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Home , Buck Buchanan Award, Don Powers, John Zernhelt, Seibert Stadium, Total offense

A Detailed History of Furman

Final Standings

1. #Chattanooga 10-4 7-0 2. Samford 7-4 5-2 2. Western Caro 7-5 5-2 4. Wofford 6-5 4-3 5. 5-7 3-4 6. Furman 3-9 2-5 7. Mercer 6-6 1-6 8. VMI 2-10 1-6 Over the past two seasons, the Mocs have now taken the place of Georgia Southern or Appa- lachian State as the team to beat and the standard by which to be compared in the . The Mocs are 13-2 against Southern Conference foes over the past two seasons. #-Denotes SoCon Champion and FCS Playoff The Mocs have had some truly great players on both sides of the that have helped partcipant. contribute to their success in the SoCon over the past two seasons, including Jacob Huesman and defensive end Davis Tull. A New Era Huesman, a junior, picked up his second SoCon Offensive Player of the Year award for his efforts in 2014, as he finished the season with the nation’s highest completion percentage (67.6%), The 2014 season was the fifth in passing efficiency (156.2), fifth in points responsible for (222), 14th in passing TDs (23) beginning of a new era for Southern Conference and 20th in rushing scores (14). football, as Mercer and VMI began playing in the league, with the exit of Appalachian State, In total, Huesman completed the 2014 season connecting on 226-of-330 passes for 2,731 yards, Georgia Southern and Elon. 23 TDs and only eight INTs. As a rushing threat, Huesman rushed the ball 197 times for 1,009 yards and 14 scores. He presided over one of the best offenses in school history, as the Mocs The 2014 season in the Southern Conference averaged 411.5 YPG. will be remembered for some exciting football games, the rise of Western Carolina, and The 2014 season marked the end of a great career, as defensive end Davis Tull set a new SoCon establishing a new identity for the league, standard with 37 career sacks, as he became the first player since Appalachian State’s two-time which had long been known as the home of Award winner to win the league’s defensive player of the year perennial FCS powers Georgia Southern and award in three-straight seasons. Appalachian State. Tull finished his senior season by leading the SoCon in sacks (10.5) and tackles-for-loss (18). Over the years, the SoCon has produced eight national title winners, however, just one of Four times in Huesman’s six seasons as head coach a Chattanooga player has claimed the those national title winners remains, as Furman’s 1988 title remains all that is left of those league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Tull finished 12th in the voting for the Buck Buchan- eight crowns won by Marshall (2), Appalachian State (3) and Georgia Southern (6/3 as SoCon an Award, given to the best defensive player in FCS football. member). The Mocs also had one of the best newcomers in the SoCon, in freshman defensive back Lucas The league’s new identity really began in 2013, with Appalachian State and Georgia Southern Webb. Webb would tie for the league lead with six INTs, and would finish 16th in the voting for not eligible to win a Southern Conference title. the , given to the nation’s top freshman player. Though the Southern Conference was not what it has been in previous seasons in terms of While Chattanooga was busy putting together another title run, the 2014 season would mark strength, the league still produced elite football, and by the time the sun had set on the 2014 Western Carolina’s rise back towards the top of the Southern Conference. When Mark Speir campaign, only one team was left standing--the Chattanooga Mocs. took over three years ago, the Catamount football program was in shambles. However, Speir’s Catamounts served notice to the rest of the SoCon that they better respect what Speir and the Chattanooga simply dominated its way to a second-straight Southern Conference crown, Cats are busy doing in Cullowhee. including garnering the program’s second FCS playoff berth and first in three decades. It was the culmination of six years of hard work for Mocs head coach Russ Huesman, who has battled The Catamounts would post their best to get the Chattanooga program back to being a perennial title contender in the Southern season since 2001, posting a 7-5 overall Conference, which it was during the late 1970s and early ‘80s. record and with a 5-2 Southern Conference mark, tying for second in the Southern The Mocs went 7-0 in league play, becoming the first team to finish league play unbeaten Conference standings. since Appalachian State in 2009. The Mocs did so by producing one of the most dominant runs through league play in the history of the SoCon, defeating foes by an average of 26.5 PPG. It was The five league wins by the Purple and the largest margin of victory by any SoCon team throughout a season since Marshall in 1996. Gold matches the most conference wins in program history, tying the 2001 The Mocs were the lone qualifier for the FCS football playoffs out of the Southern Conference squad, which went 5-3 in league play. in 2014, which marked the first time since 2003 when Wofford was the only selection to the The Catamounts have won five games in league’s postseason in that particular campaign. The Mocs’ dominating performance in league league play nine times since joining the play was good enough to garner the Mocs the No. 8 seed heading into the postseason, meaning SoCon in 1977. that for the first time in program history, the Mocs would host an FCS playoff game. The second-place finish in the league The Mocs would roll over Indiana State, 35-14, in the opening round of the postseason, marking standings marked the best finish since the first FCS playoff win in the history of the program. Unfortunately, however, the Mocs would 1986, and marked just the fourth time see their season end in the FCS quarterfinals with a 35-30 loss on the road at No. 1 seed New in its membership in the SoCon that the Catamounts have finished second in the Southern Hampshire. Conference. The Mocs appeared to be on their way to another historic win for the program, leading the Wild- It was a dream start to Southern Conference play for the Catamounts, who started the 2014 cats 21-15 lead at the half, dominating every statistical category. However, the Wildcats stormed campaign 4-0, marking only the second time in Southern Conference history that the Cata- back in the second half, out-scoring the Mocs 20-9 to hand Chattanooga the season-ending loss. mounts had started league play by winning four-straight games. A Detailed History of3,096 yards.Furman He finished the game against Football the Crimson Tide with a pair of TD passes to redshirt sophomore Spearman Robinson. Robinson’s second scoring reception of the day pulled the Cat- “A New Era” amounts within 17-14 of the Crimson Tide in the second quarter, however, from there would score 31 unanswered points. Making the start to SoCon play even more remark- able is the fact that the Catamounts had won a total Fifteen Catamounts would end up garnering all-conference recognition by the Southern of three games in two seasons prior to 2014. Conference, including three which were unanimous selections to the First-Team All-SoCon team. Redshirt sophomore wideout Spearman Robinson on offense, while senior defensive back Ace It was one of the best coaching jobs from one season Clark and senior linebacker Christon Gill were unanimous selections on the second team. to the next in Southern Conference history. Sophomore defensive back Trey Morgan, who tied for the league lead with six INTs, garnered The Catamounts started the season by raising some second team All-SoCon honors as selected by the coaches, while garnering First-Team All-SoCon eyebrows, as the Catamounts set the tone for a plaudits from the media. strong season by going to South Florida and going toe-to-toe with American Athetic Conference Troy Mitchell, who finished the season connecting on 231-of-352 passes for 2,541 yards, with 20 member South Florida before dropping a 36-31 TDs and nine INTs and rushed for 555 yards and six scores finished the season as a Second Team decision. All-SoCon selection. After wins over non Division I members Brevard (45-21) and Catawba (35-17), the Catamounts were Western Carolina Junior Running Back intent on making a statement to open Southern Darius Ramsey Conference play. The Catamounts’ first opponent just happened to be one of steeped in tradition and a program that was not only the defending SoCon champion, but also the one that had claimed more league titles (13) than any other member in league history, as Western headed to Furman for the “Battle of Purple.” Western Carolina would an eight-game losing streak and claimed its first win in in two decades, handing the Paladins a 35-17 setback in Greenville. The story of that game was a Catamount offense that rolled up 411 yards in what was a balanced attack, while the defense limited the Paladins to 314 yards and held the Catamounts were able to limit Furman to its lowest point total in the series since 1997, when the Paladins were 17-16 losers in Cullowhee. Last year, Samford broke through and won its first Southern Conference title and first Division I conference crown as a Division I member. The Bulldogs would have plenty of new faces, espe- The win by the Catamounts snapped a streak of 22-straight road losses, including 15 straight cially on the offensive side of the ball, however, the Bulldogs would once again put together a road defeats at the hands of Southern Conference foes. Spearman Robinson was the hero of the strong season, posting a 7-5 overall record and 5-2 record in Southern Conference to finish in a day for the Catamounts, as the Palmetto State product, who starred at Greenwood High school, tie for second place in the SoCon standings with Western Carolina. hauled in five passes for 120 yards and a pair of scores. The 2014 season marked Samford’s third-straight with seven or more wins, and the 2014 Following the win over Furman, the Catamounts were brought back to earth a little bit, as a season would also mark the final campaign for the legendary Pat Sullivan on the , as late pick-six by defensive end Deonte Davis gave the Blue Hose its second win over a Southern he stepped down after the season following some health concerns. Sullivan will be succeeded Conference foe in 2014, as the Blue Hose posted a 19-14 victory over the Catamounts. by Chris Hatcher in 2015, who of course has experience coaching in the SoCon, as he spent three years in Statesboro (2007-09) as the head coach of Georgia Southern before getting Western would follow that with three-straight Southern Conference wins over Wofford (26-14), unceremoniously fired. Mercer (35-21) and The Citadel (29-15), setting up the game of the year in the league between the Catamounts and Mocs, as both league unbeatens faced off against each other in Cullowhee. Hatcher returned to Murray State where he coached from 2010-14, leading the Racers potent offense, which ranked in the Top 20 regularly, including the 2014 season, which saw Murray The Nov. 1 clash even saw snow fall at E.J. Whitmire Stadium, however, the Catamounts learned rank 15th in the FCS by averaging 484.4 YPG. the hard way that there was still much work to be done if Western wished to Southern Confer- ence champion, and it would be the Mocs’ big-game experience and talent that would show Hatcher will certainly have a good nucleus to work with in 2015, including quarterback Michael through in a resounding 51-0 win over the Catamounts in Cullowhee. Eubank, who transferred into Samford from Arizona State last spring. Western would be overwhelmed from the outset of the contest, and the game would never Sullivan, a former winner at Auburn, would see his Bulldogs take on two of the be close, as the Mocs carried a 38-0 lead into the halftime locker room. The Mocs rolled up nation’s best teams to bookend the 2014 season, beginning with a trip to Fort Worth, TX, to take 512 yards of total offense against the Catamount defense, including a season-high 386 on the on the TCU Horned Frogs in the season opener. ground en route to the blowout win. Despite the 48-14 loss to what turn out to be a team in the conversations for the four-team Western would run into a red-hot Samford team the following week in Birmingham, and with playoff by finishing the season with only one loss, the Bulldogs would put up a respectable its SoCon title hopes and FCS playoff aspirations severely damaged with the home loss to the effort in the road setback. Mocs, the Catamounts would see their struggles carry over to the game against the Bulldogs at Seibert Stadium. The Bulldogs scored one of their TDs on a 55-yard return for a score by Jamerson Blount, while the other score came from freshman running back Denzel Williams, who posted the lone The loss marked the Catamounts’ 11th-straight loss all-time to the Bulldogs, and despite the offensive score of the day for Samford, as he scored on a 2-yard yard run to complete a 10-play, 34-20 road loss, quarterback Troy Mitchell continued to show why he was one of the best in the 75-yard drive late in the opening half of play. SoCon, rushing for a pair of scores while adding another scoring pass to Spearman Robinson in the loss. After Samford made easy work of Stillman with a 52-0 win in the home opener on a Thursday night, the Bulldogs opened defense of their 2013 Southern Conference title by welcoming one Western would close out league play with another strong performance from Mitchell, who of the league’s two newcomers in 2014--VMI. passed for a career-high five TDs and added a 55-yard TD run, in helping the Catamounts close out SoCon play in strong fashion, with a 42-27 win over VMI. The Keydets, of course, were one of the charter members of the league until leaving for the following the 2002 season, but returned after the departures of Appalachian The SoCon regular-season finale saw the junior quarterback finish with 339 yards of total State, Georgia Southern and Elon. offense in the Catamounts’ throttling of the Keydets. Samford was the league’s newest member prior to VMI, ETSU and Mercer joining in 2014, Western Carolina would finish out the season at No. 1 Alabama where they would suffer a 48-14 however, when new faced old, the new kid on the block showed its elder little respect, as the setback, putting up what was a good battle all things considered against the top team in college Bulldogs rolled up a 63-21 win over Sparky Woods’ Keydets. football. It would be a breakout game for Michael Eubank helped the Bulldogs to 525 yards, including 49 Troy Mitchell would finish the day setting the total yards record for the Catamounts in the loss, first-half points in what turned out to be a record-setting day for Samford. The 63 points scored finishing with 204 yards of total offense against the Crimson Tide to finish the season with by the Bulldogs were their most in a game since joining the Southern Conference in 2008. A Detailed History of Furman Football “A New Era” ing Concordia, 55-0, as they headed into their final two Southern Conference games of the season. The Bulldogs had out-scored their opponents 110-0 in a two-week span in wins at The 63 points also marked the most Furman and on homecoming against Concordia. scored by the Bulldogs in a game since 1987. On Nov. 8, the Bulldogs would host a reeling Western Carolina club, which came to Birming- ham on the heels of a 51-0 homecoming loss to Chattanooga in a battle of league unbeatens. Keying the offense were a pair of new Samford would continue to be one of the hottest teams in the league, posting a 34-20 win over faces to the offense, in Eubank and the Catamounts. Denzel Williams. Eubank had only 66 yards passing, but rushed for four TDs Samford would post another big day offensively, rolling up a 461-396 edge in total offensive and 43 yards in the contest. He also yards, as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 28-7 lead at the half. The win made Sullivan the had a passing TD to account for five TD program’s all-time winningest head coach, as he collected his 46th victory as the head coach of responsibilities in the lopsided win. Samford. Sullivan’s 46th victory in an 11-year span broke the previous record of 45 wins set by Terry Bowden during his tenure as the head coach. Williams would finish the contest by rushing for a then-career-high The win also ensured the Bulldogs of its 178 yards and two scores in the win. fourth-straight winning season, as the win Williams was a newcomer on offense, improved the Bulldogs to 6-3 overall and 4-2 having conver in the SoCon. Samford Sophomore One of the games of the year in the Karel Hamilton The win would prove to be another big stage Southern Conference would take place for sophomore running back Denzel Williams, the following week, as two of the three teams that tied for the 2013 Southern title squared as the converted defensive back rushed for off in the Scenic City in a huge early season Southern Conference clash. 156 yards and a pair of scores on 27 attempts. Michael Eubank completed 15-of-24 passes The game was one of the top games of the weekend in FCS football, however, the 14th- for 232 yards and a pair of scores in the win. ranked Mocs proved too much for Samford, getting a 38-24 win over the Bulldogs. Samford would be led by Eubank, who passed for 244 yards on 18-of-33 passing, with a pair of TDs Karel Hamilton was once again Eubank’s and three INTs. favorite target, as he hauled in seven passes for 115 yards and a TD. Despite falling behind 24-3 at the half, Samford rallied to make things interesting in the sec- ond half, getting within 24-17 in the third quarter, after Eubank connected with sophomore Samford’s Southern Conference regular-sea- wideout Karel Hamilton with 8:09 left in the third quarter. However, that would be as close son finale would be a battle of the Bulldogs, as the Bulldogs would get the rest of the way. as Samford traveled to Johnson-Hagood Sta- dium for what would turn out to be another At 2-2 and 1-1 in the SoCon, the Bulldogs didn’t have time to dwell on the loss to the Mocs, Samford Head Football Coach Pat Sullivan outstanding game between the two programs Finished His Career With 47 Wins As The Bulldogs’ sporting the same mascot. as the high-octane offense of Mercer came to Seibert Stadium a week later to face the Head Coach Bulldogs. The Citadel would out-gain Samford, 419-360 in It would be a battle royale, and as so many games in Southern Conference play were in the game, however, it would be Samford sophomore running back Denzel Williams who would 2014, the game would come down to the wire, however, the Bulldogs would emerge, 21-18 end up being the difference in the game, as his 2-yard scoring run with 17 seconds to play, victors over Bobby Lamb’s pesky Bears. helped deliver a seventh win for the Bulldogs, as Samford rallied from a 17-13 deficit late in the game. It would be the Samford defense that would help the Bulldogs to a second Southern Conference win, as the high-octane offense of the Bears was held to just 262 yards. It would The two teams entered the fourth quarter tied, 7-7, before the two squads combined to explode mark Sullivan’s first win over Lamb, as Lamb came into the matchup 5-0 all-time against the for 23 points in the final quarter. Samford quarterback Michael Eubank produced yet another Samford head coach, with all three of those wins coming as the Furman head coach. 200-yard passing effort, as he completed 18-of-28 passes for 228 yards and a score, while Karel Hamilton continued to post numbers in what was a solid sophomore campaign, as he hauled in Michael Eubank would have a career day, passing for 262 yards and a TD, while wideout five passes for 71 yards. Tight end Tony Philpot added four receptions for 72 yards and a TD. Karel Hamilton caught 10 passes for 101 yards, and running back Denzel Williams rushed 18 times for a tough 66 yards and a pair of scores, as the Bulldogs moved to 3-0 on their home The defensive effort from Justin Cooper was probably the most impressive performance on field and 3-2 and 2-1 on the season. either side of the ball for either team, as he posted a career-high 17 tackles, including 15 of the solo variety. No loss would hurt Samford more than the one it suffered a week than the one it had on Oct. 18 against Wofford. Following an off-week, the Terriers came to Seibert Stadium and After Krondis Larry scored to give Samford a 13-10 lead, Warren Handrahan missed the PAT, would be the only team to emerge from Birmingham with a win in 2014, as it handed the leaving the Bulldogs’ lead at three points instead of four with a little over eight minutes left to Bulldogs a 24-20 setback. play. The loss would prove to be the Bulldogs’ final loss of the season to an FCS foe, as the Terriers It seemed that The Citadel was going to steal the victory, however, as the homestanding Bull- rolled up a 354-264 advantage in total offense en route to the four-point win, including a dogs got a 4-yard scoring run from quarterback Aaron Miller with just 1:57 remaining to give decisive advantage in rushing yards (197-49). The Bulldogs could find no openings in the The Citadel a 17-13 lead. The drive wilted 6:35 off the game clock, covering 75 yards in 14 plays. ground game against the Terriers, as they were held to a season-low 49 yards on the ground. But Samford would make the most of their final possession of the football game, using nine A second Southern Conference loss should have been enough to dampen morale, however, plays to cover 72 yards to set up Williams’ game-winning 2-yard run with just 17 seconds left. at 3-3 and 2-2 in the SoCon, the Bulldogs headed to Furman for a homecoming matchup as team that was angry, and they played like it, handing the Paladins their worst loss in At 7-3 and 5-2 in the SoCon, Samford closed out the 2014 regular-season with a game at Paladin Stadium history, with a 45-0 blitzing of the Purple and White. Sullivan’s alma mater, Auburn, which was in fitting fashion, considering it would be his last as a head coach. Bulldog quarterback completed Michael Eubank completed 22-of-33 passes for a career-high 314 yards and a TD. Eubank has also caught one TD pass from wide receiver The Bulldogs were defeated 31-7 by the No. 14 Auburn Tigers--a team that had been the Malik Johns on a trick play. It was one of two scoring passes for Johns in the contest. Denzel national runner-up just a year earlier. Williams rushed 19 times for 101 yards and a pair of scores. Rounding out the offensive superlatives for the Bulldogs was wideout Karel Hamilton, who caught nine passes for 206 “I couldn’t be more proud of the effort the players put into this game,” Samford head coach Pat yards and a TD. Sullivan said. “That was a good football team that we played. Our guys never quit, and I couldn’t be more proud of them.” It didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to take control of the game against the Paladins, blocking a for a score and then scoring on their first offensive play from scrimmage, as Eubank Samford had no answer for talented Tiger tailback Cameron Artis-Payne, who rushed 29 times found Hamilton on a 62-yard strike. for 124 yards and a TD, while Auburn QB Nick Marshall connected on 11-of-18 passes for 171 yards to lead a balanced Tiger offense, which totaled 386 yards (200- yds, 186-pass yds), as Following the win over Furman, Samford returned home for homecoming, easily dispatch- Auburn out-gained Samford 386-238 in total yards in the contest. A Detailed History of Furman Football “A New Era” ference season, when halfback Ray Smith took a pitch at his own eight and raced 92 yards for a score, giving Wofford a brief 9-7 lead with just 51 seconds remaining in the half. The Terriers Samford would finish out the would prove to give the Yellow Jackets all it could handle for most of the afternoon. season with 12 players earning a place on one of the two places on the All-Southern Conference team, with safety Jaquiski Tartt, who entered the season an a preaseason All-America selection as well as a Buck Buchanan Award candidate, earning First- Team accolades by the coaches and media. Sophomore wideout Karel Ham- ilton would follow Tartt on the First Team All-SoCon team, as he was also a unanimous First-Team All-SoCon pick. Lorenzo Long Fights For Tough Yards In A Wofford Homecoming Victory Over League Rival VMI Tartt finished out his senior season by registering 62 tackles, 3.0 TFL, an INT and a PBU. Hamilton was the league’s leading wide receiver, hauling in 55 passes for 877 yards and six TDs, averaging 15.9 YPR. Wofford Quarterback Evan Jacks Ran Into Trouble In Boiling Springs Against Big South Foe Gard- In his first season as a running back, Denzel Williams certainly seemed to make a smooth tran- ner-Webb, Dropping A 43-36 Game In What Was A Shootout sition from defensive back, as he finished out the season with 918 yards and four scores on 191 rush attempts (4.8 YPC), finishing fourth in the SoCon in rushing. Not bad considering Williams had to replace one of the best in program history, in Fabian Truss. Despite that late score by the Terriers, it would be Johnson’s Yellow Jackets that would enter the halftime locker room with the lead, as Harrison Butker connected on a 30-yard as time His 16 rushing scores in a season were just one away from tying the school-record for a expired in the half to make it a narrow 10-9 lead for the Yellow Jackets. single season. Williams ended up leading the SoCon in scoring (8.7 PPG). Williams was selected First-Team All-SoCon by the league’s coaches, while garnering Second Team All-SoCon plaudits, After Justin Thomas gave Georgia Tech a 17-9 lead on a 19-yard pass to DeAndre Smelter, the as chosen by the SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA). Terriers would get on the board once again with an impressive 51-yard field goal from David Marvin, cutting the Yellow Jacket lead to five, at 17-12, with 4:27 remaining in the third. Junior linebacker Justin Cooper will be one of the key components of the Samford defense in 2015, and the Bulldogs’ leading tackler in 2014 garnered Coaches’ First-Team All-SoCon honors, Despite having a solid season on the defensive side of the football, the Wofford defense couldn’t while he was selected Second Team All-SoCon by the SCSMA. come up with many answers to slow the Georgia Tech offense. Just 25 seconds later, the Yellow Jackets doubled Wofford, when Thomas hooked up with Smelter again, with this scoring play Punter Greg Peranich and offensive lineman Gunner Bromelow also earned a place on the cover 71 yards to make it a 24-12 game. While the Wofford front seven was strong all season, Coaches’ First Team All-SoCon scroll. the struggles to stop the big play in the passing game would once again be a harbinger for things to come for the Terriers. It was just two years ago that folks around the SoCon were waiting to see what record Eric Bre- itenstein would break next, but since his graduation, Mike Ayers’ Wofford Terriers have lacked Octavius Harden’s 4-yard run early in the fourth quarter would keep things interesting, as the the caliber of offensive player in the backfield of a Breitenstein, although it may be a stretch to Terriers climbed to within five once again, at 24-19, with just under 10 minutes to play. ever find such a talent come to Spartanburg of the SoCon again--at least anytime soon. In years when Wofford’s been at its most successful, challenging for a SoCon title or an FCS playoff bid, However, Georgia Tech would add an 11-yard scoring run from Zach Laskey, and a 4-yard scoring the Terriers have always had “that guy.” The Terriers are just 11-11 since the loss of Breitenstein run from Synjyn Days to set the final score. The Terriers actually out-rushed the Yellow Jackets, to graduation. 271-236, but Georgia Tech ended up holding a 508-326 advantage in total yards. In 2003, there was Kevious Johnson, and even before that, guys like Jesse McCoy, J.R. McNair Wofford was led by Smith, who finished with 108 yards and a TD on just four carries, while and Jeff Zolman became household names for Wofford football fans and SoCon afficianados. But starting quarterback Evan Jacks added 89 yards on 13 attempts. Jacks completed 5-of-9 passes the past couple of seasons, inconsistencies and injuries at quarterback, along with struggling for 26 yards. to find a go-to-back to log a majority of the carries has been two of the problems that have plagued the Old Gold and Black. Following an off week, Wofford would struggle at times, but managed to open its home slate with a 42-27 win over a tough, gritty North Greenville squad. With heavy thunderstorms in the Still, Ayers’ Terriers are a forced to be reckoned with in the Southern Conference, as they proved Upstate area, the game had two weather delays, but the Terriers would eventually improve to once again in 2014, and will once again be a challenger for the SoCon title in 2015, with most 1-1. everyone returning off one of the younger teams in the SoCon from the 2014 season. Of real concern, however, was Wofford’s pass defense, which saw the Crusaders roll up 370 yards Like the 2013 season, the Terriers would have their share of ups and downs, but got things going through the air, as NGU quarterback Nelson Hughes completed 33-of-43 throws. in a positive direction once again by recording a winning season, with a 6-5 mark overall and a 4-3 ledger in Southern Conference play. After Mason Sanders hauled in a 22-yard pass to give North Greenville the lead 7-0 following a three-and-out by the Terriers on their first possession of the day. Wofford would tie the football The Terriers would come into the season with a thing or two to prove no doubt, after finishing a game on their second drive, as Ray Smith bolted 26 yards for his second TD of the season and disappointing 5-6 overall and 3-5 in Southern Conference play in 2013. first of the night, tying the game, 7-7, with 5:14 left in the opening quarter. Wofford would open the season on the flats, as it would be a duel between two old coaches that A Brion Anderson INT would set up the go-ahead score for the Terriers, picking the ball off in knew each other quite well when the Terrriers took to the Bobby Dodd Stadium turf to take on the , giving Wofford the ball at its own 20. After a penalty pushed the ball back to the the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wofford 15, it would set the stage for the longest passing play of the season for the Terriers, as Evan Jacks found a wide open Will Irwin, who did the rest, out-racing the NGU defensive backs Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson spent five seasons as the head coach at Georgia Southern, to the end zone, giving Wofford a 14-7 lead. where he and Wofford head coach Mike Ayers would engage in some enthralling matchups. However, it was usually Johnson that came out on top over Ayers, as Johnson claimed all five Ten-straight points courtesy of a Justin Gravely field goal and a 39-yard scoring strike from matchups between the two during their days as Southern Conference rivals. Hughes to wideout Robbie Brown saw NGU re-take the lead, 17-14, with 1:22 remaining in the opening half. On a hot, late-summer afternoon in Atlanta, Ayers’ Terriers would once again put a scare into a Johnson-led team, only to see the same result hold true as had before, with Johnson’s Yellow NGU would start the second half with the football, but once again the Terrier defense would Jackets posting a 38-19 win over Wofford. produce a turnover and the Wofford offense made the NGU prove costly. Drake Michaelson picked off the Hughes pass and returned it to the NGU 10-yard line. Shortly thereafter, Irwin Despite the loss, the game would provide one of the most exciting plays of the Southern Con- A Detailed History of Furman Football “A New Era” second-lowest offensive total of the season, surrendering just 199 yards on the ground, and only 296 total yards, as the Terriers improved to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in SoCon play. would find the end zone on a 9-yard scamper, putting the Terriers back on Wofford, meanwhile, got a tough 84 yards on 23 carries from Long, while Jacks posted both top 21-17 with 12:08 remaining in the scoring runs for the Terriers, scampering in from 1 and 25 yards. The 25-yard run with 17 seconds third quarter. remaining in the third proved to be the game-winner. Gravely added a 40-yard field goal for Jacks turned in one of his best career performances, leading Wofford with 141 yards on 22 car- the Crusaders on the ensuing drive, ries go with his two scoring scampers. Jacks’ pivotal 25-yard scoring run came after the Bulldogs clipping the Terrier lead to a single had taken a 13-10 lead following a Cam Jackson 11-yard scoring run on the Bulldogs’ opening point, at 21-20, and that’s when the drive of the second half. weather issues would begin. Following the win over the Bulldogs, Wofford headed up to Western Carolina--a place where it After a 72-minute lightning delay, the had been successful over the years and facing a team it hadn’t lost to since 2005. However, the Terriers found the spark they needed, Terriers were in for a rude awakening when they stepped foot on the E.J. Whitmire Stadium turf, reeling off 21 unanswered points as the Catamounts would post 26 points on a kickoff return, a safety and a 1-yard scoring run to take a commanding 42-20 lead. by Troy Mitchell, a 24-yard run by Detrez Newsome and a Richard Sigmon 33-yard field goal, Three-consecutive scoring runs of 4, 1 accounting for all 26 Catamount points in what turned out to be a 26-14 win by the home team. and 4 yards by fullback Lorenzo Long effectively sealed the pesky Crusaders’ The game started out bad for the Terriers, which saw Newsome score one of his two TDs on the fate. Hughes would add a 1-yard run day by returning the opening kickoff of the game 100 yards for a score, electrifying the packed late to settle the final score, at 42-27. Wofford LB Kevin Thomas Stops Citadel QB Aaron Miller E.J. Whitmire Stadium. Wofford also fumbled inside the 5-yard line on another possession, and Short Of The Goal Line On The Game’s Final Play As Wofford it would just not be the Terriers’ day. Wofford LB Kevin Holds On For 16th-Straight Win Over The Citadel For the game, the Terriers held a narrow, 452-447 advantage in total offense, including out-rushing the visitors from Tigerville, The game was a fairly defensive-minded contest. much like the league opener for the Terriers S.C., 337-77. However, Wofford’s porous pass defense surrendered 370 yards through the air against the Bulldogs, and Wofford managed to hold a slight 273-246 lead in total offensive .Wofford quarterback Evan Jacks completed 6-of-9 passes for 115 yards, with a TD and an INT to yards, with Ray Smith leading the rushing charge for the Terriers battling for 63 yards on 13 help the Terriers to the win. carries, while Jacks posted 59 yards and a TD on 13 carries. The game had just one turnover, but the Terrier turnover inside the 5 proved to be very costly, as the Terriers were driving to take their Wofford’s balanced ground attack was led by Long, who rushed 15 times for 138 yards and those first lead of the contest before Lorenzo Long fumbled at the 1, and the Catamounts went to the three crucial scores that helped the Terriers finally put away their Upstate neighbors. half leading, 10-7. Things, however, would only get tougher for the Terrier secondary, as they headed to Boiling The loss to Western had dropped Wofford to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the SoCon, as Wofford headed Springs looking to avenge a 3-0 loss a year earlier in a quagmire played at in a to Birmingham trying to snap a two-game losing streak to one of the league’s preseason game which featured a torrential downpour the entire night. favorites, Samford. In stark contrast to that game played a year earlier, the Terriers found themselves in a shootout In 2013, Samford, who would eventually claim a share of the Southern Conference title, with Gardner-Webb in the 2014 meeting, and despite out-gaining Gardner-Webb, 425-358, the posted an important, 34-27, win over the 12th-ranked Terriers, in a win that proved vital in the Terriers would fall, 43-36, in Spangler Stadium, marking a second loss in as many seasons to the Bulldogs’ title run the prior season. Bulldogs. The game was pretty much a SoCon title and FCS playoff elimination game for both the Bulldogs With the loss, Wofford fell to 1-2 on the season. Lucas Beatty had a big night throwing the and Terriers. Wofford had lost a 24-17 heartbreaker in Seibert Stadium in Eric Breiten- football for the Bulldogs, as he connected on 22-of-33 passes for 233 yards and four TD respon- stein’s senior season of 2012. The Terriers learned during the week that they would be without sibilties (3-passing, 1-rushing) to lead the Bulldogs to another win over a SoCon foe in Spangler Evan Jacks the remainder of the season due to injury, forcing Michael Weimer into action as the Stadium. The Bulldogs defeated Furman, 28-21, inside the friendly confines to open the 2013 starter at Samford. season. With SoCon title hopes still alive for both, it would be Wofford who rise up and claim a close win A 21-point second quarter should have put Wofford in the driver’s seat, but it would be a late TD on this occasion, posting maybe its biggest win of the 2014 season, with a 24-20 win over the pass from Beatty to tight end Seth Cranfill, which was the second scoring hookup of the night Bulldogs. A stellar and stout defensive performance would key the victory for the Old Gold and between the two, which allowed the Bulldogs to get within eight points (28-20) after a missed Black, limiting the Bulldogs to a mere 49 yards on the ground, shutting down one of the league’s PAT, as the two teams entered the halftime locker room. most explosive runners, in Denzel Williams, who finished with just 48 yards on 12 attempts. Gardner-Webb would own the third quarter, out-scoring Wofford 16-0, taking a 36-28 advan- While it would be an afternoon that would see the young Williams struggle for Samford, it tage into the final period. After Wofford tied the game, 36-36, on an 11-yard run by Evan Jacks would be an afternoon which would see Lorenzo Long get back on track after struggling in the and a two-point conversion run by Ray Smith with 5:37 left, Wofford’s defense could not hold loss to Western Carolina. Long would finish the day with 128 yards on 20 carries. back the potent Bulldogs. The game would come down to the final quarter just as had been the case for in the previous Beatty found All-America wide receiver Kenny Cook on a 5-yard scoring pass with 2:04 remain- two seasons for the matchup between the Terriers and Bulldogs. Tied 17-17 heading into the ing, giving the Bulldogs a 43-36 after the PAT. The Terriers would move the ball to midfield on final quarter, Samford would take its first lead of the game, at 20-17, on a Warren Handrahan the final drive, however, Jacks’ 4th-and-10 pass was batted away, preserving the Bulldogs’ win 34-yard field goal with 12:02 remaining. over Wofford. But Wofford would get a 1-yard scoring plunge from Weimer with 4:34 left to clinch the 24-20 Lorenzo Long had a big night in the Wofford loss, rushing for 151 yards and a pair of scores on 19 win. The key play in the drive came from Lorenzo Long, as the Terriers faced a 4th-and-3 from attempts. The Terriers ended up holding a 322-126 advantage in rush yards. the Samford 22, as he gained 12 yards to keep what proved to be the game-winning drive alive. Wofford made easy work of Virginia-Wise, with a 49-15 win in a tune-up game for its Southern Samford would end up out-gaining the Terriers, despite getting next to nothing rushing the Conference opener against The Citadel. Despite having won 15-straight games against the football, as the Bulldogs held a 354-264 advantage in total offense. The win kept Wofford’s Bulldogs coming into the contest, there was still an uneasiness about facing the Bulldogs, who league title hopes and FCS playoff aspirations alive for at least another week, as the Terriers were under the direction of a new head coach, in Mike Houston, who took the job after Kevin improved to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the SoCon. The loss pretty much ended any hopes of a Higgins took the offensive coordinator position at Wake Forest. Houston came to The Citadel second-straight SoCon title for Samford, which dropped to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in SoCon play. after helping lead Lenoir-Rhyne to the brink of a national title in 2013 before losing in the title game. Wofford headed back to Spartanburg for Homecoming 2014 when the Terriers hosted VMI on the final day of October in league play. The Keydets were a team that had proven to be a thorn The 16th-straight win by Wofford in the series against the Bulldogs wouldn’t be finalized in the side of the Terriers at times during their first stint as a Southern Conference member. Few until the game’s final play. The Citadel trailed 17-13 with only four seconds remaining, and on will forget the 27-16 Keydet upset of Wofford in 2002, which likely cost Wofford a playoff spot 4th-and-goal from the three, Wofford linebacker Kevin Thomas stone-walled Citadel shifty, despite a 9-3 regular season. athletic quarterback Aaron Miller just inches from pay dirt as time expired, giving Wofford its 16th-straight win over The Citadel in the most dramatic of fashions. There would be no such upset in 2014, as Wofford would dominate the football game the entire way, getting a 38-3 homecoming win over VMI. The Terriers would stroll to a 24-3 halftime edge In what was a defensive struggle for the entire afternoon, the Terriers held The Citadel to its and never looked back en route to the big win. A Detailed History of Furman Football “A New Era” The Terriers would have another big Following back-to-back losses, the Terriers would close out the regular-season with a home afternoon rushing the football, finishing game against one of the league newcomers, as Mercer came calling. the contest 374 yards on the ground, while limiiting the Keydets to just 58 yards There was a lot at stake for Mike Ayers and Wofford, who entered the regular-season finale with on the ground. a 5-5 record and a 3-3 mark in the SoCon. The main thing at stake was making sure the Terriers didn’t suffer a second-straight losing season both overall and in the conference. The Terriers would finish the contest with a pair of 100-yard rushers, as Lorenzo The rivalry between Ayers and Lamb has been well-documented in the past, dating back to the Long led the way with 125 yards and a 2002 matchup when Lamb was at Furman, as a pep rally was held the Thursday night before pair of scores on 19 attempts, while half- that monumental late-season contest, which ultimately decided both teams’ playoff and SoCon back Octavius Harden posted 100 yards on title fates. just seven carries. On that rainy day at Gibbs Stadium and fueled by the motivation of a burning effigy of former The Terriers also threw for 125 yards, with Paladin quarterback Billy Napier, Lamb’s Paladins relished the underdog role and broke the Michael Weimer hitting on 5-of-7 passes hearts of a rowdy Wofford crowd hoping to see the Terriers win their first SoCon title and for 85 yards, with a TD and an INT. Weimer advance to the FCS playoffs, with a 23-21 win. also added a rushing score. Though Lamb was now the head coach at Mercer, there was still plenty on the line for his Bears It was a fourth-straight impressive in a battle of two of the best head coaches in the SoCon. Like Wofford, a Mercer win could give the Bears a winning season in their first season playing in a scholarship conference with about performance from the Terrier defense Wofford Quarterback Michael Weimer (pictured after struggling early on in the season, as left) Would Be Called Into Duty Against Samford After 30 less scholarships than every team the Bears played. Wofford held one of the top passing teams Evan Jacks Went Down With Season-Ending Injury in the league, in VMI, to just 139 yards In the first meeting between the two head coaches since the 2010 season, it would be Mike through the air. The Terriers held the eventual Southern Conference Freshman of the Year quar- Ayers that would get the better end of the rivalry between the two, as he claimed his sec- terback Alan Cobb to just 14-of-25 passing for 111 yards and an INT. The Terriers out-gained ond-straight win over Lamb, as Wofford fashioned its most complete performance of the season VMI, by over 300 yards (499-197) in the contest. with a 34-6 win over the Bears. Following its win over VMI, the Terriers improved to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the SoCon, as Wofford It was a complete effort from the Terriers, as Wofford would end up closing out the season with headed to Chattanooga for the second-straight season looking to keep its playoff and SoCon a strong showing, and even perhaps signaled their return to the upper echelon of the Southern title hopes alive. However, the result ended the same as it had in 2013, as the Terriers dropped Conference in 2015. their second straight game to Chattanooga, with the Mocs claiming a 31-13 win over Wofford, although the game was closer than the score might indicate. In the win over the Bears, it would prove to be another strong rushing effort for Wofford, which rolled up a 380-87 advantage in rushing yards alone, and the Terriers also posted a 450-151 Things would seemingly start well enough for the Terriers, as on just the third play from edge in total offense. scrimmage, Ray Smith would scamper 72 yards for a score to put the Terriers on top 6-0 after the PAT was blocked. The Terriers would dominate the football game from the outset, leading 34-0 before Mercer finally got on the scoreboard with a 3-yard scoring run by Bears quarterback John Russ to set Chattanooga would answer on its first drive of the afternoon, using good field position follow- the final score after a missed two-point conversion. Lorenzo Long close out a strong campaign ing a 46-yard kickoff return by Tommy Hudson to put the Mocs in great field position. The Mocs for Wofford by rushing for 105 yards and four TDs, while starting signal-caller Michael Weimer got a pair of first downs to set up the first score of the day, which was a 7-yard TD run by Keon added 95 rushing yards and a score in the win. Williams. The win saw the Terriers complete the 2014 season with a 6-5 mark and a 4-3 in the Southern Tight end Faysal Shafaat gave the Mocs an eight point second quarter advantage when he Conference, which could loom large in recruiting. The win was important because a loss would hauled in a 5-yard pass from quarterback Jacob Huesman. The Terriers would pull within a have meant two-straight losing seasons for Wofford football, which would have surely affected point at the half, however, when Lorenzo Long scored Wofford’s second long scoring run of the recruiting more than most realize, especially at the FCS level when every scholarship and signee day, sprinting 42 yards for a score, and after David Marvin’s PAT, Wofford trailed by just a point matters. (14-13) at the break. Wofford’s young offensive line once again had the Terriers among the league’s leaders in rushing The Mocs would break the game open in the third quarter, however, as Keon Williams scored offense, finishing the 2014 season ranking third nationally in rushing offense to close out the on runs of 11 and 7 yards to extend the Mocs lead to 15, at 28-13, and Henrique Ribeiro added campaign, averaging 296.7 YPG in 2014. a fourth quarter 27-yard field goal, as UTC would out-score Wofford 18-0 in the second half. It would be the first of two scoreless second halves in as many weeks for a suddenly struggling The Terriers certainly enjoyed the friendly confines of Gibbs Stadium in 2014, going unbeaten on Terrier offense. the home turf, posting a 5-0 mark. However, when the Terriers traveled away from Sparkle City, Wofford went just 1-5, with the only win on the road coming in Birmingham over Samford. Things started well enough for Wofford against I-85 rival Furman, as the Terriers overcame a first-quarter deficit to take a 14-10 following a second short scoring run for Lorenzo Long with Eight Terriers garnered All-SoCon recognition, including a pair of Terriers which garnered 8:39 remaining in the half. First-Team All-SoCon accolades. Senior defensive lineman Tarek Odom and sophomore offensive lineman Anton Wahrby were both named to the coaches’ First-Team All-SoCon team, while However, it would be the final points of the day for Wofford, who in eerily similar fashion as the T.J. Chamberlain joined Odom on the First-Team All-SoCon Team as selected by the Southern 2013 meeting with the Paladins, saw Furman control the game the rest of the way. The Paladins Conference media members. would out-score Wofford 21-0 the remainder of the game, claiming a fourth win in a five-year span, with a 31-10 win in Greenville. Odom was one of the few seniors for the Terriers in 2014, and the native of the oldest city in the United States--Saint Augustine, FL--posted 41 tackles, 11.0 TFL and 4.0 sacks. For his career, The story once again was the Wofford pass defense against the Paladins, as Furman got a Odom was a versatile defensive lineman, having played both and defensive end spectacular passing performance from its field general in a game against Wofford. Freshman in his four seasons as a Terrier. quarterback P.J. Blazejowski completed all 15 of his passes for 305 yards and a pair of scores to lead the Paladins to the big win. He will finish his career with 34.0 career tackles-for-loss, which ranks fourth in program history. His 2014 First-Team All-SoCon selection marks the third time in his four years that he garnered In 2013 and ‘14, Paladin Reese Hannon and Blazejowski have feasted on the All-SoCon recognition. Wofford secondary, connecting on a combined 38-of-52 passing for 631 yards with three scores and just one INT. Wahrby, a sophomore from Sweden, was one of the key members of a young offensive front, which did not start a senior in 2014. He started all 11 games at right offensive tackle, leading Over the past four seasons since Bruce Fowler took over prior to the 2011 season, the Paladins the team in knockdown blocks and helped the Terriers rank third nationally in rushing average. have had five 300-yard passing performances, with Chris Forcier recording a pair of 300-yard passing efforts in 2011, with two of those coming against Wofford. Blazejowski’s 15-straight Chamberlain, a junior, was one of the veteran leaders of the Wofford offensive front in 2014, and completions in a single game was a Furman school mark. All told, Furman would finish the he would rank fourth on the team in knockdown blocks, while also being a key part of the right game out-gaining Wofford, 381-300. side of that Terrier offensive front, starting alongside Wahrby at right guard. Like Wahrby, he started all 11 games for Wofford. A Detailed History of Furman Football “A New Era” league. Two other Terriers garnered Second Team All-SoCon recognition, as junior defensive lineman E.J. Speller,and sophomore RB Lo- renzo Long were also honored. Long finished the season just 70 yards shy of 1,000 yards rushing, completing the campaign with 930 yards and 15 rushing scores. His 15 rushing TDs and 930 rushing yards ranked third in the SoCon in 2014. Additionally, three Terriers garnered SoCon All-Freshman accolades, as linebacker Terrance Morris, offensive lineman Davis Lenior and place-kicker David Marvin were all recognized as SoCon All-Freshman honorees. The Citadel was beginning a new era of its own in 2014, as the Bulldogs were under the direction of a new head coach, in Mike Hous- ton, who took the head coaching job after The Citadel Senior QB Aaron Miller Finished former Bulldog head coach Kevin Higgins the 2014 season with 1,080 rush yds, which was left after nine seasons to join Dave Clawson’s second in the SoCon in 2014 staff as an offensive assistant at Wake Forest following the 2013 season. Higgins had some success as the Bulldogs’ head coach, claiming two seven-win seasons, and some high-profile wins, including a pair of victories over Top 10 foes Georgia Southern and Appalachian State in recent seasons, as well as coaching one of the best wideouts in Southern Conference history, in cadet Andre Roberts. But the Bulldogs were never quite able to get over the hump. The Bulldogs came closest to getting back to the elite status among its SoCon brethren it enjoyed during the Charlie Taafe era in 2007, as the Bulldogs suffered a setback late in the season, when quarterback Duran Lawson went down with a season-ending injury in a loss to Georgia Southern. In 2012, the Bulldogs defeated Georgia Southern, Appalachian State and Furman in the same season for the first time since 2003, but did not do enough to sway the FCS playoff committee, as the Bulldogs were left out of the postseason with a 7-4 mark. Houston certainly had the background the Bulldogs were looking for, which is a background coaching the triple option. The Bulldogs had gone away from the offense which had made them so successful under Taafe after stepped down following the 2000 season, and with his departure, The Citadel went away from the triple-option under the direction of Ellis Johnson (2001-2002) and (2003-04), and wouldn’t return to a version of that option until Higgins’ sixth season as The Citadel’s head coach in 2010. The 2014 season was supposed to be a rebuilding season for The Citadel, but despite one of the toughest schedules in the nation and being picked to finish sixth in the SoCon at the preseason media outing in Spartanburg in late July, the Bulldogs would exceed those expectations by one position in the final standings, finishing fifth in the league’s final standings, posting a 5-7 overall record and a 3-4 mark in Southern Conference play. It was easy to see why Houston had been so successful at Division II Lenoir Rhyne, as the Bears were the national runner-up in Division II in 2013. Houston had a new man under center, in senior Aaron Miller, who replaced Ben Dupree under center, who had graduated. Miller had split time with Dupree the previous two seasons in the Bulldogs’ triple option offense. In 2014, Miller would turn in one of the best seasons in school history by a quarterback, finish- ing the campaign with 1,080 rushing yards, which is tied for the 10th best rushing performance in the history of The Citadel football program, including the third-best for a quarterback. He was the leader of a Citadel offense which finished the season with 4,166 rushing yards on the season, averaging 347.2 YPG and ranked second nationally. The 347.2 YPG average ranked as the second-best rushing offense in the rich tradition of Citadel football. The Bulldogs finished the season as the league’s most dynamic offense, averaging 427.0 YPG, as The Citadel was the offensive statistical champion of the Southern Conference for just the second time in program history, and the first time since 1971, when the Bulldogs averaged 457.3 YPG. Stay tuned in the coming days for part II of the 2014 Southern Conference Season Recap.Includ- ed will be the recaps for The Citadel, Furman, Mercer and VMI, as well as notes, both the coaches and media all-conference teams, my all-league teams and a brief look ahead to what could play out in the league in 2015. This will be the final helping of Southern Conference football reading until recruiting, so be sure to save this to your computer and stay tuned for SaturdayBlitz for the second helping of this in-depth recap of the 2014 football season in the SoCon, which was indeed a new era for the