NEWBERRY – The Newberry football team will hit the road for the last time of the 2023 season this Saturday as they travel to Mars Hill to take on the Lions of Mars Hill University at 1:00 p.m.
 
The Wolves are 4-6, 3-5 SAC after falling last Saturday against Wingate 21-17.
 
The Lions enter the weekend with a 7-2 record and a 6-2 SAC record after they fell to Tusculum on the road in a 29-27 overtime loss.
 
The Coaches
Todd Knight enters his 15th year at the helm of the Newberry program in 2023 season, 21st season coaching at Newberry, having made his mark as one of the most successful coaches in program history. Knight signed a contract extension at the end of the 2022 season to continue leading the Wolves through the 2027 season.
 
His 93-68 overall record makes him the winningest coach in school history, a feat which he accomplished with his 73rd win in a 24-19 contest over Tusculum in front of the home crowd on September 25, 2021, remaining the only 40-game winner with a winning record in the 105 years of Newberry football. The 2016, 2021, and 2022 South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year has a .589 winning percentage, good for second in school history among coaches with 10 or more games at the helm.
 
The Wolves' 31 wins from 2013-16, all under Knight, are the second-most wins in a four-year period in school history. Newberry's 32 victories from 2006-09, the final six of which came during Knight's first season as Head Coach following six seasons as Defensive Coordinator, are the current standard-bearer.
 
Tim Clifton is entering his 28th season at Mars Hill University. Clifton has led the Lions to a .500 record or higher in 16 seasons including the SAC title and the Lions first NCAA post season appearance in 2011. For his efforts guiding the Lions in 2011, Clifton was named the SAC Coach of the Year. He has a career record at Mars Hill of 143-139 (141-117 vs. DII opponents). The 143 wins place Clifton second in all-time wins of all SAC head coaches. He has recorded 75 conference victories that also places him second in that category among all-time SAC head coaches. During the 2003 season, Clifton broke the school's record for most wins by a head football coach. He surpassed Claude Gibson (1973-82) who ended his career with an overall record of 55-37-2 (.585).
Under Clifton's direction, the Lion offense has exploded breaking several single season offensive school records such as longest run from scrimmage (94 yards by senior Leon Williams), most PAT's scored (37) most rushing yards gained (3,130), most total offensive yards (4,803), most first downs (250), and most points scored (327).
Clifton came to Mars Hill from Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia, where he had been the offensive coordinator since 1987. During Clifton's tenure, Ferrum went to four straight NCAA Division III playoffs. In the 1988-89 school year, Ferrum was a national semifinalist.

The Series
This will be the 52^nd   matchup between the Wolves and the Lions. Newberry holds a 18-33 overall record against Mars Hill. Last season, the Wolves defeated the Lions on a Tommy Washington touchdown reception last season to win their second consecutive SAC championship 27-24.    


Scouting the Wolves

• The Wolves defense comes in limiting opposing teams passing attacks to 123.0 yards per game. Senior middle linebacker A.J. Valentine led the way with 53 total tackles in the season. Freshman defensive end Colby Taylor has been in opposing team's backfields throughout the season leading the Wolves with five sacks on the season and 7.5 TFLs. The Wolves had four sacks last weekend against Wingate.
• The Wolves offensive end relies on their ground game.The sophomore running back duo of Dwayne Wright, and Trakell Murray combine for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season. Wright has 770 yards and six touchdowns the season. Redshirt sophomore Keith Desaussure has led the Wolves in receiving yards with 402 on the season. Junior quarterback Jy Tolen completed a season best 15 passes against Wingate last weekend.

Scouting the Bulldogs.

• Mars Hill's offense produces the SAC's third best 377.3 yards per game. Led by senior quarterback JR Martin, the Lions average 212.9 yards through the air. Martin has a team best seven rushing touchdowns while throwing for 1807 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Junior wide receiver Malik Laurent is the primary target for the Lions. Laurent has 48 receptions for 631 yards and three touchdowns.
• The Mars Hill defense allows 287.7 total yards which is the third best in the SAC. Senior linebacker Landon Honeycutt has the SAC best 10.6 tackles per game for the Lions. Honeycutt had 15 tackles, 10 solo tackles and a sack in the loss vs. Tusculum last weekend. Senior linebacker Daquan Carter pulled down two interceptions and added four tackles in the losing effort at Tusculum.