August 8, 2015

Better Know the Opponent, Week 6: Brevard

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - This is the sixth part in an 11-part series breaking down each of Carson-Newman football's opponents for the 2015 season. This feature breaks down the Eagles' meeting with a team that recently announced it was moving to Division III – the Brevard Tornados.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - This is the sixth part in an 11-part series breaking down each of Carson-Newman football's opponents for the 2015 season. This feature breaks down the Eagles' meeting with a team that recently announced it was moving to Division III – the Brevard Tornados.

October 10 brings Brevard back to Burke-Tarr Stadium, potentially for the final time. On May 20, the Tornados announced they would be reclassifying to Division III and thus leaving the South Atlantic Conference in two years.

While that move hasn't affected the Tornados approach, Brevard head coach Paul Hamilton said it has affected the program's personnel.

"From a standpoint of our enthusiasm and commitment to the 2015 football season, in no way at all has it affected the program," Hamilton said during the SAC's Digital Media Day. "In fact, it has increased our commitment to be a good football team this fall. There's no question that it has affected some of our younger players--we've lost a few players since the decision was made to eventually move to Division III."

Brevard went 1-10 last year with the only win coming in the finale against the College of Faith. That win still counts, however, the NCAA ruled over the summer that games/statistics/anything of merit from games against College of Faith and other schools of that ilk don't count and are therefore akin to an exhibition game (all games BC plays this year will count).

The good news for Brevard is that they return six starters. The bad news is that they lose the entire backfield of their flexbone offense. Gone are quarterback Tanner Wright, slotbacks Kelvin Jeter and Andre Overholt and record-setting fullback Jordan Ollis.

"I think that our offensive line and the fullback position, even with the loss of Jordan Ollis, are two areas that we feel very good about going into the season," Hamilton said. There's no question that we are looking forward to our redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Gregory having the opportunity to play this season."

Ollis was the team's leading rusher last season, gaining 1,224 yards on 237 attempts with 16 touchdowns. Arvin Berry is the best rusher among the returners. He gained 262 yards with three TDs in eight games off the bench.

Defensively, the Tornados return eight starters returning who will look to improve statistically upon a moribund unit that ceded 428 yards of total offense per game (second to last in the league).

Brevard gave up at least 40 points to their first five opponents of 2014 and didn't hold anyone on the low side of 30 until facing College of Faith in their finale. The Tornados curb stomped the Mighty Believers 66-0.

Hamilton believes the Tornados defense will be vastly improved thanks to an infusion of transfers.

"Defensively, we feel that our front has a chance to be one of the best that we've had here," Hamilton said. "We're excited about the addition of several junior college transfers at the linebacker positions. As far as one player, we really feel like senior free safety Marcus Lunsford has an opportunity to be one of the better defensive football players in our league this year."

The Tornados are tasked with replacing tackle machine linebacker Michael Gruber (who averaged 18 tackles per game in his career against the Eagles). Lunsford was the program's second leading tackler last year with 76 stops.

Carson-Newman's Better Know The Opponent series returns Tuesday with a preview of week seven opponent Newberry.