*    Gardner-Webb head coach Tre Lamb (31, September 16, 1989) is the second youngest head coach in the FCS ranks 
    currently, with only new Austin Peay skipper Scotty Walden (30, November 15, 1989) slightly younger.

*    Gardner-Webb's full-time coaching staff is the youngest in the Division I ranks, with an average of 28.9 years 
    old per man. 

*    Gardner-Webb has recorded more sacks (15) through four games this past spring than it did in 12 games (10)
    during the entire 2019 season. The bulk of that defensive line talent returns for the 2021 fall campaign.

*    Two current players on Gardner-Webb's roster were State Players of the Year in Georgia as seniors. Quarterback 
    Bailey Fisher (Rabun County HS) earned Class 2A Offensive State Player of the Year honors in 2017. Defensive back 
    Jamari Brown (Eastside HS) was named Class 4A Defensive State Player of the Year in 2018.

*    Gardner-Webb's last win over a Division I team from the Peach State came in 2007, when the 'Dogs blanked Savannah
    State by a 66-0 score on November 3 in Boiling Springs. 

*    The 2021 fall season marks the second full season in a row that Gardner-Webb will open on the road against
    two consecutive FBS foes. GWU did so at Charlotte and East Carolina in 2019. Following Saturday's game, GWU will
    travel to nearby Charlotte on September 11.

*    Gardner-Webb has 15 graduate students on its 2021 active roster.

*    The new transfer receiver trio of TJ Luther (Wofford), Justin Jordan (Stetson) and Quayvon Skanes (UConn) 
    combined to catch 180 passes at their previous schools. Luther also has a 100-yard kickoff return score to his
    credit.

THE GAME
Gardner-Webb opens its 2021 fall season on the road, taking on Sun Belt member Georgia Southern on Saturday, September 4, at 6:00 pm. The Runnin' Bulldogs and Eagles season opener will stream live on ESPN3, with Matt Stewart and Evan Waugh on the call from Allen E. Paulson Stadium. The game will also air on WGNC 1450 AM / 101.1 FM with Dave Friedman and Reginald Walker, Jr., calling the action. The audio stream can be heard on the TuneIn Radio app.
  
SERIES NOTES
Georgia Southern owns a 2-1 edge in the series, with two wins in a row ... The two teams haven't met since the second game of the 2002 season ... Gardner-Webb won the two teams' first meeting in 1982, a 44-6 win in Boiling Springs ... Georgia Southern took a 25-11 win the following season in Statesboro and won its first national title in 1985 ... Gardner-Webb visited Statesboro on September 7, 2002 and the #12 Eagles ran away early for a 56-0 win ... GWU went on to finish 9-1 that season and ranked No. 18 in the final national polls ... Georgia Southern rolled to an 11-3 mark, a Southern Conference title a berth the I-AA national semifinals in 2002 ... Current Eagles' linebackers coach Travis Cunningham played at Gardner-Webb in 1999 and 2000 and served as an assistant coach at GWU until 2017.

WELCOME HOME
Gardner-Webb has long enjoyed its proximity to the State of Georgia, slightly longer than a three-hour drive to Atlanta from Boiling Springs, N.C. This season, Gardner-Webb's roster is stocked with Peach State talent. No fewer than 20 men from Georgia line the opening week depth chart. A total of 34 players on the opening day roster played their high school football in Georgia. The Gardner-Webb coaching staff also has a strong Georgia flavor, with head coach Tre Lamb (Calhoun HS), offensive coordinator Taylor Lamb (Calhoun HS), running backs coach Dominique Davenport (Warner Robins HS) and offensive line coach Joe Scelfo (North Oconee HS) also playing their high school football in the state.

CLIMBING THE LADDER
Gardner-Webb was picked sixth of nine teams in the 2021 Big South preseason poll, despite splitting a pair of games against top-25 opponents during its abbreviated spring season. For the Runnin' Bulldogs to climb higher in the standings it will have to conquer a very tough schedule – which includes three top-25 conference foes for the first time since the Big South started playing football in 2002. Monmouth (#12), Kennesaw State (#19) and North Carolina A&T (#24) each earned spots in both major national polls in August voting. Charleston Southern slipped into the others receiving votes category in the AFCA Coaches preseason poll.

THE HEAD COACHES
Gardner-Webb's Tre Lamb is in his second season as a college head coach. The second-youngest head coach in all of Division I football, Lamb has served as offensive coordinator at his alma mater Tennessee Tech and has called plays on the Division I level for four seasons. He went 2-2 during a shortened spring season. Georgia Southern's Chad Lunsford has energized Statesboro once again, leading the Eagles to a 27-18 record and bowl success. 

GEORGIA FOOTBALL ROYALTY
Head coach Tre Lamb is part of a football coaching family that is among the greatest in Peach State history. His grandfather, Ray Lamb, is a Hall of Famer with three state championships in stops at Warren County (Ga.) High, Commerce (Ga.) High and Monroe Area (Ga.) High. His father, Hal Lamb, is one of the state's winningest coaches from his time in charge at Calhoun (Ga.) High and also won three state titles. Uncle, Bobby Lamb, excelled on the college level at Furman and Mercer, winning more than 100 games. He is now starting a program from scratch at Anderson (S.C.) University. Cousin, Taylor Lamb, won 36 career games and amassed 11,794 career yards during a storied quarterback career at Appalachian State and is now Gardner-Webb's offensive coordinator.

PARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS
Gardner-Webb's coaching staff new it had a jewel when Ty French (6-3, 230, So.) enrolled in the fall of 2020. The former Colquitt County (Ga.) High star was a three-star recruit with a high motor, great character and sterling work ethic. The undersized label was erased when he quickly adjusted to the college weight room and packed on nearly 20 pounds. His performance this past spring raised eyebrows – as he ranked in the national top-10 in sacks (4.0) and tackles for loss (8.0), while adding 10 quarterback hurries in just four games. His dominance earned first-team All-Big South honors, Freshman All-America honors from Hero Sports and the 2020/21 Big South Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year award. French has continued to improve, and is poised for a strong sophomore year.

BULLDOZER
Only a handful of true freshman are good enough to start a season opener on the offensive line. Even fewer are capable of managing the pressure-packed nature of offensive tackle. Gardner-Webb's Clayton Frady (6-5, 295, So.) was up to the challenge this past spring, becoming the first true freshman to start a season opener at tackle since Will Millikan did so at South Alabama in 2015. The Sylva, N.C., native was just the third true freshman since Gardner-Webb's move to Division I to start at game at tackle – joining Demario Deese (2005), Jamie Dunaway (2009) and Millikan (2015). Frady earned All-Big South Conference honors, was runner up for the league's Freshman Offensive Player of the Year award and earned Hero Sports Freshman All-America honors.

FRONT FOUR FORTRESS
Gardner-Webb has built a defensive line perhaps as good as any other in the nation in the Football Championship Subdivision. The unit goes 11 deep without much drop off and has truckloads of experience. After keying a pass rush that produced only 10 sacks over 12 games in 2019, the group led the way to 15 sacks in just four games this past spring. In addition to All-America end Ty French (6-3, 230, So.), the 'Dogs return veteran starters Shai Thomas (6-2, 271, Sr.) and Janathian Turner (6-3, 306, Sr.), along with highly-touted tackle Charlie Jackson (6-4, 323, So.). Former starters Kendall Bailey (6-4, 262, Gr.) and Tremayne Booker (6-2, 273, Gr.) have significant experience and have moved from end to playing inside. Former three-star recruit Cash Devaughn (6-2, 293, RFr.) also creates some depth on the interior, as does former All-State lineman Willie Harris (6-1, 275, Fr.). Providing reserve production at end are talented pass rushers Ga'Marcus Freeman (6-2, 239, So.), Brice Bass (6-4, 250, So.) and Kyndall Clark (6-2, 234, Gr.).

TRANSFER PORTAL BRINGS PRODUCTION
The transfer portal was kind to Gardner-Webb's offense this offseason, delivering several key pieces to what should be a much improved unit overall. Receivers TJ Luther (6-1, 180, Sr.), Justin Jordan (6-1, 190, Gr.) and Quayvon Skanes (5-11, 183, Gr.) should each have a big impact, catching passes and – for Luthern and Skanes – in the return game. The summer addition of quarterback Bailey Fisher (5-11, 207, Jr.) from Tennessee Tech fills in an experience void under center. Fisher is the lone quarterback on the active roster with multiple college starts under his belt, having completed 407-of-704 passes for 4,671 yards and 34 touchdowns in his time at Tennessee Tech. The 2018 OVC Freshman of the Year and 2019 All-OVC choice has started 25 games already. Fisher starred at Rabun County (Ga.) High as a prep, rolling up 12,458 yards of total offense and going 36-4 as a starter.

YOUNG FACES TO WATCH ON OFFENSE
Gardner-Webb's most recent recruiting class ranked as one of the best in the country in the FCS and some of those new faces will have an early impact on the Runnin' Bulldogs. Two who made an impression during training camp should factor in very early. Receiver and return man Justin Franklin (5-9, 175, Fr.) garnered more than 20 FBS offers heading into his senior season at Douglas County (Ga.) High. A position switch limited the undersized Franklin's senior production, but his speed and elusive nature fit quite well into Gardner-Webb's slot receiver rotation. Running back Donovan Jones (5-9, 180, Fr.) was Florida's Class 2A Offensive State Player of the Year following a second state title in 2020 and he brought a unique combination of balance, speed and quickness with him to campus in August. Jones' work throughout training camp has him listed second on the depth chart heading into the season opener.

THREE KICKERS
Gardner-Webb will use three different kickers on Saturday, with veteran Jack Pawloski (6-0, 190, Gr.) returning to punt. Austin McKay (5-11, 169, So.) will handle PAT kicks and field goals, while newcomer Dominik Sojat (6-2, 220, Fr.) will lean his strong leg into kickoffs. Sojat, a former soccer and rugby standout from Zapresic, Croatia, played his senior season at Rabun Gap (Ga.) School near the Georgia/North Carolina border.

ON THE AIR AGAIN
Gardner-Webb football will have a broadcast presence on a commercial radio station again this fall. All regular season games, along with 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 color analyst Reginald Walker, Jr. will serve as talent. Walker is a former collegiate player at Penn State and veteran of the television industry. The station is available online via the TuneIn app.

THE STREAM TEAM
Each of Gardner-Webb's home games will stream live on ESPN+ ($4.99 per month subscription), with Penn State graduate Phil Constantino, Gardner-Webb's Director of Broadcasting, serving as play-by-play voice. He will be joined this season by former Carolina Panther and University of Maryland star Al Wallace, along with several other voices in the booth.

THE TRE LAMB SHOW
Gardner-Webb will have an off-campus football coaches show this fall, beginning on Wednesday, September 1 in Shelby, N.C. The Tre Lamb Coaches Show will originate live from Toscanos Italian Bistro at 7:30 pm and will air live on WGNC 1450 AM / 101.1 FM and the TuneIn Radio app. Dave Friedman will serve as host and will be joined on the air by head coach Tre Lamb each Wednesday during the season.

FUTURE SCHEDULE NOTES
Gardner-Webb has its slate of FBS opponents almost complete for the next few seasons, with dates at Coastal Carolina (2022), Liberty (2022), Appalachian State (2023), East Carolina (2023), Charlotte (2024) and Georgia Tech (2025) on tap.

THE MAYOR
Running back Narii Gaither (5-10, 177, Jr.) is more than just a third-down back. He's more than a fast runner. The Rock Hill, S.C., native can survive and succeed between the tackles as well as catch the ball effectively on swing passes and down the field. He's a multi-faceted threat and a perfect fit in Gardner-Webb's offensive system. The All-Big South back broke out last spring, sprinting to a pair of 100-yard games to lead GWU to a 2-0 start. He went for 111 yards and two scores on just 19 carries in the win over No. 24 Elon and followed with 151 yards on 18 carries and two total scores vs. Presbyterian. He broke school and Big South records with a 96-yard run to paydirt and caught the game-winner in overtime.

LOCAL FLAVOR
Gardner-Webb has 28 student-athletes on its current roster who played high school football within an hour of campus. Boiling Springs, N.C., is located in football-rich Cleveland County, home to state championship programs at Burns, Crest, Shelby and Kings Mountain. The campus is also situated just 15 minutes north of Palmetto State powerhouse Gaffney High and is within an hour drive of several perennial state contenders in Charlotte, N.C., and Spartanburg, S.C. 

OFFENSIVE LINE GROWING
Gardner-Webb's offensive line returns six men with starting experience over the past two years, with the likely starting five going into Saturday's opener featuring center Carter Francis (6-2, 280, Gr.), guards Gabe Thompson (6-3, 321, So.) and Will Webster (6-4, 290, Gr.) and tackles Travis Polson (6-3, 268, So.) and Clayton Frady (6-5, 295, So.). Former starter Kyle Schneider (6-4, 288, So.) is also in the rotation at both guard and tackle – and is a capable center. Old Dominion transfer Jack Hassard (6-5, 300, So.) has been a pleasant surprise at center and Michael Brooks (6-3, 320, So.) is a load at guard. Brooks won two state titles at Cedar Grove (Ga.) High in Atlanta. Thompson is the younger brother of Coastal Carolina center Sam Thompson.

THE SECONDARY
Gardner-Webb's depth in the secondary is aided this season by simple versatility. With Raequan Ousley (5-11, 176, So.) emerging at cornerback, veteran Dameon Williams (5-11, 175, Sr.) moved back to strong safety – where he excelled during the spring season. Williams transferred from Georgia Tech as a cover corner, but is a sound tackler who knows the defensive system very well. A.J. Thomas (6-1, 182, Jr.) also moved back to corner after spending time at safety during camp – and is also capable of playing a variety of roles on the backend. Former starters Adonis Henderson (6-1, 174, Jr.) and Deonte Grier (5-11, 173, Sr.) are currently in reserve roles at corner. The free safety spot is in good hands as well, with experienced tacklers Malachi Buckner (6-1, 206, Jr.) and Jamari Brown (5-11, 198, Jr.) rotating.

UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb will enjoy its shortest road trip of the season, traveling just an hour east to take on C-USA member Charlotte on September 11. The Runnin' Bulldogs and 49ers will kick off at 6 pm in Richardson Stadium. The game will stream live on ESPN3, while also hitting the airwaves on WGNC 1450 AM / 101.1 FM (TuneIn Radio).

HOME OPENER
Gardner-Webb's home opener is set for Saturday, September 18, as GWU hosts Division II Lincoln (Pa.) out of the CIAA. Kickoff will be at 6:00 pm in Spangler Stadium. Following the game, Gardner-Webb will host a concert by former Runnin' Bulldogs football player Jon Langston. The concert is set to begin at 9 pm in Paul Porter Arena.