VIDEO: Mike Clowney Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Alonzo Houston Interview
VIDEO: Brian Do Interview
MARS HILL, N.C. - Carson-Newman (3-5, 2-4 South Atlantic Conference) was called for a delay of game and a false start before running an offensive play in a harbinger of what was to come.
Mars Hill (5-2, 5-1 SAC) took advantage of early C-N miscues and scored the first 44 points en route to a 44-13 win over C-N Saturday afternoon at Meares Stadium.
"Here we are struggling to get off the bus on the road," Carson-Newman head football coach Mike Clowney said. "Any time there is a problem you should address it. We talked to our team earlier in the week about how we are 3-1 at home, but 0-3, now 0-4 on the road. We have got to learn how to travel. The extrinsic things aren't in your favor on the road. We need to be able to handle the game intrinsically when those things aren't in your favor.
Mars Hill pounced on C-N miscues from the outset. On the Eagles' opening possession, C-N made two procedure penalties before even taking a snap. A three-and-out was the result of the possession before Mars Hill used the play action pass to take a lead not even 90 seconds into the game.
Jimmy Urzua unfurled a bomb to Simeon Thompson for the latter's first catch of the season. Thompson then raced 68 yards for the score and a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jelan Pearson saw the ball bounce off his chest along the right side of the end zone and roll forward, out of bounds at the one. A play later, TJ King (Knoxville, Tenn.) got caught in the end zone for the first safety C-N had allowed since 2019.
After Carson-Newman pinned the Lions at the one with a punt, Mars Hill took advantage of a pass interference penalty on third down to extend a drive. A whopping 10 plays and 99 yards later, Malik Laurent took a jet sweep hand off for a one-yard score and a 16-0 lead.
The Lions extended the lead with 11:47 left in the second on another jet sweep, this time to the tight end Ty Snelson. He galloped 14 yards to the house for a 23-0 lead. The run finished a five-play, 45-yard drive. Snelson accounted for 49 yards on the penalty-affected possession.
MHU scored three touchdowns before the Eagles answered in the second. The Lions got six on a five-yard pass to Jervon Newton, a two-yard run for Joraye Morrison and a 67-yard catch and run to Thompson.
"We had an opportunity to get back to .500," Clowney said. "We need to be ready to play and find those ways to motivate yourself in ball games like this."
Carson-Newman cracked the scoreboard twice in the fourth quarter. Ivan Corbin called his own number for a one-yard score with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter before Zane Whitson (Kingsport, Tenn.) took C-N on a 13-play, 67-yard drive to set the final margin with a six-yard keeper.
Mars Hill outgained Carson-Newman 548-244. The Lions became the first team this season to pass for more than 300 yards against the Eagles.
Lion signal-caller Jimmy Urzua was 13-of-21 through the air for 351 yards and three scores. He found Thompson four times for 206 yards and two scores. Thompson joins fellow Mars Hill wide receiver Craig Rucker as the only receivers with 200-yard days against the Eagles aerially in the last 20 years.
"They do a really nice job," Clowney said. "They run the stretch to where they have motion off it. They set things up. If we ran wide, they ran inside. If we ran inside, they ran wide. If we brought an extra guy to cover both, they hit us deep. For us, from a discipline standpoint, we have to keep our eyes and feet where they need to be and play where we are supposed to play. We were able to get guys down in the running game, but it cost us on the back end getting out of position."
Carson-Newman did a fair job defensively on Jervon Newton, the nation's 13th-leading rusher. The West Florida transfer was limited to a season-low 61 yards and 3.6 yards per carry. However, while Newton was bottled up, the Lions used jet sweeps to gobble up 197 yards on the ground.
All-American tight end Ty Snelson had 72 yards and a score on two touches (he also added in 72 yards on two catches in the passing game). While Malik Laurent had three carries for 24 yards and a touchdown.
Ivan Corbin was 11-of-24 through the air for 95 yards. He found Braxton Westfield five times for 68 yards. Westfield moved into 15th on the all-time receiving list with his performance.
Whitson was 1-for-3 for 13 yards in relief.
"We needed to get some guys in," Clowney said. "It was good to see Zane do some things and what he can do. We still missed a lot of stuff in the passing game today. Overall, we need to work on our consistency."
Tyree Nelson led the Eagles on the ground with 47 yards on nine carries.
Carson-Newman hits the road Saturday to take on Emory & Henry at 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at noon on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Sports 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
