GWU Sweeps Big South Conference Weekly Football Awards
October 27, 2008 | Football
CHARLOTTE – Gardner-Webb's win over VMI Saturday had
several notable individual performances, and four Bulldogs earned a
sweep of Big South Conference weekly honors as chosen by the league
office Monday.
Quarterback Devin Campbell (6-4, 186, RSr.) was named Choice Hotels
Offensive Player of the Week, linebacker Jeffrey Williams (6-0,
221, So.) was named New Balance Defensive Player of the Week,
cornerback Cedric McGowan (6-0, 193, Jr.) was named Special Teams
Player of the Week and kicker Ryan Gates (5-9, 183, Fr.) was named
Freshman of the Week.
Campbell, making his second start in a row in place of injured
triggerman Stan Doolittle, had a career day against the Keydets.
The tall righty carved up the VMI secondary, completing 28-of-38
passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns, and finished with 409
yards of total offense on the day.
Campbell's 392 yards were the most by a Big South quarterback this
season, and fifth most in league annals – as were his 409
yards of total offense. Campbell tossed scoring passes of 12, 22
and 51 yards, with two of those connections going to Dobson Collins
(nine catches, 139 yards). Campbell's 15-yard scramble with 0.5
seconds left in the second quarter set up a 40-yard field goal that
put Gardner-Webb up 24-6 at the break. He connected with nine
different receivers in the game.
The Greenville, S.C., native has completed 62-of-91 passes for 800
yards and six touchdowns this season, and leads the Big South
Conference with a 163.74 passer rating – which ranks seventh
nationally on the FCS level. In his two starts, Gardner-Webb has
posted a 2-0 record and is averaging 485.0 yards and 40.5 ppg.
Campbell is an efficient 45-of-66 for 585 yards and five touchdowns
(292.5 ypg) in those two starts.
For his career, Campbell ranks sixth in Gardner-Webb history with
4,640 yards and 34 touchdown passes, and has completed 362-of-620
attempts (58.5 percent). He ranks sixth in Big South history in
passing yards, sixth in completions and fifth in touchdown passes
for his career. Campbell has been particularly effective during his
career vs. VMI, completing 68.4 percent of 78 attempts for seven
touchdowns, 729 yards and only one interception in three
appearances (two starts).
His passing performance Saturday, yardage wise, was the most for a
Gardner-Webb quarterback since Jeremy Martin passed for 406 yards
and four scores in a 38-35 win at No. 23 New Hampshire on Nov. 11,
2000.
Williams (Frisco City, Ala.) earned his second Big South Defensive
Player of the Week honor in a row and topped last week's
career-high tackles mark with 19 hits vs. the Keydets. Williams
made 10 solo stops, had 2.0 tackles for loss (minus-17 yards), a
sack and a quarterback pressure in the game, which saw GWU hold the
high-scoring Keydets to only six first-half points and 11 points
under their season scoring average coming in.
Williams has also played particularly well during his brief career
vs. VMI, averaging 17.0 tackles in two starts. He currently leads
the Big South Conference with 81 total tackles (42 solo), and has
added 6.0 tackles for loss (minus-25 yards), 1.5 sacks, three pass
break ups, three interceptions and five quarterback pressures.
The 2007 Big South Conference Freshman of the Year has started 19
games at Gardner-Webb, and has 201 career tackles (10.6 per
game).
McGowan (Greer, S.C.) had a big day on special teams, erasing four
potential points for VMI with a blocked field goal and a blocked
extra point. The standout cornerback also had seven total tackles
(three solo) and a fumble recovery on defense that led to a GWU
touchdown two plays later.
McGowan swatted away a 33-yard field goal attempt on VMI's first
drive to keep the game scoreless, and came through to block a PAT
to preserve Gardner-Webb's 7-6 lead with 10:27 to play before
halftime. Those were the first two blocks of McGowan's career.
This season, McGowan has made 35 tackles (23 solo), is tied for the
team-high with three interceptions and has broken up six passes. He
also has a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss
to his credit. McGowan was an honorable mention FCS All-America
choice in 2007.
Gates (Newnan, Ga.) has been solid all season long, and continued
that production with 10 points in Saturday's win. His 40-yard field
goal as time expired in the first half gave GWU a 24-6 lead at
intermission, and he added a 22-yarder early in the third quarter
to put the ‘Dogs up 27-13. Gates was perfect on four PAT tries
as well. The effort was the second-highest scoring game of the
season for Gates, who had 15 points vs. Sam Houston State on
September 27. He leads the Big South in kick scoring with 61 points
through eight games.
Gates' two field goals established a new single-season freshman
record for Gardner-Webb and the Big South Conference (13), and is
only four field goals away from the league's top single-season mark
with three games to play. Gates leads the league in field goals per
game (1.62), PAT percentage (22-23, 95.6 pct.) and field goals made
(13), and ranks fifth nationally in field goals per game.
Gardner-Webb (4-4, 1-1 Big South) will head north on Saturday, Nov.
1, for its next Big South Conference test at Stony Brook, as two of
the league's hottest teams face off at 3 pm ET. The game will mark
the first meeting between the two schools on the gridiron. The
Seawolves (3-5, 2-1 Big South), in their first season of Big South
play, knocked off Coastal Carolina, 28-24, on the road this past
Saturday for their second league win in a row.
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES: One of the main factors in Devin Campbell's
success vs. VMI was senior wide receiver Dobson Collins (6-2, 188),
who hauled in nine passes for a career-high 139 yards and two
scores – including a 51-yard hookup in the third quarter.
Collins (Stone Mountain, Ga.) has been explosive of late, catching
31 passes for 446 yards and five scores in the past four games
(111.5 yards per game). Collins caught seven passes for 97 yards at
Georgia Tech, six passes for 97 yards vs. Presbyterian and had nine
catches for 113 yards at Charleston Southern ... He now has 53
receptions for 656 yards and seven touchdowns on the season,
leading the Big South in receptions, receptions per game and
receiving touchdowns to date. Collins ranks 15th nationally in
receptions per game, with his 53 receptions a new career high. A
former conference champion (A-Sun) in the 60m hurdles, Collins has
caught 120 passes for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdowns during his
career.
Linebacker Marty Patterson (6-3, 212, So.) had a career-best 10
total tackles (five) solo and a sack vs. VMI, continuing his strong
play at the position since jumping into the starting lineup to
replace injured All-American Mario Brown after the season opener.
Patterson (Mt. Airy, Ga.) has 55 total tackles (30 solo), 10.0
tackles for loss (minus-63 yards) and 3.0 sacks (minus-28 yards)
this season.
