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Football MSU Athletics Media Relations

MSU Opens 2nd Season Under Lee Hull Against Air Force

Game to be played at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo.


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TV: Root Sports Sports
Marc Stout (play-by-play)
Sed Bonner (analyst)
Tori Holt (sidelines)
 
Radio: WEAA (FM 88.9) is the flagship station flagship station for the Morgan State Bears. Lamont Germany will call the play-by-play with former Bear coach Kelvin Bridgers in the booth. The game will be streaming on WEAA.org only.

GAME TIME
The Morgan State Bears will face Air Force in the 2015 season opener. Game time at Falcon Stadium is scheduled for 3:38 p.m. (ET) and will be broadcast regionally by Root Sports Rocky Mountain.  The game will also be audio streamed on WEAA.org.

QUICK HITS
• Morgan State enters Saturday having won two of its last three games.
• Morgan State is meeting Air Force for the first time.
• The Bears will open a season on the road for the third straight year and the fourth in five seasons.
• Morgan State is playing in the state of Colorado for the first time.
• Morgan State enters the season with 65 returning players and 20 returning starters from last year's MEAC champion team.
• Coach added two assistants to initial coaching staff ... the new coaches are: Mike Fanoga (DC) and Travis Manger (OL).
• MSU had a conference-best 10 players selected to the 2015 All-MEAC preseason team, including four players  who were named to the first team.
• Head Coach Lee Hull is 2-3 in his career in games played in Aug/Sept.
Lee Hull's Bears were predicted to finish last in the MEAC's Preseason Order of Finish. However, MSU not only finished with its first winning record since 2009...but they also captured its first MEAC Title in 35 years and its first Division I FCS Playoff berth.

FOR OPENERS
In MSU's football history, the Bears have posted a 51-36 record in season-openers since 1930. Eddie P. Hurt was far-and-away the most successful MSU coach in season-opening contests. During his tenure in Baltimore, Hurt posted a 23-6 mark in contests that christened the season (since 1930). Currently MSU is on a stretch of winning nine of its last 22 openers since 1989.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS
• The Falcons finished with an overall mark of 10-3 and were fourth place in the Mountain Division with a 5-3 record last season.
•  They returned 10 starters from a team that won six of its final seven games of the 2014 season.
• The Falcons offense will be led at quarterback by either Karson Robarts (6-0, 195) or  Nate Romine (5-11, 195). Robarts saw action in three games in 2014 but did not attempt a single pass, while Romine completed 14-of-30 passes for 208 yards including an interception as a backup for the Falcons. 
• Jacobi Owens, 5-11, 190 pound junior, is the Falcons' premier running back by accounting for 1,054 yards on 204 carries (5.1 avg) with 5 TDs.
• Wideouts Jalen Robinette and Garrett Brown led the Falcons as favorite receiving targets a season ago. Robinette had 806 yards on 43 catches with a four TDs, while Brown added 36 receptions for 535 yards and 6 TDs. Garrett Griffin also finished with 16 catches for 307 yards, including four TDs from his tight end position.   
• The Falcons lost seven starters off of last years' defense that ranked No. 5 in the Mountain Division. The defense ranked No. 2 in the conference in rushing defense (135.6) , No. 3 in scoring defense (24.2), and No. 3 in sacks (36).
• Air Forces' defense returns four starters this fall,  led by linebackers Connor Healy and Dexter Walker. Healy posted 90 tackles and 5.5 TFLs,  while Walker had 46 stops wth 3.5 TFLs.  Alex Hansen returns to the defensive line where he racked up 56 tackles and 10 TFLs a season ago. The secondary will be patrolled by Western Steelhammer who racked up six interceptions, to go along with 61 tackles and six TFLs.  
• Troy Calhoun is in his ninth year as USAFA's head coach. He has led the Falcons to a 59-44 record. Calhoun left the Houston Texans of the NFL as an offensive coordinator in 2007 to join his alma mater. He has led Air Force to a bowl game in seven of his eight years.

A WIN WOULD ...
... would be the Bears first season-opener win since defeating Sacred Heart (30-27OT) on Sept. 1, 2012.
... mark the Bears first road win since defeating Hampton (38-35) on Nov. 1, 2014.
... give Lee Hull his first NCAA FBS victory as a head coach.
... would be the Bears' first win against a non-conference opponent since defeating Bowie State (28-3) on Sept. 13, 2014.
... would be the Bears' first road win against a non-conference opponent since defeating Towson (12-9) on Sept. 26, 2009.
... mark the Bears first victory against a NCAA FBC member.

FOOTBALL HERITAGE
Morgan State was a power as a former member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). The Bears posted 173 wins between 1929 and 1959 when Edward P. Hurt was the head coach and the Bears won 14 CIAA championships. Earl Banks added to the championship collection by winning four titles during the 1960s and a MEAC title in 1971. Clarence Thomas led the Bears to a MEAC title in 1979...and now - after a 35-year drought - head coach Lee Hull has added a MEAC title following a thrilling and historical 2014 season. Other MSU highlights:

• Four (4) Pro Football  Hall of Famers (Len Ford, Leroy Kelly, Roosevelt Brown & Willie Lanier)
• 19 CIAA championships
• 4 MEAC championships
• 30 consecutive games won (8th in 1964 to the 5th in 1968)
• 57 longest non-losing streak (4th in 1931 to the 6th in 1938)
• 4 MEAC Coaches of the Year; 3 Offensive POTY; 4 Defensive POTY; and 1 Offensive POTY
• 84 All-MEAC First Team selections
• 38 All-CIAA First Team selections

CAMPAIGNING FOR SUCCESS
The Bears enter the 2015 season looking to post their first back-to-back winning seasons (over .500) since going 7-5 in 2002 and 6-5 in 2003.

NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The Bears will open the 2015 campaign with two of its first three non-conference matchups coming on the road. MSU opens the season at Air Force (Sept. 5), followed by a game at Illinois State (Sept. 12). The Bears round out non-conference play when they host Division II member VA-Lynchburg (Sept. 19) in the home-opener.

PRESEASON ALL-MEAC PLAYERS
Ten (10) Bears were named to the MEAC preseason team at the 2015 MEAC Football Press Luncheon in Norfolk, Va. Senior C Dominique Woods, junior RB Herb Walker Jr., redshirt junior DB Delonte Hall led the contingent with first-team nods, while OL Matthew Thompson, redshirt senior QB Moses Skillon and WR Andrew King and PK Chris Moller were voted to the second team. Junior DB Antonio Jefferson and redshirt junior Andrew Mitchell and redshirt sophomore Orlando Johnson were selected to the third-team.

BEARS NAME TEAM CAPTAINS
The MSU Bears wrapped up the preseason by naming the team captains for the 2015 season. The leadership group is comprised of a senior, two juniors and a sophomore ... offense - Andrew King (Columbia, Md.), defense - Andrew Mitchell (Memphis, Tenn.) and Greg Gibson (Houston, Texas) and special teams - Chris Moller (Newport News, Va.).
 
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Players Mentioned

Moses Skillon

#12 Moses Skillon

QB
6' 5"
Senior
Matthew Thompson

#74 Matthew Thompson

OL
6' 4"
Sophomore
Herb Walker Jr.

#3 Herb Walker Jr.

RB
5' 8"
Junior
Dominique Woods

#54 Dominique Woods

OL
6' 2"
Junior
Greg Gibson

#41 Greg Gibson

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Antonio Jefferson

#23 Antonio Jefferson

DB
6' 1"
Junior
Andrew King

#11 Andrew King

WR
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Andrew Mitchell

#92 Andrew Mitchell

DL
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Chris Moller

#37 Chris Moller

PK
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Orlando Johnson

#1 Orlando Johnson

WR
5' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Moses Skillon

#12 Moses Skillon

6' 5"
Senior
QB
Matthew Thompson

#74 Matthew Thompson

6' 4"
Sophomore
OL
Herb Walker Jr.

#3 Herb Walker Jr.

5' 8"
Junior
RB
Dominique Woods

#54 Dominique Woods

6' 2"
Junior
OL
Greg Gibson

#41 Greg Gibson

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
LB
Antonio Jefferson

#23 Antonio Jefferson

6' 1"
Junior
DB
Andrew King

#11 Andrew King

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
WR
Andrew Mitchell

#92 Andrew Mitchell

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
DL
Chris Moller

#37 Chris Moller

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
PK
Orlando Johnson

#1 Orlando Johnson

5' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore
WR