Football Travels to The Citadel
10/29/2008 4:08:00 AM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Georgia Southern Football travels to The Citadel this Saturday (Nov. 1) for a Southern Conference showdown at Johnson Hagood Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Every Georgia Southern Football game can be heard on the 19 station Georgia Southern Radio Network (Eagle 102.9 FM the flagship station) and on the internet at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com. Chris Blair (play-by-play), Terry Harvin (color analyst) and Ryan Chambers (sidelines) will call the action. Fans at Hagood Stadium can listen to the Georgia Southern radio broadcast by tuning into 97.5 FM.
Every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ?Inside Georgia Southern Football with Chris Hatcher' is on the air at Locos Grill and Pub. Coach Hatcher and Chris Blair will recap the previous game and look ahead to the upcoming game against The Citadel. The broadcast will be carried live on Eagle 102.9 FM and on the www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com website.
The Eagles (4-4 overall, 2-3 SoCon) are coming off a record-setting 38-31 overtime win at Western Carolina last Saturday. Down 31-3 with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Eagles not only staged a program-best comeback, but also improved on the NCAA FCS record for largest fourth quarter comeback (Delaware State down 28 with 13 minutes remaining versus Liberty in 1990).
Entering the game, Georgia Southern ranks 19th nationally scoring 34 points per game. The Eagles stand 32nd in total offense (395.4), 12th in punt returns (15.2 ypr), 26th in net punting (34.4 per punt) and tied for 33rd in sacks (2.3 per game).
Senior wide receiver Raja Andrews (Swainsboro/Swainsboro) is coming off a record setting performance at Western, catching eight passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns. In the win he set the GS career receptions record (99) and season record for most 100-yard receiving games (3), while also tying the career 100-yard receiving games record (3).
Andrews ranks 25th nationally averaging 82.1 receiving yards and is tied for 49th with 5.1 receptions per game. He needs four more catches to break Maurice Bing's season record of 39 set in 1996.
Sophomore quarterback Antonio Henton (Fort Valley/Peach County) stands third in the SoCon and 35th nationally averaging 236.9 yards of total offense per game. He matched a career-high throwing two touchdown passes during the fourth quarter comeback at Western. Henton is three TDs shy of matching the program's season record. He also on the verge of breaking several passing and total offense records as well.
Henton also ranks in a tie for 29th nationally, responsible for 13.5 points per game. His 172.4 passing yards and 64.5 rushing yards per game put him 62nd and 68th in the nation, respectively.
Senior linebacker Chris Covington (Lawrenceville/Brookwood) is second in the SoCon contributing 9.0 tackles per game. He leads the league with 6.0 sacks (tied 22nd nationally) and 10.0 tackles for a loss (tied 49th).
Dakota Walker (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest) recorded a career-high three sacks at Western (4.5 TFL), all three coming late in the fourth quarter and overtime. He now ranks third in the SoCon with 5.0 sacks (tied 39th nationally) and second with 9.5 TFL (tied 64th).
Carson Hill (Milledgeville/Baldwin County) stands third in the league and 24th nationally averaging 1.3 pass break-ups per game. Hill and fellow junior Ronnie Wiggins (Summerville/Chattooga) both recorded their 100th career tackle during the Western game. Having now met the statistical minimum for percentage of team games played, Wiggins is now tied for 14th nationally with three interceptions in six games played.
Senior Quentin Taylor (Apopka, FL/Apopka) continues to lead the Southern Conference and stands in ninth place nationally averaging 11.1 tackles per game.
Redshirt-freshman punter Charlie Edwards (Tifton/Tift County) increased his SoCon lead, averaging 42.1 yards per punt good for 15th nationally.
The Citadel has dropped four straight, all in Southern Conference play, standing 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the league. Wide receiver Andre Roberts, a member of the Walter Payton Award Watch List, has accounted for 12 of The Citadel's 27 touchdowns (10 receiving/2 punt returns). He is tied for ninth nationally in receptions per game (7.3), 12th in receiving yards (99.6), second in punt returns (20.1), tied for 12th in scoring (9.0) and 24th in all-purpose yards (146.3).
Bart Blanchard is 45th in passing efficiency (129.73) and 43rd in total offense (220.3). He has completed 136-of-228 passes for 1,582 yards and 13 touchdowns to eight interceptions.
Mark Kaspar ranks 20th nationally averaging 41.8 yards per punt. Mel Capers has blocked three kicks on special teams this year. Jordan Gilmore leads the defense with 65 tackles.
