The 2011 season was a rough one for Joe Walton and the Robert Morris Colonials as their 2-9 record tied for the fewest wins since Walton and the program got started back in 1994.
Although Robert Morris was picked to finish only sixth in the preseason NEC Coaches’ Poll, the Colonials have some talent in place to potentially be a surprise in 2012, as Walton returns 17 starters and 39 overall letter winners from a season ago.
The strength of the Colonials could be on the defensive side of the ball, where defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof and Steve Mitchell were both named to the preseason All-NEC First Team. Also honored were defensive lineman Chris Thompkins (second team), defensive back Cameron Chadwick (second team) and linebacker Brad Banas (third team).
Chadwick led the Colonials in tackles (80) last season and Nearhoof made the All-NEC First Team for the second time in 2011, finishing with 7.5 sacks and enters 2012 as RMU’s active leader in career tackles (137), tackles for loss (23) and sacks (16).
Chadwick and Nearhoff will be leaned on heavily, but the Colonials have enough guys with experience to improve from a team that allowed 34.1 points per game a season ago.
An improvement on the defensive side of the ball would be big, considering the Colonials offense only scored 19.1 PPG.
However the offense could be better as well, especially with the return of senior quarterback Jeff Sinclair.
Sinclair was a 2010 All-NEC First Team member and has started 27 career games under center for RMU. He only completed 116 passes for 1,373 yards last season, but showcased his versatility with career highs in rushing yards (231) and rushing touchdowns (six).
Entering the 2012 season Sinclair ranks fifth in career completions (322), passing yards (4,121) and touchdown passes (42) in Robert Morris history.
On the offensive side of the ball, the experience and overall talent isn’t as good as it looks on the defensive side as only Sinclair (third team) and offensive lineman A.J. Dalton (second team) were named to the preseason NEC teams.
One thing that would help the RMU offense a great deal in the presence of a running game, as Sinclair led the team in rushing a season ago with 546 yards on the ground. However, both of Walton’s top backs from 2011 – Deontae Howard (446 yards) and Justin Brooks (317 yards) – return in 2012.
One question for the Colonials though is who will catch the ball in 2012?
Sinclair’s top two targets from 2011, Shadrae King (51 receptions) and Anthony Coleman (30 receptions) are both gone. That leaves Donte Jeter and Rickeem Jackson, as the team’s leading returning receivers and both caught only 17 passes a season ago.
Getting out of the gates quickly won’t be easy for this RMU team as they open up by traveling to defending FCS national champion North Dakota State, who is ranked No. 1 in the College Sporting News preseason poll. Then the following week as RMU hosts defending NEC champion Albany.
- 2011 Record: (2-9, 2-6)
- Coach: Joe Walton (106-79-1 at RMU)
Returning Leaders:
- Rushing: Deontae Howard, RB, 376 yards
- Passing: Jeff Sinclair, QB, 1,373 yards
- Receiving: Rickeem Jackson, WR, 227 yards
- Tackles: Cameron Chadwick, DB, 80 tackles
- Sacks: Nolan Nearhoof, DL, 7.5 sacks
- Interceptions: Cameron Chadwick, DB, 1
2011 Team Stats:
- Rushing Offense: 108.5 yards per game
- Passing Offense: 174.6 yards per game
- Total Offense: 283.2 yards per game
- Scoring Offense: 19.1 points per game
- Rushing Defense: 153.3 yards per game
- Pass Defense: 197.7 yards per game
- Total Defense: 351.2 yards per game
- Scoring Defense: 27.9 points per game
Photo Credits: Pittsburgh Sports Report
