Complete Game Notes (pdf)
This week’s game
Wofford returns home on Saturday afternoon to face Georgia Southern at Gibbs Stadium ... The Terriers played three of the first four games of the season on the road ... Last week Wofford lost 38-9 at Chattanooga, while the Eagles were defeated 28-14 at Elon ... Wofford has won three of the last four games against Georgia Southern, including last year’s 38-27 overtime win in Statesboro ... Three of the last four games between the teams have been decided by a touchdown or less ... The game will be homecoming for the Terriers, who are 40-20-2 all-time on homecoming ... Wofford has the nation’s fifth best rushing attack, but the last ranked passing attack ... The Eagles are eighth in the conference in rushing and also eighth in total offense ... The Terriers are not ranked but receiving votes in the Sports Network Poll and in the FCS Coaches Poll, while Georgia Southern is receiving a vote in the Sports Network Poll.
About Wofford
Wofford is 1-3 so far in the 2009 season with a 40-7 loss at the University of South Florida, a 42-14 win at home against Charleston Southern, a 44-14 loss at Wisconsin and a 38-9 loss in the SoCon opener at Chattanooga. Wofford returns 44 letterwinners from last season, including four offensive starters, five defensive starters and three specialists. In addition, three other players with at least two starts return for Wofford. Wofford runs the wingbone offense, led by sophomore quarterback Mitch Allen and backs Mike Rucker and Sean Lees. Last season the rushing offense was second in the nation with 343.27 yards per game and the total offense of 470.45 yards per game was also second. The multiple defense is led by first team All-SoCon defensive lineman Mitch Clark and senior linebacker Gary Blount. In 2008 the defense was tenth in the nation with 34 sacks during the season. Wofford had five players named to the Preseason All-SoCon Team. OL Pat Illig and DL Mitch Clark earned first team honors, while OL Trey Johnson, LB Gary Blount, DL Eric Eberhardt and DB Mychael Johnson were named to the second team. The Terriers were picked to finish second in the Southern Conference by the coaches and third by the media in the 2009 Preseason Polls.
About Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern is 2-2 on the season after a win over Albany and a loss to South Dakota State, along with a 27-3 win over Western Carolina and a 28-14 loss at Elon in Southern Conference play. Head Coach Chris Hatcher is in his third season as head coach with a 15-11 record in Statesboro and a 91-23 overall record in ten seasons. The Eagles return 44 lettermen and 17 starters from the 2008 season in which the team posted a 6-5 overall record. They were 4-4 in the Southern Conference to finish tied for fourth. This season they were picked to finish fifth in the SoCon preseason poll. On offense, they are led by quarterback Lee Chapple who has thrown for 804 yards and five touchdowns in the first four games. Receiver Jamere Valentine has 215 yards receiving and three touchdowns, while Adam Urbano leads the team with 226 rushing yards on 42 carries with one touchdowns. On defense, Dion DuBose leads the Eagles with 35 tackles along with a fumble recovery for touchdown and 1.5 tackles for loss. PK Adrian Mora, OL Cole Fountain, and LB Dion DuBose were named to the Preseason All-SoCon team.
The Georgia Southern Series
Georgia Southern leads the series 8-6. The teams split meetings in 1982 and 1983, then resumed the series in 1997. At Wofford, the Terriers have a 5-2 advantage in the series. Wofford has won three of the last four and five of the last seven meetings. Five of the last seven games have also been decided by a touchdown or less, including last season’s 38-37 overtime in by Wofford in Statesboro.
Terrier Top Ten
Here are the top ten notes of interest heading into the Georgia Southern game:
• The Terriers are fifth in the nation in rushing with 231.50 yards per game in 2009
• On homecoming, the Terriers are 40-20-2 all-time
• Fourteen players made their first career starts at South Florida
• The Terriers have fallen out of the rankings for the first time since November 3, 2006
• Wofford had five players named Preseason All-SoCon
• The Terriers have been led in tackles by three different players in the four games this season
• Mike Rucker is fourth all-time in kickoff return yards with 1,666 and fourth in kickoff returns
with 71
• Wofford leads the SoCon in rushing and is second in kickoff returns
• Wofford has opened the season 1-3 for the first time since 2006
• The Georgia Southern game is only the second home game of the season
Injury update
Wofford opened the season without running back Jeremy Marshall, who is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in the 2008 Appalachian State game. Freshmen Cody Burris (clavicle) and Kenny Barnes (knee) will also miss the season after injuries in August camp. S Hunter Hobson, LB Ricco Braxton, WR Brenton Bersin, FB Eric Breitenstein, DL Anthony Williamson, WR Montae Monroe and LB Mike Niam (knee, out for season) were out of the Chattanooga game due to injury or sickness. During the Chattanooga game, LB Gary Blount (shoulder), DL Zach Bobb (foot) and CB Stephon Shelton (hip) were injured and will be evaluated during the week.
