2008 Record 9-2 .818 Overall 7-0 1.000 Conference Location: LaGrange, GA Head Coach: Todd Mooney (Ohio) Stadium (cap.): Callaway (5200) Conference: IND Region: South 2009 Schedule

The 2009 LaGrange College football program looks to continue building on last year’s ultra-successful season. The Panthers will have their first four-year senior class and return 19 starters from a 9-2 team that reached the NCAA Division III playoffs after going undefeated in winning the St. Louis Intercollegiate Conference. The Panthers will return to the independent ranks in 2009 after the SLIAC dropped sponsorship of football.
Schedule
The Panthers will continue to play a very competitive schedule in 2009. The Panthers open the season at Callaway Stadium against Birmingham Southern. The Panthers edged Birmingham Southern 34-31 in last season’s opener for the program’s first ever win. The Panthers go on the road the second week against in-state rival Shorter in the annual Governor’s Cup game. The Hawks are ranked 11th in the pre-season NAIA top 25 poll after finishing 9-3 in 2008. The Panthers return to Callaway Stadium for back-to-back home games against Maryville and Wesley. The Panthers defeated Maryville on the road last season, while the Wolverines of Wesley reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs and are pre-season ranked in the top-25 in the major Division III polls. The Panthers go on the road against NCAA Division II member Lincoln (Mo.) before returning to face MacMurray at Callaway Stadium. The Panthers downed MacMurray 49-30 on the road last season. The Panthers go back on the road to take on the Red Devils of Eureka. The Panthers won 63-19 at Callaway Stadium last season. Westminster returns to Callaway Stadium for the second straight season for Homecoming. The Panthers downed the Blue Jays 37-20 in 2008. The Panthers close out the regular season with back-to-back road trips to arch-rival Huntingdon and to Greenville after an open week. The Panthers downed the Hawks 27-17 at Callaway Stadium last year for the SLIAC crown. The Panthers stopped Greenville 20-6 at Callaway Stadium last season.
Offense
Quarterback
Junior quarterback Drew Carter re-wrote many of the Panther passing records in 2008. He has started all 21 games over the last two seasons and has established himself as a team leader. Carter led an offense that was 10th in Division III in scoring, averaging 39.7 points per game, while averaging over 400 yards per game of total offense. The Dalton, Ga. native threw for 2,282 yards, 26 touchdowns and completed 51.2 percent of his passes. He engineered the winning drive against Birmingham Southern in last season’s opener, throwing a touchdown pass with 26 seconds left to give the Panthers their first ever win.

Running Backs
Senior Mario Wallace is the Panthers’ leading returning rusher for the third straight season. Wallace was the SLIAC Offensive Player of the Year after a record-breaking year where he rushed for 1,020 yards, rushed for 6.2 yards per carry, had 13 rushing touchdowns and finished the season with 15 touchdowns overall. He finished the season 16th nationally in Division III, averaging 167.2 all-purpose yards per game. Wallace led the SLIAC in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yards. Senior Colt Shope, who is primarily a receiver, was third on the team with 324 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Offensive Line
The Panthers will have three seniors and a junior returning as starters on the offensive line. Junior tackle Jon Milner was a first team All-SLIAC selection and was named to the third team on the D3football.com South Region team. Senior Matt Hyde was a second team All-SLIAC pick at left tackle. Joining Milner and Hyde are senior center Aaron Hill along with senior guards Ryan Bass and Chris Bender. The offensive line has over 90 starts as a group. The offensive line allowed only 13 quarterback sacks last season, while opening up the running game that had a school-record 2,033 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns. Guard Andrew Pupo has the most experience of eight sophomore linemen returning.
Receivers
The Panthers had 14 receivers with at least one catch last season. They return eight of their top 10 receivers, led by first team All-SLIAC performer Stephen Tuck. The junior led the team with 31 receptions for 422 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Devin Billings had 30 catches for 330 yards and five touchdowns. He had the winning touchdown catch against Birmingham Southern. Shope, a duel threat, added 24 receptions for 337 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Nick Langley was a second team All-SLIAC selection and had a team-high seven touchdown receptions on just 19 catches. Senior Tripp Duke led the tight ends last year with 15 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow senior Jake White also saw significant action in 2008, appearing in 11 games and totaling six receptions.

Defense
Defensive Line
Senior defensive end Alex Sapp and junior defensive tackle Drew McAdams were first team All-SLIAC selections in 2008. The pair helped anchor a defense, ranked 181st in Division III in total defense in 2007, move up to 37th last season. McAdams led the defensive line for the second straight season with 38 total tackles. He had 7.5 tackles for loss, including two quarterback sacks. Sapp led the SLIAC and was ranked 75th in Division III with seven quarterback sacks. He had 34 total tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss. Senior defensive end George Okpani finished with 24 total tackles and three quarterback sacks. Junior Andrew Christie lines up beside McAdams at the other defensive tackle position. Christie played in all 11 games with 10 total tackles. The Panthers have plenty of depth on the defensive line. Junior W.C. Yates had 16 total tackles in 11 games. Junior Kyle Armstrong appeared in all 11 games, making 13 total tackles, including five for loss. Another junior, Joe White, appeared in 10 games last season.
Linebackers
Senior strong side linebacker Richard Okpani will be starting for the fourth straight season. The SLIAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, Okpani tied for the team lead with 53 total tackles. He led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss. Okpani is joined by fellow seniors Josh Britt and Justin Strickland. Britt, the middle linebacker tied with Okpani for the team lead in total tackles, while recording nine tackles for losses. Strickland had 35 total tackles from his weak side linebacker position. Sophomore Chris Prewett had a solid first season in 2008. Prewett had 18 total tackles in nine games last season.
Secondary
The Panthers’ secondary led the SLIAC and was 22nd in Division III last season, surrendering only 148.7 yards passing per game. Senior safety Jeremy Pickens earned first-team All-SLIAC honors in 2008. He led the Panthers’ secondary with 48 total tackles, nine pass breakups and four fumble recoveries. Junior safety Tim Hill led the team with three interceptions. He had 36 total tackles, including seven for losses. Senior cornerback Joe Frye played in all 11 games with four starts. He had 10 total tackles and three pass breakups. Seniors Tim Fulton and Cordaryl Strickland along with junior George Lankford and sophomore Nick Griffin will all contribute in 2009.
Kickers
Junior Josh Stripling was the SLIAC Special Teams Player of the Year in 2008. Stripling set numerous team records last season handling all of the kicking duties. Stripling made 43-of-49 extra points and 9-of-15 field goals. He averaged 36.2 yards per punt and had 10 kicks downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Stripling averaged 60.2 yards with 12 touchbacks on kickoffs. Sophomore Jeremy Herring backs up Stripling. Herring hit 5-of-6 extra points.