Eagles See Playoffs As Second Chance
With a 10-1 record and the top offense in the country last year, Carson-Newman deserved to be in the NCAA Division II playoff field - yet was left out.
This year? The Eagles aren't quite as deserving, but somehow managed to back their way into the postseason.
Despite earning the 20th South Atlantic Conference championship in school history (sharing the crown with Tusculum and Newberry this year), Carson-Newman has been plagued by inconsistent play for the better part of the season.
The Eagles lost three games this season. Two of them came against the teams that Carson-Newman shared the South Atlantic Conference title with. The other was against powerhouse North Alabama by seven points.
Carson-Newman has the top rushing offense in NCAA Division II and is averaging 42.7 points per game.
On the negative side, the Eagles have committed 26 turnovers and rank dead last in the SAC in passing defense.
Those two statistics were evident Saturday against Tusculum as Harlon Hill Trophy candidate Corey Russell completed 29-for-51 for 345 yards while the Pioneers took advantage of three Carson-Newman turnovers.
The Eagles amassed 576 yards of total offense and lost the game.
Head coach Ken Sparks said Sunday night that when he looks back at game film from this season, sometimes his team looks "as good as we've ever been, and then there's times when we're not even a good high school team."
In spite of the roller coaster ride of a season, however, the Eagles were one of 24 teams to make the 2008 Division II playoffs when the bracket was released Sunday afternoon.
Carson-Newman is the No. 6 seed in Super Regional Two and will travel to third-seeded Valdosta State Saturday.
"It doesn't always make sense," Sparks said. "It didn't make sense last year when we were 10-1 and on a roll at the end of the year and didn't get invited to the big dance."
"And this year, we get beat the last ball game (to Tusculum), finishes with three losses, and then get invited. I just hope we realize its a blessing that we get this opportunity to play again."
Before the season started, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Carson-Newman would return to the postseason for the first time since 2004.
With 18 starters back from last year's squad that averaged 49.5 points per game, folks in Jefferson City were talking home playoff games and aspirations of a possible national title.
Fast forward to the present and Carson-Newman is faced with an opening round game on the road against the defending national champions.
Still, Sparks is adamant that the goals for this year's team haven't changed.
"We may have snuck into the playoffs, but we aren't happy with just being there," he said. "A lot of teams would be happy just be make the field, but we are wanting to go and prove that we belong."
"At the same time, we need to be grateful for this. We have new life and we have to go make something happen."
Unlike 2007, the SAC got two teams into the playoffs this year and Carson-Newman proved to be the beneficiary.
Last season there were four conferences in the Southeast Region that the playoff selection committee had to choose from. The NCAA restructured the regions during the offseason and moved the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAA) was moved out making six playoff spots available to three conferences in the new Super Region Two.
"I'm not sure we deserve to be where we are this time," Sparks said. "But our kids are really, really excited about what lies at our doorstep."
Story by Darren Reese, The Standard Banner
