FIU Game Notes vs. Duke (CLICK HERE)
MIAMI, Fla. (FIUSports.com) – Saturday's season-opener at Duke marks the start of the 11th year of FIU Football and sixth under Head Coach Mario Cristobal, who has the Panthers coming off back-to-back bowl games in 2010-11. The game vs. the Blue Devils kicks off from Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C., at 7 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ESPN3.
FIU has a large array of veteran talent returning for the 2012 campaign, including 18 starters on offense and defense, plus both its kicker and punter. Overall, FIU returns 53 letterwinners from 2011. FIU also begins a season for the first time receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll, earning three votes equating to being tied for 43rd nationally.
For the second consecutive season, the FIU football team has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference, as determined in a poll of the league's 10 coaches. The team has an all-time high seven Panthers earning spots on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team – the most of any league member in 2012.
FIU starts the 2012 campaign playing one of college football's oldest programs in Duke, whose gridiron lore can be dated back all the way to 1889. 2012 will mark the 100th year of playing football for Duke (1889-94, 1920-29, 1930-present). Last season, Duke edged FIU in Miami, 31-27.
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Game Details:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 1
Location: Durham, N.C.
Time: 7 p.m.
Stadium: Wallace Wade Stadium (33,941)
2012 Records:
Duke: 0-0 Overall, 0-0 ACC/Coastal
FIU: 0-0 Overall, 0-0 Sun Belt
Series: Duke leads 1-0
Social Media: Twitter.com/@FIUFootball
Game Broadcast: ESPN3
Next Up:
Opponent: Akron (0-0/0-0 Mid-American) [Akron hosts UCF on Thursday, Aug. 30]
Date: Saturday, Sept. 8
Location: Miami, Fla.
Time: 6 p.m.
Stadium: Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium (20,000)
Game Note: FIU kicks off its home schedule in week No. 2 vs. Akron, led by Terry Bowden in his first year with the Zips. The Panthers' home-opener will be marked by the return of players from the inaugural 2002 squad, in a celebration of FIU's 10th anniversary of football. Fans attending the game will also be treated to a firework-show spectacular following the conclusion of the game. The stadium will appear larger than it has in previous seasons, as a new seating expansion to the north side has enclosed the entire lower bowl. Tickets are available by calling (305) FIU-GAME.
FIU VS. DUKE
• The 2012 road trip to Durham concludes the two-game series with the Duke Blue Devils.
• FIU looks to even the series with Duke after dropping a narrow four-point contest, 31-27, last year in Miami on Oct. 1.
o The 2011 game saw a bulk of back-and-forth scoring in the first quarter, which led to a 17-14 Duke advantage after the first. FIU scored its lone points of the second on a Jack Griffin 36-yard field goal to tie the game at the half.
o Griffin booted a 33-yarder with 12 seconds left in the third for a 20-17 lead heading into the fourth.
o Wayne Times was on the receiving end of a 34-yard TD in the fourth as FIU took a 27-17 lead.
o On the next drive, Duke scored in three plays, as Juwan Thompson scampered for six yards. The key play was a 54-yard pass, Sean Renfree to Donovan Varner, on first down.
o After forcing a Duke punt and taking over at its own 20, the Panthers rushed twice totaling 16 yards to the FIU 36. On third down, Wes Carroll was sacked; the ball came loose and was recovered at the FIU 9 by Duke.
o One play later, DU's Thompson punched it in for the 31-27 lead switch with 6:52 to go. FIU mounted an 11-play 60-yard drive to the Duke 12, but lost the ball on downs.
DUKE MATCH-UP NOTES
FIU - DUKE ROSTER CONNECTIONS
• In its history, FIU has faced three Atlantic Coast Conference opponents: Duke (0-1), Maryland (0-3) and Miami (0-2). Additionally, FIU played future ACC member Pittsburgh (0-1) during the 2010 season.
• The Duke game also marks FIU's 75th all-time contest to be played at night (6 p.m. or later).
• While he was an assistant coach at the University of Miami, Mario Cristobal faced Duke twice, winning on both occasions. In 2005, UM won 52-7 in the Orange Bowl, and in 2006, the Hurricanes won 20-15 in Durham.
• Along with Cristobal, current FIU Special Teams Coordinator and Secondary Coach Jeff Popovich was a graduate assistant at Miami (2005-06) and outside linebackers coach Juan Navarro, Jr., was a volunteer coach at UM in 2006.
• FIU does not have a player from North Carolina on its roster, while 13 Blue Devils hail from the Sunshine State. FIU freshman Fadol Brown attended North Carolina Tech (prep school).
• FIU's Darian Mallary and Duke's Conner Vernon were teammates at Miami's Gulliver Prep.
• FIU's T.J. Lowder and Duke's Jordan Byas both attended Bay HS in Panama City.
• FIU sophomore transfer Jakhari Gore and Duke's Travis Gibson both attended Miami's Christopher Columbus High.
• Cristobal graduated from the University of Miami in 1993 and Duke defensive line coach Rick Petri came to Coral Gables to coach the Hurricanes' defensive line from 1993-95. Petri did return to Miami for the 2010 season under former Head Coach Randy Shannon, whom Cristobal also coached with.
ON THIS DATE (SEPTEMBER 1)
• FIU has played twice on September 1, splitting the two games.
• 2007: at then-No. 17 Penn State, FIU fell to the Nittany Lions in front of the largest crowd-ever to watch the Panthers play (107,678). The game also marked the start of the Mario Cristobal era at FIU.
• 2011: The 2011 season-opener took place on Thursday evening, a home victory over Sun Belt rival North Texas.
TEAM NOTES
FIU AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS IN RETURNING VETERANS
According to Phil Steele, FIU will return one of the largest senior classes in the nation in 2012. According to early preseason rosters, FIU, Nebraska, Kansas State and Louisiana Tech were the only programs with 30 or more seniors.
WHAT FIU HAS COMING BACK IN 2012?
FIU has a large array of veteran talent returning for the 2012 campaign, including 20 starters and 53 letterwinners from last year's Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl squad.
• Returning per unit is:
o Offense: 8 starters, 22 letterwinners
o Defense: 10 starters, 27 letterwinners
o Special Teams: 2 starters, 4 letterwinners
12 OPPONENTS ROSTER COMPARISON
FIU's returning players stack up favorably versus its 2012 scheduled opponents. Only Louisville, 21 starters returning, has a number greater than FIU.
• Duke: 44 letterwinners/17 starters
• Akron: 40/13
• UCF: 44/19
• Louisville: 46/21
• Louisiana: 49/14
• Arkansas State: 52/10
• Middle Tennessee: 41/12
• Troy: 49/16
• WKU: 48/19
• South Alabama: 44/15
• FAU: 46/16
• ULM: 41/15
2012 ROSTER FILLED WITH STARTERS
40 players on the 2012 roster have started during their FIU careers. Those 40 players have combined for a total of 474 starts, an impressive average of nearly 12 starts per player. 425 of the 474 combined starts have come during the 2011 and 2010 seasons.
• 22 on defense have 253 starts
o Nine defensive backs have 111 starts
o (Leader: Johnathan Cyprien 33)
o Nine defensive linemen have 83 starts
o (Leader: Tourek Williams 26)
o Four linebackers have 59 starts
o (Leader: Winston Fraser 31)
• 16 on offense account for 168 starts
o Six offensive linemen have 88 starts
o (Leader: Rupert Bryan 29)
o Six wide receivers have 55 starts
o (Leader: Jacob Younger 22)
o Three running backs have 23 starts
o (Leader: Kedrick Rhodes 11)
• The kicker and punter have for 53 starts
WHAT IS LOST FROM THE 2011 SQUAD?
• Offense: Despite eight starters returning, the offense lost four players, including three starters:
o T.Y. Hilton, WR: 2012 NFL Third Round Draft Pick by Indianapolis...broke several FIU and Sun Belt career and single-season records...a former multiple All-Sun Belt selection and player of the year.
o Wes Carroll, QB: Two-year starter...part of an offense that led FIU to back-to-back bowl berths.
o Curtis Bryant, RG: 21 combined starts over his last two seasons.
o Jonathan Faucher, TE: 25 career starts at tight end.
• Defense: 2012 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention defensive end James Jones was the lone starter to graduate.
• Special Teams: FIU lost its primary return specialist in T.Y. Hilton.
2012 ROSTER NOTES
• On the present 104-man roster:
o 43 Freshman (30 True & 13 Redshirt)
o 18 Sophomores (7 True & 11 Redshirt)
o 13 Juniors (7 True & 6 Redshirt)
o 30 Seniors (21 True & 9 Redshirt)
• 80 percent of FIU's 104-man roster (83 players) is from the state of Florida.
• 23 Florida counties are represented from the northwest panhandle, to the first coast in the northeast and all along the way through Collier in the southwest gulf region.
• 44 percent of FIU's 104-man roster (46 players) is from the Tri-County (Miami-Dade 31, Broward 8 and Palm Beach 7) area.
PANTHER GRADUATES
Seniors Mitch MacClugage (Criminal Justice), Andrew Mattox (Sports Administration Studies) and Jeremiah Harden (Liberal Arts Studies) all received their bachelor's degrees over the summer and are now pursuing Master's degrees in their final collegiate seasons.
CROSSING STATE LINES IN 2012
• FIU's six-game road schedule in 2012 includes travel to just three states outside of Florida: North Carolina (Duke), Louisiana (U. Louisiana) and Alabama (Troy, USA). FIU faces intra-state rivals UCF and FAU, on the road, as well.
• The three states visiting is the lowest since FIU played outside the state of Florida two times during in its inaugural 2002 season (Elon - North Carolina; WKU - Kentucky).
NATIONAL NOTES
FIU EARNS PRESEASON TOP 25 VOTES
• FIU football received its first points in a preseason poll, earning three in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll, essentially tied for 43rd, along with Missouri and Tennessee.
• The last time FIU received points in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll was 11, last season on Sept. 18, after the team began the year 3-0, defeating North Texas, Louisville and UCF in successive weeks.
• Five of the state's FBS schools start the season receiving points including No. 7 Florida State (1,055), No. 23 Florida (25), USF (12, No. 34), UCF (5, No. 41 tie) and FIU (3, No. 43 tie).
CBSSPORTS.COM'S JERRY PALM STARTS FIU AT NO. 38
• FIU begins 2012 ranked No. 38 in CBSSports.com 1-124 rankings, as calculated by BCS/Bracketology expert Jerry Palm.
• Louisville (29), UCF (32), Louisiana (34) and Arkansas State (51) are FIU's highest-rated 2012 opponents and are all played on consecutive weeks, Sept. 15 through Oct. 4.
PRESEASON NATIONAL AWARD CANDIDATES IN 2012
This preseason, a record-tying five FIU student-athletes appear on five individual national award watch lists. In 2006, FIU also had five players named to preseason watch lists: Johnathan Cyprien (Jim Thorpe); Winston Fraser (Rotary Lombardi); Jack Griffin (Lou Groza); Caylin Hauptmann (Outland); Kedrick Rhodes (Doak Walker)
• The five national awards watch lists in 2012 leads the Sun Belt Conference and are the third-most for FBS schools in Florida.
• WKU in the Sun Belt, and USF within the state, also have five players, respectively, on national award watch lists, but both schools are only named for four different awards lists. Both schools each have two Rotary Lombardi award candidates.
• Florida State has 19 players, and Florida 16, vying for 11 awards, respectively.
20 EARN PRESEASON RECOGNITION
• 20 FIU student-athletes have garnered some level of preseason recognition by the various college football magazines or websites.
• In Athlon's, Blue Ribbon, CBSSports.com, Lindy's and Phil Steele publications, FIU led all Sun Belt schools in players selected to their respective All-SBC First-Teams.
FIU BECOMING MORE FAMILIAR IN TV HOUSEHOLDS
• So far, eight FIU regular games have been selected for TV in 2012. Last season, FIU had a total of eight games that were televised.
• In 2011, seven regular season games made it on air, concluding with an eighth telecast, ESPN's Beef 'O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl.
• Since the 2010 season, including 2012, 26 FIU will be on television – that is over double the amount of games televised in Mario Cristobal's first three years (12).
• FIU went 10-8 in TV games during 2010-11, as compared to 1-11 from 2007-09.
FIU Record on Television (Cristobal era)
2012: 8 0-0
2011: 8 4-4
2010: 10 6-4
2009: 3 0-3
2008: 4 1-3
2007: 5 0-5
BACK-TO-BACK BOWL SEASONS (2010-11)
• FIU appeared in postseason bowl games the past two seasons, 2010 (Little Caesars Pizza Bowl) and 2011 (Beef 'O'Brady's Bowl).
• Of the 90 schools that have appeared in bowl games in 2010 and 2011 combined, the Panthers are among 50 to have earned back-to-back invites.
• Since FIU joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2005, only four Sun Belt schools have had bowl appearances in consecutive years, with Troy leading the way with a streak of three invites.
Sun Belt in Consecutive Bowl Games
1. Troy (3): 2008-2009-2010
2. FIU (2): 2010-2011; Middle Tennessee (2): 2009-2010; FAU (2): 2007-2008
FIU-SUN BELT NOTES
• For the second consecutive season, the FIU football team has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference, as determined in a poll of the league's 10 coaches.
• FIU had an all-time high seven Panthers earning spots on the Preseason All-Sun Belt Team – the most of any league member in 2012. The preseason team was selected by the league's 10 head coaches and selected media members.
• Making the list were running back Kedrick Rhodes, offensive linemen Rupert Bryan, Jr., and Caylin Hauptmann, defensive linemen Isame Faciane and Tourek Williams, linebacker Winston Fraser and defensive back Johnathan Cyprien.
• Williams was also named the Sun Belt's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Williams' player of the year nomination was just the second time, and second straight year, an FIU player earned top status, joining former All-American T.Y. Hilton (2011 Preseason Co-Offensive POY).
• Of mention, no other Sun Belt school had repeat picks outside of FIU's Hauptmann, Williams, Fraser and Cyprien, who made the preseason team in 2011. FIU also led the league with six preseason All-Sun Belt picks last year, in addition to Hilton's preseason player of the year honor.
Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team: Voted by the league's head coaches and media
Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference: Offense
Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, Sr., QB)
Kedrick Rhodes (FIU, Jr., RB)
Alonzo Harris (Louisiana, So., RB)
Josh Jarboe (Arkansas State, Sr., WR)
Javone Lawson (Louisiana, Sr., WR)
Eric Thomas (Troy, Jr., WR)
Jack Doyle (WKU, Sr., TE)
Zack McKnight (Arkansas State, Sr. OL)
Rupert Bryan, Jr., (FIU, Sr., OL)
Caylin Hauptmann (FIU, Sr., OL)
Leonardo Bates (Louisiana, Sr., OL)
Cyril Lemon (North Texas, Sr., OL)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference: Defense
Isame Faciane (FIU, Jr., DL)
Tourek Williams (FIU, Sr., DL)
Tony Davis (Troy, Sr., DL)
Quanterus Smith (WKU, Sr., DL)
Winston Fraser (FIU, Sr., LB)
Kanorris Davis (Troy, Sr., LB)
Andrew Jackson (WKU, Jr., LB)
Don Jones (Arkansas State, Sr., DB)
Johnathan Cyprien (FIU, Sr., DB)
Melvin White, (Louisiana, Sr., DB)
Brynden Trawick (Troy, Sr., DB)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Special Teams
Brett Baer (Louisiana, Sr., Kicker)
Will Atterberry (North Texas, Sr., Punter)
John Evans (WKU, So., Return Specialist)
Preseason Offensive Players of the Year
Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, Sr., QB)
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Tourek Williams (FIU, Sr., DL)
2012 Preseason Sun Belt Conference Poll: As voted by the league's head coaches
1. FIU 92 (5)
2. Arkansas State 85 (2)
3. Louisiana 81 (2)
4. WKU 70 (1)
5. Troy 60
6. ULM 47
7. Middle Tenn. 42
8. North Texas 36
9. FAU 23
10. South Alabama 14
ADDITIONAL TEAM NOTES
FIRST-TIME OPPONENT IN 2012
• 2012 will mark the first season under Head Coach Mario Cristobal, that FIU will face just one (1) new opponent on its schedule - South Alabama.
• In 2011, FIU had five first meetings, with wins against Louisville, UCF and Akron. Overall, FIU is 4-10 in first meetings under Cristobal (since 2007).
FIU FOOTBALL 15-7 OVER ITS LAST 22-GAMES
• Since Oct. 9, 2010, following defeats to that season' four non-conference opponents, FIU has gone 15-7. That is the best 22-game stretch in the program's history.
State of Florida FBS Schools (Last 22 Games)
Team Record 2011 2010
FIU 15-7 8-5 (13) 7-2
FSU 15-7 9-4 (13) 6-3
UCF 14-8 5-7 (12) 9-1
Florida 11-11 7-6 (13) 4-5
Miami 11-11 6-6 (12) 5-5
USF 11-11 5-7 (12) 6-4
FAU 4-18 1-11 (12) 3-7
Sun Belt Conference Schools (Last 22 Games)
Team Record 2011 2010
ASU 18-4 10-3 (13) 8-1
FIU 15-7 8-5 (13) 7-2
UL 15-7 9-4 (13) 6-3
WKU 14-8 7-5 (12) 7-3
UNT 10-12 5-7 (12) 5-5
ULM 7-15 4-8 (12) 3-7
Troy 6-16 3-9 (12) 3-7
MT 4-18 2-10 (12) 2-8
FAU 4-18 1-11 (12) 3-7
PLAYER NOTES
KEDRICK RHODES READY TO RE-WRITE RECORDS IN 2012
• After setting the single-season rushing mark in 2011 with 1,149 yards rushing, junior running back Kedrick Rhodes enters 2012 poised to re-write several FIU career rushing records. In his two previous seasons combined, Rhodes has appeared in 21 games, 11 starts, for 1,442 yards on 274 carries.
• In 2012, the Doak Walker candidate should become FIU's career leader in rushing yards, carries, 100-yard games, rushing/receiving plays and receptions by a running back.
o 1,442 yards places fourth [#1 Rashod Smith 2,195 yards].
o 274 carries places fifth [#1 Darriet Perry 435].
o Six 100-yard games places second [#1 Rashod Smith 7].
o 309 rushing/receiving plays places fifth [#1 Darriet Perry 475].
o 34 receptions by a RB places fourth [#1 A'mod Ned 57].
o 5.3 yards per carry currently places first all-time.
JOHNATHAN CYPRIEN LOOKS FOR TOP TACKLE RECORD
• Senior safety Johnathan Cyprien enters 2012 with 272 career tackles, just 30 shy of tying the school career record held by Scott Bryant (302; 2006-09). Cyprien, a 2012 Thorpe Award Candidate, who has had 78, 113 and 81 tackles, in his three previous seasons, has averaged 7.2 tackles per game in his 38 career appearances.
• His 113 tackles as a sophomore were the most by a sophomore at FIU, and stands as fourth-most in a single-season at the school.
• Cyprien, five forced fumbles, stands one shy of tying that school record, held by Antwan Barnes (6; 2003-06). He also ranks fourth at FIU with 17 pass break-ups.
JACK GRIFFIN KICKS WAY INTO RECORD BOOK
• Senior placekicker Jack Griffin has posted the top two scoring seasons, overall and by kicking, for an FIU football player with 96 and 102 points, respectively. The 198 total points places him No. 2 all-time, 35 points shy of tying inaugural kicker Adam Moss' (2002-05) school record of 233 points. However, Griffin would have accomplished the feat in three seasons versus four seasons for Moss.
• Griffin's 22 and 17 field goals made in 2011 and 2010, respectively, were also the top two marks in that category all-time. In addition, he has also nailed the top two amounts of extra points per season during that same span, 45 and 36.
• As impressive, the former Groza Award semifinalist has twice had a string of 11 consecutive field goals made, another run of eight, and has not missed an extra point during his collegiate career (81-for-81).
TOUREK WILLIAMS GOES BEHIND THE LINES ON DEFENSE
• Senior defensive end Tourek Williams is among the program's all-time best at the FBS level in tackles for loss and sacks. (FIU moved up to FBS in 2005, after starting at FCS in 2002.)
• The preseason Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year enters the season tied for third with 31.5 tackles for loss and is just 2.5 behind No. 2 Keyonvis Bouie (2003-06). His TFL yardage, 140, ranks second.
• With 11.5 career sacks, he falls one short of second all-time (Daunte Foster, 12.5, 2002-04). Williams also places second with 99 career sack yards.
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FIU once again has an exciting six-game home schedule in 2012, including non-conference games vs. BIG EAST Co-Champion Louisville, Akron, plus Sun Belt schools Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee, WKU and ULM.
The Panthers begin 2012 season with four-straight, non-conference games against Duke (Sept. 1), Akron (Sept. 8), UCF (Sept. 15) and Louisville (Sept. 22), which FIU went 3-1 against last year.
Season tickets are presently on-sale and start at just $42. Single-game tickets to FIU's six-game home schedule at Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium are also on-sale. Tickets to the FIU-Louisville game on Sept. 22 will only be available as part of a season ticket plan. For more information or to place your order, please visit FIUSports.com or call 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263).
The first 500 NEW season ticket buyers will receive a limited edition Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium replica. Fans must purchase a minimum of two (2) sideline season tickets to qualify for this promotion. There is a limit of one (1) stadium replica per account.
About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.
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