HOFSTRA FACTS, FIGURES, STREAKS AND TRENDS: • The Pride have won their last four regular season contests dating back to the 2002 season. • Hofstra has won 14 of its last 22 games. The Pride has won 27 of its last 38 regular season games and 36 of its last 48 in-season contests. The Pride is 50-17 in regular season play since the start of the 1997 season. • The Pride have posted a 66-24-1 record over the last 91 regular season games. They are 78-25-2 over the last 105 regular season games dating back to the middle HOFSTRA of the 1993 season. FOOTBALL, 2003 • Hofstra has won 35 of 50 contests, including playoff games, since the start of the 1999 season. • Hofstra has won 18 of its last 26 road games and 20 of For Immediate Release – August 26, 2003 its last 30 contests away from Hofstra Stadium. The Pride is 25-12 on the road since the start of the 1997 2003 SEASON - GAME 1: season. HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY (0-0) at. • Hofstra has won 21 of its last 28 regular season games MARSHALL UNIVERSITY at Shuart Stadium. The only losses came at the hands of Delaware on September 16, 2000, Richmond in October (0-0) 1999, Villanova in November 2001, and Montana, James Madison and William and Mary in 2002. Hofstra is 55-16 Saturday, August 30, 2003 - 4:30 p.m. at Shuart Stadium since Joe Gardi arrived at the Marshall Stadium • Huntington, WV University in 1990. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Television: Metro Channel, ESPN Game Plan (PPV) PRIDE HEAD COACH: Joe Gardi is in his 14th season Radio: WRHU-FM (88.7), 3:30 p.m. (Live) as Head Football Coach at Hofstra University. He has Internet: WWW.WRHU.org posted a 105-42-2 record during that time. His .711 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- winning percentage ranks second in school history. 2003 HOFSTRA SCHEDULE Gardi's 105 victories are the second most all-time at Aug. 30 at Marshall (Metro) 4:30 p.m. Hofstra behind the legendary Howard "Howdy" Myers Sept. 6 MAINE (FSNY)* 7:30 p.m. (141 wins from 1950-1974). Sept. 13 ELON 7:00 p.m. Sept. 20 at James Madison* 6:00 p.m. PRIDE COACHING STAFF: After entering the 2002 Sept. 27 DELAWARE (CSTV)* 12:30 p.m. season with four new coaches, Hofstra has only one Oct. 11 NORTHEASTERN (FSNY)*+ 1:30 p.m. new member of the coaching staff this season. Running Oct. 18 at Massachusetts* 12:30 p.m. backs coach Carlton Goff, who joined the staff this past Oct. 25 NEW HAMPSHIRE* 7:00 p.m. spring, is the newest Pride staff member. Goff, who Nov. 1 at William & Mary (TFN)* Noon came to Hofstra from East Carolina, replaces Ryan Nov. 8 VILLANOVA (TFN)* 7:00 p.m. Smith, who left the staff during the 2002 regular season. Nov. 15 at Rhode Island* Noon The 2003 Pride football coaching staff is as follows: Nov. 22 at Liberty 1:30 p.m. Coach Pos. HU Yr. Overall Yr. * - Atlantic 10 Game + - Homecoming Greg Gigantino Def. Coord. 11th yr. 26th yr. Warren Ruggiero Off. Coord. 4th yr. 16th yr. INFORMATION CONTACTS: Bob McIntyre Linebackers 15th yr. 15th yr. Hofstra - Jim Sheehan, Assoc. A.D. for Communications Brian Vaganek Def. Line 3rd yr. 11th yr. (516) 463-6764 - O; (516) 523-6692 - Cell Adam Brown Spec. Teams 3rd yr. 3rd yr. Jimmy Salgado Def. Backs 2nd yr. 10th yr. Marshall – Randy Burnside, Sports Information Director; Jeff Behrman Receivers 2nd yr. 8th yr. (304) 696-6525 - O Cazzie Kosciolek Off. Line 2nd yr. 6th yr. Carlton Goff RB 1st yr. 9th yr. Marshall Stadium Press Box - (304) 696-6666 Michael Curry Off. Line 2nd yr. 2nd yr. back Trevor Dimmie, wide receivers Marques Colston, INJURY REPORT: Here is the Pride injury report Ricky Bryant, Isaac Irby and Jamaal Perry, and offensive entering week one: linemen Pat O'Brien and Brandon Newton. The returning Player Pos. Injury Status defensive starters are defensive end Dan Garay, Bill Hambrecht LB Back Out - Season linebackers Renauld Williams, Cole Haley, and Tyree Josh Reed DE Knee Out - Season Johnson, and safety Carlton Bargman. Strong safety Joe Nolan P Knee Out - Season James Glee did not start the season at safety but he did Brian Trimboli LB Leg Out - Indef. start the final nine games of the year. Cornerback Le'Var Chris Andreano SS Leg Out - Indef Starr also did not start in the season opener but he did Todd Rodgers OG Knee Doubtful start the next 11 games. Kicker Chris Onorato also returns to his starting duty. HOFSTRA-MARSHALL SERIES: Saturday's game is the second meeting between Hofstra and Marshall in a NEW STARTERS: The new starters in the Pride line-up series that started in 1995. The Pride, a second year I- this season are: quarterback Bobby Seck; OT Jed AA program with 15 scholarships at the time, went into Prisby; OG Jarrod Verge; OT Willie Colon; DT Mickey Huntington for the regular season finale with a 10-0 Keene; DE Stephen Bowen; MLB Gian Villante; and CB record and ranked seventh. Marshall, a I-AA program Prentice James. then coached by Jim Donnan and ranked sixth, entered the contest with an 8-2 record. The Pride rallied from a THE SECOND I-A CONTEST: Saturday's game at 17-6 second quarter deficit and took a 21-20 late in the Marshall is Hofstra's second-ever contest against a I-A third quarter. But the Thundering Herd, behind running opponent. In 1999, Hofstra defeated the University at back Chris Parker (40-199) and quarterback Chad Buffalo (MAC) in UB Stadium 20-13. Pennington (17-29-0, 294, 1TD), scored 10 unanswered points to post a 30-28 victory. But there was victory in EARLY START: Saturday's contest at Marshall is only defeat for Hofstra as the Pride's performance that day, the second contest to be played in the month of August before the I-AA Football Committee who announced the during Joe Gardi's tenure. Last year's Montana game at playoff field selection the next day from Huntington, was James M. Shuart Stadium was played on August 29th. impressive enough to garner the school's first I-AA championship invitation. SUB-400 DEFENSE: The Pride defense knocked off almost 90 yards per game from their 2001 opponents Year Winner (Loc.) Score total offense average in 2002. Hofstra recorded nine 1995 Marshall (Away) 30-28 sub-400 game and posted eight sub-350 yard contests last year. The Pride only had four sub-350 defensive WEST VIRGINIA HOMECOMING: Saturday's Marshall efforts in 2001. In 1996, the Flying Dutchmen posted 10 game will be a homecoming of sorts for three members sub-300 yard defensive games. The top defensive of the Pride football team. Junior reserve quarterback efforts in 2002 were: Andrew English returns to Marshall where he transferred from in 2002. Senior Isaac Irby returns to the State of • November 23 vs. Liberty, 165 yards West Virginia for the first time since transferring from • November 2 at Elon, 183 yards West Virginia where he was a member of the • October 26 at Maine, 231 yards Mountaineer team in 2000 and 2001. Offensive • October 12th vs. William & Mary, 270 yards Coordinator Warren Ruggiero served as the head • August 29th vs. Montana, 317 yards football coach and offensive coordinator at Glenville • November 16th at Massachusetts, 338 yards State College in 1997 and 1998, where he posted a 15-7 • September 28th at Northeastern, 341 yards. record, a WVIAC title, an NCAA Division II appearance, • September 7th vs. Rhode Island, 342 yards and led the nation in passing offense and was fourth in scoring offense. DEFENSE: The Pride recorded their best defensive effort of the 2002 season, allowing just 165 yards SEASON OPENERS: The Pride has won 19 of its last against Liberty on November 23rd in the regular season 20 season openers. Last year, the University of Montana finale. Hofstra held Liberty to just 179 yards in the 2001 ended Hofstra's winning streak of 19 consecutive regular season finale. season openers, and the Pride's 255 game non-shutout streak with a 21-0 victory. Hofstra has posted a 38-22-2 THE HOFSTRA SACK EXCHANGE: Joe Gardi directed all-time record in season openers. the famed "New York Sack Exchange" as defensive coordinator of the New York Jets in the early 1980s. RETURNING STARTERS: Against Marshall, the Pride Since his arrival at Hofstra in 1990, numerous Pride will start seven players on offense and five players on players have carried the Pride defensive banner defense who started in the 2002 season opener against including current senior linebacker Renauld Williams. Montana. The returning offensive starters are running Here is the Hofstra Top 10 list for single season sacks, based on game statistics during Joe Gardi's 13-year tenure at Hofstra: 1. Bill Deakins 1991 15.0 2. Renauld Williams 2002 15.0 3. Jim Scully 1990 11.0 4. Ayoola Akinnouye 1991 9.5 THE 2003 ESPN/USA TODAY PRESEASON I-AA 5. Jeff Brown 1991 9.0 COACHES POLL: 6. Emery Tyler 1993 8.0 7. Khary Williams 2000 7.0 2002 7. Joey Driver 1994 7.0 No. Team (1st place votes) W -L Pts. 7. Chris McIntyre 1998 7.0 1. McNeese State (23) 13-2 1,389 7. Joe Wright 1996 7.0 2. Georgia Southern. (8) 11-3 1,311 3. Montana (7) 11-3 1,288 4. Western Illinois (6) 11-2 1,258 5.