VIDEO: Mike Turner Interview
VIDEO: 2018 Newberry Highlights
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (4-2, 2-2 South Atlantic Conference) will be looking to avoid its first four-game losing streak at the hands of Newberry (3-4, 3-2 SAC) when the Wolves come to town for the Eagles' annual Homecoming contest Saturday at 3 p.m. at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
In the 59-year history of the series, Carson-Newman has never had a senior class go winless against the Wolves. Additionally the Wolves have only ever won back-to-back games in Jefferson City once, doing so in 1957 and 1959. Carson-Newman has a 20-7 edge all-time at home against the Wolves.
In fact, it's been the home team that has dominated the ledger over the last decade and a half.
The home team is 10-3 in the series over the last 12 years. Carson-Newman's only win at Setzer Field in that span came in 2010 when the Eagles downed the Wolves 35-12. Carson-Newman has lost three straight at Setzler Field and four of their last five at the field adjacent a graveyard. Carson-Newman won seven consecutive games at Newberry from 1989 through 2005 (the series halted for a half decade during that stretch when Newberry left the SAC). Meanwhile, Newberry has won twice at Carson-Newman in the last decade and a half, winning in 2011 and 2017.
Carson-Newman will be looking to hold serve on Homecoming and keep its unbeaten home record intact. The Eagles have won six of their last seven Homecoming contests, the exception being a 31-21 loss to North Greenville in 2017.
"It's an exciting time to be on campus at Carson-Newman," Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Turner said. "Like most schools our size, homecoming is a very big event. You'll see a whole lot of alums, former players back to visit on campus. Lot more parents, those kinds of things, will be here for that. It's got its greatness about it and it's got its distractions about it, as a football team you have to understand that it's a great week to be on campus, a lot of people here, but you've got to make sure you've got your focus with you."
The Eagles will be looking to avoid back-to-back losses after losing last week at No. 8 Lenoir-Rhyne 36-23. A win keeps Carson-Newman very much in the 2019 playoff hunt.
Carson-Newman is one of 12 teams with two-losses or less in Super Region II vying for one of the seven spots in the region to make the field of 28 that comprises the NCAA playoffs.
The Gulf South has Valdosta State and West Florida among its ranks with two Division II losses or fewer. Those teams have yet to play one another. From the CIAA its Bowie State, Virginia Union, Virginia State and Fayetteville State. Bowie is unbeaten, while the latter three all have one loss. Virginia Union plays Bowie State this week and still has a meeting with Virginia State left on the schedule.
Finally, the SIAC has Savannah State, Albany State, Fort Valley State and Miles all with one loss. However, Savannah State only has six games against NCAA Division II foes, which will disqualify them from postseason play. ASU and FVSU both have two D2 losses and play each other this week. Miles is 6-1.
"We talked in the locker room after the game (against L-R), you've got to understand who you are, what caused you to be who you are, what happened, you have to be honest about that part," Turner said. "You also have that faith - that hope that you know where you stand nationally. I think we would be standing in pretty good shape nationally with our strength of schedule, but it all gets back – we told them yesterday – how you prepare yesterday, today and every day this week to get ready to play Newberry. We can still control part of that story. There is still a story to be written about the 2019 team, and we can do whole lot to control what that story is."
To stay in the mix for a playoff spot the Eagles ground game will have to get rolling against a Newberry team that's held it in check of late.
Newberry has limited Carson-Newman to under 300 yards rushing in four straight games. The fifth, a 48-21 win for Newberry in 2014, the Eagles were limited to 301 yards rushing. In fact, Newberry has held Carson-Newman below its season average for rushing in every game since 2010 when the Eagles racked up 451 yards in that 35-12 win at Setzer Field.
The Eagles offense has largely clicked this year. C-N is fourth nationally in rushing offense (304 yds/game), fourth in pass efficiency and 17th in scoring (40 pts/game).
On the flipside, the Wolves have been struggling against the run. Newberry gives up 214 yards per game on the ground (seventh in the SAC and 138 nationally), however, the Wolves also rank 18th nationally with 8.5 tackles for loss per game. The Wolves have had no fewer than seven tackles for loss in any one game this season.
"They've got athletes at Newberry, they always have and always will have athletes, offensively and defensively," Turner said. "They've got kids that can run to the ball well, they execute well, they're always well-coached by Todd Knight and his staff, but they've got athletes on that football team as good as anybody."
The Wolves have won two straight and three of their last four. Newberry caught lightning in a bottle in a 44-21 win over Catawba with running back Chance Walker.
Walker is the reigning D2Football.com National Offensive Player of the Week and SAC Offensive Player of the Week after a 26-carry, 261-yard, six-touchdown performance that set school records for rushing yards, touchdowns, and points scored and matched the SAC scoring record set in 1989.
"Gosh, you look at it – and I read the article from the Salisbury paper on Sunday morning – and you see his stats before that and you see his stats that day and definitely that's a breakout game," Turner said. "Not only for him but for the whole Newberry offense. But you're right, that event right there, that one day should garner some national attention no doubt about it."
Prior to Saturday's game, Walker's 17-yard rush against UVa-Wise was the longest carry by a Newberry running back in 2019; his 78-yard touchdown was the eighth-longest running play in school history. He also had a 68-yard touchdown carry against the Indians.
In fact, Walker hadn't found the end zone in 2019 prior to the Catawba game. In fact, he had 93 yards on 25 carries for the entire season entering the contest.
In addition to Walker, Colton Bailey has seized the starting quarterback job for the Wolves, starting the last three games. He is Newberry's second-leading rusher with 220 yards rushing. Through the air he is 53-for-93 for 733 yards and seven scores.
"He's a playmaker, he can beat you with his legs as well as his arm," Turner said. "He's got some talented receivers and they've always been in that situation at Newberry and they'll try to get you going with play action but also with a quarterback with designed plays for him to run the football and it goes back to the same kind of idea with the quarterback from Catawba."
Antonio Wimbush (Kingsland, Ga.) joined Carson-Newman's 3,000-yard club against Wingate and now has 3,333 yards in his career. He is 6th all-time in rushing yards. He needs 55 more yards to move into the top five all-time and catch Tyrone Westmoreland (3,388) for fifth. Wimbush's next 100-yard performance would give him 15 for his career, putting him even with Westmoreland for fourth most all-time. A two-touchdown day would draw Wimbush level with Leonard Guyton and Heath Hawkins for 11th on the career rushing touchdown chart with 34 career scores.
Derrick Evans (Macon, Ga.) has also accounted for 32 rushing scores in his career, putting him on level footing with Wimbush for the 12th most rushing touchdowns all-time. Evans is fourth all-time among quarterbacks for career rushing scores.
Desmond Fairell's (Miami, Fla.) next interception will be his 16th in his career. He needs three more picks to get to 18 and tie Deonte Bolden and Al Canty for third on the all-time list.
Kickoff between the Eagles and Wolves is set for 3 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 2 p.m. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), The Mountain 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
