Gardner-Webb Welcomes Improved VMI Keydets Saturday For Crucial Big South Football Clash
October 23, 2008 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb will host VMI Saturday
at 1:30 pm ET in Spangler Stadium in a major Big South Conference
football showdown.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (3-4, 0-1 Big South) will attempt to get back
into the league race after two-straight non-conference matchups
that followed a 13-10 road loss at Charleston Southern on October
4. GWU performed well in both of those non-league contests,
battling tooth-and-nail in a 10-7 loss at current No. 21 Georgia
Tech (FBS) on October 11, and sprinting to a 30-0 halftime lead
last weekend in a 47-21 rout of Presbyterian.
VMI (3-3, 1-0 Big South) had the luxury of a bye week to heal some
bumps and bruises, and to bask in a 47-20 comeback win over Coastal
Carolina on October 11 in Lexington – a game that saw the
Keydets score 37 unanswered points after falling behind the Chats
20-10 late in the second quarter. Head coach Sparky Woods' arrival
in the Virginia Mountains has been a success, as has the move of
speedy all-purpose runner Tim Maypray to quarterback. The
Madisonville, Ky., native ranks second in the Big South Conference
individually with 116.0 yards per game operating out of the
Keydets' spread option – and has captained the offense to a
national-best 356.5 yards per game on the ground that comes with 21
touchdowns and a gaudy 38.2 points per game scoring average.
While Maypray has flourished, the Keydets have been without All-Big
South fullback Howard Abegesah (5-11, 220) for the past two games,
but the big runner is expected back for the clash with
Gardner-Webb. Abegesah had 180 yards rushing in the Runnin'
Bulldogs' 36-22 win at VMI last season, and is a tough man to bring
down. Quarterback Kyle Hughes, a second-team All-League selection
in 2007, has split time with Maypray under center, and is capable
of hitting big plays through the air and on the ground. Hughes had
a 90-yard touchdown completion to Zach Collins to open the scoring
on Oct. 11 vs. Coastal Carolina.
The Keydet defense has also improved significantly, working well
under the watch of new coordinator A.J. Christoff. Redshirt
freshman A.J. Gross has bonded with a host of veterans to make a
major impact on that side of the football.
For Gardner-Webb, its strength this season has been defense against
the run, which will obviously be tested severely on Saturday
afternoon. Despite playing all but one game without All-America
linebacker Mario Brown (leg injury), the ‘Dogs rank fourth in
the nation against the run (59.6 yards per game), and No. 15
nationally in total defense (297.7 ypg). GWU has not allowed more
than 110 yards in a single game this season on the ground, and has
allowed over 300 yards of total offense just twice.
Sophomores Jeffrey Williams (62 tackles), Oluwadamilola Teniola (51
tackles) and Marty Patterson (45 tackles) have formed a strong
group at linebacker, and have supported an improved interior line
well. Defensive tackles Kenny Baker, Quinnon Isom and Nelson
Rushing performed very well at Georgia Tech on October 11, and will
be asked to hold the line against VMI's efficient option attack
again Saturday.
The Runnin' Bulldogs have also shown well in taking the ball away,
leading the Big South in turnover margin with 16 turnovers forced
so far this season (12 interceptions). In Saturday's win over
Presbyterian, the Bulldogs forced six Blue Hose turnovers (four
interceptions, two fumbles).
Gardner-Webb's offense will be without starting quarterback Stan
Doolittle for the second week in a row, but redshirt senior Devin
Campbell is no average backup. The Greenville, S.C., native has
made 15 starts in his career at GWU, and has been sharp since
coming on for Doolittle just before halftime at Georgia Tech. In
his last two games, Campbell has completed an efficient 27-of-41
passes for 398 yards and two touchdowns (no interceptions). He has
passed for 4,248 yards and 31 touchdowns in his career, and will be
making his second start against VMI. As a sophomore in 2006,
Campbell passed for 279 yards and three touchdowns – including
the game winner with less than four minutes remaining – in a
35-31 home win over VMI. He has passed for 337 yards and four
touchdowns in two appearances vs. the Keydets during his
career.
The Bulldogs' running game, which had steadily improved over the
past three weeks, was in top shape vs. the Blue Hose. Philip
Peoples' career-high 176 yards highlighted a 321-yard effort for
the ‘Dogs as a team, with Peoples earning Big South Player of
the Week honors as a result. Scatback David Montgomery has rushed
for 200 yards in two games vs. the Keydets during his career,
including a 106-yard effort in Boiling Springs two seasons ago as a
freshman.
Kickoff is set for 1:30 pm ET on Saturday in Spangler Stadium, and
will be broadcast live on WGWG-FM (88.3). A live video feed of the
game is available via pay-per-view through the Big South's Edge
online broadcasting system. Fans can log onto
www.bigsouthsports.com for more information.
