VIDEO: Mike Clowney Presser
VIDEO: 2021 UVA Wise Highlights
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (4-5, 3-4 South Atlantic Conference) will look to honor 16 seniors Saturday at Burke-Tarr Stadium when it plays host to UVA Wise (2-7, 1-6 SAC) at 3 p.m. on a jam-packed day featuring Senior Day, Homecoming and Veteran's Appreciation Day.
"Homecoming, it's always great having people back on campus," head football coach Mike Clowney said. "Homecoming is always a bigger, more fun game for us. Senior day, you know, we've got about 15 guys that this is their last time playing at what we have started to turn a little bit more here at the Creek, and just super excited about watching those guys get out, play, perform in their last opportunity here. Hopefully, we can play well enough to show them how much we appreciate them and what they have done here."
Carson-Newman will honor Walker Bunce, Ivan Corbin, Andrew Coulter, Max Fulcher, Caleb Goins, Michael Harrah, Alonzo Houston, AJ Hunter, Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche, Nick Owens, Mike Peppin, Luke Simpson, Kannon Vanderburg, Korey Waters, Braxton Westfield and Rodshon Williams in a ceremony before the game along with C-N's senior band, cheer and dance members.
"You go back and you look at the story of those guys that's been here for a while and, and what they've been through," Clowney said "Alonzo, you know, just started from the bottom, now you're here. Caleb Goins started from the bottom, now you're here, and even with Braxton, came in that first year as ineligible.
"Anytime you come into a program you can expect to have some type of difficulties, and then you get into today's world with the transfer poortal and just have guys to stick it out from beginning to end is something. I think that's a testament to them, their character, and the people that raised them."
Carson-Newman will be looking to hold serve on Homecoming. The Eagles have won seven of their last nine Homecoming contests, the exceptions being a 31-21 loss to North Greenville in 2017 and a 48-23 defeat to Mars Hill in 2021.
The Eagles have won their Senior Day game nine of the last 10 years, the lone blemish was 41-20 setback to Lenoir-Rhyne in 2018. This is the second time Senior Day and Homecoming have fallen on the same day. The last time it happened was 2016 – C-N came out with a 39-25 win over Limestone.
The Eagles will be looking for a faster offensive start against the Cavaliers. While C-N produced a winning record (3-2) for the month of October, it did so with exactly seven, first-quarter points (a 17-yard Braxton Westfield TD on Oct. 15 against Erskine). In its last four games, C-N's opening possessions have featured three, three-and-outs and a fumble.
UVa Wise is the seventh school from the Commonwealth that Carson-Newman has played all-time. The Highland Cavaliers join Virginia Union, Virginia-Lynchburg, Virginia State, Liberty, Washington & Lee and Emory & Henry as schools from the state that C-N has played.
Carson-Newman is 28-22-2 all-time against schools from the state. Emory & Henry accounts for the bulk of that. The Eagles are 18-19-2 all-time against the Wasps. The Eagles are 10-2 against schools from the state since 1980. The lone losses came in a 1984 trip to Lynchburg to take on Liberty and last year at Wise.
UVA Wise has moved the ball effectively through the air in the last two meetings with Carson-Newman. The Cavs' short-passing game is 72-of-107 through the air for 722 yards in the last two seasons against the Eagles. A whopping 485 yards comes from the spring CoVID season and C-N's 40-37 win at Carl Smith stadium.
"I think they've got a good scheme," Clowney said. "They kind of pretty much stick to it. I think the biggest thing they're probably trying to do is figure out how to put points on the board. Sometimes you kind of do a little change up here and there to figure out if you can get yourself across the finish line. But I think both (Lendon Redwin and Juwan Dent) are quality players and we have to be prepared to play either way."
UVA Wise has one of the most dynamic players in the country in Robert Carter. Carter is sixth nationally with 647 combined return yards. He leads the South Atlantic Conference. He is one of six players in the SAC with a kickoff return for a touchdown. Additionally, he is the SAC's leader in picks and picks per game with five and 0.6, respectively. He ranks eighth nationally.
"Super athletic, capable of doing a multitude of things where they do a good job of giving him some variety," Clowney said. "Great cover guy, and they'll give him some stuff off the edge to where he gets involved in the back field. You know, he's just a really good football player."
The Cavs are third from the bottom nationally and last in the SAC in turnovers lost. UVA Wise has given way the pigskin 27 times this year. UVA Wise has multiple turnovers in every game this season. The Cavs have thrown multiple picks in all but a win over Ferrum (one INT) and a win at Erskine (no picks). UVA Wise has five, three-turnover games.
Carson-Newman has won the coin toss in all nine of the games it has played this season. The odds of that happening is 0.1953 percent. To win the toss in 10 straight weeks has a 0.0976 percent chance of happening.
Carson-Newman wide receiver Braxton Westfield sits on 18 career receiving TDs, he needs three more to catch Tank Black for fourth all-time in program history with 21.
With 92 career receptions and 1,471 receiving yards, Westfield is within 29 yards of becoming the 11th 1,500-yard receiver for a career. Next up on the list for Westfield to pass are Damon Wright (12th, 16 yards, 1,487) and Alvin Sanders (11th, 21 yards, 1,492).
A total of eight more catches and Westfield would become the sixth player in program history with 100 catches in a career.
Westfield is already up to 45 catches and 591 yards receiving this season. He has tied TraShaun Ward's option-era record (45), which is seventh all-time. The single-season record is held by Tank Black (69 in 1978).
Trayzel Jureidini-Wyche has tallied 17.0 sacks in his career. That's good for 11th all-time. His next sack will move him into the top 10 and a tie for ninth with Eric Rice and David Roberts.
Kickoff between the Eagles and Cavs is set for 3 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 2 with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Sports 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
