September 14, 2012

Preseason SAC favorite Lenoir-Rhyne tangles with Carson-Newman Saturday

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (1-0) football will have had 16 days to prefer for SAC preseason favorite Lenoir-Rhyne (1-1) by the time Saturday rolls around. Eagles head coach Ken Sparks said he hopes that’s enough time to crack the Bears defensive code.

Lenoir-Rhyne

1-2

Carson-Newman

2-0

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Lenoir-Rhyne (1-2)	0	10	7	6	23
Carson-Newman (2-0)	17	6	3	21	47

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (1-0) football will have had 16 days to prepare for SAC preseason favorite Lenoir-Rhyne (1-1) by the time Saturday rolls around.

Eagles head coach Ken Sparks said he hopes that's enough time to crack the Bears defensive code.

"They've been stingy against everybody (defensively)," Sparks said. "You have to earn what you get because they're not going to give it to you.

"We talked about what it took to improve (with the open date) and went back to blocking and tackling and doing a better job there."

Carson-Newman has been held under 200 yards rushing on four occasions over the last two seasons – the Bears have been responsible for two of those games.

The Eagles offense roared out of the gates to start the season in a 56-46 victory over Glenville State (W.Va.). The ground game gathered 477 yards – the best rushing total in Division II for the opening week of the season.

In fact, out of the top five rushers in the South Atlantic Conference four come from Carson-Newman. Brandon Baker (Miami, Fla.), Brandon Haywood (Rockmart, Ga.), Andy Hibbett (Corryton, Tenn.) and Tyron Douglas (Clover, S.C.) all rushed for more than 60 yards in week one. Baker led the charge with a 219-yard game, the first 200-yard game for a C-N back since Nate Inman churned for 280 yards against Tusculum last year.

Keeping the ground game going is imperative for Hibbett.

"What helps us this week is that we've had two weeks to prepare for Lenoir-Rhyne," Hibbett said. "We know exactly what they do in the back of our heads, we just need to go out and play."

Prior to 2010, the Eagles had defeated Lenoir-Rhyne 30 straight times, but the Bears have gotten the better of Carson-Newman the last two times out.

In spite of L-R's recent winning streak, revenge isn't on the mind of senior center Kevin Day (Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.).

"Last year their defensive line absolutely dominated us," Day said. "We couldn't run the ball up the middle for anything. I'm sure there are one or two guys who want to beat L-R for the first time because there are a few guys out there who have never beaten them.

"But we know we have a job to do, it's just a matter of going out there and doing your job correctly."

Lenoir-Rhyne comes to Mossy Creek following a 20-2 victory over Davidson. An opportunistic Bears defense forced four turnovers and is fifth nationally in interceptions with five on the season.

The backend of the secondary is led by safety Michael Green and reigning SAC Defensive Player of the Week Joe Anderson. Division II preseason All-American Demetrius Greene leads the linebacking corps.

Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne kickoff at 1 p.m. Saturday at Burke-Tarr Stadium. The Farm Bureau Tailgate Show starts the broadcast day on the Coca-Cola Eagle Sports Network one hour prior to kickoff at noon. Eagle fans can keep track of the game over the air on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville) and ESPN Radio The Zone (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) or online at cneagles.com.