RPI coach Tim Landis talks about the Dutchman Shoes rivalry, from the Nott Building on Union's campus on Wednesday afternoon.



Union coach John Audino talks about the rivalry.

SCHENECTADY - Union had their football media day today.

While it did rain a little, that only made it feel more like fall.

The Dutchmen open up the season Sept. 11 at Ithaca, a game that will be one of the biggest matchups in the country I'd assume, without looking at the schedule.

"We've found that the better schedule we play, the better we perform," head coach John Audino said.

The Dutchmen were 8-3 last season and expect to contend for the Liberty League crown, which they shared with Susquehanna in 2009.

"The expectations are high, just like any year," said junior quarterback Drew Connolly.

Union is going for their 30th consecutive non-losing season of football. Their last losing season was 1980, when they finished 2-6.

Audino has never had a losing season in his 18 years in Schenectady.

"This is one of the top opportunities in the country, in terms of a job in Division III," Audino said. "We have a great school, great academics, great kids, great coaches. We're a family and we try to treat each other that way. I'm just glad to be back with the guys."

It wasn't pretty, but RPI made it three in a row on Saturday, defeating Union 25-12 and retaining the Dutchman Shoes Trophy.

“There’s nothing better than the feeling of winning the Shoes,” sophomore receiver Patrick McCarthy said.

The Engineers are now 7-0 and have only two games remaining.

McCarthy's big return is what set up RPI's comeback after they feel behind 12-7 on a 65-yard touchdown run by Chris Coney.

“We needed something,” RPI coach Joe King said. “We needed a jumpstart, now we’re trailing, they just had a 70-yard run and we hadn’t done too much offensively.”

Who would have thought that 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior defensive lineman James McLaughlin would have a catch before senior wide receiver Eren Savasli.

McLaughlin and Savasli both caught touchdown passes from senior quarterback Jimmy Robertson to put the Engineers up for good.

“I’m happy for (McLaughlin) because he’s been working hard all year and wanting coach to call his number,” Robertson said.

Savasli averages more than seven catches a game, but his one on Saturday was deadly; a 55-yard touchdown strike.

“You know he’s going to get one of those,” McCarthy said. “He’s a big playmaker and you give him an opportunity, he’s going to take it.”

“(Savasli) didn’t have a lot of opportunities today,” King said. “They really did a good job taking him out and we went to some other kids a little bit.”

While RPI's offense didn't play their best, their defense was up to the challenge.

I was also impressed Union's defense played as well as they did.

“I don’t know if we came out flat,” McCarthy said. “They played really well on defense.”

Coney finished with 128 yards, but was limited except for the big touchdown run.

“I wish we could have given it to him more,” Union coach John Audino said. “We got behind a little bit in the second half and obviously, with seven minutes to go in the game, it’s difficult to give your bread-and-butter guy the rock.”

Here's what some of the particpants had to say after the game....

“Between the misplays and the turnovers, it gives a good team an opportunity to get some easy scores and that’s what happened,” Audino said.

“I played all right, but not to the best of my ability,” Coney said. “There are no moral victories.”

“They made some plays on defense in the first half,” Robertson said. “They were really stopping us, shutting us down and taking away those big plays we’ve had all year. In the second half, Coach made a couple good calls and we just executed.”

“That’s what this team is all about,” Savasli said. “We have playmakers and we expect everyone to go out there and make plays.”

RPI has taken it one game at a time and next week is huge when they take on Hobart in what almost becomes a Liberty League championship game.

“We kept everything exactly the same as far as meetings and times, there was nothing special (this week) and it’ll be the same thing next week,” King said.

“We treated this game just like a playoff game and that’s what we have to do next week,” Robertson said.

“All week we’re going to come focused and prepare for that," Savasli said. "We know we have two more steps to attain our preseason goal of going undefeated. Being the last game on ’86 (Field) there is going to be a lot of emotion and everybody is going to have to bring their ‘A’ game to come out with the victory against Hobart.”

RPI coach Joe King and Union coach John Audino stand with The Dutchman Shoes Trophy on Wednesday on the RPI campus.

(Amie Canfield - RPI Athletics)

It's that time of the year and even though the RPI/Union football game isn't the final game of the year, it still means everything to these programs and their schools alike.

The media luncheon was today and here were some of the highlights....

Union's had two weeks to prepare for this game so I asked senior linebacker Joe Catalano if these last couple of days should be a breeze preparing.

"A breeze, but a very intense breeze," Catalano said. "You can't have enough preparation for this type of offense. It's tricky."

Here's how RPI senior quarterback Jimmy Robertson described the atmosphere.

"Fun is the only word I can use to explain it," Robertson said. "We're out in practice every day, having fun, excited."

I then tried to get Robertson to say that since this Union teamed seemed down coming in to the season, this game would be a little easier than normal - no luck.

"They started out a little slow, but in the past weeks they've beaten Hobart and had some good wins. They are still in the hunt for the Liberty League title, just like us. It's win or go home for them in terms of the (league) title. We're expecting their 'A' game, we have to bring ours, so it should be a fun game on Saturday."

I asked both RPI coach Joe King and Union coach John Audino about their most distinct memory of the rivalry for them.

"Anytime we win and there haven't been that many of them, they certainly stand out," King said. "Probably the one that stands out the most was in 1987. We were not a very good football team. We were 1-4 and I think they were 4-1 or 5-0 and we played at our place and we just got on a roll that day. Did we have any business beating them? Probably not, but we did a lot of things right, ended up winning that game and that turned our season around."

"There's two," Audino said. "In 1993, when we were undefeated at 9-0. We had a very good defensive team and a good offensive team, but we were able to win the game. Two years ago, when we beat them 49-42 to clinch an undefeated season again, in a track meet, which was a very exciting game. I think those two games were the most exciting games, probably for me, and stand out in my mind at this point."

To finish, Coach King gave me his best Bill Belichick impersonation when I asked about sophomore running back Nick Costa, who left the Susquehanna game early with a knee injury and didn't play last week against St. Lawrence.

"We're not sure," King said. "Even if I knew, which I don't, I probably wouldn't tell you."

Costa rushed for 160 yards last year in a 20-14 RPI win.

Then I asked what was wrong with him and King answered.

"He's got an injury."

Touché.