SBU's Priore doesn't underestimate VMI
File photo of Brock Jackolski. Credit: Alan J Schaefer
At first blush, Stony Brook's first Big South road game at Virginia Military Institute looks like a "gimme" against the 1-5 Keydets. But Seawolves coach Chuck Priore knows VMI has plenty of reinforcements in the form of an average of 19,228 fans who attend games at Foster Stadium in Lexington, Va.
It's the definition of a hostile environment, and Priore said the solid Keydets defense only adds to it. "It's a tough, tough environment," Priore said. "It's a military school, and those kids live for Saturday afternoons. We'll be challenged. They've played a hellacious schedule. They're a good, physical defensive team.
"You let the cannon go off too many times if they score, it's tough. It's certainly a homefield-advantage place. It's a nice facility, and they draw well in the community. We've only been down there once, and we had to beat them in the last minute of the game."
Priore was referring to a 27-20 win two years ago when the Seawolves scored the winning TD with 52 seconds left. This time, Stony Brook (3-3, 1-0 Big South) comes in on a three-game winning streak and has developed a good balance on offense between the passing of Kyle Essington and the running of tailbacks Miguel Maysonet and Brock Jackolski.
Despite the Keydets' record, they have remained competitive by running the ball and relying on their defense to stop the run. That formula worked last week when VMI (1-1 Big South) beat Charleston Southern, 21-17, behind the running of Chaz Jones (96 yards) and a defense that held CSU to 49 rushing yards.
"VMI plays it fairly close to the vest because they've got a very talented defense," Priore said. "They're trying to keep games close. They've played some pretty good teams, William & Mary and Richmond and Akron. I would absolutely take their defense any day of the week. If you look at the film from a defensive perspective, you would not know they are 1-5."
Stony Brook is averaging 255 rushing yards per game, but Priore said Essington's passing is vital.
"We still need to be who we are in the run game, but we have to get plays out of the passing game to get field position and create some big plays," Priore said. "The last two years, we've beaten them as a result of the passing game, not the running game."
