Mike Vann 327 all-purpose yards, 5 TD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Info. Director
(540) 365-4306

September 29, 2007


Ferrum Tames Cougars With 48-20 USA South Football Win

FERRUM, Va. -- Freshman RB Mike Vann scored five touchdowns this afternoon, helping Ferrum College defeat Averett University 48-20 at home during Family Weekend on the Ferrum campus.  Vann had 327 all-purpose yards ... 187 rushing, 120 on kickoff returns, and 20 receiving.

Official Box Score

Vann had 187 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 12 carries.  He also had a TD reception for 20 yards, and added a 90-yard kickoff return for a score.  One of Vann's touchdown runs set a new school record for longest rushing play, when he took a handoff at Ferrum's six yard line and raced 94 yards to the end zone.  The previous record was set by Chris Warren, who had a 90-yard rush against Emory & Henry College in 1987.

Vann gave Ferrum a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with a pair of TD runs of 16 and 33 yards.  After Averett backup QB Jeremy Dixon cut the lead to 14-7 on a four-yard run, Vann opened the second quarter by hauling in a 20-yard pass from QB Matt Dobson to put Ferrum up 21-7.

Dobson and Vann then each had long TD runs before halftime, Dobson on a 74-yard run and Vann on a 94-yard run to give Ferrum a 35-7 halftime lead.

Blake Nuzzo cut the Ferrum lead to 35-14 when he hauled in a 41-yard TD strike pass from QB Shane Fairbanks late in the third quarter, only to see Vann run the ensuing kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown.

Robert Rankin opened the fourth quarter for Ferrum with a five-yard TD run to put Ferrum up 48-14.  Dixon scored last for the Cougars on a six-yard run with no time remaining on the clock.

Ferrum (3-2, 2-0 USA South) racked up 533 yards in total offense, 444 of which came on the ground.  Dobson went 3-3 for 44 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions, and three sacks.  He finished with 119 yards and a score on 11 rushes.

Averett (0-4, 0-1 USA South) had 341 yards total offense.  Fairbanks was 15-35 for 195 yards with a touchdown, an interception, and two sacks.  Dixon was 2-5 passing for 38 yards with no TDs, one interception and two sacks.

Defensively, LB J.J. Jordan had five solo tackles, two assisted tackles.  Shawn Green had five solo tackles including one for loss, three assisted tackles and a quarterback sack.  Zane Cooper had five solo stops for the Cougars, two for loss, four assisted tackles and a sack.

Ferrum will travel to Tennessee next weekend to play USA South opponent Maryville College at 1:30 p.m.  Averett hosts Methodist College next Saturday at 1 p.m. in another USA South clash.

# # #