September 2008 is Wofford Terriers Month at AGS - Read the fact a day!

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9/1

General Information
Location........................Spartanburg, SC
Founded........................1854
Enrollment......................1,350
Affiliation........................NCAA Division I (FCS)
Conference.....................Southern
Colors............................Old Gold (PMS 873) and Black
Nickname.......................Terriers

Season Outlook and Review
2007 Record.................................9-4
2007 SoCon Record........................5-2 (T-1)
Letterman Returning.......................43 (25 Offense, 16 Defense, 2 Specialists)
Letterman Lost.............................24 (9 Offense, 14 Defense, 1 Specialist)
Offensive Starters Returning/lost......6/5
Defensive Starters Returning/lost......4/7
Specialists Returning/lost.................2/1
Offensive Formation........................Wingbone
Defensive Formation.......................Multiple 50

Send a Private Message to Mod66 if you have a suggestion for the fact a day.

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9/2

Gibbs Stadium
Prior to the 1996 season, the Wofford football team played home games at Snyder Field. The first football game was played at Snyder Field in 1930, with lights installed for the 1948 season. With the move to NCAA Division I, a new football facility was a priority. Gibbs Stadium seats approximately 8,500 in the grandstand, while an additional 4.500 seats are available in both endzones. The South endzone is known as the Veranda Lothas become prime tailgating space for donors to the Terrier Club.

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9/3

Offensive Records

Most points in a quarter
36 vs. East Tennessee State, 1990 (4Q)
Most points on a Game
83 vs. High Point, 1949 (83-13)
81 vs. Piedmont, 1925 (81-0)
Most Points in a Season
444 in 2007
423 in 1969

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9/4

Q: When was the last time a Wofford Quarterback passed for more than 400 yards in a game?
Q: When was the last time a Wofford Quarterback completed for than 30 passes in a game?

A: Never.

EDIT: Reflecting back on this post it does not seem flattering to Wofford. My point was that they are a run first team and these stats jumped out at me.

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9/5

Wofford's football program has ranked in the top 10 percent of FCS teams in the Academic Performance Review (APR) in each of the last four seasons. Last season, Wofford was only one of two Southern Conference teams to be recognized from the SoCon. The Terriers led the SoCon with 43 Academic All-Southern Conference selections since the program started in 2003.

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9/6


What we have ended with is Wofford adding a 6th home game with about 48 hours of preparation time. It's the best solution for everyone and let's face it, we know how to operate football games.http://www.goupstate.us/index.php/terriertalk

Game notes here. (http://athletics.wofford.edu/sports/2008/8/31/GEN_0831085913.aspx?id=109)

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9/7

Boss the Terrier

The fearless leader of the Terriers, Boss (short for Boston Terrier) has entertained Wofford fans since 2001. Boss participated in the Carolina Panthers “Mascot Mania” football game halftime show at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte in 2006. Formally known as Big Ruff, the mascot became known as Boss in 2001. His kid brother, Lil’ Ruff, who wears the number ½, is also on the sidelines of Wofford evens to entertain the youngsters.

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9/8

Since the Terriers have moved into Gibbs Stadium for the 1996 season, Wofford has enjoyed a tremendous home field advantage. In the 12 seasons, Wofford has a .7087 winning percentage. Also, the Terriers have posted winning home records in eleven of the twelve seasons.

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9/9

Eight of Wofford's last nine wins over (THE) Citadel have been by at least 13 points.

Each game since 2000 has been called the "Beacon Iced Tea Bowl". Wofford Graduate Sam Maw and (the) Citadel Graduate Steve McManus are co-owners of the world renowned drive-in restaurant in Spartanbugh.

2000 Wofford 31-10
2001 Wofford 13-0
2002 Wofford 27-14
2003 Wofford 42-16
2004 Wofford 38-17
2005 Wofford 28-10
2006 Wofford 28-20
2007 Wofford 28-7

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9/10

Charles J. Bradshaw Award

One of the highest honors that a student athlete can receive at Wofford is the Charles Bradshaw Award, which was initiated in 1978 in recognition of Wofford’s former All-American quarterback. Bradshaw was also president of the student body in 1959.

The award is presented only in years when there is a candidate “whose academic, leadership, and citizenship contributions at Wofford College best typify the ideals and contributions of Charlie Bradshaw.”

1978 Chris Cowan
1980 Pat Batten
1981 Ronnie Andrews
1983 Tim Renfrow
1986 Robert Mickle
1999 Eric Cole
2001 Brian Bodor
2002 Ben Foster

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9/11

Mike Ayers
Head Coach
21st Season

For the past twenty seasons, the leader of the Wofford football program has been head coach Mike Ayers. In those twenty seasons, Ayers has guided the Terriers from the NCAA Division II ranks to Division I and the Southern Conference. Along the way, the team made appearances in the Division II Playoffs in 1990 and 1991, the Division I Playoffs in 2003 and 2007, and claimed Southern Conference titles in 2003 and 2007.

The story of Mike Ayers as head coach at Wofford began in 1988. The Terrier football program had fallen on desperate times. A program that had a proud history, with bowl game appearances and wins over Southeastern Conference teams on its resume, had fallen on hard times. The 1987 team had gone 1-10, been shutout twice and scored just 87 points in 11 games while surrendering more than 26 points per game.

Enter Mike Ayers. The young, energetic coach had built East Tennessee State into a Southern Conference contender and had knocked off Atlantic Coast Conference opponent North Carolina State in 1987.

Ayers’ impact on the Terriers was immediate. He magically transformed that 1-10 Wofford team into a .500 squad in 1988 and then led the Terriers to an NCAA Division II playoff berth in 1990.

TBC

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9/12
continued from 9/11

Now, 20 years later, Ayers is the head coach of a Terrier team that, over the last six years, has been the epitome of success within the Southern Conference. Since the start of the 2002 season, Wofford has posted a 51-21 overall record, a winning percentage of .708 that only three-time defending national champion Appalachian State has bettered.

In 2007, Ayers marked his 20th season at the helm of Wofford football. He is the longest-serving head coach of any sport in school history. Gene Alexander coached Terrier basketball for 19 seasons from 1958-77.

For 20 seasons, Ayers has instilled his own intensity, character and pride into his teams. He has recruited the type of student-athletes that fit the academic profile of Wofford (the college has an average SAT score of 1250). With 35 victories, the 2005 seniors graduated as the winningest class in school history while the 2006 seniors were the second-winningest class. Wofford’s winning percentage of .659 in the 2000s makes this the winningest decade in the school’s long football history.

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9/13

Wofford College is the second smallest NCAA Division I college. Wofford is home to 18 intercollegiate teams participating in the Southern Conference. Among these athletes are the 2003 and 2007 SoCon Champions in football and 2007 SoCon baseball champions.

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9/14

Ayers led the 2003 Wofford football team to its first SoCon championship. With the Terriers picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll by the league coaches and having no players being named first-team preseason All-SoCon, Wofford went 8-0 for the SoCon’s first perfect mark since 1998. At the end of the campaign, the coaches had selected a league-best 10 Terriers to their All-SoCon squad.

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9/15

Saturday will be the 22nd meeting between Wofford College and the University of South Carolina.

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9/16

On Nov. 14, 1895, Wofford College not only beat USC in their first ever meeting, they shut them out 10-0.

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9/17

Proving that the first victory was not a fluke, Wofford returned to Columbia the next season and beat USC again. Winning 6-4 on November 19, 1896.

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9/18

Wofford did not field teams in the three years following the 1896 match-up with USC. The two teams would not face each other again until 1901. Wofford carried away another victory by beating the Gamecocks 11-5 in Spartanburg.

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9/19

In their last meeting in 2006, the Terriers fell just short of knocking off their foe. Wofford closed to within one touchdown of the Gamecocks with 4:42 left to play. Wofford then drove to the Gamecock 10 yard line. USC escaped with a 27-20 win over the Terriers.

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9/20

GAME 3

Terriers (2-0) AT South Carolina (1-2)

Kick-off: 7:00 p.m.
Radio: Wofford Sports Network: WSPG-AM (ESPN 1400, Spartanburg) and WPJM-AM 800 (Greer/Greenville); Pre-game show begins 30 minutes prior to kickoff with Mark Hauser (play-by-play), Thom Henson (analyst) and Collins McCraw (sidelines).
Online radio: www.espn1400am.com
TV: Pay-Per-View in South Carolina. Call your local cable or satellite provider.
ESPN GamePlan outside South Carolina, click this link: http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncf/gameplan/index?status=viewpage&ccv=0][/url]
TV Replay: Sunday, Sept. 21 (8:00 p.m.) & Wed., Sept. 24 (10:30 p.m.) on SportSouth (USC package)

Game Notes (http://athletics.wofford.edu/documents/2008/9/15/SC%20Game%20Notes.pdf?id=447)

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9/21

Wofford has only been in the Southern Conference for eleven full seasons, but have captured the conference title twice. Most recently last season after beating defending National Champions, Appalachian State.

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9/22

After winning the conference titles in 2003 and 2007, Wofford went on to find post season success against North Carolina A&T, Western Kentucky and Montana.

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9/22

After winning the conference titles in 2003 and 2007, Wofford went on to find post season success against North Carolina A&T, Western Kentucky and Montana.

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9/23

Ayers led the 2003 Wofford football team to its first SoCon championship. With the Terriers picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll by the league coaches and having no players being named first-team preseason All-SoCon, Wofford went 8-0 for the SoCon’s first perfect mark since 1998. At the end of the campaign, the coaches had selected a league-best 10 Terriers to their All-SoCon squad.

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9/24

COACHING HONORS AND AWARDS

Ayers was named the recipient of The Sports Network’s 2003 Eddie Robinson Award as Division I-AA’s National Coach of the Year. He was the runner-up in 2002. He has been named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year four times (2000, 2002, 2003, 2007) in the last seven seasons.

Ayers has received the AFCA regional honor four times. He was also selected for the award in 1990 and 1991 when he guided the Terriers to the Division II playoffs in each of those campaigns. Ayers was named the 2002 National Coach of the Year by the College Sporting News.

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9/25

After three weeks of the season, Wofford has the nation’s second-ranked rushing offense at 328.67 average yards and the 15th ranked total offense in the nation with 429.0 average yards.

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9/26

Next opponent:
Wofford and Georgia Southern have faced each other 13 times. Wofford won the first game in the series in 1982. Wofford won the last meeting in Statesboro, 28-10 in 2006. The Terriers have won four of the last six games. In addition, four of the last six games were decided by a touchdown or less.

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9/27


GAME 4

Terriers (2-1, 0-0 SoCon) AT Georgia Southern (2-2, 0-1 SoCon)

Kick-off: 7:00 p.m.
Radio: Wofford Sports Network: WSPG-AM (ESPN 1400, Spartanburg) and WPJM-AM 800 (Greer/Greenville); Pre-game show begins 30 minutes prior to kickoff with Mark Hauser (play-by-play), Thom Henson (analyst) and Collins McCraw (sidelines).
Online radio: www.espn1400am.com
TV: CSS
(Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast - channel 58 in Spartanburg, check your Comcast or Charter cable listings for channel position in your area. For those not in Comcast or Charter service areas, check ESPN360.com or ESPN GamePlan later in the week.)


Game Notes (http://athletics.wofford.edu/documents/2008/9/22/GSU%20Game%20Notes.pdf?id=453)

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9/28

Wofford College came about because of the vision and generosity of an individual. Benjamin Wofford was born in rural Spartanburg County on October 19, 1780. Sometime during the great frontier revivals of the early 19th century, he joined the Methodist church and served as a circuit rider (itinerant preacher) for several years. Mr. Wofford acquired the beginnings of his fortune. At the age of 56, the widower married a much younger woman from Virginia, Maria Barron. They moved to a home on Spartanburg’s courthouse square, where he could concentrate on investments in finance and manufacturing. It was there that Benjamin Wofford died on December 2, 1850, leaving a bequest of $100,000 to “establish a college of literary, classical and scientific education to be located in my native district and to be under the control and management of the Methodist Church of my native state.” It proved to be one of the largest financial contributions made to American higher education prior to the Civil War.

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9/29

OLD MAIN
The college bell arrived from the Meneely Foundry in West Troy, New York, and, from the west tower of “Old Main,” it continues to sing out as the “voice of Wofford.” The exterior of the building today is true to the original design, but the interior has been modernized and renovated three times — in the early 1900s, in the 1960s, and in 2007.

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9/30

Yankee soldiers in Spartanburg during Reconstruction apparently introduced college students to baseball, and Wofford and Furman University played South Carolina’s first intercollegiate football game in 1889.