Final Score: University of Richmond- 34, Virginia Military Institute- 0
What Happened: Richmond had no problems defeating a subpar VMI team. Richmond dominated the line on both sides of the ball, which was a big reason why they won in such convincing fashion. Richmond quarterback Michael Strauss had all day in the pocket and he used his time to spread the ball around the field. Strauss, who threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters, connected with nine receivers on the day. Richmond's defense was dominant as VMI failed to reach the red zone. The defensive line, led by Kerry Wynn, kept VMI quarterback Eric Kordenbrock under pressure throughout the game. Not even a lengthy storm delay could slow down the Spiders tonight.
Spider Positives: Opening a season with a shutout is always a positive way to start the season, regardless of the opponent. Rocco has always talked about getting backups into games early to get them experience for the inevitability of late-season injuries. Heading into the season, Richmond's group of receivers had a lot of hype surrounding it and it lived up to its billing.
Spider Negatives: The two first half turnovers are a cause for concern for Richmond. Last year, one of Richmond's strengths was their ability to protect the football and they did a poor job of that in the first half. Better teams will punish Richmond for giving away the football. Richmond's running game was not bad, but Jacobi Greene did not live up to my expectations. Besides his one long run, Greene did not offer the Spiders much on the ground. Good defenses can handle a one dimensional offense. The defensive line, which played exceptionally for the most part, need to sack the quarterback. Richmond did not sack the quarterback frequently last season and led to some big games from better opposing quarterbacks.
Up Next: The Spiders travel to Raleigh, NC to take on ACC-oppoenet NC State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00.
Contact staff writer Jack Nicholson at jack.nicholson@richmond.edu
Follow Jack Nicholson on twitter at @URJackNicholson
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