Furman Paladins
SoCon
The season started a bit rough for the Paladins. After six games, Furman had a 2-4 record and appeared to be headed for a lost season. Losses at Gardner-Webb, Coastal Carolina and Chattanooga, coupled with a home loss to lowly Elon, brought out the grumbling in Greenville. A home victory over Appalachian State spurred a Paladin run, as Furman won five of their final six games to take the SoCon crown and the league’s automatic playoff bid. The only loss the team suffered in that stretch was a 48-16 loss at national power LSU, a game which Furman trailed just 20-16 at the half. Furman’s 13th Southern Conference title is the most for any school in conference history.
2013 Record: 7-5, 6-2
Coach: Bruce Fowler
Big Wins: 11/2 at Georgia Southern (16-14), 11/9 Samford (35-17)
Bad Losses: 8/31 at Gardner-Webb (21-28), 10/5 Elon (25-28)
Strengths:
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. Furman is a top-ten team in turnover margin, and this number gets a gigantic boost from the game that seemed to turn everything around for the Paladins this season. The 27-10 Furman victory over Appalachian State in October that started the march to the playoffs for the Paladins saw eight Mountaineer fumbles in the game (four lost) and a wide receiver pass intercepted and returned 98 yards by defensive end Gary Wilkins, a game in which he hurdled a running back attempting to make a tackle. Furman has a clutch kicker and punter in Ray Early, who has converted 19-of-24 field goals this season, with a long of 50. Early also averages 43.6 yards per punt. Paladin running back Hank McCloud has rushed for 1,020 yards and five touchdowns this season. McCloud also leads the Paladins in all-purpose yards this season with 1,651.
Weaknesses:
Furman’s offensive numbers have been somewhat pedestrian throughout most of the year. The Paladins were barely a top-75 FCS team in rushing during the season, and spent a lot of the year outside the top 100 passing teams in the FCS. Furman struggled through their first six games of the season, and despite their momentum heading into the playoffs, one cannot be sure of which Furman team will appear in the postseason.
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Hank McCloud, RB, 1,020 yards
Passing: Reese Hannon, QB, 1,456 yards
Receiving: Andrej Suttles, WR, 640 yards
Tackles: Greg Worthy, S, 117
Sacks: Gary Wilkins, DE, 4.5
Interceptions: Four tied with 2
2013 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 151.0 (75th in nation, 4th in conference)
Passing Offense: 160.7 (104, 4)
Total Offense: 311.7 (103, 7)
Scoring Offense: 23.1 (82, 4)
Rushing Defense: 182.6 (76, 4)
Pass Defense: 224.7 (73, 6)
Total Defense: 407.4 (79, 5)
Scoring Defense: 24.4 (45, 2)
Turnover Margin: 1.0 (7, 1)
Sacks: 1.36 (102, 4)
Sacks Allowed: 2.00 (63, 6)
Recent Playoff Appearances:
2006 First Round Lost to Montana State
2005 First Round Defeated Nicholls State
2005 Quarterfinals Defeated Richmond
2005 Semifinals Lost to Appalachian State
2004 First Round Defeated Jacksonville State
2004 Quarterfinals Lost to James Madison
2002 First Round Lost to Villanova
2001 First Round Defeated Western Kentucky
2001 Quarterfinals Defeated Lehigh
2001 Semifinals Defeated Georgia Southern
2001 Championship Lost to Montana
2000 First Round Lost to Hofstra
1999 First Round Lost to Massachusetts
1996 First Round Defeated Northern Arizona
1996 Quarterfinals Lost to Marshall
1990 First Round Defeated Eastern Kentucky
1990 Quarterfinals Lost to Nevada
1989 First Round Defeated William & Mary
1989 Quarterfinals Lost to Stephen F. Austin
1988 First Round Defeated Delaware
1988 Quarterfinals Defeated Marshall
1988 Semifinals Defeated Idaho
1988 Championship Defeated Georgia Southern
1986 First Round Lost to Eastern Kentucky
1985 Quarterfinals Defeated Rhode Island
1985 Semifinals Defeated Nevada
1985 Championship Lost to Georgia Southern
1983 Quarterfinals Defeated Boston University
1983 Semifinals Lost to Western Carolina
1982 First Round Lost to South Carolina State
*all team stats through 11/16
