GAME NOTES: Gardner-Webb Hosts Streaking Stony Brook Saturday
November 11, 2011 | Football
THE GAME
Gardner-Webb hosts Stony Brook (6-3, 4-0 Big South) in its final home game of the 2011 season at 1:30 pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The game will air live on WGWG-FM (88.3), with David Allen and Fabian Fuentes calling the action.
SERIES NOTES
Stony Brook owns a 2-1 edge in the all-time series, winning the last two games over Gardner-Webb ... The Seawolves rallied from a 14-7 halftime deficit in Boiling Springs two seasons ago for a 24-14 win, using an Arin West fumble return touchdown to tie the game, 14-14 early in the third quarter ... Wesley Skiffington added a 27-yard field goal to give SBU the lead with 1:46 to play in the third, and Michael Coulter hit Jordan Gush from 21 yards away to seal the game with 2:29 to play ... GWU won the initial meeting, 34-33, on Long Island in 2008 behind 394 yards passing from Devin Campbell ... The Seawolves rolled in the rubber match last season, taking a 55-3 win in mid-November.
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. Chuck Priore is in his sixth year as Stony Brook's head coach, and has his Seawolves ready for a shot at the Big South's automatic bid next week in Long Island. Priore is 34-30 during his time at SBU, including a 14-4 mark in the Big South.
LAST TIME IN BOILING SPRINGS
OCTOBER 31, 2009 - Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 14-7 halftime lead, but a field goal and a fumble return for a touchdown late in the third quarter gave Stony Brook a 17-14 lead it would hold in a 24-14 win on Homecoming, 2009. The Runnin' Bulldogs drove inside the Seawolves 20-yard line in the fourth quarter, but fumbled for the fourth time on the wet afternoon - and Michael Coulter hit Jordan Gush with just over two minutes to play for the final margin.
STREAKING
Gardner-Webb has won three games in a row for the first time since the 2008 season - when GWU topped Presbyterian (home), VMI (home) and Stony Brook (road) in consecutive weeks. That streak came to an end with a 23-18 loss at home to Coastal Carolina. GWU has not won four games in a row since topping Southeastern Louisiana (road), Glenville State (home), Liberty (road) and VMI (home) en route to a 6-5 season. No. 25 Charleston Southern took a 28-14 win to snap that streak in the Low Country.
PEMASA COMING ON STRONG
Defensive lineman Preston Pemasa (6-2, 250, So.) earned honorable mention defensive lineman of the week honors from College Football Performance Awards after his effort vs. Virginia State, totaling five total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and two quarterback pressures in the win. Pemasa leads the Big South's defensive linemen with 36 total hits this season, leads the entire league with 13.0 tackles for loss and ranks second behind teammate Maurice Dickson with 4.0 sacks. Pemasa, who has 11.0 sacks for his career, led the league in that category last season.
INTERCEPTOR
Sophomore safety Gianni Olivas (5-10, 190) was in the right place again Thursday night, intercepting a pair of Virginia State passes to set up Gardner-Webb scores in the second half. The multi-pick effort was the third of Olivas' career, but the first this season. The Upland (Calif.) High product has three interceptions in the past three games to lead the Runnin' Bulldogs this season. He had four interceptions last season, picking off two each at Charleston Southern and at home vs. Coastal Carolina. Olivas earned honorable mention defensive back of the week honors from College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) on Monday.
BIG DAY FOR LITTLE
Running back Kenny Little (5-11, 205, RJr.) resumed an All-Big South caliber season against Virginia State, running just 15 times - but for 153 yards and two touchdowns - in a dominant effort. Little, who missed the past two games with an injury suffered at Presbyterian, scored the game's first touchdown on a shifty, nine-yard run, and scored on a career-long 72-yard run in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Little's 72-yard rumble was the longest from scrimmage on the ground since Amos Myles went 90 yards against Tusculum in 1998. Little ranks third in the Big South currently with 106.2 yards per game on the ground. He needs 253 yards over the final two games to become Gardner-Webb's first 1,000-yard rusher since Justin Richardson in 2000. Little's pair of 150-yard plus games in 2011 mark the first time that has happened since Richardson did so three times in 2000.
ON THE RHODES AGAIN
Ricky Rhodes (5-7, 170, RJr.) continued his fine play out of position Thursday night, darting 16 times for 114 yards - the second 100-yard rushing game in the past three weeks for the Richmond, Ky., native. Rhodes has been steady running the football for the Runnin' Bulldogs, averaging 91.6 yards per game over the past four games. Rhodes has also continued his passing excellence from the Wildcat formation, completing his only chance against Virginia State for a 26-yard gain.
BIG PLAYS A PLUS
Gardner-Webb registered seven "explosive" offensive plays at Coastal Carolina, a season best total, and now has 32 plays of 20 yards or more through nine games in 2011. Last season, GWU recorded just 21 plays longer than 20 yards in 11 games played. The seven plays of 20 yards or more in a single game are the most for Gardner-Webb this season, and one of the top totals for any game in the past five seasons. Gardner-Webb had just seven rushing plays of 20 yards or more all last season, but has recorded more than double that total (17) through nine games in 2011. Ricky Rhodes has seven of those runs to his credit.
PUSH 'EM BACK
Gardner-Webb ranks No. 2 nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 9.2 per game through nine games. The Runnin' Bulldogs have recorded 83.0 total tackles for loss and 22.0 quarterback sacks. The rotation up front of Preston Pemasa (6-2, 250, So.), Matt Goods (6-2, 275, RSo.) Dylan Taylor (6-0, 265, Jr.), Jordan Woods (6-3, 245, Sr.), Maurice Dickson (6-4, 260, So.), Maurice Bryan (6-2, 265, RJr.) and Tyler Hough-Jenkins (6-4, 270, RFr.) forms one of the deepest defensive lines in the nation.
SEAWOLVES ON A ROLL
Stony Brook rumbles into Boiling Springs riding a six-game win streak ... The Seawolves dropped the season's first three games, at UTEP, at Buffalo and at home by one point to Brown of the Ivy League ... Stony Brook will play Liberty (5-0 in league) for the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs next week on Long Island - regardless of the outcome of today's game ... A traditionally strong rushing attack has flourished again in 2011, with Hofstra transfers Miguel Maysonet (1,178 yards, 13 TD) and Brock Jackolski (1,001 yards, 8 TD) leading the way ... Starting quarterback Michael Coulter went down early and is out for the season, but junior Kyle Essington emerged as an excellent option under center ... The Seawolves defense is tops in the Big South against the run, allowing a scant 77.8 yards per game on the ground ... Stony Brook also leads the Big South in total defense (315.0 yards per game).
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.
IT'S TOOMER TIME
Cornerback Ivan Toomer (6-1, 18, Fr.) is beginning to figure out his new position on the college level, making a tremendous impact over the past two weeks. The Homestead, Fla., speedster - who primarily played receiver on the prep level - registered six total tackles (five solo), a 54-yard interception return and three pass break ups in the Virginia State win. That effort earned Toomer Big South Freshman of the Week honors, and marked the second major effort in two weeks. Against Charleston Southern, Toomer made four stops and picked off a potential touchdown pass in the end zone in a 14-7, defensive-minded victory. A former lead leg on Homestead (Fla.) High's 4x100m relay team that finsished third in the Class 4A State Championships, Toomer has 30 total hits for the Runnin' Bulldogs as a true freshman.
NO TURNOVERS IN WINS
In Gardner-Webb's four wins this season, the Runnin' Bulldogs have not committed a turnover - owning an impressive plus-7 edge in turnover margin during those games. GWU has forced two turnovers in each of the last three weeks.
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.
PRESEASON TRADITION CONTINUES
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.
THIS WEEK IN THE BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE
In other Big South Conference action this week: VMI travels to Presbyterian (1:00 pm); Coastal Carolina travels to Charleston Southern (1:30 pm) and Liberty will enjoy an open date in advance of its league title game matchup vs. Stony Brook next weekend on Long Island.
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.
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.
UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb will close out its season on the road, traveling to face an improved VMI squad at 1:30 pm in Lexington, Va.
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