100 years of Homecoming at The Citadel

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Sandlapper Spike

The Citadel vs. Chattanooga, to be played at historic Johnson Hagood Stadium (not including the East stands), with kickoff at 2:00 pm ET on November 9, 2024.

The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Jason Kempf will handle play-by-play, while Vad Lee supplies the analysis. Matison Little is the sideline reporter. 

The contest can be heard on radio on 102.1-FM in Charleston [audio link]. Brian Giffin calls the game alongside analyst Lee Glaze.

We are about to celebrate an anniversary of sorts: 100 years of Homecoming at The Citadel — or as Colonel Bond described it, “Home-Coming Day”:

The first Home-Coming Day of the Greater Citadel was held on October 25, 1924. Hundreds of the alumni — old men, middle-aged, and young men — many from distant states — came to the celebration.

…The morning was spent on the campus, with many interesting reunions and talks of old times, and at noon everyone gathered on Indian Hill under the live oaks for an al fresco barbecue lunch.

Shortly after one o’clock the crowd began to gather in groups towards Hampton Park, where the chief event of the day was to take place. This was the Furman-Citadel football game, in comparison with which all other features of Home-Coming Day (and there were several others of noteworthy interest) paled into insignificance.

On this battlefield of the gridiron, two teams of stalwart warriors were to battle for the honor and renown of their Alma Mater, and to perform exploits that would put their names in big headlines in the morning papers. This was the opportunity, too, when the alumni could wear their college colors and show their loyalty to the old school.

— Oliver J. Bond, The Story of The Citadel

The Citadel won the game, 6-0. Late in the third quarter, running back Carl Hogrefe scored the contest’s only touchdown on a 4th-down plunge over the right side of the line. Reported attendance for the game, which was played at Hampton Park in a steady rain: 4,000.

Over 300 alumni returned to the military college for Homecoming in 1924. For many of them, it was their first time visiting the school at its new campus on the Ashley.

There were just 313 cadets at The Citadel during that school year (1924-25), all living in Padgett-Thomas Barracks. By 1927-28, with a newly built Murray Barracks in place, student enrollment had risen to 722 — and home football games were being played at the “original” Johnson Hagood Stadium (which opened for business on October 15, 1927).

A few years ago, I wrote that it would be neat if The Citadel’s 2024 Homecoming were to take place around the same date/weekend as the first Homecoming game in 1924, and that Furman would again be the opponent. Alas, none of that happened, although the 28-11 upset victory over Samford on October 26 was a nice consolation prize.

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This Saturday will be The Citadel’s 97th Homecoming game. The Bulldogs are 49-45-2 in Homecoming contests.

At one point, The Citadel was 6-20-2 on Homecoming. As mentioned above, the Bulldogs defeated Furman in the initial contest, but after that game, wins were few and far between for many years. The Citadel finally attained a winning overall record in Homecoming again following a 48-21 victory over VMI in 2006.

A 10-game winning streak from 1969-1978 helped in that regard; that is the Bulldogs’ longest winning streak for Homecoming games. The second-longest, an eight-game run from 2012-2019, has given The Citadel a bit of a cushion when it comes to having a winning record in the celebration game.

I’ve put together a spreadsheet which details much of that history. Here it is:

Homecoming results at The Citadel

General trivia about Homecoming:

  • This will be the 78th Homecoming game played in November. There have been 14 October contests (though only two since 1967), and 4 December games (with the last of those occurring in 1949). The first of two 2021 Homecoming contests, a makeup of the COVID-canceled 2020 game, was held in September. (There is some disagreement as to whether or not that September 2021 game was in fact an “official” Homecoming event. The school’s website says it was, so I include it as such, admittedly with serious misgivings.)
  • The Bulldogs have faced 19 different Homecoming opponents over the years.
  • Saturday will mark the ninth time The Citadel has played Chattanooga in the game (with a record of 3-5 versus the Mocs). Only Furman (26 meetings) and VMI (19) have been the Bulldogs’ Homecoming opponent more often than Chattanooga.
  • Two of those eight Homecoming games against the Mocs have come on November 9, the same date as this year’s matchup, with The Citadel winning in 1996 (16-13) and Chattanooga prevailing in 2002 (34-31). In the ’96 contest, Reggie Moore blocked a late field goal attempt to preserve the win for the Bulldogs.
  • Western Carolina is the only current SoCon school never to have been a Homecoming opponent for The Citadel. Only two other schools with 25 or more matchups against the Bulldogs have not been an opponent for Homecoming: William & Mary and Newberry.
  • The Citadel is 22-14-2 in Homecoming games decided by 7 or fewer points, and has won 16 of the last 21 such contests. That includes a 3-0 record for the Bulldogs in overtime Homecoming games.
  • Bobby Ross was 5-0 at Homecoming, while Eddie Teague and Charlie Taaffe each won the game six times (both were 6-3 overall). Brent Thompson was 5-2.

Individual records on Homecoming include:

  • Mark Slawson holds the Homecoming game records for yardage (201, also the all-time school record), and TD receptions (4, tied for the school record), setting both marks in 1979.
  • Tim Russell’s 6 touchdowns and 362 yards passing in that 1979 game are both Homecoming records (and the TD mark is the school record, too).
  • Jeff Klein completed the most Bulldog passes in a Homecoming game (24 in 2002).
  • Slawson’s 4 TDs in the 1979 game set the record for most touchdowns scored in a Homecoming contest. That mark was matched by Lorenzo Ward in 2018, with all of Ward’s TDs coming on the ground.
  • Andre Roberts (2007 and 2008) and Gene Hightower (1967) share the record for receptions in a Homecoming game, with 9.
  • Tyler Renew’s 45 carries and 285 yards in the 2016 contest are both Homecoming records.
  • Eric Goins’ five field goals against VMI in 2015 established both the Homecoming and school records for most made field goals in a game. (As you might know, Goins is actually playing college football this season, nine years removed from setting that record; he is currently the kickoff specialist for Notre Dame after spending seven years in the Army.)
  • Jeff Varnadoe (1970) and Rusty Holt (1972) share the record for most interceptions in a Homecoming game, with 3 (both efforts came against Davidson). The school record for interceptions in a game is also 3.

Longest Homecoming plays by a Bulldog:

  • Run: 92 yards (TD), Nehemiah Broughton, 2004
  • Pass: 78 yards (TD), Marty Crosby to Sam Scadlock, 1978; Tim Russell to Mark Slawson, 1979
  • Kickoff return: 87 yards, Keith Gamble, 2010
  • Punt return: 80 yards (TD), Mark Slawson, 1980
  • Interception return: 75 yards (TD), Tevin Floyd, 2015
  • Field goal: 48 yards, Cody Clark, 2016
  • Punt: 85 yards, Albert Salvato, 1941

Incidentally, you’re not going to find that punt by Salvato in The Citadel’s official record book, but it happened — and to the best of my knowledge it is also the longest punt in school history.

Let me throw out one more Homecoming factoid, a favorite of mine:

  • Pat Green’s 25-yard field goal just before halftime of The Citadel’s 17-0 victory over VMI in 1964 was the first made field goal by a Bulldog at a Homecoming contest. Seriously, it was. The Citadel did not successfully convert a field goal attempt in its first 36 Homecoming games.

—

Now I think it is time to focus on the game this Saturday…

Maurice Drayton press conference

‘Beyond The Barracks’ Coach’s Show

Preview article in The Post and Courier

The Citadel game notes

Rusty Wright press conference

Preview article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press

Chattanooga game notes

Chattanooga is 5-4. That comes after starting 0-3, with two losses to FBS teams (one of which was Tennessee) and a home setback to Mercer. The Bears are currently one of two SoCon teams with just one loss in conference play.

The other league squad with one loss is Western Carolina, the team that beat UTC last week for the Mocs’ other conference defeat. In between those losses, Chattanooga won five straight games, including four in SoCon action (at East Tennessee State, at Furman, Wofford, VMI). 

UTC has two games remaining after playing The Citadel, a home contest with Samford and a non-conference road matchup with Austin Peay.

Chattanooga was the preseason favorite to win the SoCon, but with losses to the two teams ahead of the Mocs in the standings, it seems unlikely that UTC has much of a chance at the league’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs. Thus, any realistic chance of postseason play for Chattanooga hinges on the Mocs winning their last three games and garnering an at-large bid.

That could happen, but Chattanooga might need a little bit of help elsewhere in addition to winning out, even if some current projections have the Mocs in the field as of this week (albeit barely).

UTC fans (and coaches) still recall a season-ending 27-21 home loss to The Citadel in the fall of 2021 that knocked Chattanooga out of that year’s playoff picture:

…that 2021 loss to The Citadel — which had some UTC players saying that some of their teammates essentially quit after a painful 10-6 road loss to Mercer the week before — has hurt some of the perception of the program when it comes to closing out the regular season.

Rusty Wright, now in his sixth season as head coach of the Mocs, revisited that game Tuesday.

“I don’t think those guys cared,” Wright said. “It was like pulling teeth on that sideline in the first half. I hadn’t seen it all year, and now all of a sudden it showed up and I didn’t even know who those guys were.

“But I haven’t felt it since then.”

From Chattanooga’s perspective, it would also be nice if the selection committee realizes that a couple of other conferences have rather fraudulent league standings. That would include the bloated CAA, where almost none of the top teams play each other, spending most of the season beating up on the lesser squads in the conference. 

We shall see. Of course, The Citadel would like to end Chattanooga’s postseason hopes this Saturday.

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Chattanooga is well regarded in the computer systems. Bill Connelly’s SP+ ratings have UTC as the 17th-best FCS squad, while the Massey Ratings rank the Mocs 19th in the sub-division. Both systems really like Chattanooga’s defense (10th overall in SP+, and 7th in Massey).

The Citadel in SP+: 83rd in FCS. Massey ranks the Bulldogs 69th. SP+ does not care for the military college’s offense (110th overall); its defensive ranking is considerably higher (33rd). Massey’s numbers for the two sides of the ball for the Bulldogs are 90th (offense) and 46th (defense).

SP+ has a projected score for Saturday of Chattanooga 29.8, The Citadel 15.2, while Massey pegs the final at 28-14, Mocs.

—

Let’s take a look at some statistical comparisons, using a spreadsheet with relevant statistics for all FCS teams through last weekend’s games:

FCS statistics through November 2, 2024

As noted earlier, Chattanooga has faced two FBS squads (and an all-D1 schedule). Both the Bulldogs and the Mocs have played nine games.

The Citadel’s offense vs. Chattanooga’s defense

  • TC averages 23.0 points per game; Chattanooga allows 22.9 (17.1 ppg if you take out the Tennessee game, which the Vols won 69-3)
  • TC averages 4.84 yards per play; Chattanooga allows 5.53 
  • TC rushes on 61.7% of its offensive plays; Chattanooga faces a rush attempt 51.5% of the time
  • TC averages 4.13 yards per rush (sack-adjusted); Chattanooga allows 4.57
  • TC averages 5.99 yards per pass attempt (sack-adjusted); Chattanooga allows 6.56
  • TC gives up a sack on 7.2% of its drop-backs; Chattanooga defensive sack rate of 4.8%
  • TC converts 37.12% of its 3rd-down attempts; Chattanooga allows 37.01%
  • TC has converted 10 of 18 4th-down attempts (55.56%); Chattanooga has allowed 7 of 12 (58.33%)
  • TC averages 4.33 estimated points per Red Zone trip; Chattanooga allows 5.19
  • TC averages 1.22 turnovers per game; Chattanooga has forced 2.22 turnovers per contest

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Chattanooga’s offense vs. The Citadel’s defense 

  • Chattanooga averages 25.8 points per game; TC allows 19.8
  • Chattanooga averages 5.66 yards per play; TC allows 5.37
  • Chattanooga rushes on 55.6% of its offensive plays; TC faces a rush attempt 51.8% of the time
  • Chattanooga averages 3.84 yards per rush (sack-adjusted); TC allows 4.61
  • Chattanooga averages 7.94 yards per pass attempt (sack-adjusted); TC allows 6.19
  • Chattanooga gives up a sack on 4.2% of its drop-backs; TC defensive sack rate of 8.5%
  • Chattanooga converts 40.32% of its 3rd-down attempts; TC allows 32.74%
  • Chattanooga has converted on 4 of 7 4th-down attempts (57.14%); TC has allowed 9 of 19 (47.37%)
  • Chattanooga averages 4.78 estimated points per Red Zone trip; TC allows 4.64
  • Chattanooga averages 1.33 turnovers per game; TC has forced 1.33 turnovers per contest (yes, it’s a tie!)

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Other stats of note

  • TC: 4.6 penalties per game (38.9 yards); Chattanooga: 6.0 penalties per game (51.6 yards)
  • TC: 42.05 net punting average; Chattanooga: 37.39 net punting average
  • TC: 0.11 turnover margin per game; Chattanooga: 0.89 turnover margin per game
  • TC: 30:33 time of possession average; Chattanooga: 31:29 TOP average

—

– The Mocs average 15.16 yards per pass completion, which leads the nation and is an indicator of the big-play nature of Chattanooga’s offense. The Citadel is 20th in FCS in this category (13.35 yards).

Chattanooga has had 33 pass plays this season of 20 or more yards. Eight different receivers have accounted for those catches, with three in particular carrying most of the load: Sam Phillips (11 receptions of 20+ yards, including an 84-yarder against Georgia State and a 78-yard grab versus Portland State); Javin Whatley (9, with a 71-yarder against Furman); and Chris Domercant (7, including a 65-yard catch versus Mercer).

All three of those receivers are juniors, and all three had at least two 20+ yard catches last week against Western Carolina (Domercant had three). All told, Chattanooga had nine such plays versus the Catamounts, and did so despite its backup quarterback playing the entire game.

Incidentally, Pro Football Focus (PFF) rated Chattanooga as having the top receiving outfit in FCS through Week 9 (so not including the WCU game). 

– While Chattanooga rushes on 55.6% of its offensive plays, only 37.7% of the Mocs’ total yards are via the ground attack.

As a comparison, The Citadel rushes on 61.7% of its offensive plays, with 52.6% of its total yardage coming on the ground.

– Chattanooga’s opportunistic defense is 6th nationally in turnovers forced per game, second in the SoCon (behind Mercer, which leads all of FCS in that category). The Mocs have 15 interceptions, tied for 2nd-most in the sub-division. (The Citadel’s defense is 68th in forced turnovers per contest.)

UTC has three defensive touchdowns this season, including a 75-yard scoop-and-score last week against Western Carolina.

Chattanooga’s average turnover margin (0.89) is 13th in FCS (The Citadel’s is 60th). The national leader in that category is North Dakota State, with a rather astounding per-game turnover margin of 1.60. NDSU has only committed two turnovers all season (in ten games).

– One defensive issue for the Mocs has been its work in the red zone, where UTC allows TDs at a 63.3% clip, with an estimated points per RZ possession of 5.19 (87th nationally). The Bulldogs’ D is 42nd in FCS (4.64, with a RZ TD rate of 60.7%). 

– The Citadel is 7th in FCS in net punting (42.05), while Chattanooga is 55th (37.39).

—

A few paragraphs ago, I mentioned that Chattanooga had played last week against Western Carolina with its backup quarterback. Starting QB Chase Artopoeus missed that game with an undisclosed injury. 

The backup, redshirt sophomore Luke Schomburg, is also expected to start against The Citadel, with that announcement made by Rusty Wright at his weekly presser.

Schomburg’s line against WCU doesn’t look great on the surface (14-31 passing, with 3 interceptions), but in all honesty it wasn’t a bad performance at all. He averaged over 10 yards per attempt and completed passes to seven different receivers, with a couple of touchdowns. A late pick proved costly in the 38-34 defeat in Cullowhee.

He has previous experience as a starter, getting the call for Chattanooga’s final three games last season after Artopoeus suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Schomburg’s starts in 2023: at Alabama, at Austin Peay in the FCS playoffs, at Furman in the FCS playoffs. That’s a tough draw.

In the victory over Austin Peay, Schomburg was 21-36 for 259 yards and a TD (with one pick), leading the Mocs to their first-ever road FCS playoff victory.

—

When is comes to referencing Chattanooga’s athletic teams, nomenclature matters. (It matters at The Citadel too, of course.) From the school’s game notes comes this reminder:

The official school name is the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The NCAA short form for it is simply Chattanooga. There are no hyphenated uses such as Tennessee-Chattanooga or UT-Chattanooga or even gasp, UT Chattanooga without the hyphen. Nope, just Chattanooga. Nickname is Mocs. It is not short for anything.

—

This will be a tough test for The Citadel. The Mocs have a lot of talent, with big-play threats on both sides of the ball. Time of possession could be critical for the Bulldogs, as limiting the total number of possessions in this game would be a good idea for the home side.

If The Citadel plays as well defensively as it did against Samford two weeks ago, it will have a shot at a third consecutive victory. However, the offense must be more consistent, and put together two good halves, not just one. It is also imperative to avoid turnovers against a ball-hawking Chattanooga defense.

There should be a very good crowd for Homecoming; a sellout is anticipated. The weather should be excellent, with a forecast of 76 degrees and mostly sunny skies. I’m looking forward to a fun atmosphere and a classic November afternoon at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

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2017 Football, Game 5: The Citadel vs. Mercer

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Sandlapper Spike

The Citadel vs. Mercer, to be played at historic Johnson Hagood Stadium, with kickoff at 2:00 pm ET on October 7, 2017.

The game will be streamed on ESPN3.com. Kevin Fitzgerald will handle play-by-play, while former Bulldogs linebacker James Riley supplies the analysis. 

The contest can be heard on radio via the various affiliates of The Citadel Sports Network. WQNT-1450 AM [audio link], originating in Charleston, will be the flagship station. 

Mike Legg (the “Voice of the Bulldogs”) will call the action alongside analyst Lee Glaze. 

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The Citadel Sports Network — 2017 Affiliates

Charleston: WQNT 1450AM/92.1 FM/102.1 FM (Flagship)
Columbia: WQXL 1470AM/95.9FM
Greenville: WLFJ 92.9FM/660AM
Sumter: WDXY 1240AM/105.9FM

—

Links of interest:

– The Citadel won’t hit the panic button

– Back at home after a month away

– Game notes from The Citadel and Mercer

– SoCon weekly release

– FCS Coaches’ poll (The Citadel is ranked #17)

– STATS FCS poll (The Citadel is ranked #17)

– Brent Thompson’s 10/3 press conference, including comments from Tyler Davis and Kailik Williams (video)

– Brent Thompson’s 10/4 radio show (video)

– The Bulldog Breakdown [10/2] (video)

– Mercer running game searching for its rhythm

– Bears rout VMI

– Mercer is right back in the SoCon title race

– Bobby Lamb says the series has been “a bloodbath”

– Mercer’s student newspaper: this is the best MU team since football was re-instituted in 2013

– Mercer highlights versus VMI (video)

– Mercer highlights versus Wofford (video)

—

It is very disappointing when the Bulldogs throw in a complete clunker of a game, regardless of the sport. That is magnified in football, however, because there are only a limited number of opportunities to generate a positive outcome. It is important to make the most of each and every contest.

That didn’t happen on Saturday. The contest was essentially over after the first quarter. I know that the team “played better” in the second half, but does that really matter? I don’t think so, to be honest.

Garbage time is garbage time, particularly when the team in question is not an extremely young squad, but rather an outfit coming off consecutive league titles and expected to compete for another one. There are no truly positive developments to be taken from the debacle at Seibert Stadium. It was simply a bad loss.

That said, the following is also true: many of the players and coaches on the current team have been part of the pigskin scene at the military college for the last 2+ years.

Over that time period The Citadel is 22-7, 15-2 in the SoCon, with two conference crowns and a win over an SEC team (along with a road playoff triumph). The next victory by the current edition of the Bulldogs will tie the 1959-60-61 teams for most wins by the program over a three-year period (23).

In other words, there are a bunch of winners on the roster. They are used to success, and they’re not likely to take a step back after a bad performance.

—

Temporary stands have been set up on the East side of Johnson Hagood Stadium in time for the game against Mercer:

Seating has been added to the east side of Johnson Hagood Stadium for the stretch run of the 2017 season. The seating is general admission and will be available on a first-come, first-serve so fans are encouraged to purchase their general admission tickets in advance. The seating is in close proximity to the Bulldog Beer Garden and the Kids’ Zone…

The Bulldog Beer Garden…is located next to the Altman Center on the southeast side of the stadium. Concessions including food and beverages will be located in this area presented by Sticky Fingers.  The adjacent location will also have a kid’s fun zone with inflatables for children of appropriate ages.  The Bulldog Beer Garden will be tented, accommodate up to 500 patrons, and will have TVs playing football games of interest…

…[the Kids’ Zone] includes Jumpcastles, face painting, and other fun activities [that] are available for ages 12 & under.

The temporary seating (not including the beer garden) will have room for approximately 1,000 spectators.

—

Saturday’s game is part of Parents’ Weekend. Schedule of events: Link

On Friday, seniors will receive their class rings. That is a big deal at The Citadel, of course, even for football players who have already picked up their fair share of hardware. As Kailik Williams said:

It means a lot. A lot of people didn’t think I was going to make it. Sometimes, I didn’t even think I was going to make it.

There are plenty of alums who can relate to that sentiment.

—

The football program is currently on a very good run when it comes to the “celebration games”, Parents’ Day and Homecoming. The Citadel has won ten straight of those contests, winning on Parents’ Day and Homecoming in each of the last five seasons.

From what I can tell, that is the longest winning streak in those games since the Bulldogs’ first Homecoming game — which, according to former school president/historian Oliver Bond, occurred in 1924. The Citadel defeated Furman 6-0 in that October 25 contest at Hampton Park before more than 4,000 fans, with Anderson native Carl Hogrefe scoring the winning touchdown.

However, five Parents’ Day wins in a row is not a school record. The mark for sustained success on Parents’ Day is eight, a streak that began in 1978 with a 21-14 win over Delaware and lasted through 1985, a 10-3 victory over Western Carolina.

The Citadel has not played Mercer on Parents’ Day or Homecoming before this season.

—

The Bulldogs led FCS in offensive 3rd-down conversion rate prior to the Samford game (61%). However, The Citadel only converted 3 of 13 third-down attempts last Saturday.

A look at first down/third down plays explains why, especially when compared to the first three games this season.

Average yards picked up on first down by The Citadel:

  • vs. Newberry: 8.1 yards
  • vs. Presbyterian: 7.0 yards
  • vs. East Tennessee State: 6.0 yards
  • vs. Samford: 5.2 yards

That is not a great trend.

It also leads to more difficult third down situations for the Bulldogs:

  • vs. Newberry: average of 5.1 yards needed on third down to pick up a first down
  • vs. Presbyterian: average of 3.0 yards needed on third down to pick up a first down
  • vs. East Tennessee State: average of 6.3 yards needed on third down to pick up a first down
  • vs. Samford: average of 8.8 yards needed on third down to pick up a first down

Those third down conversion attempts against Samford included a 3rd-and-15, a 3rd-and-19, and a 3rd-and-28.

Penalties were a major factor in the offensive struggles. The Bulldogs were flagged eight times on offense (not counting two other infractions that were declined).

—

On defense, the Bulldogs have to do a better job against the pass.

Yards per pass attempt allowed:

  • vs. Newberry: 7.2 yards
  • vs. Presbyterian: 5.1 yards
  • vs. East Tennessee State: 5.7 yards
  • vs. Samford: 12.4

You aren’t going to win many games allowing 12.4 yards per pass attempt.

It should be noted, though, that The Citadel’s offense averaged 10.9 yards per pass attempt itself, in line with its season average. I wouldn’t mind that number for the Bulldogs in any game they play during the season.

—

Key stats for The Citadel through four games:

The Citadel Opponents
Points per game 31.0 20.2
Rushing yardage 1334 351
Average per rush 5.0 3.5
Average per game 333.5 87.8
TDs rushing 12 5
Passing yardage 440 822
Comp-Att-Int 20-42-2 66-108-7
Average per pass 10.5 7.6
TDs passing 5 6
Total offense 1774 1173
Total plays 309 207
Yards per play 5.74 5.67
Kick returns-yards 6-128 12-236
Punt returns-yards 6-44 1-1
Fumbles/lost 6/1 2/1
Avg penalties/penalty yards per game 5.0/43.0 2.5/23.8
Net punt average 39.7 37.2
Time of possession/game 37:24 22:36
3rd down conversions 33/62 12/38
3rd down conversion rate 53.2% 31.6%
Sacks by-yards 8-44 3-20
Field goals-attempts 2-3 1-2
Red Zone touchdown rate 13-19 (68.4%) 6-9 (66.7%)
  • The Citadel leads the nation in time of possession
  • The Bulldogs are second nationally in rushing offense and 14th in the country in rushing defense
  • Despite the 3rd down struggles last week, The Citadel is still 4th in FCS in offensive third down conversion rate
  • Defensively, the Bulldogs are 22nd nationally in third down conversion rate
  • The Citadel is 12th in turnover margin
  • The Bulldogs are 11th in net punting
  • Even with 10 accepted penalties versus Samford, The Citadel is 17th nationally in fewest penalties per game
  • The Citadel is 35th in scoring offense and 29th in scoring defense
  • The Bulldogs are 12th in offensive pass efficiency, a number that includes The Citadel’s 22 yards per catch rate, tops in FCS

—

Mercer has been competitive ever since joining the Southern Conference in time for the 2014 football season. The Bears have had a habit of playing close games. What they have not done as often as MU fans would like is win those games.

Since 2014, Mercer has played 14 conference games decided by five points or less. The Bears are 4-10 in those contests. Three of those losses have come against The Citadel, by a total of five points.

Of the four close SoCon victories, two have come on the road (both against VMI). One of the two home wins was a 17-14 decision over Chattanooga in 2015, a result that helped The Citadel claim a share of the Southern Conference title.

This year, Mercer has lost two hard-fought SoCon contests, including a home loss to Wofford that the Bears probably should have won.

—

Mercer’s schedule after five games:

  • beat Jacksonville 48-7, an easy win over an overmatched Pioneer League foe (JU has recovered to win its next 3 games, though)
  • lost 28-27 to Wofford, a game in which the Bears led by 13 points midway through the fourth quarter
  • played very well (particularly on defense) in a 24-10 loss at Auburn; Mercer forced five turnovers in that contest
  • lost 26-23 in overtime at East Tennessee State; MU led by 10 points entering the fourth quarter
  • defeated VMI 49-14, rolling up 575 yards of offense in the process

—

Statistics of note for the Bears:

Mercer Opponents
Points per game 31.4 19.8
Rushing yardage 790 721
Average per rush 3.9 3.4
Average per game 158 144.2
TDs rushing 10 9
Passing yardage 1108 1009
Comp-Att-Int 83-135-5 88-125-5
Average per pass 8.2 8.1
TDs passing 10 3
Total offense 1898 1730
Total plays 340 334
Yards per play 5.58 5.18
Kick returns-yards 12-242 22-267
Punt returns-yards 7-75 7-68
Fumbles/lost 4/2 9/6
Avg penalties/penalty yards per game 5.4/46.2 6.2/62.8
Net punt average 37.4 35.3
Time of possession/game 29:15 30:45
3rd down conversions 28/67 32/72
3rd down conversion rate 41.8% 44.4%
Sacks by-yards 9-57 6-48
Field goals-attempts 4-6 3-6
Red Zone touchdown rate 15/20 (75.0%) 8/15 (53.3%)
  • Mercer leads the nation in kick return defense
  • The Bears are 30th nationally in net punting
  • MU is 40th in FCS in offensive third down conversion rate and
  • Conversely, the Bears are 100th (out of 123 teams) in defensive third down conversion rate
  • Mercer is 54th in rushing offense and 57th in rushing defense
  • MU is 31st in scoring offense and 27th in scoring defense
  • Mercer is 23rd nationally in turnover margin, helped by six recovered fumbles on defense (1oth-best in FCS)

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Mercer’s passing attack accounts for 58.3% of its total offense, though only 41.5% of its offensive plays from scrimmage are passing attempts (including sacks).

After four years as the starter, MU quarterback John Russ graduated. Mercer had a replacement ready, however.

Redshirt freshman Kaelan Riley (6’3″, 222 lbs.) is 80 for 132 passing this season (a 60.6% completion rate), averaging 8.3 yards per attempt, with 10 TD passes against five interceptions. The native of Calhoun, Georgia accounted for 75 touchdowns in high school (with a win-loss record of 54-4) while also playing basketball and tennis. Brent Thompson described him as a “spectacular” player.

Running back C.J. Leggett (5’9″, 217 lbs.) began his college career at Georgia Tech. After an injury, he transferred to Mesa Community College.

The redshirt junior from Suwanee, Georgia is averaging 4.6 yards per carry for the Bears. In recent weeks, his workload has increased, despite not being listed as the starter on the two-deep. He rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries versus ETSU, and added 89 yards on 16 rushes against VMI.

Other MU running backs of note include Tee Mitchell (5’10”, 203 lbs.) and Alex Lakes (5’11”, 221 lbs.). Lakes has had an injury-ravaged career, but the redshirt senior is still Mercer’s all-time leading rusher.

Mitchell was a second-team All-SoCon pick in 2015, but was suspended for the entire 2016 season. He is now back and a definite threat in the backfield.

Two years ago, Mitchell (a former Air Force Prep school student) and Lakes combined for 98 yards and a TD against The Citadel at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

Junior tight end Sam Walker (6’4″, 229 lbs.) was a preseason first-team All-SoCon selection. He did not play versus VMI, but is expected to suit up against The Citadel.

Wide receiver Marquise Irvin (6’2″, 215 lbs.) is a junior from Huntsville, Alabama. He was a second-team all-conference choice in 2016. Irvin had eight catches for 81 yards in last year’s game against the Bulldogs.

Brent Thompson noted that Mercer does a good job of getting Irvin the pigskin, including bubble screens. He can catch the deep ball too.

Avery Ward (6’2″, 191 lbs.) is a senior wideout from Alpharetta, Georgia, who has been a regular for the Bears since his freshman campaign. In 2014, he had 104 yards receiving (including a 65-yard TD catch) against The Citadel. He also led the team in catches versus the Bulldogs the following season.

Chandler Curtis (5’11”, 200 lbs.) is a senior who, when not injured, is a fine wide receiver and a scintillating return man. The problem for Curtis over his college career has been staying healthy.

He was healthy enough to haul in a 61-yard touchdown pass against VMI last week. Curtis has been the primary punt and kick returner for the Bears this season.

Mercer’s projected starting offensive line averages 6’3″, 298 lbs. Right guard Caleb Yates (6’3″, 294 lbs.) is a three-year starter who was a preseason second-team all-league pick.

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Mercer noseguard Dorian Kithcart (6’0″, 285 lbs.) was described by Brent Thompson as a “big load” who “moves extremely well”. He is a redshirt sophomore from Durham.

Defensive end Isaiah Buehler (6’3″, 262 lbs.) was a preseason second-team All-SoCon selection. This season he has 2 1/2 tackles for loss, along with 2 quarterback hurries.

Eric Jackson (5’8″, 190 lbs.), a redshirt sophomore from Powder Springs, Georgia, is a strong safety who currently leads the team in tackles. He has 39 stops through five games.

Inside linebacker Lee Bennett (6’0″, 221 lbs.) is filling up the stat sheet for the Bears this season. He is second on the team in tackles, and also has two tackles for loss (including a sack), a quarterback hurry, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery. Bennett had six tackles versus The Citadel in 2016.

LeMarkus Bailey (5’11”, 201 lbs.), an outside linebacker, leads the team in tackles for loss, with 6 1/2. The native of Marietta, Georgia is a redshirt junior. He had one of the three tackles for loss Mercer recorded against The Citadel in last year’s contest.

Placekicker Cole Fisher (6’1″, 190 lbs.) was the preseason first-team all-conference kicker. Fisher made a 50-yard field goal against Samford last year. This year he hasn’t made one of that distance, though he did attempt a 52-yarder versus Jacksonville.

Fisher is also Mercer’s kickoff specialist. While only four of his 29 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks, opponents are only averaging 12 yards per return against the Bears (which leads the nation, as mentioned earlier).

Mercer’s punter is true freshman Grant Goupil (6’2″, 184 lbs.). Nine of his 22 punts have been downed inside the 20-yard line.

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Odds and ends:

– The weather forecast for Saturday, per the National Weather Service: a 30% chance of showers, with an expected high of 84 degrees. It will be mostly cloudy, with winds of 6-14 mph.

I have a feeling it is going to be one of those wet and windy days. Field conditions could be tricky for both teams and might favor the defenses.

– Per one source that deals in such matters, The Citadel is a 6-point favorite over Mercer. The over/under is 50.

– Other lines involving SoCon teams: Furman is a 4-point favorite at Chattanooga; Samford is a 35-point favorite at VMI; Wofford is a 3.5-point favorite over Western Carolina; and East Tennessee State is an 8.5-point favorite over Robert Morris;

Around the Palmetto State, Clemson is a 21.5-point favorite over Wake Forest; South Carolina is a 2.5-point home underdog versus Arkansas; South Carolina State is a 16.5-point favorite against Morgan State ; Coastal Carolina is a 1-point underdog at home versus Georgia State; Presbyterian is a 20-point home underdog against St. Francis University (which upset Liberty last week); and Charleston Southern is a 31-point underdog at Indiana.

– Massey Ratings: The Citadel is ranked 42nd in FCS, a drop of 12 spots from last week.

Mercer is ranked 56th in FCS, moving up three places from last week. Overall (all college teams ranked), The Citadel is 176th, while Mercer is 202nd.

Massey projects a final score of The Citadel 26, Mercer 23. The Bulldogs are given a 56% chance of winning.

Other FCS rankings in Massey of note: Wofford is 17th (up one spot), Samford is 24th (up 14 spots), Western Carolina is 29th (a jump of 18 places, the second week in a row the Catamounts have moved up exactly 18 spots), Furman is 35th (up 8 places), Charleston Southern is 38th, Chattanooga is 54th (down 22 spots), East Tennessee State is 76th (down six places), South Carolina State is 87th, Presbyterian is 101st, and VMI is 109th (down three places).

The FCS top five in Massey’s rankings, in order: North Dakota State, James Madison, Youngstown State, South Dakota, and Illinois State.

– Since 1911, The Citadel has a 9-5-1 record for games played on October 7. That includes two wins over Richmond and victories over the Charleston Navy and the Parris Island Marines.

The Bulldogs last played at home on October 7 during the 2004 season. That was a Thursday night game against Benedict in Johnson Hagood Stadium during the year of “half a stadium”, which included temporary stands for the cadets on the West side (shades of this week’s game in reverse).

I was at that contest (won by the Bulldogs 29-0), which is on the short list for “worst atmosphere” of any game every played by The Citadel at JHS. Attendance: 5,127, which I believe is the lowest recorded for any game at Johnson Hagood Stadium since at least 1964.

– Changes to The Citadel’s two-deep for the Mercer game: Gage Russell is now listed as the starter at punter; the backup at that position is Branden Glick. At B-back, Brandon Berry has been added to the depth chart.

– Baseball facts about Mercer that I am required to mention every time the Bulldogs meet the Bears:

Mercer was once coached by George Stallings, who helmed both the football and baseball teams. He was a little better at coaching baseball.

Stallings would later become known as “The Miracle Man” for leading the Boston Braves to the 1914 World Championship. That team was in last place in the National League on the 4th of July but stormed to the pennant (by 10 1/2 games!), then dispatched the favored Philadelphia Athletics in a four-game sweep to win the World Series.

Denton True “Cy” Young served as Mercer’s baseball coach from 1903-05. Mercer won the Georgia state championship for college teams in all three of those years.

After each spring in Macon with the Mercer team, Young returned to pitch for Boston (the team now known as the Red Sox); during that three-year stretch, he compiled a major league record of 72-44 with a 1.96 ERA.

– Among Mercer’s notable graduates are TV personality/attack dog Nancy Grace, missionary/spy John Birch, and current Georgia governor Nathan Deal.

– Mercer disbanded its football program following the 1941 campaign, and didn’t field a team again until 2013. This is the fifth year for the program since the re-institution of the sport in Macon.

– The roster for Mercer (per its game notes) includes 62 players from the State of Georgia. Other states represented on the roster: Florida (15 players), Tennessee (9), Alabama (5), South Carolina (2), and one each from North Carolina and Texas.

The two Palmetto State players on Mercer’s squad are redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Destin Guillen (who attended Berea High School), and freshman quarterback Brett Burnett (a product of Airport High School). However, Mercer has no players from Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School on its roster, an inexplicable oversight for a university actively searching for high-quality gridiron talent.

– The Citadel’s geographic roster breakdown (per the school’s website) is as follows: South Carolina (47 players), Georgia (29), Florida (6), North Carolina (5), Alabama (4), Texas (4), Pennsylvania (3), Tennessee (2), New York (2), and one each from Louisiana, Michigan, Virginia, and West Virginia.

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After the first four to five games of the 2017 season, it appears that the SoCon could be a complete free-for-all. Every team except VMI is capable of winning (and losing) in conference play on any given week.

While that is good from a competitiveness standpoint, I’m afraid it might also mean that a team with a 5-3 conference record will struggle to gain a playoff spot, because it may be hard to for the league squads to separate themselves into easily defined groups (playoff-caliber teams, non-playoff teams, etc.). The league’s non-conference results haven’t been terrible, but they haven’t been that good, either.

For The Citadel, that potential problem is even more acute, because the Bulldogs finish the regular season at Clemson.

That is why each SoCon contest is so important. It is quite possible that to participate in the postseason for a third consecutive season, the Bulldogs can only afford one more league setback.

It is thus even more critical to “hold serve” at home. The one advantage The Citadel has is that it has not played a conference game at Johnson Hagood Stadium thus far.

The Bulldogs have to cash in on their four SoCon home games. Those matchups will be against Mercer, Wofford, Western Carolina, and VMI.

It won’t be easy, and that starts with this week’s matchup. Mercer has been very close to beating the Bulldogs for three straight years.

There is no question that the team from Macon desperately wants to end the close-but-no-cigar run it has had against The Citadel. Those losses have undoubtedly been very hard to take, particularly for head coach Bobby Lamb.

There is also no doubt, however, that the Bulldogs want to put their poor afternoon at Samford in the rear view mirror. The surest way to do that is to win in front of a supportive Parents’ Day crowd.

The stakes, as always, are high. The drive for the playoffs begins anew on Saturday.

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