Instead as Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt explained, the kick went 15 yards shorter as Stonehill took over on its own 38.

A defense which stood tall through adversity in the fourth quarter could not do so one final time as Duquesne fell 33-28.

“We had done a good job of placing it so we did not get a big return,” Schmitt explained. “We had a couple of returns there on us, so we felt that if we could place it to one of their up guys. Obviously, we missed on that, we didn’t do a good job on that.”

Duquesne had to overcome a 17-0 deficit to start its senior day and also already earned a share of the NEC crown but earned the opportunity to advance on its homefield to secure the solo title for just the second time in program history, with 2015 being the first.

Instead after using so much energy to come back, the efforts were just short as the last drive after the kickoff saw the Skyhawks player Chris Domercant rush it in from 21 yards out following a Duquesne timeout.

This left Duquesne 32 seconds to find a winner, which the Dukes were unable to do.

“We’re pretty upset,” Duquesne safety Zeke Daure admitted afterwards. “We had a chance to do it on our home field and didn’t come up on top. I think everyone’s pretty upset about it. We battled through some adversity and that makes us a well-tested team for next week now. You just wish you could come on top in these types of situations.”

Schmitt admitted that the game was not his team’s best and that the Dukes had more unforced errors in a 60-minute period that they had in a long time.

In total, there were 24 total penalties for 229 combined yards. Duquesne was whistled eight times, but also did not turn on several passes defensively, came up empty on two fourth-quarter drives and just made other self-inflicted mistakes.

“(We) shot ourselves in the foot all game,” determined Daure. “A lot of penalties, a lot of stupid mistakes all game. We gave them a lot, one drive we gave them 30 yards on two penalties. It’s really frustrating.”

A bright spot for Duquesne came with Gianni Rizzo’s career highs with 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Jayden Johnson added a game-high 13 tackles.

Wide receiver Keshawn Brown achieved a career high 103 receiving yards, the overwhelming bulk of which came on an 89-yard passing play on a slant pattern.

Now Duquesne has to turn the page for next Saturday’s noon contest against Merrimack, which will air on NEC Front Row.

Schmitt had long instilled a 24-hour rule after games, and he knows it is a huge task to overcome Saturday’s effort and that ownership needed to be taken by all involved in the program.

“Right now it’s hard to dwell but I think going into Monday we’ll be ready to go,” Daure hoped. “Next week is technically our Super Bowl, it’s the biggest game of the year now. We always say that anyways, so we’ll just put our heads back on and try to pick ourselves up and hopefully go win next week.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

It was a first quarter for Duquesne to forget as Stonehill started with Jermaine Corbett putting in two decent runs, putting the Skyhawks into the red zone.

The drive would stall as Perry Shelbred converted a 22-yard field goal.

As Duquesne tried to move past the emotion of senior day and what was at stake, its turn with the football lasted one play as quarterback Darius Perrantes fumbled the football. Shortly after, Jake Newsham would cross the goal line on a third down pass extending the Skyhawks advantage.

Edward Robinson took it to the ground on Duquesne’s first play from scrimmage, but a hard hit resulted in a fumble which Justin Waters returned 17 yards.

All of a sudden, Duquesne found itself down 17-0.

The Dukes would regroup, going on an 11-play, 60-yard drive culminating in JaMario Clements punching the ball in from two yards out.

Stonehill would lead 20-7 after the first quarter after a field goal split the uprights in the closing moments.

Duquesne had an opportunity as the second quarter began but Perrantes mistimed multiple throws and on fourth down, two Dukes receivers were open but bumped into each other causing a turnover on downs.

Stonehill took over and had a 2nd-&-27 before Duquesne bailed the Skyhawks out with a personal foul.

Despite this, Duquesne’s defense made a stand and when back on the attack, Perrantes found Brown on a slant route. Brown made the catch and made a move to shake his defender. A crucial DJ Powell block allowed Brown to find open field and the end zone.

Perrantes would prove to have an affinity for the deep ball as his nine completions went for 298 yards, averaging just over 33 yards a pass.

Stonehill struggled to advance the ball and on fourth down a bad snap saw a sequence in which the Dukes took over on the Skyhawk 37.

On third down, Perrantes saw open field and rushed for the first down, but after he cut the dash turned into a 34-yard score giving Duquesne the lead, a 21-20 advantage it would hold into halftime.

The third quarter did not see much movement until Corbett was ejected after picking up his second personal foul after saying something right beside an official. Corbett’s day ended with 111 rushing yards.

It was the second consecutive game that Duquesne allowed a 100-yard rusher.

“We’re wearing down in our front and they were really good, the running game,” Schmitt said. “It’s a challenge for us and we’re using a lot of people, a lot of young guys and interchange to hold up in that front. We weren’t as strong as when we started the season. I kind of expect teams to run it a little bit on us.”

Stonehill would have another running back in Zavion Woodard rush the ball in from a yard out, to reclaim the lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Duquesne welcomed the fourth quarter with Perrantes finding Joey Isabella for a 49-yard connection down to the Skyhawks seven. The ensuing play saw a pass tipped and intercepted.

After the Dukes defense stood tall, Perrantes found Powell for 54 yards. Duquesne had the ball as close as the 15-yard line, but Perrantes spun out of trouble only to fall on his own accord. The error took the Dukes out of field goal range and the team turned it over on downs.

Once again Duquesne’s defense stood tall and the third time would prove to be the charm for the Dukes offense.

This occasion Perrantes was less reliant on the deep ball, taking what Stonehill gave him and opening up more reads in the process.

Ultimately, it was Robinson who cut right and found the end zone untouched.

After the short kick, Stonehill quarterback Ashur Carraha found Noah Canty for 29 yards, a play which left the Skyhawks just outside of field goal range.

A few plays later, Domercant scored his touchdown as Duquesne left itself some time to secure the title. Instead, the drive was unsuccessful though on the penultimate play, Powell just missed scoring a touchdown.

EDDIE PROVIDENT’S PHOTO GALLERY

The post Duquesne Football’s Many Miscues Lead To Loss appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Duquesne is off to its best start as NEC members, with a 5-0 record to show for it. Last week’s game, a 34-26 victory at Wagner secured a share, the ninth conference title in 19 years under coach Jerry Schmitt.

Thus far, the Dukes have scored at least 27 points in each conference game, averaging a league-best 34.8 a game with a scoring margin of +65.

Earlier in the week, PSN’s Zachary Weiss caught up with Schmitt and graduate student defensive lineman Ryan Lopez to feel the temperature of the team as it prepared for Saturday’s game.

The post WATCH: Duquesne Football Seeks To Clinch Solo NEC Title On Senior Day appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Despite the pressure, Duquesne football (4-3, NEC 3-0) held off a late Saint Francis comeback effort (2-5, NEC 2-2) to win 38-35. The Red Flash attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring 22 points in the game’s waning moments. But the Dukes’ early game dominance was just too much to overcome. Duquesne scored 31 points in the first half alone.

Duquesne head coach Jerry Schmitt said he was pleased to get a win against such a tough opponent in Saint Francis.

“We had to play every second [of the game],” Schmitt said. “It was two different types of halfs. But in the end, we got that W, which are hard to get in the conference. You’re playing the reigning champion [Saint Francis], really good program and so I’m just happy for the players and the coaches.”

Duquesne junior quarterback Darius Perrantes led the Dukes in the victory. The junior signal caller threw for 227 and three touchdowns. Schmitt said he was impressed with his quarterback’s performance and the progress he’s made over the season.

“His timing is getting better and better,” Schmitt said. “His command of the offense, his understanding [is getting better]. I know that he’s doing a much better job in not taking those risky shots that could get those interceptions.”

Duquesne began its first drive with excellent field position, as redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keshawn Brown returned the opening kickoff for a 37-yard gain. The Dukes quickly utilized the great field position to drive down the field. Brown once again stepped up to finish off the drive, hauling in a pass Perrantes for a 17-yard touchdown reception. Brown’s efforts put the Dukes up 7-0 early in the first quarter.

Perrantes said the team’s execution was on point in the opening drive, leading to the touchdown.

“That’s a great way to start the game,” Perrantes said about the touchdown. “That’s what we tried to do with every drive, go score. We just had great play calling on that first drive. We executed and did what we needed to do,”

Both the defense and offense were firing on all cylinders early for Duquesne. On Saint Francis’ first drive of the game, Duquesne graduate student cornerback Dayvia Gbor intercepted a tipped pass, giving the Dukes’ offense great field position again to start their second drive.

The Dukes’ next two drives ultimately stalled out, but the Duquesne defense continued to stymie the Red Flash. The Dukes’ defense held Saint Francis to just 24 yards in the first quarter.

With the defense dominating, the Dukes needed their offense to break through to take full control of the game. Perrantes caught fire right at the end of the first quarter, connecting with graduate student wide receiver DJ Powell on the edge of the sideline for a 22-yard gain. Perrantes’ passing efforts put the Dukes in striking position, but the drive fell flat in the red zone. Duquesne graduate student kicker Brian Bruzdewicz ultimately hit a 27-yard field goal to give the Dukes a 10-0 lead at the start of the second quarter.

But Saint Francis quickly rebounded following the Dukes’ field goal. On the drive’s third play, Red Flash redshirt junior quarterback Cole Doyle connected with redshirt sophomore tight end Jake Bruno, who sprinted past Duquesne defenders before finally going down at the one-yard line. Saint Francis redshirt freshman offensive lineman Mason Imbt ultimately punched it in for a one-yard touchdown, reducing the Red Flash’s deficit to just three with eight minutes left in the half.

Perrantes once again stepped up on the Dukes’ next drive with limited time in the second quarter. The junior signal caller connected on five passes for 48 yards on the drive, including a 29-yard touchdown pass to Powell. Perrantes’ efforts gave the Dukes a 17-7 lead with just over two minutes left in the first half.

Duquesnes’ defense quickly halted Saint Francis’s next drive, giving the Dukes’ offense the ball back with limited time to work in the first half. But Perrantes and the Dukes did not need much time to put an exclamation mark on their dominant first-half performance. On the second play of the drive, Perrantes lobbed up a pass to junior wide receiver Joey Isabella, who hauled it in, broke free of a defender and cruised into the endzone for a 69-yard touchdown. Duquesne now led 24-7 late in the second quarter.

And the end of the first half continued to get worse for Saint Francis. With just two seconds remaining before halftime, Saint Francis fumbled the ball during a punt attempt near its own endzone. Dukes graduate student safety Tim Lowery scooped up the fumble and cruised into the endzone for a 15-yard touchdown, giving Duquesne a 31-7 lead at the end of the half. Lowery said his success in the game came down to taking advantage of opportunities.

“For the block punt, a gap was open,” Lowery said. “[The ball] ended up hitting off his face mask. I saw the ball on the ground, saw an opportunity and took advantage of it,”

With the game nearly out of reach, Saint Francis continued making mistakes. On the opening kickoff, Saint Francis redshirt freshman Scott Raymond fielded the ball but fumbled it following a big hit. Lowery once again recovered the fumble, giving Duquesne possession on the first play of the second half.

But the Dukes weren’t able to capitalize off the crucial turnover. Perrantes tried to force a pass to Brown in the endzone, but Red Flash redshirt freshman linebacker Mercury Swaim jumped in front of the pass, intercepting it to end the Dukes drive.

Saint Francis finally clicked offensively following the interception. The Red Flash’s offense slowly drove downfield, utilizing short passes and runs to move the ball towards the endzone. Saint Francis redshirt sophomore runningback Jordan Jackson finished the drive off, rushing one yard into the endzone to breathe some life into a previously stagnant Red Flash offense.

At the end of the third quarter, Duquesne led 31-14.

While Saint Francis’s offensive adjustments finally worked, the defense still struggled. On Duquesne’s first drive of the fourth quarter, Perrantes connected with Isabella for a 41-yard gain. The Dukes then continued to push downfield before redshirt sophomore runningback Taj Butts punched the ball into the endzone for a four-yard touchdown rush. Butt’s touchdown put the Dukes up 38-14 with just under 12 minutes left in the game.

Then, the Red Flash began to rally.

Saint Francis continued to put up a valiant effort despite the large deficit. The Red Flash drove downfield again with just over eight minutes left in the game. Imbt finished off the drive, earning his second one-yard touchdown rush of the game and reducing his team’s deficit to 17.

The Red Flash continued to mount a comeback on Duquesne’s next drive. Saint Francis’s defense finally found its groove, halting the Dukes and forcing a punt. Then the Red Flash blocked the punt, allowing Saint Francis redshirt freshman Trey McLeer to return the fumble for a 40-yard touchdown. Saint Francis now trailed 38-28 with four and a half minutes left in action.

Then, with under a minute left, Saint Francis mounted another touchdown drive. The Red Flash offense cruised past a tired Duquesne defensive unit, moving the ball 80 yards downfield. Doyle then connected with freshman wide receiver Jayden Ivory for a three-yard touchdown.

To make matters worse for Duquesne, the Red Flash recovered an on-side kick, giving it a chance to win the game with under a minute left. But the Red Flash were dealt a major blow when Doyle exited the game with an apparent head injury following an illegal hit.

Still, the Red Flash continued to push. With 19 seconds remaining in the game, Saint Francis lined up for a game-tying field goal. But luck wasn’t on the Red Flash’s side, as redshirt sophomore kicker Mac Plummer missed the kick, allowing Duquesne to walk away with a 38-35 win.

The Dukes will hope to continue their NEC success next Saturday as they travel to Fairfield, Connecticut for a matchup against Sacred Heart. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m., and coverage will air on ESPN+.

The post Duquesne Holds Off Rabid St. Francis Comeback, 38-35 appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

As part of that game, Duquesne will have a band present for the first time this season as the Dukes look to build momentum from a decisive 44-20 victory over Central Connecticut State.

It was a victory which saw wide receiver Tedy Afful and running back Taj Butts have career days. Both were named NEC Prime Performers with the latter being named offensive player of the week. Quarterback Darius Perrantes was also named a prime performer.

Following Thursday’s walkthrough, PSN’s Zachary Weiss spoke with coach Jerry Schmitt as well as wide receiver DJ Powell.

The post WATCH: Duquesne Heads Into Homecoming Game With Momentum appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

“We were playing at a level where we were playing with confidence,” Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt said. “Even when things went bad, they just played that next play with focus. I’m impressed by the way we came off the road, long trips, dialed in and focused on every play throughout this day.”

Duquesne (3-3/2-0 NEC) had two players achieve career highs with redshirt sophomore Taj Butts achieving personal bests with his 118 yards and three total touchdowns.

“I’m a big guy on putting the scene of the crime in your mind,” determined Butts. “Leading up to the game I’m thinking about the long runs, getting the first down. I prepare myself mentally and I did what I did on the field, Friday, Thursday, Wednesday and Monday this week.”

Butts joined redshirt sophomore JaMario Clements as both running backs surpassed the 100-yard mark, the first time that has happened for the Dukes since Nov. 20, 2021.

Photo credit: Duquesne Athletics/Fred Vuich

Junior wide receiver Tedy Afful pulled down 135 yards, besting the 108 he had last year against Fordham.

“So happy for him because he works very hard,” Schmitt remarked. “Took some time to get the system down. We ask those guys to play a lot of different positions as receivers. We move and motion them and the better you know that the better you can play and help our team. He’s been working through that the first couple of weeks and he’s starting to play with real confidence. It’s paying off the work that he does.”

Not to be outdone, junior quarterback Darius Perrantes passed for 265 yards, a season high and matched a season best with three touchdowns.

This was a contest where CCSU (2-4/0-2 NEC) came in averaging 246.2 rushing yards and in its previous game against Delaware State rushed for 498 rushing yards.

Saturday, the Blue Devils were contained to 74 rushing yards.

“They have a really good running game,” graduate student safety Zeke Daure explained. “A big thing I’ve noticed this year compared to last year is we bend, but we don’t break. Last year we would break playing big running teams. They didn’t really gash us, so we’ll take that.”

Indeed Duquesne had 513 total yards compared to CCSU’s 201. Even further was that the Dukes grew in confidence as the game wore on and every big play saw energy spread from the sideline onto the field.

“They played team defense,” assessed Schmitt. “I give a lot of credit to the defensive staff for preparing our guys and our guys worked hard on it. They use multiple formations, motions, shifts and the RPO which is always hard to defend. I thought our guys did a really good job playing team defense, playing your gap and rallying to the football. It was quite impressive.”

CCSU got the ball first and its heralded ground game was stunted on three consecutive plays, as the Blue Devils had to surrender the football to the Dukes.

Perrantes immediately went to the deep ball, unsuccessfully connecting with DJ Powell. Despite the incompletion, it set the offense up to take future shots down the field.

On third down, the pair tried again. Though Perrantes under threw his graduate student, Powell made the necessary adjustment, leading to a 33-yard play.

As the Dukes continued to drive, a Perrantes pass to Afful was incomplete, but a pass interference penalty allowed the ball to be placed on the 2-yard line.

Butts made an immediate impact on his first snap as Duquesne called his number on a misdirection. This left the flat open, where Butts made a catch and turned his body for the first touchdown of this contest.

First drive back home ends in a TOUCHDOWN

7⃣-0⃣ Dukes early.#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/KDdzzu2Jis

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) October 14, 2023

CCSU had the ball and drove down to Duquesne’s 20, determined to find an equalizer, but the momentum was thwarted when quarterback Matt Jenner fumbled the football. A Blue Devils lineman batted the ball and though they recovered the football, that 17-yard loss led to a field goal.

Duquesne’s attempt at a response was going to be short lived, but CCSU got in its own way with an offsides penalty, allowing the Dukes to have second life in the drive.

That second life would with Afful pulling down a 50-yard pass and then Butts pounded the ball in from 15 yards out.

Taj Butts AGAIN!

Battles through tacklers for his second TD of the day. #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/u0bH71oYrw

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) October 14, 2023

This sequence only made the defense more aggressive as CCSU made a quarterback change, with Ricky Ortega under center. The Dukes charged Ortega multiple times as the Blue Devils came up empty as possession changed hands.

Duquesne went back on the attack with Afful pulling in grabs of 35 and 13 yards in succession for another Dukes score.

It was a 20-3 Duquesne advantage after 15 minutes.

Perrantes Afful for 6⃣

Dukes lead 20-3 after 1 at Rooney. #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/v2BHueAyb3

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) October 14, 2023

The Dukes had an opportunity to stretch the lead as Perrantes who already successfully danced in the pocket earlier in the drive, did so again, but underthrew Keshawn Brown in the end zone as CCSU had its first takeaway.

With the rain reaching its peak, the Blue Devils got in their own way with a personal foul.

Duquesne nearly gave the ball right back for a second time as Butts fumbled, but the hosts were able to recover. Butts amended his mistake, unleashing a 58-yard run, his third score of the day.

HE CAN’T STOP SCORING

Taj Butts breaks free for a 58-yard touchdown, his third TD of the game!#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/s8O3T9CLwv

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) October 14, 2023

CCSU would record its first touchdown of the game on a reserve flea flicker.

Duquesne made a final push as Perrantes found Brown deep again, but this was done by a holding penalty, keeping the score at 27-10 as the first half clock expired.

It was Duquesne’s possession to begin the third quarter and CCSU committed roughing the passer and pass interference penalties allowing the Dukes to drive.

Perrantes found Powell who made a juggling catch down to the one-yard line. The Dukes drive nearly stalled, but Powell had one-on-one coverage against a smaller defender and came down with the 50-50 ball stretching the lead to 34-10.

DJ Powell

34-10 Dukes early in the 3rd. #GoDukes pic.twitter.com/asnO6SHNLP

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) October 14, 2023

As the third quarter continued, CCSU converted a second field goal, this time from 32 yards out.

The frame concluded with Duquesne taking advantage of a Blue Devils targeting penalty as Clements punched the ball in from 26 yards out.

JaMario Clements puts us up 4⃣1⃣ – 1⃣3⃣#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/EJly3ETadA

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) October 14, 2023

CCSU recorded a touchdown in the fourth quarter as Jenner called his own number for a 17-yard run. After that, Duquesne possessed the ball for much of the fourth quarter, culminating in a Brian Bruzdewicz field goal from 26 yards.

The 2-0 mark in NEC play has the Dukes in sole possession of first place.

Duquesne will return to Rooney Field for another NEC contest as Saint Francis visits for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The game can be viewed at NEC Front Row and also serves as the Dukes’ homecoming game.

“We all want to be the best and with all of us competing every day, that leads us to be the best,” Afful concluded. “That motivates us to be the best in the NEC.”

POSTGAME VIDEOS

The post Duquesne Dominates CCSU To Take Top NEC Spot appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Saturday afternoon the Dukes will have that opportunity as it hosts Central Connecticut State in its second Northeast Conference game of the season.

Duquesne’s other NEC game this season came Sept. 30 at LIU, where the Dukes trailed by as many as 14 points.

Prior to Saturday’s game PSN’s Zachary Weiss caught up with the team’s head coach Jerry Schmitt and redshirt sophomore JaMario Clements.

The post WATCH: Duquesne Football Previews CCSU appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Here in Western Pennsylvania, we’ve certainly seen that with the Pitt-Penn State football game, the Pitt-Duquesne men’s basketball game, the Pitt-Robert Morris men’s basketball game and even the Duquesne-Robert Morris men’s basketball game.

It’s encouraging though that both the Pitt and West Virginia athletic departments appear to see the value of playing the Backyard Brawl, so hopefully that series will get extended.

It appears as though another smaller rivalry could be returning in the near future.

Sources told Pittsburgh Sports Now that the athletic departments from Duquesne and Robert Morris are in deep discussions about renewing the Duquesne-Robert Morris football game.

PSN has learned that although nothing is official, we could see the return of that game starting in 2025 and the interesting angle is that current talks have them playing the game at Acrisure Stadium.

Once again, the contract has not been signed yet, but, both sides are optimistic that this will be finalized soon, and we’ll see the return of Duquesne vs. RMU football.

The longtime FCS rivals have not played since the 2019 season, when RMU won, 41-21 at Joe Walton Stadium in Moon Township. Duquesne plays football in Northeast Conference, where Robert Morris was an all-sports member until 2020. When RMU left the NEC for the Horizon League in 2020, the schools were expected to play one another as a non-conference game that fall. But the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the fall 2020 FCS season and when it was played in the spring, only conference games were played.

With RMU starting the 2021 fall schedule as a full member of the Big South conference, and both teams seeking more games against FBS opponents, scheduling one another hasn’t been a priority.

The teams have played 21 times since 1994, when RMU established its football program. Duquesne leads the all-time series, 13-8.

The post Source: Duquesne, Robert Morris in Talks to Resume Football Rivalry appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

For Duquesne (1-1) junior quarterback Darius Perrantes threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns but also recorded two interceptions. Wide receiver Tedy Afful had 83 yards and his first Duquesne touchdown. Redshirt sophomore defensive back Antonio Epps set a career high with 10 tackles.

“Never happy with a loss, but I’m proud of our young men,” Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt said. “The way they played and handled themselves. After that (delay) we didn’t play as good as we could have. We’ll go to work on that. We knew what we were up against and there were a number of things that would be difficult for us to stop from West Virginia but there were still some things we could have done better after that break and that’s what we always try to do.”

Duquesne initially went three-and-out in its first drive as quarterback Perrantes overthrew Afful, but the Dukes benefitted from WVU’s Jacolby Spells misplaying the punt, allowing the visitors to recover.

Following a couple of positive rushes from Taj Butts which moved the chains, Perrantes connected with DJ Powell from 38 yards out for a Duquesne touchdown. This was Powell’s third touchdown of the season.

“For us coming into this game there obviously was going to be a lot of chatter with an FCS school playing an FBS school,” said Epps. “We hear it, but we tune that out, we knew to come in and compete with them and we showed that in the first quarter.”

WVU went to a quick offense and moved the chains once but when quarterback Garrett Greene’s pass to an open Cortez Braham, the ball was given back to Duquesne.

After Duquesne came up empty, its defense twice forced the Mountaineers into third down situations, first converting with a six-yard rush and then when Jaylen Anderson found open space, established an angle, broke a tackle and went 13 yards.

Two plays later, WVU found the end zone when Greene found Hudson Clement from 14 yards out, tying the contest.

Kelsie LeRose/WV Sports Now

Duquesne began to find some connection with Joey Isabella and Afful each converting third-and-long plays, but when Perrantes went deep for Powell once again, he was intercepted by Beanie Bishop Jr.

The ensuing WVU drive started on the Dukes six-yard line and the Mountaineers were about to have a third and long, but Duquesne was called for a face mask penalty extending the drive.

The penalty was a tough one for Duquesne to take and Schmitt credited the opponent’s athleticism for making it possible and the Dukes defender made a split-second decision and instead made contact with the helmet.

WVU drove into the second quarter where it took two plays for Anderson to run it in and create separation on the scoreboard.

Later on in the second quarter, Duquesne drove the football again using the deep ball with Powell corralling a 34-yard pass and Keshawn Brown making a 22-yard grab.

Duquesne had a new touchdown called back due to holding and instead, Brian Bruzdewicz converted a 39-yard field goal.

“The OPI you watch the replay and tell me,” opined Schmitt. “I think those guys do a great job, but I see that play hundreds of times through college and through all football. We’ve got to do it better so we don’t get called for that.”

The game was then stopped by a 1-hour 54-minute weather delay that Duquesne refused to make excuses over but did acknowledge saw play drop off a bit upon returning to action.

“Our guys were excited, and you just have to be careful,” Schmitt revealed. “It happened at Florida State last year, but it was before the game started so it was a little different. In my career I haven’t had too many of them and now it’s something I have to study and maybe do better.”

Coming out of the stoppage WVU needed four plays before Clement again had multiple steps on a Dukes defender and went 70 yards for a score.

After Duquesne went three and out, Clemen scored his third touchdown of the evening, this time from 46 yards out.

Duquesne had become pass happy just prior to the delay as the team’s two-pronged rushing attack was held in check but returning to the ground did not prove successful as the Dukes were held scoreless for the remainder of the half.

WVU went to backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol in the second half, ending Greene’s night with 240 passing yards and four touchdowns.

Jahiem White would score in the third quarter from 18 yards out on a seven-play, 67-yard drive.

Duquesne would respond when Perrantes found Afful on a 45-yard connection and on the very next play, the pair connected for a touchdown from 16 yards out. The grab was Afful’s first as a Duke.

According to Perrantes, the several deep balls he threw were certainly intentional.

“That was a big point that we went through all week, that was probably their weakest links on their team, but they’re a great team,” he said.

The Mountaineers scored twice in the fourth quarter, once when Marchiol rushed from the one-yard line and concluded when DJ Oliver punched it in from five yards out.

All told, the Duquesne players seemed pleased with its overall performance.

“Everyone’s looking at a blowout and not expecting the FCS team to compete,” Epps reflected. “That first quarter, first half we showed a lot of people what Duquesne can really do. A lot of people will say Duquesne is not a real school, but we came out here against a Big XII team and it showed. FCS, Duquesne we can really play football here.”

Duquesne will continue its four-game road trip next Saturday at Coastal Carolina, a contest set for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

VIDEOS

The post Duquesne Football Fights, Falls Short at WVU appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Following Thursday afternoon’s practice, Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt, graduate student defensive lineman A.J. Ackerman and graduate student offensive lineman Mike Dorundo all spoke to PSN’s Zachary Weiss previewing the matchup.

The post Watch: Duquesne Football Previews Saturday’s West Virginia Contest appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

Oddsmakers are guaranteeing a Mountaineers victory. West Virginia has never lost to an FCS school. WVU is 23-0 all-time, and even 4-0 under Neal Brown. Duquesne has only one win against an FBS program, but has never beat a program out of a major conference. Does something have to give? Again, probably not. But there’s one clear path for the Dukes to pull off a win that they wold no doubt be celebrate forever.

Throw deep, deep, deep. And do it often, often, often. While there were some signs of the Mountaineers could be improved from last year in their loss to Penn State (less missed tackles, turnovers didn’t trigger loss etc), there was one aspect of the team that actually looked worse.

WVU coaches told us all off-season how the secondary would be better. They said it was deeper. They said Aubrey Burks was a different guy now and could play himself into the NFL. Beanie Bishop expressed his desire to have a big season to end his college career. Jacolby Spells was discussed as having cleaned up mistakes and poised for a breakout year.

Now it’s still possible all of thins could happen. It’s possible that Penn State is as good as advertised and could end up in the College Football Playoff. It’s possible the West Virginia secondary could be fine the rest of the season, especially against a lower level opponent like Duquesne. In fact, the latter should happen. But Duquesne’s only hope is to test that theory out and give us an answer very quickly.

And Duquesne actually has the quarterback to make this happen. It’s possible we could watch the WVU secondary have their hands full throughout another Saturday night. The players mentioned above better be ready. Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown even alluded to this when asked what Duquesne does well and he needs to account for during his weekly press conference on Monday.

“Offensively, the quarterback threw the deep ball really well,” said Brown. The quarterback he’s referring to is Darius Perrantes. The junior out of Los Angeles, CA doesn’t always throw tons, mostly because games against the Dukes normal opponents don’t call for it. For example, he only attempted 13 passes, granted for 135 yards, in their win over Edinboro.

When the Dukes are at their best and clicking on offense, they are running all over the field. And running is what led to their dominating week 1 performance. Taj Butts rushed for 104 yards. Jamario Clements ran for 47 and Edward Robinson III added 43.  Obviously if that happens again, Duquesne had another good day, but running with that much success while facing an FBS team is far less likely.

Perrantes has showed he does have an arm. He threw for 1,620 yards in only eight starts in 2021. The opportunity for Duquesne to shock the world is to try to strike big, and to try to do it early.

Duquesne should throw up a deep ball or two on their first possession. It might even be something the WVU staff is expecting, and maybe wouldn’t mind seeing. Let all of us truly find out what the West Virginia secondary is really made of.

It’s very possible that even if Duquesne opens up their passing game and West Virginia still ends up being exposed as the season progresses, the Mountaineers will still comfortably secure a win over the Dukes.

The WVU football program has four wins over FCS teams with Brown as head coach. Those wins came over James Madison 20-13 (2019), Eastern Kentucky 56-10 (2020), Long Island 66-0 (2021), and Towson 65-7 (2022). All of those schools had something they thought they could use to lead them to an upset too. FBS teams are just usually too much for an FCS to handle. Crazy historic upsets have happened. We all remember Appalachian State knocking off Michigan. But those are not common and historic for a reason.

The safe bet is West Virginia wins, and does so convincingly, something they honestly need to do to send some type of message that the program isn’t as down as some say. Anything is possible though, and there is a strategy that could work for Duquesne, a school only an hour and a half away from Morgantown, with players who will be very excited to play on Mountaineer Field.

Click here to read about Duquesne’s week 1 win.

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It was a home opener that was well attended, and the fans were with the team for the duration of the contest, including a first quarter that led coach Jerry Schmitt to ask what time it was at halftime.

Duquesne rolled with the punches, playing with each other and displaying a clear teamwork that was not as present when injuries piled up a season ago.

“We prepared for this moment from the first day of camp, we knew it was coming,” redshirt sophomore defensive back Ayden Garnes said. “I feel like we were prepared two weeks ago and we’re going to keep building from this opportunity. It was a good team win.”

Garnes’s pick six on the second play of the game set the tone for the team and in his opinion put everybody on notice.

After building these last couple of seasons, Duquesne’s defense is a clear strength of this team to the point, that Zeke M. Daure, a graduate student who has been part of the program since 2019, believes this is the deepest defense he has been a part of.

Daure had a second-half interception, one of five turnovers forced by an aggressive Dukes defense.

Whether it was Ty Howard getting to the quarterback, Kevin Kurzinger and Gianni Russo forcing fumbles, Ryan Lopez’s tenacity for the ball or Tim Lowery providing a boost with an interception after coming off a season-ending injury, the defense was a constant for Duquesne where an aggressive effort was contagious.

“Their speed and strength were very apparent,” Duquesne coach Jerry Schmitt said of the defensive effort. “They played together. It’s something we thought we had and have been building for a couple of years and everybody’s healthy which is critical for that defense. Last year through the back half of the season a lot of those guys you see out here now weren’t with us and you can see they’re talented guys playing fast and together.” 

Coming into the game, Duquesne’s largest unknowns came with both the offensive line and wide receiving group.

Schmitt conceded that the offensive line is one of the positions where his Dukes are not necessarily as deep at.

Even so, the line surrendered two sacks and though there were multiple procedural penalties, it was a unit that held together as players were subbed in to participate and see time.

The receiving core is without its top three players from a season ago, but DJ Powell, a Bethune Cookman transfer showcased his ability with two touchdown catches and 57 yards.

It was clear that he established a connection with quarterback Darius Perrantes that could prove crucial as the season continues.

Not to be outdone, Keshawn Brown had two grabs for 72 yards. Stony Brook transfer Tedy Afful had a look at wide receiver and also was the punt returner in Saturday’s game.

Preseason All-NEC selection Joey Isabella was targeted in the red zone and had a step in the red zone but was unable to connect. After a season-ending injury and less action in training camp, his impact is expected to be seen as the season continues.

Duquesne also got to get looks at Alex Gochis, Jermaine Johnson and Jaelen Carson.

“I think it’s great that we got a lot of snaps for a lot of different receivers because we’re right now deep and very competitive,” stated Schmitt. “That position they all want the football and want in the game so if we stay healthy it will be tough to manage all of that. It’s a good problem to have.” 

Powell agreed with this statement explaining that having this depth will allow for Duquesne to rotate.

Perrantes was exactly as advertised in his first game with three total touchdowns, two through the air, while playing one half.

In that time, he was sacked one and danced around the pocket multiple times before finding an open receiver, something Schmitt said he has been known to do.

Schmitt was also a fan of his overall performance as he took more control and leadership of the team. As he continues to be under center, there will be more time in film and practice on finding and being more precise with his reads.

The team will now prepare to face a West Virginia opponent that is coming off a loss to #7 Penn State, in what will be the Mountaineers home opener.

Given the roughly 90-minute drive, it will be an enticing game for Duquesne fans to attend. The Dukes have faced high-profile teams before and on Sept. 11, 2021 won 28-26 at Ohio, making them the first team from NEC to beat an FBS team.

The stage will be a larger one but one which the team is clearly excited for come Saturday at 6 p.m.

“We’re ready to go,” promised Garnes. “We’ll see what they run, see what they like to do and we’re going to be ready by Saturday at 6 p.m.”

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Just two snaps into the game, Garnes intercepted a pass and took it back 27 yards for a touchdown to give Duquesne a 7-0 lead.

This interception by Garnes was one of five Duquesne takeaways for the game against Edinboro.

Along with the interception, Garnes also recorded a pass breakup, 2 tackles and a tackle for loss.

Garnes is a redshirt sophomore from Monsignor Bonner High School in Philadelphia.

Last season as a redshirt freshman, Garnes played in 10 games for the Dukes and started the final seven games at cornerback. During that time, Garnes recorded 33 tackles, 2 interceptions, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

Garnes and the Duquesne defense will face their biggest challenge of the season this Saturday as they take on West Virginia in Morgantown.

Duquesne Dominate In Wire To Wire Season Opening Win

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“I’ve been getting that play all camp,” Garnes revealed. “I’ve been picking that play off a lot during camp. It was normal to me when I saw the splits, I was ready to go. Setting that tone, I feel like it woke everybody up on our team, their team and let the league know that we’re coming this year.”

As several Fighting Scots players unsuccessfully chased the cornerback, the Dukes had an early lead, a precursor towards setting the tone in a season-opening 49-7 victory at Rooney Field with many former players on past championship teams in attendance.

Ayden Garnes gets the season started with a PICK SIX #GoDukes | @AydenGarnes1 pic.twitter.com/DbsG51sNSe

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) September 2, 2023

With first quarter play continuing, Duquesne saw sophomore linebacker Tim Lowery pick up the team’s second interception of the game.

ANOTHER ONE

Tim Lowery is back. #GoDukes | @TimLowery22 pic.twitter.com/W75x2Qtfes

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) September 2, 2023

When junior quarterback Darius Perrantes found redshirt sophomore wideout Keshawn Brown for 38 yards and another redshirt sophomore in running back Taj Butts found a hole to the tune of an 18-yard rush, the Dukes were deep in the red zone.

After two empty plays, Perrantes called his own number for his second touchdown of the afternoon.

Perrantes Brown sets up a Perrantes rushing TD to put us up 14-0

https://t.co/lsH90Nd4aR#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/I2kfwbr7am

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) September 2, 2023

Following the score, Duquesne’s defense again answered the call. The Dukes first recorded a hard tackle which nearly forced a fumble before being ruled incomplete and on the next play, junior inside linebacker Gianni Rizzo got a sack on Carlisle and graduate defensive end Ryan Lopez picked up the fumble.

Though Duquesne did not score on the ensuing drive, it allowed the defense to maintain an edge which only intensified when junior defensive end Kevin Kurzinger’s sack forced a fumble that Howard recovered, one last salvo prior to the opening quarter’s end.

Perrantes accounted for his second score of this game, this time opting towards the air when he found Brown and the two connected for a touchdown from 33 yards out, allowing the Dukes to stretch their advantage to 21-0 after one quarter.

Perrantes making plays

Keshawn Brown with the 33-yard catch to put us up 21-0.

https://t.co/lsH90Nd4aR#GoDukes | @NECFrontRow pic.twitter.com/CfvIXOzjgV

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) September 2, 2023

After the Fighting Scots came up empty once again to open the second quarter, Duquesne used a 10-play, 94-yard drive over 3:54 to put up another touchdown.

The payoff came when Perrantes refused to go down and instead battled to find DJ Powell.

“It motivates a lot,” Powell said of his quarterback’s stubbornness to go down. “We know he has the ability to make any throw on any platform so we just try to get ourselves in a position where he can get us the ball to run.”

MAKING PLAYS.

Perrantes extends another one and he finds Powell for the score

Dukes lead 2⃣8⃣ – 0⃣

https://t.co/lsH90Nd4aR#GoDukes | @dmperrantes pic.twitter.com/WNdF0M1GAv

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) September 2, 2023

Duquesne would score once again in the second quarter, with redshirt sophomore running back JaMario Clements punching it in from two yards out.

At halftime, the Dukes led the Fighting Scots 35-0. The hosts had 262 total yards off offense, while the visitors were held to 107.

Graduate student Matt Robinson took over for Perrantes in the third quarter. Perrantes finished with 135 yards, two passing touchdowns and a rushing score.

Robinson used his second drive of the quarter to lead the Dukes down the field. While in the red zone, he patiently surveyed the defense and skied a ball for Powell to score his second touchdown of the game from three yards.

“Coach has a philosophy that the ball is ours,” revealed Powell. “I’m a six-foot-three receiver so I just feel like whenever the ball is in my area, I’ve just got to go up there and get it.”

Robinson Powell to put us up 42-0#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/5a1fYPoX3b

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) September 2, 2023

Edinboro’s score came when Carlisle found Aaron Hopkins from 21 yards out making the score 42-7 after three quarters.

Duquesne’s defense had another breakthrough, when Zeke M. Daure recorded his first interception of the season and the Dukes third of the afternoon.

“I thought their speed and strength was very apparent in their depth,” Schmitt said of his defense. “It’s something we thought we had and have been building for a couple of years. A lot of those guys you see out there now weren’t with us and now they’re back healthy.”

Ezekiel Daure gets in on the action!

That’s INT #3⃣ for the Dukes. #GoDukes | @MichaelDaure pic.twitter.com/bldCkWEEbO

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) September 2, 2023

A third quarterback, junior Jordan Heisey took control of Duquesne’s offense and took it himself for another touchdown.

Duquesne’s non-conference slate will resume on the road next Saturday when it travels to face West Virginia. This contest will be contested at 6:00 on ESPN+ and Big XII Now.

“I’m very pleased with our performance here… our guys responded,” said Schmitt. “I’m also pleased that the work they did… the guys knew they had to dial in. We took care of the little things, and I thought that showed today which gave us an opportunity to get that lead and keep pushing.”

POSTGAME VIDEOS

Gallery by Jared Todhunter:

The post Duquesne Dominate In Wire To Wire Season Opening Win appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Now.

It was players such as Reid Harrison-Ducros, Jake Dixon, Bill O’Malley and Spencer DeMedal who showed him the way then.

Following an uncharacteristic 4-7 2022 season marred by both injuries and close losses, Daure has tried to step up in an effort to achieve the success this program is accustomed to reaching.

“I think we’re getting back to our roots,” he stated. “We’re getting back to that and the standard they set. I think we lost it a little bit, but we’re getting back to that and what’s expected from us every year.”

That all starts with Saturday’s noon home contest against Edinboro.

Duquesne was selected to tie for third place in the NEC Preseason Poll, earning one first-place vote in the process.

From a player standpoint, junior wide receiver Joey Isabella (12 rec/191 yds/2 TD) and junior defensive lineman A.J. Ackerman (13 solo tackles/2.5 sacks) were selected as members of the NEC Preseason All-Conference Team.

Duquesne Football Coach Jerry Schmitt once again leads the Dukes in this, his 19th season and has been pleased with both the buy in and competitive nature that training camp brought.

“These guys have really worked to build team unity and stick together through all of the challenges that we went through last season,” said Schmitt. “These guys have grown through the offseason and are working as a group really hard and brought the newcomers in to what we do here. It is quite encouraging for me to see the way they got through camp.”

A lot of what Duquesne has done has been built by the team’s brand of football, playing physically, fast and smart, with the third being most important.

The mental aspect has been engrained in this team, understanding that having a short-term memory is important, as is learning from mistakes.

“There’s a lot of that mental aspect,” Schmitt explained. “A lot of teaching, technique, muscle memory and also like to train our brains over and over so we’re not thinking as much during the game. When you do it together and get through the dog days of camp, then you hang out after, eat together and play Xbox, you grow as a team.”

Photo credit Duquesne Athletics

From a quarterbacking perspective, the job belongs to junior Darius Perrantes (7 games/539 yds/6 TDs). Perrantes previously back up Joe Mischler in each of the past two seasons but now the job is his.

Schmitt believes that possessing that familiarity will serve Perrantes well, though it does not hurt that he has felt good all season as he improves on timing with his receivers.

“It’s a big honor,” Perrantes said of the starting job. “I worked hard for this. Obviously, my teammates and coaches put me in the best position every opportunity I get. Everything happens for a reason… not everything goes your way but if you take it a day at a time, you’ll get there.”

Photo credit Duquesne Athletics

In the last few days leading up to the opening kickoff, there are still battles to be had, though Schmitt has told his team that just because someone is standing there on the game’s first play, does not mean the same can be said for future contests.

It is the constant competition that will provide opportunities for many across the roster.

Offensively, Schmitt believes that redshirt sophomore running back JaMario Clements (45 rushes/220 yds/1 TD) is ready to go. Clements has patiently waited during each of the past couple of years but there is a chance that this could be his time, particularly due to clear strides and displaying what he has learned.

Daure echoed that sentiment and believes that another redshirt sophomore running back, Taj Butts, a Missouri transfer has added some needed intensity on the field.

It is very clear that the team’s defensive backfield can be a strength for this team.

Junior defensive back Donovan Stanley is healthy. The Ohioan started five of nine games in 2021 but was limited to just one game a season ago.

Another junior DB Jaelen Carson (six GP/19 tackles) is fully healthy and can be expected to be a force. Daure (two starts/9 gp/2 INTs) is also expected to be a difference maker.

Junior linebacker Shane Stump has competed in 25 games over the course of his Dukes career including 11 seasons and his experience in snap counts could go a long way.

Daure had high marks for junior defensive lineman Kevin Kurzinger. Kurzinger started all 10 games a season ago and his 38 tackles ranked fourth on the team. He also spoke highly of Ackerman and redshirt sophomore defensive back Ayden Garnes.

As a team, all parties feel that the camaraderie is in a far better place and a lot of that came with plenty of individuals working out over the summer and watching film, in addition to some of the transfers coming in and learning the system.

By no means have practices been perfect, but the Dukes have fed off of each other’s energy and held true to Schmitt’s ‘Dukes adjust’ mantra.

“I had to have some hard conversations with some guys, but that’s part of it,” Dauer revealed. “At the end of the day everyone that’s still here is invested in what we want and that’s to win every game we play and the NEC Championship, but first thing’s first, we want to beat Edinboro.”

As Perrantes sees it, the team is plenty motivated but has balanced that motivation with making strides towards being its best version, taking big strides in the process.

“Losses, they come but being able to stay together, and have good team chemistry, even with the coaches, that will take us a long way,” stated the third-year quarterback.

Duquesne’s season-opening game against Edinboro certainly has some bragging rights on the line as head coach Jake Nulph was with the Dukes program in 2018 and defensive coordinator Tony Papley also was on the team’s sideline for six seasons.

Throughout the team’s camp, Duquesne has been a prepared side and as a bunch of Dukes concluded a Thursday practice with sprints, Schmitt believes that this team has plenty to prove, but this has been approached on a daily basis.

“Obviously you don’t like to have a season where you don’t come out on top more times, but we looked at every play and every game trying to get better,” he concluded. “We’re going to carry that stuff into this year.”

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No Duquesne players ranked on the preseason first-team rankings, but the second team is full of Dukes. Seven members of the Dukes rank on the second team, wide receiver Joey Isabella, offensive lineman Michael Dorundo, defensive lineman Kevin Kurzinger, linebacker Shane Stump, defensive back Tim Lowery, and kicker Brian Bruzdewicz. 

Dukes were named to the @philsteele042 Preseason All-NEC Teams!

https://t.co/PZf5nXu3vA#GoDukes pic.twitter.com/ORXmGTmZT5

— Duquesne Football (@DuqFB) July 31, 2023

Quarterback Darius Perrantes, defensive back CJ Barnes, and punter Michael Berarducci were placed on the third team.

Ayden Garnes has the NEC on notice entering his redshirt-sophomore campaign as a second-team honoree for his ability at defensive back and third-team due to his kick return skills. Garnes averaged 21.5 yards per return in 2022 in eight runbacks for Duquesne. 

Perrantes, alongside head coach Jerry Schmitt and defensive back Ezekiel Daure, represented the program earlier this month at NEC Football Media Day in New York.

The Dukes face Edinboro at home on Sept. 2 to begin the 2023 season before facing their most formidable challenge of the year. Duquesne battles West Virginia in Morgantown the following week, which begins a stretch of four-straight road games. 

This season marks the first time since 2019 that Duquesne begins the year in their home facilities. The Phil Steele rankings are accumulated from the college football magazine’s FCS coverage at PhilSteele.com.

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