession, Albany DE Anton Juncaj forced a strip sack that DL Elijah Hills recovered near midfield. Six plays later, Great Dane RB Griffin Woodell punched it into the end zone from 29 yards out to put the game on ice. Juncaj’s sack was his 15th of the season and set a new program record for sacks in a season. Albany QB Reese Poffenbarger also had a record-breaking night, setting new program highs for single-season total yards and career touchdown passes. With the win, the Great Danes are heading to the FCS semifinals for the first time in program history, where they will meet #1 South Dakota State with a berth in the national championship game on the line. Congratulations and good luck to Assoc. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Jared Ambrose (@CoachJambrose) and OLB Coach Chris Calabrese (@Coach_Calabrese)!
On the move...
Congratulations to the following CI coaches who have accepted new positions in the last week:
- South Carolina State Head Coach Chennis Berry (@coachberry77)
- Louisiana Tech Defensive Coordinator Jeremiah Johnson (@Coach_J_Johnson)
- Tennessee Tech Offensive Coordinator Brian Scott (@CoachBroScott)
A quartet of CI coaches will be in action tonight as Miami Offensive Assistant Kolby Smith (@coachkolbysmith) and the Dolphins host Tennessee OL Coach Jason Houghtaling (@UpstateNYHom) and the Titans while New York RB Coach Jeff Nixon (@CoachNixon_NYG) and the Giants play host to Green Bay Offensive Assistant Rob Grosso (@the_real_robbyg) and the Packers.
