2019 NCAA Division I College Football Team Previews: Albany Great Danes
Albany Great Danes
Location: Albany, NY
Coach: Greg Gattuso (24-32) 5th Season at Albany
Stadium: Bob Ford Field (Capacity 8,500)
CSJ Projections:
12th: CAA
7th: New York
93rd: FCS
223rd: Division I
2018 In A Sentence: Albany had a tough season again in 2018, only winning three games and going winless on the road. The Great Danes struggled through a tough CAA schedule, but shocked the league by defeating in-state ranked rival Stony Brook on the last weekend of the season to go out on a high note.
Biggest Shoes to Fill: RB Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks decided to transfer for his senior season following a 2018 season where he lead the Great Danes in rushing with 757 yards. Ibitokun-Hanks played in only one game due to injury in 2017, but had a great 2016 where he ran for 1407 yards and was First Team All CAA. His transfer will be a big hole to fill for the Great Danes.
Key Player: One bright spot for Albany last year was the play of WR Dev Holmes, who led the Great Danes with 734 yards receiving and 5 TDs as a freshman. Head coach Greg Gattuso will need to lean on his young star, especially in the early going.
Fearless Prediction: Albany was at a talent deficit through last year, and 2019 looks to be another year at the bottom of the CAA for them as they break in a new quarterback. Their best hope is to ruin another team’s chances, like they did for Stony Brook last year.
Jamie is a proud 2002 graduate of James Madison University. He’s witnessed the growth of the program from no one in the stands in 1998, to the hiring of Mickey Matthews, to the 2004 National Championship, to the 2008 team, to the struggles in the early 2010s, and finally the rebuild under Mike Houston. He also allegedly really enjoys Washington, DC-based Stanley Cup winners.
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