Watch Live | Live Stats | SHU Game Notes
FAMILY WEEKEND SHOWDOWN
- The Sacred Heart University football team looks to extend its winning streak as the Pioneers square-off with the Warriors of Merrimack College this Saturday on Family Weekend.
- This is the sixth meeting between the two teams with SHU holding a 3-2 advantage over the Warriors.
- The opening kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m at Campus Field. Fans can catch all the action live on NEC FrontRow.
LAST TIME VS. MERRIMACK
FINAL SCORE (10/22/22): Merrimack 31 | Sacred Heart 25
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
- A potential winning drive for the Pioneers came up just short in Merrimack territory as a missed fourth quarter field goal required SHU to go for a touchdown on the last drive.
- Sacred Heart's first half scoring consisted of a pair of Sam Renzi field goals.
- The Pioneers got their first lead of the game on safety as Payton Rhoades blocked a punt and it rolled out of the end zone.
- A 68-yard Malik Grant run put the ball inside the Merrimack two yards line, but the Warriors held the Pioneers to a 20-yard Renzi field goal.
- The Warriors would score 10-straight points to take the 31-25 lead.
- Marquez McCray threw for over 300 yards for the second game in a row with Rob DiNota hauling in a career-high 120 yards.
- Grant just missed hitting the century mark with 97 yards rushing on just 12 carries.
OFFENSIVE RECAP VS. SAINT FRANCIS
- Despite the a game-tying touchdown from the Red Flash, the Pioneers maintained their composure offensively, moving the ball from the SHU 45 to the SFU 23 over the final 2:20 to set up Sam Renzi for the game-winning field goal with two seconds left on the clock.
- Jalen Madison kicked off the scoring for the Pioneers after recording his fourth straight rushing touchdown in the first quarter.
- A Payton Rhoades touchdown and a pair of field goals from Renzi gave the visitors a 20-17 lead heading into halftime.
- Sacred Heart's largest lead came in the third as Rob McCoy threw a perfect pass to LJ Haskett to build on the Pioneers' halftime advantage, 27-17.
- The fourth quarter began with Saint Francis tying the game thanks to a 26-yard field goal from Mac Plummer, but a four-yard rushing touchdown from Malik Grant and a Renzi extra point put the visitors back on top, 34-27.
DEFENSIVE RECAP VS. SAINT FRANCIS
- DeAndre Byrd led the defensive unit for the second game of the season after tallying a season-high nine tackles, behind three solo and six assisted tackles, while pushing the Red Flash back four yards on 2.0 tackles-for-loss.
- Tyreke Brown finished with a total of six tackles behind two solo and four assisted.
- Jordan Campbell recorded the lone interception on the day for the Pioneers.
- The Pioneers' defense forced the Red Flash to go 3-of-13 in third down conversions, while holding the offense to only one rushing touchdown.
RENZI TABBED NEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
For the first time in his career, Sam Renzi was named the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week. Renzi was on point in Sacred Heart's thrilling 37-34 road victory against Saint Francis, going 3-for-3 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra point attempts.
The senior kicker racked up 13 points after converting two 40-yard field goals, including the game-winner that lifted the Pioneers to victory, and one from 44 yards out.
GRANT, MCCOY, AND RENZI NAMED NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Representing the Pioneers on this week's NEC Prime Performers list was Malik Grant, Rob McCoy, and Sam Renzi.
Grant's second-straight 100-yard rushing game — a 118 yard performance on 20 carries — piloted Sacred Heart to a thrilling, 37-34 win at defending league champion Saint Francis U on Saturday. The graduate student's first touchdown of the season — a four-yard run — put the Pioneers in front by a 34-27 count with 5:37 left to play.
McCoy was on point in his first start of the season, completing 60.9 percent of his passes after going 14-of-23 at Saint Francis U on Saturday. Recording 185 yards in the air and 64 rushing yards on 14 carries, the graduate student gave Sacred Heart a 10-point advantage in the third quarter with his second touchdown pass of the day.
Renzi walked it off for the Pioneers at defending league champion Saint Francis U after he booted a 40-yard field goal with no time left on the clock. Also converting from 40 and 44 yards earlier in the game, the senior kicker went 4-of-4 on PATs to finish with 13 points in the 37-34 victory. Renzi was also named the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
NEC STANDINGS ENTERING WEEK 5
| School |
NEC |
Overall |
Streak |
| Wagner |
2-0 |
2-2 |
W2 |
| Stonehill |
1-0 |
2-2 |
L1 |
| Sacred Heart |
1-1 |
1-3 |
W1 |
| Duquesne |
0-0 |
1-2 |
L2 |
| LIU |
0-0 |
0-3 |
L3 |
| CCSU |
0-1 |
1-2 |
L2 |
| Merrimack |
0-1 |
1-3 |
L1 |
| Saint Francis |
0-1 |
0-4 |
L4 |
DEFENSE MAKING A SPLASH IN THE NCAA RANKINGS (as of 9/28)
The Pioneers' defensive unit continues to shine within the NCAA rankings as the team currently ranks within the top 20 in three categories -
- fumbles recovered (20th - 3)
- passing yards allowed (7th - 124.2)
- team passing efficiency defense (13th - 106.72)
PIONEERS IN THE NCAA RANKINGS (as of 9/28)
Four Pioneers - Jon Moccia, Bayo Gbowu, Jalen Madison, and Malik Grant - are currently ranked with the top 20 in five different categories -
- Moccia (4th - 303 combined kick returns
- Gbowu (3rd - 2 fumble recoveries)
- Madison (18th - 4 rushing touchdowns)
- Grant (14th - 386 rushing yards)
- Grant (20th - 96.5 rushing yards per game)
GRANT RUSHING TO THE TOP
Following back-to-back 100 yard games, Malik Grant now has a career rushing total of 2,984, which ranks him fourth all-time behind Ed Pricolo, who has a total of 3,052 rushing yards. Grant is just 68 yards shy of tying Pricolo and 69 yards shy of moving up to third all-time in rushing yards.
The grad running back is also tied for sixth all-time with 28 touchdowns behind 24 rushing and four receiving. He is currently tied with Marvin Royal and just two shy of tying Keshaudas Spence, who has 30.
PIONEERS FALL IN NEC OPENER TO WAGNER
FINAL SCORE: Wagner 17 | Sacred Heart 10
Key Highlights:
- Trailing 17-0 heading into the fourth quarter, SHU broke through on offense, tallying seven quick points on a rushing touchdown from Jalen Madison and a Sam Renzi extra point.
- Madison's touchdown kept the momentum in favor of the Pioneers as a Renzi field goal trimmed the deficit seven, 17-10, with 2:32 left on the clock.
- Madison has scored a rushing TD in all three games, while Malik Grant tallied a season-high 135 rushing yards and 40 receiving yards.
- A late roughing the kicker call against the Pioneers sealed a Seahawks' road victory, their first of the season.
- Tyreke Brown led the defensive unit with seven tackles behind two solo and five assisted to go along with 2.5 TFL/13 yards.
- The duo of DeAndre Byrd and Bayo Gbowu also served as defensive threats for the Pios as the pair finished with six tackles each.
PIONEERS DROP ROAD CONTEST TO GEORGETOWN
FINAL SCORE: Georgetown 27 | Sacred Heart 10
Key Highlights:
- The Pioneers suffered a 27-10 road setback to the Hoyas of Georgetown University Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at Cooper Field.
- With 4:02 left in the first stanza, Sam Renzi cut the deficit to within four, 7-3, after putting the ball between the pipes for the 34-yard field goal.
- SHU's offense went to work in the second quarter and managed to battle back to within four, 14-10, following a 27-yard rushing touchdown from Jalen Madison and a Renzi extra point.
- Malik Grant led the red-and-white with 80 rushing yards behind 11 attempts, while Madison finished closed behind with 49 rushing yards on six attempts.
- Carson Primrose and Myles Talley led the defensive attack with six tackles each, while Arsheen Jiles, Quinn Hart, Maximus Mongelli, and DeAndre Byrd finished with five tackles each.
- Jiles also added a force fumble, a strip sack, and a pass break up to his stat line against the Hoyas.
- Bayo Gbowu recorded both of SHU's fumble recoveries.
- The Pioneers' defense held the Hoyas to only a field goal in the third quarter following a two-hour lightning delay.
PIONEERS HOME OPENER VS. LAFAYETTE
FINAL SCORE: Lafayette 19 | Sacred Hear 14
Key Highlights:
- Despite outscoring Lafayette in the fourth quarter, the Pioneers fell short to the visiting Leopards under the lights at Campus Field in their home opener.
- A 17-yard rushing touchdown from Jalen Madison and a Sam Renzi extra point brought the Pioneers to within six, 13-7, with 1:28 left in the second quarter.
- SHU's Ethan Hilliman made things interesting by making an impressive, 11-yard reception from a Cade Pribula throw to put the Pioneers ahead 14-13 with 11:41 left on the clock.
- DeAndre Byrd and Nick Foglia led the defensive attack with a combined 16 tackles (4 solo, 12 assisted).
- Foglia also recorded a team-high 1.5 sacks for a total loss of 12 yards.
GRANT NAMED TO EAST-WEST SHRINE BOWL 1,000 LIST
Preseason awards for Malik Grant (Bronx, N.Y.) started with the running back being named to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000 list.
ALL-NEC PRESEASON
The Pioneers had four selections to the preseason team, one on the offensive and three on the defensive side of the ball.
WATCH OUT, HERE COMES GRANT
Preseason accolades kept rolling in for Malik Grant as the fifth year running back was named Third Team All-American by Stats Perform and was added to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List.
Grant has earned preseason All-American honors by Stats Perform for the second year in a row, while being named to the Payton Watch List for the third time in his career.
OH CAPTAINS, MY CAPTAINS
Head football coach Mark Nofri named his captains for the 2023 season -
IN THE NEC PRESEASON POLL
Sacred Heart was picked to finish third, along with Duquesne, in the eight-team league.
Defending champion Saint Francis earned five first-place votes to be tabbed as the preseason favorite for 2023.
Merrimack earned two first-place votes to be tabbed second, while the Dukes and Pioneers rounded out the top three.
COACH EDWARDS PROMOTED TO DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
In December of 2022, Coach Nofri announced the promotion of Darin Edwards to defensive coordinator.
The past two seasons the Pioneers have had one of the top passing defenses in the country, ranking in the top three of yards allowed. Sacred Heart has also been one of the best scoring defenses.
NOFRI ADDS THREE MEMBERS TO COACHING STAFF
Sacred Heart University head football coach Mark Nofri has added four members to his coaching staff. Joining the Pioneers is Nigel Madison, Ernesto Purnsley, Zuril Hendrick, and Kevin Woodring.
BRIEF LOOK AHEAD TO 2023
The 2023 schedule features five home games and a full seven-game Northeast Conference slate.
The new schedule is also highlighted by road games against intrastate foes Yale and UConn, the defending Ivy League champs and a FBS Bowl qualifier.
PIOS VS. DUQUESNE GAME ON ESPN+
The home football game scheduled on Oct. 28 against the Dukes of Duquesne University will be aired on ESPN+.
SHU has won five NEC titles over the last decade, while the Dukes have captured four conference crowns during that same time frame.
CHESTNUT CONTINUES TO MAKE A NAME FOR HIMSELF IN PROS
Julius Chestnut signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans to provide depth to the running back rotation. He appeared in six games as a rookie in 2022, recording nine rushing attempts for 12 yards, three receptions for 41 yards while returning 10 kickoffs for 215 yards.
Chestnut continues to make a strong case for himself once again through the preseason. Over three games, he recorded 29 carries for 174 yards and five receptions for 58 yards. He also tallied one rushing and two receiving touchdowns.
As announced by the Titans this week, Chestnut claimed a spot on the 53-man roster for the upcoming 2023 season. The last Pioneers to play in the NFL was Jon Corto who signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills and played from 2007-11.
SOKOL, DIRENZO EARN NFL PRESEASON SPOTS
Fellow SHU alums Josh Sokol and J.D. DiRenzo also made appearances in the NFL preseason with the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers.
LAST SEASON RECAP
Sacred Heart finished the 2022 season with a 5-6 overall record and a 3-4 mark in NEC action.
The Pioneers won four of their first six games, but lost four of their final five contests, including an overtime setback against Duquesne and a three-point loss to LIU to wrap up the season.
FOLLOW LIVE
- Pioneer fans can find the latest news, scores, and highlights as well as up-to-the-minute breaking news or schedule changes at the Official Website of SHU Athletics.
- Follow the Pioneers at @SHU__FB on Twitter and @shufb_ on Instagram.
- All the Pioneers' home and NEC contests can be seen live at NECFrontRow.com
- Live Stats are also available at sacredheartpioneers.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
ON DECK
The Pioneers return to action on Saturday, Oct. 7 as the red-and-white hit the road for a NEC showdown with LIU. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
