HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Hampden-Sydney College returns home for the first time in a month and welcomes Averett University in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) football action on Saturday afternoon, October 15, at 1 p.m. on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. The host Tigers are 2-3 overall, 1-1 in the ODAC, while the visiting Cougars are also 2-3 overall, though 0-2 in the ODAC. The game can be heard locally on WVHL Radio, Kickin' Country 92.9 FM, and will also be available worldwide on the Internet at wvhl.net or via the TuneIn Radio App, while available to watch as well on the Tiger Sports Network live video stream at hscathletics.com, pregame airing at 12:30 p.m.

Hampden-Sydney vs. Averett | Stats | Audio | Video | Game Notes (PDF)
Location: Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium | Hampden-Sydney, VA
Date: Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022
Time: 1 p.m.
Radio: Frank Shanaberger (play-by-play), Richard LeSueur (analyst)

H-SC last played at home on September 17, a 70-28 non-conference win past Greensboro (NC) College. The Tigers took a 35-16 ODAC road win at Ferrum College last Saturday (Oct. 8). H-SC led 14-0 after one quarter at FC, and was ahead 28-9 at halftime en route to the decisive road victory against the Panthers. AU, in its inaugural season as members of the ODAC, fell 55-7 to nationally-ranked No. 16 Randolph-Macon College last Saturday at home in conference action.

The Series
H-SC leads the overall series against Averett, 5-3, including 3-1 at Everett Stadium. The Tigers won the first four games played between the two programs from 2010-13 by an average margin of 28.3 points, including a 63-9 win in 2011. AU, however, has now won three of the last four meetings, including a 28-16 win to open the 2019 season at Everett Stadium.

Scouting The Tigers
H-SC is led offensively by fifth-year quarterback and second-year team captain Tanner Bernard (Lynchburg). Bernard has passed for 1,435 yards (107-169-3) and 12 touchdowns in four games, adding two touchdowns on the ground, as well. Bernard missed the Greensboro (NC) game (9/17) due to injury.

The running game features junior Melik Frost (Hardeeville, SC). Frost has rushed for 509 yards on 88 attempts (5.8) and eight touchdowns, adding 151 yards receiving on 13 catches and one touchdown. Junior Josh Jones (South Hill) adds 124 yards on 27 carries (4.6).

Sophomore wide receiver Austin Fernandez (Warrenton) has led the receiving unit with 398 yards receiving on 31 receptions and three touchdowns. Freshman wide receiver Mason Cunningham (Arlington) adds 380 yards receiving on 30 receptions and four touchdowns, while senior tight end David Byler (Virginia Beach) has 337 yards receiving on 28 catches and four touchdowns, and junior wide receiver Jamahdia Whitby (Williamsburg) has 173 yards receiving on 11 catches and three touchdowns.

Junior safety Will Pickren (Mount Pleasant, SC) (20-32) leads the Tigers on defense with 52 total tackles, including five tackles for loss, one interception and two pass breakups. Junior safety James-Ryan Salvi (Troutville) (22-25) has 47 total tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss and four pass breakups. Junior linebackers Jaylin Jones (Rustburg) (8-20) and Dorian Green (Martinsville) (11-16) add 28 and 27 total tackles, respectively, including three tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry by Jones, and three tackles for loss, two interceptions and two quarterback hurries by Green. Junior linebacker Tramell Thompson (Queens, NY) (4-16) adds 20 total tackles, including three tackles for loss and one sack.

Senior placekicker Jack Breedlove (Atlanta, GA) is 22-23 on PATs, and 1-2 on field goals (30 yards). Sophomore left-footed punter George Langhammer (Roanoke) has averaged 42.8 yards on 12 punts, including a long of 62 yards, six fair-caught and four inside the 20.

Junior wide receiver Brice Wilson (Charlottesville) has averaged 22.4 yards on seven kick returns, including a long of 31 yards. Senior wide receiver Talen Smith (Ruther Glen) has averaged 24.0 yards on two kick returns, including a long of 29 yards. Mason Cunningham has averaged 6.0 yards on three punt returns, including a long of nine yards.

Scouting Averett
AU is expected to be led offensively by senior quarterback Bryce Jackson, freshmen running backs Shyheim Watlington and Dreylan Martin, sophomore running back Shawn Watlington, along with junior wide receivers Tavien Goffigan and Nick Andrews. Jackson has passed for 943 yards (89-176-6) and six touchdowns in five games. Shyheim Watlington has rushed for 115 yards on 33 attempts (3.5), Martin has rushed for 115 yards on 40 attempts (2.9) and Shawn Watlington has rushed for 114 yards on 25 attempts (4.6) and one touchdown. Goffigan has 241 yards receiving on 21 receptions and two touchdowns, while Andrews has 225 yards receiving on 16 catches. Fifth-year defensive end Isaac Mosby (17-12) has led the Cougars on defense with 29 total tackles, including three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. Senior defensive lend Jahlin Russell (16-12) adds 28 total tackles, including six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one quarterback hurry. Senior placekicker Will Caviness is 8-8 on PATs, and 4-6 on field goals, including a long of 37 yards. Junior punter Mason Smith has averaged 38.6 yards on 17 punts, including a long of 52 yards, with 10 fair-caught and four inside the 20. Sophomore safety Nick Haitz has averaged 25.1 yards on 20 kick returns, including a long of 64 yards, and he has averaged 7.7 yards on three punt returns, including a long of 22 yards.

2019: AU 28 - H-SC 16
AU scored two touchdowns each in the second and third quarters for a 28-16 win at Everett Stadium. H-SC did get a school-record (at the time) 48-yard field goal from Rhett Andersen '20 in the fourth quarter, while Clay Vick passed for 360 yards in his first collegiate start. The Cougars got a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Joshua Tapscott in the second quarter, and Chase Nixon caught a 50-yard TD pass from Jacob Wright in the third quarter. The 48-yard field goal by Andersen, who is currently a second-year football team member and graduate student at the University of Michigan, surpassed the previous school record of 47 yards that had stood since 1973 when George Simons connected from that distance against Western Maryland. Andersen kicked a 49-yard field goal at Guilford (NC) on Oct. 26, 2019, which remains the school record.

ODAC / NCAA Rankings
Tanner Bernard leads the ODAC in passing yards (1,435), passing yards per game (358.8), completions per game (26.8) and total offense (359.8), while second in completion percentage (63.3), passing efficiency (154.5), passing yards per completion (13.4) and passing yards per attempt (8.5), and tied for second in passing touchdowns (12). He ranks first in Division III in passing yards per game, while second nationally in completions per game and total offense, and 20th in passing yards.

Melik Frost leads the ODAC in rushing yards (509), rushing yards per game (101.8), all-purpose yards (660), all-purpose yards per game (132.0) and total touchdowns (9), is tied for first in rushing touchdowns (8), and fourth rushing yards per carry (5.8). He ranks 10th nationally in rushing touchdowns and 12th in total touchdowns.

Austin Fernandez leads the ODAC in receptions (31) and receptions per game (6.2), is second in receiving yards (398) and receiving yards per game (79.6), and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (3).

Mason Cunningham is second in the ODAC in receptions (30) and receptions per game (6.0), tied for second in receiving touchdowns (4), and third in receiving yards (380) and receiving yards per game (76.0).

Brice Wilson is second in the ODAC in kick return average (22.4).

Will Pickren is second in the ODAC in total tackles (52) and tackles per game (10.4).

David Byler is tied for second in the ODAC in receiving touchdowns (4), tied for third in receptions (28) and receptions per game (5.6), fourth in receiving yards (337) and fifth in receiving yards per game (67.4).

Dorian Green is tied for second in the ODAC in interceptions (2).

James-Ryan Salvi is third in the ODAC in total tackles (47) and tackles per game (9.4).

Jack Breedlove is third in the ODAC in PAT percentage (96%, 22-23), and fourth in kick-scoring (25).

Jamahdia Whitby is tied for fourth in the ODAC in receiving touchdowns (3), and fifth in yards per reception (15.7).

Run at the Record Book
Twenty-third year head coach Marty Favret now totals 142 football victories at H-SC, as he is within one win of tying legendary Hall of Fame head coach J. Stokeley Fulton (143), who is the winningest and longest-tenured football coach at the College. Coach Favret has an overall record of 142-84, while Coach Fulton compiled a record of 143-99-5 over 25 seasons (1960-84).

300-Yard Passing Games
Tanner Bernard has passed for 300-plus yards in each of his four games played this season ... and has now passed for over 300 yards eight times in his H-SC career. He passed for a career-high 440 yards (33-44-2) and four touchdowns at Ferrum (10/8), following games of 346 yards and four-touchdowns at Wabash (9/3), 328 yards and three touchdowns against Widener (9/10) and 321 yards and one touchdown at Bridgewater (10/1). Last season, Bernard had 393 yards passing against Washington and Lee (10/2/21), 316 yards and one touchdown at Widener (PA) (9/11/21), and 327 yards and two touchdowns at Guilford (NC) (9/25/21). He passed for 309 yards and three touchdowns at Guilford (3/19/21), as well.

Junior quarterback Andrew Puccinelli (Glen Allen), making his first collegiate start, passed for a career-high 305 yards (28-33-2) and four touchdowns against Greensboro (9/17).

200-Yard Rushing Games
Melik Frost rushed for a career-high 211 yards on 21 carries (10.0) with four touchdowns against Greensboro (9/17). It's the sixth-best single-game rushing effort in program history. He now has three 100-yard efforts during his H-SC career, including a 101 yards on 17 carries (5.9) and two touchdowns at Wabash (9/3), and 105 yards on 18 carries (5.8) and one touchdown at Ferrum (10/8).

ODAC & D3football.com Honors
Melik Frost was named the ODAC Offensive Player of the Week and to the D3football.com Team of the Week for his 270-yard (211 rushing, 59 receiving), five-touchdown game against Greensboro (9/17).

Tanner Bernard was named the ODAC Offensive Player of the Week for his 440-yards passing and four touchdowns at Ferrum (10/8).

Mason Cunningham was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week for his 13 receptions, 163 yards receiving and three touchdowns at Ferrum (10/8). He was also named to this week's DC Touchdown Club College Player of the Week Honor Roll for his efforts at FC.

From DIII H-SC To FBS Memphis
Ryan Silverfield '03 became the 25th head coach in the University of Memphis football history in December 2019. He is currently 18-12 overall in his third season at the helm of the Tigers, including 4-2 this season. Silverfield led Memphis to a record of 8-3 in 2020, and the Tigers were 6-6 in 2021. Ryan coached four seasons as an undergraduate at H-SC, starting as an offensive assistant in 2000, serving as the defensive line coach during 2001 and 2002, before coaching the tight ends and H-backs in 2003.

Up Next
H-SC plays on the road at ODAC member Washington and Lee University on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. in Lexington.

Complete game notes are available via the linked PDF above.