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| VMI wins first SoCon title since 1977/photo courtesy of VMI athletics |
When we look back on the weird year that was the 2020-21 football season in the Southern Conference, we should all salute the VMI Keydets for accomplishing what virtually no one except the team and coaching staff itself envisioned--A Southern Conference title.
To me, when I think about this championship run for VMI, I think about soccer. Wait, before you stop reading, I am going somewhere with this...Remember back to 2015-16 and virtually every sports fan remembers Leicester City's unreal run to the Premier League title. Though it was Leicester City's first Premiership, and it won't be VMI's first SoCon title, you get the point. No one really saw this coming, and for that, I am pretty sure most of the SoCon not named Mercer or Citadel fans were hoping to see the Keydets get the win over the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at Foster Stadium.
In a season of several firsts for the VMI football program, perhaps the most interesting one and most prestigious one is the fact that the Keydets will be making their first-ever FCS playoff appearance.
At the end of a spring filled with opt outs and some teams around the league looking for reasons to turn in their helmets and uniforms, VMI answered the battlecry each and every Saturday as the schedule allowed. The season obviously got off to a strange start, as Chattanooga canceled the opener with the Keydets due to positive COVID-19 tests within the Mocs football program.
With their 31-17 win over The Citadel on Saturday afternoon at Foster Stadium, not only did the Keydets retain the Silver Shako, but collected some hardware that hasn't been seen in Lexington, VA., since 1977--a Southern Conference title trophy.
The win by VMI sees the Keydets improve to 6-1 overall this spring, while the Bulldogs finish out the 2020-21 season with a 2-10 overall mark, including a 2-5 mark in Southern Conference play. The Keydets will now await the FCS playoff selection show tomorrow to see who they will face in the opening round of the FCS playoffs.
With Mercer's 44-20 loss at Samford Saturday, which ended prior to the end of the Keydets-Bulldogs clash in Lexington, the result of the Silver Shako game didn't necessarily matter in terms of the overall Southern Conference title, however, the Keydets obviously wanted to finish out the spring season in style with a win against their arch-rivals.
With the win, VMI has now won SoCon titles in 2020-21, 1951, ‘57, ‘59, ‘60, ‘62, ‘74 and ‘77. The following was written by me on VMI's tradition prior to game with Furman in 2014. Please refer to the link for some interesting facts.
https://saturdayblitz.com/2014/10/31/furman-looks-continue-streak-wins-vmi-saturday/
Check a video montage of former VMI and SoCon RB great Thomas Haskins below.
How Far Has VMI Come...
VMI wasn't maybe the laughing stock of FCS football, but it certainly wasn't a program that anyone talked about much. For a long time, murmurings around the Southern Conference were that the Keydets football program was one of the reasons the SoCon was losing respect on the football gridiron.
Remember the Keydets were league members for 80 years until July 1, 2003, when the Keydets decided to make the move to the Big South following what had been an 80-year membership in the SoCon.
Following a return to the SoCon, which saw the Keydets finish the campaign winless (0-7) in the league, while posting a 2-10 overall mark, a change in leadership was made. Out was Sparky Woods and in was Scott Wacheheim. Things were shaky to say the least early on in Wachenheim's career at the helm of the VMI football program.
After all, VMI lost 32 of its first 35 Southern Conference games coming into the fall of 2019. However, Wachenheim made some important hires, bringing in Brian Sheppard in 2019 from Northern Arizona, helping transform the Keydets into a formidable offense and one that had to be accounted for. Sheppard stayed one season, and the Keydets put together a 5-7 record, which included a 4-4 mark in Southern Conference play.
Billy Cosh took over the offense this spring following Sheppard's move to Minnesota to join P.J. Fleck's offensive staff for the Golden Gophers. Though VMI didn't have its big-play weapons like Alex Ramsey, and Udinski following his injury, the Keydets still had an embarrassment of weapons offensively, which included running back Korey Bridy, and record-setting wideout Jakob Heres. Not to mention others like Leroy Thomas and Michael Jackson, who gave VMI a couple of more game-breakers.
What was the most impressive aspect of the spring, however, by far was the VMI defense. Defensive coordinator Tom Clark, as well as defensive coaches Pat Kuntz, Marshall Roberts and Kenneth Scott were as much a part of this championship as anyone. We all knew the Keydets had dynamic players on the offensive side of the ball, however, the defensive improvement from 2019 is down right astounding.
The Keydets finished the 2019 season ranking among the worst of all of FCS football, as the Keydets finished the campaign ranking 120th in the nation in total defense (494.8 YPG). Coming into Saturday's game, the Keydets were 47th nationally in total defense, surrendering just 355.0 YPG. VMI had a total of 21.0 sacks heading into Saturday's contest, which tied for ninth nationally. In 2019, the Keydets had 20 sacks in 12 games.
With the 2021 spring championship, VMI's former greats that have been part of the separation of 43 years between championships have something to cheer about.
Though the Keydets struggled to field many competitive teams in league play since the early 1980s until recently, VMI is a program that has always produced great football players. Players like wideout Mark Stock (1985-88), running back's Thomas Haskins (1993-96) and Sean Mizzer (2002-06), and quarterback's Al Cobb (2013-16), Joey Gibson (1999-2002) and quarterback Tony Scales (1989-92) are just a few of those players that come to mind.
This championship was built on the backs of great players like that. In fact, Haskins, who is arguably the best player to ever put on a Red and Gold VMI uniform, finished his outstanding career in 1996 as not only the SoCon's all-time leading rusher at the time, but also the leading rusher in the history with 5,349 career rushing yards to go along with 50-career rushing scores. He was truly a remarkable player.
How this remarkable spring happened
Game 1: VMI 14, No. 10 Furman 13 (Foster Stadium/Lexington, VA)--With the Chattanooga game having been canceled, the Keydets got tested right off the bat against pre-spring favorite Furman, knocking off the Paladins, 14-13, on the strength of a gritty defensive performance that produced nine sacks, and came up with a late fumble recovery with Furman driving late in the contest and in field goal range. This game helped set the tone for the remainder of the 2020 spring season. The win marked VMI's first over a nationally-ranked foe since 2002, when the Keydets shocked Wofford, 27-16, in Lexington.
Game 2: VMI 30, Western Carolina 7 (E.J. Whitmire Stadium/Cullowhee, N.C.)--The Keydets moved to 2-0 in convincing fashion, as the Keydets went on the road and shocked the Catamounts, scoring their first-ever win in the city of Cullowhee, and knocked off the Catamounts for the first time since 1991, ending a 17-game losing streak in resounding fashion, as they were able to get a 30-7 win over the Catamounts. Quarterback Reece Udinski led an impressive offensive performance, connecting on 30-of-41 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown, while Korey Bridy added a pair of rushing scores to go with 91 yards rushing in the win. The Keydets out-gained the Catamounts 492-256 in the win.
Game 3: VMI 41, Mercer 14 (Foster Stadium/Lexington, VA.)--The Keydets delivered their most dominant performance of the spring season, rolling up the Mercer Bears, 41-14, inside the friendly confines of Foster Stadium. The 3-0 start to the spring marked VMI's best start to a season since 1981, as the Keydets were dominant from start to finish, out-gaining the Bears 470-170 in total offense en route to the 27-point win. The Keydets jumped out to a 34-0 lead before Mercer even got on the scoreboard, which didn't come until the fourth quarter. Udinski passed for 242 yards, while rushing for two scores and passing for another to lead the Keydets. Korey Bridy again had a strong effort running the football, as he finished the afternoon with a career-high 113 yards on the ground to go along with a touchdown.
Game 4: No. 18/19 VMI 38, Samford 37 (OT) (Seibert Stadium/Birmingham, AL)--In what was maybe the game of the spring, the Keydets had to battle all game long to come away from Samford with a one-point, overtime win, as well as the program's best start since 1981. The Keydets also came into the contest against the Bulldogs ranked in the FCS Top 25 poll for the first time in school history. VMI, which was aided by Chattanooga's 20-18 win at Furman, rebounded from a 13-point fourth quarter deficit to take the game into overtime. The Bulldogs held a 30-17 lead with 8:34 remaining following the third field goal of the day from Samford place-kicker Mitchell Fineran, however, the Keydets answered on the ensuing drive when Udinski hooked up with a wide-open Michael Jackson for a 16-yard touchdown, pulling the Keydets to within six, at 30-24, with 5:25 remaining. After the Keydet defense came up with a big stop, and then Udinski helped orchestrate a 10-play, 77-yard drive, as Jakob Heres' 17-yard scoring catch with 1:11 remaining tied the game. Jerry Rice had a chance to give the Keydets a one-point lead, but he missed the PAT, leaving the score 30-30. Samford regained the lead in overtime, using just four plays to find the end zone, when Liam Welch found wideout Montrell Washington on a 13-yard strike to make it a 37-30 Samford lead following the PAT by Fineran. VMI and Udinski wasted little time in finishing off the win, as he connected with leading wideout Jakob Heres for a 18-yard score to make it a 37-36 game. However, instead of opting for a Jerry Rice PAT, the Keydets rolled the dice and went for the win. It would pay off in a big way, as Udinski connected with Michael Jackson in the back right corner of the end zone, as the Keydets remained atop the Southern Conference standings.
Game 5: No. 13/14 VMI 36, Wofford 31 (Gibbs Stadium/Spartanburg, S.C.)--VMI continued its thrilling spring season, as the 13th-ranked Keydets moved to 5-0, as the Keydets trailed the contest four different times, before coming back for the second-straight week to get a 36-31 win over Wofford in SoCon action Saturday afternoon at Gibbs Stadium.The win saw the Keydets move to 5-0 and 5-0 overall, and coupled with Chattanooga's home loss to Mercer, VMI now sits alone atop the Southern Conference standings. Woffrord dropped to 1-3 overall and 1-3 in SoCon play. The by the Keydets marked its first-ever win in Spartanburg, while snapping an eight-game losing streak to the Terriers, which dates back to 2004. The last VMI win over Wofford was a 27-16 win over the No. 18 Wofford Terriers in 2002. VMI's 5-0 start to the season is its best since the John McKenna era in 1960, while the victory also ensured its first winning season since 1981. The Keydets were without offensive stars Reece Udinski at quarterback, running back Korey Bridey, and wideout Leroy Thomas, however, Seth Morgan stepped under center and put on a masterful performance, leading the Keydets from behind seemingly all afternoon. Morgan finshed the contest connecting on 25-of-34 passes for 375 yards, as he showed maturity well beyond his class, as a redshirt freshman in his first-career start for the Keydets. The native of a state and city not short on quarterback talent, hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Morgan tossed four touchdown passes, and added 76 rushing yards, finishing with 451 yards of total offense, which is the second-best performance in program history.
Game 6: East Tennessee State 24, No. 10 VMI 20 (Foster Stadium/Lexington, VA)--VMI's only setback of the spring came in a game against East Tennessee State on a day in which a win for VMI would have clinched the Southern Conference title outright. In the setback against the Bucs, ETSU star running back put together the best rushing performance of anyone against the Keydets during the spring season, as he rushed for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns, as the Bucs held on for a 24-20 win at Foster Stadium. Holmes' 4-yard scoring run with 12:36 remaining in the fourth quarter allowed the Bucs to go on to the win. The Keydets managed to hold a 382-275 advantage in total offense, and after the Keydets jumped out to a 10-0 lead on a 27-yard field goal by Jerry Rice and a 2-yard scoring run by Seth Morgan, it looked as though it was going to the Keydets' day to celebrate. However, the Bucs got on the board with just 21 seconds remaining in the opening quarter, as Holmes scored on a 1-yard plunge to make it a 10-7 contest. A Jerry Rice 20-yard field goal increased VMI's lead back to six (13-7) early in the second quarter. Just before the half, ETSU's Tyler Keltner connected on a field goal of his own, connecting from 27 yards out, as VMI went to the half with a narrow 13-10 lead. ETSU took its first lead on its opening possession of the second half, as wideout Will Huzzie hauled in a 9-yard scoring strike from Brock Landis to tie the Bucs a 17-13 lead. VMI re-took the lead late in the third quarter, as Grant Swinehart scored on a 3-yard run to make it a 20-17 VMI lead. However, early in the fourth quarter, the Bucs put together a nine-play, 69-yard drive, capped by a Holmes 4-yard scoring run, giving the Bucs a 24-20 lead, which it wouldn't relinquish.
No. 12 VMI 31, The Citadel 17 (Foster Stadium/Lexington, VA)--VMI's final game of the spring, and the one it would ultimately clinch its first Southern Conference title against in 43 years, fittingly, came against arch-rival The Citadel in the Battle for the Silver Shako, as the Keyders posted a 31-17 win in front of a COVID-restricted, home sellout crowd to claim the 2020-21 Southern Conference football title. The league crown for the Keydets marks their first since 1977, and with the win, the Keydets claimed the SoCon's automatic bid to the 2020-21 FCS playoffs, which has been limited to its old format of 16 teams, as opposed to its normal 24-team field due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Keydets jumped out quickly in the opening quarter, with a pair of quick scores to take a 14-0 lead on a Korey Bridy 17-yard scoring catch from Seth Morgan, and then Morgan found his favorite target--Jakob Heres--on a short, 3-yard scoring pass with just 1:19 remaining in the opening quarter, giving VMI command of the contest early. As with any rivalry, however, the Bulldogs wouldn't fold. Reigning Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week Jaylan Adams got the Bulldogs on the board on a 1-yard plunge midway through the second quarter, but Morgan and the Keydets would answer on the ensuing drive to regain a two-touchdown lead, as Morgan scored on a 3-yard run to conclude an eight-play, 75-yard drive to make it a 21-7 game with 4:14 remaining in the opening half. Just before the half, The Citadel's Colby Kitner connected on a 32-yard field goal with 17 seconds remaining in the half, as VMI took a 21-10 lead into the locker room. The Citadel would make things interesting in the third quarter when Adams scored on a 22-yard run with just under 10 minutes remaining in the frame, getting the Bulldogs as close as they had been all afternoon, at 21-17. Jerry Rice added his lone field goal of the day, giving the Keydets a little bit of breathing room, as they extended their lead to 24-17 with 6:41 remaining. After VMI forced The Citadel to turn the ball over on downs, the Keydets would put the icing on the cake, as Morgan tossed a 50-yard scoring pass to Michael Jackson, as he out-ran the Bulldog secondary to the end zone with just 1:52 remaining, as the celebrations would begin at Foster Stadium. As they had done all season, VMI linebackers Stone Snyder and Connor Riddle stole the show, as Snyder posted 21 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss, while Riddle added 20 stops. Morgan led the VMI offense by completing 24-of-35 passes for 328 yards and three scores. It marked the first time the Keydets won the Silver Shako in Lexington in 21 years, and it also marks the first time the Keydets won back-to-back Shako games since Thomas Haskins was busy rushing his way into the record books in 1995 and '96. The Bulldogs concluded their 2020-21 season with a 2-10 mark, while the 6-1 Keydets will learn who their first-ever playoff opponent is on Sunday morning at 11:30 am EST on ESPNU.
SoCon Superlatives:
Offensive Player of the Year: WR Jakob Heres (VMI)
Defensive Player of the Year: LB Stone Snyder (VMI)
Specialist of the Year: PK Mitchell Fineran (Samford)
Freshman of the Year: QB Seth Morgan (VMI)
SoCon John's All-SoCon Team (Offense)
QB-Liam Welch (Samford)
RB-Quay Holmes (ETSU)
RB-Devin Wynn (Furman)
OL-Harrison Moon (Chattanooga)
OL-Brad Davis (VMI)
OL-Haden Haas (The Citadel)
OL-Tre'Mond Shorts (ETSU)
OL-Bailey Clark (Mercer)
TE-Ryan Miller (Furman)
WR-Jakob Heres (VMI)
WR-Ty King (Samford)
SoCon John's All-SoCon Team (Defense)
DL-Devonsha Maxwell (Chattanooga)
DL-Solomon Zubairu (Mercer)
DL-Michael Mason (Wofford)
DL-Dalton Owens (The Citadel)
LB-Anthony Britton Jr. (The Citadel)
LB-Connor Riddle (VMI)
LB-Stone Snyder (VMI)
DB-Darius Kearse (Furman)
DB-Travis Blackshear (Furman)
DB-Chris Edmunds (Samford)
DB-Alijah Huzzie (ETSU)
Specialists
PK-Mitchell Fineran (Samford)
P-Landon Parker (Wofford)
RS-Quay Holmes (ETSU)/Montrell Washington (Samford)
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