BREVARD, N.C. – The Brevard College football program kicks off its much-anticipated Spring 2021 schedule of competition on Saturday as the Tornados head to Montgomery, Alabama to take on Huntingdon College in a pivotal USA South Conference West Division matchup, with action beginning at 2 p.m.
Live video will be made available courtesy of Huntingdon College. Fans can watch the live action at youtube.com/
As a safety measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only students, faculty and staff, as well as essential game personnel, will be permitted at outdoor sporting events during the Spring 2021 semester. No outside spectators will be permitted for any athletics event. The policy is in accordance with the USA South Conference's policy announced on February 5, 2021.
The Tornados return a bevy of talent from their historic 2019 team that capped off a program-best 8-2 season with a victory in the ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl in Pittsburgh. Junior quarterback Dalton Cole earns the starting nod under center, as the 2018 USA South Offensive Freshman of the Year will look to once again lead Brevard’s offense that includes several newcomers in the receiving core. Cole posted a solid sophomore campaign to add to his impressive freshman season, as the Hendersonville, North Carolina native threw for 1,548 yards and tallied 11 passing touchdowns while adding 238 yards on the ground and six rushing scores to his ledger. BC’s offense returns its two leading rushers – Damon Rouse and Aaron Bennett – who combined for over 800 rushing yards and seven scores in 2019. Senior wide receiver Jamerial Parks totaled 248 yards and four touchdowns in Brevard’s 10 games a season ago. The Tornado offense also returns a veteran offensive line led by junior Justin Parker who garnered USA South Football All-Conference Second Team honors in 2019.
Brevard returns a majority of a defense that broke numerous school records in the 2019 campaign. Senior defensive back Dante Anderson and senior linebacker Steffon Canady, who both received numerous conference and national accolades while leading BC’s historic 2019 defense, look to build upon impressive junior campaigns. Anderson was named to the USA South Football All-Conference First Team while also being selected All-ECAC First Team and a nominee for the prestigious Cliff Harris Award. Canady was named the Most Valuable Player in BC’s 42-28 victory in the Scotty Whitelaw Bowl on top of an All-ECAC First Team selection, a USA South Football All-Conference Second Team nod, and joining teammate Anderson as a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award.
Anderson was the Tornados’ leading tackler (81 total tackles) in 2019, while the senior also forced a pair of fumbles and grabbed two interceptions with 11 pass breakups. Canady racked up 66 tackles alongside a team-best 11.5 sacks – including a record-tying four-sack performance in BC’s bowl victory – to go alongside a forced fumble. Joining Canady in the linebacker core is returning junior Chris Diaz, who ranked third on the Tornados with 48 total tackles. Senior defensive back Wesley Ross returns after placing fourth on the team with 45 career tackles alongside of three interceptions in 2019. Sophomore defensive back Joc Pledger tied for the team lead in interceptions a year ago with four, while junior defensive lineman Jerome Bass ranked second in 2019 with 3.5 sacks. Bass, along with returning senior defensive back Quentin Jackson, each earned national recognition garnering spots on D3Football.com’s “Team of the Week” last season, while Pledger joined several teammates in earning weekly honors from the USA South.
Brevard's 2019 defense far-and-away led its conference throughout the regular season with a school-record 19 interceptions, 23 turnovers, 105 points allowed, and 11.7 points-per-game allowed. Moreover, Brevard allowed the third-fewest rushing yards-per-game and scored four touchdowns on defense, which was tied for the lead in the USA South.
In addition to these conference-leading numbers, BC's 19 interceptions finished the 2019 regular season tied-for-third in all of NCAA DIII Football, trailing just Redlands (23) and Martin Luther (21) while being tied with four other schools.
Brevard's vaunted defense finishes the 2019 campaign with 21 interceptions, 25 total turnovers, 133 points allowed, and 13.3 points allowed-per-game.
Junior kicker Stamati Damalos, the Tornados leading point-scorer in 2019, returns alongside senior long-snapper Brandon Whitfield and sophomore kicker Damon Hewitt to round out a veteran special teams group for Brevard.
Huntingdon, the defending champions of the USA South Conference, looks to build upon a highly successful 2019 season that saw the Hawks defeat Berry College in the first round of the 2019 NCAA DIII Football Playoffs. The Hawks are under the direction of longtime Head Coach Mike Turk.
Brevard College will play a total of five conference contests against USA South West Division foes Huntingdon College and Maryville College this Spring, facing each opponent in a home-and-home format leading up to the USA South Conference Football Championship game played in April. Those teams not reaching the championship game will compete that day as well in a fashion that is yet to be determined.
BC continues its USA South campaign the following weekend when the Tornados host Huntingdon on Saturday, March 13 at 1 p.m., followed by an open weekend. Brevard's conference slate concludes on Saturday, March 27 when the Tornados visit Maryville, Tennessee to play the Scots at 2 p.m.
The Spring 2021 USA South Football championship game, the first in League history, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 3, and will consist of the East Division and West Division champions at a site to be determined. Those teams not reaching the championship game will compete that day as well in a fashion that is yet to be determined.
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