The Collegian
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Richmond football 'out-coached' and 'out-played' at Stony Brook

<p>Stony Brook used power and physicality to beat the Spiders on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

Stony Brook used power and physicality to beat the Spiders on Saturday. 

Today was not a good day for the No. 2 Richmond Spiders.

That's how Spider coach Danny Rocco put it after the Stony Brook Seawolves beat his team handily — 42–14 to be exact — in New York on Saturday. "We got out-coached today, we got out-played today, we got out-hit today," Rocco said.

After scoring a touchdown within the first five minutes to go up 7–0, the Spiders failed to show their usual offensive firepower and defensive poise for the rest of the game.

Rocco had plenty to say to his team in the locker room after the game. "I obviously shared my disappointment, my frustration," "I tell my team every year: you need eight (wins), we got two."

It didn't help Richmond's cause that Stacey Bedell racked up 104 yards and four touchdowns running the ball for Stony Brook. Nor did it help that Richmond quarterback Kyle Lauletta threw three interceptions.

"We put some decent drives together at times, but just bad turnovers in the redzone by me," Lauletta said. "There were certain times I should've gotten rid of the ball, and certain times I think some of the linemen wish they could've had some blocks back."

The story of the game was power. The Seawolves imposed their will, running the ball 48 times for 241 yards. Richmond felt the absence of running back Gordon Collins, who injured his knee last week and is out for the season. The Spiders ran just 20 times for 53 yards.

"They ran the ball consistently at our defense," Rocco said. "We didn't tackle well." 

Richmond's two bright spots so far this year, receivers Brian Brown and Tyler Wilkins, continued to produce during an otherwise lackluster team effort. Brown caught nine passes for 153 yards, while Wilkins grabbed six for 109 yards.

Traveling north has been the Achilles' heal of Rocco's team the past few years. Last season, all of the Spiders' four losses came on the road against teams north of Richmond. The Spiders will travel north one more time this season to play Albany.

Richmond, now 2–1 and 0–1 in conference play, will return to Robins Stadium next Saturday to host Colgate on Family Weekend.

Contact editor-in-chief Charlie Broaddus at charlie.broaddus@richmond.edu

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