STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Coming off a big win vs. Delaware, the No. 21 Towson University football team travels to Long Island for another important CAA game, taking on Stony Brook on Saturday, Nov. 9th at 2 p.m.
 
The game will be broadcast live on FloFootball.com with Jonny Wincott, Sam Kornhauser and Ariel Epstein with the call from Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook.  Spiro Morekas and Gordy Combs will have the radio call on CBS Sports 1300.
 
Towson, ranked in the top-25 all season, currently stands at #21 in the STATS FCS Top-25 as well as in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.  Stony Brook is receiving votes in both polls, falling out of the STATS FCS Top-25 this week.
 
Since Stony Brook's entrance into the CAA in football in 2013, Towson has played the Seawolves every year as league opponents.  Towson won last year's meeting 52-28 at home to even the all-time series at 3-3.  The road team is 2-1 in this series.
 
With three league games remaining, each team is tied for seventh place in the CAA.  Towson defeated Delaware last Saturday 31-24 to enter at 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the league.  Stony Brook is coming off a 30-10 road loss to Richmond to stand also be 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the CAA.
 
This is the first of two consecutive road games for Towson against CAA competition, with the Tigers headed to William & Mary next week.
 
TOWSON: TOP-25 TEAM SINCE SEPT. 2018
Following its victory over rival Delaware, Towson stayed ranked nationally in the FCS top-25, being at #21 in each the STATS FCS Poll and the AFCA Coaches Poll.  The Tigers have been in the top-25 since Sept. 2018.
   
On the week of Sept. 16, Towson earned its first top-5 ranking since 2013.  Towson was ranked in the top-12 in the 2019 preseason, the first preseason ranking since 2014.
 
In total, four CAA teams are in the top-25: Towson, James Madison (#2 STATS, #2 AFCA), Villanova (#18, #19) and New Hampshire (#23, #25).
 
FLACCO, SIMPSON PLACED ON WALTER PAYTON AWARD WATCH LIST
Two Towson players, Tom Flacco and Shane Simpson, have been placed on the Walter Payton Award preseason watch list.  The Walter Payton Award is given to the top offensive player in FCS football.
   
Flacco and Simpson were two of 25 players across all of FCS, and two of three in the CAA, to be honored on the preseason watch list.
 
Each were named to the preseason watch list for the first time.  Flacco was added to the 2018 watch list in October of last season, finishing fifth in the final voting and first among 2019 returners.
 
In the history of the honor, Dave Meggett won the award in 1988.  Flacco, Terrance West (2013), Joe Lee (1999) and Tony Vinson (1993) have all been finalists, all finishing in the top-10.
 
O'NEILL TIES CAA ALL-TIME FIELD GOALS RECORD
Aidan O'Neill, already Towson's all-time leader in field goals made and attempted, has tied the all-time field goals record in Colonial Athletic Association history with 59.
 
O'Neill has 59 field goals as a Tiger in 81 attempts (72.8%), including five makes in 2019.
 
The current CAA record is also held by Greg Kuehn, who made 59 field goals from 2002-25 with William & Mary.
 
TIGERS IN THE PROS
Former Towson players are making their mark in the professional ranks, including Jordan Dangerfield and Tye Smith playing in the National Football League. 
 
Two Tigers, Darius Victor by the New York Guardians and Randall Harris by the DC Defenders, were drafted in the newly-formed XFL, which will begin play in 2020.
Tigers in the Pros - 2019
--Jordan Dangerfield: Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL
--Tye Smith: Tennessee Titans, NFL
--Matt Kauffman: New Orleans Saints minicamp, NFL
--Frank Beltre: Toronto Argonauts, CFL
--Darius Victor: Hamilton Tiger-Cats, CFL
--Gerrard Sheppard: Memphis Express, AAF
--Kanyia Anderson: Sioux Falls Storm, IFL
 
FOUR GRADUATES SUITING UP FOR TOWSON
In the true form of student-athlete, four Towson players take the field as college graduates.  Troy Vincent Jr. graduated from Towson in 2018 and is in his second year of graduate school.  Three others graduated from other institutions before coming to Towson, Tom Flacco from Rutgers, Ricky DeBerry from Oklahoma and Darian Bryant from Temple.
 
TOWSON PLAYERS APPROACHING RECORDS
Several Towson players are approaching the top-10 of records for the program.
Bryce Carter (R-Jr. DL)
--Sacks: 12.5
10th: Justin Yelverton, 16.0 (1999-2002)
 
Tom Flacco (R-Sr. QB)
Passing Touchdowns: 44 (5th in TU history)
--4th: Kevin Smith, 45 (1995-98)
Passing Yards: 5,394 (7th in TU history)
--6th: Dan Dullea, 6,006 (1973-76)
Passing Attempts: 696 (7th in TU history)
--6th: Dan Dullea, 804 (1973-76)
Passing Completions: 444 (7th in TU history)
--6th: Dan Dullea, 447 (1973-76)
 
Robert Heyward (R-Sr. LB)
Tackles: 249
--10th: Bill Stup, 266 (1985-88)
 
Shane Leatherbury (R-Sr. WR)
Receptions: 137
--9th: Two players, 138
Receiving Touchdowns: 17 (t-5th in TU history)
--4th: Mike Smith, 20 (1986-89)
Career Receiving Yards: 1,747
--10th: Eric Yancey, 1,814 (2003-06)
 
Aidan O'Neill (Sr. K)
Field Goals: 59 (1st in TU history, tied for 1st in CAA history)
--FCS Record: Dan Carpenter, Montana, 75 (2004-07)
Field Goals Attempted: 81 (1st in TU history)
 
Keon Paye (R-Sr. LB)
Interceptions: 9 (tied for 8th in TU history)
--6th: Two players, 10
 
Shane Simpson (R-Sr. RB)
All-Purpose Yards: 4,751
--1st: Jason Corle, 5,382 (1996-99)
Career Rushing Yards: 1,925 (9th in TU history)
--8th: Matt Romeo, 1,950 (2000-03)
--7th: Nick Williams, 1,985 (2004-07)
Career Rushing Attempts: 376
--10th: Paul Cillo, 421 (1981-82)
100-Yard Rushing Games: 5
--10th: Three players, 7
 
Season Records - Towson:
Tom Flacco (R-Sr. QB)
Passing Completions: 161
--10th: Grant Enders, 208 (2012)
Passing Yards: 2,143
--10th: Chris Goetz, 2,503 (1988)
 
Shane Leatherbury (R-Sr. WR)
Receiving Touchdowns: 8 (tied for 8th in TU history)
--6th: Kevin Howard (1991)/Ken Snoots (1978), 9
--2nd: Four players, 10
 
Yeedee Thaenrat (Sr. RB)
Rushing Touchdowns: 12 (tied for 9th in TU history)
--8th: Paul Cillo, 13 (1981)
--6th: Terrance West (2012)/Noah Read (2000), 14
 
Coby Tippett (Jr. DB)
Interceptions: 5 (tied for 9th in TU history)
--5th: Four players, 6
 
AMBROSE - 3RD LONGEST TENURED CAA COACH
Head coach Rob Ambrose, a Towson graduate of 1993, returns at the helm of the Tigers for his 11th season in 2019 and is the third-longest tenured head coach in the CAA.
 
Going into its 51st season, Towson football has had four head coaches, with three, including Ambrose, serving at the helm for at least 10 seasons.  Ambrose was formerly an assistant under Gordy Combs from 1992 to 2000.
 
Ahead of Ambrose in years is New Hampshire's Sean McDonnell (21st season) and Stony Brook's Chuck Priore (14th season).
 
ALUMNI BACK TO COACH THE TIGERS
Along with Ambrose, several Tiger assistant coaches are also Towson graduates. 
--Scott Van Zile (QBs Coach, Recruiting Coordinator): 1999
--Konstantinos Kosmakos (DL Coach): 2006
--Collin Bauer (OLB Coach): 2013
--Lance Yaniger (Director of Operations): 2011
 
Tigers in the Community
The Towson University athletics department deems community service as one of its highest priorities to give back to the Greater Baltimore area.
 
For the 7th consecutive year, the department exceeded 10,000 hours of community service to the Greater Baltimore region, finishing with 11,162 hours of community service in the 2018-19 academic season.
   
Towson ranked #1 nationally for community service and won the 2018 National Championship for Community Service through the Helper Helper NCAA Team Works Competition.
 
Towson had a 97% participation rate, attended 118 community service opportunities and volunteered with 19 organizations.
 
Towson won the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Award from Susan G. Komen of Maryland.
 
LAST GAME (#21/22 TOWSON 31, RV DELAWARE 24)
(11/2/19, TOWSON, MD.):
Led by 200 yards receiving by Caleb Smith and three rushing TDs from Yeedee Thaenrat, Towson scored a TD with 4:54 left to win 31-24 over rival Delaware.
Important Stat:
Towson - First 200+ yard receiver since 2016
Delaware - Forced three turnovers (+2 turnover margin)
Top Passer:
Towson - Tom Flacco: 17-23, 294 yards, 1 TD
Delaware - Nolan Richardson: 13-24, 240 yards, 1 TD
Top Rusher:
Towson - Yeedee Thaenrat: 16 rush, 70 yards, 3 TD
Delaware - Will Knight: 15 rush, 96 yards, 1 TD
Top Receiver:
Towson - Caleb Smith: 9 catches, 200 yards, 1 TD
Delaware - Thyrick Pitts: 4 catches, 88 yards
Standout Defensive Player:
Towson - Robert Heyward (LB): 7 tackles, 2 sacks, 3.0 TFL
Delaware - Nijuel Hill (LB): 6 tackles, 2 FR
 
INTERNATIONAL TIGERS
Towson's influence is growing across the world with four international players in 2019, including three from Europe.
 
Redshirt senior linebacker Malik Tyne, from Canada, has played 31 career games for Towson, coming into 2019 with 56 tackles, including 18.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks.
 
From Belgium comes Tibo Debaillie who, despite injury last season, has played in 13 games on the defensive line.
 
Two new players from Europe will serve as offensive linemen this year: Roman Wahrheit from Germany and Vaino Paakkonen from Finland.  From 2014-17, Towson had another offensive lineman from Europe, KJ Brandal, who hailed from Norway.
 
FROM UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST...
The Towson roster nearly covers every state along the East Coast, including 12 states along the coastline and 15 states total in the country.
 
Away from the Eastern Seaboard, Towson has players from California, Michigan and Illinois.
 
...AND REPPING THE HOME STATE
The Towson roster represents the Old Line State well, sporting 35 players from the home state of Maryland.
 
This includes four players from Baltimore City: Marcel Allen (Milford Mill Academy), Sam Grace (Boys Latin), Sean Jefferson (Dunbar) and Myles Wright (St. Frances Academy).
 
SCOUTING STONY BROOK:
Stony Brook is helmed by the second-longest tenured coach in the CAA, Chuck Priore, in his 14th season.  The Seawolves have made the FCS playoffs each of the last two years, including winning a game in 2017.
 
The Seawolves rank fourth in the CAA in total offense per game, averaging 442.3 yards gained a contest, including second in rushing offense at 208.6 yards a game.  The team's quarterback, Tyquell Fields, is #1 in FCS with 17.84 yards a completion while three Seawolves rank in the top-10 in the CAA in rushing yards a game.
 
LAST TIME VS. SBU (#23/24 TOWSON 52, #13 STONY BROOK 28)
(10/6/18, STONY BROOK, N.Y.):
Towson had runs of 21-0 and 24-0 and scored over 50 points for the first time since 2012 in a 52-28 victory vs. Stony Brook in a battle of top-25 teams.
Important Stat:
Towson - Held CAA's top rushing team to 105 yards (222 avg.)
SBU - Three passing TDs combined from two different QBs
Top Passer:
Towson - Tom Flacco: 21-33, 319 yards, 4 TD
SBU - Joe Carbone: 15-24, 195 yards, 2 TD
Top Rusher:
Towson - Tom Flacco: 5 rush, 37 yards
SBU - Donald Liotine: 9 rush, 47 yards
Top Receiver:
Towson - Shane Leatherbury: 9 catches, 129 yards
SBU - Marshall Ellick: 5 catches, 77 yards, 2 TDs
Standout Defensive Player:
Towson - Robert Heyward (LB): 10 tackles
SBU - Two players: 9 tackles, 1.0 TFL
 
FIRST 3-0 START SINCE 2013
    With victories over The Citadel, N.C. Central and Maine, Towson started 3-0 for the first time since 2013.
In 2013, the Tigers began the year 6-0, including a victory over Connecticut, eventually going to the FCS National Championship game.
 
IMPORTANT DATES: TOWSON VS. STONY BROOK
--Sept. 28, 2013:
In the first-ever meeting with Stony Brook joining the CAA in 2013, Towson rallied from down two touchdowns, ending the game on 24 unanswered points in a 35-21 victory on Long Island.  Terrance West averaged 5.8 yards a carry, totaling 154 yards (26 rushes) and a TD.
 
--Oct. 17, 2015:
After SBU scored two first quarter touchdowns, Towson held the Seawolves without points the rest of the way, earning touchdowns in each of the final three periods to win 21-14.  Darius Victor's six-yard TD run with 50 seconds left sealed the deal, his second score of the game.
 
--Oct. 6, 2018:
A 21-0 start paced #23 Towson to a 52-28 victory over #13 Stony Brook in the first matchup of ranked teams at Unitas since 2013.  Shane Simpson had the first two touchdowns while Tom Flacco threw 23-for-33 with four touchdowns, adding 37 rushing yards.
 
TOWSON EARNS SCHOOL RECORDS VS. BUCKNELL
In the victory vs. Bucknell on October 19th, Towson's passing game set a couple of new single game school records.  Tom Flacco set a new program record with six passing touchdowns, all coming in the first half, with Shane Leatherbury tying a team record with five receiving touchdowns.
 
FLACCO UNVEILED ON CFL NEGOTIATION LIST
In August, Tom Flacco was unveiled on the Canadian Football League (CFL) negotiation list for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. 
 
Being on a CFL negotiation list, for international players and non-drafted Canadians, means that team has exclusive rights to negotiate a contract.  All CFL teams release 10 names on their negotiation lists twice a year.
 
INTERCEPTORS
With 12 interceptions this season, Towson is tied for eighth in all of FCS in that category, leading to a turnover margin of +6 for the team.  Coby Tippett intercepted a pass in each of the first three games, having five total, while Keon Paye has three.  Paye and Robert Heyward each have touchdowns off picks.
 
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