THE GAME
Gardner-Webb opens its home schedule on Saturday night when it hosts in-state foe North Carolina Central at 6:00 pm in Ernest W. Spangler Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN+, with the Voice of the Runnin' Bulldogs Fabian Fuentes joined by Brendan Boylan in the booth. Saturday's game will also air live on WGNC Radio (1450 AM / 101.1 FM / TuneIn App), with Dave Friedman and Bryan Fetzer on the call.

FIREWORKS ON FAMILY WEEKEND
Gardner-Webb fans will be treated to fireworks prior to, during and following Saturday's game vs. North Carolina Central. The show is courtesy of WGNC Radio, the audio home of Gardner-Webb University football. Fans are encouraged to stay until the end of the game to enjoy the full fireworks experience in Spangler Stadium. The show is part of several special activities planned for 2019 Family Weekend on campus. Call (704) 406-4340 for more information and ticket information. Tickets are $20 for reserved seats, $15 for general admission and $8 for non-GWU students. All Gardner-Webb students are admitted free.
  
SERIES NOTES
North Carolina Central holds a 3-2 edge in the all-time series, and is undefeated in two trips to Ernest W. Spangler Stadium (1996, 1998) ... The Eagles won the most recent meeting by a 24-17 score in Durham, N.C., on October 14, 2017 ... Quarterback Tyrell Maxwell, who ran for 165 yards and passed for 136 more, drove GWU down to the Eagles' 32-yard line before time expired ... Each of Gardner-Webb's two wins in the series came in Durham (1997, 1999) ... Each of the last four meetings has been decided by two scores or less (8.3 ppg average margin)

SERIES HISTORY
Date – Result (Location)
9/7/96 – L, 31-14 (Boiling Springs)
9/6/97 – W, 20-12 (Durham)
9/12/98 – L, 15-13 (Boiling Springs)
9/11/99 – W, 16-0 (Durham)
10/14/17 – L, 24-17 (Durham)

BROTHERS
After a grueling start to the season that saw Gardner-Webb face two 85-scholarship FBS opponents over two weeks, the Runnin' Bulldogs will finally get to face an FCS foe on Saturday in the 2019 home opener. That begins a string of 10 games against FCS foes, with five on the road and five at home. The last time Gardner-Webb faced a pair of FCS foes in the same season was 2011 (Ohio, Wake Forest). GWU also did so in both 2007 (Ohio, Mississippi State) and 2009 (NC State, Buffalo). The 'Dogs have never opened the season before with two consecutive FBS games.

HOUSE CALL
Devron Harper (5-10, 165, Fr.) had a smashing debut at Charlotte, returning a kickoff 99 yards to paydirt and finishing with six returns for 202 yards overall. The Conyers, Ga., was named Big South Freshman of the Week as a result, and was an honorable mention FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week as well by STATS. Harper didn't have many opportunities for returns at East Carolina, bringing just three kickoffs out of the end zone for 61 yards. The Pirates' Jake Verity had seven touchbacks in the game while kicking off.

FUTURE SCHEDULES
Gardner-Webb has added a handful of future FBS opponents for coming seasons, playing three FBS games against nearby foes, GWU will travel to face Georgia Tech in 2020, Georgia Southern in 2021 and Liberty in 2022.

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb's Carroll McCray ('83) is in his seventh season as head coach of his alma mater. The Monroe, N.C., native has forged 24 wins so far in Boiling Springs, including five wins over top-20 teams. North Carolina Central graduate Trei Oliver ('98) is in his first season as the head coach of his alma mater. Oliver is also in his first season as a college head coach. He faced Gardner-Webb twice as a student-athlete with the Eagles, picking up a win in 1996 and falling to the 'Dogs in 1997.

TACKLING MACHINE
Linebacker Darien Reynolds (6-0, 224, Jr.) made the most of his first season as a starter in 2018, earning second-team All-Big South Conference accolades. The Charlotte, N.C., posted 75 tackles and was twice named Big South Defensive Player of the Week. Reynolds has built on his emergence this season, collecting 22 tackles so far in two starts. The former Vance (N.C.) High Shrine Bowl choice made a team-high 13 stops at East Carolina (9/7) and had nine hits in the opener at Charlotte (8/29).

FBS GAMES
Gardner-Webb played its first game against an FBS opponent in 2007, traveling to Ohio University and Mississippi State. The Runnin' Bulldogs are 1-16 in games against FBS foes since then, with the lone win coming in a 38-37 overtime thriller at Akron on September 11, 2010. The 'Dogs had another near miss on October 11, 2008 in a 10-7 loss to Georgia Tech.

PICK IT
Gardner-Webb struggled to create turnovers last season, particularly in the secondary, with only six interceptions through 11 games in 2018. That has not been the case so far in 2019, with the Runnin' Bulldogs picking off four passes over its first two games – despite the bump in competition. Devin Mines (5-10, 190, Sr.) grabbed two interceptions in the season opener, and linebacker Quinton Jones (6-2, 200, So.) added another against the 49ers. Two of those turnovers created easy touchdown drives. Cornerback Deonte Grier (5-11, 172, R-So.) had an interception at East Carolina – his second in the past three games – and safety Kobe Rodgers (6-1, 189, R-Jr.) nearly had his own interception before a replay review.

MAKING HIS MOVE
One of the team's most improved players during training camp was receiver Izaiah Gathings (6-4, 216, So.) and the Statesville, N.C., standout has started to see his opportunities increase in the season's early stages. Gathings hauled in four passes for 83 yards, with a long of 37 yards, at East Carolina (9/7), with one of his grabs setting up Gardner-Webb's lone touchdown of the game. Gathings has six catches for 121 yards (20.2 yards per catch) so far in 2019. 

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
Gardner-Webb welcomed transfers from five different colleges during the summer months adding tight end A.J. Alexander (6-3, 255, Gr.) from Ohio State, receiver Chuma Awanna (6-3, 217, Gr.) from Norfolk State, defensive lineman Aaron Griffith (6-0, 289, Gr.) from Middle Tennessee State, quarterback Kalen Whitlow (6-1, 195, Gr.) from Tennessee State and cornerback Dameon Williams (5-11, 175, R-So.) from Georgia Tech. Four of the five have already earned degrees from their previous schools. Alexander (four-star), Whitlow (three-star) and Williams (three-star) were each highly regarded prep recruits.

D-LINE DEPTH
After toiling with an inexperienced front three last season due to injuries, defensive line coach Dennis Thomas has the luxury of seasoned depth within his unit in 2019. The starting unit of Josh Ramseur (5-11, 292, Gr.), John Singleton (6-5, 237, R-So.) and Janathian Turner (6-3, 306, So.) is perhaps Gardner-Webb's most gifted since the All-Big South trio of O.J. Mau, Preston Pemasa and Shaquille Riddick in 2013. The unit goes at least 10 deep, with five men already starting at least one game during their career.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME
One of Gardner-Webb's most underrated defensive standouts is ready to make a more visible impact in 2019. Linebacker Shai Thomas (6-2, 256, Jr.) put up All-Big South quality numbers last season, collecting 68 total tackles, a team-high 8.0 tackles for loss and two defensive touchdowns. The Anderson, S.C., native has continued to pack on muscle over the past two seasons, and enjoyed an outstanding 2019 training camp. Thomas will once again man the BANDIT position for the Runnin' Bulldogs.

BATTERING RAM
Veteran nose guard Josh Ramseur (5-11, 292, Gr.) had nearly his entire family on hand at East Carolina (9/7) as he faced off with younger brother Aaron Ramseur – a Pirates' linebacker. The elder Ramseur had the upper hand in the fraternal battle, posting a career-high 10 total tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry in the game. Ramseur also recorded a safety in the game in an impressive performance. The Kingstown, N.C., native has 15 total tackles so far in two games. He has shown excellent recovery after missing the entire 2018 campaign with an injury. The sixth-year graduate student had 50 tackles in an All-Conference effort in 2017 and is currently pursuing his MBA at Gardner-Webb.

ON THE AIR AGAIN
For the first time since 2003, Gardner-Webb football will have a broadcast presence on a commercial radio station. All 12 regular season games, and any postseason games, will air live on WGNC (1450 AM / 101.1 FM) in Gastonia, N.C. Veteran play-by-play man Dave Friedman and a color analysts Reggie Walker and Bryan Fetzer will serve as talent. Walker is a former collegiate player at Penn State and Fetzer, who played collegiately at Canisius, is the former head track & field coach at Gardner-Webb and the University of Virginia. The station is available online via the TuneIn app.

THE STREAM TEAM
Each of Gardner-Webb's five home games will stream live on ESPN+ ($4.99 per month subscription), with the Voice of the Runnin' Bulldogs Fabian Fuentes joined by analyst Brendan Boylan. ESPN+ is the home of the Big South Network for the second season in a row. The Runnin' Bulldogs will also play road games on ESPN+ at Charlotte (8/29), at Wofford (9/21), at Western Carolina (10/5), at Presbyterian (11/9) and at Kennesaw State (11/23). Games at East Carolina and Monmouth will be streamed on ESPN3 (WatchESPN.com).

NEW FACE ON STAFF
Gardner-Webb welcomed one new face to its coaching staff in 2019, with J.J. Laster coming on board prior to spring practice to coach the team's running backs and tight ends. Laster previously served as an assistant coach at Tusculum and his alma mater, Jacksonville University.

BIG BAD JOHN
A breakthrough season in 2018 came quickly for defensive end John Singleton (6-5, 237, R-So.), who earned Hero Sports FCS Freshman All-America honors in addition to Big South Defensive Freshman of the Year and All-Big South accolades. The Apex, N.C., native led the league's defensive linemen with 51 total tackles, added 5.5 tackles for loss and posted three sacks. Singleton earned Shrine Bowl honors as a senior at Middle Creek (N.C.) High at outside linebacker. Singleton had five total tackles in the opener at Charlotte (8/29).

THE PUNTER
Newcomer Jack Pawloski (6-0, 190, Gr.), a graduate transfer from Elon, did not see game action in his first three seasons of college football. The Florence, S.C., native won Gardner-Webb's punting job during training camp and has responded with the 17th-best average nationally through two games – booming 16 punts for 700 yards (43.8 ypp). Pawloski has hit four punts for more than 50 yards and has forced five fair catches.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Center Brandon Leahey (6-3, 276, R-Sr.) enters his third season as the starter for Gardner-Webb, and was honored as a preseason All-Big South Conference first-team choice at the league's Media Day in July. The Parker, Colo., native started his career at guard for the Runnin' Bulldogs after transferring in from FBS Eastern Michigan, but moved over to center one week before the 2017 season opener and has stayed in place since with heady, hard-nosed play.

BIG TARGETS
Gardner-Webb entered the 2019 season with a host of big receivers for quarterback Jordan Smith to target. Starters Izaiah Gathings (6-4, 216, So.) and Chuma Awanna (6-3, 217, Gr.) provided plenty of excitement during training camp and top reserve Jameson Turner (6-4, 211, Fr.) showed signs of becoming a heavy early contributor as well. Awanna caught 39 balls last season as a junior at Norfolk State, including a 95-yard effort against North Carolina A&T. Gathings, a former basketball star at Statesville (N.C.) High, is the son of 2004 Big South Men's Basketball Player of the Year Danny Gathings.