No points on the board in the first three quarters of a football game helps no one.

Giving up a lot of running yards doesn’t help either.

The Elon University football team dropped its third game in a row and sixth in its last seven, as Samford University defeated the Phoenix 26-15 in Southern Conference action Saturday at Rhodes Stadium.

Samford junior running back Fabian Truss was a workhouse, notching 34 carries for 219 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs had 290 total rushing yards on the day.

Elon head coach Jason Swepson said Samford’s bullish offensive and defensive lines prevented the Phoenix from getting much going.

“We played a very big, physical football team that we just didn’t match up well with,” he said. “That’s been the story all season, we just can’t stop the run until we get bigger and stronger.”

It’s a continuation of the rest of the season, as the Phoenix entered the game with the 114th worst rushing defense in the country.

Samford was not particularly spectacular in the first half, gaining just 116 rushing yards. But Truss’ first score, a one-yard run with 5:31 left in the first quarter, and two field goals from senior kicker Cameron Yaw put the Bulldogs ahead 13-0 at the end of 30 minutes.

The Phoenix struggled mightily on offense, notching just 82 offensive yards in the first half, minus-19 on the ground.

“We just couldn’t get anything going,” Swepson said. “We couldn’t get the run game going and we were forced to throw the football and we played right into their hands.”

Sophomore defensive lineman Gary Coates said the defense was satisfied with its performance in the first half.

“As a defense, we were all fired up,” he said. “We came out and nothing was going to change. In the locker room, coach told us that we were doing a good job. We had a couple of mistakes here and there, but other than that, we were about to come out with the same intensity we had in the first half, because that’s what worked.”

A back-and-forth scoreless affair ensued for most of the third quarter. Then Truss hustled 75 yards to put the Bulldogs ahead 20-0 with 4:25 left in the frame. The junior tailback fought through a few tacklers and out-ran the rest of the defense.

Elon had a glimmer of hope when senior quarterback Thomas Wilson found senior wide receiver Aaron Mellette in the front corner of the end zone to pull the Phoenix back within two scores with 11:08 left in the fourth quarter at 20-7.

The Bulldogs knocked 6:51 off the clock on a 15-play, 82-yard drive following that was capped by Samford senior quarterback Andy Summerlin’s four-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kesley Pope. After Yaw’s extra point hit the right upright, Samford led 26-10.

Elon began to drive down the field, all the way to the Samford 17 when Wilson ran towards the sidelines and was knocked out of bounds by Samford redshirt freshman defensive back Trey Wesley, who had two sacks on the day. Wilson, who had been sacked five times previously and stayed down on a couple of them, didn’t get up for a couple minutes and did not play the rest of the game.

Sophomore quarterback Mike Quinn came in and completed an 18-yard pass to Mellette for a score to put the score at 26-15. Mellette finished the day with ten receptions for 100 yards.

An ensuing onside kick was recovered by Samford, effectively putting the game out of reach.

It was a positive result for the Elon defense, holding Samford to just 26 points after giving up an average of 33.3 points per game in its last six outings, but the offense couldn't pull through.

“We’ve had a tough start in the last couple of games,” said Elon junior wide receiver Rasaun Rorie, who had four catches for 64 yards. “We just came out slow. I guess it was just one of those games when we came out flat.”

 

Game Notes

  • Elon sophomore linebacker Jonathan Spain had a career-high 20 tackles, the first time an Elon player has recorded 20 tackles in a game since former linebacker Corey Weaver had 25 against Appalachian State University Sept. 30, 2006. Senior linebacker Blake Thompson notched 17 tackles, also a career high.
  • Quinn’s touchdown pass was his second career and his first connection with Mellette for a score. “That’s what you expect Mike to do,” Mellette said. “He sits back and watches Thomas in practice. He knows the reads, he knows what to do when he gets out there. He hasn’t really had a chance this year to show what he can do. It’s good for him to come in and throw a touchdown pass. It’s good for his confidence going into the last game and going into next season.”
  • The game was Senior Day for the Phoenix, as eleven seniors were recognized before the game. They were: Wilson, Mellette, Thompson, wide receiver Jeremy Peterson, tight end Chris Harris, offensive linemen Justin Ward and Kyle Herbert, defensive lineman Olufemi Lamikanra, linebacker Thonda Taylor, defensive back David Williams and kicker Adam Shreiner.
  • Wilson finished the day 23-42 for 227 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He injured his non-throwing shoulder, aggravating an injury he sustained Oct. 6 against Appalachian State. Swepson said if he was cleared by doctors to play next week, he would.