
Wildcat Football Hosts Jacksonville Saturday
9/23/2010 2:21:35 PM | Football
Davidson Wildcats (1-2, 1-0 PFL) vs. Jacksonville Dolphins (2-1, 0-0 PFL)
Sept. 25, 2010 - Davidson, N.C.
Smith Field at Richardson Stadium (5,000) - 1 p.m. - Natural Grass
Sept. 25, 2010 - Davidson, N.C.
Smith Field at Richardson Stadium (5,000) - 1 p.m. - Natural Grass
Today's Game
• After a two-game road swing, Davidson starts a two-game Pioneer Football League homestand by hosting Jacksonville today.
• Davidson is 11-8 in Richardson Stadium in its last 19 contests. The 'Cats have suffered three straight losses at home.
• The Wildcats own a 13-9 all-time mark in conference games at Richardson Stadium.
• Davidson is 16-15 in its last 31 PFL contests and owns a 22-24 all-time PFL record.
• Davidson is coming off a 28-27 PFL victory at Campbell last Saturday
• Jacksonville enters the game with a 2-1 mark and is coming off a 41-0 home win over Webber International last Saturday. The Dolphins' lone loss of the season came at Appalachian State in week two.
• Davidson was picked seventh in the Pioneer Football League, while Jacksonville was picked third, a point behind Butler. The Dolphins garnered four first-place votes.
Series Record
• The all-time series, which dates back to 1998, is tied 6-6 after Jacksonville broke a three-game losing skid against Davidson with a 27-21 home win last season.
• The 'Cats and Dolphins have played each season since the inception of Jacksonville's program in 1998.
• Eight of the 12 games between the teams have been decided by 10 points or less, including the last three contests.
• Five games in the series have been decided by a touchdown or less.
• Davidson is 5-3 against Jacksonville in the last eight meetings, including 3-1 at home.
• Davidson receiver Mark Hanabury had a career day with nine receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown in last year's meeting.
• Davidson trailed 27-7 with 4:19 left in the third quarter and wound up with the ball on the Jacksonville 36-yard line on 4th-and-6 trailing by six points with 1:42 to go.
• Matt Heavner dropped back to pass and hit Hanabury over the middle, but when he planted to cut up field, his foot slipped out from under him, and he landed just shy of the first down marker. Jacksonville killed the last 1:35 to hang onto the win.
• Kenny Mantuo finished the game with 66 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.
• Heavner came off the bench to complete 7-of-10 passes for 66 yards and a score, and Michael Blanchard threw for 73 yards.
• Rudell Small had 18 carries for 110 yards and a TD, and Josh McGregor completed 18-of-28 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns for the Dolphins.
Scouting the Dolphins
• Jacksonville comes into the game with the PFL's most productive offense, averaging 426.7 yards a game.
• Rudell Small averages 100.3 rushing yards a game and 6.1 yards a carry.
• Josh McGregor has completed 54-of-95 passes for 807 yards and seven TDs with two interceptions.
• The Dolphin defense has 11 takeaways.
• Leonard Smith leads the team in tackles with 33, and Layne McCombs has six TFLs.
Claw Marks
• During head coach Tripp Merritt's tenure, the Wildcats are 17-5 when winning the turnover battle.
• The Davidson defense leads the PFL in total defense (290.70 ypg).
• Running back Kenny Mantuo ranks fourth on the Davidson all-time rushing list, with 1,686 yards. He rushed for a career-high 181 yards at Campbell, his fifth game with 100 yards or more. It was the most yards since classmate Justin Williams ran for 225 at Butler in 2007.
• Williams needs 68 punt return yards to become the school's all-time leader. Already Davidson's record holder in kick return yards, Williams needs 1,145 all-purpose yards to break the school's career mark in that category. Williams needs 14 yards to reach 1,000 rushing yards for his career.
• Mark Hanabury needs 283 yards to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Ben Behrendt has 13 career field goals, which ranks fifth at Davidson. He needs two more to move into third.
• Head coach Tripp Merritt has moved into a tie for fifth with Homer Smith on Davidson's all-time win chart (24). He is 11 away from fourth place, his former mentor, Tim Landis.
• Davidson has lost eight of its last nine season openers and are 7-3 in its last 10 home openers.
PFL Honors
• Davidson running back Kenny Mantuo has been named the Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.
• The senior was also named FCS Honorable Mention Running Back Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards.
• Mantuo rushed for 181 yards on 34 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown in the Wildcats' 28-27 victory over conference opponent Campbell last Saturday.
Behm Named to 2010 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®
• Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) have named linebacker John Behm to the 2010 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, one of the most prestigious off-the-field honors in college football.
• The award honors the distinguished group of college football players who stand out for the positive influence they have in their communities. Behm is one of 22 players in the country to earn the award and one of 11 from NCAA FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA schools.
• A total of 112 players across all collegiate levels of the sport were nominated for the award by sports information directors on behalf of their teams, the most ever in the 19-year history of the program. From the nominations, a special selection committee named 22 college football players from across the country to the 2010 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.
• A Davidson Bonner Scholar, Behm tutors first and second graders at Davidson Elementary School, participates in the Davidson Housing Coalition, helping to repair homes for the needy, and is active in Adopt a Grand-Friend, which partners senior citizens in the area with Davidson students. He recently helped organize a trip by Davidson football players and cheerleaders to the to the Levine Children's Hospital at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and plans to organize more outings throughout the year.
• During Spring Break last year, Behm volunteered at various community service sites, including orphanages, food banks and soup kitchens, in Atlanta. He also participated in the Big Brother Program and helped raise funds for the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson.
• The two-time Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll selection has played in all 24 games during his Davidson career and recorded 100 tackles (65 solo), 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups and three fumble recoveries for the Wildcats. He leads Davidson in tackles for loss this season with five and has 17 stops overall.
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