Show of hands for Richmond

HARRISONBURG -- About halfway through this 2009 University of Richmond football journey, Martin Parker came up with a label.

"It's the right-handed year," said Parker, a Spiders junior defensive tackle.

On Sept. 12, UR led at Delaware 16-15. The Blue Hens lined up for a 23-yard field goal with 39 seconds left. Richmond's Kevin Grayson, a 6-3 wide receiver, went airborne at the line of scrimmage and blocked the kick with his right hand.

"If Kevin's hand is 1 foot to the left, 1 foot to the right, he doesn't block it," said UR coach Mike London. "If the ball is 1 foot higher, he doesn't block it."

Yesterday, another right hand pulled Richmond to victory. With the Spiders leading 21-17 and a minute remaining, James Madison quarterback Justin Thorpe ran on first and goal from UR's 6. He held the ball with one hand as he cut to the left.

"He carries the ball too loosely. Until he grows up and understands that, he's going to drop the ball," JMU coach Mickey Matthews said of the redshirt freshman from Varina High.

Parker recognized the unsecured manner in which Thorpe operated. Parker knocked the ball loose with his right hand. UR linebacker Eric McBride recovered.

"[Thorpe] actually ran by me, and I turned around and hit it from the back," Parker said. "I smacked at it and it popped out. When I hit it, I knew it was going to be a fumble. I was just hoping that we recovered it."

Said McBride: "Backs against the wall, that's when you've got to do your best."

With 10 running plays and an 18-yard completion on that drive, Madison was in position to plunge a last-minute dagger into the Football Championship Subdivision's top-ranked team.

As JMU tailback Griff Yancey and Thorpe consistently gained 4 and 5 yards per carry, Richmond's coaches yelled "Hey, we've got to get the ball back."

That didn't seem likely. Neither did Grayson's block of the field goal attempt at Delaware.

"This is a special team," London said. "When you're talking about teams, and you're talking about those components that make teams really good, this is one of those things outside of blocking and tackling that I think these guys have within the group."