Furman’s Future Now In Hannon’s ‘Cannon’ Arm

Reese Is 1-1 As A Starting Quarterback

GREENVILLE, S.C.–Furman has seen its share of great quarterbacks over the years. When you think of some of those 12 SoCon title seasons, it’s easy to recall some of the greatest to ever don the Purple and White Furman uniforms, as names like Lamb, DeBusk, Hill, Napier and Martin are among the pantheon of greats to come through the program.

Furman may now fashioning its newest member of that Quarterback Mount Rushmore at Furman, in true freshman Reese Hannon. Through 2.5 games so far this fall, Hannon has caught attention of Furman and SoCon football fans for his numbers in only a short amount of action on the gridiron for Furman.

The 6-1, 192-pound native of Greer High School has completed 58-of-90 passes for 707 yards and five TDs, having been intercepted once. Heading into this weekend’s game against Western Carolina, Hannon has completed 64.4% of his throws through his first six quarters of football as a Division I quarterback.

It was probably hard for many fans to get a gauge on Hannon as the Paladins’ signal-caller in his first game, as he took the field late in the second quarter of Furman’s 47-45 triple overtime loss to Coastal Carolina, replacing injured senior starter Dakota Derrick. Furman would score TDs on its last six possessions of the game in the overtime loss, and a star was born in the disappointment of a stormy, rainy evening at Paladin Stadium.

Furman fans might have even looked to the heavens on that evening to know something was different about the atmosphere, as picturesque rainbow filled the otherwise gray, black September sky over Paladin Stadium just about the time Hannon was engineering 13 Paladin points in a little less than four minutes to nearly help the Paladins pull off a miracle.

But while it may have been hard to know what to make of Hannon’s 22-of-35, 255-yard and four TD passing performance, it was fairly clear that Hannon was a different breed of quarterback a week later, as the Paladins took on No. 11 Clemson on what was to be a coronation for the return of Clemson’s Sammy Watkins in front of 81,500.

Furman would take the opening possession of the game, and Hannon showed nothing but poise confidently taking initiative and quickly lead the Paladins into the Clemson red zone by leading the Paladins 63 yards in 13 plays, including completing his first five passes of the afternoon. Though Furman had its fake field goal intercepted in the end zone, it was clear had found its quarterback for the future in Hannon.

What true freshman comes into a game seemingly unfazed against the FBS’ No. 11 ranked team, and one that many believed was the best Clemson team in quite sometime, but one that has been groomed for such a stage. Hannon, who grew up a Clemson fan himself, did extremely well against the Tigers considering the Paladins were vastly over-matched. He was impressive in a second-straight performance, connecting on 19-of-29 throws for 235 yards, with a TD and an INT in the 41-7 loss for the Paladins.

Making just his second start this past Saturday, Hannon led Furman to scores on four of its six possessions in the opening half of play, as the Paladins held a 24-0 lead at the half, as the Paladins were able to hold on for their first win (31-21) of the season, and Hannon got his first of what many will feel will be many of his Furman career.

Hannon completed the day without a TD pass, but still put up solid numbers, as he completed 17-of-26 passes for 217 yards without an INT. He trails only Appalachian State’s Jamal Jackson heading into Saturday’s home test against Western Carolina, as Hannon is averaging 235.7 passing yards per game.

Hannon’s poise, accuracy, pocket awareness and arm strength are all superior to what most would expect of a true freshman. Hannon comes from great stock, as his cousin, Justin Hill, was also a Greenville product, leading the Paladins to the 1999 Southern Conference title.

Hill had a similar path to success at Furman has Hannon did, starring at Greer High School under center and was the Shrine Bowl quarterback MVP back in 1996, completing 7-of-13 passes for 199 yards and two TDs in leading South Carolina to a 30-10 win over North Carolina.

Hannon, who also played his high school football for the Greer Yellow Jackets, where he was a finalist for “Mr. Football” in the state and also garnered All-State honors after leading Greer to a 9-2 record and a Region 3 Championship after passing for 2,200 yards and 18 TDs in his senior season, while also rushing for 500 yards.

Hannon is the first first-year quarterback to pass for 200 or more yards in his first three games for the Paladins in recent memory. Even greats like Ingle Martin or 2011 First-Team All-SoCon quarterback Chris Forcier didn’t accomplish such a feat.

With so much success through the early going this season, Hannon will experience another first on Saturday, as Furman faces Western Carolina in a crucial Southern Conference game in Greenville at Paladin Stadium.

It will mark Hannon’s first start as a quarterback for the Paladins in a Southern Conference game.  Below is a preview of Saturday’s encounter between Furman and Western Carolina.

WHO: Western Carolina (1-3, 0-2 SoCon) at Furman (1-3, 0-1 SoCon)

WHEN: Sept. 29, 2012, 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:Greenville, S.C., Paladin Stadium (16,000)

Overview: When Western Carolina heads to Furman on Saturday to face the Paladins for their third Southern Conference game, the Catamounts will be looking to claim their first win since 1994 in the facility, when the Catamounts took a 35-24 win over the Paladins in Greenville.

Since losing to Western in 1994, Furman has claimed 16 of the last 18 meetings in the series to post a commanding 27-10-2 all-time series advantage in the previous 39 encounters. One of the more memorable meetings for Catamount fans will of course be the 1983 clash in the Division I-AA semifinals, which saw the Catamounts pick up a hard-fought 14-7 win in Greenville. Furman managed to post a 47-21 in Cullowhee last fall.

The Catamounts enter the contest coming off a heartbreaking, 25-21, loss at Samford on Saturday, while Furman posted its first win of the season on Saturday, getting a 31-21 win at Presbyterian.

The Catamounts will looking to put an end to a couple of streaks on Saturday when they face the Paladins in Greenville, with one of those streaks being a six-game skid against the Paladins, dating back to a 41-21 win over a No. 2 ranked Furman team in Cullowhee in 2005. The Catamounts will also be looking to snap a streak of 16-straight Southern Conference losses, dating back to a win at The Citadel in Oct. of 2010.

The two schools feature two of the league’s newest head coaches, and both Western Carolina head coach Mark Speir and Furman head coach Bruce Fowler were once assistant coaches at the places which they now coach.

Speir, who served as the running backs coach, recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach during his previous stint–an eight-year career at Appalachian State (2003-2011), coached at Western Carolina back in the early to mid 1990’s, serving as an assistant under Steve Hodgin.

Fowler, who is in his second year as the Paladins’ head coach, served for 18 years on the sidelines in Greenville as a running backs coach and defensive coordinator (1983-2001) before moving on to Vanderbilt where he coached for eight years (2002-10) under former Furman head coach Bobby Johnson and former Furman offensive line coach and current Clemson offensive line coach Robbie Caldwell.

Like  Speir, Fowler is back at a school where he had been previously, and both coaches have been charged with reviving once tradition-rich programs. Fowler’s Paladins haven’t tasted the FCS postseason since 2006, and Speir’s Catamounts haven’t been to the postseason since finishing as the national runner-up in 1983.

Speir was a member of that last WCU staff that won in Greenville back in 1994.

Game Preview: Furman and Western Carolina meet in what is an important Southern Conference game for both clubs, as the Paladins and Catamounts will be looking to notch their first respective victories in Southern Conference play on Saturday at Paladin Stadium.

Having already dropped its Southern Conference opener, 24-21, at Samford, Furman will be looking to avoid only its third 0-2 start in Southern Conference play in the past 32 years. Only the 1987, ’94 and ’07 seasons drop their first two Southern Conference games of the league slate.

Furman is coming off a 31-21 win over Presbyterian last Saturday, and at times, especially in the opening half of play, the Paladins looked nearly unstoppable on offense. Furman enters Saturday’s contest with the Catamounts ranking 38th nationally in total offense (400.7 YPG), 54th in scoring offense (24.0 PPG), 33rd in passing offense (239.0 YPG) and 50th in rushing offense (165.7 YPG). Furman’s 239.0 YPG ranks the Paladins second in the Southern Conference in passing offense.

True Freshman Reese Hannon (58-of-90 passing, 707 yds, 5 TDs, 1 INT) continues to be at the controls of what is quickly becoming one of the most versatile in the SoCon. Hannon has now passed at least 200 yards in all three games he has played in as a Division I quarterback.

The Greer, S.C., native ranks only behind Appalachian State’s Jamal Jackson in passing average per game, as he enters Saturday’s showdown with WCU posting a 235.7 yards-per-game passing average. Hannon has plenty of solid options in the passing attack, and one of those, of course, includes preseason First-Team All-America selection (The Sports Network) Colin Anderson (11 rec, 197 yds, 17.9 YPR), who will start at tight end.

Anderson is coming off his best game of the 2012 season, posting three catches for 83 yards, including a season long 50-yard reception in last week’s 31-21 win over PC. Anderson enters Saturday’s matchup against the Catamounts ranking as one of the best to ever play at Furman, ranking first among tight ends in school history in all-time TD catches (11), second in receiving yards (1,240 yds) and third in all-time receptions (71). In the 47-21 win over the Catamounts last season, Anderson was able to haul in five passes for 87 yards and a couple of scores.

Teaming with Anderson as a part of a talented corps of receiving options heading into Saturday are split end Ryan Culbreath (17 rec, 218 yds, 2 TDs, 12.8 YPR), flanker Gary Robinson (5 rec, 43 yds/1 rush 9 yds) and slot receiver Will King (16 rec, 264 yds, 2 TDs, 16.5 YPR). King comes into Saturday’s contest against the Catamounts ranking second overall in the league in receiving yards. Another receiver that could prove pivotal Saturday for the Paladins is freshman Jordan Snellings (6 rec, 96 yds, 2 TDs, 16.0 YPR).

The Paladins have again shown the ability to get yards on the ground, and that comes with having maybe the best tandem of running backs in the SoCon coming into Saturday’s contest, with the return of both Jerodis Williams (77 rush att, 406 yds, 3 TDs, 5.3 YPC/6 rec, 60 yds, 10.0 YPR) and Hank McCloud (38 rush att, 173 yds, 4 TDs, 4.6 YPC/5 rec, 35 yds, 7.0 YPR).

Both Williams and McCloud had big outings against the Catamounts last season, with Williams posting a career-high 175 yards and a TD on 25 carries. McCloud finished last season’s contest against the Catamounts by posting 61 yards on 12 carries, which stood as his career-high until this past Saturday’s performance at PC, which saw the sophomore rush for 78 yards and three first-half scores in the 31-21 win. Williams also eclipsed the century mark in rushing this season for the first time in last week’s win, rushing for 136 yards and a TD on 23 carries in the 10-point win.

Surprisingly to some, Furman has gotten some excellent play out of its offensive line so far this season, as the unit has helped the Paladins really establish the run well early on this season. The unit continues to be anchored by preseason all-league selection Dakota Dozier at left tackle, and two new starters, in center Eric Thoni and left guard Tank Phillips. The Paladins come in ranking 36th in the FCS and sixth in the SoCon in sacks allowed (1.50 SPG) per game this fall.

Defensively, Western Carolina comes into Saturday’s contest ranking 106th in the FCS in total defense (472.5 YPG), 93rd in scoring defense (35.0 YPG), 43rd in pass defense (183.5 YPG) and 119th in rush defense (289.0 YPG).

The Catamounts have looked better in some spots than they were in 2011, and operate out of a 4-2-5 defensive formation. Anchoring the WCU defensive line so far this season has been defensive end Brian Johnson (17 tackles, 1.0 TFL), who has gotten his senior season off to a solid start. Johnson is a good athlete and a player that can apply solid pressure on the perimeter.

Johnson will team with one of the biggest surprises for head coach Mark Speir so far this season, and that is talented freshman Caleb Hawkins (15 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks), who might be the best athlete along the defensive front.  The Catamounts, like Furman, are a little undersized at the two defensive tackle positions, but are athletic. Set to start on the defensive interior for the Catamounts will be Bevans Robbs (5 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 5 QBHs) and Eric Banford (6 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 FR).

The two starters at linebacker for the Catamounts are Rock Williams (34 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 0.5 sack, 2 FFs) and Courtland Carson (37 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 PBU), and both have been among the most solid linebacking tandems in the SoCon early on in the campaign. Williams is coming off a 2011 season which saw him rank third overall in the SoCon in total tackles, completing the campaign with 115 stops, while Carson posted a career-high 14 tackles in a 52-21 loss at Marshall a couple of weeks ago. Both are athletic and run well from sideline-to-sideline.

If there has been a strength to the WCU defense over the past couple of seasons, it has been the secondary and despite the overall defensive struggles for the Catamounts over the past couple of seasons, WCU has managed to defend the pass well.

Veterans Elijer Martinez (19 tackles, 2 PBUs) and Ace Clark (29 tackles, 3 PBUs, 2 INTs.) highlight what is a very athletic unit that is forming into one of the better units in the SoCon. Martinez will start at the boundary cornerback position, while Clark will start as an extra, hybrid safety in the middle of the secondary. The hard-hitting Clark is having an All-SoCon caliber season through the first four weeks of the campaign.

Joining Martinez at cornerback will be talented true freshman Jaleel Lorquet (16 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 PBU), who has played well early on this season and has been one of the better young players on the defensive side of the football for the Catamounts.

Clark will be joined at safety by TrevorTaylor (12 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR), who will start at free safety and Sertonuse Harris (29 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 FFs), who will start at the boundary safety position. Both are first-year starters in the WCU secondary.

Furman has been shaky at times on the defensive side of the football through the first four games, but have looked pretty good against the run, especially last week against PC, as the Paladins yielded just 43 yards of rushing offense to the Blue Hose.

Furman comes into Saturday afternoon’s game ranking 76th nationally in total defense (395.2 YPG), 89th in scoring defense (33.2 YPG), 31st in rushing defense (122.3 YPG) and 107th in passing defense (273.0 YPG).

The strength of the Furman defense this season has been its defensive line, particularly its defensive end tandem of Josh Lynn (17 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 PBU, 1 FF) and Shawn Boone (9 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR), who have combined to notch 3.5 of Furman’s eight sacks this season. Lynn and Boone were also huge in Furman’s 47-21 win at Western Carolina last season, with the bookend tandem posting three of the team’s four sacks in the win. Lynn had two sacks in the road win, while Boone notched one.

Neal Rodgers (13 tackles, 0.5 sack) and Colton Keig (17 tackles, 1.0 TFL) will start at the two defensive tackle positions on Saturday, and though a bit undersized, the duo have really stood tall through the first four games, making running the ball in the middle difficult for the first four opponents.

The Paladins had to replace two of three starters coming into the campaign at linebacker, but new starters Matt Solomon (39 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 3 PBUs) and Gary Wilkins (37 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 PBU) have picked up right where Kadarron Anderson and Chris Wiley left off last season for the Paladin.

Solomon, a senior, will be making his sixth start at middle linebacker on Saturday and currently ranks fourth in the SoCon in total tackles per game (9.8 TPG). Wilkins has been one of the better young linebackers in the league this season, and the sophomore is one of the best athletes on the defensive side of the ball. He will start at the weakside linebacker spot on Saturday.

The top player on the defensive side of the football might be preseason All-SoCon linebacker Mitch McGrath (25 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INTs, 3 PBUs), who is off to a strong start once again this fall at strongside linebacker. He has intercepted two passes in the first four weeks. He had a solid performance against the Catamounts last season, with six tackles, a tackle-for-loss and an INT.

The secondary has had its struggles through the first four weeks, especially at cornerback, however, the Paladins are improving with each week at the CB position. One of the real bright spots through the early portion of the 2012 season has been true freshman cornerback Reggie Thomas (8 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 INT). Cortez Johnson (12 tackles, 2 PBUs), who is one of the fastest players on Furman’s roster, is in his first season as an established full-time starter at the other CB position.

The Paladins have two of the best safeties teaming up at the respective safety positions. Strong safety Greg Worthy (25 tackles, 1 PBU) was a preseason First-Team All-SoCon selection, while starting strong safety Nathan Wade (33 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2 PBUs) was a preseason Second-Team All-SoCon pick. Both are solid, big hitters in the middle of that Paladin defense, causing receivers to think twice before crossing the middle against these two.

Final Prediction: Furman 31, Western Carolina 24