2016 The Citadel Bulldogs football team

The 2016 The Citadel Bulldogs football team represented The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bulldogs were led by first-year head coach Brent Thompson and played their home games at Johnson Hagood Stadium. They played as members of the Southern Conference, as they have since 1936.

2016 The Citadel Bulldogs football
SoCon champion
NCAA Division I second round, L 3–17 vs. Wofford
Conference	Southern Conference
Ranking
STATS	No. 10
FCS Coaches	No. 9
Record	10–2 (8–0 SoCon)
Head coach	Brent Thompson (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Lou Conte (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Triple option
Defensive coordinator	Blake Harrell (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Johnson Hagood Stadium

2016 Southern Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 10 The Citadel $^		8	–	0					10	–	2
No. 9 Wofford ^		6	–	2					10	–	4
No. 13 Chattanooga ^		6	–	2					9	–	4
No. 23 Samford ^		5	–	3					7	–	5
Mercer		4	–	4					6	–	5
Furman		3	–	5					3	–	8
East Tennessee State		2	–	6					5	–	6
Western Carolina		1	–	7					2	–	9
VMI		1	–	7					3	–	8
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

With their win over Samford on November 4, the Bulldogs clinched their second consecutive, and fourth overall, SoCon championship. By virtue of their victory over VMI on November 12, 2016, The Citadel completed their first undefeated SoCon season in program history and claimed the championship outright. The win over VMI also marked the second time in program history that the Bulldogs earned double digit wins in one season, after winning 11 games in 1992.

They finished the season 10–2, 8–0 in SoCon play to win the SoCon title. They received the SoCon's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs where they lost in the second round to Wofford.

Schedule

The Bulldogs planned to host North Greenville for their traditional Parents' Day game on October 8. Due to Hurricane Matthew, the game against North Greenville took place at NGU's Younts Stadium in Tigerville, South Carolina on Thursday, October 6.

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	7:00 pm	at Mercer	No. 15	Moye Complex Macon, GA	FSN	W 24–23	12,542
September 10	6:00 pm	Furman	No. 15	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC (rivalry)	ESPN3	W 19–14	12,009
September 17	6:00 pm	at Gardner–Webb*	No. 15	Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC	BSN	W 31–24	6,850
October 1	3:30 pm	at Western Carolina	No. 9	Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	ESPN3	W 37–14	12,283
October 6	7:00 pm	at North Greenville*	No. 9	Younts Stadium Tigerville, SC	ESPN3	W 38–14	5,435
October 15	3:00 pm	No. 5 Chattanooga	No. 8	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC	FSN	W 22–14	14,590
October 22	1:30 pm	at Wofford	No. 5	Gibbs Stadium Spartanburg, SC (rivalry)	ESPN3	W 24–21 OT	11,102
October 29	2:00 pm	East Tennessee State	No. 5	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC	ESPN3	W 45–10	12,978
November 5	2:00 pm	No. 20 Samford	No. 5	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC	ESPN3	W 37–34 OT	15,015
November 12	1:30 pm	at VMI	No. 5	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA (Military Classic of the South)	ESPN3	W 30–20	8,251
November 19	3:30 pm	at North Carolina*	No. 5	Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	ACCN+	L 7–41	41,000
December 3	6:00 pm	No. 19 Wofford*	No. 6	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC (NCAA Division I second round)	ESPN3	L 3–17	10,336
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Stadium issues

In 2016, The Citadel determined that lead paint needed remediation on the east (visitor's) side of Johnson Hagood Stadium. The work resulted in the entire east side being closed for the first game of the season against Furman and some sections being opened for subsequent games. The capacity was thus 10,500 for the first game and about 15,000 for later games.

Game summaries

Mercer

See also: 2016 Mercer Bears football team

1 2 3 4 Total • #15 Bulldogs 21 0 0 3 24 Bears 10 10 3 0 23 Date: September 1, 2016 Location: Moye Complex, Macon, GA Game start: 7:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:49 Game attendance: 12,542 Game weather: 86°F • ESE 12 • Mostly cloudy Referee: Larry Saunders TV announcers (FSN): Darren Goldwater, Ray Goff, Lyndsay Rowley

Scoring summary 1 14:21 CIT Tyler Renew 70-yard run (Cody Clark kick) CIT 7–0 1 12:59 CIT Cam Jackson 8-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 14–0 1 7:44 MER Cole Fisher 26-yard field goal CIT 14–3 1 5:46 CIT Reggie Williams 29-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 21–3 1 3:08 MER John Russ 38-yard run (Fisher kick) CIT 21–10 2 11:21 MER Fisher 31-yard field goal CIT 21–13 2 6:46 MER Russ 1-yard run (Fisher kick) CIT 21–20 3 1:33 MER Fisher 47-yard field goal MER 23–21 4 8:16 CIT Clark 35-yard field goal CIT 24–23

Furman

See also: 2016 Furman Paladins football team and The Citadel–Furman football rivalry

1 2 3 4 Total Paladins 7 0 7 0 14 • #15 Bulldogs 7 6 0 6 19 Date: September 10, 2016 Location: Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston, SC Game start: 6:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:53 Game attendance: 12,009 Referee: Marshall Lewis TV announcers (ESPN3): Kevin Fitzgerald, Saddath Jean-Pierre

Scoring summary 1 12:38 FUR Andrej Suttles 12-yard pass from P.J. Blazejowski (Jon Croft Hollingsworth kick) FUR 7–0 1 5:05 CIT Jordan Black 1-yard run (Cody Clark kick) 7–7 2 4:04 CIT Black 1-yard run (Clark kick failed) CIT 13–7 3 1:19 FUR Blazejowski 1-yard run (Hollingsworth kick) FUR 14–13 4 2:13 CIT Dominique Allen 1-yard run (two-point run conv. failed) CIT 19–14

Gardner–Webb

See also: 2016 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

1 2 3 4 Total • #15 Bulldogs 7 7 7 10 31 Runnin' Bulldogs 7 3 7 7 24 Date: September 17, 2016 Location: Ernest W. Spangler Stadium, Boiling Springs, NC Game start: 6:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:34 Game attendance: 6,850 Game weather: 83°F • SE 4 • 48% humidity Referee: Henry Johns TV announcers (BSN): Fabian Fuentes, Alex Guest

Scoring summary 1 11:22 GW Jonathan Blackmon 39-yard run (Paul Schumacher kick) GW 7–0 1 6:50 CIT Jordan Black 1-yard run (Cody Clark kick) 7–7 2 13:49 GW Schumacher 27-yard field goal GW 10–7 2 2:44 CIT Rod Johnson 7-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 14–10 3 4:05 GW Khalil Lewis 28-yard run (Schumacher kick) GW 17–14 3 0:00 CIT DeAndre Schoultz 81-yard punt return (Clark kick) CIT 21–17 4 8:10 GW Willie Jackson IV 19-yard pass from Tyrell Maxwell (Schumacher kick) GW 24–21 4 2:51 CIT Dominique Allen 1-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 28–24 4 0:26 CIT Clark 45-yard field goal CIT 31–24

Western Carolina

See also: 2016 Western Carolina Catamounts football team

1 2 3 4 Total • #9 Bulldogs 7 20 7 3 37 Catamounts 0 0 7 7 14 Date: October 1, 2016 Location: Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC Game start: 3:30 PM EST Elapsed time: 3:11 Game attendance: 12,283 Game weather: Low 70s • W 4 • Sunny Referee: Larry Saunders TV announcers (ESPN3): Pete Yanity, Will Merritt

Scoring summary 1 2:49 CIT Rod Johnson 31-yard run (Cody Clark kick) CIT 7–0 2 10:50 CIT Johnson 1-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 14–0 2 6:46 CIT Rudder Brown 5-yard pass from Jordan Black (two-point run conv. failed) CIT 21–0 2 3:11 CIT Tyler Renew 75-yard pass from Cam Jackson (Clark kick) CIT 28–0 3 8:23 CIT Johnson 15-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 34–0 3 1:36 WCU Tyrie Adams 7-yard run (Logan Howard kick) CIT 34–7 4 11:43 WCU Detrez Newsome 65-yard run (Logan Howard kick) CIT 34–14 4 4:32 CIT Clark 33-yard field goal CIT 37–14

North Greenville

1 2 3 4 Total • #9 Bulldogs 7 14 14 3 38 Crusaders 7 7 0 0 14 Date: October 6, 2016 Location: Younts Stadium, Tigerville, SC Game start: 7:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:48 Game attendance: 5,435 Game weather: 71°F • NE 8 • Sunny Referee: Thomas Graham TV announcers (ESPN3): Kevin Fitzgerald, Sadath Jean-Pierre

Scoring summary 1 11:22 NGR Javon Smith 99-yard pass from Will Hunter (Matt Gravely kick) NGR 7–0 1 6:50 CIT Reggie Williams 17-yard run (Cody Clark kick) 7–7 2 14:17 CIT Rod Johnson 49-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 14–7 2 5:39 NGR Smith 90-yard pass from Hunter (Gravely kick) 14–14 2 5:29 CIT Cam Jackson 52-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 21–14 3 6:48 CIT Dominique Allen 15-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 28–14 3 0:10 CIT Williams 30-yard pass from Allen (Cody Clark kick) CIT 35–14 4 10:16 CIT Clark 31-yard field goal CIT 38–14

Chattanooga

See also: 2016 Chattanooga Mocs football team

1 2 3 4 Total #5 Mocs 7 7 0 0 14 • #8 Bulldogs 7 10 2 3 22 Date: October 15, 2016 Location: Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston, SC Game start: 3:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:44 Game attendance: 14,590 Referee: Bob Johnson TV announcers (FSN): Kevin Fitzgerald, Sadath Jean-Pierre

Scoring summary 1 5:00 CIT Dominique Allen 1-yard run (Cody Clark kick) CIT 7–0 1 4:49 CHA C.J. Board 75-yard pass from Alejandro Bennifield (Henrique Ribeiro kick) 7–7 2 10:16 CIT Allen 1-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 14–7 2 3:41 CHA Derrick Craine 1-yard run (Ribeiro kick) 14–14 2 0:00 CIT Clark 37-yard field goal CIT 17–14 3 0:00 CIT Team Safety CIT 19–14 4 0:24 CIT Clark 32-yard field goal CIT 22–14

Wofford

See also: 2016 Wofford Terriers football team

1 2 3 4 OT Total • #5 Bulldogs 0 0 7 14 3 24 Terriers 7 3 3 8 0 21 Date: October 22, 2016 Location: Gibbs Stadium, Spartanburg, SC Game start: 1:30 PM EST Elapsed time: 3:12 Game attendance: 11,102 Referee: Larry Adcock TV announcers (ESPN3): Mark Hauser, Thom Henson

Scoring summary 1 2:30 WOF Chase Nelson 1-yard run (David Marvin kick) WOF 7–0 2 0:00 WOF Marvin 41-yard field goal WOF 10–0 3 6:46 WOF Marvin 39-yard field goal WOF 13–0 3 1:33 CIT Reggie Williams 34-yard run (Cody Clark kick) WOF 13–7 4 12:55 CIT Dominique Allen 1-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 14–13 4 8:09 WOF Lennox McAfee 16-yard run (Chandler Gouger pass from Brandon Goodson) WOF 21–14 4 5:57 CIT Kailik Williams 13-yard interception return (Clark kick) 21–21 OT CIT Clark 21-yard field goal CIT 24–21

East Tennessee State

See also: 2016 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team

1 2 3 4 Total Buccaneers 0 7 3 0 10 • #5 Bulldogs 14 17 0 14 45 Date: October 29, 2016 Location: Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston, SC Game start: 2:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:56 Game attendance: 12,978 Referee: Marshall Lewis TV announcers (ESPN3): Kevin Fitzgerald, Sadath Jean-Pierre

Scoring summary 1 10:32 CIT Cam Jackson 1-yard run (Cody Clark kick) CIT 7–0 1 8:14 CIT Jorian Jordan 5-yard pass from Dominique Allen (Clark kick) CIT 14–0 2 14:11 CIT Reggie Williams 11-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 21–0 2 7:41 ETSU Haddon Hill 3-yard pass from Austin Herink (J.J. Jerman kick) CIT 21–7 2 6:47 CIT Jackson 38-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 28–7 2 0:07 CIT Cody Clark 29-yard field goal CIT 31–7 3 2:33 ETSU Jerman 22-yard field goal CIT 31–10 4 13:24 CIT Jordan Black 2-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 38–10 4 8:04 CIT Jonathan Dorogy 3-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 45–10

Samford

See also: 2016 Samford Bulldogs football team

1 2 3 4 OT Total #20 Bulldogs (SAM) 7 13 0 14 0 34 • #5 Bulldogs (CIT) 7 7 7 13 3 37 Date: November 5, 2016 Location: Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston, SC Game start: 2:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 3:24 Game attendance: 15,015 Referee: Edwin Lee TV announcers (ESPN3): Kevin Fitzgerald, Sadath Jean-Pierre

Scoring summary 1 4:23 CIT Cam Jackson 8-yard run (Cody Clark kick) CIT 7–0 1 1:53 SAM Devlin Hodges 10-yard run (Reece Everett kick) 7–7 2 10:11 SAM Hodges 57-yard run (Everett kick) SAM 14–7 2 8:18 CIT Tyler Renew 55-yard run (Clark kick) 14–14 2 5:23 SAM Everett 51-yard field goal SAM 17–14 2 0:46 SAM Everett 44-yard field goal SAM 20–14 3 1:53 CIT Renew 58-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 21–20 4 13:02 CIT Clark 48-yard field goal CIT 24–20 4 10:36 SAM Emmanuel Obajimi 18-yard pass from Hodges (Everett kick) SAM 27–24 4 6:17 SAM Karel Hamilton 9-yard pass from Hodges (Everett kick) SAM 34–24 4 4:24 CIT Renew 4-yard run (Clark kick) SAM 34–31 4 0:03 CIT Clark 34-yard field goal 34–34 OT CIT Clark 36-yard field goal CIT 37–34

VMI

See also: 2016 VMI Keydets football team and Military Classic of the South

1 2 3 4 Total • #5 Bulldogs 10 7 6 7 30 Keydets 0 7 13 0 20 Date: November 12, 2016 Location: Alumni Memorial Stadium, Lexington, VA Game start: 1:30 PM EST Elapsed time: 3:07 Game attendance: 8,251 Game weather: Low 50's • 3–5 MPH • Cool, clear, not bad Referee: Larry Saunders TV announcers (ESPN3): Wade Branner, Dave Harding

Scoring summary 1 6:01 CIT Cody Clark 21-yard field goal CIT 3–0 1 1:36 CIT Jonathan King 54-yard fumble recovery (Clark kick) CIT 10–0 2 14:26 VMI Austin Coulling 30-yard pass from Ryan Swingle (Tommy Smith kick) CIT 10–7 2 10:49 CIT Dominique Allen 7-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 17–7 3 8:51 CIT Tyler Renew 8-yard pass from Dominique Allen (Clark kick blocked) CIT 23–7 3 3:40 VMI Aaron Sanders 27-yard pass from Jake Paladino (Smith kick) CIT 23–14 3 1:18 VMI Tyain Smith 5-yard run (Smith kick blocked) CIT 23–20 4 13:03 CIT Jonathan Dorogy 17-yard run (Clark kick) CIT 30–20

North Carolina

See also: 2016 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

1 2 3 4 Total #5 Bulldogs 0 0 0 7 7 • Tar Heels 14 17 10 0 41 Date: November 19, 2016 Location: Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC Game start: 3:30 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:55 Game attendance: 41,000 Game weather: 68°F • Variable • Mostly sunny Referee: Gary Patterson TV announcers (ACCN+): Dan Gutowsky, John Gregory

Scoring summary 1 3:10 UNC Brandon Fritts 19-yard pass from Mitch Trubisky (Nick Weiler kick) UNC 7–0 1 1:15 UNC Ryan Switzer 72-yard pass from Trubisky (Weiler kick) UNC 14–0 2 11:09 UNC T.J. Logan 23-yard pass from Trubisky (Weiler Kick) UNC 21–0 2 9:54 UNC Dominquie Green 58-yard interception return (Weiler kick) UNC 28–0 2 0:59 UNC Weiler 23-yard field goal UNC 31–0 3 14:46 UNC Logan 100-yard kickoff return (Weiler kick) UNC 38–0 3 6:29 UNC Weiler 41-yard field goal UNC 41–0 4 9:21 CIT Grant Drakeford 28-yard run (Cody Clark kick) UNC 41–7

FCS playoffs

Second round – Wofford

1 2 3 4 Total • #19 Terriers 0 0 3 14 17 #6 Bulldogs 3 0 0 0 3 Date: December 3, 2016 Location: Johnson Hagood Stadium, Charleston, SC Game start: 6:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:51 Game attendance: 10,336 Referee: Charlie Jebran TV announcers (ESPN3): Greg Mescall, Stan Lewter

Scoring summary 1 7:25 CIT Cody Clark 24-yard field goal CIT 3–0 3 8:09 WOF David Marvin 47-yard field goal 3–3 4 10:28 WOF Joe Newman 36-yard run (Marvin kick) WOF 10–3 4 0:30 WOF Devin Watson 64-yard interception (Marvin kick) WOF 17–3

Ranking movements

Main article: 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Final
STATS	15	15	15	10	9	9	8	5 (5)	5 (3)	5 (3)	5 (7)	5 (6)	6	10
Coaches	15	16	15	10	10	9	9	6	7	7	6	6	6	9
FCS Playoffs	Not released									6	6	6	Not released