Balanced offense and strong defense give Dawgs win against LIU

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University football team defeated Long Island in the home opener by a score of 21-10.

Zevi Eckhaus threw for 274 and tallied two TDs. AC White and Marc Taglieri Jr. registered their first TD catches of the season. Ryan Clark punched in a touchdown from the one-yard line.

Robert Crockett III picked up his second interception in as many games. Kenny Dyson Jr. had two sacks, 2.5 TFL, and one forced fumble. Chris Yates also had a FF. Darnel Shillingford and Michael Otty both tallied one sack. The Bulldog defense forced three turnovers.

Game Information
Bryant 21, LIU 10
Records: Bryant (1-1), LIU (0-2)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I)

Key Moment

• The Sharks drove with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, down 11, and got into the red zone. The LIU QB sent a bullet up the middle, which was batted down by a diving Austin Edmonds. The Bulldog defense then made back-to-back stops to secure the victory.

How it Happened

• The Bulldogs took over on the LIU 35-yard line after a 29-yard punt by the Sharks. Fabrice Mukendi gained 11 yards up the middle, putting the Black and Gold on the 24-yard line. Then, on 3rd & long, Eckhaus found Jalen Powell for a gain of 18, placing Bryant inside the ten. Clark then scored from the one-yard line (6-0).
• With four minutes remaining in the half, Bryant began the drive at their own 23. The Bulldogs moved the chains courtesy of a 10-yard catch from White. The Black and Golds tandem of Mukendi and Simi Bakare gained 30 yards in three plays to get Bryant onto the opponent's five-yard line. Eckhaus then found White, who got away from the defender for the five-yard TD reception. The Bulldogs then converted a two-point conversion off of a shuffle pass to Mukendi (14-0).
• LIU began the second half with a 48-yard pass in the middle of the field. The Sharks would then drive to the Bulldog three-yard line before Shillingford recorded a sack, forcing LIU to settle for an FG (14-3).
• Bryant responded in the following drive, beginning with an 18-yard burst from Bakare. Eckhaus would then complete three straight passes to Powell, Gary Cooper, and Landon Ruggieri, getting the Bulldogs inside the 15-yard line. Powell then hauled in a seven-yard catch before Taglieri capped off the drive on an eight-yard TD reception in the corner of the endzone (21-3).
• The Sharks scored a TD with 1:13 left in the third quarter from a scramble, resulting in a 26-yard rushing TD for the QB (21-10).

Stats

• Bryant finished with 399 yards of total offense compared to LIU's 402.
• Eckhaus threw for 274 yards and two TDs, completing passes to nine different receivers.
• Dyson recorded two sacks and 2.5 TFL.
• The Bulldog defense forced three turnovers, including Crockett's second of the season.
• Yates and Dyson recorded a forced fumble.
• Shillingford and Otty both tallied a sack.
• White and Taglieri both hauled in a TD reception.
• Clark tallied his third TD in two games.
• Powell led all Bryant receivers with 86 yards.
• Rayside posted 1.5 TFL; Shillingford and Otty both tallied one.
• Avery Dixon had two pass breakups.
• Bakare (64 yards) and Mukendi (61 yards) rushed for a combined 125 yards.

Game Notes

• The Bulldogs improved to 13-3 in home openers since 2009.
• Dyson's two sacks put him at 19.5 in his career, which is tied for fifth most in program history (Ben Wellington- '99-'02)
• This is the fourth multi-sack game of Dyson's career.
• The last time the Bulldog defense forced three turnovers was last season against Robert Morris.
• Eckhaus becomes the third player in program history to throw for 6,000+ yards in his career (6,124).
• Otty posted his fourth career sack, and Shillingford his second.
• Crockett now has two INTs this season and four in his career.
• White hauled in his third career TD, and Taglieri his second.

Up Next

Bryant welcomes Brown to Beirne Stadium for a 4:00 PM kick-off on Saturday.