Furman Football

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Fresh off a 47-21 win over Western Carolina, Furman (3-1, 2-0 SoCon) returns to Paladin Stadium to face Samford (2-2, 0-2 SoCon) on Saturday afternoon. Saturday's meeting between the Paladins and Bulldogs will mark the 13th all-time meeting between the two SoCon foes, with the Paladins holding a 7-5 all-time series edge. The Paladins come into Saturday's meeting with the Bulldogs, having won six straight in the series, dating back to 1969.

Samford comes into Saturday's matchup coming off a 41-14 win over Big South member Gardner-Webb. In the win over the Bulldogs, Samford quarterback Dustin Taliaferro (79-of-128 passing, 924 yds., 7 TDs, 2 INTs in 2011) connected on 16-of-29 passes for 290 yards and three scores.

Taliaferro leads a Samford offense that enters Saturday's SoCon matchup ranking third in the SoCon in scoring offense (32.2 PPG), sixth in total offense (387.7 YPG), seventh in rushing offense (139.8 YPG) and fourth in passing offense (247.8 YPG).

The Bulldogs have posted wins over Stillman (48-6) and Gardner-Webb (41-14) this season, while having lost to Georgia Southern (31-17) and Wofford (38-23). The Bulldogs were very competitive in both of their league losses to No. 1 Georgia Southern and No.5 Wofford.

Taliaferro has a fine corps of wideouts to throw the ball to coming into Saturday's contest against the Paladins, led by sophomore Kelsey Pope (26 rec., 344 yds., 4 TDs, 13.4 YPR in 2011). Pope has been Samford's big play threat this season, while veteran senior wideout Riley Hawkins (13 rec., 149 yds., 11.5 YPC in 2011) isn't all that far behind in receiving yards. Like Pope, Hawkins will be a big play threat with his speed, and is a player that the Paladin secondary must keep in front of them.

Leading the Samford ground game this season has been sophomore running back Fabian Truss (51 rush att., 261 yds., 3 TDs, 5.1 YPC in 2011). Truss has also been huge as a receiver this season for the Bulldogs, as he enters Saturday's showdown with the Paladins ranking third on the team in receiving, having hauled in 10 passes for 83 yards (8.3 YPC) this season. Fullback Jeremiaha Gates (25 rush att., 99 yds., 4.0 YPC in 2011) has also been effective in short-yardage situations for the Bulldogs in 2011.

Samford returned four starters on its offensive line coming into the campaign, and the unit has been one of the more cohesive units in the league so far this season. The offensive front is anchored by veteran left tackle Charlie Sanford and center Ryan Dudchok. Coming into Saturday's contest with the Paladins, the Bulldogs' offensive front ranks seventh in the SoCon in sacks surrendered, as the Bulldogs have yielded 10 sacks to opponents on the season.

New offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee has done well in orchestrating this Samford offense through the first four games. Paladin fans will see an offense that most resembles Auburn's hurry-up, spread attack, which is featured on the FBS level and is an offense that helped the Tigers claim the 2010 BCS National Championship. Lashlee was influenced by Gus Malzahn, as he was an offensive assistant under Malzahn prior to coming to Samford.

Furman will counter with a defense that has been pretty impressive during the early going in the 2011 season, and one that will enter Saturday's contest ranking third in the SoCon in scoring defense (19.5 PPG), sixth in total defense (339.5 YPG), fifth in rushing defense (155.8 YPG) and fourth in pass defense (183.8 YPG). Furman's nine sacks as a defense have already equaled the total from the entire season last fall.

Furman, which utilizes multiple defensive packages, primarily utilizes a 4-3 base defense. The defensive line, though undersized, has been active so far on the young 2011 season. Leading the way has been junior preseason All-SoCon selection Josh Lynn (14 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, 1 FR in 2011) at defensive end.

Lynn's three sacks lead the team and rank him tied for fourth in the SoCon in total sacks so far this season. He teams with one of the most athletic players on the Furman defense, in Shawn Boone (9 tackles, 3.0 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 PBU in 2011). Boone and Lynn have combined to come up with five of the nine total sacks for the Paladin defense so far this season.

The two starters at defensive tackle for the Paladins on Saturday afternoon will be Colton Keig (5 tackles in 2011) and Neal Rogers (11 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack in 2011).

Linebacker has been solid all season, and is once again led by All-American and pre-season Buck Buchanan Award candidate Kadarron Anderson (35 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 3 PBUs, 1 FF in 2011). Anderson leads the Paladins in tackles and ranks sixth overall in the SoCon among the league's leading tacklers.

Anderson hasn't been alone in his strong play at linebacker this season for the Paladins, as he has been joined in those strong efforts at LB by outside LBs Chris Wiley (25 tackles, 1 PBU in 2011) and Mitch McGrath (28 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 2 INTs, 4PBUs, 1 FF in 2011). Both have been active and quick to the ball on the flanks this season for the Paladins, and McGrath has been able to cause disruption at his outside position, playing as a rover safety in some of Furman's defensive packages. He posted his first INT of the 2011 season in last week's 47-21 win at Western Carolina.

Furman enters Saturday's matchup with one of the top defensive backfields in the SoCon, led by pre-season All-America cornerback Ryan Steed (11 tackles in 2011), who is a player that teams have made a concerted effort to throw away from this season. Steed, of course, had a huge game against the Bulldogs last season, as he recorded 10 tackles and returned an INT 56 yards for a score in the Paladins' 27-10 win at Samford last season.

Joining Steed as a starter at cornerback on Saturday will be either sophomore Austin Williams (8 tackles, 1 PBU in 2011) or junior Derrick Murray (3 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 INT in 2011). Both played last Saturday at Western Carolina, with Murray coming up with the first INT of his career off a tipped pass.

The safety position was given a huge boost this past week with the return of Nathan Wade (7 tackles, 1 TFL in 2011), who returned after serving an off-season suspension, and appeared to pick up right where he left off last season with seven tackles and a TFL in the win at Western Carolina.

Wade is coming off a strong 2010 season, which saw him record 63 tackles and three INTs. One of those three picks came against Samford last season, which ended a late first-half scoring drive for the Bulldogs, and changed the momentum of the game in the favor of the Paladins. Wade will likely serve in a reserve role at one of the safety positions on Saturday, although there remains the possibility that he could end up in the starting lineup.

Set to start at free safety on Saturday will be sophomore Greg Worthy (23 tackles, 1 INT in 2011), who is off to a strong start in 2011. Worthy is one of the hardest hitters on the defensive side of the ball and is one of the best tacklers for the Paladins. He is at his best coming up and playing the run.

Joining Worthy at safety on Saturday afternoon will likely be E.J. Vinsang (18 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack in 2011), who will start at strong safety for Furman on Saturday. Vinsang has looked good in his first season as a starter in the Furman secondary.

Samford entered the 2011 season with only four returning starters on the defensive side of the football, and coming into Saturday's contest, the Bulldogs rank fourth in the league in scoring defense (22.2 PPG), seventh in total defense (358.0 YPG), eighth in rushing defense (238.8 YPG) and second in pass defense (119.2 YPG). The Bulldogs have six sacks through the first four games, ranking them eighth among the nine teams in the SoCon.

One of the strengths of the Samford defense this season has been the defensive line, which is anchored by defensive ends Aaron Bethune (12 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1 PBU, 1 FR in 2011) and Austin Hayes (13 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack in 2011). Alex Davis (11 tackles, 1.0 TFL), a preseason All-SoCon selection and regular starter, suffered an injury last week and will likely not be available for Saturday's showdown.

Set to start at the respective defensive tackle positions for the Bulldogs on Saturday will be senior Devyn Keith (15 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, 2 FRs in 2011) and Nicholas Williams (9 tackles, 1 FF in 2011) at defensive tackle. Both Keith and Williams have had solid starts to their respective campaigns, with Keith having all-conference worthy this season so far at nose guard. Keith is coming off a strong performance against Gardner-Webb, in which he recorded five tackles, 2.0 TFLs and a sack in the 41-14.

Though the linebacking corps no longer has Bryce Smith, the Bulldogs come to Greenville with a fine linebacking corps. Middle linebacker Keith Shoulders (21 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1 PBU) leads the Samford corps of linebackers for the Bulldogs, as he is the leading tackler on the club coming into Saturday afternoon's contest. Shoulders enjoyed his best outing of the 2011 season against Gardner-Webb last week, as he recorded seven tackles and a couple of tackles-for-loss.

Set to start at the two outside linebacker positions for the Bulldogs on Saturday will be Darion Sutton (15 tackles, 1.0 TFLs, 1 INT, 1 PBU in 2011) and Durrell Hill (18 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 0.5 sack). Sutton was listed as Samford's top linebacker coming into the 2011 season and he comes into Saturday's contest with 13 of his 15 stops on the season being solo stops.

The secondary was supposed to be a weakness for the Bulldogs entering the 2011 season, but to this point, this unit has been a surprise on the defensive side of the football. Anchoring the Samford secondary this season has been junior strong safety Alvin Hines II (18 tackles, 3 PBUs, 1 INT in 2011). 17 of Hines' 18 tackles have been solo stops this season, and he turned in his top performance of the campaign against both Georgia Southern and Gardner-Webb, recording seven tackles in each of those games this season.

Teaming with Hines at safety on Saturday will be senior free safety Omar Johnson (9 tackles, 2 PBUs in 2011). Johnson has gotten off to a slow start, but did manage to post six tackles and a couple of PBUs in last week's win over Gardner-Webb.

Rounding out the starters on the defensive side of the football for the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon will be cornerbacks Corey White (13 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 INT in 2011) and Brandon Nettles (4 tackles, 1 PBU in 2011). White was a preseason All-SoCon selection in 2011.

Furman comes into Saturday's contest with an offense that has been able to light up the scoreboard so far this season, as the Paladins enter the showdown with Samford ranking second in the SoCon and 10th nationally in scoring offense (37.0 PPG). Furman also ranks fourth in the league in rushing offense (229.5 YPG), fifth in passing offense (182.6 YPG), fourth in total offense (412.2 YPG) and the Paladins lead the SoCon in passing efficiency offense (209.46). The Paladins also lead all of FCS in passing efficiency offense.

Leading that extremely efficient offense has been the nation's most-efficient passer, in senior quarterback Chris Forcier (49-of-63 passing, 671 yds., 12 TDs, 0 INTs, 226.0 pass eff.) Forcier is the two-time reigning SoCon Offensive Player of the Week and also enters Saturday's contest having rushed the ball 36 times for 140 yards and a TD so far on the campaign. Forcier is coming off a solid performance against Western Carolina, as he completed 14-of-17 passes for 237 yards, with four TD tosses.

Making things easier for Forcier this season has been having the SoCon's leading rusher, in junior Jerodis Williams (88 rush att., 534 yds., 4 TDs, 6.1 YPC in 2011 ) to hand the ball off to this season. Williams is a bruising runner and is coming off a strong performance against Western Carolina last week, as he rushed for 175 yards and a TD on 28 carries. Williams will team with Tersoo Uhaa (18 att., 66 yds., 3.7 YPC, 1 TD in 2011) and Hank McCloud (39 rush att., 149 yds., 4.4 YPC, 1 TD in 2011) in the Furman ground attack on Saturday.

The Paladins have also shown a myriad of weapons in the passing game this fall at wide receiver. However, one of Forcier's favorite targets thus far in 2011 has been his junior tight end Colin Anderson (13 rec., 171 yds., 3 TDs, 13.2 YPR in 2011). Anderson posted his best performance of the 2011 season at Western Carolina, as he hauled in five passes for 87 yards and a couple of scores in the win.

Tyler Maples (14 rec., 216 yds., 2 TDs, 15.4 YPR in 2011) and Sederrik Cunningham (6 rec., 110 yds., 18.3 YPR, 2 TDs in 2011) are two veteran, reliable receivers that have come up big for the Paladins so far this season. Daniel McFadden (4 rec., 85 yds., 2 TDs, 21.2 YPR in 2011) gives the Paladins a deep threat with blazing speed, while Ryan Culbreath (6 rec., 59 yds., 9.8 YPR in 2011) gives the Paladins a physical blocking edge on the perimeter.

Furman has gotten solid play out of its experienced offensive line so far this season, as the unit continues to be anchored by preseason all-league selections Ryan Lee (RT) and Dakota Dozier (LT). Furman senior center Daniel Spisak is one of the most underrated offensive linemen in the SoCon. Furman's offensive front has yielded five sacks (1.25 SPG/5th in SoCon) this season.

Final Prediction:

This has the makings of another great one between the Paladins and Bulldogs, who have seen two of their three meetings as league members decided by less than a field goal. Give Furman the edge with the homefield advantage in a game that should have plenty of fireworks.

41-33 Furman

Previewing Appalachian State's Defense

So far this season, Appalachian State hasn’t needed to be great on defense, with the offense providing so much potency and efficiency to this point, but anyone will tell you the Mountaineers need to improve in certain areas on the defensive side if they want to challenge for a fourth national title in six seasons.

It’s not a question of talent the defensive side of the football for the Black and Gold, as three Buck Buchanan Award candidates highlight what is an experienced, athletic group.

Coming into Saturday’s contest against the Paladins, the Mountaineers rank 53rd in the nation in total defense (350.1 YPG), 29th in scoring defense (20.4 PPG), 35th in rushing defense (131.4 YPG), 73rd in pass defense (218.7 YPG) and ninth in turnover margin (+8). The Black and Gold also lead the league in sacks with 19.

One of the areas that was dealt a tough early blow this season was the Mountaineer defensive line, which lost defensive end Lanston Tanyi early, as he had to have season-ending surgery.

Coming into the season, the Mountaineers also had to replace both defensive tackles from a year ago, as starters Anthony Williams and Malcolm Bennett graduated.

However, one of those returnees on the defensive line is Buck Buchanan Award candidate defensive end Jabari Fletcher (63 tackles, 11.0 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR). Fletcher is coming off a strong effort in the Mountaineers' 37-14 win over Western Carolina last Saturday, as he garnered SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors in the Mountaineers’ lopsided road win.

He contributed 11 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, two sacks and a fumble recovery to the Mountaineers’ defensive cause last Saturday.

Against the Paladins last season, Fletcher had a couple of tackles and half-a-tackle-for-loss in the 52-27 Mountaineer romp. The Paladins have had trouble blocking some of the league’s more talented, athletic defensive ends this season, which means Fletcher might have a big afternoon.

Set to start opposite Fletcher on Saturday will be sophomore sensation John Rizor (20 tackles, 6 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF). Rizor was going to challenge for serious playing time at defensive end even if Tanyi hadn’t had to end his season prematurely.

Like Fletcher, Rizor is a physical, athletic specimen at defensive end, and he will bear the torch as the Mountaineers’ premier pass-rusher after Fletcher graduates.

In the 37-14 win at Western Carolina last Saturday, Rizor finished the contest with six tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1.0 sack and recovered a fumble.

The two starting defensive tackles for the Mountaineers will be JUCO transfer Dan Wylie (18 tackles, 1.5 TFLs) at left defensive tackle and Bobby Bozzo (20 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 1 FF) at right defensive tackle.

Wylie has seen action in all seven games for the Mountaineers this season, and he will be making his third-straight start on Saturday against the Paladins.

Like his predecessor Bennett, Wylie matriculated to Boone, N.C., from the Georgia Military College pipeline, where the Mountaineers have gotten plenty of talent over the years.

In the win over Western Carolina last Saturday, Wylie had four tackles and half-a-tackle-for-loss.

Bozzo, a senior from Waldwick, N.J., rounds out the starters along the Mountaineer defensive front and will be making his eighth start of the campaign on Saturday.

Bozzo has good size and experience, and there has been virtually no drop-off at defensive tackle, despite the graduation of two-time All-SoCon and ‘07 third-team All-America selection Anthony Williams, who Bozzo replaced.

In the win over the Catamounts last week, Bozzo had three tackles and half-a-tackle-for-loss. In the 52-27 win at Furman last season, Bozzo played but did not record any statistics.

Since 2006, the Mountaineers have fielded one the nation’s elite corps of linebackers each of the past five seasons, including this one. Leading the group this season once again in D.J. Smith (75 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 FR, 3 PBUs).

Smith is having another sensational campaign for the Mountaineers and enters Saturday’s contest with the Paladins having recorded 456 career stops, which is third on the school’s all-time ledger.

Prior to last Saturday’s win at Western Carolina, Smith showed his versatility, as he started three-straight games at middle linebacker for the Mountaineers before moving back to his weakside post.

In the 37-14 win over the Catamounts last Saturday, Smith contributed 13 tackles and has amassed double-digit tackle efforts in each of the last five games for the Mountaineers.

In the win at Furman last season, Smith had six tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. He will start at weakside linebacker once again on Saturday and will be starting his 45th consecutive game of his career.

The starter at strongside linebacker on Saturday afternoon will be sophomore Justin Wray (39 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 2 blocked kicks, 1 FF), who actually started the season playing safety for the Mountaineers, but has now moved permanently to strongside linebacker. Wray is an extremely physical player, and he’s one of the biggest hitters on defense.

In the victory last Saturday at Western Carolina, Wray put forth a strong effort, as he finished with five stops. Wray saw action on special teams against Furman last season, but did not record any statistics.

Rounding out the starters at linebacker for the Mountaineers heading into Saturday afternoon’s contest with the Paladins will be middle linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough (24 tackles, half-a-tackle-for-loss, 2 PBUs).

It was Kimbrough, a sophomore, who came into the 2010 season with some huge shoes to fill on the Mountaineers defense, as he was asked to replace two-time All-SoCon linebacker and ‘08 SoCon Defensive Player of the Year Jacque Roman at middle linebacker.

The native of Decatur, Ga., enters Saturday’s showdown with the Paladins having started four games so far in 2010.

Kimbrough is a big, physical presence in the middle, turning in his best performance of the campaign in his first start as a Mountaineer, as he recorded eight stops in the season-opening 42-41 win over Chattanooga.

Kimbrough has been bothered by a nagging thigh injury, but finally appears to be back to full health. In the win over the Catamounts last Saturday, Kimbrough finished with four tackles.

If Smith starts at weakside linebacker Saturday against Furman, look for Brandon Grier (33 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 0.5 sack, 1 FF) to draw the starting assignment for the Mountaineers at weakside linebacker.

Grier has split time with Smith at the weakside linebacker position this fall, as he started three straight games at weakside linebacker, when Smith moved to the middle as a result of Kimbrough’s thigh injury.

In the Mountaineers’ 37-14 win at Western Carolina last Saturday, Grier turned in a strong effort, racking up seven tackles, forced a fumble and broke up a pass.

The Mountaineers' secondary will be anchored by the third Buck Buchanan Award candidate in safety Mark LeGree (35 tackles, 5 INTs, 5 PBUs). With his interception in last week’s 37-14 win at Western Carolina, LeGree now has 22-career INTs, which ranks him third on the school’s all-time ledger and fourth on the league’s all-time scroll.

LeGree needs just four INTs the rest of the season to break Larry Harbin’s (1961-64) all-time school mark of 25 INTs in a career. In addition to his INT against Western Carolina last Saturday, LeGree also had eight tackles in ASU’s sixth straight triumph for the Mountain Jug.

LeGree had a solid effort against the Paladins last season, recording five tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a PBU. He’s another physical player on the Mountaineer defense and a knack for making the big play.

Another proven playmaker in the Mountaineers secondary is free safety Dominique McDuffie (25 tackles, 1 INT). McDuffie hasn’t had quite the season he had last year, but he’s still a playmaker on the defensive side of the football for the Mountaineers. McDuffie is coming off a six-tackle performance in the win over the Catamounts last season.

He had a strong effort in the 52-27 win in Greenville last season, as he had three tackles and an interception, which he returned 40 yards to give the Mountaineers offense the ball deep inside Paladin territory.

Completing the starting 11 on the defensive side of the football on Saturday afternoon against the Paladins will be cornerbacks Ed Gainey (34 tackles, 4.0 TFLs, 1 INT, 8 PBUs) and Troy Sanders (36 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack, 5 PBUs, 1 blocked kick).

Gainey, an All-SoCon selection last season, has been one of the more criticized players on the defensive side of the football for the Mountaineers. At times, Gainey has a tendency to let opposing receivers get behind him.

Last week, Gainey six tackles and three pass breakups in the 37-14 win, which was one of his best performances of the season. In the 52-27 win over Furman last fall, Gainey recorded five tackles and a tackle for a loss.

Sanders is in his first season as a starter on the Mountaineers defense and the sophomore came into the campaign with some really big shoes to fill, taking over the position for departed all-league corner Cortez Gilbert. Sanders is coming off a solid performance in the win at Western Carolina, totaling three tackles and a PBU.

For the Mountaineers, a chance to get the defense more improvement this week is a possibility, especially with Furman’s documented struggles blocking this season. The Mountaineer defense held Furman to 350 yards of total offense in last season’s 52-27 win in Greenville.

Previewing Furman's Offense

Furman will bring an offense that ranks 69th in total offense (337.1 YPG), 18th in scoring offense (31.8 YPG), 48th in rushing offense (156.0 YPG) and 70th in passing offense (181.1 YPG).

Leading the Furman offense this season has been senior signal-caller Cody Worley (93-of-155 passing, 1,094 yds., 10 TDs, 7 INTs). The Calhoun, Ga., native has played well this season in what has otherwise been a tough campaign for the Paladins as a whole.

Worley, a fifth-year senior, started the season splitting time with Chris Forcier, but when Forcier went down win a season-ending shoulder injury, the job became Worley’s.

The strong-armed signal-caller is coming off a pretty solid performance in the 36-28 loss to Chattanooga last Saturday, as he connected on 12-of-21 passes for 129 yards, two TDs and an INT. Worley has been battle-tested this season and when given time to throw, he can be one of the more dangerous passers in the league.

He leads a Furman offense that enters Saturday’s game at No. 1 Appalachian State that ranks 69th in total offense (337.1 YPG), 18th in scoring offense (31.8 YPG), 48th in rushing offense (156.0 YPG) and 70th in passing offense (181.1 YPG).

Worley has one of the best receivers in the league to throw to in senior wideout Adam Mims (42 rec., 553 yds, 4 TDs, 13.2 YPR) and is one of the top receivers in the Southern Conference, if not the FCS.

Mims has great speed and elusiveness and needs just 77 yards receiving on Saturday to become the school’s all-time receiving yardage record holder.

In a 38-19 loss earlier this season to then-No.13-ranked South Carolina in Columbia, Mims hauled in 10 passes for 202 yards and a TD. In total, Mims comes into Saturday afternoon’s showdown with the Mountaineers having caught 185 passes for 2,262 yards and 12 TDs.

In the loss to the Mocs last week, Mims hauled in six passes for 45 yards. Despite the lopsided loss to the Mountaineers last season, Mims was Furman’s top offensive weapon, hauling in five passes for 102 yards, including a 72-yard scoring reception in the third quarter.

Another solid option in the passing game for the Paladins is starting flanker Sederrik Cunningham (12 rec., 173 yds., 14.4 YPR). Cunningham is an all-purpose wide receiver, as he has been utilized in the Wildcat offense, and it was Cunningham who appeared to be headed to the end zone against the Mountaineers a couple of years ago before having the ball jarred loose by a defender prior to crossing the goal line.

In the loss to the Mocs last week, Cunningham did not catch a pass for the second week in a row. Prior to the UTC game, Cunningham had caught a pass in every game of his career.

He threw a 29-yard pass in the 27-10 win at Samford a couple of weeks ago out of the Wildcat, which set up the go-ahead TD for the Paladins. Against the Mountaineers last season, Cunningham caught one pass for four yards.

David Hendrix (6 rec., 84 yds., 14.0 YPR) will round out the starters at wide receiver for the Paladins, as he will start at split end on Saturday afternoon against the Mountaineers.

His 6'4" frame makes him a big target at wide receiver for the Paladins and he also excels as a perimeter blocker. He caught one pass for eight yards, but did not have a reception against the Mountaineers last season.

University of Tennessee transfer Tyler Maples (9 rec., 93 yds., 2 TDs, 10.3 YPR) backs up Adam Mims in the slot, and he has been a nice change-up to the Furman passing attack when giving Mims a respite. Like Mims, Maples has good speed and a good pair of hands. In the loss to the Mountaineers last season, Maples had a carry for seven yards, but fumbled the ball and it was recovered by the Mountaineers early in that contest.

Over the past couple of weeks, Worley’s most-effective receiving option has been tight end Colin Anderson (12 rec., 171 yds., 3 TDs, 14.2 YPR). Anderson had a career game last Saturday in the loss to Chattanooga, as the former walk-on quarterback-turned-tight end caught four passes for 70 yards and a couple of TDs.

Furman comes into the Saturday afternoon’s contest with top-ranked Appalachian State sputtering on the offensive side of the football at this particular juncture in the 2010 season. However, the Paladins have shown the ability to be potent this season.

Anderson became the first tight end to catch two TD passes in a game since 1996, when former Furman tight end great Luther Broughton caught a couple of scoring passes in a 35-20 win over The Citadel. Anderson was also effective in the 52-27 loss to Appalachian State last season, as he hauled in a 33-yard TD pass.

Furman’s running game, which has struggled mightily this season, was given a huge boost with the return of Tersoo Uhaa (24 att., 142 yds., 1 TD, 5.9 YPC), who will see his first action for the Paladins since the second game of the season.

Uhaa ran strong in the season-opener against Colgate, as Uhaa finished the contest with 125 yards and a TD on 16 rush attempts. He also was able to haul in two passes for 27 yards and a TD in that contest. Uhaa entered the season as an All-America pick by The Sports Network, coming off an ‘09 season, which saw him rush for 535 yards and 13 TDs on 13 attempts last fall.

Uhaa has done particularly well in his two games against the Mountaineers in his career. In the 52-27 loss to the Black and Gold last season, Uhaa rushed for a then career-best 104 yards and a TD on 19 carries. In Furman’s last trip to Boone in ‘08, Uhaa rushed for a season-high 99 yards and two scores, but also had a key fumble late in that contest.

Joining Uhaa as legitimate factors for the Furman ground attack on Saturday afternoon will be senior leading rusher Mike Brown (55 att., 266 yds., 1 TD, 4.8 YPC) and sophomore Jerry Williams (45 att., 188 yds., 5 TDs, 4.5 YPC).

Brown is coming off a 58-yard rushing effort on 12 attempts in the loss to the Mocs last week. Brown didn’t see action against the Mountaineers last season, but finished with 83 yards on 15 carries in the 26-14 loss in ‘08. Brown also has seven catches for 55 yards out of the Furman backfield.

Williams is another potential weapon for the Furman ground game, should it find its footing this season. Williams has been less effective this season for Furman than his freshman campaign, which saw him garner all-freshman recognition by the league, after rushing for 483 yards and three TDs last season.

Part of that "lack of effectiveness" this season has been a direct result of Brown having been 100-percent for the entire season.

The biggest problem for the Furman offense this season has been one that even the casual football fan would be able to spot—the offensive line. Not only have injuries and suspensions plagued the offensive front, Furman has continually struggled to keep pressure off of Worley this season.

In fact, coming into Saturday afternoon’s showdown with Appalachian State at The Rock, Furman has yielded 19 sacks this season, which ranks them eighth in the SoCon in the "sacks against" category.

Furman will be forced to make another change heading into Saturday’s contest with the Mountaineers, as left guard Ryan Storms is injured and will be replaced in the Furman starting lineup by David Barrington.

Senior right tackle Antonio Frazier is Furman’s most experienced offensive lineman, and will start for the 19th time in his career and will see action in his 38th career game.

Right guard Nic Ayoob will also being seeing action in his 39th career game for the Paladins, but will be making just his seventh start.

Junior center Daniel Spisak will be starting for the 19th time in 24 career games on Saturday, while red shirt freshman left tackle Dakota Dozier, who many say will be the best offensive lineman to ever suit up for the Paladins before his time is through in Greenville, will start his seventh game as a Paladin on Saturday.

Final Prediction

The simple fact about Saturday’s showdown between the Paladins and Mountaineers is that it’s a game that fans from both sides circle on their calendars before the season gets underway, despite Furman’s recent struggles.

For Furman head coach Bobby Lamb, games against the Mountaineers, and particularly ones on the mountain, have been particularly horrific.

Saturday’s game will either add to that nightmare, or offer a brief respite to what has been a forgettable decade for him and Furman fans against the juggernaut Mountaineers.

The fact is, two of Furman’s worst losses in series history (40-7, 2006 and 52-27, 2009) have come on Lamb’s watch, as well as one of the most bizarre setbacks (2002, 16-15, Appalachian State).

Coming off a particularly head-scratching loss to Chattanooga, which saw Lamb’s Paladins squander an 18-point fourth-quarter lead, despite blocking a field goal, punt and extra point, while also forcing five turnovers, stopping a two-point conversion and recording a pick-six in the wild 36-28 loss to the Mocs.

In similar fashion, Furman entered the 2009 game against the Mountaineers coming off a particularly demoralizing 38-28 loss at The Citadel. While Appalachian was a much better team to begin with, the Paladins put forth a demoralized effort in the 52-27 loss to the Armanti Edwards-led Mountaineers.

And just like last season, Furman’s playoff hopes hang in the balance, as the Paladins need to win out to get an at-large bid. Last season, Furman basically had to complete the same feat, with the likes of Appalachian State and Auburn still on the schedule.

Furman is an upper echelon team in the SoCon this season, and that couldn’t have been said of them last season. But Furman isn’t to the level of being able to go in and win a must-win game at Appalachian State—at least not without a lot of help from the top-ranked Mountaineers.

A loss to Appalachian State won’t cost Lamb his job, but it will make the seat a little warmer. If Furman does lose at Appalachian State, it will likely take wins in Furman’s final three games to ensure his return.

Appalachian State, on the other hand, knows that its final four games will be the true measuring stick by which this team will be gauged and this gauntlet of games will likely determine if Appalachian State is truly a contender for a fourth national title in six years.

The Mountaineers have been tested twice this season, both by SoCon opponents, winning an epic contest at Chattanooga (42-41) to begin the season, while holding off pesky Scott Riddle and the Elon Phoenix (34-31) on homecoming at The Rock three weeks ago.

Appalachian State will be tested for a third time on Saturday, and again the Mountaineers will rise to the challenge, knocking off the Paladins by 10.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Appalachian State 38, Furman 28

Usually heated rivalries on fall Saturdays have little in common with a holiday associated with hauntings and the annual trick or treaters that dress up in either scary costumes or hero's armour on a night of friendly fright.

However, when Furman takes the gridiron against Appalachian State on Saturday, there’s no such thing as "friendly" and the frights and haunts have been very real.

Time machines haven’t been invented yet, however, fortunately we’ve had scribes, and now journalists chronicle historical events from the Holy Bible to a modern-day tabloid, capturing mysterious hauntings and demons that were cast out of human beings by God himself.

One very real haunting occurred on Oct. 12, 2002, when the Paladins traveled to Boone, N.C., trying to keep pace with Georgia Southern in the league’s championship race and defending a co-league crown with the Eagles a year prior. In fact, the 2001 season saw the Paladins finish as national runners-up (13-6 loss to Montana in the 2001 National Title).

For Furman, it was trying to do two things that some would term mutually-exclusive—keep things the same while undergoing a season that saw some massive overhauls from that team that ended Georgia Southern’s 39-game playoff winning streak at Paulson Stadium and ended the Eagles’ "Golden Age" during the Paul Johnson era.

There was a new regime to try and keep a tradition of decades of SoCon dominance, while offering optimism and change in the wake of a major overhaul within the coaching staff, led by one of the school’s best quarterbacks and longtime offensive coordinator, Bobby Lamb. Lamb was replacing what is considered one of Furman’s "Mount Rushmore" of coaches, compiling 60 wins in his eight seasons at the helm.

Lamb took the reins and all was well, seemingly when the Paladins visited Boone on that sunny, cool Saturday afternoon with Lamb’s only hiccup as head coach coming against his former mentor and boss—a 49-18 loss to Vanderbilt in Lamb’s debut as head coach.

At 4-1 overall and 2-1 in league play, things seemed far from following a storyline of a Stephen King novel. With Bob Rathbun on-hand providing the regional broadcast for Fox Sports South and a crowd of over 15,000 on-hand at Kidd Brewer Stadium, three quarters of a lackluster defensive slugfest gave way to a fourth quarter of fireworks and miracles for Appalachian and a haunting that Lamb and the Furman program endure to this day.

So, how quick does it take a person to go from hero to goat? No one can be exactly sure, but on that afternoon, it took no time at all for Furman, on a play that was appropriately and officially referred to as a "dead" play. Lamb went from brilliant offensive schemer to "bone-headed coach," as some pundits found humor in calling him. Lamb, despite that play, outlasted the ESPN college football analyst that was, apparently, another legend in his own mind.

Furman senior quarterback and current Clemson offensive coordinator Billy Napier hit Bear Rinehart on a 12-yard slant route with 7.4 seconds remaining to take a 16-15 lead and apparently seal a thrilling win for a team that was ironically referred to as the "Death Dealers" in the mid-1980s to early 1990s.

However, instead of lining up for an extra point, they decided to lineup for a two-point conversion that would’ve made the score 18-15. The mysterious events that followed, from who called the play to whether the play was changed remains just that—a mystery.

On what was originally a quarterback keeper for Napier, instructed to try and score but go out of bounds at all costs, somehow turned into a slip screen play intended for Isaac West.  This new play turned into an interception by defensive end Josh Jeffries at the four-yard line, who lateraled the ball to the much fleeter cornerback, Derrick Black, who went the final 74 yards for the two points and a 16-15 lead.

Furman had to attempt an on-side kick; since the score came after the run back, it was a point-after Furman touchdown, or dead play. The Apps rushed the field, tore down the goal posts, and dog-piled Black in the end zone to complete the "Miracle On The Mountain," as it's called by Appalachian State fans.

Meanwhile, the Paladins made their way through the melee, having to have been assuredly shocked by the harrowing events.

The nightmare was real and Bobby was the "sacrificial" Lamb . But the mettle of a man is often revealed in times of triumph and, more often, times of dejection. However, this was a different kind of defeat—one that would cause unfair judgements for a first-year coach and unwarranted comments from what was suddenly a passionate Furman fanbase.

To Lamb’s credit and an example of the type of integrity instilled by predecessors such as Johnson, Jimmy Satterfield, and Dick Sheridan, Lamb stood outside Furman’s locker room, alongside his senior signal-caller, Billy Napier, and fielded questions for 45 minutes.

It is not a common thing, especially for a first-year head coach, to encounter such an uncanny, detrimental event and then respectfully not only field questions about the nightmare, but take full responsibility, despite the original play call, which called for a run.

Since then, despite 60 wins as a head coach (tied with Bobby Johnson for all-time wins in as many seasons), Lamb’s career has been most-remembered for the play by Furman’s most fervent followers. Exorcising the demon has plagued him for his entire career, especially when facing Moore in the Mountaineers.

Since that forgettable inaugural meeting with Moore and the Mountaineers, the uniqueness and peculiarity of that ending have given Lamb added pressure each October when the Paladins and the Mountaineers meet in their annual battle. The Paladins have lost six of seven meetings to the Apps.

To make matters worse, it almost appears as if the terrible turn of events that cool October afternoon harvested a curse as Lamb’s series continued against the Mountaineers. The losses Lamb and his Paladins had to endure were the kind of mental torture akin to the physical torture those endured in the Dark Ages.

For Furman, that dark day is appropriately dubbed "Black Saturday," and now every year the Paladins play in Boone is known by that name. The real weird thing about Black Saturday is the fact that it was the revival of a tradition started in the late 1980s during the Sparky Woods era, but ended at the beginning of the Jerry Moore regime.

Making matters worse, in those seven meetings, the average victory from 2002-2005 (five meetings, played twice in 2005), was decided by a combined 14 points, an average of a field goal. Furman’s only win in those five meetings was a 34-31 victory in 2004, when Ingle Martin led the Paladins on an impressive game-winning drive, aided by a couple of crucial Mountaineer infractions.

However, the glimmer and shine of that victory would last a little over two months, when the Mountaineers and Paladins squared off again—this time in the FCS semifinals and in a packed house on a chilly December afternoon in Boone. In a game that arguably could have been more painstaking than the 2002 debacle due to the magnitude, the winner had a chance for hardware and the loser called it a season.

Furman took control the rest of the half behind a punishing ground game and Martin’s play-action passing to build a 23-21 halftime lead. Jerome Felton ran for 105 yards and scored two touchdowns. Martin was 17-of-28 passing for 238 yards and rushed eight times for 49 yards, helping the Paladins pile up 507 yards of offense.

The crucial play in the contest came in the third quarter and with Furman having the opportunity to take a two-score advantage, up 23-21, on a third-and-goal play from the five. Furman quarterback Ingle Martin appeared to have a clear route to the end zone on a naked bootleg, however, he slipped on a patch of ice at the three, without a Mountaineer defender within three yards of him.

On the next play, the Paladins decided to go for the TD, instead of calling upon a shaky Scott Beckler to attempt the short field goal, and Jerome Felton was stopped in the backfield for a loss by Pierre Banks and Jason Hunter. That provided the spark the Mountaineers needed, and they ultimately won the school’s first national title in any sport other than cheerleading.

In 2004, Richie Williams had a career day, completing a then NCAA record 28-straight passes, including going an amazing 40-of-45 passing, leading the Mountaineers to an amazing 30-29, come-from-behind win in another classic. Williams’ best effort was saved for the final drive, when he connected on 4-of-4 passes for 61 yards and ran for 17 more, which included a 13-yard score with 35 seconds remaining, leading the Apps to the win and another ominous end for the second-ranked Paladins.

In the meeting between the two foes in 2003, the Mountaineers came to Greenville, having gotten off to a 2-3 start and facing what seemed to be a daunting task, facing a Furman team that was ranked fifth in the nation. But defensive end K.T. Stovall had one of the best days in the history of ASU’s strong tradition of talented bookends. Stovall paced a strong defensive effort with nine tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery to lift Appalachian State to a 13-10 win, and garner National Defensive Player of the Week honors by the Sports Network.

Fast-forward to the 2009 season and the Paladin faithful have again become restless, as some of the firestorm and old demons have been conjured once again with Furman’s 4-3 (3-2 in SoCon) start to what seemed to be a promising 2009 season.

However, with Halloween often referred to as the "witches holiday," Furman’s season may have reached the "witching hour" last Saturday in the Port City of Charleston, S.C., as the Paladins’ defense looked bewitched all afternoon against The Citadel’s spread offense, led admirably by redshirt freshman Miguel Starks in his first career start.

With the Bulldogs’ 38-28 win on Parents' Day in Johnson-Hagood Stadium, Furman now must win out against a schedule that not only includes Appalachian State, but one that also includes a Nov. 7 showdown with Auburn and a trip to Georgia Southern on Nov.14.

The Paladins’ defense was gashed for 479 yards (a season-high 296 yards yielded on the ground), including a memorable performance for Starks, who totaled 327 total offensive yards (144 yards rushing, 183 passing, 1 TD) and five TD responsibilities (four rushing, two passing), without throwing an interception. Starks sliced and cut the Furman defense like any great slasher film last Saturday.

After Appalachian State came within one yard of tying a school mark for total offense (712 yards) last Saturday in a 52-16 win over Georgia Southern, many feel the game this weekend could be another gorey scene, if the Furman defense that showed up against the Citadel’s spread arrives against an Appalachian State spread attack buoyed by one of only two QBs in the history of Division I football to pass for 8,000 yards and rush for 4,000 yards.

Appalachian State’s defense can relate to what Lamb and the Furman defense have experienced on six of seven Saturdays this season. After all, earlier this season, McNeese State demonized the Mountaineer defense for 522 yards in a 40-35 win in Boone, sending the Apps to a nightmarish 0-2, putting championship hopes, at least for the time being, temporarily on hold.

But like any great championship program that has a swagger, there is one common thread that is woven within the team through experiences: the ability to exorcise its own demons by faith. On Saturday, when the Devil, in the form of Georgia Southern, went up to Boone, they found out just how powerful that faith and past triumphs could be.

Challenged by its coaches earlier in the week, the Mountaineers made it the blackest of Saturdays for Georgia Southern, holding the Eagles to just 171 yards of total offense in arguably the Black and Gold’s most complete defensive performance of the campaign.

One thing this Halloween should promise: another classic. Whether Lamb will experience the demons he has in all but one of the meetings will be known a little after 6pm on Saturday evening, but if the Furman defense comes dressed as a magician and performs another disappearing act, the Paladins' end could be quick and painlesss in 2009. If the one that held the nation’s top offense, Elon, to 19 points four weeks ago shows up, then Lamb may have a chance to quiet some pretty ignorant critics.

The hour is approaching. Expect a few tricks and one heck of a treat on Saturday in Greenville on Saturday and two quality coaches and programs to provide another thriller worthy of its hallowed past.

Every year, schools from the BCS conferences schedule one game against a Division I-AA opponent (I refuse to acknowledge the names "Football Bowl Subdivision" and "Football Championship Subdivision").

This year, the Missouri Tigers will face the Furman Paladins from the Southern Conference.

The name and stigma of the non-BCS team may lull some Tiger fans into a relaxed attitude when thinking of this game, but Furman has given major teams trouble in the past. Last season, Furman played at Virginia Tech and only trailed 3-0 at halftime.

Located in Greenville, South Carolina, the Paladins present a fairly balanced offensive attack, with quarterback Jordan Sorrells, running back Mike Brown, and receiver Adam Mims. None of their stat lines will blow you away, but when combined, they present a nice balance that can leave a defense guessing whether the play will be a run or pass.

Furman also spreads the ball around, as four different receivers caught 30 or more passes. To put that in perspective, in 2008 the high-flying Missouri offense had the same number of receivers catch 30 or more balls.

Missouri should use this game as a tune-up for the high-powered offense they will be facing against Nevada the following week.

Frankly, there isn't a whole lot to say about this game. If Missouri shows up, they win. If Missouri doesn't, Furman may hang around. That said, Furman winning this game would have shades of Appalachian State or Stanford from 2007.  

Furman poses a threat to this young Missouri squad, but make no mistake, if the Tigers come out focused and ready to play, the game will not be close, and backups and freshmen will get a chance to play.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Clemson head football coach Tommy Bowden said “the parity is here (in college football), whether you like it or not.” That statement has never ringed as true as it is during the 2007 college football season. Appalachian State’s upset of No. 5 Michigan in the Big House was followed up during week two with South Florida’s 26-23 win over No. 17 Auburn, at Auburn.

The Tigers themselves stumbled out of the gate against Louisiana-Monroe before going on to win 49-26. Tomorrow, No. 20 Clemson (2-0, 1-0), will look to prove that parity does not apply to them when the Furman Paladins (1-1) make the short trip to Death Valley.

Furman is ranked 15th in the FCS and is coming off of a 32-17 road loss to Hofstra. The Paladins play in the Southern Conference along with Appalachian State and will play host to the Mountaineers on October 27. Furman has fallen just short of pulling off their own upset in the past few years, falling to North Carolina last year 45-42 and dropping a 41-38 overtime contest to Pittsburgh in 2004.

The Paladins’ rushing attack is led by Jerome Felton (42 yards per game) and Cedrick Gipson (38 ypg). Leading Furman’s passing attack is quarter back Renaldo Gray. He is tied for seventh nationally in passing efficiency at 174.89 and is averaging over 215 yards of total offense per game.

The top receivers at Gray’s disposal are split-ends Patrick Sprague and RJ Webb. Sprague is a senior that is averaging seven catches a game, a figure good enough for 14th in the FCS. Webb, a graduate of nearby Pickens High School is second on the team with over five catches per game.

Defensively, the Paladins are led by free safety Thomas Twitty. Twitty is averaging 9.5 tackles per game and finished the Hofstra contest with 14 tackles, eight solo. Also tackling well for Furman is linebacker Andrew Jones with seven tackles per game.

The men in orange are led offensively by a host of players, highlighted by junior quarter back Cullen Harper. Last week, Harper set a school record by passing for five touchdowns in the Tigers’ victory over the Warhawks. Harper currently ranks eighth in the country with a passer rating of 186.44. Look for Harper to have a big game, as the Paladins are giving up 296.5 yards passing per game.

On the receiving end of Harper’s passes has been the trio of Aaron Kelly, Tyler Grisham and CJ Spiller. Kelly leads the way, averaging four catches and 57.5 yards receiving per game. A pleasant surprise to the Clemson passing game has been true freshman Brian Linthicum who has two touchdown catches in as many games this year.

The Tiger rushing attack has been led thus far by junior running back James Davis. Davis is averaging 85 yards per game and is second on the team in scoring with six points per game.

Spiller’s talents have effectively been utilized by the Clemson coaching staff as he currently leads the team in all-purpose yards with 148 yards per game. Spiller is averaging three catches per game for 45 yards and 43 rushing yards per game. He has also been actively involved in the Tigers’ return game.

Bowden and company seem to have found a proven kicker in two-sport star Mark Buchholz. A scholarship soccer player on Trevor Adair’s nationally ranked soccer team; Buchholz won the starting place kicker role on the football team and never looked back. He is perfect on the year on field goals and extra points and leads the team in scoring with 6.5 points per game.

Despite a less than stellar performance last weekend, Clemson’s defense is the fastest and most talented that Death Valley has seen in years. Led by a huge, quick athletic line, the Tigers swarmed to the ball against Florida State and should do the same against a talented Furman offense.

New Orleans native Nick Watkins leads the team in tackles with 10.5 and is tied for the team lead in sacks with one half sacks per game. Defensive end Phillip Merling is tied for tenth in the nation in tackles for loss with two per game. Opposite of Merling is Ricky Sapp, who has made his presence known and eased the loss of Gaines Adams.

The Tigers and Paladins have met on the gridiron 55 times, dating back to 1896, Clemson’s first year of football. The Tigers lead the series 40-10-4 overall and 22-2 in games played at home. Clemson has never lost to Furman in Death Valley (17-0). Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 1 p.m., and it is family weekend at Clemson.