Pioneer Football League Game ^ Homecoming ! Senior Day QUICK FACTS
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Sept. 1 GEORGETOWN 6:00 p.m. 8 at Lenoir-Rhyne 7:00 p.m. 22 at Marist* 12:00 p.m. 29 PRESBYTERIAN 6:00 p.m. Oct. 6 DAYTON*^ 1:00 p.m. 13 JACKSONVILLE* 1:00 p.m. 20 at Campbell* 6:00 p.m. 27 BUTLER* 12:00 pm Nov. 11 at Morehead State*. 1:00 p.m. 10 at Valparaiso* 1:00 p.m. 17 SAN DIEGO* 1:00 p.m. All times Eastern unless noted Home games in CAPS * Pioneer Football League game ^ Homecoming ! Senior Day QUICK FACTS TABLE OF CONTENTS QUICK FACTS General Information Davidson Quick Facts ..........................................................1 School Name: Davidson College Location: Davidson, N.C. Season Preview..................................................................2-5 Founded: 1837 Enrollment: 1,900 Preseason Rosters ..............................................................6-8 Nickname: Wildcats Head Coach Tripp Merritt ............................................9-10 School Colors: Red (PMS 186) and Black Conference: Pioneer Football League Davidson Coaching History..............................................11 Affiliation: NCAA Division I FCS Home Field: Smith Field at Richardson Coaching Staff................................................................12-14 Stadium (4,500) Surface: FieldTurf Support Staff........................................................................15 President: Carol E. Quillen (Chicago ‘83) Athletics Director: Jim Murphy (Davidson ’78) 2011 Statistics ................................................................16-17 Faculty Athletic Rep.: Fred Smith Press Box Phone: (704) 894-2962 2011 Box Scores..............................................................18-23 Team History Pioneer Football League ....................................................23 First Year: 1897 All-Time Record: 414-564-45 (.427) Athletic Honors and Awards ......................................24-25 All-Time PFL Record (2001-11): 26-35 (.426) Postseason Appearances: 1 (1969) Academic Honors and Awards ........................................26 Result: Lost 56-33 to Toledo, Tangerine Bowl Top Performances..........................................................27-28 Team Information Individual Records........................................................29-37 2011 Team Record: 4-7 2011 PFL Record/Finish: 2-6/8th Team Records ................................................................38-42 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 42/23 Starters Returning: 12 (6 off., 5 def., 1 spec.) Annual Leaders ..................................................................43 Staff Lettermen, 1947-2010 ....................................................44-46 Head Coach: Tripp Merritt (Charlotte ’90) E-mail: [email protected] Game-By-Game Results................................................47-52 Office Phone: (704) 894-2378 Career Record (Years): 30-43 (7) Results by Opponent ....................................................53-57 Record at Davidson (Years): Same Asst. Coaches (Years/Responsibilities): Player bios available at DavidsonWildcats.com Brett Hayford (20th/Assoc. Head/DL) Meade Clendaniel (13th/Def. Coord./DB) Matt Mumme (2nd/Off. Coord./QB E.J. Henderson (2nd/WR/Special Teams) Robert Fickling (2nd/OL) DIRECTIONS Curt Williams (16th/ILB) Frank Swart (9th/Secondary) From the South (Charlotte) Jimmy Means (7th/OLB) Take I-77 to exit 30 (Davidson) and turn right off the Steve Leahy (4th/TE) ramp onto Griffith Street. Turn right at the second John Stillwell (2nd/Student Assistant) Staff Assistant: Kristen Foss light onto Main, left onto Concord, then left at Baker Equipment Managers: Brian Barmes, Shawn Drive into the parking lot. The stadium is located Evans, Shaw Smith Athletic Trainers: Beth Hayford, Gerry Waddle northwest of the lot. Sports Information From the North (Statesville) SID/Football Contact: Mark Brumbaugh E-mail: [email protected] Take I-77 to exit 30 (Davidson) and turn left off the Office Phone: (704) 894-2931 ramp onto Griffith Street. Follow directions above Cell Phone: (704) 439-6123 Fax: (704) 894-2636 NCAA FOOTBALL from there. CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION (FCS) Address: Box 7158, Davidson, NC 28035 Web site: www.DavidsonWildcats.com The NCAA has renamed From the West (Asheville) its football classifications. Take I-40 to I-77 South and follow directions from CREDITS Schools that were former- Statesville. Written By: John Kilgo, Marc Gignac, Mark ly considered Division I- Brumbaugh and Ashley Bailey AA, like Davidson, are Edited By: Mark Brumbaugh, Gavin McFarlin and From the East (Greensboro) Ashley Bailey now called Division I Cover Design: Ashley Bailey and Mark Brumbaugh Football Championship Via I-85 South, get off at exit 55 (Davidson) and turn Inside Layout and Design: Marc Gignac and Lauren Subdivision or FCS. right onto Highway 73. Travel about 11 miles and Biggers. Photography: Tim Cowie, Todd Drexler (Sideline Schools that were called turn right at Davidson sign onto Davidson-Concord Sports), Brian Westerholt (Sports on Film), Ellen Division I-A are now Road. When road ends, turn left onto Concord Road. Harasimowicz, Willis Glasgow (WG Sports Photos), Mike Slade, Chris Keane, Peter Roady, Bill Giduz, Mike titled Football Bowl Turn right onto Baker Drive approximately 1.5 miles Hood, Bennett Scarborough, Curtis Fowler, Paul Subdivision or FBS. down. Burgett and sports information archives. 1 SEASON PREVIEW Written by John Kilgo “Those last two wins last season gave us circle.” Davidson football coach Tripp Merritt, a ton of hope,” said Coach Merritt. “We had his assistant coaches and players are in no big improvement in all three areas of our THE OFFENSE mood for platitudes, thank you. They know play. As we got guys back from injury our Tripp Merritt knew after the 2010 foot- the meaning of coming close, of course they offense peaked and showed what it could ball season that he had a key decision to do. But they also know from experience how do.” make for his program’s future. The “coming close” can still be so far away in the Now the trick is to sustain that momen- Davidson offense was coming off another cold, bottom line world of college football. tum for an entire season. It takes equal parts season when it had trouble sustaining drives The 2011 Wildcats, playing with a new skill, talent and luck. and producing points. The traditional offen- fast-paced offense, finished with a 4-7 record There’s going to be help from the fresh- sive approach of running mixed in with and 2-6 in the tough Pioneer League. With a man class. A total of 31 freshmen were some passing wasn’t working. break or two, the record could have been brought in and Merritt calls it “the best Merritt believed that Davidson couldn’t reversed. While that’s factual, it doesn’t alter freshman class” in his tenure as Davidson’s be conventional on offense. It couldn’t just the ultimate truth of 2011: four wins, seven head coach. To demonstrate how Merritt and line up and knock defenses off the line of losses. his staff have enhanced the program’s scrimmage and win with power football. He Learn from it and move on. chances of success, the Wildcats will dress felt that he needed to choose between two Davidson got off to the desired start last 101 players this fall. His first year as head types of offense in order to give Davidson its year winning two of its first three games. coach saw 69 players in Davidson uniform. best chance of winning. He could choose to But a price was paid. The Wildcats lost sev- Some of the keys to the season, as open up the offense, spread the defense, eral key players in games two and three, Merritt observes: stress the passing game, or he could follow both victories, and the depth wasn’t there – - Develop the offensive line including the lead of such successful programs as especially at wide receiver and offensive line depth at those positions. Navy, Georgia Tech and Air Force and go – to overcome the injuries. - The continuing improvement of quar- with the triple option. Matt Mumme was in his first year as terback Jonathan Carkhuff and his ability to He chose to put the ball in the air. Davidson’s offensive coordinator. He inherit- direct Mumme’s rapid fire offense. Throw it and then throw it some more. ed an offense that had been more of a John - Kicking game consistency, which was To orchestrate that offense he hired Matt Deere than a racecar, so obviously the staff lacking a year ago. Mumme as offensive coordinator. Mumme had not recruited to the more wide-open - Staying healthy on defense, especially learned the offense from his father, Hal offensive tactics that Mumme coaches. The at safety. Mumme, who used it successfully at several injury to offensive players particularly at - The defense’s ability to get a big push schools including the University of Kentucky skill positions was a killer. As the Wildcats on the opposing quarterbacks in order to cre- where Matt played as a collegiate quarter- got healthier towards season’s end, the ate some chaos. back with his father the head coach. results were evident. Closing victories over “We’re excited about the season and When Matt Mumme introduced the Air Morehead State and Valparaiso produced understand our need to improve in order to Raid offense to Davidson in the spring of point totals of 28 and 30 respectively. close the gap on the top teams in our 2011, it was somewhat of a culture shock to Showed what the offense was capable of league,” Merritt said. “The quality of play in players who had been used to an entirely doing when all hands were on deck. the Pioneer League gets better each year. It’s different approach. Those two season-closing wins were cru- also going to help the entire league when Mumme had players sprint all the way cial as they sent the Wildcats into off-season our champion will qualify for the FCS play- to the end zone even if it meant running 100 conditioning work, recruiting and spring offs in 2013.” yards to get there. He wanted them to get drills with renewed confidence and enthusi- As Merritt looks at a roster that has used to the feeling of scoring. Going without asm. People were fired up. more speed and depth than it did a year ago, huddling, he demanded that plays be called So now the table is set up for the 2012 he feels strongly that Davidson is close to rapidly.