Paladins Wake Up the Echoes in Remarkable Win (Part 1)

Saturday was 1978 all over again.

Nearly 35 years to the day, Furman earned their first-ever Southern Conference football championship during that remarkable inaugural season under Coach Dick Sheridan. On Saturday, the Paladins pulled off an even more mind-boggling--and record-setting--13th championship.

They beat the Wofford Terriers, their oldest and perhaps most annoying rival, in order to get it. After finishing their part of the job, the post-game scoreboard watching paid off. Samford engineered a miracle comeback to beat Elon and give the Paladins their first automatic playoff bid since 2004, and first playoff appearance since 2006.

It was a terrific day, partially spent greeting old friends with whom I played during my brief and relatively forgettable (at least to everyone else) Furman career. I spoke with Brian Bratton, who was part of the last SoCon championship in 2004; and a winner of the Grey Cup as part of the Montreal team.

I also shook hands with some of the same men that won Furman's first conference title in '78, including current Furman coaches Bruce Fowler, Tim Sorrells and Jimmy Kiser; and former coach Bobby Johnson. I saw a slew of other players that I had once chased around the field for autographs after every Furman game.

I was seven years old at that first championship game. I trudged up the hill to sit on the scratchy concrete bleachers of the old Sirrine Stadium in downtown Greenville, ready to cheer on these college students who seemed like giants to me. Even in those days, Sirrine was a relic, with its rickety wooden field houses and cinderblock steps. It fit the surrounding landscape of a downtown area that was deteriorating and falling behind the times along with Furman's football venue.

This was in the shadow of the plot of land that once housed Furman University, the version that my parents and grandparents once new. It fit into a disappearing world when students could walk to the stadium after visiting Belk Simpson or Meyers-Arnold on what was once a vital Main Street. With the mills closing down and the stores moving out to Haywood Mall, downtown needed something good to happen. Why not a Southern Conference Championship?

I was decked out in whatever purple I had to wear. Affordable Furman merchandise was even harder to come across in those days than it is now. We actually took food into the game with us (Can you believe this was ever allowed?).

For every minute of that day in 1978, I sat on the edge of those concrete bleachers, hoping that Furman would beat their arch-rivals, The Citadel, for the first time in seven years to have a shot at the conference title. We saw Citadel fans wearing t-shirts that said, "Beat the Doo-Doo Out of Furman" as we walked in, forever cementing my spite for the Bulldogs.

(Side note:  I remember my mother being appalled at those t-shirts and that awful language. Yes, even in the 70s, it was a much more genteel time when southern ladies still clutched their pearls at such things. We might be relieved these days if that was the worst thing we heard or saw at a game).

The Paladins had come out of nowhere, under first-year head coach Dick Sheridan, to go 7-3. They needed help to win the conference, but they had to take care of business first.

Across the field was their despised rival and their former head coach, Art Baker. He left Greenville for the head coaching position at The Citadel, an act of treason punishable by making you an outcast at the wine and cheese tailgates of the Furman faithful.

Baker followed the "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" philosophy when he made the move. He didn't win a single game against the Bulldogs while coaching the Paladins, and changing sidelines would not change his luck. Not today.

Halfway through a somewhat lackluster game (this was in the days when football still involved defense), Furman President Dr. John E. Johns left the press box, walked down to the cheerleader microphone stand, took of the purple jacket and grabbed the mic. Apparently, he had enough of the fans saying Bravo! and clapping gently, because he looked at the crowd and said, "We're gonna make some noise!"

He went well beyond the "FU One Time!" cheer. He kept the microphone in hand until Furman's last fateful play.

The Paladins had taken a 17-13 lead on the backs of an old-school defense and methodical offense. But The Citadel had the ball for one final drive, and masterfully moved the ball to a point where they could only become a part of Furman football history.

Furman stopped the 'Dogs on the final play of the game that wasn't the final play of the game. A penalty gave The Citadel the ball at the one-yard line for one more chance with no time left on the clock. An oh, by the way, they had one of the best running backs in the nation in future Pro Bowler Stump Mitchell.

That's when it happened. The Stand.

They didn't exactly have HD in 1978...

Everyone in the stadium new who was getting the ball, and that included Steve Botkin. He was the center of the storm that greeted Mitchell before he even sniffed the goal line, along with just about everyone else. The Furman defense overwhelmed the Bulldogs and made a goal-line stand for the ages. The sidelines and the stadium erupted, players and students rushed the field, and Furman football history changed forever.

The Paladins beat The Citadel in 12 of the next 13 match-ups. They also proceeded to win 11 more conference championships and a national title, things never envisioned before Nov. 18, 1978.

I pulled my mom and dad and somewhat disinterested sister onto the field as fast as I could. I ran with my game program to get autographs from Russell Gambrell and David Kelly (whose injured arm could barely write). Then I found quarterback David Henderson, who said, "Here, want a sweatband?" He tossed it to me like Mean Joe Greene tossing a jersey to some kid with a Coke bottle. And with that fateful toss, his least important of the day, he cemented my eternal passion for Furman football.

The deal was not quite sealed at that point. There was scoreboard watching to do. For some reason, WLOS-13 carried the Western Carolina-Appalachian State game that evening, a game that Furman needed Appalachian to win in order to make their first championship official. I glued myself to our 13-inch screen inside of our wooden console television, hooked up to the stack antenna on the roof. With mom yelling at me to get up and clean my room, I refused to budge until I knew the trophy was officially coming to Greenville.

On Nov. 24, 2013, I was a 42-year old who was once again 7 going on 8. The stadium is on campus rather than downtown, with field turf and a modern, updated facelift being added. But many of the original championship players from the relic of Sirrine were still there, including Furman coaches Bruce Fowler, Tim Sorrells and Jimmy Kiser. I shook hands with Steve Williams, Bruce Lancaster, and Charlie Anderson, the same guys that I chased for autographs after every Furman game when they wore the diamond F. I also had the honor of shaking hands with guys like Don Clardy, Fred Sturgis, and Kevin Welmaker, with whom I wore the uniform during my brief and relatively uneventful career.

This time, I sat on the edge of my metal-backed seat, and took pictures with my iPhone as someone unveiled the numbers "2013" on the field house, under the sign heading that said "Southern Conference Championships". And I followed ESPN Game Cast as I sat at the restaurant, waiting for confirmation that Samford would beat Elon, giving Furman the title and the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.

I don't think I was one bit less excited than I was in 1978. And I am forever grateful to that group of players who tolerated annoying little kids and overcome everyone's lack of expectations to begin a history that culminated in the unlikeliest of championships last Saturday.

Like the Originals, the 2013 edition of Furman football came out of nowhere to earn a championship, to prove that they had grit and perseverance beyond anyone's expectations. This group continues the legend of the 1978 Paladins by simply refusing to believe that it can't be done.

Win in Charleston Was a "Must" for Bruce Fowler

When Furman and The Citadel renewed the longest rivalry in Southern Conference history last Saturday, much was at stake for both teams. As much as the Bulldogs needed the victory, the stakes were much higher for the men from the Upstate.

And you can double that for Paladin head coach Bruce Fowler.

Oh, Furman wasn't going to "Kiffin" him or anything, and fire him by the Bell Tower right after he rolled back onto campus. But that doesn't change the fact that Fowler has to be looking over his shoulder by now, especially when he is a blocked field goal away from being 0-3 against the Big South.

While Furman is not Southern Cal, their fans and boosters occasionally suffer from what one might call "88 Syndrome". It's the same disease that is sometimes found in heavily orange sections of Pickens County, where it is known as "81 Syndrome". During the days of Dick Sheridan and that eventual National Championship in 1988, the Paladin faithful became a little curmudgeonly and a bit spoiled.

So the calls for the end of Bruce Fowler's tenure have started to rumble, even at a school like Furman. But Saturday's win might quiet them, at least a little.

The problem is that to many fans think these are still the days of Sheridan, the man who coached Fowler as a player and truly began the Furman football tradition in the late 1970s. Just get the smartest players you can find, get them in the weight room, play disciplined football and you can overcome the obvious obstacles that Furman faces in enrollment, recruiting, volume of fan base, etc. I mean, it worked in 1985 and 1988 and 2001, right?

But these are not the days of Sheridan. Everyone is in the weight room, studying film, and executing on offense at a maximum level. All-time Furman greats like Stanford Jennings or Chas Fox, or even Louis Ivory and Ingle Martin, don't often slip through the recruiting cracks these days. Bruce Fowler is a throwback to Sheridan, but he's still learning to operate in a vastly different era.

Add in the fact that the Paladins are carrying 44 true or redshirt freshmen on their roster and have only a sophomore quarterback with any game experience. Starter Reese Hannon spent time on the bench Saturday night with his second injury in four games. It's pretty hard to cut him loose to do all that he can do.

The good news last Saturday is that the young players stepped up big-time on Saturday night, including Hannon's true freshman backup QB Duncan Fletcher. It's one more indicator that Fowler's group is growing up a little, and nothing builds confidence than winning games.

Last season, Furman could not close out games, even when they had a lead. In their last two contests, they've held off a charge from their opponents and finished the task to even their record at 2-2.

Fowler's team needs to go at least 5-6 this year. With the win over the Bulldogs and a struggling Elon team coming to town this Saturday, they are giving themselves an opportunity to get there. No one considers that a satisfactory record, and certainly it's nowhere close to anyone's expectations for the program. But it's realistic progress for a team and a coach that are building in a brand new era.

The fans need to show some patience here, and enjoy the progress that this experience-challenged team is making. After all, this is not 1988, and Bruce Fowler needs the time to build a new era of Paladin football.

Furman Still Trying to Exorcise 2012 Demons

A lot of factors went into the Southern Conference disaster last Saturday on opening weekend. It's a little early to say that the Big South has passed the SoCon--it's week one, after all--but it certainly does not bode well for the remainder of the season.

South Carolina SoCon teams went 0-2 against their "little brother" conference, and they are pretty embarrassed about it. The Citadel took it on the chin to a school in their own town, as Charleston Southern pulled a huge upset. Furman at least had to drive an hour to take their beating, losing 28-21 to Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, NC.

It stung even that much more because the Bulldogs are coached by former Paladin assistant and all-around good guy Carroll McCray. But I'm sure it was all the more than sweet for him.

The most obvious truth that came out of that game was that Furman looked very 2012 in its performance. Very, very 2012.

Once again, the Paladins had the lead at halftime. Once again, they failed to hold that lead beyond the third quarter, and absolutely collapsed late in the game. They couldn't move the ball, much less stop the Bulldogs from moving it.

Let us assume that the offense deserves a bit of a break, as it unexpectedly started true freshman Dillon Woodruff in place of second-year starter Reese Hannon (abominable strain). The offensive line did not have its best night, and there was some mediocre work by the running backs on pass protection. The team looked very "vanilla" and inconsistent overall in producing only 213 yards and 7 first downs.

Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that this will all change with Hannon's return against Coastal Carolina (another Big South foe). The defense is another story, and there doesn't appear to be a savior on the horizon.

For two and a half quarters, they were fast, tough, and aggressive. They pressured the quarterback and stuffed the run. A core of young linebackers, led by Cory Magwood's 18 stops, look to have a very bright future. Unfortunately, the future doesn't help them get rid of those demons in 2013.

Receivers still ran wild and free through the secondary, particularly in the second half. The defensive backs played well off the line of scrimmage, yet still managed to let Bulldog receivers run right through the middle for receptions of 54 and 49 yards, both in third and long situations.

Speaking of third down, Furman has to learn how to play beyond the first two snaps if they hope to have any success. The Bulldogs ran 82 total plays, largely because of converting 10-20 third and fourth down attempts. Most of those were conversions of more than six yards. While the talent looks good, at least up front, they are young and thin. The move of Gary Wilkins from linebacker to defensive end made this obvious.

In 2012, the Furman offense came out of the gate firing in almost every game, including a stellar first half performance against Clemson in Hannon's first start. But they obviously pared down the playbook to accommodate Hannon's inexperience, and opponents had them figured out by the third quarter. That has to change in order to keep the chains moving and give some rest to a defense that does not have a ton of experienced depth on the front seven.

The defense wore down once again on Saturday as the offense staggered towards the finish line. Again, Hannon's return should help a lot. But there is no Jerodis Williams or Colin Anderson on which to depend, and the new guys will have to step up to allow the offense to be more diverse. The coaching staff will have to trust whoever the quarterback is, and will have to install more halftime adjustments on both sides of the ball to keep opponents off-balance.

It is only one game, the first for a young defense and a true freshman QB. But if the Paladins hope to improve sooner rather than later, they have to learn how to finish as well as they start. That means the young players have to grow up in a hurry, and the coaching staff has to push them--and trust them--to do that, particularly in the second half of games.

The Paladins need to start this Saturday. Otherwise, Furman will be 0-2 against the Big South, and the same demons that haunted them in 2012 might hang around one more season.

SoCon Desperate for Furman, Citadel to Step Up

Nothing in the state of South Carolina will ever touch the intensity of the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry, particularly in the current era where both schools are nationally prominent. In the late 80s and early 90s, Furman-Citadel was about as close as you could get to a small school equivalent.

During those years, both games often occurred on the same Saturday in November. The Greenville News had a section on the sports page entitled "Braggin' Rights", where they would drown the front page in orange and garnet. From 1988-1992, they had a section called "Braggin' Rights Too", where they offered more coverage than ever to Furman and The Citadel.

In those five meetings, the Southern Conference title was on the line three times, with playoff births at stake four times. Both teams were ranked number one in the nation during these years. If the conference hopes to continue as a football power, they desperately need both teams to step back up to that level.

The ongoing carnage of the departures to FBS, the SoCon is counting on East Tennessee State, Mercer, and VMI to fill the void. That's two schools that didn't have football until 2013, one school that lost its football program, and three schools that have exactly zero conference titles and one playoff appearance in the last 30 years.

The Citadel has invested in significant facilities upgrades, and Coach Kevin Higgins has returned them to the triple option offense that led to their success in the early 90s. After last year's 7-4 campaign that included wins over scholarship-heavy Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, the Bulldogs have a chance to make a lot more noise in 2013.

It is a mystery to me why the Bulldogs were picked 4th in the preseason coach's poll and 5th in the media poll, unless it involves the heightened expectations at Samford and Chattanooga. I would not be at all stunned if the Bulldogs ended up with the second slot at the end of the season. Hopefully, that record will be enough to get them into the FCS playoffs.

Chalking up another round of wins at ASU, Georgia Southern or both would certainly help.

Furman is engaged in its own significant facilities upgrade. After a promising start to Bruce Fowler's tenure in 2011, Furman slid to 3-8 last season. Part of this can be attributed to the NCAA's peculiar--but not surprising--decision to deny Chris Forcier an extra year of eligibility. It can also be attributed to starting a freshman quarterback, and having a defense that regularly collapsed in the second half.

Will completing this project help Furman get back to the top?

Furman led in practically every game last season but couldn't close the deal. It remains to be seen if true sophomore Reese Hannon can learn to finish as well as he started. Much will also depend on how quickly the 13 defensive signees from last year's recruiting class can contribute.

While they found a gem in Hannon, the Paladins lost over 3000 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns (including kick returns) with the departure of WR Will King, TE Colin Anderson, and all-world/all-everything Jerodis Williams. (Side note:  Both Anderson and Williams are currently fighting for roster spots with the Minnesota Vikings).

There is cautious optimism that the Paladins can start climbing back up the ladder this year, although they are not expected to challenge for a conference title or playoff berth. But one thing is certain:  Coach Bruce Fowler knows Furman, knows the SoCon, and knows how to win. In the chaotic atmosphere of the changing of the SoCon guard, anything can happen. At the very least, Paladin fans are hoping that a renewed commitment to the football program will pay off sooner rather than later.

The Southern Conference is hoping for the same thing, kind of a "Back to the Future" deal with both of these schools. With the "big boys" (in their minds at least) leaving, someone needs to step up to keep the conference in the two and three-bid range in football. Chattanooga and Samford have yet to prove that they can be consistent. If Furman and The Citadel cannot step it up, then Wofford may be the only hope.

And Mike Ayers can't coach forever.  Can he?

Furman Should Go Out on a Limb with their Next Basketball Hire

Once again, Furman basketball is jumping on the coaching carousel.

After a rather forgettable 85-131 record over his career, Furman coach Jeff Jackson is stepping down. His career concluded with a horrible 7-24 this past season. Any hope for the season snapped on February 2, when the Paladins blew an 18-point second half lead to The Citadel.

Yes, that's right. 18-point lead. Against The Citadel. Still lost.

After that, the Paladins lost their last ten regular season games. In fact, they barely showed up prior to an upset win over Samford in the Southern Conference tournament. As much as I hate it for Jackson and his family, this ending looked more and more inevitable with every dismal performance.

Jackson is a brilliant man, a good basketball mind, and a mediocre promoter for a sport that hasn't had any enthusiasm in Greenville for years. This is not the 1970s, and a basketball coach at Furman has to be a promoter if there is going to be any development in the program. Students and fans have very little reason to show up, other than the unlimited food that comes with your ticket.

Yes, that's correct. Furman is so desperate to draw fans that they give away concessions in order to put people in the seats. That's a pretty good indication that the next basketball coach needs to have "showmanship" on their resume.

And that's exactly why Furman should hire Bruce Pearl.

Okay, so Pearl brings with him just a bit of baggage. As in a U-Haul full of it. If Furman hires him, they must allow sanctions levied against Pearl in 2011 to come along with him. This means that Pearl cannot recruit unless the athletic department decides to challenge the NCAA's rulings.

Well, so what? Pearl can recruit through his assistants. He can send game tape from his NCAA appearances with Milwaukee-Wisconsin and Tennessee. And after all, it would only be for one season. The only problem is that the restrictions may also keep the Paladins from participating in the NCAA tournament.

Once again, so what? Furman hasn't played in the NCAAs since 1980, and they're nowhere close to changing that right now. And, so what if he leaves after one or two seasons for a bigger program? That could be one or two better seasons than Furman has seen in decades.

The biggest thing that Bruce Pearl would bring is excitement and enthusiasm, something lacking since before the infamous Rich Cantafio Fiasco in the 1990s. He would bring fast-paced, high energy basketball to Timmons Arena. I can already see the sweat soaking through that purple sports coat.

Imagine the press conferences. Imagine the energy that he could generate in a student body that's lukewarm when their teams are winning. Can you imagine Pearl cooperating with energetic women's coach Jackie Smith Carson, as he did with Pat Summit at UT?

Obviously, there are plenty of potential issues with this. But it would be hard to imagine a more exciting, headline-grabbing, attention-getting and energy-generating hire than Pearl.

I clearly know that there is almost no chance for this to even be considered, even if it was possible. But at least it's "outside the box" for the typically conservative athletic department at Furman.

After 33 years of futility, maybe outside the box is exactly where Furman basketball needs to go. They won't go there with Pearl, but perhaps they'll go there with someone else. Unless the Paladins are willing to get a little unconventional, the only empty box around campus will be Timmons Arena.

Pittsburgh Places Cortez Allen in the Driver's Seat

No one seems to have a clue what the Pittsburgh Steelers are doing during the offseason. Least of all the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The commentators just keep saying, "This is what the Steelers do" and "You have to trust their front office." Well, that trust is eroding in a hurry this offseason. The Steelers have released James Harrison, re-signed octogenarian linebacker Larry Foote, and let Mike Wallace walk. Emmanuel Sanders looks to be headed for New England. And they let up-and-coming cornerback Keenan Lewis sign with New Orleans for what amounts to a bag of peanuts and some type of fermented chicken drink.

Thus enters Cortez Allen.

The two-year corner from The Citadel is about to become the lead dog in the Pittsburgh Steeler secondary. Oh, it doesn't mean that he is suddenly the most important player, not with the likes of Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Troy Polumalu still skulking around. But he's pretty darn close.

And the Steelers' success in 2013 may hinge on him more than any of the previously mentioned big dogs.

Allen obviously made a huge impression on the Steelers and their coaching staff over the last two years, or they never would have allowed Lewis to walk. In just three starts in 2012, Allen had 10 passes defended, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles to go with 55 tackles. (This also includes time on special teams and in nickel/dime packages).

But his most impressive performance came in a game where his statistics were not spectacular.

He was spectacular against the Super Bowl champion Ravens in a December contest at Baltimore. Yes, he got beat a couple of times, but it took long-ball master Joe Flacco a lot of shots before he finally connected. Flacco was 1 for 6 going deep on him, and that's pretty impressive.

Allen ran stride for stride with Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin for most of the game. And don't think that Steeler head man Mike Tomlin, a former defensive backs coach, didn't notice.

This season, a large part of the Steelers success (or potential lack thereof) will depend on Allen. If he stays healthy, he could be the hinge that swings Pittsburgh above the .500 mark. Not only that, but he could suddenly become an "honorable mention" candidate among the current and former greats in the Steeler secondary.

And "honorable mention" among that group is pretty darn good, especially for a Southern Conference star out of The Citadel. Here's to hoping that Cortez Allen can develop into one of the great draft bargains of all-time.

Because if he doesn't, Pittsburgh will find themselves sitting at home again come January 2014.