Gardner-Webb Drops Big South Opener, 35-3, Against Liberty
October 08, 2011 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS - Liberty bolted to a 14-0 lead before Gardner-Webb's offense had a chance to possess the ball, and won Saturday's Big South Conference opener, 35-3, at Ernest W. Spangler Stadium.
Quarterback Mike Brown passed for a career-high 363 yards and accounted for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) for the Flames (3-3, 1-0 Big South). Brown's one-yard scoring run with 10:28 to play in the first quarter put the Flames on top 7-0. After Gardner-Webb fumbled the ensuing kickoff return, Brown found Chris Summers down the right sideline for a 33-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 edge.
Gardner-Webb (1-4, 0-1 Big South) pushed out near midfield on its first offensive possession, but was stopped on fourth-and-short at its own 45. Liberty worked quickly into field goal range, but Alex Cacere's 36-yard attempt was blocked by 6-foot-7 freshman defensive end Shaquille Riddick.
The Flames pushed their lead to 21-0 with 13:44 to play before halftime, with Brown hitting Ervin Garner from 10 yards out to cap a nine-play, 62-yard drive.
Gardner-Webb got a 46-yard run from Kenny Little to get into the red zone for the first time on its ensuing drive, but a field goal attempt was wide right. The Runnin' Bulldogs finally got on the board with five seconds left in the half, getting a pair of first-down passes from Lucas Beatty to get to the Liberty 10-yard line. Trever Austin connected on a 36-yard field goal for a 21-3 halftime score.
Brown hit Tommy Shaver with a 17-yard touchdown pass with 6:33 to play in the third quarter for the Flames' fourth touchdown, and connected with Shaver on a 30-yard hookup to set up a two-yard touchdown run by Alreakis Allen with 11:40 to play in the fourth for the final margin.
Liberty gained 494 yards offensively, with Brown doing much of his damage through the air. Summers (nine catches, 133 yards, TD) and Shaver (four catches, 110 yards, TD) were Brown's favorite targets. Desmond Rice came off the bench to lead the ground game with 52 yards on nine carries. Brown was limited to just three yards rushing on five carries, and was sacked once.
The Runnin' Bulldogs did make history Saturday, with senior receiver James Perry III breaking the Big South Conference's career receptions record in the fourth quarter - hauling in a tipped pass from Beatty for a nine-yard gain with 9:48 to play in the game. Perry finished the game with five catches for 58 yards, giving the Greensboro, N.C., native 203 for his career in Boiling Springs. That broke the previous record of 202 held by Charleston Southern's Maurice Price (2004-2006).
Gardner-Webb's Beatty, making his first career start under center, completed 17-of-31 passes for 162 yards, caught one passes for seven yards and added four yards rushing. The Runnin' Bulldogs posted 288 yards of total offense in the game.
Little posted his second-straight game with over 100 yards rushing, and third this season, carrying 17 times for 103 yards - all but 16 of Gardner-Webb's total ground production for the game.
Marty Patterson posted 16 total tackles (six solo), forced a fumble and recovered a fumble to pace the defense, while South Carolina transfer Alonzo Winfield had eight hits (five solo) from his safety spot in his first start. Preston Pemasa added seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Keon Williams posted four hits and an interception in the end zone - and nearly pulled off a fumble recovery on a punt in the third quarter.
Safety Chris Mayo paced Liberty's defense with nine total tackles and recovered a fumble. Nose guard Asa Chapman tied a career-high with seven total stops.
Gardner-Webb will hit the road next Saturday, traveling to face Presbyterian at 2:00 pm in Clinton, S.C. That game will be televised by WMYA-TV 40 and the Big South Network. Liberty returns home for a key matchup with Coastal Carolina at 3:30 pm.
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