Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/549884
2015 FURMAN PALADINS FOOTBALL Furman 113 Paladins HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS mascot — a knight on a white horse. Furman edges nationally- ranked Memphis State 7-6 in Memphis, and posts a 7-3 record — the program's best since 1953. King is named South Carolina Coach-of-the-Year. Quarterback Billy Canty is chosen to play in the Senior Bowl. Paladins are invited to play in the Tangerine Bowl but decline. 1963 — Furman upsets Vanderbilt 14-13 in Nashville and goes 7-3. Bob King earns his second South Carolina Coach- of-the-Year tab. 1964 — Furman's Board of Trustees reduces scholar- ship support for the football program to a need-only basis, and Furman becomes known as the "Football For Fun Bunch". 1967 — End Robbie Hahn leads the Southern Confer- ence in receiving with 53 receptions. Quarterback Clyde Hewell is selected as South Carolina Offensive Player-of-the-Year. 1970 — Furman rebounds from 1-8-1 season to post 8-3 record -- its best since 1935. Bob King becomes the first Furman coach to ever be named Southern Conference Coach- of-the-Year. 1971 — Steve Crislip becomes the first Furman running back to gain 1,000 yards in a season when he rushes for 1,002, including a career-best 229 yards in a 23-10 win over Carson- Newman. 1973 — Art Baker succeeds Bob King as head coach. Furman goes from 2-9 to 7-4 and is recognized as the most improved team in the nation by the Dunkel Rating. 1974 — Furman finishes 13th in the nation in total defense, surrendering 257.0 yards per game. 1976 — Paladins open the season with a 17-12 upset of North Carolina State. Furman hands East Carolina its only conference defeat (17-10), knocking the Pirates out of bowl contention. 1977 — Offensive tackle Jeff Holcomb becomes the first Furman football player in history to win an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. 1978 — Dick Sheridan succeeds Art Baker as head coach and directs Furman to an 8-3 record and the school's first Southern Conference football championship. ABC televises the Chattanooga game from Sirrine Stadium. Furman defeats The Citadel 17-13 on a game-ending, goal line stand to put the Paladins in position to win the league crown. Quarterback David Henderson becomes the first Furman player to earn conference player-of-the-year honors. Tight end Brette Simmons, likewise, is the first Furman player in history to earn the league's Jacobs Blocking Award accolades. Furman finishes the season ranked seventh in the nation in total defense and 14th in both rushing offense and scoring offense. Dick Sheridan is named conference and state coach-of-the-year. 1979 — After losing its first five games, Furman fights back to win five of its last six. Paladins outscore Davidson 63-55 to set a new NCAA mark for scoring by two teams in a single game. 1980 — Trustees give okay to go ahead with construc- tion of an on-campus football stadium. Furman wins its first outright Southern Conference championship, finishing 9-1-1 for the school's best record since 1927. Dick Sheridan is named league and state coach-of-the-year. Offensive tackle Charlie Anderson captures the league's Jacobs Blocking Award. Paladins leave 45-year-old Sirrine Stadium in style, defeating The Citadel 28-15 in season finale. 1981 — Furman wins its second consecutive Southern Conference championship and its third in four years, going 8-3. Linebacker Bruce Gheesling is named to the Associated Press third team I-A All-America squad. Tailback Stanford Jennings is tabbed league player-of-the-Year, and fullback Dennis Williams is selected as SoCon Freshman-of-the-Year. Offensive tackle Charlie Anderson is the recipient of the conference's Jacobs Blocking Award for the second straight year and is chosen to play in the Blue-Gray Classic. Anderson also receives an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. Furman is triumphant in the opening game in Paladin Stadium, blanking East Tennessee State 21-0. Stanford Jennings sets a new single season rushing mark with 1,168 yards and new season scoring mark with 76 points. Tim Tanguay kicks a then school record 11 consecutive field goals during the season. 1982 — Along with the rest of the Southern Confer- ence, Furman is reclassified as an NCAA I-AA football school and goes 9-3 en route to its third straight league title. Paladins defeat South Carolina 28-23 in Columbia before 56,244 spectators. Cornerback Ernest Gibson is named to the Kodak All-America squad, and tailback Stanford Jennings picks up his second straight conference player-of-the-year honor. Offensive guard Mike Coleman locks up Furman's third straight league Jacobs Blocking Award. Dick Sheridan is named league coach of the year. Furman makes first-ever NCAA I-AA playoff appearance but loses to South Carolina State 17-0 in Paladin Stadium in first round action. 1983 — Furman goes 10-2-1 and wins its fourth straight Southern Conference title en route to an NCAA I-AA semifinal playoff finish. Paladins knock off Georgia Tech 17-14 in Atlanta. Tailback Stanford Jennings rushes for Furman record 1,260 yards and is drafted in the third round by the Cincinnati Bengals. Cornerback Ernest Gibson is named to the Kodak All- America squad for the second straight year and is drafted in the sixth round by the New England Patriots. Jennings becomes the first player in conference history to earn league player-of-the- year honors three times and is also first Furman football player to earn conference athlete-of-the-year accolades. 1984 — Tailback Robbie Gardner rushes for 1,232 yards and sets an NCAA I-AA record by averaging 7.3 yards per carry. Quarterback Bobby Lamb throws for 19 touchdown passes and finishes third nationally in passing efficiency. Paladins rout The Citadel 42-14 in the season finale to deny the Bulldogs a share of the Southern Conference title. Fullback Dennis Williams captures league's Jacobs Blocking Award honors. 1985 — Furman enjoys one of its greatest seasons, win- ning the Southern Conference title for the sixth time in eight years and finishing second in NCAA I-AA with a 12-2 season. Paladins drop championship game to Georgia Southern 44-42 in Tacoma, Washington. Furman sets 47 new team and individual records and rolls to 10 consecutive wins during the year, including fourth straight win over NCAA I-A opponents with a 42-20 thrashing ▲ Bob King returns to his alma mater as head coach. Ray Siminski leads the Southern Con- ference in receiving. ▼ ▼ First-year head coach Dick Sheridan directs Furman to first SoCon championship. ▲ Sam Wyche becomes first Furman quarterback to garner all-conference honors. 1958 1958 1965 1978