UC set to visit FSU for homecoming
By Duane Cochran
Fairmont Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT— Tony DeMeo was a gracious host the last time Fairmont State University’s football team paid a visit to Charleston.
The reward, however, for the University of Charleston football coach wasn’t just compensation.
After agreeing to delay the start of last year’s game with the Falcons for 30 minutes because chartered buses from a bus company which went out of business never showed up to bring FSU to Charleston, DeMeo watched his team get dominated on both sides of the ball in a 27-13 loss by an angry bunch of Fairmont State players, who arrived that day in the capital city in a variety of different ways.
“It didn’t help sitting in the locker room waiting for the game,” said DeMeo of last year’s incident. “That’s not exactly the ideal way to get a team up for a game.
“I certainly understand the problem that (then FSU head coach) Rusty (Elliott) had. It wasn’t his fault and I know he felt bad, but the ideal thing was for us to play the game. What good would it have been to make a big fuss over it? Now if it happens again next year when they come back with Rusty now being the AD (athletic director) there I’m not going to be so compassionate. He should know better now.
“Seriously, though, I think Rusty would have done that same thing for me if the roles were reversed. The bad thing for us is they came down here and thumped us pretty good that day.”
Saturday DeMeo and his Golden Eagles will make the trek to Fairmont to face the Falcons in their 1 p.m. homecoming game at Duvall-Rosier Field. The veteran coach, who is in his third season at the school, hopes he doesn’t have bus problems and is looking for a better showing on the field from his team.
UC is off to a 5-2 start overall this fall and is 3-1 in the West Virginia Conference. Charleston suffered its first league loss last weekend against defending conference champion Shepherd. The Rams rolled to a 49-13 victory in that contest which was played in Shepherdstown.
“Last week everyone was saying this is it for you guys. This is a benchmark game for your program,” said DeMeo. “In my eyes all it was, was a league game against Shepherd. I don’t get caught up in all of that kind of stuff. A benchmark? What’s that mean. I don’t have time to figure all of that stuff up until the season ends.
“I’m so short-sighted it’s ridiculous. My goal right now today is go out and have a good practice. Seriously that’s it. On Saturday I just want us to play well against Fairmont. People talk about conference championships and regional rankings. I don’t worry about those things. Not now. I’ve always felt if you look too far ahead you tend to trip over things.”
UC is currently tied for second place in the WVC and this week the school achieved its first-ever NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Ranking when it showed up in 11th place in the season’s first set of rankings.
“We played a pretty tough nonconference schedule and we came through it okay,” said DeMeo. “We’ve gotten some good experience. Now we didn’t play very well against Shepherd last week and they, of course, did. But you know that’s part of the growth process when you have a young team. We have 103 guys on the roster and only five are seniors. I think we’re building the foundation of a pretty good program and to be honest I believe right now we’re a year ahead of where we thought we’d be when I first took over this program.”
UC averages 25.6 points and 286.7 yards of offense per outing this season. The Golden Eagles are a run-oriented team which is led by a dual threat at quarterback in redshirt freshman DaRante Hunter. He currently leads UC in rushing with 503 yards and four touchdowns on 117 carries and has completed 47-of-95 passes for 670 yards and four scores.
Former Kennedy Award winner Josh Culberton is second on the squad in rushing with 238 yards and three TDs on 86 attempts. He was slowed in the early going by a groin injury, but according to DeMeo is now back to full strength.
UC’s leading receiver is Terrance Spencer, who has 19 catches for 369 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively the Golden Eagles are allowing 20.7 points and 324.1 yards per game. UC’s defense gives up just 102.3 yards per game on the ground and leads the WVC in sacks with 21.
Sophomore linebacker Joey Lindamood leads UC in tackles with 41. Junior defensive lineman T.L. Asbury has 36 stops, including a team-high 16 for losses and five sacks. Senior defensive back Mike Williams has picked off four passes this fall and returned three of them for touchdowns.
Fairmont Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT— Tony DeMeo was a gracious host the last time Fairmont State University’s football team paid a visit to Charleston.
The reward, however, for the University of Charleston football coach wasn’t just compensation.
After agreeing to delay the start of last year’s game with the Falcons for 30 minutes because chartered buses from a bus company which went out of business never showed up to bring FSU to Charleston, DeMeo watched his team get dominated on both sides of the ball in a 27-13 loss by an angry bunch of Fairmont State players, who arrived that day in the capital city in a variety of different ways.
“It didn’t help sitting in the locker room waiting for the game,” said DeMeo of last year’s incident. “That’s not exactly the ideal way to get a team up for a game.
“I certainly understand the problem that (then FSU head coach) Rusty (Elliott) had. It wasn’t his fault and I know he felt bad, but the ideal thing was for us to play the game. What good would it have been to make a big fuss over it? Now if it happens again next year when they come back with Rusty now being the AD (athletic director) there I’m not going to be so compassionate. He should know better now.
“Seriously, though, I think Rusty would have done that same thing for me if the roles were reversed. The bad thing for us is they came down here and thumped us pretty good that day.”
Saturday DeMeo and his Golden Eagles will make the trek to Fairmont to face the Falcons in their 1 p.m. homecoming game at Duvall-Rosier Field. The veteran coach, who is in his third season at the school, hopes he doesn’t have bus problems and is looking for a better showing on the field from his team.
UC is off to a 5-2 start overall this fall and is 3-1 in the West Virginia Conference. Charleston suffered its first league loss last weekend against defending conference champion Shepherd. The Rams rolled to a 49-13 victory in that contest which was played in Shepherdstown.
“Last week everyone was saying this is it for you guys. This is a benchmark game for your program,” said DeMeo. “In my eyes all it was, was a league game against Shepherd. I don’t get caught up in all of that kind of stuff. A benchmark? What’s that mean. I don’t have time to figure all of that stuff up until the season ends.
“I’m so short-sighted it’s ridiculous. My goal right now today is go out and have a good practice. Seriously that’s it. On Saturday I just want us to play well against Fairmont. People talk about conference championships and regional rankings. I don’t worry about those things. Not now. I’ve always felt if you look too far ahead you tend to trip over things.”
UC is currently tied for second place in the WVC and this week the school achieved its first-ever NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Ranking when it showed up in 11th place in the season’s first set of rankings.
“We played a pretty tough nonconference schedule and we came through it okay,” said DeMeo. “We’ve gotten some good experience. Now we didn’t play very well against Shepherd last week and they, of course, did. But you know that’s part of the growth process when you have a young team. We have 103 guys on the roster and only five are seniors. I think we’re building the foundation of a pretty good program and to be honest I believe right now we’re a year ahead of where we thought we’d be when I first took over this program.”
UC averages 25.6 points and 286.7 yards of offense per outing this season. The Golden Eagles are a run-oriented team which is led by a dual threat at quarterback in redshirt freshman DaRante Hunter. He currently leads UC in rushing with 503 yards and four touchdowns on 117 carries and has completed 47-of-95 passes for 670 yards and four scores.
Former Kennedy Award winner Josh Culberton is second on the squad in rushing with 238 yards and three TDs on 86 attempts. He was slowed in the early going by a groin injury, but according to DeMeo is now back to full strength.
UC’s leading receiver is Terrance Spencer, who has 19 catches for 369 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively the Golden Eagles are allowing 20.7 points and 324.1 yards per game. UC’s defense gives up just 102.3 yards per game on the ground and leads the WVC in sacks with 21.
Sophomore linebacker Joey Lindamood leads UC in tackles with 41. Junior defensive lineman T.L. Asbury has 36 stops, including a team-high 16 for losses and five sacks. Senior defensive back Mike Williams has picked off four passes this fall and returned three of them for touchdowns.