Shorter Notes
Carson-Newman Notes

By Jim O'Hara
 
ROME, Ga. – If they wanted to see if they can indeed prove that the still-infant Division II program has matured enough to holds its own among the nation's best, this Saturday's game against one of those teams will do just that.

On Saturday, the Shorter Hawks venture into what will be perhaps one of the toughest non-Gulf South Conference series of games – all on the road – when they square off against South Atlantic Conference power and perennial Division II contender Carson-Newman for a noon kick-off Saturday in Jefferson City, Tenn.

And making the challenge even better is what will be a classic confrontation that pits an explosive offense – Carson-Newman's Eagles – and a Shorter defense that is loaded with experience.

"They're very, very good," Shorter head coach Phil Jones said of the Eagles, who gave 36-year head coach Ken Sparks and Carson-Newman the program its 600^th win last week with a high-scoring 59-56 win over NAIA foe University of the Cumberlands in the season opener.

"I think it's one of Ken's best teams," Jones added about the Eagles, who in the first and only meeting between the teams handed the Hawks a 48-28 defeat in Rome. "We look at it as one of the best football teams we'll play – period!

"They'll be tough to deal with. They're going to test us in a heartbeat."

The Hawks head to the Volunteer State coming off a 38-12 exhibition win against the University of Faith, a game that showed Jones what worked for the team and what it needed to improve on as Shorter embarks on a four-week road string that begins Saturday at Carson-Newman, continues with back-to-back showdowns with Division I FCS teams Kennesaw State and Southeast Missouri State, and ends with a visit to Mississippi College for the Hawks first GSC contest.

What the Hawks did against Faith at Barron Stadium last week was a preview of just how potent their defense can be, as Shorter held Faith to just 61 total yards – the Glory Eagles didn't get a first down until late in the third quarter – in a game where the Hawks' reserves were on the field for most of the second half.

While Shorter's defense came up with six turnovers by way of two interceptions and four fumble recoveries, the Hawks showed some positive signs offensively as they gained 385 total yards – most of that came in the first three quarters – with fullbacks B.J. McCoy and Aki Coles combining to rush for 218 of the team's 218 ground yards. The Hawks, however, fumbled the ball away four times, two that set up both Faith touchdowns that came late in the game.

"Our kids were ready to play," Jones said, "particularly on defense, and it was good that we came out on the winning side. Our offense was hit-and-miss at times and that's not what we want.

"We know what we did well and where we are coming into this game."

The Eagles enter the game seeking win No. 601 coming off a record-setting performance last week against Cumberlands, one that feature the most combined points ever scored at Carson-Newman and the second-most points allowed by a team coached by Sparks.

What wound up putting the Eagles into the win column – and be out to best Shorter's defense – was an offense that gained a spectacular 646 yards of total offense, the sixth highest single-game total for the program, while their 291 yards through the air ranks for the fifth-most all-time for a Sparks-era team. 

Leading the Eagles' attack is senior quarterback De'Andre Thomas, who completed 13-of-19 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown against Cumberlands and needs just 23 yards on the ground to crack the 2,000-yard mark for his career and has 35 career rushing touchdowns.

Adding to Carson-Newman's rushing threat is Damien Baker, who led the Eagles last week gaining 174 yards and scoring a national-best three touchdowns.

Yet the Eagles came away from their opener knowing some areas that need to be addressed as Carson-Newman allowed a school record 8.2 yards a carry to Cumberlands, gave up a pair of kick-off returns that resulted in touchdowns and allowed the Patriots gain 443 total yards and 334 return yards, and convert 9-of-11 third downs.

"They score a lot of points and they have a very fast defense," Jones said of the Eagles. "Ball control is the key for us but we want to make sure we come away with points.

"This is what we've been waiting for," he added about the game in which the Hawks will be out to end a seven-game losing skid that capped off the 2014 season, when Shorter started the year winning three of their first four games. "Our players want to prove that they can win."