Camel Foe – Week 9, Morehead State

Campbell’s rough season got even rougher last weekend with a 28-21 homecoming loss to previously winless Davidson. Davidson raced out to a 14-0 1st quarter lead on the strength of two Jonathan Carkhuff touchdown passes. The Camels failed to score in the first quarter for the 7th straight game. Two more TDs in the 3rd quarter gave Davidson a seemingly insurmountable 28-0 lead. However, the Camels finally got on the scoreboard :06 into the 4th quarter on a Brandon Chandler 9-yard run. QB Dakota Wolf capped a 10-play, 87-yard drive with a 3-yard run to cut the margin to 28-14 with 4:12 left in the game. After a failed onside kick, the Camels’ defense stiffened, sacking Carkhuff twice and forcing a 3-and-out. Campbell then marched 84 yards in 10 plays with Wolf again scoring, making it a 7-point game with 1:16 remaining. However, the onside kick again failed and Davidson escaped with a 28-21 victory.

The Camel passing game again sputtered as Wolf was just 8 of 22 for 80 yards and 1 interception. The ground game accounted for 236 yards with Wolf leading the way, gaining 154 yards on 22 attempts and the 2 TDs. Chandler added 71 yards and 1 score. Kurt Odom was the leading receiver with 3 grabs for 31 yards. Steth Monore paced the defense with 12 tackles and Michael Rudisill added 11. Isaac Scott had a huge day rushing the passer with 3 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Davidson outgained Campbell 404-316, gaining 340 of those yards through the air.

This weekend, the Camels hit the road to face Morehead State.

Morehead State University

Location: Morehead, KY (population: 6,845 as of 2010 census)

Established: The school was founded in 1887 as Morehead Normal School, a church-supported teacher-training school. It was taken over by the state in 1922. The school’s name changed as its mission broadened—to Morehead State Normal School and Teachers College in 1926, Morehead State Teachers College in 1930, Morehead State College in 1948 and Morehead State University in 1966.

Enrollment: ~10,200

Nickname: Eagles.

Mascot: Beaker. Watch Beaker get excited for the career fair or tripping over his own feet. Or have your kid become one of Beaker’s Buddies.

Affiliation: MSU is a charter member of the Ohio Valley Conference in NCAA Division I and sponsors 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women, with all sports except football competing in the OVC.

Random Fact #1: The 2013 edition of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report named MSU one of the top 25 public universities in the South.MSU has also become one of only four universities in the U.S. to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in space science.

Random Fact #2: The coed and all-girl cheerleading squads have won a combined 32 national championships.

Random Fact #3: At the 2011 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament, 13th-seeded Morehead State upset Louisville 62-61. The Eagles then faced 12th-seeded Richmond in the third round, which was only the ninth time in tournament history that a 12–13 match-up occurred in the round of 32.

Random Fact #4: MSU has claimed the state’s best computer-student ratio in its computer laboratories, as well as offering students a program to lease university owned laptops while enrolled. The campus is ranked among the safest in the nation.

Notable Alumni:

• former MLB 2B Denny Doyle
• Denver Nuggets F Kenneth Faried
• professional bowlers Liz Johnson and Kelly Kulick
• MLB pitcher Jon Rauch
• former NFL QB and current broadcaster Phil Simms
• former MLB pitcher Walt Terrell
• former college football coach and current broadcaster Mike Gottfried
• game show host Chuck Woolery

Notable natives of Morehead, KY:

• None listed

Oh yeah, the Football Team:

• Morehead State is 1-6 (0-4 in the PFL) and has lost 6 consecutive games following a 55-0 season-opening win over Southern Virginia. Both teams have lost to Drake (MSU 28-25 and CU 35-7) and Butler (MSU 39-35 and CU 35-14).
• Morehead State was picked 8th in the preseason coaches poll, ahead of only Valparaiso and Davidson.
• The teams have split the 4 previous games with each team winning twice at home. Campbell took last year’s contest 41-31 after losing in double overtime in 2010.
• The Eagles suffered a heartbreaking 39-35 loss to Butler last weekend after leading by 17 points in the 4th quarter. The offense put up 505 yards but the team could not hold the 3-score lead late in the game.
• QB Zach Lewis threw for 254 yards and 1 TD while Rees Macshara ran for 116 yards. Kevin Thomas and Brandon Bornhouser combined for 3 short TD runs.
• Donte Sawyer led the receiving corps with 9 catches for 92 yards and 1 TD while MacShara added 8 for 85.
• Dillion Blackburn led the defense with 11 tackles and 1.5 TFL.
• Head Coach Matt Ballard is in his 19th season as head coach at Morehead State. The school won four straight PFL South Division titles from 2002 to 2005. He also spent 6 seasons as the head coach at Union College (KY). He also spent time as an assistant at Gardner-Webb, Georgetown (KY) and Morehead State.
• Defensive line coach Chris Garner won an NAIA national title while playing for Findlay. Offensive line coach Matt McCutchan was a 3-year starter on the line for Kentucky.
• Stat Leaders:
  • Passing
    • Lewis – 177 of 281 for 1,826 yards with 14 TD and 9 INT
  • Rushing
    • Macshara – 86 carries for 492 yards (2 TD)
    • Thomas – 4 TD (7 carries, 9 yards)
  • Receiving
    • Sawyer – 47 receptions, 471 yards, 4 TD
  • Defense
    • Hendrix – 84 tackles
    • Aaron Meadows – 8.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks
    • 3 players have 1 INT each
    • Kameron Scott – 13 pass breakups
    • Nick McCune – 2 forced fumbles
• Best Name Nominees:
  • K Rainer Duzan, QB Boone Goldsmith, SLOT Cyrus Stahm, DB Rayquan Sam, LB Russell Wilson, WR Shade Whitfield,
  • The winner – RUSSELLWILSON!!!

Prediction:

For the second week in a row, the Camels take on a team with a poor record. This matchup of 1-6 teams will give one team its first conference victory. The Camels also play winless Valparaiso later this season so opportunities for wins still exist, but the team must play better. The lack of any semblance of a passing attack has no doubt hurt the running game this season. QB Jordan Wolf is a threat on the ground but the offense has not done enough to win. The defense has had its ups and downs also, playing well only in stretches. If scores against common opponents means anything (and it’s debatable how much) the Eagles have to be favored here. For the 3rd or 4th week in a row, I am predicting a Fighting Camels point in the 1st quarter – after all, they can’t go the whole season without scoring in the opening period, right? However, the Eagles offense, which put up over 500 yards on Butler last week will have another fine day. I predict the Camels leaving Morehead unhappy after a 30-17 Eagles triumph.