Elon University senior wide receiver Jeremy Peterson, in his reflection on his career, said it was hard to believe.
“It’s kind of hard to believe,” he said, thinking about the fact that the Phoenix’s match-up with the University of Tennessee at Ch
attanooga Saturday is his last college football game. “It’s like, ‘Gosh, four years went by that fast already?’ But right now, I’m not even looking at it like that, just coming out and having fun every day at practice.”On a team that’s 3-7 and losers of six of its last seven games, Peterson and the rest of the Elon seniors and some redshirt juniors will play their final college football game against the Mocs, capping a year filled with disappointment, injuries and an inability to stop the run.
But head coach Jason Swepson still feels there’s a way to end this story, as he put it, “the right way.”
“We’ve got to win the football game,” he said. “We’ve got to do some positive things, try to play 60 minutes. We’ve got some guys that are limping home and hopefully we can get some positive treatments and really get a full squad down there to Tennessee. But it’s going to be tough. It’s the game of football. This time of the year, you’re going to be banged up, but we’re not going to use that as an excuse, we’re going to go out there, stay with our system and see if we’re good enough.”
The injuries are numerous. Several key players, including sophomore running back Karl Bostick and junior nose tackle Tony Thompson, have been lost to injuries for the season, while the status of senior quarterback Thomas Wilson and junior punter Kenton Beal are unsure for Saturday.
Wilson is perhaps the biggest injury. He hurt his non-throwing shoulder last Saturday in Elon’s 26-15 loss to Samford University when he was hit by a Samford defender when running out-of-bounds.
“It didn’t look good,” Swepson said after the game. “I’m sure if he can play, he’s going to play. If the doctors clear him and he can protect himself, he’s our starting quarterback.”
Wilson is expected to play, but will be hobbled.
The key for Saturday, as in every game this season for the Phoenix, is to play a complete 60 minutes of football. Swepson said his tool of motivation is the grassroots of his players’ football career.
“They’re playing the game they love,” he said. “We’ve got ten seniors, they’re not quitting. I know the underclassmen, they’re working hard, they’ve got a chance to look forward and really end on a positive note going into winter conditioning, going into spring ball with some confidence. We’ve still got a lot to play for.”
For defensive lineman Gary Coates, it’s those ten guys playing their last game.
“Go hard at it again for (the seniors),” he said. “That’s what the memo for (the Samford) game was, to have fun and do it for the seniors. I feel like the fact that we didn’t get it done (against Samford) should be our fire for next week because it’s all they’ve got.”
A win is all the seniors want. Senior wide receiver Aaron Mellette is just two touchdown catches away from tying former Marshall University receiver Randy Moss’ Southern Conference record of 19 touchdowns in a season, but, for him, that record would pale in comparison to ending his career on a good note.
“I’m know I’m right there at the record of touchdowns right now, but as long as we get a win and I get zero touchdowns, I’d be happy because I know my last game, I won and I know that I’m going to remember that,” he said.
For Peterson, he wants to have fun and not have any regrets.
“My motivation is just to go out there and have fun,” he said. “I don’t want to leave here and be thinking back, shoulda, coulda, woulda, my last game, I should have done this or done that. I don’t want to have any regrets once the game is over. Just go out with a great feeling.”
[box]
Game Notes
- With his 10-catch, 100-yard performance against Samford, Mellette became just the second player in Southern Conference history to surpass the 4,000-yard receiving mark for his career. Mellette’s career total sits at 4,066 yards. Former Elon receiver Terrell Hudgins holds the SoCon and FCS record with 5,250 career receiving yards.
- Elon sophomore linebacker Jonathan Spain made 20 tackles against Samford. The number moved his single-season total to 108, the sixth-most tackles by an Elon player in a season since the program moved to NCAA Division I play in 1999.
- The Phoenix lost to the Mocs 42-18 last Oct. 22 at Elon's Homecoming festivities. Chattanooga got three touchdown passes from that season's SoCon Freshman of the Year, quarterback Terrell Robinson.
- Wilson is tenth in the nation in passing yards per game (285.4) and leads the SoCon in touchdowns (23) and interceptions (ten).