A Detailed History of Furman Football RISE OF THE OLD GUARD

The 2014 football season is almost here, and with Georgia Southern, Appalachian State and Elon having all left for different conferences and classifications, the Southern Conference will likely now see a ressurection of the old guard. What does that mean?

What it means is the old Southern Conference football titans, which before Appalachian got its mo-mentum as a program going in full force in the mid-late 1980’s, and prior to Georgia Southern joining the SoCon in 1993, the Southern Conference had its old guard of Furman and Chattanooga.

The Paladins and Mocs were competing the at a high level in the SoCon, winning titles and routinely finding themselves ranked highly in the preseason projections by the league’s media and coaches for about an 12-year span from about 1977-89.

During that span, the Paladins and Mocs were able to claim outright or shared Southern Conference title 13 times. The Paladins claimed nine SoCon titles from 1978-89, while Chattanooga was able to boast four Southern Conference titles.

In tying for the league’s crown this past season, the Mocs garnered the program’s fifth league title, while Furman’s title marked its 13th, and first since 2004. Chattanooga’s last crown has been quite a bit longer, which came way back in 1984.

But Chattanooga’s crown was bittersweet, as the Mocs failed to find themselves selected into the FCS postseason, and the streak of having missed the postseason stretches now to 30 years heading into 2014.

That will obviously be Chattanooga’s motivation heading into the 2014 season, which will be taking that next crucial step as a program, helping the Mocs be known more than just an accomplished basketball program.

Few remember the Mocs as once being one of the SoCon’s most dominant teams in the mid-late 1970s under the direction of Joe Morrison--the chain-smoking head coach that went on to further success at South Carolina later on.

Few also probably know the Mocs defeated Appalachian State, 72-14, in 1978, which was the worst defeat ever suffered by the Mountaineers in their Southern Conference membership.

Morrison’s Mocs would enjoy a nice run in the Southern Conferece in the late 1970s, and this was the era in which the Furman and Chattanooga rivalry really grew its roots. From 1977-79, the two pro-grams started to build their success and tradition as winning programs during those three seasons.

Chattanooga joined the Southern Conference as a league member of course in 1977, and in that first season of membership, which would see the influx of new teams over the next couple of seasons, with Chattanooga, Western Carolina, Marshall, Appalachian State and East Tennessee State all coming into the league.

The Mocs were the most successful of the new members in the early going, and in their first season as a member, won their first Southern Conference title. The Mocs had only one blemish during their first season as a league member, which saw the Mocs finish 9-1-1 and 4-1 in the SoCon, and that would be a 17-7 loss to Furman in their first-ever SoCon home game. The Mocs would share the league crown with VMI, who ironically, re-enters the league this fall after an 11-year stint in the Big South.

In 1978, Furman would claim its first Southern Conference crown under the direction of first-year head coach Dick Sheridan, who helped Furman post an 8-3 record and a 4-1 league record, with Furman’s only SoCon blemish being a 13-9 loss to the Mocs in Greenville, which helped Morrison’s Mocs claim a share of the ‘78 title along with the Paladins.

Chattanooga would have won the title outright had it not been for a memorable goal-line stand by Furman against The Citadel, stopping Bulldog acclaimed running back Stump Mitchell for no gain on fourth-and-goal late in the fourth quarter, as Furman held on for a 17-13 win at Sirrine Stadium in Greenville.

The ending to that ‘78 season, which saw the Mocs and Paladins share the title, was strangely similar to the 2013 shared crown, only it was Chattanooga’s missed field goal in overtime that left the door open for Furman to claim a share of the crown, and after Furman’s 27-14 win over Wofford.

What was the icing on the cake for Furman was the late TD by Samford against Elon in the waning seconds, as the Bulldogs gained a 33-32 win over the Phoenix, allowing the Paladins qualification by virtue of the automatic bid as a result of Samford making it a three-way tie for the conference title with the late score.

Chattanooga claimed the 1979 SoCon title, as it claimed an outright league title, posting a 5-1 league record and finished 9-2 overall. The Mocs demolished the Paladins, 45-14, that particular season, and would win three out of the next five meetings with the Paladins from 1980-84, with four of those five meetings being decided by a TD or less.

Going into the 2014 season, both Furman and Chattanooga head into the season as favorites once again with head coaches that were apart of those late 1970s title runs at their respective alma maters. That friendly rivalry has carried over from the gridiron, in which both were defensive backs as players, to the sidelines where both are now the head coaches, reviving the rivalry and the winning culture at both of those programs.

Chattanooga head coach Russ Huesman has posted a 31-25 record overall heading into his sixth season as the head coach of the Mocs, while Furman’s Bruce Fowler has a 17-19 heading into his fourth season at Furman. Fowler improved the Paladins by five wins last season, and answered many of his detractors last season by following a tough 3-8 season by winning eight games last fall.

Now, Chattanooga and Furman find themselves perched atop the Southern Conference as the teams to beat entering the 2014 season. The Nov. 22 matchup, which is the last week of the regular season, will see the two square off against each other.

After 16-straight wins in the series by the Paladins, the Mocs have won three out of the past four in the series, including out-scoring the Paladins 62-19 in each of the past two meetings. I expect this year’s meeting will be a little closer and will see both come into the matchup perhaps playing for a Southern Conference title--just like old times!

Quick Guide To 2014 SeasonCan’t Miss Conference Games:

—Chattanooga at Furman (Nov. 22)--Could be for the Southern Conference title when the two meet in late Nov.

—Furman at Mercer (Sept.6)--Will be the first-ever SoCon game for Mercer, as Lamb faces his alma mater.

—The Citadel at VMI (Nov. 22)--The game known as the Battle For The Silver Shaiko will continue with VMI’s return to the SoCon.

—Wofford at Chattanooga (Nov. 8)--Chattanooga shut down Terrier ground game last season in a 20-10 win and this one could have a bearing on how the SoCon title race shakes out this fall.

—Wofford at Samford (Oct. 18)--The Terriers look to end two-game skid against Bulldogs in Birmingham.

—Samford at Chattanooga (Sept. 27)--Huge game to close out the month of Sept. and it was this game last year, which saw Samford win 17-14 in OT, that decided the postseason fate for each.

—Samford at Furman (Oct. 27)--Furman would begin to gets its season turned around with a 34-17 Homecoming win over Samford last season in Greenville, and the two meet once again in the same locale.

—Mercer at Wofford (Nov. 22)--No love lost between the head coaches at these two respective institutions, which dates back to Bobby Lamb’s head coaching days at Furman, and the Nov. 22 meeting at Gibbs Stadium could see that rivalry re-kindle.

—Mercer at VMI (Sept. 27)--A meeting of two of the newest Southern Conference members, and it should be a good one, as both teams appear to be evenly matched, and it might prove to be the Bears’ first Southern Conference victory.

A Detailed History of Furman Football2014 Southern Conference Predictions

1. UTC has most talented team since mid 1980s

2. Furman is back to playing Elite SoCon Football

3. Wofford looks for redemption after 5-6 campaign

4. Bulldogs have Arizona St transfer QB Mike Eubank

5. Catamounts might be most improved team in FCS

6. Former LR coach Mike Houston is new leader of Dogs

7. Bobby Lamb back in SoCon and leading Mercer 8. VMI set for return to SoCon for first time since ‘02

Introduction: It’s that time again. Time to start taking a look at college football in the South-ern Conference, and as the 2014 World Cup winds down, it’s time to start getting the mind focused towards the 2014 season, which will be a new start for the league.

If the 2013 season was a season of transition, the 2014 season is one of new beginnings for the SoCon, with a pair of new teams set to join the Southern Conference this fall, in Mercer and VMI, who take the places of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, and East Tennessee State is set to join next season, replacing the loss of Elon, who joined App State and Georgia Southern by leaving to join the CAA.

The two additions bring with them a pair of coaches that know that the Southern Conference landscape very well, in Mercer head coach Bobby Lamb, as well as VMI boss Sparky Woods. Lamb of course was the longtime coach at Furman, spending nine years in Greenville and winning 67 games as head coach, while Sparky Woods was one of the founding fathers of Appa-lachian State’s success on the gridiron, helping the Mountaineers to their first two Southern Conference titles as a program, winning it in 1986 and ‘87, and helped the Mountaineers to 20-straight Southern Conference wins from 1986-88.

Lamb was named the 2004 Southern Conference Coach of the Year, as he led the Paladins to a No. 2 seed in the FCS postseason, and now is back in his native Peach State, where he has had so much success recruiting over the years, and is now helping Mercer build its football from the ground up.

In its first football season in 72 years, Lamb helped lead the Bears to a 10-win campaign, which helped him gain national recognition, but now the pressure rachets up a bit, as the Bears join the Southern Conference, but Lamb, having both played and coached in the league, should help ease that transition much easier than some other coaches might. He knows what it takes to win in the talent-rich FCS conference, and in time, he will have the Bears competitive in the SoCon in time.

The rest of the league should see the balance of power further take shape this fall, and that started to become apparent in 2013 in what was a wild finish to the campaign, which saw three teams tie for the league crown, but only two made postseason

appearances.

Furman, Samford and Chattanooga all found their respective spots atop the Southern Confer-ence ladder last fall, with Furman winning the automatic playoff berth by virtue of wins over The Citadel and Georgia Southern.

The title for Samford was their first conference crown since moving up to Division I football back in 1992. Furman and Samford would qualify for the postseason, while Chattanooga, despite eight wins for the first time since 1984, was left on the outside looking in when it came to play-off selection, as the streak ended for league titles for the Mocs, but continued for postseason appearances, which also dates back to 1984.

Head coach Russ Huesman and Co. will hope that changes this fall with the return of 14 starters, including Walter Payton Award candidate Jacob Huesman.

Furman, meanwhile, has 17 starters back from a team that really came on down the stretch last fall, which saw the Paladins claim their 13th Southern Conference title as a program--most of any Southern Conference program all-time--and the Paladins return nine regulars on the

Chattanooga Junior QB Jacob Huesman

defensive side of the football, while veteran junior Reese Hannon returns under center for the Purple and White.

SaturdayBlitz 2014 PreseasonAll-SoCon PicksFirst Team Offense

QB--Jacob Huesman--ChattanoogaRB--Hank McCloud--FurmanRB--Derrick Ziglar--VMIWR--Andrej Suttles--FurmanWR--Karnnoris Benson--Western CarolinaWR--Karel Hamilton--SamfordTE--Faysaal Shafaat--ChattanoogaOL--Charles Emert--FurmanOL--Wilson Heres--MercerOL--Kyle Champion--SamfordOL--Joe Turner--FurmanOL--Corey Levin--ChattanoogaPK--Warren Handrahan--SamfordRS--Shaun Warren--Western Carolina

First Team DefenseDL--Davis Tull--ChattanoogaDL--Gary Wilkins--FurmanDL--Justin Oxendine--The CitadelDL--Tarek Odom--WoffordLB--Carl Rider--FurmanLB--Carl Robinson--The CitadelLB--Ty Ward--MercerDB--Marcus McMorris--FurmanDB--Jaquiski Tartt--SamfordDB--Ace Clark--Western CarolinaDB--James Bradberry--SamfordP--Greg Peranich--Samford

Second Team OffenseQB--Reese Hannon--FurmanRB--Keon Williams--ChattanoogaRB--Darius Ramsey--Western CarolinaWR--Terryon Robinson--Western CarolinaWR--Sam Patterson--VMIWR--Gary Robinson--FurmanTE--Michael Helms--Western CarolinaOL--T.J. Chamberlain--WoffordOL--Synjen Herren--ChattanoogaOL--Jake Thornton--Western CarolinaOL--Avery White--MercerOL--Josh Wineberg--Western CarolinaPK--Richard Sigmon--Western CarolinaRS--Hank McCloud--Furman

Second Team DefenseDL--Daniel Ring--ChattanoogaDL--Josh Freeman--ChattanoogaDL--Caleb Hawkins--Western CarolinaDL--Ira McCune--FurmanLB--Christion Gill--Western CarolinaLB--Kevin Thomas--WoffordLB--Bobby Wilson--SamfordDB--Reggie Thomas--FurmanDB--Sertoneuse Harris--Western CarolinaDB--Tosin Aguebor--MercerDB--Trey Robinson--FurmanP--Nick Pollard--Chattanooga

Offensive Player of the Year: Jacob Huesman--ChattanoogaDefensive Player of the Year: Davis Hull--ChattanoogaJacobs Blocking Award Winner: Kyle Champion--SamfordNewcomer of the Year: Michael Eubank--SamfordCoach of the Year: Mark Speir--Western Carolina

A Detailed History of Furman Football2014 Team Previews:

1. Chattanooga (8-4, 6-2 SoCon in 2013)--Chattanooga won the Southern Conference title for the first time since the 1984 season last fall, marking the fifth Southern Conference crown won by the Mocs.

Russ Huesman is still building this program, and the goal remains a national title for a program that has only had traces with success among the elite in FCS football, and with 15 starters returning this fall, the Mocs have an

excellent chance to take that next step towards the top class of FCS football, as the Mocs will be looking to qualify for the FCS playoffs for just the second time in school history, and for the first time since 1984.

The offense will be in good stead, with Jacob Huesman (164-of-240 passing, 1,637 yds, 16 TDs, 5 INTs), who was recently named to the Sports Network’s preseason Walter Payton Award watch list, returns for his junior season under center for Chattanooga.

Through his first two seasons as Chattanooga’s quarterback, Huesman has been a record-setter, reminding UTC fans od some of those great running quarterbacks of the past, such as Kenyon Earl in the early 1990’s. He has rushed for 1,798 yards and 16 scores, while throwing for 3,349 yards and 29 scores under center, having accounted for 5,097 yards of total offense along with 45 TDs.

Huesman will have plenty of complimentary talents surrounding him this fall, and despite not having Terrell Robinson at wide receiver, the Mocs might actually have enough quality at the other skill positions, that the loss of Robinson might not even matter.

Keon Williams, who has rushed for 1,342 yards and 16 TDs in his career, including a career-high 687 yards and nine scores last season. Three starters return along the offensive front, with the best of those returnees being left tackle Cory Levin, who collected SoCon All-Freshman honors last fall. Tight end Faysal Shafaat is the top receiving option returning, and his 13 career scoring catches are tied for sixth on the school’s all-time career receiving scores chart.

The UTC defense has been stout in four out of five seasons in which Huesman has been in charge, which is no surprise since he presided over one of the best defenses in history prior to his arrival at UTC, which was the 2008 national-title winning defense at Richmond, which was called the “stonewall” defense. The Mocs ranked 17th in the FCS and ranked atop the SoCon in total defense (328.9 YPG) last fall.

Huesman may well have the best defensive player he has ever coached, in defensive end Davis Tull (52 tackles, 15.0 TFL, 9.0 sacks, 4 FFs), who became the first player to win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in consecutive seasons since Dexter Coakley did so for App State in 1995 and ‘96. Tull is one of just five starters returning on defense, however, three of those players return along the defensive front.

Chattanooga will once again be a top tier team in the Southern Conference, and the Mocs probably should have made the postseason last year, though a late-season loss at Samford proved to be costly.

This season, the Mocs have a more favorable schedule, and play an attractive non-conference slate, with trips to Central Michigan and Tennessee. The meeting with the Volunteers marks the first since 1969, and it wouldn’t shock me at all to see the Mocs to make things real interesting come Oct. 11 in Knoxville.

In conference play, the Mocs will host Samford (Sept. 27) and Wofford (Nov. 8) for a sec-ond-staight season, while traveling to Furman for a Nov. 22 showdown with the Paladins in a game that could very well decide the Southern Conference champion this fall.

2. Furman (8-6, 6-2 SoCon in 2013)-Coming off its 13th Southern Conference title--the most by any member past or present--Furman heads into the season with hopes of repeating the feats of a year ago, which saw the Paladins also return to the postseason for the first time since 2006 and win a playoff game for the first time since the ‘05 campaign.

If the Paladins could repeat the title run of a year ago, the Paladins would win back-to-back Southern Conference titles for the first time since the Bobby Johnson era, when the Paladins tied for league titles in both 1999 and 2000.

It was a special season for Furman, which had been through so much in the seven years since its last playoff appearance, but entering the month of November, the Paladins were just 3-5 overall, and though an automatic bid to the postseason was still possible, to actually entertain hopes of that as a fan or player at that point in the season almost seemed extremely optimistic and maybe bordering on insanity.

To their credit, the Paladins never stopped believing, and sometimes a young team can be a blessing in disguise for a coaching staff because they don’t yet know enough negatives in their careers to dampen such youthful optimism and belief. Furman would win its next six FCS games before eventually bowing out of the postseason with a 38-7 loss at eventual national champion North Dakota State in the second round of the playoffs.

One of the negatives heading into the campaign for the Paladins will be of course losing starters Jairus Hollman (NIC) and Eric Thoni (C), who were dismissed from the team after a violation of school policy towards the end of the school year. Both are significant losses, with each expected to be among the respective positions in the Southern Conference, as well as in the entire FCS entering the 2014 campaign.

Now, fourth-year head coach Bruce Fowler (17-19) has his best team in Greenville since taking over as head coach, returning 17 starters (7-offense, 8-defense, 2-special teams).

Leading the offense for the Paladins will be quarterback Reese Hannon (), who is coming off a solid second season as the Paladins’ starting signal-caller, while Hank McCloud () will try for a second-straight 1,000-yard rushing campaign as a part of the ground attack.

Andrej Suttles (50 rec, 697 yds, 3 TDs, 13.9 YPR) returns as the leading retuning receiver for the Paladins, after turning in what was a sensational freshman season for the Paladins. Suttles came on down the stretch for the Paladins, and was particularly key in Paladin victories over Georgia Southern and Samford late in the season.

Three starters return along the offensive line, with the most significant loss on the offensive side of the ball being left offensive tackle Dakota Dozier, who was drafted into the NFL by the New York Jets in the fourth round after an outstanding four years at Furman.

Furman’s defense should be among the best in the Southern Conference this fall, as nine starters return from a unit that flourished last season, particularly in getting teams turned over, as the Paladins ranked ninth nationally in turnover margin (+0.9) at season’s end.

Eight starters return on the defensive side of the football for the Paladins, with the front seven returning intact. The only losses for the Paladins in their ‘4-2-5 defensive alignment are all in the secondary, with nickel Jairus Hollman, cornerback Austin Williams and safety Greg Worthy all having departed, with Worthy and Williams having exercised their eligibility.

Furman should be very strong in its front seven, returning maybe the league’s top defensive end tandem outside Chattanooga, in All-America candidate Gary Wilkins (79 tackles, 13.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 TD), as well as All-SoCon candidate Shawn Boone, who missed almost the entire 2013 season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the week leading up to Furman’s Week three matchup with Presbyterian.

Furman will have two of the top linebackers in the nation this fall, as both Carl Rider (136 tack-les, 8.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF) and Cory Magwood return at the respective linebacker spots. Though the secondary must replace three starters, the two returning regulars are veterans, in Marcus McMorris (113 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 TD) and cornerback Reggie Thomas (63 tackles, 2 INTs, 7 PBUs, 1 INT).

McMorris will likely find himself as a preseason All-Southern Conference selection, as well as being an All-America selection. McMorris has a knack for finding the football and making big plays for the defense when he does.

Furman’s biggest loss comes on special teams, where record-setting placekicker Ray Early has departed, however, newcomer Jon Hollingsworth--a talented Shrine Bowl kicker from Green-wood High School with a strong leg, will have a chance to garner the starting job in preseason camp in August.

3. Wofford (5-6, 4-4 SoCon)--It was a disappointing 2013 season for Mike Ayers’ Wofford Terriers struggled towards the latter portion of the campaign, as the Old Gold and Black would lose their final four games of the regular-season, going from a Southern Conference title contender and Top 10 ranked team nationally-to-out of the FCS playoffs by the time the season ended.

Adding even more salt into Wofford’s wounds was the fact that the final game of the regu-lar-season, which saw the Terriers drop a 27-14 loss at Furman in the regular-season finale at Furman, which allowed the Terriers’ bitter arch-rivals tie for the Southern Conference title and gain automatic passage into the 2013 FCS playoffs.

Life after Eric Breitenstein didn’t quite go as well as some would have liked in year one after the all-everything running back graduated. There were some bright spots, however, which the Terriers will take into the 2014 season, and more importantly, the the Old Gold and Black welcome the return of 13 starters (6-offense, 7-defense, 0-special teams) to the fold for the 2014 campaign.

The Terriers lose top rusher Donovan Johnson to graduation, but the good news is five of the six top rushing threats from a year ago return. Jonny Martin (82 rush att, 399 yds, 7 TDs, 4.9 YPC) returns as the top fullback, while Octavius Harden (27 rush att, 170 yds, 2 TDs, 6.3 YPC) and Will Gay (70 rush att, 486 yds, 2 TDs, 6.9 YPC) round out what should be a talented backfield trio behind whoever ends up winning the starting job under center.

The Terriers welcome back Michael Weimer (16-of-40 passing, 313 yds, 4 TDs, 3 INTs) and Evan Jacks (28-of-59 passing, 252 yds, 3 INTs) back under center, while sophomore Taylor Bragg could also challenge for time under center in preseason drills in August.

Breitenstein was able to mask some of the inconsistencies at the quarterback position the past couple of seasons due to his superior talent and production in what was one of the top offenses in the Southern Conference in 2011 and ‘12. Jacks also rushed for 243 yards and a pair of scores.

Without Breitenstein exposing opposing defenses in 2013, the Terriers struggled to find their collective footing offensively, completing the campaign ranking eighth out of nine teams in the SoCon in total offense (355.3 YPG), which came on the heels of a 2012 season which saw the Old Gold and Black rank third in the SoCon in total offense (400.7 YPG), while ranking second in the league and third nationally in rushing offense (349.7 YPG) two years ago.

Wofford always seems to fashion one of the nation’s top offensive lines, and should once again be in excellent shape, but it also remains the biggest concern heading into the 2014 season with

A Detailed History of Furman Footballthe graduation of three starters, as Ty Gregory (LG), Jared Singleton (C) and Tony Goodwin (LT) must all be replaced along the offensive front for the Terriers. The best of the returning starters along the offensive front for the 2014 season is right guard T.J. Chamberlain, who should contend for All-SoCon honors this fall.

A good glut of experience returns on defense, which will be under the leadership of a new defensive coordinator in 2014, as former All-American defensive lineman Nathan Fuqua will have full control of the defensive in 2014, after Jack Teachey stepped away to pursue other opportunities following the 2013 season.

The most damaging losses due to graduation on the defensive side of the football were All-So-Con caliber LBs, Mike McCrimmon and Alvin Scioneaux. The strength of the defense will be the defensive line, which will be led by one of the league’s top defensive ends, in senior Tarek Odom. Odom finished the 2013 season with 47 tackles, 13.0 TFL and a pair of sacks.

Expect Wofford to make its triumphant return to the league’s elite this fall, and the Terriers will open the season with an attractive game at Georgia Tech on Aug. 30, in what will be the rekin-dling of an old rivalry between two geniuses of the triple option offense, in Ayers and Yellow Jackets and former Georgia Southern head coach Paul Johnson. Ayers was 0-5 all-time against Johnson during his time at Georgia Southern when the two met as Southern Conference rivals.

The Terriers will also play two non Division I foes as a part of their non-league, 12-game sched-ule in 2014, facing both North Greenville (Sept. 13) and UVA-Wise (Sept. 17), while looking to avenge a 3-0 loss to Gardner-Webb last season when the Terriers travel to Boiling Springs, N.C. on Sept. 20.

Wofford will face Furman (Nov. 15), Chattanooga (Nov. 8) and Samford (Oct. 18) all on the road, making the 2014 schedule increasingly difficult.

Despite the obstacles, I think eight wins are possible for this Terrier team, however, there’s no margin for error with two non Division I games, meaning the Terriers need to win seven of their other nine games, which excludes the non Division I games and the opener at Georgia Tech.

4. Samford (8-5, 6-2 SoCon co-Champions in 2013)

Samford comes off a 2013 season which saw it accomplish so many firsts as a program, with the Bulldogs claiming a share of the 2013 Southern Conference title, and returned to the postseason for the first time since the early 1990s, before bowing out in the second round with a 55-14 loss to Jacksonville State in the opening round of the postseason.

Though it was a lopsided setback, the Bulldogs have to look at the 2013 season as a major success overall, but head coach Pat Sullivan has major losses to deal with entering the 2014 season, with major losses on the offensive side of the football, including the league’s three-time reigning champion in all-purpose yards, in running back Fabian Truss, as well as starting quarterback Andy Summerlin, who was the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, according to the league’s media.

The good news is the Bulldogs went out and got a pretty big name under center, landing the league’s highest profile transfer, in Arizona State backup quarterback Michael Eubanks, who has great size at 6-4, 260-lbs.

The Bulldogs must also replace three of the top four receiving options from last season, includ-ing All-SoCon and leading receiving option Kelsey Pope, who also doubled by completing his standout career as Samford’s all-time leading receiver.

Though the offense doesn’t return much in the way of production from last season, the unit will be given an immediate shot in the arm with addition of a high-profile FBS transfer, in Arizona State quarterback Michael Eubank.

The 6-5, 240-pound quarterback has a strong arm, and the new Bulldog installment under cen-ter will have the services of Karel Hamilton returning on the offensive side of the ball. Hamilton was the team’s second-leading receiver last season, hauling in 38 passes for 657 yards (17.3 YPR) and seven TDs, garnering SoCon All-Freshman honors in 2013.

Samford has the most to look forward to on the defensive side of the football, and although the Bulldogs must replace middle linebacker and media Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year Justin Shade, Samford does welcome the return of eight starters, including All-America safety Jaquiski Tartt, who was the preseason SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, and finished the season with 98 tackles, an INT and a TD. Tartt also led the team with nine pass break-ups last fall.

The Bulldogs also don’t have the easiest of schedules heading into the 2014 season, facing both TCU and Auburm, which bookend the campaign for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs will get a little bit of a reprieve with games against Stillman and Concordia. Getting back to the playoffs in 2014 will be much tougher, and eight wins will be hard to come by against what is a tough slate in 2014.

5. Western Carolina (2-10, 1-7 SoCon)

So what team takes the biggest jump in the Southern Conference this season? If you answered Western Carolina then you agree with me. Mark Speir enters his third season at the helm of the Catamounts’ football program, and slowly but surely, the former Applachian State assistant is starting to have a positive effect in Cullowhee.

Western Carolina WR Karnorris Benson

The Catamounts looked like a totally different team at the end of the 2013 season than the one that started the campaign. The Catamounts gave eventual Southern Conference co-champion Furman all it could handle in the regular-season home finale at Whitmire Stadium, and were it not for mistakes, the Catamounts might have made the game at Georgia Southern interesting in the final meeting between the two as SoCon and FCS rivals.

The Catamount offense should be among the best in the Southern Conference this fall, re-turning one of the top receivers in the nation, with the return of Karnorris Benson (51 rec, 834 yds, 12 TDs, 16.4 YPR) to the fold.

No team returns as many starters as the Catamounts do, as Western welcomes the return of nine on the offensive side of the football, while 10 are back on defense. The spread offense--which will be in its third season under Speir’s staff--showed tremendous improvement last fall, with both Eddie Sullivan and Troy Mitchell once again sharing the signal-calling duties.

The Catamounts finished the season ranking fifth in the SoCon in total offense (359.9 YPG) and were fourth in the league in passing offense (221.2 YPG) last fall. The running game also saw its numbers improve in Speir’s second season at the helm in Cullowhee, ranking sixth in the nine-team league after ranking eighth in 2012, as the Purple and Gold averaged 138.7 YPG on the ground.

While two quarterbacks alternated starting duties for the Catamounts last season, Sullivan appears to have separated himself from Mitchell coming out of the spring. Sullivan seemed to establish himself as more of a veteran leader as the season progressed in 2013, and he really started to hit his stride and get a hang for what Speir wants in this offense as the season wound down.

He finished the campaign by connecting on 80-of-165 passes for 1,041 yards, with five TDs and eight INTs. The INT total obviously needs to come down this fall, as Sullivan gets even more acquainted in Speir’s offense since transferring in from Marshall. As a running threat, Sullivan finished up the 2013 season with 185 yards and a score, as he finished third on the team in rushing last season.

Mitchell, who is the better athlete of the two signal-callers, got off to a strong start to the 2013 season, only to see his numbers taper off down the stretch. As a passing threat, Mitchell connected on 131-of-227 passes for 1,614 yards, 12 TDs and 10 INTs. He finished as the team’s second-leading rusher, having posted 560 yards and a pair of ground scores last season. Mitchell finished the 2013 season averaging 4.2 YPC.

Also enhancing the ground game for Speir’s Purple and Gold-clad Catamounts in 2014 will be junior running back Darius Ramsey. in his first two seasons carrying the football for the Catamounts, Ramsey has rushed for 1,068 yards and six TDs. He led the Catamounts in rushing this past fall, posting 565 yards rushing on 139 attempts, posting an average of 4.1 YPC.

However, the most explosive player in the Western Carolina offense heading into the 2014 sea-son is Karnorris Benson, who garnered All-Southern Conference honors after putting together an outstanding 2013 season catching the football for WCU, and his speed is a real weapon for this Catamount offense heading into the campaign. Benson is much in the same ilk of some of the former Catamount great burners, such as Kerry Hayes (1993) and Michael Banks (2003).

Benson was an explosive player last season, as his breakout campaign included leading the Southern Conference in scoring receptions last season, hauling in 12 scoring catches in 2013.

Ten starters are back on a Catamount defense, that while the improvement might not have shown as much in the team’s overall defensive ranking within the league last season, it would show in the numbers, as the Catamounts went from surrendering 514.4 YPG and 40.8 PPG in 2012 to surrendering 461.8 YPG and 38.9 PPG last season. The Catamounts allowed two less points and 54 less yards last season as opposed to Speir’s first season in Cullowhee.

The lone starter which has departed, however, was a significant performer for the Western Carolina defense, as leading tackler and All-SoCon linebacker Courtland Carson graduated, who posted 107 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks and forced three fumbles last fall.

Caleb Hawkins and Brian Johnson return to anchor the defensive line, while Christon Gill, who posted 101 tackles at the other LB position in the WCU 4-2-5 defensive scheme. The secondary is deep and a unit that has several talented performers, led by Sertoneuse Harris and Ace Clark.

The Catamounts are the most improved team in the Southern Conference, and they could pull

a few eyebrow-raisers this fall. Western’s schedule is pretty favorable and the Catamounts will open the campaign on Aug. 30 with a trip to South Florida and will also face Alabama in the final regular-season game on Nov. 22. In league play, the Catamounts will take on Wofford (Oct. 11) and Chattanooga (Nov. 1), while the Cats will take trips to Furman (Sept. 27) and Samford (Nov. 8) in two of their tougher road games.

6. The Citadel (5-7, 4-4 SoCon)--The Citadel comes into the 2013 season with a new head coach and new optimism, as Mike Houston takes over the head coaching post after he Kevin Higgins left his post as the head coach of The Citadel after eight years as the head coach.

Houston has been successful at every stop along the way so far, as he helped Lenoir-Rhyne all the way to the national title before losing in the

title game to Northwest Missouri State.

In many ways, the 2013 season was a big disappointment to a Citadel team coming off a seven-win season and one that returned 16 starters. The Bulldogs will once again utilize a triple-option offense, which was one of the reasons that made Houston such an attractive hire.

Houston’s first order of business will be replacing massive losses on the offensive side of the football, which includes having to replace a starting quarterback who have played the last three seasons under center, as well as top running back and All-SoCon performer from the 2013 team.

The good news for the offense is the return of Aaron Miller (37-of-71 passing, 407 yds, 2 TDs, 2 INTs) under center, as he split the duties with Ben Dupree last season and will provide the Bulldogs with senior leadership under center this fall. Bulldog fans are also excited about the prospects of freshman signal-caller Cam Jackson. Miller also rushed for 196 yards and a TD last fall.

The Bulldogs were strong rushing the football once again last fall, completing the campaign ranked as one of the top ground attacks in the nation, with The Citadel completing the 2013 season with an average of 356.7 yards-per-game on the ground last season.

One of the question marks for the offensive side of the football will be at running back, where the Bulldogs must replace an extremely talented running back, in Darreion Robinson, who has graduated. All Robinson did in his senior season rushing the football for The Citadel offense was finish second to only quarterback Ben Dupree in rushing yards last fall, completing the season with 966 yards and seven scores on 185 rush attempts.

His 2013 season was good enough to garner Robinson a place on the Sports Network’s All-America team, finishing his senior season by eclipsing the century mark rushing the football on four occassions. His 2,935 yards currently rank as the fourth-most in Citadel football history.

With the graduation of Robinson and Dupree, the Bulldogs lose 1,974 of the team’s 3,279 rushing yards, and 25 of its 34 rushing scores from a year ago. Returning to headline the running game for the Houston’s Bulldogs in 2014 are Tyler Renew (20 rush att, 139 yds, 1 TD), Vinny Mill-er (56 rush att, 357 yds, 2 TDs, 6.4 YPC) and Dalton Trevino (47 rush att, 225 yds, 2 TDs, 4.8 YPC).

One aspect of the offense that might be a little more enhanced under Houston is the passing game. The Bulldogs, like many teams running the triple option, didn’t pass the ball all that much last year, however, with Miller now expected to be the full-time starter, that could be a change this season, as he was the better passer in the Bulldogs’ offense each of the previous three campaigns. Miller completed the 2013 season completing 37-of-71 passes for 407 yards, with a pair of scores and INTs.

Though top receiving threat Matt Thompson has graduated, one of the players that could step up and provide support in the slot this fall is senior Jake Stenson, who is coming off a 2013 season, which saw him haul in 10 passes for 178 yards and three scores. Three starters must be replaced along the offensive line, and that remains a major concern for Houston and staff heading into his first season.

Defensively, seven starters return from a unit that ranked in the Top 60 nationally in total defense (385.0 YPG) last fall, and the Bulldogs ranked inside the top 50, at No. 46, before facing one of the nation’s top offenses--Clemson--in the regular-season finale. Anchoring the Bulldog defense in the trenches will be All-SoCon honoree Justin Oxendine (46 tackles, 11.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 FR), while all three starting linebackers return, led by All-America candidate Carl Robinson (92 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1 FF).

The Paladins must travel to the Low Country for a second straight season, with the transition of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern out of the league and the additions of two new league teams. The Furman and Citadel rivalry represents maybe the best of the league’s rivalries, and is the most-played Southern Conference rivalry, as the 2014 meeting will mark the 94th between the two SoCon charter members, with Furman holding a commanding 58-32-3 all-time edge.

When the two get together on Nov. 8, which will see the Paladins face The Citadel on Homecom-ing. Like most seasons, the Bulldogs will play their fair share of tough games, with three toug games right out of the chute, hosting Coastal Carolina before back-to-back road trips to Florida State and Charleston Southern. The Bulldogs will also host Gardner-Webb (Sept. 27) and Char-lotte (Oct. 11), who will be in its second season of football, to close out conference play. League

play will see the Bulldogs try and end a 15-game losing streak to Wofford when the Bulldogs travel to Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg on Oct. 4.

The Bulldogs will host preseason Southern Conference favorite on Oct. 18, and will face arch-rival Furman on Nov. 8, looking for revenge after last season’s 24-17 win in Charleston by the Paladins.

7. Mercer (10-2, 6-2 Pioneer League in 2013)--Mercer heads into its first season as a Southern Conference member in just its second season of football since before World War II, and navigating the Bears through their new territory will be former Furman quarterback and head coach Bobby Lamb.

All Lamb did in the Bears’ first season on the gridiron in 72 years was help the Bears to 10 wins and a second place finish in the Pioneer League. The SoCon, however, will be a stark step up in competition over the Pioneer League.

The running game was one of the top units in the nation last season, as the Bears averaged an impressive 277.9 YPG on the ground, which ranked the Bears second in the FCS in ground yards per game last season.

Lamb installed the pistol offense, and it proved to be quite successful in its first season of operation, as the Bears averaged 38.2 and 449.6 YPG.

Leading that Mercer offense this fall will be sophomore quarterback John Russ (121-of-233 passing, 1,916 yds, 21 TDs, 7 INTs / 903 rush yds, 12 TDs), who is a part of the Walter Payton Award watch list coming into the campaign. Russ had a remarkable first season under center for the Bears, as he totaled 2,839 yards of total offense in leading the Bears to 10 wins in that remarkable first season.

The Bears will also have solid talent at the other skill positions, with running backs Payton Usher (114 rush att, 776 yds, 2 TDs, 6.8 YPC) and Je’Tarri Donald (149 att, 874 yds, 7 TDs, 5.9 YPC) returning to the fold for the 2014 campaign. Both Donald and Usher split the carries last season, with Donald, Usher and quarterback Russ all totaling at least 750 yards rushing, with the trio of backfield mates teamming to gain 2,553 yards in total last fall.

A quartet of solid receivers highlights the returnees for head coach Bobby Lamb this fall, with J.T. Palmer (30 rec, 521 yds, 7 TDs, 17.4 YPR), Jordan Marshall (16 rec, 311 yds, 4 TDs, 19.4 YPR), Robert Brown (21 rec, 308 yds, 5 TDs, 14.7 YPR) and Josh Jones (22 rec, 416 yds, 4 TDs, 18.9 YPR). The trio was solid in their first season hauling in passes from Russ, and all four have good speed and the ability to stretch defenses.

The Bears have a sold core on the offensive line, which features a couple of potential all-league performers, in LG Wilson Heres anchoring an experienced offense that returns intact this fall. Heres was at the heart of an offensive front that helped pave the way for an offensive front which helped the Bears rank second nationally in rushing offense last season.

The Bears had more trouble on the defensive side of the football last season, surrendering 23.9 PPG, 361.1 YPG, with 243.8 pass yards per game surrendered to foes last season. The Bears will be uncoventional on the defensive side of the football, utilizing a 3-4 alignment, or slant 50 defense.

The Bears had a solid pass rush last fall, which produced 34 sacks and were more than all but one of his Furman teams during his nine seasons in Greenville.

Middle linebacker Tyler Ward (101 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, a FF and FR) returns as the leader of the unit and will enter the 2014 season as an All-SoCon candidate. The top returnee statistically along the defensive line is defensive end Tunde Ayinla (32 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, blkd kick), who could contend for all-league honors this fall and finished the 2014 campaign as the leader among defensive linemen, with 32 stops and his 7.5 sacks ranked second among the Bears’ pass-rush threats last fall.

Tosin Aguebor (46 tackles, 13.0 TFL, 10.0 sacks, 4 FFs), who is another talented linebacker, will likely head into the season as an All-America candidate after leading the Bears with 13.0 tack-les-for-loss and 10 sacks last season from his bandit linebacker position. Weakside linebacker Devin Davidson (57 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 0.5 sack, 3 INTs) led the club with three picks last fall, while corner Alex Avant (27 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT, 1 FR) returns to anchor the secondary after

Mercer Sophomore QB John Russ

A Detailed History of Furman Football

A Detailed History of Furman Footballleading the club with eight pass breakups .

Mercer have enough quality to challenge most teams in the Southern Conference this fall and Lamb has them positioned to at least to be competitive in the Bears’ first season as a league member this fall.

8. VMI (2-10, 1-5 Big South/6th)--It will be a homecoming for VMI, who were one of the originial members of the Southern Conference before leaving the league to join the Big South, now gets a second opportunity in the league it was once a charter member of, as the Keydets started playing in the SoCon in the first season in which the league sponsored football back in 1933 before leaving in 2002.

It will not only be a homecoming for the Keydets, but also their head coach--Sparky Woods--who was responsible for leading Appalachian State to its first two of what would become a total of 12 Southern Conference titles, as he did so back in 1986 and ‘87, when the Mountaineers featured greats such as running backs John Settle and Richie Melchor.

Now the challenge is a bit steeper at a military school, which struggles to recruit on par with its Southern Conference brethren.

Head coach Sparky Woods hopes the fortunes will be better for the VMI Keydets the second time around on the Southern Conference gridiron, as the Keydets rejoin the Southern Conference after serving the league from 1933-2002.

The Keydets will have a new man under center in 2014, with both A.J. Augenstine and Eric Kordenbrock having graduated.

Hayden Alford (8-for-13, 98 yds) will have a chance to win the job, or at least get a leg up on the competition, which is 6-4 true freshman Jade Maher, who will be arriving in August for fall camp. All Maher did during his prep career was pass for 3,000 yards and 30 TDs in his career.

The offensive line brings back three starters for the 2014 season, as the Keydets must replace center Will Lucas, who was a preseason All-Big South selection and left guard Patrick Goulden. Left tackle Iyan Roseborough (6-3, 325-lbs), right guard Nate Murray (6-2, 290-lbs) and right tackle Andy Marcotte (6-8, 325-lbs) all return along the offensive front for the Keydets for the 2014 season.

The top offensive weapons for the Keydets heading into the 2014 season are running back Derrick Ziglar (148 rush att, 768 yds, 5 TDs, 5.2 YPC) and wide receiver Samuel Patterson (38 rec, 646 yds, 8 TDs, 17.0 YPR). Ziglar might be the most versatile weapon on the Keydet offense, finishing the season with 1,104 all-purpose yards (768 rush yds, 336 rec. yds/30.5 PPG) to rank third in the Big South in all-purpose yards.

Offensively, the Keydets struggled last season, as they ranked last in the Big South in scoring (19.6), but led the conference in passing offense (238.9 YPG), however, averaging just 89 yards-per-game.

Defensively, the Keydets didn’t fare too much better in terms of how they ranked among the teams in the Big South last season ranking dead last in the Big South in scoring defense (34.6 PPG) and total defense (455.0 YPG). Much like Wofford, VMI will utilize a 3-4 defensive alignment.

The Keydets return eight regulars on the defensive side of the football for the 2014 season, but do have to replace the top tackler on the defensive side of the football, in Weston Reber, who posted 81 stops, 3.5 TFL and a pair of sacks.

However, one of the players to keep an eye on this fall in the secondary is ball-hawking safety Alex James (80 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 2 PBUs), who could compete for All-SoCon honors in the Keydets’ first season as a league member. James served as the hard-hitting free safety as a part of the VMI defense last season. He registered a season-high 15 tackles for the Keydets in one of the two VMI wins this season, posting that performance in an early-season, 34-27, win over Glenville State.

With the departure of Reber, the Keydets will look to the other half of that veteran inside line-backing corps to be the leader in the teeth of the VMI defense this fall, with the return of rising senior Ty Garvin (73 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 FF), who is an athletic, physical presence in the middle of that VMI defense. Logan Staib (69 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 FR), who returns at outside linebacker, finished fourth on the team in tackles last season, and he might end up being the most physically talented VMI linebacker across the board heading into 2014.

The defensive line should be solid, but one of the three starters graduated off the Keydets from 2013 comes from the defensive line, in right defensive end Justin Smith (59 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 PBUs), who proved to be the most active player along the defensive line last season, leading all Keydet defensive linemen in tackles last fall. The good news is left defensive end John Washington (44 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF) returns for the 2014 season after leading the Keydets with 6.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks last season.

The Keydets might be in a better position to compete in the Southern Conference this time around without having to play Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, year-in and year-out, and the league in which they enter this fall won’t be as strong as the one when they left it back in 2002, however, it is still going to be a major challenge for VMI to win game consistently in the SoCon due simply to the challenges in recruiting, and that’s where games are won or lost in any Division I football conference, whether it be FCS or the FBS level.

A Detailed History of Furman FootballSoCon History Books: By The Decade

Briefly Looking Back At 2004

It’s hard to believe its been 10 years since the 2004 season, but looking back at that particular campaign, there are some distinct memories that come to mind from that particular cam-paign.

What most will remember is that it was a season that featured two great teams that ended up meeting in what was an epic game in Greenville near the close of the season, as No. 2 Georgia Southern and No. 3 Furman squared off in a game that will long live in the memory banks of both fan bases.

There was the buzz surrounding Furman coming into that 2004 campaign, as the Paladins welcomed in one of the highest profile recruits in the history of the South-ern Conference, with Ingle Martin transferring in from Florida.

The five-star quarterback recruit was a Parade All-American, but somewhat surprisingly, he struggled early in that campaign, including throwing a combined five INTs in his first two starts as a Paladin quarterback against both Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian.

But by season’s end, Martin was hitting on all cylinders, as he would eventually lead the Paladins to a share of the Southern Conference title and end up having a record-setting season by the time the campaign was

complete.

He was so good by season’s end that he would lead Furman to its highest seeding in the FCS postsea-son since 1989, as the Paladins entered the postseason as the No. 2 overall seed, primarily due to the late-season win over Georgia Southern at Paladin Stadium in front of what was a capacity crowd. But before we get to that story, let’s talk about some of the other storylines coming into the 2004 season.

Among many of the eyebrow-raising results early in the season, which involved Southern Conference teams vs. FBS members, and the first time folks really started to get an idea that Furman’s new sig-nal-caller was just at a different level came on Sept. 25, 2004, at Heinz Field against Pittsburgh.

Against a team that ended up making the Fiesta Bowl as the Big East champion, the Paladins had their foot on the proverbial throats of Pittsburgh, leading the Panthers 38-17 in the third quarter following an Isaac West-to-Brian Bratton wide receiver pass play midway through the third quarter.

However, with three key defensive players having gone down with injuries in the game, Pittsburgh quarterback Tyler Palko ended up eventually leading the Panthers back to tie the football game, and the Panthers would eventually start turning the efficient Paladin offense over, as the Panthers posted a 41-38 overtime win to survive a major scare.

Much of the hub-bub coming into the season involved Wofford’s epic run in 2003, which saw the Terriers win a school record 11 games and made it all the way to the FCS Semifinals before losing to undefeated and eventual national champion Delaware, with a 24-9 win in Newark.

But for many, other than Wofford, the 2003 season ended up being a disappointment, as the Terriers were the lone team to qualify for the postseason, but once there, Wofford carried the SoCon’s torch extremely well.

One of the other big storylines coming into the 2004 season was that it would be the first season with East Tennessee State, which had seen its football program forced to be shut down due to major financial losses.

Funny how a decade changes thing, as the departure of both Appalachian State and Georgia Southern to the Sun Belt Conference, and Elon departs for the CAA, those defections have coincided with the resurrection of the East Tennessee State football program, and in 2015, the Bucs will be ready to rejoin the Southern Conference.

The 2004 was also a season of change for Appalachian State, and it would turn out to be a record-set-ting season for the Mountaineer offense, which switched from a power, I-formation run-first offense to the spread. It would be the prelude to one of the greatest runs in Southern Conference and FCS history, although it wouldn’t appear to be so immediately.

The Mountaineers would see a drastic change in production, and with the suddenly pass-happy Moun-taineers, the Black and Gold would have one of its lowest rushing totals for a leading rusher in school history, as Alan Atwater would lead the Mountaineers with just 417 yards on the ground.

The Mountaineers’ season would be summed by one word--inconsistency. An early October game with Furman represented one of the highs, as the 21st-ranked Mountaineers faced Ingle Martin and the second-ranked Paladins in an Oct. 9 Black Saturday clash at The Rock.

The game would go down as one of the greatest in the history of the Southern Conference and in the bitter rivalry between the Paladins and Mountaineers, as Appalachian State claimed a claimed a third-straight win over Furman, with a 30-29 win in Boone.

It would take a record-setting afternoon from junior quarterback Richie Williams, who posted an NCAA record 28-straight completions, and with a school single-game record 40 completions, as he went a whopping 40-for-45 passing for 413 yards and a pair of TDs without an INT. But it would be his legs that ended up completing the win for the Mountaineers, as he raced in from 13 yards out with just 35 seconds left tying the game, 29-29, and Julian Rauch’s extra point gave the Mountaineers the lead by the narrowest of margins, and they would hold on for the epic 30-29 win.

However, Appalachian fans will also remember two SoCon games that still stick in the craw, giving up a pair of 50-point offensive days to Georgia Southern and Chattanooga in a couple of records the Mountaineers didn’t won’t to be a part of. The 54-7 loss to No. 2 Georgia Southern was Appalachian’s fourth-worst loss all-time in Southern Conference play, while the 47-point margin loss was the worst in a normally hotly-contested rivalry with Georgia Southern.

On the eve off Halloween, there was a strange feeling in the air as the Mountaineers took Davenport Field for a game against a struggling Chattanooga team that entered the contest with just a 1-6 overall

Furman Beat GSU, 29-22, For Share Of SC Title

record. But it would be a game that would see one of the wildest offensive games in the history of the Southern Conference, with the two teams combining for 115 points, as Chattanooga claimed a 59-56 win

in wild game. It turned out to be the highest combined score between two teams in Southern Conference history.

The season would be disappointing as Appalachian finished 6-5, capped by a rare loss to Western Car-olina, 30-27. Individually, however, Richie Williams and wideout DaVon Fowlkes would turn in historic seasons as a passer-wideout combination, with both finishing as finalists for the Walter Payton Award. Williams shattered nearly every passing and total offense for a single-season in the Mountaineer re-cord books, setting school marks for passing yards (3,109), completions (234), TDs (24), completion percentage (.669) and total offense (3,393).

Fowlkes would be named the Southern Conference Male Athlete of the Year and finished third in the voting for the Walter Payton Award after leading the nation and setting school and Southern Conference

records for single-season receptions (103), receiving yards (1,618) and all-purpose yards (2,313). It was a truly remarkable season for the senior from Fort

Wayne, Ind.

Missing the postseason isn’t something tolerated in Statesboro, and after a dismal 2003 season, which saw the Eagles predicted to win the Southern Conference by all the pundits, the pressure was ramped up on Mike Sewak and staff as his Eagles approached the ‘04 campaign with a bit of cautious optimism.

The good news for Georgia Southern was it returned pretty much everyone to the fold for the ‘04 campaign, including a 100-percent Chaz Williams, who had battled knee issues the previous season, and he headed into the campaign as the clear-cut starting duties, no longer sharing snaps with Trey Hunter.

The Eagles would show they were for real from the outset of the ‘04 season, putting in more than a respectable performance against Georgia, dropping a respectable, 48-28, decision to the Bulldogs.

From that point, the Eagles looked nearly unstoppable, blitzing through both SoCon and non-confer-ence foes en route to eight-straight wins to head into their final Southern Conference game against the Ingle Martin-led Furman Paladins, with visions set on a second outright Southern Conference crown in three seasons.

The Eagles hadn’t had a close game in league play when they paid a visit to Greenville and Paladin Stadium, with the closest victory in SoCon play having been a 22-point (38-16) win in Cullowhee at Western Carolina.

But the Paladins would at least put the Eagles’ outright league title hopes on ice, as the Paladins posted a surprising 29-22 victory over Georgia Southern in a battle between the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in FCS football.

Martin single-handedly led the Paladins to the epic win over Georgia Southern in Greenville, connecing on a perfect 4-for-4 on the final drive for 46 yards, including a crucial 20-yard completion to wideout Brian Bratton on a third-and-10 play to keep what proved to be the game-winning drive alive.

Both Furman and Georgia Southern would head to the postseason with high hopes, and the Paladins looked every bit the No. 2 seed in their opening round clash with Jacksonville State, demolishing the Gamecocks, as Ingle Martin passed for a then single-game school record five TDs, and in the process, also broke Frankie Debusk’s single-season TD passing mark of 20 in a single season with that performance, as he would eventually finish the season with 22 scoring passes. Martin would also set Furman single-season marks for passing yards (2,792 yds), TD responsibilties (25) and total offense (3,084).

But Furman’s season would end in heartbreaking fashion, as in the second round of the postseason, the Paladins would run into Mickey Matthews’ James Madison Dukes, and the vaunted Dukes defense and pass rush was able to keep the balanced and versatile Paladin offense in check, holding Furman to its lowest point total of the season, as the Dukes claimed a 14-13 win in Greenville in front of almost 9,000 on hand at Paladin Stadium.

Georgia Southern’s first round matchup saw New Hampshire and Ricky Santos pay a visit to a rainy Allen E. Paulson Stadium, and it would be offensive coordinator Chip Kelly--now the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League--that would direct a masterpiece display in what was a big offensive night against the Eagles, and Santos would pass for 204 yards, and despite a pair of INTs, would lead New Hampshire to a surprising 27-21 victory. Santos completed 22-of-30 passes in the win.

Summing up the 2004 season, it can be said that it was a campaign that it saw the revival of Southern Conference football after having only one team qualify for the postseason in 2003, with Wofford going all the way to the semifinals. Wofford would miss the postseason despite eight wins, but two of those wins came against Division II foes.

Georgia Southern and Furman were two of the best teams in the league in recent memory, but then both struggled in the opening round of the playoffs. It would also be an big, record-breaking season in the league, which saw plenty of offensive records fall, with Appalachian State being on one end or the other. Stayed tuned to Saturday Blitz in the next few days for the 2014 Southern Conference preview.

RB Alan Atwater Helps No. 15 App St Upset Furman 30-29 On Record-Setting Afternoon At The Rock