Defense, Special Teams, Lead VMI Football To 50-7 Win Over Charleston Southern

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Defense, Special Teams, Lead VMI Football To 50-7 Win Over Charleston Southern

LEXINGTON, Va. - Sophomore linebacker Justin Huggard (Staunton, Va.) intercepted two passes and returned one pickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to spark VMI to a 50-7 win over Charleston Southern Saturday at Alumni Memorial Field.

The Keydets secured their first Big South win in the program's history and raised their record to 4-3 and 1-1 in the league. Charleston Southern fell to 1-5, 0-1.

VMI, keyed by strong defensive and special teams play, capitalized on five CSU turnovers and a blocked punt and converted five of the miscues into 31 points.

VMI, leading 13-0 at the start of the third quarter, extended the lead to 20-0 when Huggard stepped in front of a Collins Draft pass at the VMI 30 and raced 70 yards for a touchdown with 8:58 left. It was the longest interception return in Alumni Memorial Field history, surpassing Ty Williams 65-yard return against Concord in 1999.

Huggard later stepped in front of a Drafts pass at the CSU 25 and returned it 10 yards with 8:33 left in the game. The interception led to a Gary Price nine-yard touchdown TD pass from Jonathan Wilson to boost the lead to 36-0 with 7:48.

Huggard earlier sacked, forced, and recovered a fumble of of Drafts and returned it 27 yards to the CSU 25-yard line late in the first half, but kicker Matt Sharpe misfired from 38 yards as time expired in the first half.

CSU's lone score came on a Aaron Dunklin 29-yard reverse run with 5:00 left in the fourth quarter. The tally was set up a misplayed Keydet punt return that was recovered at the VMI 29.

VMI outgained Charleston Southern for the game, 337-289.

Keydet back Sean Mizzer produced his eighth career 100-yard game when he rushed for 113 yards on 17 carries, including a 57-yard TD run with 1:08 left in the third quarter to push the VMI lead to 26-0.

VMI redshirt freshman quarterback Jonathan Wilson completed 11 of 24 passes for 116 yards and one touchdown. Senior slotback T.J. Snelling caught five passes for 45 yards while Price snagged three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. Senior placekicker Matt Sharpe booted field goals of 33, 23, and a career-long 47 yards.

Drafts completed 16 of 35 passes for 164 yards, but was picked off twice. Dunklin caught a game-high eight passes for 77 yards.

VMI opened the scoring when freshman back Colby Hollingsworth blocked a Clint Chappell punt which was scooped up by Musa Sarki and returned 12 yards to the endzone to give VMI a 6-0 lead with 6:36 left. It was the first time a blocked punt was returned by a Keydet for a score since Derik Screen against Chattannoga on October 14, 2000.

VMI will face Gardner-Webb in Lexington next Saturday at 1:00. Charleston Southern plays South Florida Saturday at 7:00.

Coaches Quotes

VMI Head Coach Cal McCombs
On scoring 50 points: "I like winning football games, but sometimes its tough to know what you do with your second teamers. Josh (Lyles) needed work and wanted work. I don't think it's fair to have him hand the ball off every time."

On bouncing back from the loss at Liberty last week. "I was hoping that we'd come back, make some plays and execute, but we just didn't do it. We just weren't in sync. Thank goodness that our defense and special teams played well enough for us to get some field position and score some points."

On the rest of VMI's schedule.: "You look at our schedule from here on out. For us to be able to beat teams that are on it, we have to play as a balanced football team. We have to have a good defense and special teams. We also have to be more productive with our offense."

POSTGAME NOTES
- The 50 points scored by VMI were the most since a 50-31 victory over Liberty on Sept. 9, 1995.
- The seven points allowed by VMI were the fewest since a 40-7 win over Charleston Southern on Oct. 21, 2000.
- The 24 points scored by VMI in the fourth quarter were the most for VMI in one quarter since Sept. 9, 1995, when the Keydets scored 29 in the fourth quarter vs. Liberty.
- The win was VMI's first ever in the Big South Conference.
- Justin Huggard's 70-yard interception return was the longest in the 41-year history of the modern Alumni Memorial Field.
- VMI kicker Matt Sharpe's 47-yard field goal was a career-long. His three field goals were also a career-high for one game.
- VMI has recorded three interceptions for the second consecutive game. Justin Huggard became the first VMI player to intercept two passes in a game this year. VMI with 13 interceptions on the year, has already surpassed its interception total of 12 set last
- VMI running back Sean Mizzer ran for over 100 yards (113) for the fifth time in the last six games. He now has eight 100-yard rushing games for his career.
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