GAME NOTES: Gardner-Webb Travels South To Face Coastal Carolina
October 20, 2011 | Football
THE GAME
Gardner-Webb will travel to Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C., to do battle with the defending Big South Conference champion Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at 7:00 pm ET. Saturday's game will be televised live on MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network), with Tom Werme and Nat Ross calling the action. WGWG-FM (88.3) will air the game live as well.
SERIES NOTES
Coastal Carolina owns a 7-1 edge in the all-time series with Gardner-Webb, includng seven-straight wins ... Five of the Chanticleers' seven wins have come by five points or less, including the last four in a row ... GWU is 0-2 vs. CCU in overtime games, including a 30-27 loss last October 30 in Boiling Springs ... The average margin of defeat for GWU in its three losses at Brooks Stadium has been only 3.6 points ... GWU's lone win came in 2003 at Brooks Stadium.
THE COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Ron Dickerson, Jr., is in his first season in charge of the Runnin' Bulldogs. GWU is his first head coaching job overall. David Bennett is in his ninth season at Coastal Carolina and has posted a solid 60-37 mark, including two playoff appearances. Bennett is in his 16th season as a head coach overall, posting a 123-54 and six appearances in the NCAA Playoffs (four at Division II Catawba and two at Division I FCS Coastal Carolina).
LAST TIME IN CONWAY
OCTOBER 7, 2009 - Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 14-10 lead at halftime and led 21-20 early in the fourth quarter, before a Tommy Fraser touchdown run with just over four minutes left gave Coastal Carolina a 26-21 lead it would hold on to. Josh Norman intercepted two GWU passes in the final four minutes, including his final pick in the CCU end zone for a touchback with 23 seconds remaining. Gardner-Webb managed just 239 yards of total offense in the game, with only 103 coming through the air (three interceptions, 9/20 passing). Patrick Hall scored twice on the ground for GWU.
JP3 MAKING HIS MARK
Receiver James Perry III (6-0, 182, RSr.) had his best game of the season at Presbyterian (10/15), hauling in seven passes for 140 yards. The game marked the second-best yardage total of Perry's career, which has seen him catch a Big South-record 210 passes in his 38 career games - along with catching at least one pass in 38 consecutive games played. Perry is on pace currently for 53 catches in 2011, which would make him the first player in Gardner-Webb or Big South history to post a quartet of 50-catch seasons. Perry is also on pace to eclipse the all-time Gardner-Webb receptions mark of 233, currently held by Williams Andrews, Jr. (2000-2003). Andrews played just two seasons for GWU during its Big South membership (2002-2003).
BEATTY MAKING THIRD START SATURDAY
Quarterback Lucas Beatty (6-2, 185, RFr.) has made two starts in a row under center for Gardner-Webb, and will make his third start Saturday at Coastal Carolina. The former Charlotte (N.C.) Olympic standout has completed 50.7 percent of his passes so far this season, and passed for a career-high 215 yards at Presbyterian (10/15). Beatty's start at Coastal Carolina will mark the seventh start at quarterback by a redshirt freshman in the past two seasons for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
TRANSITION GAME
Gardner-Webb has been relatively even in turnover margin through its first six games, making 10 miscues and forcing nine. The Runnin' Bulldogs have been hurt in the transition of those turnovers, however, not scoring to date on any of its opponents' nine miscues. Gardner-Webb's 10 turnovers have been converted directly into 49 points by the opposition, a 49-0 season deficit that does not include touchdowns on a blocked punt at Samford and a touchdown one play following a blocked punt at Wake Forest.
BIG PLAYS
Gardner-Webb has recorded 18 plays of at least 20 yards so far in 2011 offensively, with three of those "explosive plays" going for touchdowns. The GWU defense has allowed 30 "explosive plays" through six games, with five going for scores. Of the eight long play touchdowns combined by GWU and its opponents, three came at Samford (10/1) - with the hosts scoring twice and Kenny Little scoring on a 42-yard run. Last season, Gardner-Webb managed just 21 "explosive plays" in 11 games, with only seven coming via the run. GWU has nine running plays of 20 yards or more already in 2011.
PEMASA EXPECTED BACK
All-Big South defensive end Preston Pemasa (6-2, 250, So.), the league's 2010 Freshman of the Year, is expected back in in the lineup Saturday at Coastal Carolina. Pemasa missed the game at Presbyterian due to a death in the family and flew back to California on game day last week. Pemasa has been one of the team's top performers again this season in the trenches, leading the defensive line with 25 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks Pemasa has 90 tackles, 25 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks to his credit in only 16 career games with the Runnin' Bulldogs. The Garden Grove, Calif., native was named to the FCS Defensive Lineman of the Year Watch List by the College Football Performance Awards in July, 2011.
PUSH THEM BACK
Gardner-Webb's defensive front was expected to be a strong suit for the Runnin' Bulldogs heading into 2011, and that group has helped spearhead the team to 55.0 tackles for loss through six games. Gardner-Webb ranks fourth in the nation in that category, with 44 solo tackles behind the line - with 11.0 coming in the form of quarterback sacks.
A PRESEASON TRADITION
Gardner-Webb placed four men on preseason FCS All-America squads during the summer months, adding to a long tradition of preseason honors for Runnin' Bulldogs players. Receiver James Perry III and guard Jamie Dunaway each earned honorable mention honors from Consensus Draft services. Linebacker Marty Patterson was a fourth-team selection by Phil Steele and a third-team selection by College Sporting News. Long snapper Hudson Smith was also a third-team selection by College Sporting News (CSN). Patterson was a preseason All-America choice for the second season in a row. Since 2003, Gardner-Webb has seen 18 players earn preseason All-America honors - with at least one on a preseason team in each of the past eight seasons.
BIG FRONT LINE
Gardner-Webb's offensive line has drawn solid reviews during preseason camp, coming together nicely as a unit under new position coach Dwayne Ledford. The starting five: left tackle Harrison Martin (6-6, 285, RJr.); left guard Jamie Dunaway (6-4, 290, Jr.); center Austin Sargent (6-3, 290, Jr.); right guard Jeff Harris (6-2, 291, RSo.) and right tackle Steve Demilio (6-5, 290, RJr.) average a solid 6-foot-4, 289-pounds per man and have at least three years each in a college weight program under their belts.
RUNNING CRAZY ON OPENING NIGHT
Gardner-Webb hit the ground with a physical approach in its season opener, and produced two 100-yard rushers in the same game for the first time since October 12, 2002. Kenny Little darted for a career-high 131 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries and Juanne Blount barrelled his way to 102 yards on 14 carries - pacing a 220-yard team effort on the ground. The last duo to rush for 100 yards in the same game was quarterback Jeremy Martin and running back Chris Foster - the team's current position coach - against Elon in 2002. The game marked the first 100-yard game of Little's career and the fourth for Blount - who played a major role as a freshman in 2010.
STAFF EXPERIENCE
Gardner-Webb's current coaching staff has a combined 143 years of coaching experience among them, with much of that coming on the college level. Current GWU coaches have held full-time positions at BCS conference schools Pittsburgh, Colorado, Penn State, Clemson, Georgia, West Virginia, Wake Forest and Ole Miss - with two climbing as high as coordinator at that level. Defensive line coach Ron Dickerson, Sr., was an FBS-level head coach in the mid-1990s at Temple.
SLICK RICK
Return man Ricky Rhodes (5-7, 175, RJr.) proved why the coaching staff thought so highly of his abilities in the season opener, registering 193 all-purpose yards - including 156 via returns - on just 12 touches vs. Brevard. Rhodes had a 22-yard punt return to set up Gardner-Webb's first points and had a 59-yarder later in the game - a return that would have stood at 79 yards if not for a personal foul penalty behind the play. Rhodes added 19 yards receiving and 18 yards rushing - and had a 62-yard reception and 35-yard run called back due to penalties. Rhodes also returned three kickoffs for 75 yards. Rhodes had a 54-yard kickoff return at Ohio and ranks among the league leaders in that stat this season.
FOUR TIMES ON THE TUBE IN 2K11
Gardner-Webb will play on live television or on major network broadband four times in 2011 - with five other games airing on the Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com). The Runnin' Bulldogs will play on ESPN3.com against Wake Forest (9/17) and Liberty (10/8); will take on Presbyterian (10/15) on WMYA-40 (Greenville, S.C.) and Coastal Carolina (10/22) on MASN. Games against Brevard, Charleston Southern, Virginia State, Stony Brook and VMI will air on the Big South Network.
MOVING AND SHAKING
Gardner-Webb made several position moves that could prove to be very helpful over the course of the 2011 season. Tyler Hough-Jenkins (6-4, 270, RFr.) has moved from offense to the defensive line, and excelled during fall camp - pushing his way onto the two-deep with a strong performance. Speedster Ricky Rhodes (5-7, 175, RJr.) could emerge as one of the league's most dangerous all-purpose threats, having moved to offense full-time in the spring. The Richmond, Ky., native is a slippery, versatile performer who will also field kickoffs and punts. Highly-touted quarterback Jordan Paul (6-3, 180, Fr.) took snaps under center and at receiver during camp, and is another dangerous all-around threat. With Jeff Harris' emergence at offensive guard, and the addition of some young talent at the position, veteran Maurice Bryan (6-2, 265, RJr.) was allowed to move back to the defensive line, where he will be a tremendous help in the trenches for the 'Dogs.
TWO FROM THE BOWL SUBDIVISION IN '11
For the third time in five seasons, Gardner-Webb did battle at a pair of bowl subdivision teams in the same season. Just like 2009, the 'Dogs took on teams from the MAC and the ACC. With games at Ohio (9/10) and Wake Forest (9/17), Gardner-Webb did something it had never done before, however - take on FBS teams in back-to-back weeks.
THIS WEEK IN THE BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
In other Big South Conference action this week: Liberty travels to Charleston Southern (1:30 pm); Stony Brooks treks to VMI (1:30 pm) and Presbyterian steps out of conference for a tall test at No. 1 Georgia Southern (2:00 pm).
FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR UNITE
Gardner-Webb's defensive front four will feature the last two Big South Conference Freshman of the Year selections - tackle Matt Goods (6-2, 275, RSo.) and end Preston Pemasa (6-2, 250, So.). The duo teams with three-year starter Jordan Woods (6-3, 245, Sr.) and veteran Dylan Taylor (6-0, 265, RJr.) to pose a formidable threat up front
ON THE AIR
Gardner-Webb's football games this season can be heard live on WGWG-FM (88.3), the school's 50,000-watt flagship station. Fabian Fuentes and David Allen will provide the call for the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2011. Log onto to wgwg.org for a live audio stream via the internet as well.
BIG SOUTH NETWORK
The Big South Network, presented by State Farm, will carry all of Gardner-Webb's home football games and all Big South Conference games live as part of the league's subscription-based video streaming package. Interested parties may register for an account at bigsouthsports.com. †
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