GAME NOTES: Gardner-Webb Hosts High-Powered Charlotte 49ers Saturday Afternoon
October 01, 2014 | Football
THE GAME
Gardner-Webb hosts Charlotte on Saturday, October 4, at 1:30 pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The game will air live on ESPN3 (WatchESPN.com) with Mike Hogewood handling play-by-play and former Notre Dame and NFL standout Renaldo Wynn providing color analysis. The game will also air on wgwg.org, with Fabian Fuentes, Ben Fuller and Alex Guest providing the call.
SERIES NOTES
Charlotte captured a 53-51 win over No. 24 Gardner-Webb last October 5 in Richardson Stadium, a wild game that featured 1,163 combined offensive yards and a 29-point fourth quarter rally for the 49ers ... Gardner-Webb led 45-24 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game ... Two turnovers in those final 13 minutes, along with a punt snapped into the end zone for a safety, helped fuel Charlotte's march ... 49ers quarterback Matt Johnson was exceptional, passing for five touchdowns and 342 yards while running for 73 yards ... Gardner-Webb's Lucas Beatty was sharp in his hometown, passing for a career-best 389 yards and four touchdowns ... Juanne Blount had 133 yards rushing and two scores, and All-America receiver Kenny Cook caught 10 passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns ... Charlotte scored 29 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and held on a two-point conversion with 31 seconds left to preserve the win.
THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb head coach Carroll McCray (Class of '83) returned to his alma mater in 2013 and has forged an 9-8 record so far in his time in Boiling Springs. Charlotte head coach Brad Lambert (Kansas State '87) has his team off to a 3-2 start this season and is 8-8 in his second season with the 49ers.
LAST TIME OUT
Gardner-Webb fell behind 13-0 at The Citadel last Saturday, but rallied with a late touchdown just before halftime to pull within a score – and took a 14-13 lead early in the third quarter on a scoring toss from Lucas Beatty to Kenny Cook. The Citadel took over from there, using a ferocious pass rush and a steady, grinding offensive attack to score the game's final 24 points for a 37-14 win in Johnson Hagood Stadium. Beatty finished with 280 yards passing, hitting on 29-of-35 attempts. The Charlotte, N.C., native was sacked nine times, however, part of a school-record 10 sacks piled up by The Citadel. Cook finished with nine catches for 103 yards, pacing a balanced group of receivers for the Runnin' Bulldogs. The running game, hampered by 70 yards lost to sacks, was limited to minus-2 net yards on the ground – the lowest total in Gardner-Webb's Division I history.
BANGED UP
Gardner-Webb played at The Citadel without a handful of starters, part of a growing list of snaps missed by key players in 2014. All-Big South linebackers Tanner Burch and Chad Geter remain sidelined on defense. Starting offensive linemen Ashanti McPhee and David Sutton each missed The Citadel game, as did All-Big South running back Juanne Blount. All told, Gardner-Webb has lost 71 combined quarters of action from starters in 2014, with 43 of those coming from All-Big South Conference selections.
THE OTHER COOK
Outside linebacker Aaron Cook (6-1, 218, So.) has emerged as Gardner-Webb's top performer at the position with All-Big South running mates Chad Geter and Tanner Burch on the shelf. Cook led Gardner-Webb with nine total hits at The Citadel (9/27) and had his best game to date in the win over Wofford. He that victory with a career-best 13 total tackles (six solo) – and made six of those stops on special teams. Cook added 2.0 tackles for loss (minus-9 yards), despite playing both his normal Bandit spot and logging double duty at injured Chad Geter's Spur position.
TO THE MAX
Reserve quarterback Tyrell Maxwell (6-2, 201, Fr.) is fast becoming one of the most exciting young players to watch in the Big South Conference, regardless of position. The former Edisto (S.C.) High star has rushed for more than 50 yards in three of the past four games off the bench, and has scored three touchdowns in that span. He earned Big South Freshman of the Week honors after darting and dashing for a team-high 62 yards and a score at Wake Forest and added another touchdown run to go with 52 yards against Virginia-Lynchburg. Maxwell stepped onto the field for the first time against Wofford in the third quarter, and took his first snap all the way to the house on a 29-yard keeper. He finished with 53 yards rushing on just seven carries – and leads all Big South quarterbacks in rushing yardage through five games. Maxwell earned All-State honors and played in the Shrine Bowl last season after a stellar prep career. He was rated as the nation's No. 31 dual-threat quarterback prospect in the Class of 2014 by ESPN.com, and as a three-star prospect.
GETER DONE FOR 2014
All-Big South linebacker and All-America candidate Chad Geter will miss the remainder of the 2014 season, Gardner-Webb announced on September 24. The 6-foot-2, 238-pound junior will apply for a medical redshirt and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining when he returns in 2015. Geter did not play in the win over Wofford, only the second full game he had missed in two seasons as a starter. He was the team's leading tackler with 23 hits through three games – and has 135 total tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss in his 25 career games played.
HOME FIELD SUCCESS
Gardner-Webb has won 10 of its last 12 games, and four in a row, in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium – dating back to the 2012 season. The two losses during that stretch came to Coastal Carolina on November 3, 2012 in a 55-33 shootout and to Liberty last October 26 in a 24-0 decision. The Runnin' Bulldogs went 5-1 last season at home. Counting the Charlotte game on October 4, Gardner-Webb has just three home games remaining in 2014.
MAU WOW
Preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List member and All-America nose guard O.J. Mau (6-2, 308, Jr.) has gotten off to a strong start to his 2014 season, collecting 25 total tackles, a team-leading 7.0 tackles for loss (minus-18 yards) and 2.0 sacks. He has added five quarterback pressures, deflected a pass that was intercepted and forced one fumble. Mau was named preseason first-team FCS All-America by The Sports Network, College Sporting News, Tony Softli and Athlon College Football Preview. He earned All-America honors as a sophomore from Phil Steele after a breakout season.
NOTABLE IMPROVEMENT
Gardner-Webb ranked near the bottom of NCAA Division I statistics last season (113th of 121 teams) in turnover margin, and 119th of 121 in turnovers lost. Those numbers have taken a dramatic turn through the first five games in 2014, with GWU ranking No. 11 nationally in turnover margin (+1.20) and 21st in turnovers lost (4). GWU has picked off seven passes so far in 2014, with seven different players doing the honors. Three different players have recovered GWU's three fumbles this season.
JEBRAI MAKING HAY
Gardner-Webb defensive end Jebrai Regan (6-2, 248, Jr.) has come off the edge well in his first four career starts, collecting 2.5 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss. The Woodstock, Ga., native and converted linebacker also has a batted down pass and a fumble recovery, along with a team-high eight quarterback pressures. His pressure and knockdown early in the third quarter against Virginia-Lynchburg forced a high throw that Ivan Toomer picked off for a 25-yard touchdown.
A RECORD BROKEN
Gardner-Webb tight end Seth Cranfill (6-4, 246, RSr.) broke former Coastal Carolina standout David Duran's Big South Conference career receptions mark at The Citadel on September 27, hauling in seven passes for 65 yards. The former Bandys (N.C.) High star now has 69 career catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns in just 26 career games. He set the Big South's single-season mark in 2012, hauling in 37 passes for 366 yards. Cranfill has 16 catches so far this season, matching his total during an injury-plagued 2013 campaign already. With 11 more catches, he will tie former All-Big South tight end Jason Bright for the top spot in Gardner-Webb history. Bright (1999-2002) played just one season in the Big South Conference.
MAJOR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
Gardner-Webb's coaching staff has garnered significant experience – both as players and coaches – at the highest level of college football. Head coach Carroll McCray has spent time at both South Carolina and Mississippi State as offensive line coach. Defensive coordinator Randall McCray spent time at South Carolina as a graduate assistant, and has been a position coach at both Wisconsin and Pittsburgh. The younger McCray also worked as defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee State, among other Division I stops during his career. Running backs coach Brett Hickman worked as a graduate assistant at East Carolina. Quarterbacks coach Brett Nichols played at South Carolina, receivers coach La'Donte Harris played at Clemson, assistant head coach / offensive line coach Kenny Ray played at Southern Miss and defensive line coach Issac Mooring played at North Carolina.
WAY BACK THEN ...
Gardner-Webb has played just one team in its second season of transition up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, hosting Florida International on November 15, 2003. GWU rallied for a 22-19 overtime win that day, with Nick Roberts hitting William Andrews, Jr., on a 30-yard pass in overtime for the final score and the 15th-straight win for GWU at Spangler Stadium. The 'Dogs trailed 16-7 in the fourth quarter, before rallying with a pair of late scores to tie. Florida International is currently a member of Conference USA, the same league that will welcome Charlotte to its football family for the 2015 season.
THIS WEEK'S BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE GAMES
Saturday, October 4
Monmouth at Robert Morris, 1:00 pm
Charlotte at Gardner-Webb, 1:30 pm (ESPN3)
Western Carolina at Presbyterian, 2:00 pm
#3/3 Coastal Carolina at Furman, 7:00 pm
#20/21 Richmond at Liberty, 7:00 pm
#24 Charleston Southern, Idle
QUEEN CITY KIDS
Gardner-Webb has five student-athletes on its active roster from Charlotte, N.C., including starters Lucas Beatty (Olympic HS), Tyler Hough-Jenkins (Olympic HS) and Jeffrey Pegues (Mallard Creek HS). Defensive ends Laron Glenn (West Mecklenburg HS) and Thomas Wilkinson (Ardrey Kell HS) also call the Queen City home.
#TURF
Since moving to NCAA Division I in 2000, Gardner-Webb has played 38 games on artificial turf. The Runnin' Bulldogs have not fared well in those games, going a combined 12-27 on the faux green. With the installation of its own new artificial surface in place, Gardner-Webb's first four games in 2014 are on turf – and eight total games (2-2 so far in 2014).
CLIMBING FAST
Quarterback Lucas Beatty (6-2, 210, RSr.) moved into fifth on Gardner-Webbs's career passing list in September, and has started to show steady improvement and increased accuracy over the past three games. Beatty has completed 61-of-87 (70.1 percent) of his passes for 651 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions during that stretch (155.73 efficiency rating), helping Gardner-Webb to a pair of wins. For his career Beatty has passed for 6,432 yards and 32 scores – completing a school-record 61.8 percent of his passes (585-of-946) so far in 31 games as a starter.
COOKING WITH KENNY
Walter Payton Award candidate Kenny Cook (6-4, 218, RSr.) has been strong since returning from an early-season injury that limited him to one quarter in the first three games. The Cross Hill, S.C., standout has 15 catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns over the past two games, catching the game winner against Wofford – and hauling in a game-high nine passes for 103 yards and a score at The Citadel. Cook now ranks ninth in school history with 141 catches for 1,849 yards and 18 touchdowns.
UP NEXT
The Runnin' Bulldogs will enjoy a well deserved open date on October 4, before hitting the road to face Southern Conference member VMI on October 18 at 1:00 pm. †
