By RIAL CUMMINGS of the Missoulian
The last time the Hofstra Pride showed up at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, it was a gray day that Montana football fans would rather forget. Hofstra edged Montana 10-9 in the 2000 season opener, spoiling Coach Joe Glenn's debut.
"Even when we were Division III, we never shied away from playing the best," said Hofstra coach Joe Gardi, whose 15th season began last week with a 45-0 thumping of hapless Albany, N.Y. "There is not a tougher place to play in I-AA football than Missoula. It's a big challenge, but one we look forward to."
Hofstra's run of four Division I-AA playoff appearances in five years ended in 2002, when the Pride went 6-6, including a 21-0 loss to visiting Montana. Last year, ravaged by injuries to a half-dozen key players, Hofstra slid to 2-10, the worst mark in Gardi's tenure. That doesn't sit well with the veteran coach, who shepherded the Long Island school into the I-AA ranks in 1993.
Maine, which came to Missoula last Saturday and lost 27-20, was picked to win the Atlantic 10 Conference's North Division in preseason polls, while Hofstra - which returns 12 starters - was picked to finish last. Hofstra, like Montana, has a small senior class.
"If we can stay healthy, we should be a better team," said Gardi, who lists 16 seniors on his 98-player roster. "We're still young. Many of our impact players are juniors and sophomores, and they're only going to get better."
As always, Hofstra should be entertaining to watch, spreading the field with its no-huddle, run-and-shoot offense. Last year, Hofstra averaged just 105 yards rushing per game, 108th in I-AA, while ranking 19th in passing at 250.2.
"We're going to throw the football, that's no secret," Gardi said. "But any time we can get the running game going too, that's a plus."
Quarterback Bobby Seck won the starting job last year as a sophomore, then suffered a broken hand in the opener against Marshall and was limited to 3fi games. He still passed for 920 yards and led Hofstra to its only victories, over nationally ranked Villanova and Northeastern. After the season Seck had surgery on his right leg for a dislocated knee cap, and had to sit out spring practice.
"As far as my mobility, it's not 100 percent, but it's close," said Seck, who wears a knee brace. "We still have basically the same game plan."
Seck was 26-of-38 passing for 424 yards and four touchdowns against Albany, with no interceptions. He had 201 yards in the first quarter and Hofstra led 38-0 at halftime.
"Bobby played with a lot of confidence, and our players seem to have a lot of confidence in him," Gardi said.
Hofstra lost its top receiver, 6-foot-4 Marques Colston, to a preseason shoulder injury. Colston, considered an NFL prospect, will redshirt this fall. Isaac Irby, a 5-9 senior, did his best to fill Colston's cleats against Albany, finishing with eight receptions for a career-high 168 yards and two TDs. Redshirt freshman Charles Sullivan had seven catches in his first college game.
"Marques was a deep threat who could jump up and make a play," Seck said. "But I think we have the speed with our other receivers to give people problems."
Gardi is counting on improvement from a young offensive line, led by senior center Patrick O'Brien, and returning tackles Willie Colon and Jed Prisby. The 6-4, 290-pound O'Brien played against Albany after having a knee scoped just two weeks ago; he received a game ball.
Hofstra graduated Trevor Dimmie, the school's career rushing leader with 3,662 yards. Terry Crenshaw, a 6-2, 205-pound sophomore, and freshman Kareem Huggins combined to rush for 90 yards in the opener.
Of course, as Gardi pointed out, Hofstra's gaudy stats were tempered by the fact that Albany has struggled to make the jump to I-AA. Montana cruised past Albany 45-7 in 2002.
"No disrespect to Albany, but we know they're not Montana," Gardi said.
Hofstra's defense led the Atlantic 10 against the pass, but was last against the run. Hofstra surrendered an average of 239.6 yards rushing, and 401.5 yards overall.
The Pride returns all three starters on the defensive line and three of four starters in the secondary. The linebacking corps is more unsettled, but leading tackler Cole Haley is back to patrol the inside.
Also back are senior kicker Chris Onorato, who hit 15-of-22 field goals last season, and a pair of experienced punters in Niall Duggan and Joe Nolan.
Reporter Rial Cummings can be reached at 523-5255 or rcummings@missoulian.
2004 Hofstra schedule
Sept. 2 Albany, W 45-0
Sept. 11 at Montana
Sept. 25 Rhode Island
Oct. 2 at James Madison
Oct. 9 at Stony Brook
Oct. 16 Delaware
Oct. 23 at New Hampshire
Oct. 30 Richmond
Nov. 6 at Maine
Nov. 13 Northeastern
Nov. 20 at Massachusetts
2003 results
Aug. 30 at Marshall, L, 21-45
Sept. 6 Maine, L, 21-44
Sept. 13 Elon, L, 23-25
Sept. 20 at James Madison, L, 20-23
Sept. 27 Delaware, L, 14-24
Oct. 4 Northeastern, W, 24-14
Oct. 11 at Massachusetts, L, 22-27
Oct. 18 New Hampshire, L, 17-38
Oct. 25 at William and Mary, L, 9-23
Nov. 1 Villanova, W, 34-32
Nov. 8 at Rhode Island, L, 0-24
Nov. 15 at Liberty, L, 42-49 (ot)
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