Game 3 -- September 27, 1997

Furman Paladins (1-1; 0-0 SoCon) vs. VMI Keydets (0-3; 0-1 SoCon)

Greenville, South Carolina

Paladin Stadium (16,000 -- Natural Grass)

1:30 P.M. Kickoff (EDT)

Greenville Intermedia Cable TV (Tape Delay)

Attraction

Saturday's Furman-VMI game marks the 1997 home season opener and Southern Conference season opener for the Paladins. The contest also represents the homecoming of first year VMI head coach Ted Cain '74, an Aiken, S.C., native and three-year Paladin football letterman (1971-73) who later served as an assistant coach (1977-85) on Furman's staff during one of the program's greatest eras. Saturday's game will also highlight Poster Day at Furman University as the first 1,500 fans through the gates will receive Furman's official, award winning 1997 Football Poster "Quest For The Crown."

Tickets

Tickets for Saturday's Furman-VMI game are $12 and can be purchased at the Furman University Ticket Office (located on the second floor of the Paladin Stadium Press Box) through Friday at 5:00 p.m. Ticket office hours are 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (864) 294-3097.

The Series

In a series that got its start in 1946 with a 26-7 VMI win in Greenville, Furman holds a 17-8 advantage over the Keydets and has won 15 straight meetings between the two schools.

In Greenville: Furman leads 10-3; In Lexington: Furman leads 7-5

The Coaches

Furman: Bobby Johnson (Clemson '73), 19-18-0 (.513), 4th Year at Furman, 19-18-0 (.513), 4th Year Overall, Johnson vs. VMI (3-0)

VMI: Ted Cain (Furman '74), 0-3 (.000), 1st Year at VMI, 0-3 (.000), 1st Year Overall, Cain vs. Furman (0-0)

The Offenses

Furman: Multiple I, '97 Points/Game -- 17.5; '97 Yards/Game -- 245.0 (135.5 Rushing, 109.5 Passing)

VMI: Pro I, '97 Points/Game -- 9.3; '97 Yards/Game Ñ 169.0 (77.3 Rushing, 91.7 Passing)

The Defenses

Furman: 43, '97 Points/Game -- 13.5; '97 Yards/Game -- 239.0 (99.0 Rushing, 140.0 Passing)

VMI: 43, '97 Points/Game -- 40.0; '97 Yards/Game -- 443.3 (238.3 Rushing, 205.0 Passing)

1997 Results and Schedule

Last Week

FURMAN was idle last Saturday after dropping a 17-6 decision to South Carolina State on Sept. 13 in Orangeburg, S.C.

VMI dropped a 56-3 decision to the University of Richmond at Richmond, Va., on Saturday.

Last Meeting

LEXINGTON, Va. (Sept. 28, 1996) -- Quarterback Braniff Bonaventure passed for 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns and tailback Stuart Rentz rushed for a freshman record 166 yards and a score to lead Furman to a 31-14 win over VMI at Alumni Memorial Stadium. Bonaventure, who completed 19-of-25 passes on the day, connected with split end Josh Cole for scoring strikes covering 20 and 28 yards. Rentz, meanwhile, shined in his first career start, heading up a balanced attack with a strong rushing performance and a touchdown that helped lift Furman to its 15th straight win over the Keydets. Ahead 17-14 after three quarters, Furman pulled away in the final stanza behind an 8-yard scoring run by fullback Parrish Clark and Bonaventure's second touchdown pass of the day, a 28-yarder, to Cole with just under five minutes remaining. Cole's work against VMI, which included eight catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns, three kickoff returns for 60 yards, three punt returns for 24 yards, and two rushes for six yards, earned him Southern Conference Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors.

Noting The Paladins

  • FURMAN TRIES TO REGROUP...Furman's bye last Saturday could not have come at a better time as the Paladins began the process of regrouping after a stunning 17-6 loss to South Carolina State in Orangeburg on Sept. 13. The defeat, which dropped the Paladins from 10th to 18th in the Sports Network NCAA I-AA poll (week of Sept. 15), was particularly painful as it cost Furman its starting quarterback in senior Chris Jonas (Birmingham, Ala.), who was forced to the sideline with a sprained left knee following the game's second series. True freshman Brent Rickman (Rome, Ga.) replaced Jonas in the lineup but completed only 8-of-31 passes for 66 yards. Rickman's previous experience included two late series' in the Paladins' season opening, 29-10 win over Samford on Sept. 3. The extra week of practice, therefore, was just what the Paladins needed to help prepare Rickman for his first career start this Saturday when Furman hosts VMI in the Paladins' Southern Conference season opener.
  • FIRST FROSH QB SINCE 1991...When quarterback Brent Rickman (Rome, Ga.) takes the field Saturday against VMI, he will be the first true freshman quarterback to start for Furman since the 1991 campaign when Philly Jones took over for an injured Hugh Swilling (fractured wrist in 19-17 loss to Georgia Tech) and directed the Paladins to a 24-21 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga in Greenville. In that contest (the 10th game of the season), Jones completed 6-of-9 passes for 60 yards and rushed 10 times for 47 yards. Jones, unfortunately, was himself sidelined against UTC with a bruised shoulder and was replaced in the season finale against The Citadel by Damon Bradley, a former quarterback who had worked virtually the entire 1991 season as a wide receiver.
  • RICKMAN AND LAMB...Although Philly Jones' start against Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1991 marked the last official start for a true freshman quarterback at Furman, Brent Rickman's scheduled start this Saturday against VMI is probably more similar to the situation his current position coach Bobby Lamb faced in 1982 when, as a true freshman, Lamb started (for an injured David Charpia) against Appalachian State in the second game of the season. In that contest, Lamb rushed for one touchdown but completed only 2-of-13 passes for 17 yards and two interceptions. The Paladins, however, used a strong running game behind fullback Dinky Williams (153 yards) and Stanford Jennings (153 yards) to ease Lamb's burden and erase a 14-0 halftime deficit en route to a 27-21 victory.
  • FROSH QB SHOWCASE...Saturday's Furman-VMI game will showcase plenty of freshman quarterback talent as the Paladins and Keydets will both trot out newcomers following injuries to veteran quarterbacks. While Paladin true freshman Brent Rickman is expected to take over for injured the Chris Jonas, VMI will turn to redshirt freshman Robbie Chenault. Chenault was forced into action last week after veteran Keydet signal caller Al Lester was sidelined with an injury early in VMI's 56-3 loss to Richmond.
  • VMI'S CAIN COMING HOME...Saturday's Furman-VMI game will mark the return to Furman of first-year VMI head coach Ted Cain '74, an Aiken, S.C., native and three-year Paladin football letterman (1971-73) who later served as an assistant coach (1977-85) on Furman's staff during one of the program's greatest eras. Recruited by late head coach Bob King, Cain played both split end and tight end at Furman and was a teammate of current Furman University President Dr. David Shi. Following graduation with a degree in geology, he served two years with the United States Army Corps of Engineers before returning to his alma mater in 1977 as a graduate assistant coach on head coach Art Baker's staff. In 1978 he secured a full-time position as coach of Furman's tight ends and wide receivers under new head coach Dick Sheridan, and played a pivotal role in Furman's tremendous football success over the next eight seasons, during which time the Paladins posted a 69-23-2 record and claimed six Southern Conference titles. In 1985 Cain accompanied head coach Dick Sheridan in a move to North Carolina State, and from 1986-96 he served as the Wolfpack's offensive coordinator. During his tenure in Raleigh, the Wolfpack made seven straight bowl game appearances from 1988-94.
  • 15 IN A ROW...Furman's current 15-game winning streak over VMI began in 1980 and now represents the longest current winning streak by the Paladins over a league opponent. The Keydets' last win over the Paladins was a 21-20 verdict, registered in Lexington in 1979. For those who are curious, that was three coaches ago for Furman (Dick Sheridan), and five coaches ago for VMI (Bob Thalman). On the strength of its 15-game winning streak over VMI, the Paladins have built a 17-8-0 lead in the series and are a perfect 7-0 versus VMI in Paladin Stadium. East Tennessee State (8-0) is the only other Southern Conference foe that has never beaten Furman in Paladin Stadium since the facility opened in 1981. VMI's last win in Greenville was a 31-28 decision in 1977 in Sirrine Stadium.
  • FURMAN 6-0 AT HOME SINCE 1995...In addition to attempting to extend its series winning streak over VMI to 15 games, Furman will carry a six-game home winning streak into this Saturday's game against the Keydets. Last year the Paladins re-established their dominance at home by going 6-0 en route to a 9-4 campaign that included a trip to the NCAA I-AA playoffs (two rounds). Furman sports a 79-22-1 record (.779) in Paladin Stadium.
  • OFFENSIVE NIGHTMARE...Furman's offensive performance in the 17-6 loss to South Carolina State was nothing short of a nightmare as the Paladins were able to generate only two yards total offense in the first half and 139 total yards for the game. While Furman received a jolt when starting quarterback Chris Jonas exited with a sprained knee on the game's second series, the offense was unable to capitalize on excellent field position made possible by the strong play of the Paladin defense, which generated a fumble recovery at the S.C. State 15 (missed field goal) and a blocked punt at the Bulldog 22 (field goal). The two field goals against South Carolina State marked the first time since a 30-6 loss to Appalachian State in 1994 that Furman had failed to score a touchdown against an NCAA I-AA regular season opponent.
  • FURMAN "D" DESERVED BETTER...When was the last time a Furman squad held an opponent to no first downs in the second half and lost? Answer: Sept. 4, 1997 (South Carolina State 17, Furman 6). That's right, Furman's defense, which gave up only 161 yards in total offense to S.C. State, including only 24 yards in the second half, didn't surrender a first down over the game's final 30 minutes (and only five for the game), but it wasn't enough to get the win.
  • LINEUP SHUFFLE...In addition to Brent Rickman taking over for the injured Chris Jonas at quarterback , Furman will likely sport a couple of lineup changes along the offensive front this Saturday against VMI. At left guard, redshirt freshman Mark Batluck (Carlisle, Pa.) and Mike Duckwall (Cincinnati, Ohio) will battle for the starting job following the move of senior David Gibson (Dalton, Ga.) to backup right guard. At right tackle, redshirt freshman Josh Moore (Cross Hill, S.C.) may be ready to step in for senior Lee Drake (Jacksonville, Fla.), who was sidelined midway through the South Carolina State game with an ankle sprain.
  • FURMAN CONSENSUS NO. 1...In separate polls conducted by Southern Conference head coaches, media, and sports information directors, Furman was the consensus pre-season No. 1 pick to win the Southern Conference. A year ago, Furman finished third in the conference, posting a 9-4 overall record and 5-2 league mark. The Paladins, who finished the year ranked ninth nationally, advanced to the quarterfinals of the 1996 NCAA I-AA Playoffs before losing to eventual national champion and 1996 Southern Conference champion Marshall.
  • SMERDZINSKI GAINING NOTICE...After only two games, true freshman Zach Smerdzinski (Vienna, Va.) has already displayed he has what it takes to be a very effective punt returner. In the Paladins' 29-10 win over Samford on Sept. 3, Smerdzinski returned five punts for 53 yards, including one for 20 yards. In the Paladins' 17-6 loss to South Carolina State on Sept. 13, he proved to be one of the Paladins' few bright spots, returning seven punts for 88 yards to run his season totals to 12 returns for 141 yards (11.8 yards/return). While the return yardage is impressive, what really stands out is Smerdzinski's straight-up-the-field running style, which Paladin fans had grown accustomed to seeing over the last few years in Smerdzinski's predecessor, All-Southern Conference return specialist Josh Cole.
  • FURMAN PASS RUSH STRONG...After pacing the Southern Conference with 34 sacks a year ago, Furman offered quick evidence in the season opening, 29-10 win over Samford that rushing the passer will again be a strong point of the Paladins' defense by totaling four sacks. In game two against South Carolina State on Sept. 13, the Paladins added two more sacks to improve their season total to six.
  • DAILER HEADLINES DEFENSE...It's no secret that Furman's consensus pre-season No. 1 pick in the Southern Conference was due in large measure to the Paladins' defense, which returned eight regulars from a year ago. And, accordingly, it's no real surprise either that the top player on Furman's veteran defensive unit, senior rush end Bryan Dailer (Winter Garden, Fla.), was named by Southern Conference head coaches as the league's pre-season defensive player-of-the-year. Dailer, who is now in his fourth season as a starter, notched 95 tackles and a league leading 24 tackles-for-loss and 14 sacks a year ago en route to earning All-Southern Conference honors. His strong pass rushing skills helped Furman improve from 13 quarterback sacks in 1995 to a league leading 34 sacks a year ago. Ranked third on the school's career sacks ledger with 18.5 quarterback takedowns, Dailer, a pre-season Sports Network and Sports Ticker All-American, has now started in 37 consecutive games over the past three-plus seasons.
  • ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?...No, the late guitar wizard Jimmy Hendrix does not star in Furman's linebacking corps, but veteran senior linebackers Jay Thier (Columbia, S.C.) and Bernard Scott (St. Augustine, Fla.), and junior Orlando Ruff (Winnsboro, S.C.) can collectively answer Hendrix's famous question with a resounding "yes." In a group that boasts eight letters, five years of starting experience, and a 1996 campaign that saw the Furman trio combine for 456 tackles, 37 tackles-for-loss, five fumble recoveries, five sacks, and five interceptions, Furman's starting linebacking corps clearly ranks as one of the Southern Conference's best units. Jay Thier, the Paladins' weak side linebacker who is now in his third season as a starter, last year racked up 142 tackles after overcoming an early season injury (strained hamstring). A pre-season second team All-Southern Conference selection who paced Furman with 16 tackles in the season opening, 29-10 win over Samford, Thier last year had the key fourth quarter fumble recovery that led to the game winning touchdown in the Paladins' 42-31 playoff win over Northern Arizona. Bernard Scott is again manning the outside linebacker slot after totaling 150 tackles and a pair of interception returns for touchdowns in 1996. He had 15 stops in the Paladins' victory over Samford, and came back with a team leading 14 stops and a tackle-for-loss to pace a fine defensive effort against South Carolina State. Orlando Ruff, Furman's strong side linebacker and leading tackler a year ago with 164 stops, was named to the pre-season All-Southern Conference first team and Sports Network pre-season All-America third team. At 248 pounds, Ruff ranks as the Paladins' strongest player in the weight room, having gained the title in the spring after combining to lift 1,420 pounds in three exercises: bench press (435) , squat (625), and power clean (360). With solid 1997 campaigns, Thier (305 career tackles), Scott (317 career tackles), and Ruff (265 career tackles) should finish the year ranked among Furman's all-time tackle leaders. Former standout Larry Anderson (1974-76) currently ranks 10th on the school's career tackle chart with 347 stops.
  • FOUCH STEPS UP..The graduation of All-America tight end Luther Broughton, Furman's all-time leading receiver (135 rec., 1,659 yds, 6 TDs) and fifth round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, left a big void in the Paladin offense, but looking to step in at tight end is junior Kenya Fouch (Hartwell, Ga.), who had one catch for nine yards in the Paladins' season opening 29-10 win over Samford. Fouch joined the Paladin program late in the pre-season after spending one year at Middle Georgia Junior College in Cochran, Ga. A year ago Fouch appeared ready to become a Paladin after transferring from Georgia Tech, where he spent two years and played sparingly as a freshman in 1994. After joining Furman's pre-season camp, he was soon declared ineligible and withdrew from school after it was determined he lacked the number of credit hours to maintain eligibility. A year at Middle Georgia College ensued, where he accumulated the necessary hours to regain his eligibility. On Friday, Aug. 29, Fouch was officially cleared to participate in Furman's pre-season practice.
  • VERSATILITY PERSONIFIED...Jody Wade is a pretty good receiver who has earned the "clutch" label. And he's a pretty good punter who is consistent. He's also a pretty good baseball player who batted .290 last year and earned Southern Conference All-Tournament honors as the Paladins' starting centerfielder. And, accordingly, he's a very versatile and critical member of Furman's 1997 football team who heads into the VMI game with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. Furman's leading returning receiver, Wade last year Wade nabbed 23 passes for 388 yards and a team leading five touchdowns Ñ not bad for a guy playing alongside a pair of all-conference receivers in Luther Broughton and Josh Cole. A known quantity among Furman fans, he raised the eyebrows of others in the first round of the NCAA I-AA playoffs when he caught a pair of touchdown passes, including the game winner, in the final five minutes in Furman's 42-31 win over Northern Arizona. As Furman's punter, he also averaged 38.8 yards per punt on 74 tries in 1996, and this year he is averaging 40.7 yards per punt on 12 attempts through two games.
  • FOUR PALADINS TO ENTER HALL...Former Paladin football standouts Frankie DeBusk '91, Steve Duggan '91, Andrew Burr '91, and Carl Tremble '93 highlight a class of six former Furman athletic greats who will be inducted into the school's athletic hall-of-fame in ceremonies on Friday, Sept. 26. DeBusk, a three-year starter and 1989 Southern Conference Player-of-the-year, quarterbacked Furman to three straight league championships and, in 1988, became the first quarterback in league history to lead his team to a national championship. The Greeneville, Tenn., native is Furman's all-time passing (5,851 yards) and total offense (6,726 yards) leader. Duggan, a three-time All-Southern Conference selection at center, was a consensus 1990 NCAA I-AA All-America pick and winner of both the state and Southern Conference Jacobs Blocking Award. During the Sumter, S.C., native's tenure, the Paladins won three league championships and posted the best four-year record in school history (41-12). Holder of 18 school records, tailback Carl Tremble of Jacksonville, Fla., ranks as Furman's all-time leading rusher and scorer, having totaled 4,746 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career. A 1992 Associated Press All-America selection, Tremble rushed for 100 yards in 25 games in his career and was part of three NCAA I-AA playoff squads. Atlanta, Ga., product Andrew Burr was a two-sport standout at Furman, having starred in both soccer and football. In soccer, the 1990 Southern Conference Player-of-the-Year scored a school record 50 goals and was a three-time All-South selection. In his only year of football, Burr led the Southern Conference in scoring 1991 after converting 14-of-16 field goals and 45-of-46 PATs, thereby becoming the first athlete in league history to lead the conference in scoring in two different sports in consecutive years. DeBusk, Duggan, Tremble, and Burr will be enshrined in Furman's Hall-of-Fame along with former Olympic gold-medal swimmer Angel Myers '90 and late Furman swimming coach Howard Wheeler.
  • THIS 'N THAT...Junior tailback Ernest Crosby (Greenville, S.C.) saw his first action of the year against South Carolina State after sitting out the season opener at Samford due to a strained hamstring. Senior nose guard Reggie Williams (Nashville, Tenn.) and sophomore rush end Bobby Hubbard (Charlotte, N.C.) also registered their first action of the year after missing the Samford contest. Williams was not declared academically eligible until Sept. 11, and Hubbard served a one-game suspension for violating team rules, according to head coach Bobby Johnson. Furman hasn't produced a 1,000-yard rusher since 1992, when Carl Tremble (1,555 yards) last accomplished the feat. Due in large measure to the NCAA I-A six-win, bowl qualifier rule, Furman will not play an NCAA I-A opponent for the first time in its 92-year football history.

    • Injury Report

    SE Mark Rucker Ñ fractured hand (out six weeks) QB Chris Jonas Ñ sprained knee (out six weeks)

    1996 Furman Paladins Pre-Season Honors

    Back to the Furman Athletics Homepage

    Page maintained by Hunter Reid
    Last Modified September 22, 1997