Amherst College Football

Amherst's Smith, Hannon Receive Preseason All-America Honors
August 8 - Amherst senior football players Ryan Smith and Mark Hannon each received Preseason All-America honors last week as Smith was tabbed a second-team offensive lineman by D3Football.com, while Hannon earned honorable mention as an all-purpose back from Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. Full Story

Amherst's Smith Named Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division III East Third-Team All-Region; Three Jeffs Grab Honorable Mention Honors
January 9 - Amherst junior center Ryan Smith was named Don Hansen's Football Gazette Division III East Third-Team All-Region, while seniors L.J. Spinnato and Ngai Otieno and junior Mark Hannon grabbed honorable mention recognition. Full Story

Amherst's Hannon, Zieler, Spinnato Add to Postseason Accolades
December 9 - Amherst juniors Mark Hannon and Ryan Smith and seniors Nick Zieler and L.J. Spinnato all added to their list of postseason football accolades on Friday, as Hannon and Zieler earned Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Northeast All-Star Honorable Mention, while Spinnato and Smith took home D3football.com All-East Region honors. Full Story

Amherst's Hannon Named NESCAC Football Offensive Player of the Year; Jeffs Place Seven on All-Conference Squad
November 17 - Amherst junior Mark Hannon was named the NESCAC Football Offensive Player of the Year on Thursday. Hannon also earned a pair of First-Team All-Conference awards, heading a list of seven Jeffs to be named to the 2005 All-NESCAC Team. Full Story

Football Ends Season With 34-23 Loss At Williams
November 12 - Despite drawing first blood early in the opening quarter, Amherst Football couldn't hold onto the lead and fell to arch-rival Williams College, 34-23 on Saturday at Weston Field. Full Story

Jeffs Ready for 120th Meeting of the "Biggest Little Game in America"
November 7 - The Amherst football team is set to face NESCAC and Little Three archrival Williams College in the 120th meeting of the "Biggest Little Game in America" on Saturday at Williams' Weston Field at noon. The Ephs boast the conference's top passing attack, while the Jeffs have held opponents to a NESCAC-low 107.0 passing yards per game. Full Preview

Jeffs Fall to Trinity, 30-20
November 5 - Despite a career day for junior quarterback Nick Kehoe, the Amherst football team suffered a 30-20 loss to visiting Trinity College on Saturday. Kehoe completed 22-of-43 passes for a career-high 323 yards and a trio of touchdowns as the Jeffs fell to 5-2. Full Story

Amherst's Spinnato Larger Than Life
November 1 - Lots of kids get cut from their junior high school football team, but how many get left off the roster because they're too big? Amherst senior tri-captain nose guard L.J. Spinnato was cut from his eighth-grade football team because he was over the maximum weight of 165 lbs., but his size, which once kept him on the outside looking in, now places him as the centerpiece of one of the top defenses in the nation. Full Story

Jeffs Set for Family Weekend Fracas with Trinity
October 31 - Amherst holds a 54-37-9 series edge over Trinity, and the Jeffs look to post their first win in their last four matchups with the Bantams this Saturday, November 5 at Pratt Field at 12:30 p.m. The Jeffs continue to get it done on both sides of the ball, as their defense ranks among the national leaders in a bevy of statistical categories, and their offense has racked up a conference-best 418.0 yards per game. The Bantams will rely on a defensive unit that has surrendered just 1.5 points and 146.5 yards of total offense per game. Full Story

Amherst's NeSmith Repeats as NESCAC Rookie of the Week
October 31 - Amherst first-year tailback Eric NeSmith was named the NESCAC Football Rookie of the Week on Monday for the second time in three weeks after pacing the Jeff rushing attack with 92 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in a 37-6 win at Tufts University on Saturday. Full Story

Jeffs Win Fourth Straight, Trounce Tufts, 37-6
October 29 - The Amherst College football team (5-1) notched its fourth straight victory on Saturday, surviving snowy conditions for a 37-6 victory at NESCAC host Tufts University (2-4). The win snaps a two-year losing streak to the Jumbos as Amherst junior signal caller Nick Kehoe completed 11-of-17 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while senior Ngai Otieno and rookie Eric NeSmith each broke long touchdown runs in the win. Full Story

Jeffs Look to Topple Tufts for Fourth Straight Win
October 25 - Amherst holds a 45-25-4 series edge over Tufts, and the Jeffs look to post their 10th victory in their last 13 meetings with the Jumbos this Saturday, October 29 at Zimman Field at 1:00 p.m. The Jeffs are getting it done on both sides of the ball, leading the conference in rushing and total offense, and leading both conference and the nation in total defense. The Jumbos will rely on a defensive unit that surrenders just 13.4 points per game, good for third in the conference. Full Story

Jeffs Roll to 37-0 Homecoming Win Over Wesleyan
October 22 - The Amherst College football team rolled to a 37-0 blowout homecoming victory over visiting NESCAC and Little Three rival Wesleyan University on Saturday. Amherst dominated the line of scrimmage all day, piling up 533 yards and holding the Cardinals to just 92 yards of total offense as the Jeffs won their third straight and improved to 4-1, while Wesleyan remained winless at 0-5. Full Story

Amherst's Weeks Paves the Way for NESCAC's Top Rushing Attack
October 17 - Change is nothing new for Amherst senior tri-captain Gavin Weeks. Midway through his collegiate career, Weeks was asked to change from his lifelong position of linebacker to the thankless job of an offensive lineman. If that were not enough, just months after having to readjust his focus and views on the game he loves, he was diagnosed with diabetes and was forced to change his entire lifestyle. Full Story

Jeffs Ready for Homecoming Showdown with Wesleyan
October 17 - Amherst holds a 60-41-9 series edge over Wesleyan, as the Jeffs look to post their 11th victory in their past 12 meetings with the Cardinals this Saturday, October 22 at Pratt Field at 1:00 p.m. Amherst will rely on its rushing attack, which has averaged 258.8 rushing yards per game thus far, good for 12th-best in the nation, while Wesleyan's Zach Librizzi looks to build on his conference-best 204.2 passing yards per game. Full Preview

Amherst's NeSmith Named NESCAC Football Rookie of the Week
October 17 - Amherst first-year tailback Erik NeSmith was named the NESCAC Football Rookie of the Week on Sunday after rushing for a career-high 76 yards and his first collegiate touchdown in Saturday's 28-9 victory at Colby College. Full Story

Jeffs Deal Colby First Loss, 28-9
October 15 - The Amherst football team dealt NESCAC host Colby College its first loss of the season on Saturday, 28-9. Junior triple-threat Mark Hannon led the way with 232 all-purpose yards, including a 78-yard touchdown catch and a 46-yard scoring scamper as the Jeffs improved to 3-1, while the Mules fell to 3-1. Full Story

Amherst's Otieno Named NESCAC Football Offensive Player of the Week
Ocotber 10 - Amherst senior tailback Ngai Otieno was named the New England Small College Athletic Conference Football Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after racking up 104 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 15-0 shutout victory over visiting conference rival Middlebury College. His three-yard touchdown plunge in the fourth quarter sealed the victory as the Jeffs improved to 2-1 on the season. Full Story

Roemer Leads Jeffs Past Middlebury, 15-0
October 8 - Senior Justin Roemer racked up 15 tackles, including three for loss, broke up two passes and kicked a pair of field goals to lead the Amherst football team to a 15-0 shutout victory over Middlebury College on a rain-soaked Pratt Field on Saturday afternoon. The Jeff defense continued its early-season dominance holding the Panthers to just 106 yards of total offense as Amherst improved to 2-1. Full Story

Amherst's Roemer "Rocks" Gridiron
October 5 - Players on a football team are usually asked to perform specific duties. Cornerbacks are responsible for pass coverage, and defensive linemen are called on to rush the quarterback and get into the backfield. On the other hand, senior Justin Roemer is called on to do a little bit of everything for the Amherst football team. Full Story

Jeffs Look to Move to 2-1 Against Visiting Middlebury
October 5 - Amherst holds a 17-13 series edge over Middlebury, as the Jeffs look to post their fourth victory in their past five meetings with the Panthers this Saturday, October 8 at Pratt Field at 1:30 p.m. Amherst will rely on its rushing attack, which has averaged 301.0 rushing yards per game thus far, good for eighth-best in the nation, while Middlebury's Stefan Hrdina looks to build on his conference-best 334 yards rushing. Full Preview

Jeffs Edged by Bowdoin, 16-13
October 1 - The Amherst College football team suffered a tough 16-13 loss to visiting NESCAC rival Bowdoin College in the Jeffs' home-opener on Saturday. The Polar Bears capitalized on seven Jeff turnovers as they remained undefeated and moved to 2-0 on the season, while Amherst dropped to 1-1 with the loss. Full Story

Amherst's Zieler Looks to Lead Jeffs to Sixth Straight 2-0 Start
September 26 - "I welcome the challenge." This statement encompasses the football career of Amherst senior tri-captain cornerback Nick Zieler. He welcomed the challenge of a new sport at a new high school, he welcomed the challenge of a new position in a veteran secondary as an underclassman and he now welcomes the challenge of leading a youthful Amherst secondary into a daunting NESCAC schedule in the Jeffs' pursuit of a second consecutive Little Three crown. Full Story

Jeffs Ready for Home-Opener Against Undefeated Bowdoin
September 26 - Amherst holds a 64-16-2 series edge over Bowdoin, as the Jeffs look to post their seventh straight victory over the Polar Bears this Saturday, October 1 at Pratt Field at 1 p.m. Amherst will rely heavily on its rushing attack, which rolled up 320 yards in the Jeffs' season opening 28-3 victory at Hamilton, while Bowdoin's Ricky Leclerc looks to build on his conference-best 303 yards passing. Full Preview

Jeffs Open Season with 28-3 Win at Hamilton
September 24 - The Amherst football team opened its season with a decisive 28-3 victory at NESCAC foe Hamilton College on Saturday. The Jeffs rolled up 485 yards of total offense, including 320 on the ground, while holding the Continentals to just 179 offensive yards. Four different Jeffs found the endzone, highlighted by junior wideout Mark Hannon, who piled up 175 total yards, as Amherst won its seventh straight over Hamilton and was victorious in its season opener for the sixth consecutive year. Full Story

Jeffs Set for Season-Opener at Hamilton
September 21 - Amherst boasts a six-game winning streak in the series and holds a 20-1 all-time edge against Hamilton, as the Jeffs and Continentals get set to lock horns in both teams' season opener this Saturday at Baron von Steuben Field in Clinton, NY. Coming off a 6-2 season, Amherst strengths lie in their offensive and defensive lines, while Hamilton (1-7 in 2004) will rely heavily on two-time All-NESCAC honoree Brandon Holtslag to lead the way. Full Preview

Youthful Jeffs Set Sights on Second Straight Little Three Crown in 2005
September 7 - After securing its second Little Three Championship in three years last fall, a youthful Lord Jeff football team sets its sights on a second straight title in 2005. Senior tri-captain Gavin Weeks anchors an offensive line that returns four of five starters, while fellow tri-captains L.J. Spinnato and Nick Zieler spearhead the defense. The Jeffs open their season Sept. 24 at Hamilton College. Full Preview

Wide Receiver Rob Brown, Currently on the Big Screen in Coach Carter, Featured in Sports Illustrated on Campus
February 24 - By day he's regular Rob Brown, just another student-athlete hitting the books and the weight room with his Amherst football teammates. But if you've dropped by a multiplex recently, you may have seen another Rob Brown, the one playing ball on the big screen, going toe-to-toe with Samuel L. Jackson in the box office smash Coach Carter. Full Story