Redlands Bulldogs vs. George Fox Bruins
Available through Live Stats, Stream, and Audio at www.goredlands.com
The University of Redlands football team looks forward to competing in the friendly confines of Ted Runner Stadium on Saturday, September 17, when the Bulldogs host the George Fox University (OR) Bruins in a non-conference showdown after Rah Rah Redlands. With both teams still searching for their first win of 2016, a lot is at stake in the rematch of in-region foes from a year ago.
During opening week, the Bulldogs suffered a 27-34 loss to Trinity University (TX), while GFU was held scoreless by 12th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
After regrouping in the second half, the Bulldogs showed a lot of heart and grit in their effort on the field and came up just short of the comeback against Trinity.
"We know that we can be effective in both passing and running," stated Head Coach Mike Maynard, who is in his 29th year at the helm. "We showed our ability to compete when down, with terrific grit against Trinity. There was evidence of something intangible that will go a long way for our success this season."
Against Trinity, Redlands racked up 444 yards of total offense, which was 100 yards more than the Tigers. Senior quarterback Paul Avila (Santa Maria, CA) was tabbed the team's offensive player of the week after completing 21-of-27 passes in an efficient showing before being sidelined with an injury. Junior wide receiver Cole Blackburn (Sammamish, WA) served as his top target by racking up a career-high 144 yards.
Junior linebacker Mitch Shepherd (Seattle, WA) provided an unstoppable force as the Bulldogs' defensive player of the week, forcing excellent pressure on the opposing quarterback and tackling all over the field.
After giving up 386 passing yards to Platteville two weeks ago, the Bruins look to make the necessary adjustments in the secondary. In addition, GFU struggled with third-down efficiency in a 2-for-14 effort.
Redlands and George Fox eagerly come off the bye week with high hopes of correcting their early-season missteps during the teams' second-ever meeting on Saturday.
According to Head Coach Mike Maynard, last year's result against GFU has had no influence on his team's mentality or preparation. With the fresh start in mind, the Bulldogs have a lot of respect for the Bruins, especially for their running game, which is very strong and physical.
"Overall, they don't beat themselves with penalties or mistakes," Maynard stated.
Surprisingly, GFU is in just its fourth year of football, following the program's discontinuation in 1969.
Fans should expect them to be built from the lines, out. The Bruins' offense includes a strong running attack with an effective passing game. Their quarterbacks tend to come up with big plays in big moments and manage a versatile and accurate offense.
"They are going to come at us hard," Maynard added.
With Avila out this week, the Bulldogs hope to showcase the talents of their versatile quarterback rotation that likely includes senior Tyler Shreve (Highland, CA) and junior Mitch Kidd (Salinas, CA), who transferred to Redlands from DeAnza College. Shreve brings physical strength in the passing game, while Kidd's versatility provides an ideal of mix of running and passing.
Defensively, Redlands holds high expectations for a talented crew that proved its ability to come up with big, solid tackles during the second half of the Trinity game. Shepherd leads the charge with his all-over-the-field ability.
Redlands also looks to a diversely-skilled group of captains to set the tone for the Maroon and Gray. Senior Tanner Berry (Paso Robles, CA) works to return to action after an injury two weeks ago. This skilled tight end provides a dual threat on offense. Senior linebacker Patrick Neville (Salt Lake City, UT) serves as the emotional leader of the team. With tenacity and determination to always improve, he brings leadership to the sideline as he continues to recover from an injury. Shepherd's ferocious and vocal style of defense bodes well for the Bulldogs. He works to back up his First-Team All-SCIAC honor from last season. Senior wide receiver Kevin Johnson (Discovery Bay, CA) brings a coach-on-the-field perspective as one who has great command of Redlands' playbook.
"Kevin is the glue that holds everything together," Maynard commented. "He is incredibly committed to Bulldog football."
Saturday's kick-off is set for 7:05 p.m.
