By: Jared McMurry
Fresh off a season changing win over Liberty in the Big South Conference opener, the Gardner-Webb football team (2-3) will travel to Kennesaw State for their first conference matchup away from Spangler Stadium.
The Owls join the Big South as charter members in football as they support a first-year football program. Despite being a new program, Coach Brian Bohannon has the Owls off to a 4-1 start, and Runnin’ Bulldog coach Carroll McCray knows this team shouldn’t be taken lightly. “We are going to have our hands full with a good football team,” he said at his weekly press luncheon. Kennesaw State poses a triple option threat offensively, which is something the Runnin’ Bulldogs have seen plenty of over the past couple of seasons.
McCray knows that his offense must get things going early for his squad to keep pace with an Owls offense who has put up big numbers on the scoreboard all season long. Against Liberty, quarterback Tyrell Maxwell rushed for 173 yards and threw for another 100. Fans can look for him to continue to carry the load offensively for the Runnin’ Bulldogs. McCray believes that some of they keys to the game remain the same. “Execution is key, and I truly believe it is going to be a tight and gritty ball game,” he said.
Coach McCray expects coach Bohannon and the Owls to have a game plan in motion to win the game; he knows his team must remain focused to come out victorious.
“We are still a very young team who needs to still grow mentally,” he said. “We are really going to have to stay focused to keep this thing going.”
The Runnin’ Bulldogs will be in action at Kennesaw State on Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. The game can be watched on ESPN3.
