GAME NOTES: 'Dogs Close Out 2011 Season At VMI Saturday
November 18, 2011 | Football
THE GAME
Gardner-Webb hits the road for its season finale, heading north for a date at VMI on Saturday at 1:30 pm. The game will air live on WGWG-FM (88.3), with Fabian Fuentes providing the call from Foster Stadium. Saturday's game is also available as part of the Big South Network video streaming package (bigsouthsports.com).
SERIES NOTES
Gardner-Webb owns an 8-0 series edge over VMI, with the first meeting coming at Foster Stadium in 2003 ... The series has been tightly contested, with five of the last six meetings decided by a touchdown or less ... The most exciting game in the series came in 2005 at VMI, with GWU surviving a wild, 55-52 shootout in triple overtime ... That game featured more than 1,000 yards of total offense ... Gardner-Webb got a touchdown pass from Chandler Browning to James Perry III to provide the margin of victory in last season's 14-7 win in Boiling Springs - which was also the season finale for both teams.
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. Sparky Woods is in his fourth season in charge of the Keydets, posting a 10-23 mark in Lexington. Woods, who has enjoyed head coaching stints at Appalachian State (1984-1989) and South Carolina (1989-1993), has a 73-79-5 career record as a Division I head coach.
LAST TIME IN LEXINGTON
OCTOBER 3, 2009 - Gardner-Webb managed 416 yards of total offense, including 301 yards passing from Stan Doolittle, to get past VMI, 27-23 in its last visit to Foster Stadium. Gardner-Webb took the lead for good with 8:33 to play in the game on a short Patrick Hall touchdown run. VMI blocked a punt late in the quarter, however, and had the ball first-and-goal with under a minute to play. GWU forced a quartet of incompletions to end the game.
SEASON FINALE NOTES
Gardner-Webb is 6-5 in season finale games since moving to NCAA Division I for the 2000 season, and has won two in a row (at Presbyterian in 2009, vs. VMI in 2010 ... GWU lost four season finale games in a row from 2005-2008 ... Gardner-Webb is 19-22 in season finales during its senior college football era, which includes three losses in playoff or bowl game situations.
BIG NUMBERS FOR LITTLE
Running back Kenny Little (5-11, 205, RJr.) posted his third, 150-yard plus game of the season with 153 yards on 22 carries vs. Stony Brook, and his second in a row since returning from an injury. Little ranks No. 2 in the Big South Conference and No. 5 nationally with 112.3 yards per game on the ground (6 TD) and needs 100 yards to become the first Gardner-Webb back to reach 1,000 yards since Justin Richardson (1,110) did so in 2000. Little has 171 carries for 900 yards this season and has gone for at least 100 yards in five games.
INTERCEPTOR
Sophomore safety Gianni Olivas (5-10, 190) was in the right place against Virginia State on Nov. 3, intercepting a pair of 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) the Monday following that win.
RHODES ROLLING
All-purpose back Ricky Rhodes (5-7, 170, RJr.) continued to make his mark at the running back spot against Stony Brook, carrying nine times for 83 yards and a pair or long touchdown runs. Rhodes went in from 20 yards out from his wildcat position in the first quarter to make the score 14-7, and darted 50 yards early in the second quarter to trim the lead to 14-13. Rhodes (554 yards rushing, 3 TD) ranks seventh in the Big South in rushing yardage per game and fourth in all-purpose yards per game (137.1). The Richmond, Ky., native has also thrown a pair of touchdown passes this season - only the second non-quarterback in Big South history to do so in a single season. Rhodes and Kenny Little are the first pair of running backs to each top the 500-yard mark in the same season since GWU's move to NCAA Division I prior to the 2000 season.
LESLIE HAS CAREER GAME
Lyndon Leslie (6-2, 210, RSr.) Had arguably the best overall game of his career vs. Stony Brook, hauling in three passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns - the first two-touchdown game of his career in Boiling Springs. The Lithonia, Ga., native has been solid for the Runnin' Bulldogs late this season, ranking third on the team with 18 receptions for 291 yards (16.2 yards per catch) and a pair of scores. Leslie has two catches of 40 yards or more this season in his six games played.
BIG PLAYS A PLUS
Gardner-Webb registered seven "explosive" offensive plays at Coastal Carolina and vs. Stony Brook, season best totals, and now has 41 plays of 20 yards or more through 10 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 triple that total (22) through 10 games in 2011. Ricky Rhodes has nine of those runs to his credit, while Kenny Little has eight.
PUSH 'EM BACK
Gardner-Webb ranks No. 2 nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 9.1 per game through nine games. The Runnin' Bulldogs have recorded 91.0 total tackles for loss and 23.0 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.
TIGHT END TALES
Gardner-Webb tight end Treymaine Schley (6-3, 220, So.) has emerged as a top candidate for All-Big South Conference honors at the position. The Ft. Myers, Fla., native leads the league's tight ends through 10 games with 19 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns and has been very dependable in Big South games. He was named National Tight End of the Week after catching a pair of touchdown passes in the 14-7 win over Charleston Southern (10/29) and had several key grabs one week prior in the win at Coastal Carolina (10/22). Schley, who played prep football at South Ft. Myers (Fla.) High, has also been a key blocker for a ground attack that has produced two running backs with more than 500 yards - with one within striking distance of the 1,000-yard barrier.
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 in wins over Charleston Southern and Virginia State. 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. In its six losses, Gardner-Webb has coughed up 16 turnovers (2.7 per game).
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: Charleston Southern closes out its season at Presbyterian (1:00), Coastal Carolina steps out of conference to close its season at Western Carolina (2:00 pm) and #16 Liberty travels to Stony Brook for an epic battle for the league's outright championship and a bid to the NCAA Playoffs (3:30 pm).
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 game-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
Season complete. The Runnin' Bulldogs will open the 2012 season on September 1 at home vs. national powerhouse Wofford in Spangler Stadium (6:00 pm kickoff). †
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