Football Southern Conference

2009 SoCon Football Preview: Elon Phoenix

Elon Phoenix

   

Location:

Elon, N.C.

Enrollment:

5,628

Nickname:

Phoenix

Head Coach:

Pete Lembo (4th)

2008 Record:

8-4

2008 SoCon Record:

6-2

2008 Home Record:

4-2

2008 Away Record:

4-2

Letterwinners Returning/Lost:

36/13

Offensive Starters Returning/Lost:

9/2

Defensive Starters Returning/Lost:

9/2

Specialists Returning/Lost:

2/3

 

Elon Links 

2008 Stats

2009 Roster

Preseason Interview with Head Coach Pete Lembo

Preseason Interview with Terrell Hudgins

2009 Media Guide

Southern Conference Record Book

 

2009 Schedule 

Date

Opponent

Time

TV

Sept. 5

 DAVIDSON

 7:00

-

Sept. 12

 at Presbyterian

 1:30

-

Sept. 19

 at Wake Forest

 6:30

-

Sept. 26 

 GEORGIA SOUTHERN*

 1:30

-

Oct. 3

 at Furman*

 3:00

Oct. 10

 THE CITADEL*

 1:30

-

Oct. 24

 CHATTANOOGA*

 1:30

-

Oct. 31

 at Wofford*

 1:30

-

Nov. 7

 at Western Carolina*

 1:00

-

Nov. 14

 APPALACHIAN STATE*

 3:00

Nov. 21

 at Samford*

 3:00

-

 

2008 Results 

Date

Opponent

W/L

Score

Aug. 30

 RICHMOND

 L

 28-10

Sept. 6

 at Stony Brook

 W

 30-20

Sept. 13

 PRESBYTERIAN

 W

 66-12

Sept. 20

 at Georgia Southern*

 W

 22-20

Sept. 27

 SAMFORD*

 W

 23-17

Oct. 4

 FURMAN*

 W

 31-10

Oct. 11

 at The Citadel*

 W

 27-23

Oct. 18

 at Chattanooga*

 W

 42-7

Oct. 25

 WOFFORD*

 L

 55-20

Nov. 8

  WESTERN CAROLINA*

 W

 33-14

Nov. 15

 at Appalachian State*

 L

 24-16

Nov. 22

 at Liberty*

 L

 26-3

 

Players to Watch:

 

Terrell Hudgins, Sr., Wide Receiver

An All-American for the past two seasons, Hudgins has established himself as the SoCon’s career leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and aims to improve on those numbers during his final season. The Rocky Mount, N.C., native is a 6-2, 234-pound matchup nightmare who topped the 100-yard mark five times in 2009.

 

Joshua Jones, So., Linebacker

Jones quickly made a name for himself as a freshman in 2008, finishing as the top rookie tackler in the SoCon with 68 stops en route to earning a spot on the inaugural SoCon All-Freshman team. He will be the Phoenix’s starting middle linebacker this season.

 

 

Preview:

Since arriving as Elon’s head coach in 2006, Pete Lembo has guided the Phoenix to a better record than the previous season in each of his three campaigns. Just three seasons removed from a winless league campaign in 2005, Elon could have earned a tie for the SoCon title in its league finale against Appalachian State.

 

The team returns a league-high 80 percent of its starters from a year ago, including All-American wideout Terrell Hudgins and record-setting quarterback Scott Riddle.

 

On defense, leading tackler Brandon Wiggins and sophomore Joshua Jones will anchor the linebacker spots. Joining them are preseason all-SoCon selections Eric Ludwig (DL), Brandon Ward (DL) and Karlos Sullivan (DB).

 

On special teams, Elon will need to replace a pair of all-SoCon performers in place kicker Andrew Wilcox and punter Brandon Lane.

 

Elon opens the season on Sept. 5 against Davidson and will be featured on the SportSouth SoCon Saturday television schedule at Furman (Oct. 3) and against Appalachian State (Nov. 14).

 

Southern Conference Football Preview 

Date

Team

Aug. 18

 Chattanooga

Aug. 19

 The Citadel

Aug. 20

 Elon

Aug. 21

 Wofford

Aug. 24

 Georgia Southern

Aug. 25

 Furman

Aug. 26

 Appalachian State

Aug. 27

 Western Carolina

Aug. 28

 Samford