By James Parziale
ON ICE
Pride quarterback Anton Clarkson engineered a potent offensive attack Saturday in a 61-21 win against Stony Brook University as starter. Bobby Seck stood on the sidelines for the second consecutive game. Seck has not played since he took a helmet to the knee late in the Pride’s win 62-43 over the Rhode Island University Sept. 25.
However, coach Joe Gardi said that Seck was cleared by doctors to play against the Seawolves before the opening kickoff. But Gardi had other plans for Seck.
“We wanted to save him for Delaware,” he said. “I would’ve put him in if we needed him. Of course that makes me look like a genius now because Anton went in and helped [lead the team] to 61 points.”
After the Pride jumped out to a 26-0 lead in the first half, there was no need for Seck to potentially damage his knee with the defending national champions coming to Hempstead this Saturday for Homecoming. Seck is penciled in for now barring “any type of set back,” Gardi said.
A TURN AROUND
Gardi said that he is only slightly worried about his team’s ability to adjust to playing a team of Delaware’s caliber after Stony Brook, a team that recently made the switch to Division I-AA. He said that Delaware’s bye week could lead to rust, but the Blue Hens had the opportunity to nurse injuries.
“Without being disrespectful, you have to understand that there is a big difference between Delaware and Stony Brook when it comes to size and speed…I’m not happy that [Delaware] had a bye week,” Gardi said. “Delaware may have a tougher adjustment because they did not play anybody [last week].”
STIFF COMPETITION
The Pride is 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the Atlantic 10, but despite a slightly-better-than average record, the Pride could be better than advertised. With losses to Montana in a game that got away in the fourth quarter and James Madison University, a game in which Seck didn’t play, the Pride has shown flashes of being a contender in the A-10. Seven A-10 teams – Delaware (No. 4), New Hampshire (9), Maine (12), Villanova (14), William & Mary (18), James Madison (19) and Northeastern (23) – are ranked in the Sports Network’s top 25 poll, and with Delaware on slate this Saturday, the Pride’s true potential is yet to be revealed.
SONNY NO HALL
Last year, Delaware quarterback virtually beat the Pride on his own by running for 159 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was an 85-yard run out of the shadows of his own end zone. This year, Sonny Riccio poses a slightly different threat, according to coach Gardi.
“I think he throws better than Hall,” Gardi said. “I think he’s as good if not better.”
Riccio has thrown seven touchdowns and six interceptions this year. Not exactly knock-your-socks-off numbers, but Gardi still thinks it will take a strong effort to beat the Blue Hens.
“It’s going to take an exceptional game for us to beat Delaware. They are the national champions and we’re not going to be able to turn over the football and we can’t miss tackles, Gardi said. I think we had 19 against Stony Brook. If you do that against Delaware the game will be a rout.”