NEWBERRY - Newberry College used 300 yards of total offense from quarterback Josh Stepp (Pelion, S.C.) to hand Division I-AA Coastal Carolina its first loss of the season, 21-7, in college football action Saturday night at Setzler Field. Newberry (3-0) collected its first win over a I-AA opponent since beating Charleston Southern 27-26 in 1999.
The Indians outgained the Chanticleers (2-1) in total yardage 438 to 197, and racked up 20 first downs compared to Coastal's nine.
This is Newberry's first 3-0 start since 1998.
"All the credit goes to God," head coach Zak Willis said. He's been with the football team all season long."
The Indians opened the scoring with a two-yard Stepp burst through the middle with 1:34 left in the first quarter. The play capped an eight-play, 60-yard drive which also included a Stepp-to-Tymere Zimmerman (Bennettsville, S.C.) toss for 29 yards. Stepp ran three times for 21 yards in the drive.
The remainder of the half was a defensive struggle, with Newberry outgaining Coastal by 182 yards at the break. The Scarlet and Gray had 11 first downs to Coastal's four.
Newberry cashed in on its very first drive of the second half. Tailback Deshon Rodell (Allendale, S.C.) found a seam on the right side and burst for 29 yards and the touchdown to put Newberry up 14-0. Stepp salvaged the drive on third-and-four at midfield, completing a 14-yard toss to Zimmerman. Three plays later on another third-and-four, Rodell went the distance for the score, and the remainder of the quarter played out scoreless.
Coastal would not lie down. The Chanticleers took its first possession of the final period to the endzone, collecting four of its nine first downs on a drive that spanned 14 plays and 87 yards. Sophomore Aundres Perkins (Effingham, S.C.) , Coastal's leading rusher with 49 yards, pounded the ball into paydirt from four yards out with 5:56 remaining in the contest.
The Indians responded on the following drive. Newberry rushed on 11 of its 12 plays, no play bigger than Stepp's 32-yard dash that set up the home team on Coastal's one yard line. Two plays later, Gerard Jackson (Melbourne, Fla.) pounded in his 93rd yard of the day and lone touchdown to nail the coffin shut.
Zimmerman led all receivers with seven catches for 90 yards. Five Coastal receivers had one catch apiece to account for 33 receiving yards.
Senior linebacker Terrance Leverett (Ware Shoals, S.C.) turned in All-American numbers with 17 total tackles (six unassisted), leading all Indians, and a half-sack on the night. Adam Scott posted a career best eight tackles and a sack. The defense collaborated to allow only 33 CCU passing yards, and limited the normally powerful Coastal ground game to 164 yards.
Willis added, "We had a good defensive game plan, and we executed that plan. Coach Hall did a good job getting a good job getting the offense ready as well.
"Our kids were fired up, this was a big deal for us to host a I-AA school, a big time program with a big time coach. To have an opportunity to compete with them, this is like our Super Bowl."
Coastal will host North Greenville next weekend, a team that Newberry pounded 51-7 a week ago. Newberry travels to Lenoir-Rhyne for the battle for the Bishops Trophy. The Indians were winners by three points in last year's classic.
