GLASSBORO, N.J. - The No. 13/16 Salisbury University football team continues its New Jersey road swing on Saturday against the Rowan Profs in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) showdown. Kickoff from Coach Richard Wackar Stadium is set for 12 p.m. on Oct. 16.
Salisbury returns to the field after a bye week and a 27-7 victory on Oct. 2 at Montclair St to open NJAC play. Salisbury scored 27 first-half points and forced four interceptions en route to the conference-opening win. Rowan has struggled through the first four games of the season and will look to right the ship against Salisbury. A late score from the Kean Cougars downed the Profs, 24-17, on Oct. 9.
THE RUNDOWN
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The Series: Rowan holds the 14-12-1 series advantage over Salisbury but the Sea Gulls enter Saturday's game on a three-game winning streak over the Profs.
The last time the Sea Gulls and the Profs stepped on the field was a 38-7 win for Salisbury during Homecoming 2019. Salisbury nearly doubled Rowan in terms of yardage as the Sea Gulls totaled 485 yards of total offense compared to the Profs 236 yards Salisbury recorded 336 rushing yards and 149 passing yards in the victory. Jack Lanham went 6-for-11 passing and totaled 238 yards of total offense with a pair of scores.
The Salisbury defense got after Mike Husni with five sacks. Sean Carroll paced the Salisbury defense with 11 tackles and a field goal block. Pat Bernardo tallied six tackles while Robert Jadick collected two tackles for loss.
Last Time Out: Salisbury used a 27-0 first-half advantage to roll to a 27-7 win over the Montclair St. Redhawks on Oct. 2 to open New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play. Jack Lanham combined for 145 yards of total offense. Lanham went 5-of-8 for 71 passing yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Lanham carried the ball seven times for 74 yards and a score. Shamar Gray notched 63 rushing yards on 14 carries. Joey Bildstein and Marcus Wilson each picked up a touchdown on the ground.
The Salisbury defense forced four interceptions. Sean Carroll intercepted Ja'Quill Burch twice in the game. Carroll's two interceptions moved him to a tie for third on the SU career interception list with 13 picks, tied with John Baugher '90. Sam Pagella registered 10 tackles, including nine solo stops to set a new career-high. Aaron Jahnke recorded nine tackles and a pass breakup. Jimmy Celentano and A.J. Butler each intercepted a pass. Celentano also tallied eight tackles and a pass breakup.
National Rankings: Salisbury held at No. 13 and No. 16 in the D3football.com and American Football Coaches Association Polls (AFCA) respectively. It is the third consecutive week that Salisbury was at 16th in the AFCA poll.
Weekly Honors: Jack Lanham was tabbed as the NJAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Salisbury's win over Montclair St. on Oct. 2. It is the fifth time that Lanham has picked up an NJAC weekly award and third NJAC Offensive Player of the Week honor of his career.
Lanham led the Salisbury offense with a touchdown on the ground and through the air to help the Sea Gulls pick up a win in the NJAC opener. He combined for 145 yards of total offense in the victory. Lanham completed 5-of-8 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. He also carried the ball seven times for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Success on the Jersey Shore: Salisbury has won 26 of the last 27 games against teams from New Jersey since the 2011 season. Salisbury enters Saturday's games on an 18-game win streak against New Jersey schools.
The Class of the NJAC: Since joining the NJAC in 2015, Salisbury has won 44 games in the conference. The 44 wins stand as the most wins among active teams in the conference.
Breaking through the books: Senior quarterback Jack Lanham crossed the 2,000 passing yard mark in Salisbury's win over Montclair St. on Oct. 2 to become the 11th player in team history with 2,000-plus passing yards.
8. Dustin Johnson (2002-05) - 2,204
9. Marc Thomas (1993-94) - 2,128
10. David Doy (1992-95) - 2,079
11. Jack Lanham (2017-present) – 2,003
12. Ronnie Curley (2005-08) - 1,768
Among the Greats: Salisbury head coach Sherman Wood ranks in the top-20 of active coaches in wins, regardless of NCAA Division. Entering 2021, Coach Wood is tied for 19th with Willie Fritz of Tulane amongst active coaches in victories with 177. He had more career victories than other notable coaches with 20 or more years of experience such as Kirk Ferentz of Iowa and Gary Patterson of TCU.
No Fly Zone: Senior All-American defensive Back Sean Carroll recorded a pair of interceptions against Montclair St. to move to a tie for third on the all-time career interceptions list.
1. Byron Westbrook (2003-06) – 18
2. Andre Carter (2010-13) – 16
T3. Sean Carroll (2017-present) – 13
T3. John Baugher (1986-89) - 13
T4. Du'Juan Wilson (1998-2000) - 12
T4. Greg Stanton (2010-13) – 12
Scouting Rowan: Rowan enters Saturday's game looking for its first win of the 2021 season. The Profs return veteran leadership with quarterback Mike Husni and wide receiver John Maldonado. Husni is a threat to run and throw under center. Husni has totaled 10 touchdowns in 2021 with eight passing touchdowns and a pair of rushing scores. So far in 2021, Maldonado caught 34 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns.
On defense, Rowan is giving up the most points per game in the NJAC with 36.8 points against through four games. The Profs are led by linebacker Mike Mascioli who ranks 13th in the NJAC in tackles with 33 this season.
