Gardner-Webb Trio Tabbed For Weekly FCS Honors By College Football Performance Awards
November 18, 2013 | Football
Day (Marvin, N.C. / Marvin Ridge HS) was outstanding at punter in the win, averaging a career-best 47.5 yards per kick on six attempts. Three of his punts went at least 50 yards, including a 53-yarder, and three times he pinned the Buccaneers inside their own 20-yard line. Day also had a play with his legs that iced the game, scooping a bad snap on a punt late in the fourth quarter and dashing down the sidelines for a 21-yard gain and a first down with 2:53 left. GWU ran the clock out from there. Day also kicked a pair of field goals and was perfect on two PAT kicks.
He ranks second in the Big South Conference in punting so far this season and has helped Gardner-Webb rank atop the Big South in net punting average - and No. 11 nationally in punt coverage.
Mau (Masefau, American Samoa / Fagaitua HS) was a force in the middle of Gardner-Webb's talented defensive front again on Saturday, helping hold Charleston Southern's high-powered rushing attack to just 16 net yards on 36 attempts. He finished the game with six total tackles (three solo), 3.0 tackles for loss (minus-19 yards) and 1.5 sacks (minus-17 yards) in an active game from his nose guard position.
Riddick (Akron, Ohio / Buchtel HS) posted his second stellar game in a row, finishing with eight total tackles (five solo), 4.0 tackles for loss (minus-23 yards) and 2.0 sacks (minus-13 yards). He added a career-high five quarterback pressures, including hurrying a quick throw on the game's first momentum-changing play - one that Preston Pemasa tipped at the line and Chad Geter intercepted and returned down to the CSU 15.
Gardner-Webb scored two plays later and never trailed in the 27-10 win.
Riddick established a new Big South record for single-season sacks in the game and now has 8.5 to his credit through 11 starts. Riddick ranks second nationally with 19.0 tackles for loss in 2013, and leads the nation with minus-109 yards on those 19 hits behind the line. He has 67 total tackles as well and 17 quarterback pressures in what has become a fine season at end for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Gardner-Webb's entire defensive front was dominant on Saturday and by day's end Charleston Southern had a season-low 203 yards of total offense and were just 6-of-18 on third down. Gardner-Webb's defense ranks No. 6 nationally in total defense and among the national leaders against the run and pass in 2013.
Gardner-Webb (6-5, 1-3 Big South) travels to face old rival Presbyterian in Clinton, S.C., on Saturday to close out the 2013 regular season. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm and will air live on WGWG-FM (88.3 / wgwg.org) and the Big South Network.
