DAVIDSON, N.C. – Gardner-Webb inside linebacker Tanner Burch and outside linebacker Chad Geter have been named to the 2014 College Football Performance Awards FCS Linebacker Watch List.
Burch (Savannah, Ga. / Savannah Christian Prep) and Geter (Irmo, S.C. / Dutch Fork HS) each return after stellar 2013 seasons to a strong Gardner-Webb defensive unit. Both will challenge for FCS All-America honors in 2014.
The goal of College Football Performance Awards is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams.
Burch (6-3, 245, Sr.) enters his third season as a starter in the middle of Gardner-Webb's defense and is coming off another All-Big South Conference season that saw him rank second in the Big South Conference with 107 total tackles – his second 100-tackle season in a row.
The tough, physical Burch added 7.0 tackles for loss and had at least 10 tackles in five different games – including 13 hits in a 12-10 win over No. 11 Richmond and 10 stops the following week in a 3-0 win over No. 8 Wofford. He also had 10 stops and 1.5 tackles behind the line in a 27-10 win over No. 12 Charleston Southern, and averaged 9.5 tackles per game against ranked foes – despite playing the entire second half at No. 6 Coastal Carolina with a broken hand that required a halftime cast.
Geter (6-2, 235, Jr.) enjoyed a breakout season in 2013, his first as a starter with the Runnin' Bulldogs. He earned second-team All-Big South Conference honors after totaling 82 tackles (50 solo), 9.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a two forced fumbles.
A converted safety, Geter picked off two passes and led the team with six pass break ups – proving as effective in coverage as he was rushing the passer.
A testament to his value to Gardner-Webb defensively, during five quarters he missed in October due to injury, GWU allowed 71 points. In games against FCS competition with Geter at full strength, GWU allowed just 15.0 points per game.
The versatile standout earned FCS National All-Star honors from College Sporting News in mid-September after collecting 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a key sack in the win over No. 11 Richmond. His two interceptions on the season each played important roles in big wins. He sealed the win over eventual SoCon champion Furman with a fourth-quarter pick and set up the initial touchdown with an interception deep in Charleston Southern territory on November 16.
Geter capped the season less than an hour from his hometown, registering a career-high 12 total tackles (11 solo) in a dominant effort at Presbyterian. He was named Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
Burch and Geter join nose guard O.J. Le'iatua Mau (6-2, 310, Jr.) as members of CFPA positional Watch Lists for 2014 and the trio spearheads a strong returning defensive unit.
The trio helped the Gardner-Webb defense rise 96 spots in the national statistics rankings to No. 5 by the end of last season. Under coordinator Randall McCray, Gardner-Webb allowed just 296.8 yards per game – the lowest single-season average in Big South Conference history.
The Runnin' Bulldogs also ranked first in the Big South in rushing defense (122.5 ypg), pass defense (174.2 ypg), pass efficiency defense (114.0 rating), opponent first downs (185), opponent third down conversion rate (32.2%), sacks (27) and opponent fourth down conversion rate (25.0 percent). Opponents were allowed inside the red zone only 30 times in 12 games, tied for the lowest total in the league.
Gardner-Webb opens the 2014 season on the road, batting nationally-ranked Furman at 7:00 pm in Greenville, S.C., on August 30.
