Bulldogs gear up for 2005
Steve Patton is well known for his sense of humor, but the head coach of Gardner-Webb’s football program had his good nature sorely tested in an injury-filled 5-6 campaign last season.
You might guess that his main goal for the 2005 season would be winning a third Big South championship, or perhaps qualifying for the school’s first-ever playoff berth.
While those things are surely on the radar screen, the main blip at the moment is bringing fun back to Bulldog football.
“Whatever happens, I’m going to try not to let it get me down like it did last year,” Patton said of a season that saw numerous starters, including all-conference safety Mario Williams, go down with various injuries. “We’re going to go out and have fun. If the freshmen screw up, they screw up.“I’m just going to have some fun because last year wasn’t fun because of all the injuries.”
When Patton talks about freshmen on this year’s squad, he’s probably discussing the secondary. The preseason two-deep roster is littered with freshmen and sophomores at corner and safety, and Patton knows his defense will be very young in the secondary.
“I don’t know half of them,” Patton joked about the projected starters in the defensive backfield. “I think (GWU Sports Information Director Marc Rabb) made some of those names up, because I don’t know who they are. I would say that at least three freshmen are going to start in the secondary. Not redshirt freshmen, true freshmen.
“We’re going to have a different look. We’ll have some scared rabbits back there for a while, but hopefully they’ll develop and get better as the season goes on.”
Xavier Wallace, a Butler High product who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash, and Daniel Cooke, a former standout at Independence, will compete for playing time early at corner and safety, respectively.
Preseason all conference selections Keppy Baucom and Brandon Schweitzer stabilize the front seven for new defensive coordinator Will Holthouser.
Schweitzer, a preseason All America choice by the Sports Network, had 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks in 2004 while splitting time between nose guard and defensive end.
Baucom, a three-time all-league selection at linebacker, led the Bulldogs with 90 tackles last year.
While the defense has its question marks, the offense appears to have plenty of answers for opposing defenses.
Longtime offensive coordinator Joe Pizzo welcomes back eight starters to his spread offense led by senior quarterback Nick Roberts.
Roberts, a Springville, Ala., native, had a rough year as the injuries and lack of depth took its toll on the offense. He threw for 2,410 yards but had 17 interceptions to go along with his 12 scoring tosses. He also ran for 363 yards and six more touchdowns.
Patton believes that Roberts is poised for even better things in 2005.
“Nick’s a really good athlete,” Patton said. “He doesn’t have a great arm, but he does have a nice touch on deep passes. He’s learned to read defenses and he’s very dangerous because he can run a 4.4 forty.”
One thing he’ll have plenty of will be options at wide receiver. Kory Alston, a preseason all-conference choice, caught 42 passes for 769 yards and eight touchdowns last year and Aaron Richardson (35-504) and Vonzell Pittman (36-403) add depth to the receiving corps.
“I heard Coach Pizzo say the other day that this might be the best group of receivers that we’ve had here,” Patton said.”
The two leading rushers from last season, George Pressley and Jermaine Boston, return, but they’ll be pushed for playing time by Middle Tennessee State transfer Kelvin German (6-0, 219).
German provides the squad with a little more size than they’ve had in recent years at the running back position.
Former Crest High standout Martray Littlejohn is also in the mix at running back, and could possibly compete for a kick returning position as well.
While the ball carriers have beefed up, the schedule has trimmed down a bit compared to last season.
Seven home games dot the schedule, including the school’s first Thursday night contest as a division I school on Sept. 8 against NAIA member Bellhaven (Miss.).
The Bulldogs will play two games on television this season as road games against Coastal Carolina and VMI will be on Comcast Sports Network and Fox College Sports.
Trips to Furman and Coastal Carolina and home dates with Wofford and Hampton provide challenges, but Patton clearly intended to lighten the load a bit schedule-wise.
“Last year, we had three of our first five games on artificial turf. I thought that was too many,” Patton said. “I tried to avoid that. I didn’t think with Furman, Hampton and Wofford on the schedule, I didn’t think we needed to play anybody else with more scholarships than us.”
The 2005 season gets under way for Gardner-Webb on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. in Spangler Stadium against NAIA member Union (Ky.).
You might guess that his main goal for the 2005 season would be winning a third Big South championship, or perhaps qualifying for the school’s first-ever playoff berth.
While those things are surely on the radar screen, the main blip at the moment is bringing fun back to Bulldog football.
“Whatever happens, I’m going to try not to let it get me down like it did last year,” Patton said of a season that saw numerous starters, including all-conference safety Mario Williams, go down with various injuries. “We’re going to go out and have fun. If the freshmen screw up, they screw up.“I’m just going to have some fun because last year wasn’t fun because of all the injuries.”
When Patton talks about freshmen on this year’s squad, he’s probably discussing the secondary. The preseason two-deep roster is littered with freshmen and sophomores at corner and safety, and Patton knows his defense will be very young in the secondary.
“I don’t know half of them,” Patton joked about the projected starters in the defensive backfield. “I think (GWU Sports Information Director Marc Rabb) made some of those names up, because I don’t know who they are. I would say that at least three freshmen are going to start in the secondary. Not redshirt freshmen, true freshmen.
“We’re going to have a different look. We’ll have some scared rabbits back there for a while, but hopefully they’ll develop and get better as the season goes on.”
Xavier Wallace, a Butler High product who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash, and Daniel Cooke, a former standout at Independence, will compete for playing time early at corner and safety, respectively.
Preseason all conference selections Keppy Baucom and Brandon Schweitzer stabilize the front seven for new defensive coordinator Will Holthouser.
Schweitzer, a preseason All America choice by the Sports Network, had 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks in 2004 while splitting time between nose guard and defensive end.
Baucom, a three-time all-league selection at linebacker, led the Bulldogs with 90 tackles last year.
While the defense has its question marks, the offense appears to have plenty of answers for opposing defenses.
Longtime offensive coordinator Joe Pizzo welcomes back eight starters to his spread offense led by senior quarterback Nick Roberts.
Roberts, a Springville, Ala., native, had a rough year as the injuries and lack of depth took its toll on the offense. He threw for 2,410 yards but had 17 interceptions to go along with his 12 scoring tosses. He also ran for 363 yards and six more touchdowns.
Patton believes that Roberts is poised for even better things in 2005.
“Nick’s a really good athlete,” Patton said. “He doesn’t have a great arm, but he does have a nice touch on deep passes. He’s learned to read defenses and he’s very dangerous because he can run a 4.4 forty.”
One thing he’ll have plenty of will be options at wide receiver. Kory Alston, a preseason all-conference choice, caught 42 passes for 769 yards and eight touchdowns last year and Aaron Richardson (35-504) and Vonzell Pittman (36-403) add depth to the receiving corps.
“I heard Coach Pizzo say the other day that this might be the best group of receivers that we’ve had here,” Patton said.”
The two leading rushers from last season, George Pressley and Jermaine Boston, return, but they’ll be pushed for playing time by Middle Tennessee State transfer Kelvin German (6-0, 219).
German provides the squad with a little more size than they’ve had in recent years at the running back position.
Former Crest High standout Martray Littlejohn is also in the mix at running back, and could possibly compete for a kick returning position as well.
While the ball carriers have beefed up, the schedule has trimmed down a bit compared to last season.
Seven home games dot the schedule, including the school’s first Thursday night contest as a division I school on Sept. 8 against NAIA member Bellhaven (Miss.).
The Bulldogs will play two games on television this season as road games against Coastal Carolina and VMI will be on Comcast Sports Network and Fox College Sports.
Trips to Furman and Coastal Carolina and home dates with Wofford and Hampton provide challenges, but Patton clearly intended to lighten the load a bit schedule-wise.
“Last year, we had three of our first five games on artificial turf. I thought that was too many,” Patton said. “I tried to avoid that. I didn’t think with Furman, Hampton and Wofford on the schedule, I didn’t think we needed to play anybody else with more scholarships than us.”
The 2005 season gets under way for Gardner-Webb on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. in Spangler Stadium against NAIA member Union (Ky.).
posted by Randy Capps at 10:42 PM
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