In 2013, Brevard was one of the most disciplined teams in the nation. The Tornados were whistled for the third fewest penalties and penalty yards last year, in addition to turning the ball over the fifth fewest times.
However, in spite of the discipline, the Tornados went 3-8 last year with a 2-5 mark in South Atlantic Conference play.
The good news for Brevard is that the offense should be especially potent. The entirety of BC's flexbone-based attack returns. There are the two slotbacks in Kelvin Jeter and Andre Overholt. Jordan Ollis returns at fullback, plus Tanner Wright is back at quarterback.
Offensively, only the wide receivers will be new as Tydrell Wright and Trey Brey graduate. The Tornadoes also lose tight end Sean Lampkin and all-conference offensive lineman Andrew Velazquez.
Among the returning rushers, Jeter touted 800 yards and eight scores a year ago en route to second team All-SAC honors. Ollis picked up 786 yards on the ground to go along with 11 scores. Overholt was BC's third leading rusher with 312 yards on the ground.
Last year, the Eagles jumped out to a 34-0 lead before conceding a nine-yard Overholt score late in the third quarter en route to a 41-14 victory. Jeter led eight rushers with 74 yards. The Tornadoes had 290 on the ground as a team.
BC was far less successful through the air; Wright completed the only pass on the day for 10 yards.
Defensively, the Tornados lose eight players, but two of the three returnees have performed spectacularly over the years against C-N. All-conference linebacker Michael Gruber is back for the Tornados. He's made 38 career tackles against the Eagles, that includes 16 last year and 15 two years ago. Landon Allen and Marcus Lunsford, a lineman and safety, respectively, are the Tornadoes other two returnees on defense.
The turnover could make it challenging on BC to improve from a defense that struggled at times last year.
The Tornadoes were in the bottom 10 nationally in first down defense, allowing teams to convert on 48 percent of third downs (that was an issue against C-N last year. The Eagles converted 7-of-12 third downs).
Furthermore, BC surrendered 421 yards per game and allowed teams to score in the red zone 80 percent of the time.
The Eagles lead the all-time series with Brevard 7-0. Prior to last year's 41-14 win for C-N, the Tornadoes had gotten close to picking up wins in back-to-back years. In 2012, the Eagles were in a dogfight at the half before pulling away with a 35-19 win. In 2011, the Eagles sneaked out of Burke-Tarr Stadium with a 27-24 victory thanks to a 25-yard field goal from Carlos Lopez as time expired.
Carson-Newman's Better Know The Opponent series returns Thursday with a preview of week four opponent Catawba.
