 |
| Furman and The Citadel meet for the 100th time Saturday |
With Wofford having become the second team to call it a spring season in the SoCon, only two matchups highlight Saturday's SoCon football action, with the first game of the day representing the most-played rivalry in the Southern Conference between Furman and The Citadel in what will mark the centennial meeting between the two bitter rivals.
The second matchup of the day will have Southern Conference title implications on the line, as East Tennessee State visits red-hot Mercer Saturday evening.
There was one other note from the SoCon gridiron that was announced on Friday, as Western Carolina, which finished 1-8 during the 2020-21 season, has decided to part ways with head coach Mark Speir. Speir posted a 32-60 record in his nine seasons in Cullowhee, which included a trio of seven-win campaigns. He had the Catamounts on brink of the FCS playoffs on three occasions.
Western Carolina Director of Athletics Alex Gary has announced that a national search will be conducted for WCU's 14th head coach will begin immediately. The Catamounts had their final two games of the spring season canceled due to opt-outs by both Chattanooga and Wofford.
Furman (3-3, 3-3 SoCon) at The Citadel (1-9, 1-5 SoCon), Johnson-Hagood Stadium/1 p.m.
With no playoff or league title on the line, it might seem odd that the 100th meeting between Furman and The Citadel would first, be taking place in April, and second, without having any league title implications or FCS playoff implications when the two meet on the penultimate Saturday of the SoCon's spring season. That's because these two team's routinely met in the late 1980s and early 1990s with a league title and FCS playoff hopes on the line in what was the regular-season finale for both teams. That was during a period in which Furman saw its most dominant period in the rivalry, winning nine-straight against the Bulldogs from 1982-90.
Saturday the only thing at stake will be bragging rights over the summer, and that's probably enough for two teams that despise each other as much as these two do. In fact, the Furman-Citadel rivalry is one of the most underrated rivalries in Southern Conference football.
The Paladins will be looking to snap what is a two-game losing streak, as Furman once again failed to produce anything offensively in what was yet another struggle for Furman, which managed just 66 total yards in the second half in what was a 26-14 loss to the Bears.
Mercer ended what was a three-game losing streak against the Paladins in last Saturday’s win in Macon, and ended all hopes of any potential postseason aspirations for the Paladins. It’s all about pride now, and for Furman, gaining some measure of momentum heading into the fall season. The same can be said for the Bulldogs, which snapped an 11-game losing streak in thrilling fashion last Saturday in Spartanburg, as the Bulldogs rebounded from a 24-7 deficit to go on to get a 28-24 come-from-behind win. The 11-game losing streak had been the longest losing streak in program history.
No two teams have met more in series history than have Furman and The Citadel, and it still comprises one of the best rivalries in FCS football. When the Paladins and Bulldogs meet on Saturday, It will mark the centennial meeting between the two rivals, with the Paladins holding a commanding 60-36-3 all-time series edge. The Bulldogs recorded a 27-10 win over the Paladins in what was a rainy Paladin Stadium last season. It would be the first time the Paladin offense encountered some real struggles.
The Bulldogs would love nothing more than to finish out what has been a trying 2020-21 season than to send the Paladins back to Greenville with another loss, while heading into their final game against VMI with a chance to play SoCon championship spoiler against their other arch-rival--VMI.
The Bulldogs have had their share of adversity to deal with this spring, and like everyone, battle attrition of having a season out of season. However, one of the unforeseen hardships has been having to deal with some illegal payments issued by the school’s bookstore to student-athletes, with 26 of those payments involving football players. Furman will be looking to avenge what was a 27-10 loss to the Bulldogs last season in Greenville.
Leading The Citadel offense this spring has been quarterback Jaylan Adams (22-of-46 passing, 263 yds, 3 TDs, 3 INTs/142 rush att, 576 yds, 5 TDs, 4.1 YPC), who helped engineer a win over Wofford last Saturday following missing a game against Samford against due to concussion protocol.
Adams is a converted defensive back, who’a had a solid 2020-21 season after taking over for Brandon Rainey under center. Stopping The Citadel offense will involve stopping, which of course will be easier said than done. The Bulldogs have more than just Adams as a threat in the ground game, however. One of the player’s that has had a breakout performance this spring coming out of The Citadel backfield is Nathan Storch (99 rush att, 399 yards, 1 TD, 4.0 YPR).
Joining Storch as yet another option in the Bulldog ground attack will be veteran Clay Harris (43 rush att, 197 yds, 2 TDs, 4.6 YPC). Harris was especially instrumental in The Citadel’s win at Wofford last Saturday, posting a season-high rushing performance of 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The best big-play option on offense is speedy wideout Raleigh Webb (17 rec, 282 yds, 4 TDs, 16.6 YPR). Webb has had some big catches before against the Paladins, including a 95-yard scoring catch in Furman’s win over the Bulldogs in Charleston back in 2018. Webb will be playing his final game in front of the corps of cadets Saturday. Webb could find himself in a role as the A-back this spring due to attrition.
The Bulldogs come in with a solid defense, despite having posted nine losses already this season. That’s because the Bulldogs have one of the top defensive player’s in all of FCS football, in linebacker Willie Eubanks III (66 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks). Many call Eubanks the top NFL prospect in the Southern Conference coming out of the spring.
All told, the deense comes into Saturday’s 100th meeting between the two Palmetto State program’s, ranking 54th in total defense (362.7 YPG), 77th in scoring defense (32.0 PPG), 31st in pass defense (176.9 YPG), 73rd in rushing defense (185.8 YPG), and 73rd in team sacks-per-game (1.30 SPG).
While Eubanks is the most recognizable face on The Citadel’s defense, Anthony Britton Jr. (82 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 FF), is the Bulldogs’ leading tackler coming into Saturday’s contest, and he is coming off a strong performance in last week’s win over The Citadel, registering a career-high 13 tackles in the road win.
Marquise Blount (56 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 1 QBH, 1 FF), who was so instrumental in The Citadel’s win over Furman in 2019, leads the Bulldogs with three sacks so far in the 2020-21 season. Strong safety Andy Davis (37 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 3 INTs, 5 PBUs) comes in as the Bulldogs’ leader on the back end of the defense, having posted three interceptions for The Citadel this season.
The Paladins have found things especially hard on the offensive side of the ball this spring, and after playing well on that side of the ball in two out of their first three games this spring, have struggled to get things going ever since. Granted, in the 26-14 loss at Mercer last week, the Paladins had to re-tool the offensive line due to an injuries to Jordan Harris and Anderson Tomlin along the offensive line.
The Paladins continue to be led by quarterback Hamp Sisson (83-of-150 passing, 1,134 yds, 11 TDs, 7 INTs) this spring, and at times, the redshirt sophomore has looked brilliant, while at others he’s had trouble finding the time needed to make the right reads. Sisson has also suffered from not having a consistent deep threat in the passing game, and that has made Furman’s offense more one-dimensional this spring. Offensive coordinator George Quarles has made more of a concerted effort to simplify the playbook.
Sisson’s top weapon to rely on offensively is running back Devin Wynn (99 rush att, 480 yds, 5 TDs, 4.8 YPC), who rushed his way onto the school’s all-time Top 10 rushing list, and will finish out his Paladin career Saturday against the Bulldogs. Wynn had his best performance of his career back in 2019 vs Samford, as he rushed for 217 yards and a pair of scores in a 58-14 win for the Paladins. Wynn has been a solid option at times in the passing game.
The big play options for the Paladins will be tight end Ryan Miller (13 rec, 203 yds, 5 TDs, 15.6 YPR) and wide receiver Ryan DeLuca (22 rec, 376 yds, 1 TD, 17.1 YPR). DeLuca, a senior, has been a key receiving option in the Paladin passing attack each of the past three seasons. .
Miller has been one of the top tight ends in the FCS this spring, and the Paladins not only have talent at the position, in Miller, but they also have excellent depth, with Jake Walker (2 rec, 7 yds, 1 TD) also being a reliable option. The speediest wideout in the Paladin wide receiving corps is Dejuan Bell (6 rec, 77 yds, 12.8 YPR), and finding ways to get him the ball has been difficult at times, but he has the speed to be a threat on the deep ball.
The Paladins have had to find ways to threaten defenses with the big play this spring, with one of those options being freshman Kendall Thomas (12 rush att, 81 yds, 6.8 YPC) and sophomore Wayne Anderson Jr. (19 rush att, 41 yds, 2.2 YPC). Both Anderson and Thomas have been effective at times in the passing game, with Anderson have caught seven passes for 89 yards and a pair of scores, while Thomas has hauled in three passes for 27 yards and a touchdown. Devin Abrams has arguably been Furman’s most versatile threat offensively this spring. He has eight catches for 65 yards to go with his 208 rushing yards on 54 attempts.
While the offense has been a work in progress, the defense has certainly been worthy of praise, ranking 33rd in the FCS in total defense (329.7 YPG), 25th in scoring defense (19.5 PPG), 70th in pass offense (229.0 YPG), and 15th in rush defense (100.0 YPG).
Furman has gotten good play out of its young linebackers this spring, with the best of those having been Nicky Kuzemka (43 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 INT). The Paladin pass rush has yet to get untracked this spring, however, that doesn’t mean Adrian Hope (14 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 PBUs, 3 QBHs, 1 FF) hasn’t drawn his share of attention from opponents this spring, as he remains one of the premier pass-rushers in all of FCS football.
Final Score Prediction: Furman 20, The Citadel 14
No. 20 East Tennessee State (4-1, 4-1 SoCon) at Mercer (4-5, 4-2 SoCon), Five Star Stadium/6 p.m.
While the Furman-The Citadel rivalry would seemingly be the more mouth-watering SoCon matchup for Saturday's slate, however, the one with the most on the line will take place in Macon, GA, when 20th-ranked East Tennessee State takes on Mercer with both still entertaining Southern Conference title hopes.
Saturday's meeting between the Bucs and Bears will mark the sixth all-time meeting between the two on the gridiron, with the Bucs holding a slim 3-2 series edge. It will be senior day in Macon, as the Bears will be search of their fourth-straight win, including a third-straight win over a ranked team.
For the Bucs, a second playoff and SoCon title in a three-year span are realistic possibilities, while for Drew Cronic in his first season as the Mercer head coach is hoping to lead Mercer to its first-ever SoCon title and FCS playoff. With ETSU's 24-20 win over VMI last Saturday opening up the SoCon race, ETSU, VMI and Mercer remain alive for the league title and subsequent FCS automatic playoff berth. Obviously Mercer needs a win today and its final game of the spring at Samford next week Saturday, while needing VMI to drop its game vs. The Citadel to force what would be a three-way tie for first atop the SoCon standings.
With a win by the Bucs, they would improve to 5-1 overall this spring, and would have to await the outcome of next Saturday's contest between The Citadel and VMI to know whether or not the Bucs can lay claim to their second Southern Conference title. That said, with a win and no matter the result next Saturday, the Bucs would stand a good chance at an at-large bid to the FCS playoffs with a 5-1 mark in the spring, especially with a win over No. 10 VMI in their proverbial back pocket.
As far as Saturday evening's contest is concerned, it will be a matchup between two teams that are red-hot at the moment. The Bucs bring one of the best defenses in FCS football into Saturday's contest against the Bears, as the Bucs allow just 18.4 PPG. It will face a Mercer offense coming off its signature performance of the spring, as the Bears piled up over 500 yards of offense in last Saturday's 26-14 win over Furman, and in the process, saw freshman signal-caller Carter Peevy (74-of-136 passing, 1,091 yds, 7 TDs, 4 INTs) throw for a school-record 406 yards, garnering National Freshman of the Week honors from STATS FCS in the process.
Like Cronic, ETSU head coach Randy Sanders has been breaking in a new signal-caller this spring, and if we're honest, it seems like that's been the case ever since Sanders arrived as the head coach in Johnson City back in 2018. Remember Logan Marchi was the quarterback early in Sanders' career as ETSU head coach before Austin Herink's heroics against Furman in a game that would ultimately propel the Bucs to their first-ever SoCon football crown. The Bucs started out this spring with freshman Tyler Riddell (50-of-82 passing, 575 yds, ) leading the way, however, have now seemed to have settled in on Brock Landis (20-of-48 passing, 208 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) to lead the way under center.
Landis was solid in his second start last Saturday in Lexington, facing a talented VMI defense, passing for 148 yards, with a touchdown and an INT in the road win. He'll be facing a much improved Mercer defense, which recorded four sacks in last Saturday's win over Furman.
One of the player's that has seemingly relished the opportunity to face Mercer's defense in the past has been ETSU running back Quay Holmes (108 rush att, 551 yds, 8 TDs, 5.1 YPC). The FCS All-America running back rushed for a school-record 255 yards and three touchdowns in what was a 38-33 win on Senior Day by ETSU back in 2019. It would turn out to be the Bucs lone Southern Conference win of the 2019 season.
Holmes teams with another capable option in the Blue and Gold backfield in the form of Jacob Saylors (37 rush att, 223 yds, 6.0 YPC). The top options in the ETSU passing attack are Will Huzzie (19 rec, 260 yds, 2 TDs, 13.7 YPR) and Julian Lane-Price (12 rec, 209 yds, 1 TD, 17.4 YPR), while Saylors is also a capable receiving option out of the backfield for ETSU, having hauled in 11 passes passes for 81 yards and a TD this spring.
The Bucs have consistently had a top tier Southern Conference defense during Sanders' short tenure in the Tri-Cities, and during the spring of 2021, this defense has proven to be even better statistically than the one that has taken the field this spring. Led by a strong linebacking unit, which features veteran Jared Folks (40 tackles, 0.5 sack), as well as Freshman All-American Donovan Manuel (33 tackle, 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 2 INTs).
While there isn't a player comparable to the talent of Nasir Player in the ranks as a pass-rusher, there is plenty of talent along the defensive line, with Olajuwon Pinkleton (10 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks) highlighting the true pass-rush threats the Bucs have along their defensive front. Tyree Robinson (31 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 FR, 1 TD) is an All-American in the secondary, and is one of the top defensive backs in FCS football.
While Peevy had an outstanding performance against Furman last Saturday in the 12-point win, he was only part of the story. In fact, it was the emergence of another freshman--wide receiver Ty James (24 rec, 422 yds, 3 TDs, 17.6 YPR) --as he hauled in a career-high eight passes for 179 yards and a pair of scores last week against the 17th-ranked Paladins--and he will offer quite the assignment to the talented Bucs secondary. Ethan Dirrim (19 rec, 366 yds, 4 TDs, 19.3 YPR) has been more a possession-type, reliable option in the passing game.
When the Bears look to the ground game, Nakendrick Clark (82 rush att, 316 yds, 2 TDs, 3.9 YPC) and Brandon Marshall (55 rush att, 249 yds, 3 TDs, 4.5 YPC) are the main options.
The Bears improved defense this season is thanks to player's like defensive end Solomon Zubairu (36 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 2 FR) and safeties Luke Ward (31 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and Lance Wise (74 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 6 PBUs). That trio has helped the Bears limit foes to a reasonable 346.4 YPG in 2020-21.
Final Score Prediction: ETSU 27, Mercer 24
Comments
Post a Comment