TOWSON, M.d — This week on the turf, the Towson Tigers are in bounceback mode after a 28-point homecoming loss last Saturday to Stony Brook, losing 52-24.
This week at practice, the Tigers are flipping the page and getting ready for a top offense in the CAA conference, the 4-3 Monmouth Hawks, who is coming off of a dominating win against Bryant, winning 55-17.
"It's a new week, and it's a new opportunity for us to show who we are and what we can do playing against a great Monmouth team," says Head Coach Pete Shinnick.
The 3-4 Tigers are looking for their second win in conference play after a disappointing game a week ago.
"They come in with a great attitude, come in with great effort to be able to just focus on the moment. It's one of things we've constantly been talking about, and so I'm really pleased with what we've been able to see this week really starting Monday and Monday's meetings all the way till today," says Shinnick.
A key takeaway from this past Saturday's game is the rushing attack. Towson gained 247 yards on the ground lead by senior running back Tyrell Greene Jr., who went for 115 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.
He believes the run game could help lead them to success moving forward.
"I feel like we got the potential to take it as far as we can and make a playoff run and a championship run. I feel like we've got the guys; we've got the weapons to do it," says Greene Jr.
Sharing the backfield with him is another senior, Devin Matthews, who broke off a 75-yard rushing touchdown on the Tigers first play from scrimmage. That score marked his 25th career rushing touchdown. He's just one away from sixth all time in Towson history.
"It's been a long journey coming from Virginia as a walk on. Definitely a long journey for me. Just seeing the ropes and seeing all the guys before me making me get through here, making sure I'm always on top of, and just doing what I've got to do every single day. Being from where I'm from definitely means a lot doing what I'm doing here, and I'm definitely blessed, and I take full advantage of it," says Matthews.
Just days away from their matchup against Monmouth, to walk out of New Jersey with a win, it's going to take an all-out effort.
"We're going to have to play as good as team football as we've ever played. We're gonna have to score a handful of points because they're averaging a lot, but we're gonna play at our best," says Shinnick.
Towson plays Monmouth Saturday, Oct. 26 at 1:00 pm.