September 28, 2002
FURMAN OPENS SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
CAMPAIGN WITH 55-28 WIN OVER VMI
Game
Statistics
LEXINGTON, VA. -- Billy Napier threw two touchdowns and ran for another in a 28-point
first quarter scoring outburst to lead Furman to a 55-28 win over VMI Saturday
afternoon at Alumni Memorial Stadium in the final meeting between the two longtime
Southern Conference rivals.
The victory, Furman’s school record 21st straight triumph over VMI since
1980, concludes the conference football series between the Paladins and Keydets,
which began in 1946. VMI, a member of the league since 1923, is leaving the conference
at the end of the 2002-03 academic year for the Big South Conference.
Napier, a senior from Chatsworth, Ga., and the conference’s leading passer,
completed all seven pass attempts for 159 yards in the first quarter, including
a 2-yard toss to tight end Willis Sudderth and 76-yard strike to split end Brian
Bratton to extend a 14-0 Paladin lead.
Tailback Toreico O’Neal gave Furman a quick 7-0 advantage with a 58-yard
touchdown run on the game’s second offensive play, and Napier later added
a 1-yard sneak for a score at the 8:00 mark to push the Paladins’ lead to
14-0.
Furman totaled 280 yards on 21 plays in game’s first 15 minutes on the way
to a 640-yard afternoon — the second most productive offensive performance
in school history.
“We accomplished our goals of winning the game and playing well early,”
said Furman head coach Bobby Lamb. “All week we had concentrated on playing
well in the first quarter because the last few times we have been up here, we
had struggled early. It was good to get off to a quick start and play a lot of
people. It was a good effort.”
“Their speed was a factor, and that allowed them to get some easy touchdowns,”
said VMI head coach Cal McCombs. “Offensively, they were like a well-oiled
machine, and they made several big plays.”
VMI cut Furman’s lead to 28-14 in the second quarter with a 51-yard touchdown
run by Sean Mizzer and 48-yard interception return by Musa Sarki, but the Paladins
effectively quelled any Keydet comeback when Lamar Rembert reeled off a 52-yard
scoring run with 3:29 left in the half to make it 35-14.
Then, just before intermission, Furman needed only 26 seconds to cover 63 yards
for its final tally of the half. After safety Cam Newton intercepted a pass at
the VMI 9, the Paladins used a 38-yard shovel pass from Napier from Toreico O’Neal
to move to the Paladin 47. On the next play Napier hit Andy Rump for 25 yards
to the VMI 28, where Danny Marshall booted a career long 46-yard field goal as
time expired for a 38-14 advantage.
Playing reserves on both side of the football, the Paladins added a pair of scores
in the third quarter, getting a 42-yard Marshall field goal and a 6-yard touchdown
run by backup fullback Al Means to extend their lead to 48-21.
The two teams traded scores in the fourth quarter, with backup fullback Al Means
scoring his second touchdown of the contest on a 38-yard run in the last minute
of play.
Furman rushed for a season high 397 yards and passed for 243. Napier, who didn’t
play in the second half, finished with 222 yards through the air, completing 9-of-11
attempts. Junior tailback Lamar Rembert paced the Paladin ground attack with a
career high 133 yards on 11 carries.
VMI quarterback Joey Gibson completed 22-of-38 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown
for the Keydets, but the Keydet senior was picked off three times by Rodney Johnson,
David Latimer, and Cam Newton.
Furman returns to action next Saturday when it hosts Western Carolina a Paladin
Stadium in a 2:00 p.m. showdown.