October 14, 2023

Stellar defense grounds Fleet in 14-10 slog

GREENWOOD, S.C. — It was night of homecomings at JW Babb Stadium, but the host team, Eskine College, had its Homecoming festivities spoiled.

Carson-Newman

3-4

Erskine

0-7

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Carson-Newman (3-4)	0	7	7	0	14
Erskine (0-7)	0	7	0	3	10

VIDEO: Mike Clowney Interview

VIDEO: Highlights

VIDEO: Jayden Sullins Interview

VIDEO: Jomier Augustine Interview

VIDEO: Major Williams Interview

VIDEO: Tyler Curtis Interview

GREENWOOD, S.C. — It was night of homecomings at JW Babb Stadium, but the host team, Eskine College, had its Homecoming festivities spoiled.

Carson-Newman head coach Mike Clowney returned to the field where he began his coaching career as an assistant and defensive coordinator for Greenwood High School and led his Eagles to a 14-10 victory Saturday in a South Atlantic Conference matchup.

It was just the third time in the last 18 years that the Eagles have won when scoring 19 or fewer points (West Georgia in 2005 and Bowie State in the 2019 playoffs are the only other instances).

Clowney coached for Greenwood High School from 1999-2003, winning two South Carolina state titles in the process. His first trip back as a college football head coach resulted in another victory. C-N has ruined the opposing team's Homecoming Game festivities nine times in their last 11 tries.

"We had to stay focused on this game for four quarters, so you don't get to enjoy it like you want to," Clowney said. "There are a lot of good people here in this town, in this area and spend some time with them and enjoy this moment here at the end of the game."

It took a tremendous effort on defense for the Eagles (3-4, 2-2 SAC) to leave with the win. Carson-Newman held Erskine (0-7, 0-5) to just 203 total yards and, in three trips to the redzone, surrendered just three points. It was the fewest yards allowed by the C-N defense since its win over Newberry last season on Oct. 1.

"I thought we made a lot of mistakes in this game," Clowney said. "The big thing was the effort from the defense, making those stops in critical situations. That's what we talk about, week in and week out about competitive greatness — having your best when your best is required. We certainly were able to do that today."

While the Eagles did put the ball in the endzone twice, their biggest problem was putting the ball on the turf. Carson-Newman fumbled the ball five times and lost three in the fourth quarter to keep the Flying Fleet in the game.

"We were sloppy with the football," Clowney said. "We've got to do a better job coaching that. I thought for the most part our guys have been conscientious about taking care of the ball, but for whatever reason today, we were a little lackadaisical with the football. We were probably a little bit off focus at the beginning of the game and that's the type of stuff that happens when you don't come in with the proper mindset."

It didn't help that Erskine's offense ground up clock as well as yards, even if they didn't light up the scoreboard. In the Flying Fleet's lone touchdown drive of the game, they possessed the ball from the 4:17 mark of the first quarter to the 11:29 mark of the second, scoring on a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Craig Pender to Jamaar Moore.

The Eagles answered back on their third and final offensive possession of the first half, with some punishing runs from Cam Ferguson, Tyree Nelson, Jayden Sullins and Tyler Curtis. It was a Curtis five-yard run on a fourth-and-five from the Erskine six yard-line that kept the drive alive. He punched the ball in from the one to cap a 14-play, 70-yard drive to tie the game, 7-7. It would remain there as the teams entered the locker room at halftime.

"They (Erskine) intentionally slow the game down with what they do offensively," Clowney said. "We were moving the ball in the air pretty decent, but we'd have a mistake here or there, so we decided to go back and do what we'd been talking doing about all week, coming out and establishing the run. I thought our running backs and our line did a good job and gave us an opportunity to do that."

The Eagles received the ball to open the third quarter but suffered a disaster on a punt attempt. A bad snap sent C-N punter Andrew Sybert scrambling. With no room to punt, he attempted a pass down the field, but the ball didn't reach the line of scrimmage. An intentional grounding call and a turnover on downs set Erskine up with a first-and-goal at the Carson-Newman seven yard-line. Four plays later they left the field empty-handed, after Eagles cornerback Kendall Williams stopped the Fleet's Jamaar Moore a yard short of the paint on fourth-and-goal.

"Kendall made a lot of really big plays, that tackle down on the goal line inside the one on fourth down," Clowney said. "It was a big-time play. He made a couple of those and that's where he was rising to the moment. He did a great job there."

Kendall Williams wasn't the only Williams to make his presence known on defense, Major Williams, who blew up multiple plays in the backfield as an edge rusher, recorded two sacks to go with eight tackles, a pass break-up and three tackles for a loss. On one rush play for a loss, Williams managed to tackle both Erskine's quarterback and running back as the handoff was made.

"It's definitely different, coming off the edge," Major Williams said. "I had fun. It's something we worked on all camp, getting more of our DBs on the field. It takes a lot. You've got to be big and strong enough to rush and then the speed comes in there. It was just like practice. It was something I did this week (in preparation) and it showed out here. God and the coaches put me in the situation, and I just made the plays."

Kendall Williams, who wrapped his night with seven tackles and one for a loss, was joined on the top end of the stat sheet along with Major Williams, Mekhi Brown and Jomier Augustine. Brown finished with 11 tackles to lead the team, 2.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks of his own. Augustine had 10 tackles and one for a loss in his most significant action of the season.

"We've been waiting for this moment for him (Augustine), Clowney said. "He's a kid that probably would have started in the first game for us, but he got Covid. Then we had other guys come in and perform well. He's done a great job with his attitude, and he's continued to work and battle back. For him to be able to have this moment today is a testament to who he is as a person, to continue to keep his chin and keep fighting. And then to have a day like this, I'm excited for him."

The goal line stand turned into goal line gold for the Eagles. Myers got his back out of the endzone by converting a first down on a nine-yard pass to Jeremiah Carroll. He followed that with a 13-yard pass to Cade Meeks. Two plays later Jayden Sullins found the edge on a pitch from Myers and raced down the field for a 71-yard go-ahead touchdown. It was the first 70-plus yard rush for the Eagles in 1,800 days when Demitri Salisbury reeled one off against UNC-Pembroke on Nov. 10, 2018. It was the first 99-yard scoring drive for Carson-Newman since 2015 and the first TD of Sullins' collegiate career.

"I got the ball on the edge, Jaylen pitched it to me," Sullins said. "Carroll, No. 84, a freshman wide receiver made a great block, and I took it the rest of the way. It was exciting. … I'm glad I found the endzone, finally."

Sullins finished with three carries for 94 yards and the score. Curtis rushed 20 times for 68 yards and a TD. The 41 rushing attempts for the Eagles Saturday broke a record three-game streak where the team rushed less than 30 times in a game.

A C-N fumble gave the Flying Fleet a chance to tie the game at midfield nearly four minutes into the fourth quarter. The Eagles' defense was able to get a stop, but Erskine kicker Dylan Beauford converted a 48-yard field goal to push pull within four.

Carson-Newman fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, setting the Fleet up at the C-N 18 yard-line. With Erskine going for it on fourth-and-three, Major Williams blew up the rushing play up in the backfield for a three-yard loss.

With the ball back and needing to just close out the game with less than seven minutes remaining, C-N drove all the way down to the Flying Fleet 18, only to put the ball on the carpet again. The Eagles defense answered the call one final time, forcing a turnover on downs in four Erskine offensive plays.

"We've got to continue to work and play assignment football," Clowney said. "We've got to take care of the football and we've got to play with better energy."

The Eagles will return to the field next Saturday, Oct. 21, when they return to Burke-Tarr Stadium to face off against the Mars Hill Mountain Lions. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at noon. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports.