Courtesy Worcester Telegram

(September 5, 2008) When UMass visits Holy Cross at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Fitton Field, football fans will have their choice of radio broadcasts.

Bob Fouracre begins his 23rd season as the radio a^?oevoice and the spirita^?? of Holy Cross, as he calls it, and will provide a Crusaders slant alongside analyst Tom Kelleher on WWFX-FM (100.1).

WCRN-AM (830) will carry the broadcast of UMass radio announcers Josh Maurer and Matt Goldstein.

Charter TV3 will televise the game live, but if you listen on the radio, which station will you choose?

a^?oeFans dona^?(TM)t want to hear some stranger,a^?? Fouracre said. a^?oeListen to me. Ia^?(TM)m a legend.a^??

Maurer, a University of Maryland graduate who grew up outside Philadelphia, made his UMass radio debut last weekend during a 28-16 home victory over Albany. Maurer replaced Bob Behler, who left to become radio voice of Boise State.

a^?oeIf they want to hear a fun broadcast,a^?? Maurer said, a^?oethey should listen to us. Wea^?(TM)ll keep it interesting for both teams and wea^?(TM)ll keep it colorful. You wona^?(TM)t be bored.a^??

Fouracre knows only one color.

a^?oeI bleed purple 150 percent,a^?? he said. a^?oeOnly Togo Palazzi bleeds more purple a^?�h 152 percent.a^??

The game will feature two of the most prolific quarterbacks in the Football Championship Subdivision: Dominic Randolph of HC and Liam Coen of UMass. Last year, Randolph completed 61 percent of his passes for 3,604 yards and 30 touchdowns with just eight interceptions, while Coen completed 64 percent for 3,091 yards and 30 TDs with 14 picks.

Fouracre insisted that Randolph is the far better QB. Fouracre moonlights as a nightclub comedian, but he claimed he wasna^?(TM)t joking about this.

a^?oeHe can release the ball at the last second,a^?? Fouracre said. a^?oeHe has good presence. He reads all his receivers and he doesna^?(TM)t panic, and he doesna^?(TM)t have happy feet like some quarterbacks.a^??

UMass held off HC, 40-30, in Amherst last year when Coen threw for 272 yards and two scores and Randolph passed for 296 yards and three TDs.

Fouracre would admit only that Coen was a^?oeabove averagea^?? against HC last year and that his numbers last season were boosted because he was surrounded by better players than was Randolph.

a^?oeCall the pro scouts and ask them who theya^?(TM)re looking at more,a^?? Fouracre said. a^?oeThey like Randolph.a^??

a^?oeI would respectfully disagree,a^?? said Maurer, who pointed out that Coen owns the better career stats and has started the past three years. His last two teams went to the playoffs and one reached the championship game.

a^?oeIta^?(TM)s an exciting matchup between two of the very best quarterbacks in the subdivision,a^?? Maurer said diplomatically. a^?oeI know that the UMass secondary, which is vaunted and is considered to be one of the best in the country, they are excited about the challenge of facing such a good quarterback.a^??

Maurer is predicting a close game. Fouracre, of course, picks HC.

By the way, Maurer isna^?(TM)t related to Twins catcher Joe Mauer, a question the announcer is asked all the time even though their names are spelled differently.

WTAG-AM (580) carried Holy Cross games for eight years, but the college has moved to 100.1 FM to avoid conflicts with the Worcester Sharks. WWFX calls itself a^?oethe newa^?? 100.1, even though it has carried the same oldies programming for quite a while. It may be the new 100.1, but it will have the same old, but high-energy, HC play-by-play voice. Fouracre is 70 and entering his 48th year of broadcasting, but hea^?(TM)s still full of life.

Maurer is only 27, but already has experienced the highs and lows of broadcasting. While attending the University of Maryland, he handled play-by-play of the mena^?(TM)s basketball teama^?(TM)s victory in the 2002 NCAA championship game for the campus radio station. The following year, he did play-by-play as the Brockton Rox won the 2003 Northeast League title. The league has since become the Can-Am League.

Maurera^?(TM)s next job wasna^?(TM)t so rewarding. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore mena^?(TM)s basketball team won only eight games in his first season behind the microphone, and just two the next year when it owned the worst RPI in Division 1.

Maurer also spent a year as an assistant TV producer with the Phillies and most recently served as radio voice of Charleston (S.C.) Southern University and the Charleston River Dogs, the Class-A affiliate of the Yankees. Maurer has since moved to Red Sox territory, but today hea^?(TM)ll be in HC territory trying to entice fans to listen to him instead of Fouracre.

a^?oeI look forward to meeting him,a^?? Maurer said.