Inside Skinny on Gardner-Webb

[TexasTerror]

Okay, Big South faithful and Bulldog Monday morning quarterbacks...

What's the deal with your program? You guys are playing the Bearkats this year and quite frankly, our fan base is not familiar with your program. I don't even know too much (and I'm probably the one along with bfpu who follow the FCS world more so than any others)...though I am trying to learn as much as possible.

Let us know what we can expect...

And if you are a G-Webb guy, feel free to come on to KatFans.com as we'd love to hear from you...

[ericsaid]

I know they signed a Quarterback from west charlotte high school this pas offseason. He had multiple 500 yard games his senior year and threw for 51 touchdowns and ran for around 500 or so yards I believe. Threw for over 4,000 in one season. So if he starts even as a freshmen, be afraid.

[Lionsrking]

Okay, Big South faithful and Bulldog Monday morning quarterbacks...

What's the deal with your program? You guys are playing the Bearkats this year and quite frankly, our fan base is not familiar with your program. I don't even know too much (and I'm probably the one along with bfpu who follow the FCS world more so than any others)...though I am trying to learn as much as possible.

Let us know what we can expect...

And if you are a G-Webb guy, feel free to come on to KatFans.com as we'd love to hear from you...

I don't know much about the '08 version of the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs but we did play them in '04 and '06 and lost both games. Having said that, in the '06 game, we dominated pretty thoroughly both statistically and physically but absolutely blew both feet off in the second half.

In '04, they jumped on us big in the first half and we came back and made it somewhat respectable in the second. I think we had over 600 yards of total offense but were so unprepared due Mumme's late season job hunting that we could have played an intramural team that day and struggled...not to mention it was a 13-hour bus ride.

Talent-wise, those GW teams were decent, with a couple of solid skill players, and a DE that was drafted this spring, but they weren't as physical as the teams we see in the SLC. Perhaps they've upgraded, I don't know...they were also pretty well-coached.

[CSUBUCDAD]

GW will normally just line up a run it at you all day. They get an effective passer in the lineup and they could be very dangerous on offense.

[WCU LawCat]

Gardner Webb is one of those programs you don't hear a lot about. They recruit very quietly but they do pick up some sleepers from time to time and get them over some bigger programs. The West Charlotte QB they just got was getting interest from App St but I think grades may be an issue. Before WCU most recent increase in the recruiting budget...GWU would steal kids from us before signing day. GWU has always inda been close to breaking out but never gotten over the hump.

[ericsaid]

Gardner Webb is one of those programs you don't hear a lot about. They recruit very quietly but they do pick up some sleepers from time to time and get them over some bigger programs. The West Charlotte QB they just got was getting interest from App St but I think grades may be an issue. Before WCU most recent increase in the recruiting budget...GWU would steal kids from us before signing day. GWU has always inda been close to breaking out but never gotten over the hump.

He was also getting interest from UNC-Chapel Hill, but there grades would have been an issue also.xnonono2x

[Sly Fox]

Having a decent knowledge of both Sam and G-Dub, I can tell you that the Bulldogs are just good enough to pull off an upset if the Bearkats have a bad day. But if the two played each other ten times this year I would expect 8-9 wins for the boys from Huntsville.

When the Big South first started sponsoring football, G-W dominated the first few years and even received a bit of consideration for an at-large one year. But they have seen both Coastal Carolina and Liberty blow by them the past few years. Every year many of us expect them to challenge for the Big South crown and they wind up disappointing.

In fairness, last year G-W had a brutal non-conference schedule where they were overmatched and yet still managed to be relatively competitive like at Mississippi State.

Interestingly enough I have ran into a few G-W alumni here in NW Houston. They generally are stunned that anybody in Houston has heard of their school. But a kid from Sugar Land was their star hoops player last year for a Dawgs team that won at Kentucky.

[Thumper250]

Here's what I know ...

doolittle is healthy for the first time in his career at QB, and is the guy going into the season. The QB G-W signed from west charlotte didn't make it grade wise either, but they did sign a kid from ohio who is a fine athlete himself. they lost a major player on defense in johnstons but have everyone back plus a major prospect in a kid (woods?) from west charlotte high who will play a lot at end as a freshman.

mario brown is the all-american at linebacker and can really knock heads. they'll be faster on that side than you think.

if doolittle can play as well as i think he will this year, they'll be better. the kid was south carolina's state player of the year as a h.s. senior, so he's talented. just has been banged up the past two years.

ol has a kid that could be drafted at tackle and the running backs should be good. receiver is a spot where they might be young, but dobson collins is a speedy guy with size.

not sure if they will have the talent to run with sam houston or not, but hopefully it will be a competitive game.

[Sly Fox]

Its great to see you back on here, Thumper. Don't be such a stranger here or on FlameFans for that matter.

[I-AA Fan]

So are you guys inferring that App State and UNC-C have higher academic standards that Gardner-Webb?

[TTUEagles]

I'm personally looking forward to a highly entertaining game between GW and TTU on Thurs., Aug 28. I expect a close game, but a TTU victory. But, I'm biased...It seems GW has built itself a nice program recently and will be a tough test for the young Golden Eagles.

[OLDLCOACH111]

As I posted in an earlier thread...

Gardner-Webb Defense can’t help but get better... They finish # 36 in the nation in total defense last season and #1 in the conference.. That was after finishing #100 something a year before..

They return two of the top three tacklers in the conference With All Big South and Defensive freshman of the year Jeffrey Williams 120 T.....as well as 2 times All Big South and 2 time All American Mario Brown 104 T........ In fact.. Those two are also the top two returning tacklers in the conference.. 1. J. Williams 2. M. Brown

Gardner Webb is also returning 3 time All Big South safety Daniel Cooke, and 2 Time All big South Corner-back Cedric McGowan who was also an Honorable mention all American last year.

Their D line will be solid with a mix of returning players. Baker 36 tackles. Isom 28 tackles Hudson 24 tackles Daye 20 tackles that all rotate in and out between each other..

For the Offensive side of the ball, this is QB Doolittle’s time to shine, now an upper classman he has a great understanding of the offense. Dobson Collins is a real good wide receiver that mismatches DB with his mix of speed and athleticism; he is also a conference champion in track... As for running the ball, they have their own little version of thunder and lighting with a rotation of big and scat backs.

[SoCon48]

So are you guys inferring that App State and UNC-C have higher academic standards that Gardner-Webb?

Assume you meant UNC-CH. Otherwise it would have been relatively close. UNC-C and G-W. No football at C, anyway. Of course not much at UNC-CH either for that matter.

[Sly Fox]

Mario Brown is a very nice 'backer. But much like against Liberty last fall, he'll feel under siege against the 'Kats. I'd love to see G-W hang and possibly pull off the upset for the conference's sake.

[g-webb1994]

Our success this year rides on Doolittle. If he has a breakout year, we could be as good as 9-2 or 8-3, if he doesn't progress, we could be as bad as 3-8 or 4-7, either of which sends Patton into retirement.

Anyway, adding in Stony Brook and PC (unofficially) into the conference mix makes the Big South stronger, CSU isn't as bad as they once were, and I expect Sparky Woods to eventually do well at VMI too.

[Seawolf97]

Our success this year rides on Doolittle. If he has a breakout year, we could be as good as 9-2 or 8-3, if he doesn't progress, we could be as bad as 3-8 or 4-7, either of which sends Patton into retirement.

Anyway, adding in Stony Brook and PC (unofficially) into the conference mix makes the Big South stronger, CSU isn't as bad as they once were, and I expect Sparky Woods to eventually do well at VMI too.

Looking forward to your visit on Nov 1st! Thats Family Weekend so it should be a good crowd .

[TexasTerror]

Can someone remind me what the link is to the Gardner-Webb message board? Thanks!

[IndianaAppMan]

So are you guys inferring that App State and UNC-C have higher academic standards that Gardner-Webb?

App State? Yes. If I'm wrong, show me data that proves otherwise.

Admission standards for GW (Source: gardner-webb.edu/admissions )

Average HS GPA: 3.4
Average SAT: 1020 (I'm assuming this is the old SAT)
Average ACT: 21

Admission standards for ASU (Source: www.web.appstate.edu/about/ )

Average HS GPA: 3.68
Average SAT: 1124
Average ACT: none listed

UNC-Chapel Hill? Let's get real. It's one of the best schools in the southeast. UNC-Charlotte? I don't know as much about it, but I did know a number of friends who had UNCC as their fallback school after App turned them down.

App's not the hillbilly school everyone portrays it to be. I have a professor at Ball State whose daughter was admitted to Va. Tech & UNCC but not App State.

:D

[IndianaAppMan]

No football at C, anyway. Of course not much at UNC-CH either for that matter.
Oh really? Last I checked they're undefeated and picked up a win against Rutgers. Just because a team is not in the FBS Top 25 doesn't mean they suck. The competition's just really tough.

[IaaScribe]

Does any newspaper cover Gardner-Webb any more? The Shelby paper used to staff home games at least, but it appears they aren't any more by the looks of the web site. I'd love to add some GWU links to my Monday package, but I can never find any.

[Libertine]

Can someone remind me what the link is to the Gardner-Webb message board? Thanks!

There isn't a Gardner-Webb message board.

[TexasTerror]

There isn't a Gardner-Webb message board.

I really thought they were on Proboard or Delphi... xconfusedx

[OLDLCOACH111]

Does any newspaper cover Gardner-Webb any more? The Shelby paper used to staff home games at least, but it appears they aren't any more by the looks of the web site. I'd love to add some GWU links to my Monday package, but I can never find any.


Gardner-Webb does have a sort of fansite/blog but no message board..

Here is the link..http://www.letsgobulldogs.us

It carries newspaper links about all gardner-webb sports, photo albums, schedules etc.

[Sly Fox]

There isn't a Gardner-Webb message board.

Sadly they are the only school in the league without a board of any kind including the non-football schools.