GAME NOTES: Gardner-Webb Hosts Coastal Carolina In Big South Conference Game of the Week
October 29, 2012 | Football
Gardner-Webb will host Coastal Carolina in the Big South's Game of the Week on Saturday afternoon at 1:30. The game will air live on ESPN3 (WatchESPN.com), with Matt Hogue and Nate Ross providing the call from the Ernest W. Spangler Stadium press box. The game will also be broadcast on WGWG-FM (88.3 / wgwg.org) by Fabian Fuentes and David Allen.
SCOUTING COASTAL CAROLINA
Coastal Carolina (4-4, 2-1 Big South) has won two straight after
handling league heavyweight Liberty, 36-12, in Conway last weekend
... The Chanticleers' defense has been dominant in the current win
streak, limiting VMI (10/20) and Liberty (10/27) to an average of
just 51.0 yards rushing and just 10 first downs combined on the
ground ... The CCU defense, paced by All-America candidate Quinn
Backus at linebacker, has allowed just 258.5 yards of total offense
in those two games, has forced 14 punts, recorded seven combined
sacks and allowed just two scores in the red zone ... Against
Liberty, the Chants picked off three passes and returned one for a
touchdown ... Quarterback Aramis Hillary has continued his
emergence under center, leading the Big South in total offense
(257.2 yards per game) and throwing just four interceptions in
eight starts ... Hillary hasn't thrown an interception since the
third week of the season at Eastern Kentucky ... Running back
Jeremy Height is averaging 98.0 yards per game and has scored three
times on the ground over the past two weeks ... Receivers Matt
Hazel and Demario Bennett pace the stat sheet with more than 30
catches each.
SERIES NOTES
Coastal Carolina leads the series with Gardner-Webb, 7-2, with the
series beginning in 2003 ... The Chanticleers are undefeated in
Boiling Springs, beating GWU on its home turf in 2004, 2006, 2008
and 2010 ... Each of the last five meetings have been tight, with
an average margin of victory in those games of just more than a
field goal (3.6 points) ... The largest margin of victory since
2007 in the series has been five points (2008 and 2009) ... Coastal
Carolina took a 30-27 win in overtime in the last meeting in
Spangler Stadium (Oct. 30, 2010) ... Gardner-Webb rallied for a
26-24 win in Conway, S.C., last season - its first in the series
since 2003.
THE COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Ron Dickerson, Jr., is in his second season
in charge of the Runnin' Bulldogs and holds a 6-13 career record
with the Runnin' Bulldogs. Coastal Carolina head coach Joe Moglia
is in his first season on the sidelines in Conway, S.C., and is 4-4
in his first head coaching position at the college level.
LAST TIME AGAINST THE CHANTS
Trever
Austin kicked four field goals, including the game-winner as
time expired to lift Gardner-Webb to a 26-24 victory in Brooks
Stadium. Coastal Carolina took a 24-23 lead on Tre Henderson's
86-yard kickoff return touchdown with 1:53 left in the game, after
Austin had put the 'Dogs in front 23-17 moments earlier with his
third field goal of the night. Lucas
Beatty completed 16-of-25 passes for 177 yards and a score in
the game, Ricky
Rhodes ran for 143 yards and Pork Chop Dugas caught a pair of
touchdown passes to pace the Gardner-Webb offense.
J.J.
IS OK
Sophomore ace J.J.
Hubbard (5-8, 170) has emerged as one of the nation's premier
punt return men, averaging 25.6 yards per return through eight
games. The Tampa, Fla., speedster does not have enough returns to
qualify for national individual statistics - but does have
Gardner-Webb atop the national team statistics in Division I FCS.
Hubbard was named FCS National Punt Returner of the Week for his
efforts against VMI (10/27), returning punts of 30 and 47 yards in
that game. Of the five punts he has returned so far in 2012, three
have gone for at least 30 yards. Also an outstanding kickoff return
man, Hubbard leads the Big South and ranks No. 36 nationally with
an average of 24.1 yards per return. He has eight kickoff returns
longer than 30 yards this season and three longer than 60
yards.
FRESHMEN STARTERS
Gardner-Webb has seen a total of nine freshmen start on offense and
defense so far in 2012. Offensively, right guard Dylan
Hopper (6-4, 295) and receiver Carlton
Heard (6-0, 178) have been regulars in the lineup this season.
Slot receiver Demarcus
White (5-9, 165) made his first start against VMI. Defensively,
cornerback Tiko
Thompson (5-8, 148), safety Brandon
Swayze (6-2, 190), tackle O.J. Mau (6-2, 275), linebacker Azziz
Higgins (6-2, 225), linebacker Chad
Geter (6-2, 220) and defensive back Jonathan
Sherrill (6-3, 196) have made starts.
CRANFILL-ING THE STAT SHEET
Redshirt sophomore tight end Seth
Cranfill (6-4, 230) is in the midst of a record-setting season
catching the football. The Sherrill's Ford, N.C., native has caught
a team-high 33 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns in his first
eight career games, and broke the Gardner-Webb tight end receptions
record for a single season against VMI (Jason Bright, 32 catches,
2001). Cranfill needs just two more receptions to break the Big
South single-season mark held by current Coastal Carolina tight end
David Duran (34, 2010).
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 32 passes for a team-high
452 yards and a three scores. Cook is averaging a team-high 14.1
yards per catch as well. Cook's best game came at Liberty, when he
caught seven balls for 146 yards. In three Big South games, Cook is
averaging 18.4 yards per catch on 15 receptions.
BEATTY MEANS BUSINESS
Beatty was named Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Week
following a strong game against VMI (10/27). The Charlotte, N.C.,
native completed 24-of-32 passes for 328 yards and a career-high
four touchdowns, connecting on two scores each with Kenny
Cook and Demarcus
White. Beatty's pass efficiency rating of 202.35 is was the
best of his career and marked the first time since November 16,
2002 that a Gardner-Webb quarterback had passed for at least 300
yards and four scores in the same game (Jeremy Martin, 351 yards, 5
TD, vs. Savannah State).
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. He set a
new Big South completion percentage record for a single game at
84.8 percent, and his 16-of-17 mark in the first half established a
new school record for a half. Jeremy Martin went 13-of-15 in the
first half against ETSU in 2002.
BURCH'S BIG YEAR CONTINUES
Linebacker Tanner
Burch (6-3, 242, So.) is in the midst of a special season at
middle linebacker and has been a very bright spot for a young
linebacker corps for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Burch has notched at
least 10 tackles in seven of Gardner-Webb's eight games, earning
Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors twice.
Burch leads the Big South with 102 total tackles and ranks No. 2
nationally with 12.8 tackles per game. He has added 7.5 tackles for
loss, two sacks and a pass break up in his first eight career
starts. He saw limited action as a reserve in 2011, but was highly
sought after as a prep senior at Savannah Christian (Ga.) Prep.
Burch was named 2010 Georgia Class 1A State Defensive Player of the
Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and earned MaxPreps/US Air
Force Small School All-America honors that same season.
A HEALTHY EARLY SLATE
Four of the first five opponents Gardner-Webb battled on the FCS
level have been ranked in the top-25 at some point this season.
Wofford and Stony Brook each remain in the top-10, Samford has been
ranked twice and Richmond is currently ranked No. 22 in the
Fathead.com/Sports Network Top 25. The last time Gardner-Webb
played two top-10 FCS teams in the same season was early-October
2007 - when it battled SoCon powers Appalachian State and Wofford
on the road in back-to-back weeks.
NO MORE LIGHTS
Gardner-Webb will play its final three games in 2012 during
daylight hours, and statistically that might be good news for the
GWU offense. In four day games against FCS foes so far in 2012, GWU
is averaging 391.0 yards of total offense and 26.5 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, November 3
Coastal Carolina at Gardner-Webb, 1:30 * (ESPN3)
Charleston Southern at Liberty, 3:30 * (Big South Network / Flames
Sports)
VMI at Stony Brook, 6:00 * (Big South Network)
Presbyterian, Open Date
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.
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).
UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb hits the road to face Charleston Southern in another
Big South Conference "Game of the Week" matchup. The Runnin'
Bulldogs and Buccaneers will kick off at 1:30 pm in Charleston,
S.C. †
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