The Game: #11/12 Towson (0-0, 0-0 CAA) at RV/RV The Citadel (0-0, 0-0 SoCon)
When: Sat., Aug. 31 – 3 p.m.
Where: Johnson Hagood Stadium – Charleston, S.C.
Online Broadcast: ESPN+ ($)
----Broadcasters: Kevin Fitzgerald (PxP), Dom Allen (Analyst)
Radio: CBS Sports Radio 1300
----Broadcasters: Spiro Morekas (PxP), Gordy Combs (Analyst)
Series: Towson leads 1-0
 
BALTIMORE – The 2019 season is here, with the #11/12 Towson University football team kicking off the year at The Citadel on Saturday, August 31st at 3 p.m. in Charleston, South Carolina.
 
The game will be broadcast online on ESPN+, available via subscription, with Kevin Fitzgerald and Dom Allen on the call from Johnson Hagood Stadium.  In addition, Spiro Morekas and Coach Gordy Combs have the radio call on CBS Sports Radio 1300.
 
For ticket information for this game as well as season tickets for Towson football games,  call 1-855-TU-TIGER, email 4tigertix@towson.edu or visit www.towsontigers.com
 
Each team is playing its first game of the 2019 season on Saturday.  Towson was 7-5 last year, tying for third in the Colonial Athletic Association at 5-3 and earning an NCAA FCS Playoff berth for the first time since 2013.  The Citadel had a 5-6 season in 2018, going 4-4 in the Southern Conference to tie for fifth in its league.
 
Towson comes into the season ranked #11 in the Preseason FCS STATS Poll and #12 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, the first time since 2014 where the Tigers are ranked in the preseason.  The Citadel is receiving votes from each poll.
 
The two teams met for the first time in program history last season, with Towson winning 44-27 on Sept. 29 at Johnny Unitas® Stadium for a 1-0 all-time series lead.
 
This is the first time that Towson will play a game in the state of South Carolina since September 20, 2008, when the Tigers fell to Coastal Carolina 31-3.  Towson would defeat Coastal Carolina the next two seasons in Maryland.
 
TOWSON RANKED IN TOP-12 TO BEGIN THE SEASON
Towson has some high expectations going into the 2019 season, being ranked #11 in the STATS FCS Poll and #12 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) preseason polls.
   
It is the first time since 2014 that Towson has been ranked in the preseason polls.  In addition, #11 in the STATS poll ties for the second-highest preseason rankings in Towson's Division I history: the Tigers were at #7 in 2012 and #11 in 2013.
 
In total, five CAA teams are in each top-25 poll: James Madison (#2 STATS, #2 AFCA), Maine (#7, #7), Elon (#21, #21) and Delaware (#22, #23).  Five other CAA teams are receiving votes in the STATS FCS Poll.
 
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.
 
TIGERS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA.....
After a strong 2018 season, four Tigers earned preseason All-America recognition from the various publications.
 
Aidan O'Neill was selected as Preseason All-America by Athlon Sports, Phil Steele and STATS, being top-seven in all of FCS last year in field goals per game (1.83) and points scored per game (9.0).
 
Two places, STATS and Phil Steele, named Tom Flacco a preseason All-American.  He ranked top-five in FCS in total offense (332.8) and passing yards (270.9) per game in 2018.
 
Shane Simpson was chosen as a STATS All-American at athlete.  Last year, the now-redshirt senior was second in all of FCS with 171.5 all-purpose yards per game, totaling 2,058 on the year.
 
Shane Leatherbury picked up preseason All-America honors from Phil Steele.  The redshirt senior wide receiver ranked top-30 in receptions per game and receiving yards last year.
 
..... AND FIVE PICKED PRESEASON ALL-CAA
Led by Tom Flacco being selected as the league's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, five Tigers were voted to the 2019 Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
Tom Flacco (QB), Shane Simpson (RB), Shane Leatherbury (WR), Robert Heyward (LB) and Aidan O'Neill were all selected to the preseason all-conference team.  Five more were given honorable mention All-CAA: Jabari Allen (WR), Aaron Grzymkowski (OL), Bryce Carter (DL) and Keon Paye (LB).
 
Five on the all-conference team is the third-most in the CAA, only behind Maine and James Madison.
 
TOWSON BEGINS CAA PLAY ON THE ROAD, AGAIN
For the fifth consecutive season, Towson will start conference play on the road.  This year, Towson will play reigning league champion Maine to start CAA play on September 14th.
 
Towson is 1-3 in these CAA road openers, winning 45-35 at Villanova in 2018.  Towson opened CAA play at Stony Brook in 2017, at Villanova in 2016 and at Elon in 2015.
 
The last time Towson began CAA play at home was in 2014, hosting Maine.
 
TOWSON PICKED SECOND IN CAA PRESEASON POLL
Towson was predicted to finish second in the CAA preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches and media relations directors.  The Tigers also picked up three out of a possible 24 first-place votes.
 
This ties the highest predicted CAA finish for the Tigers since 2012: Towson was predicted to finish first in 2012 and second in 2013.

Towson earned an NCAA FCS Playoff berth in 2018 after tying for third place in the CAA at 5-3, going 7-5 overall including victories over then-ranked Elon, Stony Brook and Villanova.
 
2019 CAA Football Predicted Order of Finish (1st-place votes, points)
1. James Madison (20), 238
2. Towson (3), 217
3. Maine (1), 201
4. Elon, 164
5. Delaware, 162
6. Stony Brook, 151
7. New Hampshire, 109
8. Rhode Island, 104
9. Villanova, 84
10. Richmond, 62
11. William & Mary, 58
12. UAlbany, 34
 
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.  In addition, Tom Flacco and alum Ryan Delaire were unveiled on CFL Negotiation Lists in August 2019.
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.
 
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 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 (DUQUESNE 31, TOWSON 10)
(11/24/18, TOWSON, MD.):
Despite earning its first NCAA FCS berth since 2014 and jumping to a 10-0 lead, Towson fell in the first round to Duquesne 31-10 in a pouring rain.
Important Stat:
Towson - Two 90+ yard rushers
Duquesne - Won second half 28-0
Top Passer:
Towson - Tom Flacco: 10-33, 127 yards, 1 TD
Duquesne - Daniel Parr: 6-19, 144 yards, 1 TD
Top Rusher:
Towson - Shane Simpson: 18 rush, 96 yards
Duquesne - A.J. Hines: 28 rush, 175 yards, 1 TD
Top Receiver:
Towson - Jabari Allen: 3 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD
Duquesne - A.J. Hines: 1 catch, 71 yards, 1 TD
Standout Defensive Player:
Towson - Jamal Gay: 11 tackles, 1 BrUp
Duquesne - Brandon Stanback: 11 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 sack
 
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 THE CITADEL:
The Citadel, which runs the triple option offense, was predicted to finish seventh in the SoCon preseason coaches poll.  Brent Thompson enters his fourth season at the helm.
 
Junior Brandon Rainey played in four games last season and leads all returners in passing and rushing.  Though the team allowed 30.3 points a game last year, the Citadel defense has two preseason all-conference players: senior defensive lineman Joseph Randolph II had 14 tackles for loss and four sacks last year while junior linebacker Willie Eubanks III led the Bulldogs with 80 tackles last year, having 4.5 sacks.
 
LAST TIME VS. THE CITADEL (TOWSON 44, CITADEL 27)
(9/29/18, TOWSON, MD.):
In the first home game of 2018, Towson earned 608 yards of total offense en route to a 44-27 victory over The Citadel, beginning the game with a 21-3 run.
Important Stat:
Towson - 608 total offensive yards (9.5 per play, 334 rushing)
The Citadel - 71 rush attempts for 341 yards (63 passing yards)
Top Passer:
Towson - Tom Flacco: 15-22, 253 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
The Citadel - Jordan Black: 3-16, 63 yards, 1 INT
Top Rusher:
Towson - Tom Flacco: 15 rush, 185 yards, 2 TD
The Citadel - Lorenzo Ward: 35 rush, 180 yards, 1 TD
Top Receiver:
Towson - Shane Leatherbury: 5 catches, 77 yards
The Citadel - Two players: 1 catch, 24 yards
Standout Defensive Player:
Towson - Diondre Wallace: 13 tackles
The Citadel - Noah Dawkins: 7 tackles, 1.5 TFL
- TowsonTigers.com –