'Dogs Start November In Style With 51-14 Win Over Warner (Fla.)
November 02, 2013 | Football
The Runnin' Bulldogs (5-4) snapped a three-game losing streak in the process, rumbling for 28 first downs and averaging a healthy 7.9 yards per play for the game. Kenny Cook caught scoring passes of 25 and 52 yards in the first half, and finished with eight catches for a career-high 179 yards - helping Gardner-Webb to a season-high 570 yards on 72 plays.
Lucas Beatty overcame two early interceptions to pass for 231 yards and two scores, topping the 5,000-yard mark for his career in the process. Juanne Blount carried 18 times for 98 yards and a score, and freshman Rod Talley came off the bench to rush for 107 yards on just nine carries - including a 60-yard burst for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Redshirt senior quarterback Chandler Browning came in early in the game and gave the Runnin' Bulldogs a tremendous lift, rushing for a pair of first downs and 34 yards on two carries and completing 2-of-4 passes for 38 yards and a 25-yard scoring strike to Cook.
"We overcome some early mistakes and our young men fought hard to get things going and we are very pleased to pick up our fifth win," said head coach Carroll McCray. "After a trying month in October it was important to get that [winning] taste back. We enjoyed the victory in our locker room. Winning football games isn't easy. Our team did a good job of refocusing after some early mistakes today and we need to maintain that focus the rest of the way. I'm very proud of the way we bounced back today and gained some momentum."
The Runnin' Bulldogs were intercepted on the first play from scrimmage, but the GWU defense got the ball right back for their offensive mates. Shaquille Riddick sacked Warner's Angel Rodriguez at the Gardner-Webb 45, and O.J. Le'iatua Mau recovered at the 39.
Beatty drove his squad 61 yards for a touchdown, hitting Richard Jules for 23 yards to get things started and capping the march with a one-yard strike to tight end Don Manning with 9:09 left in the quarter. The touchdown catch was the first of Manning's career.
Warner (0-10) took advantage of a GWU fumble near midfield for its first score of the day, getting a short run from Rodriguez to tie the game, 7-7, with 13:08 left before halftime.
Browning took Gardner-Webb on a momentum-building drive from there, darting 21 yards on an option keeper for a first down, hitting Mike Estes on a 13-yard pass for another first down and finding Cook on a perfect throw to the end zone from 25 yards away for a 14-7 lead with 9:42 on the second quarter clock.
After Warner turned a 44-yard fumble return into seven points to tie, Jordan Day kicked a short field goal for a 17-14 lead - and Beatty returned to the field to lead a quick, 74-yard drive just before half. Beatty hit Estes for a 10-yard gain, found Cook for nine yards and then connected with Cook on a 52-yard pass play for a 24-14 lead at the break.
Gardner-Webb outgained the Royals 300-94 in the opening half, but was hampered by its four turnovers.
The Runnin' Bulldogs were much sharper out of the locker room, with Chad Geter squashing a fake punt attempt on Warner's first drive. Gardner-Webb used a short field to go up 31-14, with J.J. Hubbard capping a quick drive with 6:12 to play in the third. Beatty hit Cook on a 21-yard play to fuel the scoring chance.
Blount's seven-yard run moments later made the score 37-14 and - after Geter forced a fumble - Talley darted 60 yards to paydirt for a 44-14 lead just before the third quarter ended.
Brandon Swayze capped the scoring with a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown with 14:19 to play in the game.
Eight different players combined for carries to get over the 300-yard mark on the ground, and GWU had just seven negative yards in the game - with a deep offensive line effort keeping the Royals without a sack. Seven different receivers caught a pass and the Runnin' Bulldogs did not punt all afternoon 5-of-8 chances on third down.
Riddick was very effective in just over a half of action, totaling seven tackles (five solo), 2.0 tackles for loss, a sack, a pass break up and a forced fumble. Tanner Burch led the defense with eight stops (four solo). Aaron Cook added seven stops and Geter was effective with five total tackles (four solo), 3.0 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and quarterback hurry.
Tyler Hough-Jenkins had 2.0 tackles for loss and a sack on Saturday, and Justin Miller recorded a sack to go with five total hits.
That defensive effort limited the Royals to just 165 yards of total offense (2.9 yards per play) and only 90 yards rushing on 41 carries. Warner was just 1-of-12 on third down.
Rodriguez had 34 yards rushing to lead the ground game, and completed eight passes for 62 yards and a score.
Linebacker Loronza Smith had 10 tackles (seven solo) and Kareem Givens collected eight stops to go with a 44-yard fumble return.
Gardner-Webb gets back to Big South Conference action next Saturday, traveling to face VMI at 1:00 in Lexington, Va. The game will air live on ESPN3 (WatchESPN.com) as the league's Game of the Week. Fabian Fuentes will also call the action live on WGWG-FM (88.3 / wgwg.org).
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