Saturday, September 3
Washington, D.C.
6:00 pm
Davidson College Athletics
at
Georgetown
Senior Jonathan Adams had 235 receiving yards in 2010.
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Davidson Football Begins 2011 Campaign Saturday at Georgetown
9/2/2011 4:09:00 AM | Football
Davidson Wildcats (0-0) vs. Georgetown Hoyas (0-0)
Date: Sept. 3, 2011 - 6 p.m.Site: Multi-Sport Field (3,500 capacity) - Washington, D.C.
Audio: Mark Plemmons calls the action on the Davidson Radio Network (1350 AM, online at DavidsonWildcats.com and mobile with the TuneIn Radio App)
Video: Live on Hoyas All-Access at GUHoyas.com
Web sites: Davidson (DavidsonWildcats.com), Georgetown (GUHoyas.com)
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Today's Game
• Davidson opens its 113th season of football as the Wildcats travel to Georgetown for a 6 p.m. contest Saturday.
• The Wildcats return 53 lettermen and 15 starters from the 2010 squad, which went 3-8 overall and 3-5 in the PFL.
• Five of the returning starters were All-PFL selections last year, and sophomore Jonathan Carkhuff was the league's Freshman Offensive Player of the Year.
• The Wildcats are 6-11 in their last 17 road games, dating back to 2008.
• Georgetown returns 63 lettermen and 13 starters from its 2010 team, which went 4-7 overall and 2-3 in the Patriot League.
• The Hoyas were 2-3 at home last season.
• The 'Cats were picked ninth in the PFL preseason poll while Georgetown was picked fifth in the Patriot League.
• Davidson has a winning record in 112 season openers with a mark of 54-53-5 (.508).
• The Wildcats have lost eight of their last nine season openers overall and the last eight season openers on the road. The 'Cats' last road win to start a campaign was a 24-14 victory over Maryville in 1996.
Series Record
• Georgetown leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1999, 5-3.
• The 'Cats won the first two games, and the Hoyas responded with four straight wins from 2001-04.
• The teams have split the last two contests with each winning on the other's home field.
• Georgetown quarterback Scott Darby threw for 130 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 58 yards and another score to lead the Hoyas to a 20-10 football victory over Davidson in the last meeting.
• The victory broke a 12-game losing skid for the Hoyas, dating back to 2008, which included eight in a row on the road.
• Kenny Mantuo rushed for 52 yards and a score for Davidson, and quarterback Matt Heavner, making his fourth career start, threw for 135 yards on 18 completions.
• Tight end Michael Blanchard led the Davidson receiving corps with six catches for 52 yards, and Mantuo caught four passes for 37 markers out of the backfield.
• Peter Kidwell led the defense with nine tackles, including two for loss, as the 'Cats had nine tackles for loss and three sacks as a team. Patrick Moynahan and Daniel Astrop each recorded eight tackles.
• Philip Oladeji had 64 yards on 15 carries, and Chance Logan ran 17 times for 58 yards as Georgetown outgained Davidson 166-46 on the ground. Oladeji added 44 receiving yards on three receptions.
• Davidson took a 10-3 decision in the last meeting on the road in 2005.
• The stout Wildcat defense combined for six sacks that day with Will Funderburg and Jim Walter getting two each.
• Ryan Alexander threw for 165 yards and the 'Cats' lone touchdown of the game, a 10-yard score to Ryan Hubbard.
Head Coach Tripp Merritt
• Seventh season, 26-36 (.419), 19-22 in PFL games (.463).
• Climbing the all-time victory list at Davidson. With 26 wins, he is in sole possession of fifth.
• Coached his 50th career game at Davidson Nov. 7, 2009, a 34-27 Wildcat victory over San Diego.
• Born with spina bifida occulta, which resulted in deformities in his lower spine and nerve damage in his left leg. Doctors told his parents he would never be able to run. He was a two-sport lettermen at Burns High School and still runs 3-4 miles daily.
• 2006 PFL?Co-Coach of the Year. The first Davidson bench boss to earn Conference Coach of the Year honors since Homer Smith in 1969.
• In his second coaching stint at Davidson having served as an assistant for the 'Cats for seven years (1993-99).
• Served as defensive coordinator beginning in 1994, and the Wildcat defense ranked fourth among I-AA (now FCS) schools in total defense and second in scoring defense in 1998 as Davidson won eight games, then a school record.
• After another eight-win season the following year, Merritt left with head coach Tim Landis for St. Mary's (Calif.) for three years, then Bucknell for two seasons.
• 1990 graduate of Charlotte.
• Collegiate coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Western Carolina from 1991-92.
• Graduated from Burns High School in 1986 and coached at Garinger High School in 1990.
• He and his wife, Sara, were married in July of 2007 and reside in Davidson with their daughter, Ellie.
Changes in the Offense
• Three new coaches on offense joined the 'Cats' staff in the spring, and the Wildcats will run the Air Raid offense this year.
• Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Mumme comes to Davidson from McMurry University, where he was the OC for his father, Hal Mumme. Hal developed the Air Raid at Kentucky with Tim Coach as his quarterback, and Matt played behind Tim for the Wildcats.
• McMurry finished the 2010 campaign with a 6-4 record, earning the school's first winning season since 2000, placed second in the nation (D-III) with 3,665 passing yards and led all of college football in touchdown passes with 45.
• Wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator E.J. Henderson comes to Davidson from Princeton.
• Offensive line coach Robert Fickling comes to Davidson from West Texas A&M University.
Preseason Honors
• Linebacker John Behm, receiver Lanny Funsten, defensive back Peter Kidwell and defensive lineman Morgan Popham were named first-team Preseason All-Pioneer Football League by Phil Steele's College Football Preview Magazine.
• All four players earned second-team All-PFL honors from the league for their performances in 2010.
• Behm and Funsten have also been named to the College Football Performance Awards FCS Watch List for their respective positions.
• The Wildcats' longsnapper, Behm earned FCS Preseason All-America honors from the College Sporting News at that position.
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