Cheek’s Career Day Paces No. 25 Elon Football by Richmond 42-20

RICHMOND, Va. – Davis Cheek threw a career-high five touchdown passes to five different receivers Saturday, Sept. 14, as No. 25 Elon University football cruised by Richmond 42-20 at Robins Stadium in the CAA Football opener for both teams.

BOX SCORE

“I’m really pleased with how we came out tonight,” said Elon head coach Tony Trisciani. “Our efficiency in the first half was outstanding in going 7-for-7 on third down. Defensively we had success and we made them earn the field. We gave up a couple of big plays and there are certainly some coachable moments, but really pleased with how our guys came out and played tonight.”

THE RUNDOWN
Elon (2-1, 1-0 CAA Football) opened the game with touchdowns on its first six possessions, a streak reaching into the third quarter. Starting the day with the ball, the Phoenix marched 75 yards down the field with Cheek completing a pair of third-and-long passes to keep the drive alive. First, he hit Kortez Weeks for 33 yards over the middle on third-and-10 before connecting with Cole Taylor from 28 yards out on third-and-seven for Taylor’s first touchdown reception of the year.

On Elon’s second drive of the game, Cheek then engineered a 14-play drive that went 93 yards over 6:36 of game action that culminated with a four-yard touchdown pass to Matt Foster lofted softly over the defensive front and into his waiting hands. Following a Richmond (1-2, 0-1 CAA Football) touchdown drive that cut the lead to seven, Elon answered immediately with Shamari Wingard running back Elon’s first kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2007 season 96 yards untouched.

To close the first half, Cheek threw his third touchdown pass of the day in hitting Bryson Daughtry from 11 yards out to put Elon up 28-7 shortly before halftime. The TD reception – which capped a 13-play, 79-yard drive – marks Daughtry’s first collegiate touchdown.

After Richmond opened the second half with a long touchdown pass to make it a 28-13 game, Cheek hit Weeks for a 53-yard score down the sideline. Weeks shook a would-be tackler, bobbled the ball down the sideline and ultimately crossed the goal line for his third touchdown reception in three games. On the ensuing kickoff, Jalen Greene recovered a fumble and Cheek threw his fifth touchdown pass of the night to Avery Jones from 10 yards out to make it a 42-13 game on the way to the victory.

STATISTICS
Passing
Elon: Davis Cheek – 18/30, 234 yards, 5 touchdowns
Richmond: Joe Mancuso – 11/16, 234 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception

Rushing
Elon: Jaylan Thomas – 12 carries, 52 yards
Richmond: Beau English – 14 carries, 44 yards, 1 touchdown

Receiving
Elon: Kortez Weeks – 8 receptions, 125 yards, 1 touchdown
Richmond: Keyston Fuller – 7 receptions, 208 yards, 1 touchdown

Defense
Elon: Cole Coleman – 9 tackles, 1 interception
Richmond: Tyler Dressler – 10 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 PBU

NOTES
-Davis Cheek’s five touchdown passes falls one short of the program record, set by Jimmy Arrington in 1969 against Newberry.
-Last time an Elon quarterback threw for more than four touchdowns in a game was Thomas Wilson during the 2012 season when he threw for four against West Virginia State.
-Cheek has now attempted 191 consecutive passes without throwing an interception. The streak goes back to the 2018 season opener at USF.
-Each of Kortez Weeks’ first five catches of the game went for first downs. Overall, seven of his eight receptions moved the chains.
-Weeks’ 125 yards on the day marks the most in a game since he caught 14 balls for 205 yards against New Hampshire in 2018.
-Shamari Wingard’s 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown is the seventh-longest kickoff return in program history.
– Wingard’s kickoff return for a touchdown marks the first time Elon has returned a kickoff at all this season.
-Cole Coleman’s third-quarter interception marked the first of his career.
-Elon has now won three in a row over Richmond going back to the 2017 season.
-With the win, Elon remains unbeaten at 6-0 in CAA Football games played in the month of September.

UP NEXT
Closing out the non-conference portion of its schedule, Elon will visit its 2019 FBS foe Wake Forest. Kickoff against the Demon Deacons at BB&T Field is set for 12 p.m. on regional sports networks. In North Carolina, the game will air on FOX Sports Carolinas. More information about channels to watch the game will be available in the days leading up to game day.