Furman Heads For Death Valley And No. 13 LSU Saturday

GREENVILLE, S.C.–On Saturday night, Furman heads into one of the true meccas of college football, when the Paladins take on SEC West power and three-time national champion LSU Tigers Saturday night at Death Valley.

A young Furman football team heads into a game that many of the players will take with them for a lifetime, but the game is about more than just a memory to those who play for the Paladins, it’s about getting a true gauge of what they can be as a program in the future.

Teams only get better by testing themselves, and there aren’t many tests the Paladins could get with any more difficulty than No. 13 LSU, who comes into the contest with a 6-2 overall mark and a 3-2 league ledger. The Tigers come into Saturday night’s clash with losses to Ole Miss (27-24) and Georgia (44-41), with both of the gut-wrenching SEC losses coming by less than a TD.

On a personal note, I attended a game at LSU once before, however, I was covering Appalachian State for the Sports Network for the 2008 season opener for both clubs, but what was a game scheduled for an evening kickoff, was moved up to 10:30 in the morning as a result of Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast. I didn’t get the full affect of the experience that is “Saturday Night In Death Valley.”

I did have a chance to talk to locals, and I found that LSU football fans not only loved their football, but had a great respect and hospitality for fans of the opposing fans, but I got the feeling that was mostly due to the fact that they weren’t worried about losing to an FCS school and Appalachian State was not in the FCS. It was a game dubbed “The Battle of the Champions” as defending FBS champion took on FCS champion.

That Les Miles-led team was locked in, and the head coach known as the “Mad Hatter”  wasn’t going to let what happened to his alma mater Michigan happen to his employer, as the Tigers were 41-13 victors over the Mountaineers in the season opener.

LSU has faced FCS competition from the SoCon in recent seasons, with wins over Appalachian State in 2005 (24-0) and 2008 (41-13), while knocking off The Citadel in 2002 (35-10) and Western Carolina in 2000 (58-0). The Tigers are 8-0 all-time against FCS foes, including 4-0 against SoCon teams.

The Mountaineers didn’t help the scoreline any, playing with the “deer-in-the-headlights” most FBS schools have when they enter the unfriendly confines of Death Valley.

After trailing the game 31-0 at the half, the Mountaineers did come out and play a solid second half, winning the second stanza, 13-10, against mostly LSU reserves.

The sweltering heat on that late August afternoon was one thing I will certainly never forget. For opposing teams, it was quite clear what happens if you come out intimidated against this team, and with the crowd having had all day to partake in “festivities” it certainly makes the atmosphere even more of a cauldron.

However, though Furman is about as much of an underdog as those unlucky patrons throne to the lions and tigers in the Roman Coliseum in a time which saw the primitive form of modern government organized, the Paladins won’t go into Death Valley bowing to the juggernaut that LSU has become. If it does, it will get ugly faster than it will if the Paladins lay it all on the line against the 11-time SEC champions.

While the Paladins are the homecoming “bait” for the Tigers, it isn’t a game in which the Paladins will treat as a throw-away game. In fact, in many ways, Furman or any FCS school for that fact, can take more from this game than the highly-acclaimed and decorated FBS school.

Though Furman is just 1-20 against FBS foes against 1987, it isn’t as if the Paladins have rolled over and played dead against some of college football’s elite programs. Just two years ago, the Paladins led Florida, 22-7, in the second quarter in The Swamp before eventually falling, 54-32.

Furman, though, had FBS transfer Chris Forcier leading that offense, and it was was a team comprised of senior veterans trying to make their final college game a memorable one.

In fact, as unlikely as a win for Furman was on that particular afternoon, it was a Paladin team that had some incentive, knowing a big upset win would have garnered the Paladins an FCS playoff bid as it would have given the Paladins seven wins against Division I competition. At 3-4 this season, including a 2-2 mark in Southern Conference play, the Paladins certainly haven’t mailed in the season as of yet.

Furman wide receiver Adam Mims posted 202 receiving yards and a TD on 10 catches in a 38-19 loss to No. 13 South Carolina in 2010

The 2010 Paladins faced another SEC East foe, in the No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks, and after falling behind 28-6, would get back into the game on a short INT return for a TD by then true freshman defensive end Shawn Boone, as he snagged a Stephen Garcia pass and rumbled two yards to the end zone to make it a 28-13 contest in the third quarter.

With Furman trailing 31-19 and driving in the fourth quarter, looking to make things real interesting, All-SEC cornerback Stephon Gilmore stepped in front of a Cody Worley pass and returned it 72 yards for a score.

The Gilmore clincher allowed Gamecock fans the opportunity to relax and hurriedly race to the car or closest tailgate to root against Clemson and for Cam Newton, as the orange-clad Tigers battled the Auburn Tigers in overtime down on the plains at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Furman wideout Adam Mims (pictured left) had one of the best games in the history of the Paladin football program against All-SEC defensive back Stephon Gilmore, with his 10 catches for 202 yards and a TD ranked tied for second for the best performance in the history of Furman football. That South Carolina team went on to win.

The 2006 season saw the Paladins travel to Chapel Hill to take on a John Bunting-led North Carolina club, which the Paladins were looking to party like it was 1999 (see below), but dropped a wild, 45-42, game to the Tar Heels, despite rolling up 521 yards of total offense, including a 26-for-2o, 310-yard and one TD passing performance from signal-caller Renaldo Gray. That ’06 unit was the last Paladin team to qualify for the FCS postseason.

Furman took a 35-17 lead on Pittsburgh with a wide receiver reverse pass from standout Isaac West to fellow classmate Brian Bratton for a 52-yard score, however, the Paladins would end up dropping a 41-38 overtime contest to the eventual 2004 Big East champion and Fiesta Bowl participant Panthers.

Paladin placekicker Scott Beckler missed a short  field goal attempt,   meaning all Panthers quarterback Tyler Palko had to do was hand it off and get the ball to the center of the field to set up a game winning field goal attempt.

That ’04 Paladin team was led by Parade All-America prep quarterback Ingle Martin, who started his career at Florida as a Steve Spurrier recruit, but left after Chris Leak became Ron Zook’s starter in Gainesville. The ’04 Furman team, which entered the FCS playoffs as the No. 2 overall seed only to lose to eventual national champion James Madison, 14-13, in the FCS quarterfinals.

In 2003, the Paladins had one of their best defenses in recent history, holding a potent Clemson offense that featured big play weapons such as Airese Curry at receiver to 28 points, and the Paladins posted their TD against Clemson since 1969, as the Purple and White dropped a 28-17 contest.

The 1999 season was the last time the Paladins tasted victory against a team from a BCS conference, blowing out North Carolina, 28-3, in a game which saw UNC fans begin to head for the exits at halftime to head to the Blue-White basketball game.

The Paladins used a pair of big play connections from quarterback Justin Hill to speedster wide receiver Des Kitchings–the last of which being a 62-yard scoring catch–and got 154 yards rushing from 2000 Walter Payton Award winner to embarrass the ACC member, which featured future NFL All-Pro Julius Peppers, among the a defensive line considered one of the best in the conference.

But that Tar Heels team was nowhere near the one just a year removed from one of the best in program history, with North Carolina’s lone league loss coming to eventual league champion Florida State in 1997.

The 1991 season, which saw the quarterbacks position ravaged by injuries much like the 2013 season, saw the Paladins take on defending national champion Georgia Tech, led by Bobby Ross.

The Paladins had a enough talent to push the Yellow Jackets, which featured players like defensive lineman Rudolph Coleman and defensive back Willie Clay on defense, and Freshman All-ACC running back Jimy Lincoln and quarterback Shawn Jones under center, leading for 59 minutes and 39 seconds.

Furman led 17-16 late in the fourth quarter, when  quarterback Hugh Swilling dropped back to pass on a key third down play, however,  endured a vicious blindside hit by Marlon Williams which forced the ball loose and the Yellow Jackets recovered deep in Furman territory. All-ACC kicker Scott Sisson knocked through manageable field goal with 21 seconds to play, giving thge defending champs the narrow two-point win.

Led by QB Frankie DeBusk (pictured above) Furman became the first private school in FCS Football history to claim a football national title in 1988, with a 17-12 win over Georgia Southern in Pocatello, ID.

In the 1980’s (referred to as the Decade of Dominance for Paladin football) was an era which the Paladins became the first private school in FCS history to win a national championship, with a 17-12 win over Georgia Southern in Pocatello, ID in 1988. In total, the won 95 games from 1980-89.

It was also a golden era for the Paladins against FBS/BCS foes, posting a 4-1-1 mark. From 1982-86, the Paladins knocked off South Carolina (1982, 28-23), Georgia Tech (17-14, 1983), North Carolina State (34-30, 1984; 42-20, 1985) and tied Georgia Tech (17-17, 1986).

Like LSU, the Furman football program is one that boasts an outstanding football tradition, but is in rebuilding mode, much the same as the Tigers were for a majority of the 1990’s, however, the Paladins appear to be on the way towards returning to prominence sooner rather than later.

Furman has made three national title appearances, with one national title and the Paladins have claimed a league-high tying 12 Southern Conference titles. Furman is the winningest football program in the Southern Conference all-time, with a 248-195-11 all-time league mark.

Furman comes in ranking 35th in the FCS in second in the SoCon in total defense (356.3 YPG) this season. The Paladins are a +4 in turnover margin this season.

Furman’s offense has struggled this season, and enter the contest ranking 104th nationally in the FCS, averaging just 304.3 YPG, while the defensive side of the ball has seen the Paladins excel, ranking 35th nationally, surrendering just 356.0 YPG to rank 35th nationally, marking the Paladins’ best defense since the 2008 campaign.

On the offensive side of the football, Furman has been bolstered by the return of Reese Hannon under center last Saturday in the 27-10 win over Appalachian State, as Hannon had to miss three weeks with three separate injuries. Hannon had to come in last season as a true freshman, eventually ending up winning the starting job due to his poise and ability to lead the Paladin offense.

Hannon has connected on 53-of-87 passes for 573 yards with three scores and an INT four starts this season. In his lone game against an FBS foe, which came against No. 13 Clemson last season, Hannon connected on 19-of-29 passes for 235 yards, with a TD and an INT in a 41-7 loss.

The Paladins rely on the two-headed monster of Hank McCloud (115 rush att, 604 yds, 4 TDs, 5.3 YPC) and freshman Marcus Anderson (40 rush att, 221 yds, 5.5 YPC) at running back, as McCloud gives the Paladins, a shifty, elusive runner, while Anderson is more of the bruising type of back. McCloud, a junior, is trying to become the third Paladin in as many seasons under head coach Bruce Fowler to rush for 1,000 yards.

The Paladins lost their best big-play option at wideout on the second play of last week’s game against the Mountaineers, as he fractured his ankle. Senior Ryan Culbreath (16 rec, 183 yds, 2 TDs, 11.4 YPR) acts as Furman’s Dwayne Bowe, as the NFL-sized wideout (6-4, 220 lbs) is the Paladins’ most reliable option at wide receiver having hauled in 70 passes for 879 yards and seven TDs in his career.

Others to watch that could offer big play opportunities in the passing game are freshman Andrej Suttles (22 rec, 212 yds, 9.6 YPR) and sophomore Jordan Snellings (7 rec, 38 yds), who was a SoCon All-Freshman Team selection last season.

The Paladins best offensive player, however, is left tackle Dakota Dozier, who some in the know are saying might be the top FCS player picked in this spring’s NFL Draft, and could go as high as the second round.

The 6-5, 303-pound senior anchors an offensive line that returned all five starters coming into the season, and Dozier has started 37 out of 38 career games. This is a Furman offensive line that has given up 16 sacks, however, so far this season and is a unit that is a much better run-blocking unit than pass-blocking contingent.

Furman defensive end Gary Wilkins intercepted a wide receiver reverse pass and returned in 98 yards for a score in a 27-10 win over Appalachian State last Saturday.

The most impressive aspect of the Paladin football team entering the 2013 season is a defense that is extremely young, boasting only two seniors among the two-deep.

Gary Wilkins, who returned an INT 98 yards for a score midway through the second quarter to turn to the tide of the football game in the 27-10 win over Appalachian State in the final meeting between two as SoCon rivals last Saturday.

Wilkins has made the transition from linebacker to defensive end this season, after leading the Paladins with 92 stops last season. He is putting up All-America type numbers this season, having posted 28 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, an INT, a TD and has forced and recovered a fumble so far this season as a potentially the most athletic player on the Furman defense.

Also impressive this season has been the play of a young cast of characters at LB this season, which features a pair of sophomores, in Carl Rider (73 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 FRs, 1 FF ) and Cory Magwood (50 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2 FFs) among the most physical linebackers in the SoCon. Rider ranks second in the SoCon in tackles through the first seven games.

Rounding out the three units on defense is improved Furman secondary, which ended the 2012 season surrendering 228.0 YPG last season and is surrendering a little over 200 yards (201.6 YPG) this season.

One of the biggest reasons why the Paladins have seen improvement is the fact that the Paladin defense have more of those ball-hawking type safeties, such as senior Greg Worthy (64 tackles, 2 FFs, 1.0 TFL,  ), who is one of two seniors on the defensive side of the ball for the Paladins this season and will start at strong safety on Saturday night.

Also adding to the talent in the secondary are free safety Marcus McMorris (44 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 INT, 3 PBUs) and nickel Jairus Hollman (48 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 2 PBUs, 2 FFs, 1 INT, 1 FR), who could both wear that “ball-hawking” tag this season for the Purple and White, with the duo also emulating Worthy in terms of physicality.

Hollman was the SoCon’s Special Teams Player of the Week after his blocked field goal of a PC field goal attempt with 18 seconds remaining, preserving a Furman 21-20 win.

One advantage Furman might have come into this weekend’s contest is at place-kicker, where Ray Early has hit all four of his 50-yard field goal attempts, including a pair of those kicks in each of the past two weeks. Early also leads the SoCon and ranks fourth in the FCS in punting average, with a whopping 44.1 YPP average.

LSU QB Zach Mettenberger

Leading the LSU offense into action on Saturday night will be senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger (135-of-207 passing, 2,164 yds, 16 TDs, 5 INTs), who has seemed much more comfortable under the direction of first-year offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Mettenberger leads an LSU offense that ranks 37th nationally, posting 456.0 YPG and averaging 39.2 PPG.

The past couple of weeks, which has seen the Tigers post a 17-6 win over Florida and drop a 27-24 game at rival Ole Miss, the Tigers’ explosive offense that dropped at least 35 points in the six previous games, including 59 and 56 in wins over Mississippi State and UAB.

Mettenberger leads the multiple Tiger offense, and when it comes to big-play weapons, he has the services of Odell Beckham (42 rec, 805 yds, 6 TDs, 19.2 YPR) and Jarvis Landry (53 rec, 795 yds, 8 TDs, 15.0 YPR) to throw the ball to, as the tandem continues a long line of talented pass-catchers for the Tigers, which includes the likes of the aforementioned Bowe and speedsters like Eddie Kennison in the early-mid 1990’s.

Beckham has made some highlight-reel catches in his career, while Landry acts as more the big-play receiver. After combining to haul in 1,268 yards and seven scores last season, Landry and Beckham have fashioned a comprehensive effort that has eclipsed last season’s yardage and receiving TDs total, with the duo having posted 1,600 yards and 14 TDs this season.

LSU RB Jeremy Hill

The running game is in the capable hands of Jeremy Hill (114 rush att, 792 yds, 10 TDs, 6.8 YPC), who has been the best back no one seems to be talking about this season. Outside South Carolina’s Mike Davis and Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon, no running back has been as good as Hill. He has also proven to be a reliable option as a receiver, with nine catches for 87 yards this season.

Hill hasn’t had to shoulder the entire rushing load this season, with Terrence Magee (43 rush att, 268 yds, 3 TDs, 6.2 YPC), Kenny Hilliard (50 rush att, 222 yds, 6 TDs) and Alfred Blue (45 rush att, 215 yds, 1 TD, 4.8 YPC), making the Tigers’ ground attack and offense among the most balanced in college football.

The Tigers have always been noted for some of the SEC’s best offensive and defensive line talent, and 2013 is no different, despite the fact the Tigers were especially young in the trenches coming into the campaign, with just two returning starters on the offensive line, while no starters returned along the defensive front.

The left side of the Tigers’ offensive line is the strength of the unit, where Vadal Alexander and La’el Collins appear to be on their way to All-SEC honors this season, while Trai Turner is the lone returning starter on the right side, holding down the right guard position. Collins is one of the most versatile blockers in the SEC, making the move from guard to tackle in the spring, and his athleticism has made that transition seamless.

All four starters either graduated or made the jump to the NFL along the defensive line, but anyone who has followed college football over the past 10 years knows about the superior talent the Tigers have turned out along the defensive line, with the likes of Glenn Dorsey and Marcus Spears immediately coming to mind.

LSU DT Ego Ferguson

This season, though the Tigers are young, they are once again extremely talented, with the veteran of the unit being junior defensive tackle Anthony Johnson (26 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 INT), who might be the best defensive tackle in the SEC, lines up alongside Ego Ferguson (38 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 blkd kick), who might be the second-best DT in the SEC this season.

The top defensive end on the roster this season has been Danielle Hunter (38 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 FF).

The Tigers, who utilize a 4-3 defensive alignment, have some solid pieces, led by one of the SEC’s best, in weakside linebacker Lamin Barrow (57 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FR), who enters as the team’s leader in tackles. D.J. Welter (43 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) will start at ‘MIKE’ linebacker, while the extremely athletic ‘backer Kwon Alexander (38 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3 PBUs) rounds out the trio as the starter at the SAM.

Most Furman fans are probably familiar with at least one LSU defensive back in recent memory, which was Tyrann Mathieu, which was once apart of the Tigers football team and was more affectionately known as the “Honey Badger.” But Mathieu wasn’t the lone talent in what has become a talented defensive backfield that has turned out talent, year-in and year-out.

Anchoring the unit this season has been a pair of veterans, who have a great chance at garnering All-SEC praise, as safety Craig Loston (31 tackles, 1 INT) and cornerback Jalen Mills (31 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks) have had outstanding seasons for the Bayou Bengals. Mills leads the team with three sacks so far this season.

So, Saturday night in Baton Rouge offers Furman a chance to get better as a football team, and although the score might not indicate that overall improvement and maturity, it could be something the Paladins can pull from as far as experience is concerned in years to come, with more meaningful games in the FCS in seemingly tough road venues against solid teams.

Final Score Prediction: LSU 38, Furman 3