Towson University Football: A History of Growth and Achievement
The Towson Tigers football team represents Towson University in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Over its 47 years, the program has participated in nearly 500 games, with 6 post-season appearances. The team is currently coached by Pete Shinnick. Since its inception in 1969, the Towson Tigers football program has seen significant evolution, moving through different NCAA divisions and experiencing periods of both struggle and success.
Early Years: Division III (1969-1978)
The Towson Tigers football program debuted in 1969 with Carl Runk as the first-ever head coach. The team posted a 4-4-1 record in its inaugural season, marked by a 53-16 victory over Frostburg State University. After a dismal 1-8 record in 1971 and Carl Runk's resignation, Phil Albert became the new Tiger head coach for the 1972 season.
Albert's first season was unsuccessful as the Tigers went 1-9; however, the Towson team would follow this season with 14 consecutive non-losing seasons under Albert's leadership. In 1974, the Towson Tigers went 10-0 in the programs only unbeaten season. The program's first All-American player came in 1975 when QB Dan Dullea led the team to a 6-4 record.
The 1976 season marked the program's first playoff berth after posting an 8-2 record. The Tigers beat C.W. Post (14-10) and St. Lawrence (38-36) on their way to the NCAA Division III Championship game. In the Stagg Bowl, Towson trailed St. John's of Minnesota 28-0 until quarterback Dan Dullea rallied the team to tie 28-28 with a minute left. Eventually St. John's won with a 19-yard field goal with only seconds remaining.
The 1978 season was the final season that the Tigers played in Division III and the first season that the Tigers played in Towson Stadium. The new lighted 5,000-seat facility was christened with a 38-6 win over Mansfield before a crowd of 4,126 fans. Towson's Division III tenure would end on a positive note, as the Tigers finished the season with a 7-3 record.
Read also: A Look at Towson's Athletic Legacy
Transition and Growth: Division II (1979-1986)
The Tigers' debut Division II game was against crosstown rival Morgan State. The Bears won 34-7 in front of an over capacity crowd of 6,311. The following week, the Tigers upset Division I-AA Maine by a score of 13-7. The 1982 season saw the Tigers establishing themselves as a Division II power in the East.
The 1983 season saw a stellar defense that only allowed 5.8 points per game, a stat that led all Division II teams. The Tigers went 10-1 which earned them their first playoff bid in Division II. In their first Division II playoff game, the Tigers would lose to the eventual national champion North Dakota State Bison in Fargo, ND. The team was honored as the ECAC Division II Team of the Year while also winning the Lambert Award as the top Division II team in the East.
The 1984 season saw similar success, with the team fighting to a 7-0 start to the season. The year ended with an 8-3 record with two of the losses coming from Division I-AA opponents. In the Tigers second Division II playoff appearance, the team beat Norfolk State 31-21 in the first round.
The Tigers opened 1985 with the 100th victory in school history, a 28-10 win over Shepherd. The Tigers also extended their regular season winning streak against Division II teams to 20 until a tie with Indiana (Pa.) 21-21. Despite finishing the season at 7-2-1 and not earning a playoff berth, the team managed to end the season ranked No. The 1986 season was then Towson's last season that they would play in Division II. After finishing the regular season at 8-3-1, the Tigers would make the playoffs for the third time in four years.
Entering the FCS Era: Division I-AA (1987-Present)
In their third game as an NCAA Division I-AA program, the Tigers made their presence known with their first I-AA win, a 17-14 victory at No. 4 Maine. Their first Division I-AA season also provided a showcase for the talents of tailback David Meggett. A transfer from Morgan State where he played defensive back, he was switched to tailback at Towson.
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In 1988, the Tigers showed improvement against a rugged schedule, finishing with a 5-5 record as Meggett continued to make headlines. In the season opener, he scored four touchdowns, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD, in a 45-34 win over Northeastern. Later in the season, he rushed for a school record 220 yards in a win over New Haven. He finished his career as the most decorated player in Towson football history, winning the Walter Payton Award as the top player in NCAA Division I-AA. He also earned a spot on several All-American teams. Meggett also became the first Tiger to play in the Senior Bowl and was named as the Most Valuable Player for the North squad.
In 1989, the Tigers struggled in Division I-AA. Despite terrific individual performances from All-Americans Rodney Smith and Mike Smith, the Tigers were only 2-8 on the year, their worst record since 1972. In 1991, the Tigers finished with a 1-10 record, losing 10 games for the first time. Their 13-7 win over Howard was Albert's final victory as the Tiger coach.
The Tigers opened the 1992 season with a new coach as long-time assistant Gordy Combs inherited Albert's position. In their first season under their new head coach, the Tigers showed resiliency as they posted several thrilling come-from-behind wins in a 5-5 season. In October, the Tigers rallied from a 33-14 deficit with eight minutes left for a 35-33 win at Indiana of Pa. They also posted a 33-32 win over Northeastern, scoring on the game's final play.
In 1993, the Tigers became Division I-AA playoff contenders for the first time. With 27 seniors on the roster, the Tigers celebrated their 25th anniversary season in victorious style. Vinson led the Tigers to a 32-30 win at nationally ranked Delaware by scoring his fourth TD of the game with ten seconds left. He set 15 Towson records and 11 NCAA records. In a win over Bucknell, Vinson ran for 364 yards, a Division I-AA record. His 2,016 yards on the year set another Division I-AA record as the All-American won the “Triple Crown,” leading the nation in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yards.
The 1994 season was almost a carbon copy of 1993 as Towson went 8-2 and broke 36 records. Quarterback Dan Crowley and wide receiver Mark Orlando combined to form one of the top passing combinations ever to play at Towson. Orlando was a first team All-American in 1994. He caught a career record 178 passes for a record 3,460 yards and 31 TD's. After the 1994 season, football would change direction and started playing non-scholarship football.
Read also: A Look at Towson University's Student Body
Patriot League and Transition (1997-2003)
In 1996, the biggest news came off the field. It was announced the Tigers would join the non-scholarship Patriot League for the 1997 season, providing the program with an emotional lift and an exciting conference affiliation. On the field, the Tigers recorded their fourth straight winning season. They won the final four games of the year to post a 6-4 record.
Towson's first Patriot League season was a rough one as the Tigers went 2-8 with their only two wins coming in non-league games. In 1998, Towson's 30th season of football, the Tigers showed signs of improvement. The Tigers got off to a 2-0 start, beating rival Morgan State in the opener. They also claimed their first Patriot League win, beating Fordham in overtime. After a midseason slump against the league's heavyweights, the Tigers beat St. Mary's and Drake. Garrett was a first team All-Patriot League pick at defensive back for a second straight year.
The Tigers posted a second straight 7-4 record in 2000. Tailback Noah Read led the Patriot League in rushing with 1,422 yards, the second highest single season total by a Tiger. He rushed for over 100 yards in 10 of the 11 games. Meanwhile, Hollingsworth enjoyed a tremendous season at defensive end. Although sidelined for most of the last three games with an ankle injury, he led the nation with 18 sacks.
In 2001, the Tigers struggled offensively due to an unsettled situation at quarterback. On their way to a 3-7 record, the Tigers started three different signal-callers. Once again, the Tiger football program was on the move. Prior to the start of the 2002 season, it was announced that Towson would be joining the Atlantic-10 Football Conference as the conference's 12th member.
The Tigers were in the process of having a great year in 2002 when the injury bug hit, derailing the offense and turning an impressive 5-2 start into a very disappointing 1-3 finish. By the eighth game, the Tigers had lost 60 percent of their starting offensive line to season-ending injuries. The Tigers’ 5-2 start included a first-ever win over Lehigh and a big road victory at Holy Cross. The season finale marked the end of White's record-breaking career. White closed out his career as Towson's all-time leading receiver as well as the Patriot League's all-time leader with 219 receptions. Highlighting the 2003 season was the official dedication of Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University. In mid-October, the Tigers entertained a crowd of more than 8,000 that included many Baltimore Colt legends with a 30-13 win over Holy Cross in the Dedication Game. The Tigers, who were 5-1 at their newly named home, finished the season with a 6-6 record. Towson went 3-4 in its final Patriot League season. Senior offensive lineman Jason Gunning and defensive back P.D.
CAA Era and Recent History (2004-Present)
The 2004 season marked Towson's entry into the Atlantic 10 where the Tigers were severely challenged. Towson went 0-8 in A-10 play while Moore was named to the A-10's first team defense. The Tigers were much more competitive in 2005, beating Delaware, Rhode Island and Villanova in A-10 games. Non-league wins over Morgan State, Lock Haven and Liberty gave Towson a final 6-5 record.
In 2006, the Tigers enjoyed one of their best seasons as a Division I-AA program. Quarterback Sean Schaefer directed one of the top passing games in the nation and Towson compiled a 7-4 record. In April 2007, offensive lineman Jermon Bushrod became the fourth Towson football player drafted by an NFL team when he was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round.
In 2007, the Atlantic-10 Football Conference became the Colonial Athletic Association and the Tigers entered the season with high expectations. Towson was ranked in the top 25 in the pre-season and got off to a 2-0 start. Senior linebacker Brian Bradford had a stellar season in 2007 when he finished second in the nation with 149 tackles in 11 games.
In 2008, the Tigers celebrated their 40th anniversary with an explosive passing game and a difficult schedule. In the season opener, the Tigers achieved a milestone when they played Navy in Annapolis. While Schaefer seemed to break a record every week, the Tigers had a difficult time defensively. A third team All-CAA pick, Schaefer led the CAA in passing yards (3,286) and yards of total offense (3,288). He set school career records for pass completions (1044), pass attempts (1610), completion percentage (.648) and passing yardage (11,644). Senior Marcus Lee, his favorite target, set an NCAA Division I FCS record by catching at least one pass in all 45 games of his career. For only the third time in program history, there was a coaching change after the end of the season.
In his first season as head coach, Ambrose led the Tigers to a 2-9 record while going 1-7 in CAA play. Ambrose was met with additional growing pains in his second season as head coach, ending up with a 1-10 record with no conference wins. The Tigers' only win was a memorable one as the Tigers needed 5 overtimes to outlast Coastal Carolina. Several staff changes were made in the off-season, including Ambrose taking over as the team's offensive coordinator.
The 2011 season began with three wins, vaulting the Tigers into the national FCS polls for the first time since 2007. Home wins over instate rival Morgan State 42-3, #20 Villanova 31-10, and 42-17 over the Colgate Raiders, gave the Tigers their first 3-0 start since 2007.
The Tigers' next game was a 28-3 setback loss to the in-state Maryland Terrapins, a BCS team from the ACC, a game in which the Tigers outgained the struggling Terps but failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities in the first half. The Tigers came back strong for a last-second 31-28 win over No. 14 Richmond Spiders at Unitas Stadium. This marked the second win for Towson over a Top 25 opponent during the 2011 season and the second victory over a former FCS national champion. Richmond won a title in 2008 and Villanova claimed one in 2009. Towson's 3-0 start in CAA play was their best-ever beginning in league action. Towson added to that total the following week with another road win against the nationally ranked William & Mary Tribe. With the win over the Tribe, the Tigers rose to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in CAA play and achieved the highest ranking in school history at No.
The final three weeks of the 2011 regular season presented a march towards a first-ever CAA Championship and NCAA FCS playoff berth. The game against the Maine Black Bears was played at Alfond Stadium in Orono, Maine. The Towson running game clicked on all counts to total a seasonal high 334 yards en route to a 40-30 victory over the No. 7 Maine. With the win, the Tigers moved into a three-way tie for first place in the CAA with Maine and No. 9 New Hampshire. The loss snapped the Black Bears' six-game winning streak. The Tigers' ground game was led by junior Tremayne Dameron and freshman Terrance West as both of them rushed for more than 100 yards. While Dameron, who had been injured for much of the season, picked up a season high 109 yards on 19 carries, West ran for a then career high 183 yards on 21 carries and scored three rushing touchdowns to increase his NCAA FCS-leading total to 21 touchdowns.
The final regular season home game at Unitas Stadium saw the Tigers defeat New Hampshire, 56-42. West would run for a career-best 261 yards and 4 touchdowns, including scores of 72 and 69 yards in the first and second quarters, respectively. In the regular season finale against Rhode Island, the Tigers emerged victorious 28-17 after falling behind early in the first quarter 10-0. The Rams defense was able to keep star freshman running back Terrance West under 100 yards rushing for the first time since the October 1st game against Maryland, although he still found the end zone twice to increase his league leading total to 27. Instead, Grant Enders would lead the team to victory in Kingston, Rhode Island, with 212 yards passing and 2 passing touchdowns to junior receiver Tom Ryan. With Maine's 30-27 defeat at the hands of New Hampshire, the Tigers clinched their first-ever CAA title outright. With their automatic bid to the playoffs secured, the Tigers received a first round bye and played the Lehigh (10-1) of the Patriot League at Unitas Stadium in the second round of the Division I FCS Playoffs.
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