LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI Football Team will continue its road swing this Saturday when it visits the Wofford Terriers. The two teams will kick off at 1:30 p.m. in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
LAST TIME OUT
The Keydets opened Saturday's game at Samford with a 16-play, 60-yard drive that resulted in a field goal, but two quick touchdowns from the Bulldogs flipped the momentum for good. Freshman
Brady Hammonds got the start at quarterback, going 14-for-28 with 87 yards and an interception.
Kouri Crump was a bright spot defensively, registering a career-high 12.0 tackles in the contest.
HOW THEY RANK
Crump currently ranks second in the league (13
th, FCS) in total tackles with 47.0, with his 6.6 solo tackles per game ranking second in the nation. Teammate
Shamus Jones isn't far behind, averaging 5.0 tackles per game (15
th, FCS). As a squad, VMI is second in the conference and 18
th among FCS Teams with just 25 penalties on the year.
2024 Leaders
Passing
Brady Hammonds – 29-for-55, 213 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing
Hunter Rice – 79 rushes, 350 yards, 3 TDs
Luke Schalow – 18 rushes, 52 yards
Receiving
Ivan Thorpe – 14 catches, 119 yards
Nathan Lhotsky – 8 catches, 82 yards
Defense
Kouri Crump – 47.0 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 break ups
Shamus Jones – 38.0 tackles, 1 forced fumble;
Eric Rankin – 30.0 tackles, 1 forced fumble
SCOUTING THE TERRIERS
Slated to finish last in the Southern Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, Wofford has yet to get a conference win, but opened the year with wins over Gardner-Webb and Richmond before narrowly falling to William & Mary. The Terriers visited Western Carolina last weekend, holding a lead in the third quarter before ultimately falling. Davis Powers garnered SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors after recording 11.0 tackles and an interception in the closely contested game. Teams have had success on third downs against the Terriers, as opponents have converted over 51 percent of the opportunities. Kyle Watkins has proven to be a threat in the passing game, ranking second in the league with 22 receptions, 333 yards and a touchdown.
THE SERIES
The two teams have been fairly even over the years, with Wofford holding a slight 14-13 advantage. VMI has won three out of the last four matchups, but is just 1-8 all-time in Spartanburg. When the two sides met in Lexington last year, Rice broke out for 90 yards with a rushing and passing touchdown, as the VMI defense would hold on late for the 17-14 win.
