Statistically Speaking - Week Two

Well, fortunately I have some good stuff again this week - one item thanks to a Bridgewater fan who posts on D3football.com's message board, mizzou_mafia.

Let me begin this week with his find...

* It's obvious that the Eagles have given up zero points. What's maybe not as obvious is that it's very rare a team surrenders nothing through their first two games. So much so that Bridgewater is the only Division III school to record two straight shutouts to begin the 2006 season. "Oh, well it must be more common in previous years then," you say. Oh, but what a minute - in 2005, only one school (Hobart) started the season with two shutouts. In 2004, no one did. In 2003, Rowan, Mass.-Dartmouth, North Central and Amherst did. In 2002, only Tufts did. In 2001, Amherst was the only one. So in the last six years, Bridgewater is one of only eight schools to record such a feat. The seven other teams couldn't push their shutout streak to three games - can the Eagles?

* There are a handful of true freshmen making an instant impact for the Eagles this season, most notably Seth Little (DB), David Rodgers (TE) and Louis Sanchez (OL). But who has really stepped up has been Jeremy Lewis at linebacker. With the injuries to Antwaine Campo and Brandon Kelley, Lewis has been able to play quite a bit thus far this season. So much so that he is currently averaging the fifth-most tackles a game among freshmen defenders in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) with six tackles (five solo) through the first two games of the season. That's an average of 2.5 solo tackles a game - nearly the same amount future All-American (and NFL prospect) Jermaine Taylor averaged his first year for the Eagles. BC fans can only hope he becomes as good.

* The Bridgewater defense recorded 16 tackles for a loss against Shenandoah last weekend, which was twice as many as what Guilford and Hampden-Sydney tallied, and two more than what Catholic, Randolph-Macon and Washington & Lee combined for.

* Brandon Copeland returned six punts for 118 yards against the Hornets, which happens to be the third-most punt return yardage in conference history for a game. Bridgewater enjoyed an average starting field position at their 42-yard line because of it. His 14.9 yards per punt return average on the season is currently tops in the ODAC and 13th-best in the nation.

* Speaking of NCAA statistical rankings, the Eagles are ranked in the top 50 in the following team and individual categories;
-35th, Total Offense – 409.5
-21st, Total Defense – 153.5
-17th, Rushing Offense – 242.5
-28th, Scoring Offense – 35.5
-1st, Scoring Defense – 0.0
-30th, Team Kickoff Returns – 25.0
-34th, Team Punt Returns – 13.6
-12th, Luke Taylor (K) in Field Goals Per Game – 1.5
-15th, Tony Burt (DE) in Tackles For Loss Per Game – 3.0

* Last week I filled you in on what players were on the outside looking in on the career offensive top 10s. Let me catch you up including the Shenandoah game;

-For scoring, junior Kyle Beach (K) is still 11 points from cracking the top 10.

-For rushing, senior Robbie Matthews (FB) had 52 yards rushing and is now 494 away from the top 10 rushing list.

-For passing, junior Jeff Highfill (QB) threw for 131 yards and now needs only 260 to join the top 10 list.

-For receiving, junior Brandon Copeland (WR) recorded 36 receiving yards, putting him 349 yards closer to the top 10.

If you missed last week's 'Statistically Speaking', click here.

Until next time...