Banged-up Terriers get no break after first loss

Friday, January 1, 1904

Wofford suffered its first loss of the season last Saturday, falling 17-9 in a tense, physical Southern Conference game at Georgia Southern. The Terriers went into the game banged up and came out of it with even more guys at less than 100 percent.

And after making the trip to Statesboro, Ga., last week, the Terriers, who dropped from No. 4 to 9 in the coaches' poll, now get to travel to Boone, N.C., to take on a red-hot No. 11 Appalachian State squad.

"The big thing for us now is to put that [loss to GSU] to bed and get on with the next one," Wofford coach Mike Ayers said. "[Playing the Mountaineers] is another challenge - it's more difficult than the last one - and we're going to have to be a lot better than we were last week if we're going to have a chance."

Wofford senior fullback Eric Breitenstein, the SoCon's leading rusher with 995 yards through six games, left the GSU game late with an ankle injury. According to a Spartanburg Herald Journal report, Breitenstein is probable for this Saturday's game.

The Terriers will get linebacker Mike Niam (knee) back this week, and they will need him against a Mountaineers offense that is getting better by the week -- especially its receiving corps, which is among the best in the SoCon.

"As we saw Saturday, they can make a difference in a ballgame," ASU coach Jerry Moore said of his wideouts, who are led by Andrew Peacock (37 receptions for 391 yards) and Sean Price (34 for 488). Price caught the winning touchdown pass with 22 seconds left to beat Samford 28-25.

Moc not in doghouse

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga running back Keon Williams hasn't played in the Mocs' past two games, wins at The Citadel and Furman. Mocs coach Russ Huesman said the redshirt sophomore isn't in his doghouse and isn't injured.

Instead, Williams is simply behind J.J. Jackson and Kenny Huitt on the depth chart right now. Marquis Green, technically another running back, has played more like a wideout the past few games.

"Keon hasn't done anything wrong - he's not in the doghouse; he's still a great kid - but it's hard to get three guys going," Huesman said.

Williams, a former Red Bank High School standout, is third on the team in rushing with 150 yards. However, he's averaging only 3.1 per carry. Jackson's average is a modest 1.9, but he also has 13 catches (third on the team) for 159 yards.

Extra points

UTC (3-3, 2-1 SoCon) is one of four league teams with one conference loss. Third-ranked Georgia Southern is atop the standings at 4-1. ... Mocs punter Nick Pollard is 20th in the nation, with an average of 42.1 yards per punt.