Todays Blue and White- July 29, 2011

Today’s Blue & White
The Citadel Brigadier Foundation’s Official Electronic Newsletter
Friday, July 29, 2011

Opening Kickoff!
A little bit of rain this week cooled down things just a tad, although things remain hot in and around the Department of Athletics, especially since Athletic Cadre has begun.

Tomorrow (Saturday) is the 2nd Annual Women’s Football 101 and 102 Seminar, and we know that Coach Kevin Higgins and his staff will do another great job for the ladies that want to learn more about football and Citadel football, in particular.

Congratulations are extended to defensive end Erik Clanton who signed a contract with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers.  He joins former teammate and classmate Cortez Allen on the Steelers’ defensive side of the ball, and we’ll be watching their progress as the NFL finally gets underway.

With Allen and Clanton with the Steelers, The Citadel now has four former standouts playing on two NFL teams as Andre Roberts and Nehemiah Broughton are current members of the Arizona Cardinals.  We’ll go out on a limb and state that this is a school record.

The Bulldogs are in their second year of transitioning to the triple option, and the league’s coaches picked the Cadets to finish eighth in the Southern Conference preseason poll.  Of course, we all know that it isn’t where one starts, but finishes that counts.  Senior linebacker Tolu Akindele collected a second-team all-league preseason honor.

As you’ve come to expect, we have another packed issue of news and notes, so enjoy and Go Bulldogs!!!


CFA Presents Women’s Football 101 & 102 Tomorrow
The Citadel Football Association will present the Second Annual Women’s Football Seminar tomorrow, July 30 at Johnson Hagood Stadium.  

The experience is open to ladies and teenage girls only.  Registration begins at 7:30 am and the event runs from 8:30 am to 3 pm.  Cost is $50 per person, and walk-ups are welcome.

First-time attendees to Football 101 will spend the morning going behind-the-scenes with tours of the team’s meeting room, weight room, training and equipment rooms.  Citadel coaches will provide instruction on the basics of the game as well as the option offense that is currently being utilized by the Bulldogs.

Football 102 is only for those who attended the inaugural event last year.  Their morning will be spent getting more in-depth instruction in player positions, walking through plays in addition to offensive and defensive strategies.

A catered lunch for all attendees will be held in the Altman Athletic Center at the stadium and will feature a tailgate-type menu.  A special program will follow with Kay Higgins, wife of the Bulldogs’ head coach Kevin Higgins.  

New this year will be a “Fall Tailgating Fashion Show” and will feature designs during lunch with stylings from local shops Cache, Coldwater Creek and Palmetto Moon of Towne Center.  After lunch, the group will “hit” the stadium field for a practice that includes running plays, passing and receiving, tackling dummies and the all-important “fun run to the end zone” where one can perform individual touchdown dances.

Goody bags for all attendees contain a T-shirt, a complete football information notebook, a 2011 souvenir schedule poster and two tickets ($50 value) to a Citadel home football game.  At this game, highlights for the seminar will be featured on the stadium’s videoboard.

A portion of the seminar is tax deductible as proceeds benefit The Citadel Football Association’s Scholarship through The Citadel Brigadier Foundation.

To register, please refer to www.thecitadelfootballassociation.com or call 843/953-5123.  


Bulldogs Picked Eighth in SoCon Football Race
The Southern Conference’s football coaches picked The Citadel to finish in eighth place and selected only one all-conference selection, according to 2011 preseason polls released by the conference office this week.  The media selected the Bulldogs to finish last.

Appalachian State was tabbed the favorite for the sixth consecutive season but only by one point as Georgia Southern finished a close second.  After posting a 10-5 mark and advancing to the NCAA playoff semifinals in 2010, the Eagles return all 11 starters on offense and nine starters from the 2010 defense.

The Bulldogs finished ahead of only Western Carolina for the second consecutive season.

The 2011 Citadel team, with 10 returning starters on offense and eight on defense, will consist of 27 seniors, including six fifth-year seniors.

The coaches voted senior linebacker Tolu Akindele to the defense all-conference second team as the only Bulldog represented on any preseason team.  Akindele played and started in all 11 games in 2010, finishing as the leading Citadel defender with 80 total tackles, 41 solo and 39 assisted.  He recorded career performances with 14 total tackles against Georgia Southern, followed by nine solo tackles and two forced fumbles at Wofford, 13 total tackles against Elon and nine at Samford for an average of 11.25 tackles in the last four games of the season.  Akindele finished the season with an average of 7.27 tackles a game to conclude the 2010 season ranked ninth in the SoCon in total tackles. He also finished the season with three forced fumbles, three quarterback hurries, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.

Wofford collected both SoCon offensive and defensive player of the year honors in fullback Eric Breitenstein and defensive lineman Ameet Pall, who shares the honor with Georgia Southern's defensive lineman Brent Russell.  GSU led all schools with 14 selections, including eight on the first team.

2011 SoCon Football Preseason Coaches Poll
Place  School (First-place votes)              Points
1.       Appalachian State (5)                     60
2.       Georgia Southern (3)                     59
3.       Wofford                                          49
4.       Chattanooga (1)                                45
5.       Elon                                               33
6.       Furman                                          30
7.       Samford                                         25
8.       The Citadel                                    13
9.       Western Carolina                          10
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own team

2011 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll
Place School (First-place votes)          Points
1. Georgia Southern (15)                   254
2. Appalachian State (13)                   249
3. Wofford (2)                                     215
4. Chattanooga                                  180
5. Furman                                           143
6. Elon                                                116
7. Samford                                          92
8. Western Carolina                            56
9. The Citadel                                      45

Preseason All-Conference Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Breitenstein, Jr., FB, Wofford
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Ameet Pall, Sr., DL, Wofford & Brent Russell, Jr., DL, Georgia Southern

First Team Offense
QB         DeAndre Presley, Sr., Appalachian State
RB         Robert Brown, So, Georgia Southern
RB         Eric Breitenstein, Jr., Wofford
OL         Orry Frye, Sr., Appalachian StateOL         Rodney Austin, Sr., Elon
OL         Ryan Lee, Sr., Furman
OL         Brett Moore, Sr., Georgia Southern
OL         Nate Page, Sr., Wofford
TE          Ben Jorden, Sr., Appalachian State
WR        Aaron Mellette, Jr., Elon
WR        Joel Bradford, Sr., Chattanooga

First Team Defense
DL         John Rizor, Jr., Appalachian State
DL         Brent Russell, Jr., Georgia Southern
DL         Alex Davis, Sr., Samford
DL         Ameet Pall, Sr., Wofford
LB         Kadarron Anderson, Sr., Furman
LB         Josh Rowe, Jr., Georgia Southern
LB         Ryan Consiglio, Sr., Chattanooga
DB        Ed Gainey, Sr., Appalachian State
DB        Ryan Steed, Sr., Furman
DB        Derek Heyden, Sr., Georgia Southern
DB        Laron Scott, Sr., Georgia Southern

First Team Specialists
PK         Ray Early, So., Furman
P           Charlie Edwards, Sr., Georgia Southern
RS         Laron Scott, Sr., Georgia Southern

Second Team Offense
QB         B.J. Coleman, Sr., Chattanooga
RB         Travaris Cadet, Sr., Appalachian State
RB         J.J. Wilcox, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL         Matt Ruff, Sr., Appalachian State
OL         Dakota Dozier, So., Furman
OL         Dorian Byrd, So., Georgia Southern
OL         Willie Maxwell, Sr., Georgia Southern
OL         Adam Miller, Jr., Chattanooga
TE          (tie) Colin Anderson, Jr., Furman
TE          (tie) Tyler Sumner, Jr., Georgia Southern
WR        Brian Quick, Sr., Appalachian State
WR        Brenton Bersin, Sr., Wofford

Second Team Defense
DL         Josh Lynn, Jr., Furman
DL         Roderick Tinsley, Sr., Georgia Southern
DL         Nick Davison, Sr., Chattanooga
DL         Eric Eberhardt, Sr., Wofford
LB          Brandon Grier, Jr., Appalachian StateLB          Tolu Akindele, Sr., The Citadel
LB          Joshua Jones, Sr., Elon
DB         Corey White, Sr., Samford
DB         Chris Lewis-Harris, Sr., Chattanooga
DB         Kadeem Wise, So., Chattanooga
DB         Blake Wylie, Jr., Wofford

Second Team Specialists
PK         Adrian Mora, Sr., Georgia Southern
P           Sam Martin, Jr., Appalachian State
RS         Travaris Cadet, Sr., Appalachian State
NOTE: Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.


Football Media & Photo Day set for Aug. 7
The Citadel football program will host its annual Media and Photo Day on Sunday, Aug. 7 at 1 pm at Johnson Hagood Stadium as players and coaches will be available for photos and interviews with local, regional and national media.

The annual Meet the Bulldogs Day for fans has been set for August 20, so stay tuned for details.


Erik Clanton Signs with Pittsburgh Steelers
One day after the National Football League ended its 135-day lockout, The Citadel's defensive end Erik Clanton became one of 15 free agents picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Clanton, the Bulldogs' only 2010 All-Conference first team selection, joins cornerback Cortez Allen, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Steelers in April.

Clanton, who signed with the Canadian Football League's Montreal Alouettes earlier in the year, finished the regular season ranked tied for 12th in the FCS and second in the SoCon in pass sacks with 9.0, an average of .87 per game.  He also placed third in the SoCon in tackles for loss with 14.0 for a loss of 61 yards.  Clanton's sacks rank him tied for third all-time at The Citadel in total sacks in a season.

A Southern Pigskin Mid-Season All-Southern Conference team selection, Clanton emerged as the Bulldogs' defensive threat in 2010, totaling the third highest amount of total tackles among The Citadel defenders with 62.  He also recorded one quarterback hurry, one fumble recovery for 40 yards and three forced fumbles.

Clanton ended his career with 12.0 sacks, 114 total tackles, 22.0 tackles for a loss of 113 yards, three pass deflections, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Individual Football Game Tickets Go on Sale Monday
Are you able to attend only the night games (or the day games) this year?  Have you been waiting for VMI and the Military Classic of the South to return to Johnson Hagood Stadium?  Do fall weddings get in the way where you can only attend three games?

Then you are candidates to secure individual game tickets as a season ticket may not be for you.  On Monday, Aug. 1, our Athletic Ticket Office will be prepared to take individual game orders (and, of course, we’ll still take season ticket orders).

In order to purchase individual game tickets, please call our Ticket Office at 843/953-DOGS (3647) or online at www.CitadelSports.com.

 
13th Annual Bulldog Kickoff Classic Set for Aug. 18
The 13th Annual Bulldog Kickoff Classic Presented by Wells Fargo sells out every year and it will again this year.

Set for Aug. 18 at Wild Dunes Resort’s Links and Harbor courses, the event serves as the unofficial start of the football season.  And following the golf, participants are able to take part in The Citadel Club of Charleston’s annual Shrimp and Beer Night that takes place at the Beach House.

There are 36 Class Sponsorships available ($2,000/minimum per class) and each class will receive signage on both courses as well as listing in the game program.  The top donor class will be awarded a catered tailgate party on the Club Level Terrace during a home football game and the class may direct $12,500 to a Memorial Fund Scholarship of their choice or have one created in their class name.

Corporate sponsorships are also available ($500) and they include exclusive ownership of the hole of your choice (first come; first served) that may be staffed.  Also included are one golfing spot and two tickets to the Shrimp & Beer Night.

All proceeds benefit athletic scholarships.

For more information – including sponsorship opportunities – please contact Rod Moseley ’74 at 843/708-1053 or Jimmy Bagwell ’74 at 843/270-0591.  Additional information may also be secured by referring to http://www.citadelsports.com/information/2011_Kickoff_Classic.pdf.  Don’t be left out; sign up today!


McAlister Field House Is Getting Attention
If you enter McAlister Field House in the next few days, expect to see several workers involved with two major projects.  One crew is refinishing and repainting the primary basketball/volleyball floor while another crew is devoted to renovating the basketball locker room.  Both projects should be completed relatively soon and are sure to impress when completed.


Will Wilson Memorial 5K Run and Walk Benefits TBCF
Registration is open for the 2nd Annual William Wilson 5K Run/Walk that will be held on Saturday, August 20, at the Maxcy Gregg Park in Columbia.

William Wilson ‘07 was tragically killed while riding his bicycle through the Shandon neighborhood in September 2008.  William was an avid athlete, competitor and member of The Citadel cross country and track teams from 2003-07.
   
To commemorate his life and all that he stood for, the 2nd Annual William Wilson 5K Run/Walk benefits the Palmetto Cycling Coalition and the William Wilson Scholarship fund at The Citadel.  Please join The Citadel family and the Columbia Community as we celebrate William Wilson and benefit two great charities.
 
The race is on a sanctioned USATF course.

Strictly Running, a running and walking shop in Columbia, will be assisting in the race. To register for your spot today, please refer to http://www.strictlyrunning.com/index8.asp and for more information – including sponsorship opportunities – please contact The Brigadier Foundation (843/053-6277), email williamwilson5k@gmail.com or refer to http://www.williamwilson5k.com.


Want to Keep Up With Citadel Athletics?
Fans have the opportunity to follow all the action of The Citadel Bulldogs by joining Twitter and Facebook for your round-the-clock news on Citadel athletics.
 
To join other loyal fans on Twitter, visit: http://twitter.com/CitadelSports and to become a devotee of the Bulldogs on Facebook, visit: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Citadel-Sports/108617202526805?ref=ts.  And, as always, we’re updated on www.CitadelSports.com.


Bulldog Business Partners
The Citadel Brigadier Foundation has started the “Bulldog Business Partners” for the 2012-12 academic year and the first to sign up are:

•      Charleston Comfort Inn

•      Piggly Wiggly

We encourage you to please stop by and thank our supporters.  If you want more information on how your business can partner with The Citadel Brigadier Foundation, please call us at 843/953-5277.


He Said It:
"It's an awesome feeling to be going to the NFL but an even greater feeling to be going to my favorite team.  And the fact that a former teammate of mine, Cortez Allen -- a guy that I bled, sweated and shed tears with the last five years -- will be there just makes a blessing that much more wonderful."

•      Defensive end Erik Clanton, on signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Upcoming Events
July 30            CFA’s 2nd Annual Football 101 & 102 Seminar @Johnson Hagood
Aug. 18        13th Annual Bulldog Kickoff Golf Classic @Wild Dunes
Aug. 20        “Meet the Bulldogs (Football)” @Maybank Triplets Facility
William Wilson 5K Walk/Run @Columbia
Nov. 11        21st Annual Homecoming Golf Tournament @Shadowmoss

    
Have a Friend Who Might Be Interested?
Today’s Blue & White is the sister publication of the The Blue & White, the official publication of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation that is printed monthly.  In order to receive the printed version, one has to be a member of TCBF.  However, we’ve opened Today’s Blue & White to anyone and everyone who has a computer and who is interested in activities of TCBF and, of course, The Citadel’s Department of Athletics.  Today’s Blue & White is free.  All one has to do is sign up is to click on this link:  http://www.nmnathletics.com/main/NewsMailSetup.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=&DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=&KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=9700&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=
 

Today’s Blue & White is the official electronic publication of The Citadel Brigadier Foundation, Inc. with its office located at The Citadel, McAlister Field House, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC  29409 (office 843/953-5277).
Publishers……………...Jerry Baker & Larry Leckonby
Editor…………………Andy Solomon
Layout…………………Mike Petrini