GAME NOTES: Gardner-Webb Travels North To Face #10 Stony Brook
October 15, 2012 | Football
Gardner-Webb will fly to New York Saturday to battle No. 10 Stony Brook (6-1, 2-0 Big South) at 4:00 pm in Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on WGWG-FM (88.3 / wgwg.org), with the Voice of the Runnin' Bulldogs Fabian Fuentes and Matt Clark providing the call. The Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com) will also carry the game.
SCOUTING STONY BROOK
Stony Brook (6-1, 2-0 Big South) has firmly established itself as a
national championship contender in 2012, posting a dominant
combination of numbers across the board through seven games. The
Seawolves rank in the top-10 nationally in passing efficiency (1st,
183.38), fifth in rushing offense (5th, 296.0), total offense (7th,
469.9), scoring offense (8th, 39.1) and fewest sacks allowed (7th,
0.71). The defense ranks 12th in scoring defense (16.3 ppg), 14th
in pass defense (164.9) and 28th in total defense (328.1) - despite
having played a pair of FBS opponents already in 2012. Overall,
Stony Brook leads the Big South in 12 team statistical categories
(of 17). Running back Miguel Maysonet (160.2 yards per game) ranks
No. 3 nationally and has scored 11 touchdowns on the ground. The
Hofstra transfer set a new Big South career rushing mark in less
than three full seasons in the league. Quarterback Kyle Essington
has 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions in seven games,
tossing five against Charleston Southern in the Seawolves' last
home game.
SERIES NOTES
Stony Brook has won three in a row to take a 3-1 series lead ...
Gardner-Webb is 1-1 in two meetings on Long Island, rallying to win
the first meeting, 34-33, on November 1, 2008 ... SBU has scored an
eye-popping 76 points off of 17 Gardner-Webb turnovers in the last
three meetings ... GWU has 13 turnovers against Stony Brook the
past two seasons, helping the Seawolves average 65.5 points per
game in those contests ... SBU broke open a competitive game in the
third quarter last season to win 76-28 in Boiling Springs ... The
Seawolves won 55-3 on Long Island in 2010.
THE COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Ron Dickerson, Jr., is in his second season
in charge of the Runnin' Bulldogs and holds a 5-12 career record
with the Runnin' Bulldogs. Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore has
an 82-41 career record as a college head coach and has turned the
Stony Brook program around with a 43-32 mark in his seventh
season.
ESPN3 IN 2K12
Gardner-Webb will make four appearances on ESPN3 in 2012, having
already played on the network's broadband video channel twice (at
Pittsburgh, at Liberty). GWU will play on ESPN3 again on November 3
against Coastal Carolina as the Big South Game of the Week and
again on November 10 at Charleston Southern. Both games are set for
1:30 pm starts.
THE BULLDOG
Running back Juanne
Blount (5-9, 205, RSo.) has been a dangerous weapon out of
Gardner-Webb's "Bulldog" direct snap formation. The Wingate, N.C.,
native has rushed for five touchdowns this season - all out of the
Bulldog - including two in each of the past two games. His 32-yard
dash against MidAmerica Nazarene was the longest gain on the ground
this season for Gardner-Webb. Blount had a touchdown pass called
back out of the formation against Samford (9/22). He was a standout
triple-option quarterback at Forest Hills (N.C.) High, accounting
for 102 touchdowns during his prep career - and setting the Union
County career rushing mark.
RED HOT HALF
Quarterback Lucas
Beatty (6-2, 220, RSo.) was sizzling in the first half against
Liberty (10/6). He completed 6-of-6 passes for 119 yards and a
score in the first quarter alone and finished the first half by
going 16-of-17 for 301 yards. Beatty connected on his first three
passes in the second half to push Gardner-Webb's lead to 28-10 and
commanded a 71-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter to
help GWU regain a 35-28 lead after Liberty pulled even. By game's
end, he had a Big South single-game record for completion
percentage (84.4%) that included one stretch of 13-straight
completions. Beatty finished the game with 383 yards - a new career
high.
FRESH START
Over the past three games, Gardner-Webb has seen a total of seven
true freshmen start on offense and defense. Offensively, right
guard Dylan
Hopper (6-4, 295) and receiver Carlton
Heard (6-0, 178) have been regulars in the lineup. Defensively,
cornerback Tiko
Thompson (5-8, 148), safety Brandon
Swayze (6-2, 190), tackle O.J. Mau (6-2, 275) and linebacker Azziz
Higgins (6-2, 225) have made starts - with Thompson, Swayze and
Higgins each in the lineup at Liberty (10/6). Jonathan
Sherrill (6-3, 196) made his first career start vs. MidAmerica
Nazarene.
OFFENSIVE LINE A STRONG GROUP
Gardner-Webb returns six players with starting experience on the
offensive line for the 2012 season. Five of those men are seniors:
Right tackle Steve
Demilio (6-5, 293, RSr.-3L); right guard Aaron
Huck (6-3, 296, RSr.-1L); center Austin
Sargent (6-3, 302, Sr.-3L); left guard Jamie
Dunaway (6-3, 290, Sr.-3L) and left tackle Harrison
Martin (6-6, 285, Gr.-3L). Right guard Jeff
Harris (6-2, 292, RJr.-2L) is entering his fourth season in the
program. David
McConnell (6-5, 304, RSo.) and Dylan
Hopper (6-4, 295, Fr.) each started the season's first four
games, with Harris and Martin each coming off the bench.
D-LINE DEEPLY SEASONED
The Runnin' Bulldogs have a wealth of experienced depth in the
defensive trenches in 2012. Five players have starting experience
and seven have played extensively during their time in Boiling
Springs to date. Tackle Matt
Goods (6-2, 275, RJr.-2L) and end Preston
Pemasa (6-2, 257, Jr.-2L) have earned All-Big South honors in
each of their two seasons so far and both were named Big South
Freshman of the Year in their respective rookie seasons. Versatile
dual-threat linemen Tyler
Hough-Jenkins (6-4, 281, RSo.-1L) and Maurice
Dickson (6-4, 265, Jr.-2L) have experience at both tackle and
end. Tackles Dylan
Taylor (6-0, 255, Gr.-3L) and Maurice
Bryan (6-2, 271, Gr.-3L) are both graduate students with three
years experience, with Taylor earning multiple starts over the past
two seasons. Youngsters Shaquille
Riddick (6-7, 235, So.-1L) and O.J. Le'iauta Mau (6-2, 275,
Fr.-HS) will also continue to log snaps.
TOP CHEF
Redshirt sophomore Kenny
Cook (6-4, 216) has been a bright spot for Gardner-Webb in the
passing game so far in 2012, hauling in 24 passes for 322 yards and
a touchdown. Against Liberty (10/6), Cook caught seven balls for a
career-high 147 yards, including a 46-yard grab that set up
Gardner-Webb's third touchdown of the game. Cook is averaging 13.4
yards per catch, and ranks No. 7 in the league in receptions per
game.
TOUGH EARLY SLATE
Four of Gardner-Webb's first five FCS opponents are among the
top-35 nationally this week, with Wofford (No. 8) and Stony Brook
(No. 10) each earning spots in the Sports Network/Fathead top-25
media poll. Samford has been ranked twice already this season in
the top-25, and fell to 28th in votes received after a three-point
loss to No. 12 Appalachian State last week. A fourth team,
Richmond, is 35th in votes received this week after another narrow
league loss in the CAA.
HAVE YOU HEARD?
Gardner-Webb redshirt freshman Carlton
Heard (6-0, 178) was named Big South Conference Freshman of the
Week following a stellar performance at Liberty in both teams'
league opener (10/6). Heard caught seven passes for 137 yards and a
touchdown, taking the Bulldogs' opening snap 54 yards to paydirt
for an early lead. He had five catches for 115 yards by halftime,
and hauled in a 15-yarder to start the second half and set up
another touchdown that pushed GWU to a 28-10 lead. Heard ranks
fifth in the Big South with 4.8 receptions per game this
season.
MONSTER IN THE MIDDLE
In his first six starts as a collegiate middle linebacker, Tanner
Burch (6-3, 242, So.) has been sensational. The Savannah, Ga.,
native was named Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week
for the second time following Gardner-Webb's win over MidAmerica
Nazarene (10/13) after posting new career highs in total tackles
(18), solo tackles (10) and tackles for loss (2.0). Burch's stop in
the backfield on fourth-and-inches in the fourth quarter gave
Gardner-Webb the ball back at the MNU 30-yard line with just 1:11
remaining - a drive that resulted in the game-winning touchdown for
GWU. Burch has collected at least 10 tackles in five of his six
starts to date, and leads the Big South Conference with 77 hits.
Burch ranks No. 2 nationally with 12.8 tackles per game in 2012 and
is on pace to finish with 142 total stops. The school's single
season record for tackles in a season is 152 - set by Hall of Famer
Raymond Jennings in 1992 (14 games).
CRAN-FILLING THE STAT SHEET
Gardner-Webb's Seth
Cranfill (6-4, 230, RSo.) is on track to become the most
prolific receiving tight end that Gardner-Webb has seen in a
season, currently sitting just five catches off of Jason Bright's
single-season school mark of 32 receptions set in 2001. Cranfill
added to his already impressive start with seven catches for 75
yards and a pair of key scores vs. MidAmerica Nazarene - hauling in
the game winner on a fade route with 6.4 seconds left. Cranfill
established the Big South's single-game record for a tight end
against Samford (9/22), catching nine passes, and has a team-high
27 catches for 228 yards and two scores in 2012.
NO MORE LIGHTS
Gardner-Webb will play its final five games in 2012 during daylight
hours, and statistically that might be good news for the GWU
offense. In two day games against FCS foes so far in 2012, GWU is
averaging 461.5 yards of total offense and 29.0 ppg. In its night
games against FCS foes, the 'Dogs are averaging just 241 yards per
game and 6.5 ppg.
GOLDEN DOZEN
Gardner-Webb has developed a nice pipeline to the west coast in
recent years, dating back to 2007 NFL Draft selection Brian
Johnston (San Diego, Calif.). This season, the Runnin' Bulldogs
have 12 players who call California their home state, the most from
the Golden State since the program made the jump to NCAA Division I
in 2000. Of that dozen, nine were listed on the 2012 preseason
two-deep.
PRESEASON NATIONAL HONORS
Gardner-Webb players collected several preseason honors, with
kicker Trever
Austin the most widely noted. Austin (5-10, 194, So.-1L) was
named to the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List, the College Football
Performance Awards Watch List and was an honorable mention
All-America selection by Beyond Sports Network. Jamie
Dunaway earned second-team All-America honors from Beyond
Sports Network, and Preston
Pemasa was named to the College Football Performance Awards
Watch list at defensive end for the second preseason in a row.
Gardner-Webb has had at least one preseason All-America since
2002.
THIS WEEK'S BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE GAMES
Saturday, October 20
Presbyterian at Charleston Southern, 1:30 * (ESPN3)
Coastal Carolina at VMI, 1:30 * (Big South Network)
Concord at Liberty, 3:30 (Flames Sports Network / Big South
Network)
Gardner-Webb at #10 Stony Brook, 4:00 * (Big South Network)
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 will provide the play-by-play call all season, with David
Allen providing color at home and Matt Clark serving in that role
on the road. Log onto to wgwg.org for a live audio stream via the
internet as well.
THE RON DICKERSON, JR., RADIO SHOW
Every Monday night at 7:00 pm, Fabian Fuentes and Ron
Dickerson, Jr., will host the Ron
Dickerson, Jr., Coaches Show on WGWG-FM (88.3 / wgwg.org). The
show will broadcast live from the Tucker Student Center on campus
and is open to the public.
UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb begins a stretch of three home games in its final four
dates next Saturday, hosting VMI at 1:30 pm in Ernest W. Spangler
Stadium. The game is part of Homecoming 2012 activities, and will
air live on WGWG-FM (88.3 / wgwg.org), as well as the Big South
Network (bigsouthsports.com). †
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