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When Shannon Dawson walked into Shuford Stadium around noon Saturday afternoon, he actually thought Wingate University was going to surprise Catawba College and win a football game.
But that didn’t happen and do you know why? Shannon Dawson is a quarterback.
Catawba’s defense doesn’t like quarterbacks.
When Dawson walked out of Shuford Stadium four hours later, he had realized that. Oh man, did he realize that.
He had been pummeled and chased and harassed and intercepted and, well, you know, he and backup Chris Jackson had a typical day for quarterbacks who face the South Atlantic Conference’s version of the Doomsday Defense.
“I don’t know how good their secondary is,” Dawson said afterward. “It never got tested. You ain’t got time to throw it.”
DeVonte Peterson, the All-American got to the Wingate signal-callers a couple of times. So did linebacker Todd McComb. David Huey, the mouth that roared, did his roaring on two consecutive sacks in the third quarter. Shawn Sanders was in on one. Jeff Hartley of West Davidson fame came off the bench for a sack. Khannis Hubbard was in on one.
And after the 53-6 Catawba victory was in the books, Dawson came to the realization that his team had been thoroughly whipped like a dog, er, Bulldog.
“Hell, we didn’t even move the ball past the 50-yard line in the first half,” he shrugged. “Their offense played on a 40-yard field all game and that ain’t too bad. And that was because of their defense. Once it settles in, it controls the football game.”
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Dominating defense is exactly why Hubbard accepted a scholarship to Catawba out of Raleigh Enloe. As the only true freshman on the defensive line, his coach Jim Tomsula stays on him. And his senior teammates, like Radell Lockhart and Peterson, stay with him.
“A lot of seniors would stay away from a kid like Khannis because he might take their job,” Tomsula said. “But that’s the thing about this group of young men. They’re over there with their arms around Khannis, helping him, teaching him.”
They’ve taught him so well, in fact, that in his third college football game, he has already tumbled into the end zone.
Two minutes into the second quarter, Wingate was pinned back inside the five. Linebacker Todd McComb, a Thomasville Bulldog who played last year as a true freshman, burst through a hole and leveled Dawson.
“Ireally don’t know what happened,” Dawson said. “I didn’t see (McComb) coming. He gave me a pretty good shot.”
The ball popped free and there was the true freshman licking his lips.
“I didn’t know whether it was a forward pass or not and so I picked it up and ran,” Hubbard said. “I saw daylight.”
He also felt a Wingate player tugging on his jersey. No problem for the 6-3, 250-pound diaper dandy.
“I played fullback and defensive end at Enloe so I just had to drag him,” Hubbard smiled. “I’ve scored on offense and defense in high school. It was just routine.”
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So was this victory. In fact, it was downright embarrassing.
How bad was it? The last three minutes of the first half let you know how silly this had become.
Joe Hilliard scored for Catawba with 3:06 remaining for a 31-0 lead. Fifty-eight seconds later, Rashad Smith, another defensive lineman, recovered a fumble. Thirty-eight seconds later, Tony Hawkins, a powerful reserve running back, was raking people aside for a 38-0 lead.
OK, let’s go to the locker room. No, let’s go home. This one is over.
Athletic director Dennis Davidson marveled at how many fans were leaving, guessing with this verdict decided, they wanted to rush home and watch North Carolina and Florida State.
They would’ve been much happier if they had stayed in Shuford Stadium. At least, they did get to see Nick Maddox score for the Seminoles.
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By the end of the game, coach David Bennett had used three different quarterbacks, had sent his kicker Matt Gross out to boom a 49-yard field goal, and had congratulated Scott Sensing on a beautifully-thrown touchdown pass. He even put T.J. Lawson, who we thought was a receiver, in at tailback and he ripped off a 20-yard run, for cryin’ out loud.
Defensively, he saw three fumble recoveries, one by homeboy Jason Cross of South Rowan. He watched an Anthony Spencer interception early and a Marcus Hicks interception late.
And you can add an oh-by-the-way safety recorded by the defense.
It was a thrashing, a complete annihilation. Did I mention an embarrassment?
“They ain’t ranked seventh in the nation for nothing,” said Dawson.
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Hubbard was asked if he could fathom being on such a machine-like operation as the Catawba defense.
“I can’t believe it,”he said. “But that’s why I came here. I heard about the defense and their reputation. Iwant to be No. 1. I want to be a winner.”
Hubbard knows with Peterson and Lockhart both graduating, he is the future. At least a part of it.
“They put me in so I can learn from the best, basically. I know I’m just Khannis Hubbard and I’ve got All-Americans in front of me. I just have to learn as much as I can and try to be like them.”
Dawson will remember No. 89 and Company. Because after getting a first down on its first possession, the Bulldogs could manage only eight more in the next 59 minutes. The Sack Pack was so frightening that the Bulldogs even quick-kicked once.
“You always have to get that first hit to get into the game,” Hubbard said, when asked about Wingate’s early success. “Once we get that first hit, we say, hey, they can’t hold us.
“We’re the D-Line. We’re Catawba College.”
And as Shannon Dawson found out Saturday, Catawba’s D-Line doesn’t like quarterbacks.
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Ronnie Gallagher is the sports editor of the Post.
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Ronnie