August 17, 2001

PALADINS LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC POSITION
ANSWERS IN SATURDAY SCRIMMAGE

GREENVILLE -- With 19 starters returning this fall and experienced players prepared to fill virtually all of the remaining open slots in Furman's lineup, Paladin head coach Bobby Johnson says one of the primary focuses in Saturday's scrimmage will be on the few unsettled positions in his squad's two-deep.

"We're looking for people who want to get out there and execute like they've been taught to do," said Johnson following Friday afternoon's practice. "It will be only our third day in pads, so we're looking forward to getting some game-type experience. We've got a lot of people with that type of experience, but we want to find out who can fill some other key positions ‹ fullback, backup tight end, and backup quarterback."

Expected to garner the most attention is the ongoing battle for the starting fullback job vacated by the graduation of three-year starter Derek Russell. A pair of redshirt freshmen, Corey Tant and Al Means, and true freshmen Eric Emerson are the three contenders for the starting job. Emerson, who was held out of contact work on Thursday due to a sore shoulder, returned to action on Friday.

A number of inexperienced players are in the mix behind returning All-Southern Conference tight end Trent Sansbury. Perhaps one indication that no strong candidate has emerged was the switch of true freshman Willis Sudderth from defensive end to tight end on Thursday.

At quarterback, Billy Napier is set to take over for the graduated Justin Hill, but behind Napier no clear No. 2 has emerged. Dave Mathews, a redshirt freshman, has worked with Furman's second unit this week, as has true freshman Bo Moore.

"This is a very important scrimmage. We've only got two weeks from tomorrow before we play our first game, so we've got to make decisions about who will fill those positions before we begin preparing for Wyoming."

Furman's Saturday scrimmage will highlight Fan Day, which gets underway with an autograph session in Timmons Arena at 1:00 p.m. followed by the scrimmage, which starts at approximately 2:30 p.m. in Paladin Stadium. Furman's mascot, Sir Paladin, and his mount, Sterling, will be on hand for photographs outside the arena, and three hundred youth-size Furman tee shirts will be given away, along with posters, hand fans, and pocket schedules. Adult-size tee shirts and media guides will also be on sale in the arena.

Among a number of prizes to be given away are a pair of season tickets to Furman's five home games.

Furman, which opens the 2001 season at Wyoming on Sept. 1, returns 19 starters off a 2000 squad that posted a 9-3 record. The Paladins were ranked No. 6 in the Sports Network NCAA I-AA Preseason Football Poll, which was released on Monday.