Wofford Terriers
Overall Rank: #17
#3 SoCon
Wofford was an overtime loss against The Citadel away from a share of the Southern Conference title. The Terriers got their revenge in the playoffs though. After beating Charleston Southern 15-14 in the first round, the Terriers knocked off The Citadel 17-3. Wofford then took Youngstown State into double overtime before falling 30-23.
2016 Record: 10-4, 6-2
2016 Postseason: FCS Playoffs
Coach: Mike Ayers (197-136-1 at Wofford, 208-157-2 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Wade Lang
Defensive Coordinator: Shiel Wood
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Brandon Goodson, QB, 361 yards
Passing: Brandon Goodson, QB, 628 yards
Receiving: Chandler Gouger, TE, 205 yards
Tackles: Datavious Wilson, LB, 97
Sacks: Tyler Vaughn, DE, 8.0
Interceptions: Devin Watson, CB, 3
Other Key Returnees: S JoJo Tillery, DL Miles Brown, CB George Gbesee
Key Losses: RB Lorenzo Long, RB Will Gay, OL Anton Wahrby, DB Jaleel Green, LB Lincoln Stewart, LB Dylan Young, K/P David Marvin
Offense:
Quarterback Brandon Goodson returns to lead the Wofford triple option offense. He threw for 628 yards and three touchdowns last season, while adding 361 yards and a couple more scores on the ground. Sophomore Joe Newman played well last season too, especially in the playoffs and will give Coach Mike Ayers another option under center. Tight end Chandler Gouger and receiver Jason Hill will not put up big numbers since the Terriers will stay on the ground, but they are both decent receivers who can make plays when Goodson looks in their direction. The bigger concern is on the ground where top rushers Lorenzo Long and Will Gay need to be replaced. Long rushed for 1,424 yards and 18 scores. Andre Stoddard, Chase Nelson, Blake Morgan and Lennox McAfee were all productive rushers when given the opportunity last season and will look to take over the massive shoes left behind by Long. With a strong offensive line, yet again, Wofford will be among the top rushing teams in the country despite the absence of Long.
Defense:
The defense, which ranked fifth in the FCS in total defense and sixth in scoring defense, returns eight starters. The line returns a couple great ends with Miles Brown and Tyler Vaughn. Those two combined for 10.0 sacks and 30.0 tackles-for-loss. Linebacker Datavious Wilson and Terrence Morris will return to their starting spots. Wilson had a superb freshman campaign and led the Terriers with 96 tackles. Sophomore Jireh Wilson and senior Colton Clemons figure to fill in around Morris and Wilson. In the secondary, there is even more talent and experience returning. Cornerbacks Devin Watson and George Gbesee are back and JoJo Tillery and Malik Rivera were both part-time starters at safety and Mason Alstatt should emerge as a playmaker in the secondary after a promising freshman season.
The Bottom Line:
The defense will be among the best in the conference and even if the offense struggles to replace Long, the defense will make up for it and keep Wofford in just about every game. The Terriers start off the season with a couple of conference games against Furman and Mercer. The biggest conference games will come during a four week stretch starting in mid-October. Wofford heads to The Citadel on October 14th and host Samford the following week. Following a trip to East Tennessee State, the Terriers host Chattanooga on November 4th in a game that could have massive SoCon title and playoff implications.
Projected Postseason: FCS Playoffs
2016 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 279.6 (4th in nation, 2nd in conference)
Passing Offense: 63.4 (122, 9)
Total Offense: 343.0 (89, 8)
Scoring Offense: 26.8 (57, 5)
Rushing Defense: 101.8 (11, 1)
Pass Defense: 185.4 (22, 5)
Total Defense: 287.2 (5, 1)
Scoring Defense: 17.1 (6, 1)
Turnover Margin: 0.79 (14, 1)
Sacks: 2.14 (48, 4)
Sacks Allowed: 0.21 (1, 1)
HERO Sports 2017 Recruit Rankings:
#150 Slayton Wild
