VIDEO: Highlights

VIDEO: Mike Clowney Interview

VIDEO: DeQuan Dudley Interview

VIDEO: Rondrow Peebles Interview

SALISBURY, N.C.  – Carson-Newman (0-5, 0-3 South Atlantic Conference) tallied a trio of special teams touchdowns but the Eagles coughed up four turnovers leading to 10 Catawba (4-0, 1-0 SAC) points in a 33-27 win for the Indians Saturday at Shuford Stadium. 

DeQuan Dudley (Harvey, Ill.) put himself in the C-N record books by returning two, 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns.  They are the fifth and sixth, 100-yard returns in Carson-Newman history.

Dudley also reset the single-game record for Carson-Newman kickoff return yards with 229. He joins Kendall James as the only Eagles to return multiple kicks for a score in a single game.  He is one of 11 in Division II history with multiple kickoff returns for scores in a single game. 

He set an NCAA Division II record for yards per kickoff return with 76.3 besting a 39-year-old mark set by Cal Poly's Clarence Martin in 1982 against Cal Poly Pomona. 

"This one really, really hurts," Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Clowney said. "Our guys went out and gave tremendous effort. Dudley's two kick returns were electric with wide open holes. Guys put their heart into winning this football game, but we had some self-inflicted wounds and come up short.

"We did the fighting things that lead to winning. However, you go back to the fundamentals. You go back to Tuesday. We work heavily on our takeaway circuits because that's the quickest way you can lose a football game.  We lay the ball on the ground and throw interceptions, I don't care what you do in the other phases, it's tough to win."  

Carson-Newman also found the end zone off a Desmond Bernard (Lexington, Ky.) blocked punt that Elijah Davis (Palmetto, Fla.) scooped up in the end zone for a score.  

However, for all the good of Carson-Newman's special teams performance.  The quick scores coupled with three fumbles and a pick left Carson-Newman's defensive for an eternity.  Carson-Newman had seven possessions that lasted two plays or fewer – ending in either a turnover or score. 

The Eagles didn't run a single offensive play in the first quarter because of Dudley's first kick return sandwiched between two lengthy Catawba drives.  All told, Catawba held the ball for 41:45 compared to 18:15 for C-N.  The Indians ran 85 plays compared to the Eagles' 45. 

"They consumed the ball the entire first quarter," Clowney said. "We just played a ton of plays defensively early in the game.  The guys did a good job standing up to it because there were some things there to keep them encourage. However, we keep talking about as an offense, getting in a rhythm and putting drives together. That was another thing, even when we have the ball, we have to take care of it and move it."

A low-possession, time-of-possession driven first half told the tale for the opening 30 minutes.  Catawba had  the ball for a whopping 21:49 compared to 8:11 for the Eagles.

Catawba got the football first and powered down the field on a 15-play, 70-yard drive that bled 7:42 off the clock.  Daniel Parker powered in to cap the drive from four yards out. 

Carson-Newman responded immediately.  DeQuan Dudley (Harvey, Ill.) returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards to the house to tie things up 7-7 with 6:57 left in the first quarter. 

The kickoff return for a score was the third our of four KOR TDs that Catawba had given up to C-N over the last two years. Dudley's 100-yard return was the fifth 100-yard kickoff return for a score in Carson-Newman history, joining Lonnie Williams, Kenneth Tyson and Damon Wright  (two).

The teams exchanged punts on their next two drives before Catawba put together back-to-back scoring drives.

Clayton Crile capped a pair of possessions with 37 and 30-yard field goals.  The second field goal came following a C-N fumble at midfield. 

All three of Carson-Newman's first half possession entered Catawba territory, but C-N had zero points to show for them with its first drive stalling out at the 40 after a penalty, the second fumbled away and the third ending in a 45-yard missed field goal from Christian Erwin (York, S.C.) as the halftime horn sounded.

The Eagles grabbed the lead on the opening kick of the second half. Dudley raced 100 yards untouched for his second kickoff return for a touchdown of the day. 

However, C-N would fumble away its next two possessions.  Troy Dendy (Laurens, S.C.) had the pigskin poked out of his grasp following a 20-yard rush in the Catawba red zone on one. Then, Dudley got waylayed and lost the football following a 24-yard punt return. 

The latter set Catawba up at the 37 in C-N territory.  Two plays later, Daniel Parker raced into the end zone from 22 yards out to give Catawba back the lead with 9:27 to play in the third quarter. 

Three minutes later, Bernard blocked the punt to put C-N back in front, 27-26. 

Catawba was able to put together a seven-play, 30-yard drive on its next possession to flip field position and pin C-N at its five after a punt. 

The Eagles went three-and-out to give the ball back to the Indians at the 50.  Five plays later, Ken Avent ran a zone read play in from 10 yards out to put Catawba back up 26-21 nine seconds into the fourth quarter. 

Carson-Newman countered immediately.  Lamarcus Brown (Mobile, Ala.) hit Tydricus Hellams (Spartanburg, S.C.) for a 35-yard juggling catch to get the Eagles into Catawba's red zone.  On second and goal from the four, Brown called his own number on a quarterback bootleg to put C-N back in front 27-26 with 11:05 to play. 

However, Catawba had the final say.  Parker hauled in a 19-yard wheel route on the left side of the end zone to give Catawba the lead for good with 8:07 to play in the fourth. 

C-N got the ball to midfield on the ensuing possession before punting.  C-N's defense stood tall and forced a punt, but Brown threw his only interception of the day to cement the game in Catawba's favor. 

"The steps Lamarcus takes won't take place today, they'll take place Monday," Clowney said. "How well does he come in and take coaching after a game like today and cleaning up the mistakes he made.  It will be interesting to see what his mentality and attitude is coming into the film room Monday."

Brown was 6-for-17 through the air for 103 yards.  Dendy led the ground game with 84 yards on 14 carries.  Hellams and Romain Kelly (Spartanburg, S.C.) both hauled in two passes.  Hellams finished with 72 yards. Kelly had 19. 

Rondrow Peebles (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Alonzo Houston (Wimauma, Fla.) each had 11 tackles, including 10 solo stops to lead the defense. Justice Alexander (Indianapolis, Ind.) had seven solo stops from his defensive end position.

"Justice's growth and development has been tremendous. He's bought into being an Eagle," Clowney said. "What we do here is different. He has transformed into giving himself up for Christ and thus giving himself up for the team.  He got baptized and his transformation both in life and on the field has been fun to watch."

Avent completed 15-of-28 passes for the Indians for 161 yards and a score. 

The Indians averaged 4.4 yards per rush, toting the ball 57 times for 249 yards. Parker had 20 carries for 127 yards and two scores.  He also snagged three passes for 42 yards and a third touchdown.

"For us, the biggest thing everything we do we do it in love," Clowney said. "We do it in love and concern because we want them to be the best people and players they can be.  The glue that holds us together has to be love.  You're always going to have issues.  We have to continue to come out and fight."

Carson-Newman is 0-5 for the third time in school history and the first time since 1959. 

The Eagles return home to Burke-Tarr Stadium Saturday for Hall of Fame weekend.  The Eagles kick off at 1 p.m. with Lenoir-Rhyne.  Airtime on the Eagle Sports Network is set for noon with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Sports 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.