TO THE PENGUIN FAITHFUL: I am a former player @ UAlbany and a current fan. I will give you some insight to our program and a little background.
UA is coached by Bob Ford who is the active leader in D1 in wins with 260(I think) He has put over 100 coaches in the college (has over 12 coaches at the FCS & FBS level...Chuck Priore at Stony Brook, Pete Lembo @ I forget , and Dave Clawson at Ball State as well as Dave Campo Dallas Cowboys, Lou Anarumo Miami Dolphins as well as a coach with the NY Giants. He is a "Bobby Bowdon" type as he has been coaching for a million years all at Albany. Very well known and respected in the coaching ranks. A sure HOF coach when he is done.
We are in our last year in the NEC and will be in the CAA next season as a fiully funded program at 63 rides along with Stony Brook. Currently we give out 40 so we will not have much depth and that will hurt us in the 4th qtr against your team!! But our starting 22 are outstanding athletes. I think it would be safe to assume 3 or 4 of our players(Jon Morgan LB...Every NFL team has been in to scout him) could be starters for the Penguins.
I assure you we will not be Valpo!!! Take that that to the bank. We have defeated Delaware, Towson, Lehigh, Maine, Colgate, Stony Brook and a few others. We played very well and I am sure we scared New Hampshire, UMASS, Georgia Southern(should of beaten them), Florida Atlantic, Florida International, and Montana (Lost 35-24). Ford's motto is we will play anyone at any location. They will be anything but intimidated. They will expect to win when they get off the bus. Because we are thin with scholarships I do not think we will have enough to win but I expect a very good game.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Albany is a physically big team. Big O Line and a very big Tail Back...Andrew Smith is a 6'3 225lbs runner. Albany likes to run right at you in between the tackles and wear you down. Has a very good running game and have a great core of recievers. A young qb that is learning on the job but doing well. Albany players bleed purple and would line up against Alabama if Ford scheduled them. You will get everything they have as that is what our coach and his staff demand of us. That may not be enough to beat YSU but you will get tested. Albany right now is probably on par with a mid to upper tier CAA team.
Hope this helps
Ruler