Box Score THE GUILFORD-FERRUM SERIES: Guilford began playing Ferrum in 1985, the Panthers' first season of Division III competition, and have met the Panthers on the gridiron in all but two seasons (1993, 1994) since then. Ferrum owns an 8-4 lead in the season series, thanks in part to seven consecutive victories over Guilford from 1987-1995.
The last time Guilford visited Adams Stadium, running back Marques Williams rushed for 99 yards and the winning touchdown in the Quakers' 28-22 double-overtime victory. Ferrum interrupted the Quakers' two-game series win streak last season with a 27-10 triumph in Greensboro. The contest featured eight turnovers, including five by the Quakers, and two rushing touchdowns by Ferrum's Randy Anderson.
FERRUM IN 1999 (1-4): The Panthers enter Saturday's game in the midst of a four-game losing streak, although all four losses have come by a touchdown or less. Picked fourth in the preseason Atlantic Central Football Conference (ACFC), Ferrum opened the season with a convincing 22-0 win over the Apprentice School, but followed with narrow losses to Emory & Henry (12-7), Greensboro (13-7), Bridgewater (14-7 in overtime) and last week to Methodist (16-14). Ferrum has lost eight of its last nine games dating back to last season when it opened the season with six consecutive wins, but finished 6-4. Saturday's contest marks Ferrum's fifth of six home games this season.
PANTHERS OFFENSE: As in years past, Coach Dave Davis' club wants to run the football, and it does. The Panthers rank 25th among this week's NCAA Division III rushing offense leaders with an average of 216.8 yards per game, more than 70 percent of the team's total offensive yards. Sophomore quarterback Phil Hairston directs the Ferrum effort and leads the club's ballcarriers in rushing attempts and yardage. Junior All-ACFC running back Randy Anderson has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the past two games. Classmate Kodi Smith also touches the ball regularly and ranks 21st among this week's Division III punt return leaders. When Hairston puts the ball in the air, junior back Tony Childress or sophomore wide receiver Andre Walker are the chief beneficiaries.
STAT LEADERS: Hairston 96x337 rushing yards, 3.5 avg., 1 TD
Anderson 81x322 rushing yards, 4.0 avg., 2 TD
Smith 44x197 rushing yards, 4.5 avg., 1 TD
Hairston 32-74, 350 passing yards, 4 INT, 2 TD
Childress 10x88 receiving yards, 8.8 avg., 2 TD
Walker 9x159 receiving yards, 17.7 avg., 0 TD
PANTHERS DEFENSE: In addition to a solid running game, Ferrum traditionally sports a solid defense and 1999 appears no exception. The Panthers are ranked 27th in total defense this week, allowing 246.2 yards per game. Opponents have completed only 36 percent of their passes against Ferrum, which helps the Panthers to their seventh place standing among the Division III pass efficiency defense leaders. Sophomore safety Dennis Freeman leads Ferrum's tacklers to date, followed closely by junior linebacker Mark Renske. Junior end Tone' Dancy heads a solid defensive line and sophomore linebacker Greg Middleton averages one forced fumble per game. Senior punter Richard Harr stands seventh on this week's Division III punting chart.
STAT LEADERS: Freeman 24 tackles (14 solo), 7 breakups
Renske 22 tackles (15 solo), 3 tackles for loss, 1 fumble recovery
Tone' Dancy 20 tackles (14 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 5 sacks
Greg Middleton 10 tackles (7 solo), 5 forced fumbles, 1 interceptions
Harr 27x1106 punting yards, 41.0 avg., 7 inside 20-yard line
RECORDS FALL IN QUAKERS' LOSS AT DIVISION I-AA DAVIDSON
THE RESULT: Despite record-setting performances from freshman quarterback David Hessler and sophomore receiver Chris McKinney, Guilford saw its season-opening three-game win streak snapped at Division I-AA Davidson for the second straight year. The Wildcats' strong defense forced Guilford to throw almost exclusively in the second half, but thanks to Hessler and McKinney, Quakers nearly pulled off the upset. Davidson's special teams blocked punt and a field goal in the third quarter. The Wildcats converted the blocked a punt into their fourth touchdown.
OFFENSIVE STARS: McKinney shattered the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and Guilford records for receptions in a game with 17 grabs for a career-high 163 yards and a touchdown. He bettered the ODAC mark set by Craig Irons of Washington and Lee in 1989. His 17 receptions surpassed Geoff Clark's '72 former Guilford standard of 13, set in 1970. Hessler's 34 completions tied an ODAC record and topped the former Quakers' record by 11. Danny Strelkauskas '98 completed 23 passes in three 1997 contests. The rookie's 53 attempts were the third-highest total in league history and his career-high 367 passing yards rank second in school history and sixth on the ODAC single-game passing chart. He also threw three touchdowns, including a 44-yard 'hail-Mary' pass to sophomore Luke Davis as time expired in the second quarter. Sophomore tight end Nick Lamotta established career highs with seven catches for 84 yards and also made his first collegiate touchdown catch.
DEFENSIVE STARS: Playing before a large contingent of hometown fans, sophomore linebacker Will Black stopped a career-high 17 ballcarriers against the Wildcats' spread option rushing attack. His 17 stops were the most by a Guilford player since Luke Martin made 17 tackles against Emory & Henry in 1997. Senior safety Josh Clayton contributed a career-best 11 tackles (8 solo) and rookie linebacker Tommy Harris posted his highest tackle count (9) in his four collegiate contests. Senior defensive lineman Idris Coleman recorded one and a half sacks on the afternoon for a loss of 19 yards. Sophomore linebacker Jake Sorg came up with his first interception of the season.
SPECIAL TEAMS STARS: McKinney fielded six punts against Davidson, the fourth-highest single-game total in ODAC history, and returned them a total of 33 yards. He also returned one kickoff for 21 yards. Freshman punter John Alt kept busy with seven kicks for a 38.4-yard average and placed four inside the Wildcats' 20-yard-line.
TAKING A KNEE: Senior defensive lineman Brad Fisher took a little different stance after the Quakers' September 25 win over Hampden-Sydney. After Coach Mike Ketchum congratulated the team on its ODAC win, Fisher proposed to his girlfriend, former Guilford student Joy Poteat. She accepted. Fisher said afterwards he got the idea from a Greensboro Bats baseball game and wanted to do something special before his teammates and parents, who were on hand for Guilford's Family Weekend.
GUILFORD IN THE ODAC: Team- Kickoff returns (2nd - 19.9 yards per return), pass efficiency defense (2nd - 93.0 rating), total defense (2nd, 256.8 ypg). Individual - Jimmy Lamour (2nd - 22.4 yards per kickoff return), Chris McKinney (2nd - 153.3 all-purpose ypg), John Alt (3rd - 38.6 yards per punt), David Hessler (3rd - 197.0 total offensive yards per game).
HESSLER NAMED ODAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Freshman David Hessler became Guilford's first freshman ODAC Player of the Week since David Heggie '98 after his performance in the Quakers' 22-20 win at Washington and Lee. The quarterback completed 17 of 22 passes for 226 yards and ran for two first-quarter touchdowns. He showed great poise in directing an 11-play, 67-yard drive, which set up Guilford's winning field goal with 21.7 seconds left.
BENDING BUT NOT BREAKING: Through the first four games of the season, Guilford's defense has allowed the opposition just one fourth-down conversion play inside its own 25-yard line in eight attempts. Methodist tried to break the Quakers' defense four times in the season opener, including twice on the goal line, only to be turned away each time. Washington and Lee went for a first down three times in Guilford territory, but had nothing to show for it. Hampden-Sydney finally broke through the line for a touchdown September 25 on fourth and one from the Guilford three-yard line. Two-time All-ODAC cornerback Jimmy Lamour has had a hand in stopping four of the seven fourth-down plays.
INJURY REPORT: Junior defensive back Corey Phillips tried to practice on his injured hamstring this week and pulled it again, which means he is out for the season. Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Brad Waters practiced this week after rehabilitating a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee. He may see some action Saturday. Rookie special teams contributor Joe Karras was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) incurred in the Davidson game. Sophomore cornerback Larry Aguero suffered a compound fracture in his left arm against Davidson and is out for the year. Sophomore linebacker Drew Baird will have surgery next week to repair the meniscus (knee) he injured against Davidson. Senior safety Stephen Wilcosky separated his left shoulder last week, but should start versus Ferrum. Senior offensive tackle Matt Dixon is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. He will likely take a medical redshirt for the year and return for a fifth season in 2000.
DID YOU KNOW?: The Arizona Diamondbacks' Tony Womack '92 played football at Guilford College in 1990. In his lone season with the football team, the Gretna, Virginia-native ranked third among NAIA kickoff return leaders (30.77 yards per return) and fifth among NCAA Division III kickoff return leaders. (Guilford was in transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division III. The school began competition as an NCAA institution in September 1991.)
• Today's game marks the second of a four-game road trip for Guilford. It also marks the second of four homecoming games the Quakers participate in during the month of October.
• The Quakers' loss at Davidson denied the club it's first 4-0 start since 1994.
• Guilford's 425 total offensive yards and 23 first downs against Washington and Lee exceeded the Quakers' single-game output in all 10 games last year.
• Sophomore defensive end Sean Glarner's 71-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Methodist was Guilford's first score with a fumble recovery since September 18, 1993, a span of 57 games.
• Guilford head coach Mike Ketchum has the highest winning percentage (.500) in school history among coaches with three or more years on the Guilford sideline. Now in his ninth season as his alma mater's grid boss, he owns a 41-41 career coaching record.
LORD PICKED UP BY STEELERS: After his release from the Washington Redskins in August, former Guilford standout Junior Lord joined the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad last Wednesday. The ODAC's all-time leading receiver spent the 1998 campaign on Washington's practice squad but was released prior to the final round of 1999 cuts. Lord completed his brilliant career in 1997 with 10 school records and six ODAC marks. A 1997 third team Hewlett Packard Division III All-American, Lord signed with Washington as a free agent two days after the June, 1998 draft. He concluded his Guilford career with 201 receptions for 3,089 yards and 33 touchdowns.
QUAKERS PICKED FOURTH IN ODAC: The ODAC football coaches tabbed Guilford fourth in their preseason poll. League newcomer and regional powerhouse Catholic took the top spot in the poll, just ahead of five-time defending league champion Emory & Henry. Randolph-Macon was picked third, while the Quakers and Hampden-Sydney shared fourth place. Washington and Lee and Bridgewater rounded out the poll.
GUILFORD ON THE AIR: For the fifth consecutive season, all 10 of Guilford's football games will be broadcast on 1070, WGOS-AM. The game can also be heard on the Davidson County Public Access cable television station (Channel 13). Tom Bryant and Miles Poole handle the play-by-play and color commentary while Donnie Snow reports from the sidelines.
GUILFORD'S PROBABLE STARTERS
GUILFORD OFFENSE
WR 3 Chris McKinney (So., 6-3, 185)
RT 52 George Manley (R-Fr., 5-11, 270)
RG 68 Sundance Stanley (Fr., 6-3, 315)
C 66 Garrick Vogt (Sr., 5-11, 240)
LG 71 Eric Brooks (Fr., 5-10, 290)
LT 55 Lee Massey (So., 6-1, 270)
TE 84 Nick Lamotta (So., 6-4, 220)
WR 9 Aaron Denton (Sr., 5-11, 175)
WR 14 Oren Robinson (Fr., 5-7, 150)
RB 23 Marques Williams (Jr., 5-7, 160)
QB 15 David Hessler (Fr., 6-0, 160)
PK 10 Luke Southam (So., 6-2, 200)
GUILFORD DEFENSE
DE 61 Luke White (So., 6-1, 220)
DT 48 Idris Coleman (Sr., 5-10, 230)
NG 77 Khalid Ibn' Bilal (So., 6-2, 285)
DE 91 Sean Glarner (So., 6-0, 240)
OLB 16 Ben Kenerson (Sr., 6-2, 210)
ILB 44 Will Black (So., 5-10, 220)
ILB 26 Jake Sorg (So., 5-11, 205)
CB 24 Jimmy Lamour (Sr., 5-11, 180)
FS 6 Josh Clayton (Sr., 6-0, 190)
SS 37 Stephen Wilcosky (Sr., 6-1, 215)
CB 22 Charlie Morris (Fr., 5-9, 155)
P 29 John Alt (Fr., 6-5, 185)
