UNH Notebook: Run defense is stout in opening loss

Mar. 7—If you're looking for some positives in the University of New Hampshire's 24-20 loss to Albany on Friday night, you can start with UNH's run defense.

The Wildcats limited the Great Danes to 32 yards rushing on 37 attempts (0.9 yards per carry). That 32-yard total includes four sacks for a loss of 23 yards that counts against rushing yardage.

Linebacker Zedane Williams and cornerback Randall Harris, a transfer from Central Michigan, led UNH in tackles with nine each. Defensive end Gunner Gibson recorded seven stops.

"I thought the whole game we contained the run game pretty well," Gibson said. "It was mostly the pass that hurt us."

Albany running back Karl Mofor gained 79 yards on 28 attempts, but picked up a good chunk of that yardage on a 31-yard run. Mofor was the Colonial Athletic Association's leading rusher during the 2019 season, when he gained 1,290 yards and 10 touchdowns on 264 carries (4.9 ypc).

"I've been fairly confident in that (run defense)," UNH coach Sean McDonnell said. "I thought we've done a pretty good job all through the fall and in the preseason here in the spring. I think our linebackers are much improved over a year ago. ... I think our defensive front did a good job of staying in their gaps and plugging holes. Obviously the No. 1 goal of our defense is to stop the run. We did that."

Penalties were a problem for UNH in the loss. The Wildcats were penalized 12 times for 95 yards.

One of the 12 penalties extended Albany's first drive, which ended in a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jeff Undercuffler to wide receiver Mike Gray. The Wildcats were also penalized twice on their final drive, which began on the Albany 7-yard line with 1:07 to play and the Great Danes leading by four.

"To me what separated the two teams was that they executed, I think, a lot better in the second half than we did in a lot of different things," McDonnell said. "They played a lot cleaner in some situations. Our penalties were very disappointing. ... That's been a trademark of this team. When we've been successful we've played smart. We didn't do the things you need to do to win a football game."

Undercuffler on Mofor: "Karl, in my opinion, is the best back in the FCS. He's the best back in the country, hands down. No doubt about it. He's great in all phases. He'll run you over. He'll juke you. He's great in pass (protection) and all that kind of stuff. Great teammate. Just happy to have him on the team."

UNH will be off next weekend, and will play Delaware in Durham on March 20. McDonnell said he likes the timing of the bye.

"I think anytime you play sloppy and don't do the things necessary to win a football game (it's good) when you get to take time to evaluate what you see, then get out there and redo it," he said. "There's a second train of thought there saying it's good to get going on the next one right away, but I think we have to do a lot of teaching, a lot of coaching, a lot of learning in the next week and (then) see what Delaware brings."

Brian Espanet and Sean Coyne each caught a team-high five passes for the Wildcats. Eight players caught at least one pass . ... Dylan Laube led the team in rushing with 33 yards on eight attempts. ... Safety Evan Horn had a 23-yard punt return. ... UNH played without safety Max Oxendine due to an undisclosed injury. ... Wide receiver Nick Lorden (Milford), defensive back Joe Eichman (Merrimack) and tight end Jack Cavallaro (Hanover) were the New Hampshire residents who saw playing time for the Wildcats.

rbrown@unionleader.com