Catawba @ Ferrum

 And so it begins. After last years initial season in DII, Ferrum starts its second DII season at home. Again this season begins against the Catawba Indians, Last year Ferrum took a tough loss at Catawba falling 45-13. and so my first thought was what will be different this year? First, the offensive depth of Catawba took a huge hit as the Indians lost their starting quarterback, their leading rusher, and their four leading receivers. Of the 22 team starters, They have lost more than half, but the offense has taken the brunt of the losses. On the defensive side, Catawba remains pretty strong up front, and at the linebacker position. Their defensive secondary did lose 3 of their 4 starters from 2025. That says a lot, but they do have experienced back up to fill the holes.

This would be a great start to the season if Ferrum can pull it off. I was surprised to find the amount of roster losses that Catawba has suffered. That does not mean that they won't be ready, I am sure they will.   Ferrum will be bringing back their starting quarterback, No.1 running back, and No.1 receiver, and that means a lot, but we have some holes to fill in the offensive guard positions as both Sam Whitt, and Trey Reiter graduated. I would expect Chase Smith to fill one guard spot, but I don't have clarity of who the other will be. I expect Anwaar Smith, but that remains to be seen. 

In the defensive backfield, Ferrum has some returners, experienced transfers, and a large amount of incoming Freshmen....10 I think. The d-backs were not all that bad last year as they ranked overall mid pack in conference stats. and bringing in two transfers with experience may boost those numbers. If there was a problem on defense, it was what Ferrum gave up against the run. Last year, Ferrum gave up 2150 yards ranking Ferrum 6th out of 7 against the run. This will need to improve. It is noteworthy to mention that Ferrum's D-Line has bulked up in the offseason.

So it all starts Saturday at Ferrum. While there are those who are projecting a score much like last years, don't sell the Panthers short. This could be a much better game than last year.

Go Panthers!

Let's Get It Started

 And here we go folks! Welcome to the 2026 season aka Ferrum's second season in DII. Looking at this season's schedule, I am happy to see that VMI is not on it. Don't get me wrong, It was a move to give the team a taste of bigger time college football, but that game was not even close. It was a 42-7 drubbing. So for the Keydets to be off the schedule, is a plus. With a 4-7 record, and considering one of the losses was against a DI school, Ferrum had a solid first year in Division II. So what can we expect this year? 

Returning Players 

Some of the key returning players are:. 

•  QB Eli Foutz- Foutz had a strong year under center, His passing stats were:                                         167 of 271 10 INT's and 13 TD's He ranked 4th in Passing in Conference Carolinas                       Rushing: Foutz carried the ball 107 times for 246 yards and 1 TD. He ranked 16th in the conference in rushing.
• RB Jahylen Lee had a downturn statistically in 2025. While he ranked 5th in the conference with 558 yards and  3 TD's, his rushing yards were 408 yards more in 2024 with one less game on the schedule. I would expect a turnaround from Jayhlen this season
• RB Na'Ledge Wright will return for his Junior season. In 2025, he saw limited action behind Lee and Vaught. It appears that Vaught will not be returning this season, and I would expect that there will be more opportunities for Wright.bad things, 
• Omarza Gray- 5th ranked WR in Conference Carolinas, Freshman Offensive Player of the Year- This guy had many accolades over his Freshman year, and I can say I am very glad he will be back this year. Expect many great plays from Gray as he has a solid chance to rewrite the Ferrum Record Book.
• On Defense, look for Zamarie Copley to return after a very nice season at DB. Copley placed 4th in the conference for interceptions. We anticipate another fine year from Zamarie.
•  Jamal Alexander who led Ferrum on defense in the TFL category, and finished 8th in the conference will return for his Junior year.

         Ferrum took some big losses to graduation, especially on the defensive side of the ball. What I can tell is that there has been some strong recruiting by the coaches. If I am counting right there are 131 players on the Ferrum roster. 60 of those are Freshmen. That does not necessarily mean the team is young, but there may be a few underclassmen getting their shot to prove themselves to the coaches.

I think Ferrum could have a good year, but the key this year is to snag an upset or two. This outcome will rely heavily on the defense. If the Defense can meld as a cohesive unit, Ferrum will have a shot. Last year, the Panthers were 4-7, I expect that they can reach 5-6 or possibly 6-5, but to do that they need to win 2 of their non conference games, and need to knock off a team or two that they fell to last year. Look for Ferrum to be a team that has speed, and will surprise some people this year.

Go Panthers!

Concord Too Much For Panthers Fall 56-34

 This post will not give as much of a "play by play" accounting as many others have, rather it will offer some stats from the game, and perspective of what I think Ferrum will need to address going forward.

First and foremost, I am overall very happy with the direction that the football program is going. This season started out with Ferrum entering the D2 world, and was picked to finish last in the conference. I did consider that Ferrum could go winless on the year (Which has never happened), but I felt that there was too much talent for that result. Ferrum would have some strong talent, but there were going to be scholarship athletes to go up against, and this moving to the D2 level was not going to be a cakewalk.

The Concord game yesterday gave a very good insight as to where Ferrum will need to focus in the off season to be even more competitive. The game yesterday showed that Concord had the horses up front to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Mountain Lions ran for 212 yards on the ground, and had three rushing touchdowns. Ferrum had 79 yards on the ground, and one rushing touchdown. Through the air, Ferrum was 27 of 48 with three interceptions, and 3 touchdowns. Ferrum totaled 350 yards through the air. Concord was 18 of 27 with no interceptions, and scored 4 touchdowns through the air. Concord totaled 259 yards.

Some would say that this game could serve as a microcosm of the entire season. Here are some numbers showing the season averages and totals:

Average Points per game:  FC 19.55    Opponents: 36.09

Rushing yards/season        FC 1240     Opponents:  2150

Rushing touchdowns         FC  12        Opponents    26

Passing  ACI                     FC  298-182-11     Opponents:   279-164-9

Passing TD's                     FC   14        Opponents   24

To me, these numbers give me pause. I am hopeful that Ferrum can work through recruiting, and weight room training to build their offensive and defensive lines. The line of scrimmage is where it will all begins and Ferrum needs to keep building in that area. 

The defensive secondary seemed susceptible this year, and I tend to think it was a speed issue.  There seemed to be a tendency for the covering DB's to play too far off of the receivers, thus opening up the underneath completion routes.

So was this a bad season? NOT AT ALL. It was really a very good showing. 

Biggest loss, that I thought would have been a win......Homecoming vs. Barton. Record wise, I thought we would have taken that one.

A game that could have been a loss but was not was the Chowan game. Great never say die attitude.

Game that really should not be on the record...VMI. Yes, it was a chance to expand the team horizons, and it very well was probably beneficial in some respect, but it was a no win situation as far as the won/loss record goes. 

Looking forward, Ferrum is developing quite nicely. Keep up the recruiting efforts, and keep working to get Bigger Faster and Stronger. Get ready for season 2 in Division 2. Things are going to keep getting better. 

What will graduation take from us?

If I am counting correctly, Ferrum will lose 10 Defensive players, 6 Offensive players, and 2 Special Team players. A total of 18 players. The most lost at one position is Linebacker with four graduating. The good news is there are 15 other linebackers on the roster. While there are quite a few remaining on the roster, they will have a lot of youth.

After that, the OL will take the biggest hit from graduation. They will lose three. I have strong confidence for next year. There are an excellent group of core players returning. I have the utmost confidence in Coach Sherman, and I think you will start to see the comfort competing at the D2 level will increase, and Ferrum will start working their way to playing for the conference title.

Go Panthers!

Concord @ Ferrum

And so, this marks the final game in Ferrum's first eleven game regular season. This to me has been a really successful campaign, and while we will not end with a winning record, we will also not be the last place team as predicted in the pre season coaches poll....in fact no where near it. Ferrum will finish their first season as a D2 school in Conference Carolinas in 3rd place in the conference. But we cannot get too involved in looking back until we look forward to Concord University.

The Mountain Lions (3-7) have no common opponents with Ferrum.(4-6), and in looking at the stats, the Mountain Lions have an offense that can put up points. They seem to get most of their production from the running game. They are averaging almost 133 yards per game on the ground, while Ferrum is averaging 116 per game.....not a huge difference.

Through the air, Ferrum is averaging 161.6 yards per game, while Concord is averaging 263 yards per game.

This will not be an easy game for Ferrum, but it is winnable. To do that, Ferrum will have to create turnovers, and find the endzone....... a lot. No matter how it turns out, this has been a strong season for Ferrum, and they have a lot to be proud of.

Go Panthers!

Double Overtime Thriller Ends With Panthers Win

 If you don't think stats can tell a story, just look at the numbers leading up to this game (Previous Post),  you will see two very evenly matched teams. Saturday, Ferrum (4-6) took on Chowan (3-7) and while the final score suggested that the game was a nail biter, and it was.....the stats did not read like it was as close as it was. Ferrum pretty much dominated the statistics, but getting the "W" required quite a bit of hard nosed football.

After Ferrum's defense held Chowan to a three and out on their first two possessions, and Ferrum was held to the same in between those drives, Ferrum got the ball back, and put together a nice 6 play drive that led to a 24 yard pass from Foutz to Tyrik Bryant for the first points of the game. The Jon Davis extra point made it 7-0 Ferrum. 

Chowan answered with a nice drive, taking the ball all the way to the Ferrum 16 yard line. On the next play, the QB went for the touchdown pass but it was intercepted by Marquis Adams in the end zone for a touchback.

Ferrum would take the ball at their own 20 yard line, and put together a nice drive that stalled at the Chowan 29. The 46 yard field goal attempt was blocked by a Chowan defender, and that is how the first quarter ended.

From their own 33 yard line, Chowan would put together an 11 play touchdown drive that took just over six minutes off of the clock, and with the extra point, the game was tied 7-7.

Ferrum was able to answer in a big way as Jerome Blakeney returned the kickoff 39 yards to give Ferrum the ball at their own 44 yard line. In just 4 plays, Ferrum found paydirt again. Aided by two nice runs by Jahylen Lee, Foutz ended the drive with a pass to Tyrik Bryant for the second touchdown of the day for Bryant. The extra point was good, putting Ferrum back into the lead 14-7.

This time Ferrum kicked off to the Chowan 5, and the Hawks returned the ball 38 yards to the Chowan 43 yard line. Four plays later, they found paydirt in what was almost a replica of Ferrum's drive. 14-14.

With just over 4 mins. left in the first half, Ferrum started their drive at their own 21 yard line. They had a nice drive materializing, but the clock was running out. After taking several shots at the endzone, but coming up empty, Ferrum settled for a 20 yard field goal from Jon Davis, and took a 17-14 lead to the locker room.

Ferrum received the kickoff in the second half, and wasted no time in scoring as on the fourth play of the drive, Foutz hit Omarza Gray on a short pass across the middle, but Gray turned on the jets, and the short pass quickly became a 59 yard touchdown. With the extra point, Ferrum extended its lead 24-14. It was the largest lead of the game for Ferrum, and it was looking like the Panthers may be starting to take control......but Chowan saw things differently.

After the ensuing kickoff, Ferrum's defense held the Hawks to a 4 and out, and would get the ball back after the Chowan punt. A nice drive ensued, and Ferrum looked to be heading for more points, but Foutz was picked off at the Chowan 20.

The Hawks were vey welcoming to that mistake, and showed their appreciation by putting together a three play drive for a score highlighted by a 51 yard pass to Dominic Haney. The very next play found the endzone, and now the score was 24-21.

After the Hawks kickoff, Ferrum was held to a 3 and out, and had to punt the ball back to Chowan. The snap to punter William Hutton sailed over his head, and the Panthers gave the ball back to the Hawks on the Ferrum 14. The momentum had definitely shifted. This time it was just a four play drive as Chowan again found the endzone after the gift of excellent field position. Chowan 28 Ferrum 24.

The third quarter would end with Ferrum starting a nice drive that would carry them into the 4th quarter, and down to the Hawks 19 yard line. Unfortunately, Ferrum would stall their and turn the ball over on downs. 

Chowan would take over and push the ball down the field to the Ferrum 31. It looked like another scoring opportunity for Chowan, but Peja Brent picked off a Chowan pass and returned it 65 yards to the Hawks 25 yard line. Still trailing by 4 points, Ferrum would start this drive with good field position, and just over 5 minuets left in the game. Ferrum would score in six plays, on a Jycen Anciso run for 5 yards making the score Ferrum 31 Chowan 28 with 1:53 left in the game.

Chowan would take the ensuing kickoff and put together a strong 11 play drive. The result was a 26 yard Beylo field goal to tie the game with 18 seconds left in the game. The score was tied at 31, and that is how regulation football ended. It was time for free football

In the first OT, Ferrum took possession first and drove to the Chowan 3 yard line, but could not cross the goal line. A Jon Davis field goal put Ferrum in the lead 34-31. Chowan had its chance at putting points on the board, but the Ferrum defense came to life, and stopped the Hawks after their first three plays, but they were able to get a field goal to tie the game, and so the second overtime was about to begin. In the second OT stanza, the Hawks took the ball first, but again the Ferrum defense was stingy, and the Hawks had to settle for a field goal. This gave Chowan a 37-34 lead. Ferrum's defense had played well in OT, but it would be the offense that would need to show up big time to salt this one away....and show up they did. It took just four plays to get a beautiful reception from Tyrik Bryant in the endzone to give the Panthers a 40-37 win.

Ferrum will end their season on Saturday at W.B. Adams stadium as they host the Concord University. The Mountain Lions come in with 3 wins on the year. We have no common opponents. This will be Senior Day at Ferrum. Come out and support Ferrum.

Go Panthers!

Ferrum @ Chowan

 The Panthers will board the bus for the last road game of the year, as they travel to Murfreesboro N.C. to take on the Chowan Hawks. Chowan has a record of 3-6, and Ferrum likewise has a record of 3-6. Interestingly enough the two conference wins that both teams have, have come against the same opponents....Erskine and Shorter.

Statistically, these two teams seem to be even in some areas, with the total number of points given up to in conference opponents being 160 for each team. That same stat when you include non conference games has Ferrum giving up 304, while Chowan has given up 308. On offense, the total rushing yards gained  by each team is:

Ferrum 967

Chowan 963

As for passing yardage:

Chowan       1734      135 of 250 with 7 interceptions

Ferrum        1281       133 of 221 with 7 interceptions

Penalties:

Chowan        61- 459 yards

Ferrum          48-409 yards

Field Goals:

Ferrum 3 of 7

Chowan 5 of 7

These are just some random numbers, but to me its interesting how close the stats are. Ferrum will need to use its speed, and open up its passing game by throwing for longer attempts. Lastly, on defense Ferrum needs to bring the pass defenders closer to the split receiver. The Panthers are giving too much of a cushion.

The Hawks will use Dominic Haney as their primary running back he has 251 yards on the season.

Ferrum will likely use Jahylen Lee who currently has 425 yards on the ground. Through the air, look for Omarza Gray to be the Ferrum receiver of choice. He has 518 receiving yards with 4 touchdowns. Chowan will counter with Jakobe Lane who has 360 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Ferrum can win this game, but it will not be that easy. With mistakes kept to a minimum, I think Ferrum could come out on top.

Go Panthers!

Ferrum Blanked by Trailblazers 27-0

 It was not a good day for the Panthers as they got steamrolled by the North Greenville University Trailblazers 27-0. In what needs to be a short recap, the Panthers could not stop the running game of NGU, and had a very difficult time establishing any offense, at least in the first half. By halftime, Ferrum had 30 yards of offense, and 1 first down. they never crossed the 50 yard line in the first half. The game ended with Ferrum gaining only 37 yards on the ground, and 94 yards through the air. On the other side of the ledger, NGU had 289 yards on the ground, and 129 through the air.

In my opinion, this team was the best Ferrum has faced this year (Except for maybe VMI, and that is a huge maybe as the Keydets are still looking for their second win of the season) North Greenville from what I have seen is the program in the conference Ferrum needs to aspire to be. Bigger, faster, and stronger. It will come, it is just going to take some time.

Now on to Murfreesboro N.C. to take on the Hawks of Chowan University. Chowan escaped with a 34-30 come from behind win over Erskine this past Saturday. The lead changed hands several times, and the Hawks led 27-23 early in the fourth quarter. The Flying Fleet retook the lead 30-27 with less than a minute remaining on a short TD pass. The Hawks would return the ensuing kickoff back 82 yards with just seconds left to end the game.

This is one of those games that I think Ferrum can win. It will take a great effort, but it can happen.  

Go Panthers!

Ferrum @ North Greenville

 This week, the Panthers take to the road to challenge the first place North Greenville Trailblazers. The Trailblazers, are 4-0 in the conference, and looking to keep that streak alive against Ferrum. Interestingly enough, North Greenville is 0-4 out of the conference. This again will be a big ask for Ferrum, but this team has known defeat, so I don't see it as impossible. Ferrum is coming off a big win against Erskine, and will hopefully bring that momentum with them to South Carolina. 

The Trailblazers are successful both on the ground, and through the air. They have run 233 passing plays, completing 150, with only 4 interceptions. 16 of those passes have been for touchdowns. They average 252 yards per game through the air. On the ground, they have run the ball 334 times, averaging 134 yards per game. Offensively, they will present a tough challenge, and keeping up with the Trailblazers will not be easy, but Ferrum has some pretty good numbers thus far and you just never know.  Opponents of N. Greenville are averaging 138 yards on the ground and have scored 17 touchdowns on the ground this season. So if Ferrum can get control of the ball, and utilize Omarza Gray in the passing game more, look for Ferrum to make a strong run at this. Remember, this is a 12noon kickoff.

Lastly, keep an eye on the Chowan @ Erskine game. That may give insight as to what to expect next week.

Go Panthers!

Ferrum earns hard fought win over Erskine 35-33

 On a beautiful fall day, Ferrum outlasted the Erskine Flying Fleet 35-33 to pick up their third win of the season. After each team traded punts, Ferrum Sophomore defensive back Zamari Copley picked off a Fleet pass, setting up Ferrum's first score via a two yard carry from Jahylen Lee. The Fleet found paydirt after a Panther fumble on a punt. A short series led to a touchdown, but the extra point was missed, making the score 7-6.

Ferrum's next score was the result of a blocked punt by Ryan Schmidt, who not only blocked it, but picked the loose ball up and scampered into the endzone at the 5:18 mark of the first quarter.  The extra point was good, and Ferrum led 14-6. The Flying Fleet mounted a drive, and had the ball 3rd and 8 from the Ferrum 19 yard line when a pass play proved too enticing for Zamari Copley, and he came up with his second interception of the game. The drawback to this play is that Copley was down at the Ferrum 2 yard line. One play later the Ferrum offense set up in a direct snap (wildcat offense) to Jysen Anciso, but he could not find the handle of the ball. The Panthers fumbled, and the Fleet recovered at the Panthers 2 yard line. One carry by the running back Cauldron gave them an easy six points, but the 2 point conversion failed, making the score Ferrum 14, Erskine 12. 

After the kickoff, Ferrum wasted no time moving the ball down the field as the first quarter ended. The Panthers would start the 2nd quarter, 2nd and 3 from the Erskine 6 yard line. In just two plays, Jahylen Lee scored his second touchdown of the game. With the Davis extra point, Ferrum led 21-12.

Erskine was not about to give up as on their next possession, engineered a quick 6 play drive, finding the endzone with 12:26 left in the first half. With the 2 point conversion good, the score was Ferrum 21 Erskine 20. A lot of back and forth ensued throughout the rest of the quarter, with neither team making much headway. With 1:12 left in the first half, Ferrum would start their last drive of the half. This drive would take 7 plays as Eli Foutz hit B.J. Tate-Blanks on an 18 yard pass that Tate-Blanks would carry in for the touchdown The Davis extra point made the score 28-20, Ferrum.

after the two teams traded punts in the early second half, Ferrum mounted a drive that resulted in a third touchdown by Jahylen Lee The extra point made it 35-20 with a lot of time left in the quarter. 

Erskine got the ball after the kickoff, and put together a four play drive that crossed the goal line, narrowing the score to 35-26. ( xp no good ) No one would score the remainder of the third quarter.

The Fleet would start the fourth quarter in Ferrum territory, 2nd and 5 at the Panther 32 yard line.   In just six plays, Erskine would again find paydirt. The extra point made it 35-33, and thanks to a determined defense, Ferrum held them from there, and put this one in the W column.

These were two really evenly matched teams. I am not sure where the credit lies, but I will call it a total team effort, and enjoy the win with lots of credit to go around. Copley and Schmidt did receive player of the week honors. Copley who had two interceptions, and Schmidt who blocked a punt and picked up the loose ball to score.

This week, Ferrum travels to play North Greenville University in Tigerville South Carolina. The Trailblazers are currently in 1st place in the conference, however they have an overall record this year of 4-4. My optimism is limited in this one, but I do believe anything could happen.....we'll just have to wait and see.

Go Panthers!

Erskine @ Ferrum

 The Panthers play host to the Erskine Flying Fleet Saturday in a first ever match up between these two teams. The Fleet come into the game with one win, while the Panthers return home with two wins on the season. Look for this to be a tight, hard fought game. Before I get into the game too far, I want to shed some light on where Erskine is located. Erskine is in the town of Due West, South Carolina which is about 99 miles Northwest of North, South Carolina, North, is about 44 miles South of West Columbia. Please do not ask for further clarification.

As for the game, this is an important game for Ferrum, and this game will bring them back to face a more similarly skilled opponent. That is not to say that it will be easy, it will not. Keep in mind, this is a D2 school with far more experience at this level, but to this point in the season, they have not had a great deal of success. They will rely slightly more on the run than the pass, but it is nearly 50-50.

Ferrum will need to control the time of possession, force turnovers, and capitalize on the turnovers. Erskine will need a compass.

Go Panthers!

Ferrum Humbled in MississippiFall to #21 Delta State 51-10 Erskine is Up Next

 This must have been a long bus ride home for the Panthers, but the truth is, Ferrum is still developing as a D2 program. While I have seen progress, there are still a lot of kinks that have to be worked out. There are many opportunities for improvement, especially when facing an opponent like this one. I am not going to sit here and dwell on the negatives, I want to put this loss to bed, and look to see if there is any way Ferrum can pick up win # 3 next week at home against Erskine. It was a non conference game anyway.

The Erskine Flying Fleet picked up their first win of the season Saturday by going on the road and defeating Shorter 23-19. Statistically, the totals between the two teams are very close. It's too early to say how I feel about this one, but I am definitely apprehensive. Erskine has shown moments when they can put up points, and moments where they can't get untracked. They have scored 85 points this season while giving up 260. Comparatively, Ferrum has scored 106, while giving up 244. That is a difference in Ferrum's favor, but not that much of a difference. Passing yard comparison shows that Erskine has thrown for 1206 yards, averaging 172.29 per game, have passed for 8 touchdowns, and have had 11 intercepted.  Ferrum has thrown for 1023 yards, averaging 146.14 yards per game. Ferrum has thrown for 6 touchdowns, and has had 5 interceptions. On the ground, The Flying Fleet have rushed for 652 yards, averaging 93 yards per game, while giving up 1189 yards to their opponents with opponents averaging 169.9 ypg. Erskine has scored 3 touchdowns on the ground while giving up 14 to their opponents.

Ferrum has gained 769 yards on the ground, averaging about 110 ypg. The Panthers opponents have run for 1348 yards, averaging 192.6 ypg. Ferrum has scored 7 touchdowns on the ground, but have given up 15. As for field goals, Ferrum has attempted five field goals, with three of the being good. Erskine has attempted two, hitting one of them.

This could be another close one for Ferrum. It is definitely not a "gimme". I would say that with the preparation that I feel sure Ferrum will put in, and with a loud home crowd behind them, we could see win #3. Erskine is going to pass. The secondary needs to be ready. I am hopeful that the Ferrum running game can grab the momentum early, and control the time of possession. Lastly, Ferrum needs to keep penalties, and turnovers to an absolute minimum. This could be an old fashion barn burner!

Go Panthers!  

 

Ferrum @ #21 Delta State

 Today, Ferrum finds themselves in the deep south in Cleveland Mississippi as they take on the #21 Statesmen of Delta State. The Statesmen, also known sometimes as the "Fighting Okras" come into this game averaging just over 35 points per game, and are only allowing their opponents just over 12 points per game. They are currently 5-1 with their only loss coming to UNC-Pembroke. They are averaging 192 yards per game on the ground, while opponents are only gaining an average of 88 yards per game on the ground.

Through the air, Delta State has averaged over 230 yards per game, and have scored 9 passing touchdowns. Opponents are averaging over 182 yards per game, and have 4 passing touchdowns against the Okras. Ferrum does not have those kind of numbers, but it would seem that they will have to attack through the air. If successful it may set up some running opportunities. Ferrum's defense is capable, but they will be seriously challenged this weekend.

This will not be an easy game for Ferrum. It will be their first top 25 competition in D2, and I am thinking this will be a stout foe. Look for Ferrum to be a decided underdog today, but hey I thought Barton was the underdog last week......who knows?

Go Panthers!   

Barton Overwhelms Panthers 34-20

 To say that the title of this post is not what I expected is an understatement of huge proportions. I am certain that in the pregame post, I made it pretty clear that this game is one Ferrum would win. They didn't, and it was not even close. Ferrum was beat pretty soundly.

First let me say that Barton is a much better 0-5 team than I thought they would be. They controlled both sides of the line of scrimmage by opening up holes for their running game, and effectively shutting the door on the Panthers running game. Ferrum was out gained on the ground 248 yards, to 74. Through the air, Ferrum fared better, as they outgained Barton 245 yards to 183 yards. The passing game accounted for all three of the Ferrum touchdowns, but Barton found the endzone twice through the air.

A missed xp, being stopped on a 2 pt. attempt, and having a punt blocked, tells you the struggles the special teams faced. On the opposite side of the ball, Barton had very similar punting numbers as far as average punt distance goes, but did not miss an extra point (4 of 4) and were 2 of 2 on field goals (52 yard,  43 yard) 

In looking back, I have decided that I must remember that Ferrum is still an infant in the D2 world. They have had some success, and this bolstered my optimism for this game, but Barton has some solid athletes, and stymied Ferrum most of the day, and realistically that should be expected.

Part of the disappointment is that this was homecoming, and I made the trip. The four and a half hour drive is worth it to get back on campus and reconnect with old friends, and just visit what I think is just a beautiful college. While a win would have been nice, I will focus on the fact that Ferrum is still developing as a D2 program, and given time, I think they will compete in the Conference Carolinas.

On to Cleveland Mississippi to take on non conference foe Delta State. Coming into this weekend, the Statesmen were ranked 25th in the nation, having only one loss.....to UNC Pembroke. They were open this past weekend, so their last win was against Barton, 45-0. Stay strong Ferrum, there are better days ahead.

Go Panthers!! 

Barton @ Ferrum

 It's Homecoming this weekend at Ferrum, and the thoughts of seeing old friends, swapping stories, and sharing laughs are many of the things that fans are looking forward to this weekend as they return to campus. With many activities slated, and tailgating bringing many people together, the atmosphere is just right for a good time. Strolling around the campus will be very nostalgic, and a trip to the Campus Store for souvenirs and some Ferrum swag is a must........but, there is a football game to play.

This week, the Panthers, coming off an exciting win last week, will host the Barton Bulldogs. While their record is meek (0-5) this team can put up points. They put up 28 against North Greenville, but for the season, they are averaging only 12 points per game, while giving up an average of 40 per game. On the surface, this may seem to be a very winnable game, and while it probably is, this is not the time for complacency.  Being too comfortable, and cocky could change your fortune. (This may have contributed to the second half stumble last week, but I think the coaching staff of Shorter was able to make some adjustments to put their team back in the game). At any rate, this, nor any team should be taken lightly.

What should we expect from Ferrum?  On offense, look for #5 Jahylen Lee to have a bounce back week, after only gaining 52 yards against Shorter. While he is on the Bulldogs radar, they may be just as if not more focused on Omarza Gray....and that would be a logical reaction as he set the Ferrum receiving yards record for one game with 203 yards.

On defense, look for the Panthers to again be laser focused, and very stingy to the Barton offense. I expect that this homecoming weekend will be a happy one for Ferrum fans, and provide a lopsided win for the Panthers. But if not lopsided, I will take a win, no matter the margin.

Enjoy the festivities, and the game. I'll see you there.

Go Panthers!

Panthers Show Huge Growth SpurtOutlast Shorter 28-25

 WOW!! What a game. I wish I could have been there, but I followed the Sidearm Stats as much as I could as I was working my p/t job.  With some excellent plays on defense and special teams, Ferrum held a 21-6 lead going into halftime. This first score came about through a blocked field goal by Ryan Schmidt. Shorter was set up for a 32 yard field goal when Schmidt came around the end like a rocket and blocked the kick. The ball was quickly picked up by Jamarion Montford, and he was off to the races leaving the Shorter pursuit in the dust. It was a 78 yard scoop and score, and that was just what the Panthers needed.

With the second quarter just underway, Shorter found the endzone with 14:20 left in the half. The extra point was blocked , again by Ryan "Rocket" Schmidt, and picked up again by Montford. While this too is returnable, Montford was quickly pulled down this time leaving the score Ferrum 7 Shorter 6. 

The quarter would progress to just over 6 minutes to play in the half when Foutz hit Omarza Gray on an 83 yard strike off of what was basically a screen pass. Gray turned on the jets and after breaking three tackles with determined running, he streaked to the endzone untouched. At this point, Ferrum led 14-6. The lead would extend to 21-6 when, with just 9 seconds left in the half, running back Aiden Vaught found the endzone from 2 yards out. The half would end with Ferrum holding a very comfortable lead.......but there are two halves to a football game, and Shorter would remind Ferrum of that quickly.

Ferrum received the kickoff to start the second half, and the Shorter defense shut them down immediately with a three and out. Neither team would make much progress in the third quarter until late in the stanza when Shorter quarterback Jeb Walls found Cole McCranie in the back of the endzone. The two point attempt was shut down by Ferrum, and the Panthers led 21-12. This is how the third quarter would end.

The fourth quarter would show that Shorter would continue to capitalize on the halftime adjustments they made, and at the 12:29 mark of the fourth quarter, the Shorter quarterback hit their wide receiver Simms for a 42 yard touchdown strike. The extra point was again missed, and the score was Ferrum 21 Shorter 18. On their next drive, Ferrum would go three and out, and  both teams struggled to have any offensive consistency through a good amount of the quarter. At the 7:45 mark, Ferrum quarterback Eli Foutz fumbled the snap, and the Hawks recovered at the Ferrum 12 yard line. Three plays later, the Shorter quarterback would scamper in for the touchdown, and with the converted extra point, Shorter would take the lead 25-21 with just 6:18 left in the game.

Ferrum would put together a drive that would take them to about their own 45 yard line but they turned the ball over on downs with just under 3 minutes left. Shorter would find themselves with 3rd down and 2 yards to go at the two minute time out. Ferrum held, and Shorter would punt on 4th down, pinning Ferrum deep in their own territory at the 7 yard line. On their first play with about 1:45 left, Ferrum would run for no gain. With no time outs left, Ferrum found itself in very tough circumstances. The next play would make all the difference. On a quick slant pattern on the right side, Ferrum's Omarza Gray would haul in his second touchdown pass of the day, this time a 93 yard pass to put Ferrum back up for good as they would secure the win, 28-25. Gray finished the day with 6 receptions 203 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. Gray and Schmidt were named Conference Carolinas offensive and special teams players of the week respectively. 

It was a good day for Ferrum, and I see a team coming together and getting better every week. This game showed the growth that the program is experiencing. There are good things to come.

Go Panthers!

Shorter @ Ferrum

The Shorter University Hawks travel to Ferrum, and will take on the Panthers at 1:00 p.m. This is Fan Appreciation Day, and this gives the fans an opportunity to bring two cans of food to the game in exchange for admission to the game. ($15.00 per ticket) The food collected is donated to a local food assistance program. This is a win win for everyone. A win win, could be turned into a win, win, win, if the Panthers can make the right moves against Shorter.

So far, both teams are sporting only one win this season. Shorter (1-4) have their lone win against Virginia University Lynchburg, and Ferrum (1-3) has their win over Shaw. Last week, Shorter came up just short against Chowan, falling 30-29.

Shorter is averaging just over 22 points per game (ppg), and are allowing opponents almost 28 ppg. They have a fairly balanced run vs. pass offense. They are averaging 149 rushing yards per game, and are averaging 119 yards through the air per game. On the ground, it seems that the Hawks rely on #2 Lanear McCrary. He will get the Lions share of the carries, but will be sharing the spotlight with #4 Charles Alia, and #3 Jeb Walls.

Ferrum will need to find another gear on both sides of the ball to come away with the win. The defense can shut teams down, and they will definitely need to be in a swarming mode to slow the roll of the Hawks. On offense, Ferrum needs to open up their playbook, and find some deeper passing routes, and possibly give the Hawks defense trouble by varying their attack on the ground. You know there are sometimes I miss the old Triple Option...I doubt this team has seen much of that.

This could be a really good game, but it could come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. If Ferrum can cause some turnovers, and cause some three and outs, win number two can be within reach. No matter the outcome, the price is right.

Go Panthers!

Ferrum Falls Hard at UNC- Pembroke 41-14

This will be a relatively short post. There is not a lot to say about this game. Ferrum had some bright spots, but the UNC-Pembroke Braves were just too much in most every phase of the game. When I look at the stats, Ferrum was not producing at a high enough level, and the Braves were. On offense, the numbers were not awful, but they need to out rush the opponent, and they just didn't. UNCP recorded 160 yards on the ground on 31 attempts, while Ferrum had 48 attempts, and only recorded 116 yards. My suspicion is that the Braves defense were just set up for the run, and Ferrum was likely outsized.

The passing game for the Panthers looked similar, as Foutz was 10 of 17 with 0 interceptions, but the total yardage was just 66 yards. The Panthers defense did account for 2 interceptions.

In the end Ferrum experienced some severe growing pains,  and came away from this one with a score that disappointed me , but maybe gave the team something to build on. The Braves are predicted to finish at least tied for first in the conference, and they were expected to win this game. Hopefully, Ferrum will come away from this game healthy, and can take some lessons from this, that in the end will make them a better team.

Go Panthers!

Ferrum @ UNC Pembroke

 As Willie would say..."On The Road Again". Ferrum is again travelling for the third game in four weeks. After a nice home win last week against CIAA foe Shaw University, the Panthers this week take the bus to Pembroke, N.C. to take on the 2-1 UNC Pembroke Braves. This will mark the beginning of conference play. UNC-P was picked as co champion of Conference Carolinas along with North Greenville. Ferrum was picked to finish 7th in the poll.

It is hard to say how Ferrum will fare in this, but if the poll is any indication, this will not be an easy game for the Panthers. The question is, is the poll a valid indicator? In my opinion, while it may be right about UNC-P finishing at or near the top of the standings at seasons end, I am not convinced that Ferrum will finish last. If I had to pick, I would have Ferrum 4th or no worse that 5th. As it turns out, the speculation really has no tangible meaning. What matters is how will the Panthers do Saturday?

A look at UNC-P:

The Braves running game has many backs, but through 3 games, it appears that #14 Tre Robinson seems to be the man carrying the mail most of the time.  In three games Robinson has rushed for a total of 150 yards and three touchdowns. There is also #7 Joel Felder, and #10 JaQuan Albright who contribute to the rushing offense. The passing game seems to be the main route of success for the Braves.....and did I mention that Tre Robinson is also the quarterback? So far, Robinson is averaging 200 passing yards per game, and has thrown for 5 touchdowns. He is 41 of 71 with 2 interceptions.

On defense, the Braves are giving up 25 ppg. Opponents are averaging 133 yards on the ground against them, and 188 yards through the air. It is worth noting that the Braves did defeat the #16 ranked team in the country Delta State 25-21 in their most recent game.

How will Ferrum Stack Up?

Ferrum is averaging 115 ypg on the ground, and just over 90 yards per game through the air. While these numbers may seem slight compared UNC-P, keep in mind that the Braves have not gone up against a D1 opponent, and Ferrum has. This will skew the numbers as they stand today.

Look for Ferrum to employ a balanced mix of running and passing, with Eli Foutz, Jahylen Lee, and Omarza Gray working to keep the offense moving. Defensively, I think Ferrum found some defensive momentum last week against Shaw, and I am hoping the players will continue to fly to the ball, and that the D unit can be successful in limiting the time of possession for the Braves.

This will not be an easy game, but I am feeling like Ferrum can make a strong showing today. If it is close at halftime, it could literally go either way. A win today would be unexpected, but it's not impossible.

Go Panthers!

Panthers Defeat Bears 14-6Pick Up First D2 Win

 For the first home game of the year, things turned out pretty doggone good for Ferrum. The Panthers hosted the Shaw University Bears, and went on to win their first  Division II football game. Ferrum started out, taking the opening kickoff at their own 6 yard line where Omarza Gray carried it 16 yards to the Ferrum 22 where the Panthers would start first and ten. Ferrum put together a 10 play drive taking the ball down to the Shaw 39 before the drive stalled and the Panthers had to punt. The punt was downed at the Bears one yard line, and everything looked good for Ferrum. 

After two false start penalties, Shaw found themselves between the 1 and the goal line with very little room to work......but that did not stop the Bears. They put together a 12 play drive that ended in the Ferrum endzone, and gave the Bears a 6-0 lead. The extra point was blocked by Ryan Schmidt, and the lead would stand through the rest of the first half.

After that score, Ferrum's coaching staff obviously made some adjustments, as the Bears would be denied the endzone the rest of the game. Ferrum, on the other hand, found the endzone twice in the second half. Ferrum's first score came at the 13:58 mark in the third. Ferrum kicked off in the second half, and excellent kick coverage gave Shaw the ball 1st and 10 at their own 5 yard line. Two plays later, Ferrum forced a fumble, and it was recovered by Panther Defensive Back Peja Brent. This gave the ball to Ferrum at the Shaw 3 yard line. 2 plays later, Running Back Aiden Vaught gave Ferrum their first score. Jon Davis added the extra point to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead. The defense held throughout the rest of the third quarter, and the fourth quarter started with Ferrum in possession and in the middle of a 12 play drive. A drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to WR Omarza Gray. With the extra point, Ferrum would lead 14-6, and that is all they would need.

While this was not a huge offensive display, Ferrum did what was necessary to win. They got the W, kept the at least one win in the season alive, and played as a unit. Next week is already in the coaches sights, and  I am sure the players are going to be ready, but I think Ferrum needs to enjoy their first win of the season and their first D2 football win.

Go Panthers!

Shaw @ Ferrum

 For the first time, Shaw University visits Ferrum College. The Bears (0-1), come into today's game after their bye week. Their opening game found them on the short side of a 51-7 score at the hands of Albany State.  The workhorses for Shaw seem to be their quarterback Justin Wheeler, and running back Cobie Bates. This seems to be where most of their offensive production came from. Bates figures in both the running and passing games.

On defense, giving up 51 points does not give me a lot of concern about the defense. On the other hand, I know nothing about Albany State, except they did play last week, and won over Kentucky State, 49-21. So overall, there may be little defensive information to glean from the Bears first game. Defensive Back, Darry Felix led the Bears with 11 solo tackles, and three assists. Against the run, the Bears gave up 311 yards to Albany State (6.5 ypc). 

For Ferrum, I am hopeful that Jahylen Lee is back on the field today. He did not see action against VMI, and appeared to limp to the sideline late against Catawba. I have no update on his status. This is a game that Ferrum could win, but they have to execute, and having Lee in the line up would help them with that. There are other running backs, and I am sure they are ready to step up if needed. Look for Ferrum to rely heavily on Eli Foutz today both running and passing the ball. The story to winning will be controlling time of possession, creating turnovers, capitalizing on those turnovers, and special teams. This game could come down to a kickoff return, a punt return, a field goal, or kickoff and punt coverage. Ferrum has to hit on all cylinders today. This game should be competitive, and my feeling is that Ferrum can come away with a win, but mistakes have to be minimized, and opportunities have to be taken advantage of.

Go Panthers!