The 2015 The Citadel Bulldogs football team represented The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season . The Bulldogs were led by second-year head coach Mike Houston and played their home games at Johnson Hagood Stadium . They played as members of the Southern Conference , as they have since 1936. They finished the season 9–4, 6–1 in SoCon play to finish in a share for the SoCon title with Chattanooga. Due to their head-to-head loss to Chattanooga, they did not receive the SoCon's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. However, they received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Coastal Carolina in the first round before losing in the second round to Charleston Southern.
On January 18, head coach Mike Houston resigned to become the head coach at James Madison .[ 1] He finished at The Citadel with a two-year record of 14–11.
Before the season
Returning starters
Ten starters returned on offense, with only QB Aaron Miller lost to graduation.
Outlook
The Bulldogs were picked to finish 7th in the 8 team Southern Conference. No players were named to national award watch lists or the preseason All-America teams, but OL Sam Frye and DL Mitchell Jeter were named to the preseason All-Conference first team.[ 2]
Schedule
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance September 5 6:00 p.m. Davidson * ESPN3 W 69–08,665
September 12 6:00 p.m. Western Carolina Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC ESPN3 W 28–108,048
September 19 6:00 p.m. at Georgia Southern * ESPN3 L 13–4824,872
September 26 6:00 p.m. Charleston Southern * Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC ESPN3 L 20–3311,918
October 10 2:00 p.m. Wofford Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC (rivalry ) ESPN3 W 39–1210,428
October 17 3:00 p.m. at Samford ESPN3 W 44–254,927
October 24 1:30 p.m. at Furman ESPN3 W 38–1712,124
October 31 2:00 p.m. Mercer Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC ESPN3 W 21–1910,006
November 7 2:00 p.m. VMI dagger No. 25 ESPN3 W 35–1414,925
November 14 2:00 p.m. at No. 8 Chattanooga No. 21 SDN L 23–3111,594
November 21 12:00 p.m. at South Carolina * No. 25 SECN Alt.W 23–2277,241
November 28 2:00 p.m. at No. 10 Coastal Carolina * No. 18 ESPN3 W 41–386,751
December 5 1:00 p.m. at No. 9 Charleston Southern* No. 18 ESPN3 L 6–148,451
[ 3]
Personnel
Roster
2015 The Citadel Bulldogs football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
DB
1
Shy Phillips
So
DB
4
Dee Delaney
So
DL
5
Joe Crochet
Jr
DL
7
Mark Thomas
Sr
LB
8
Israel Battle
So
DB
9
Khafari Buffalo
Fr
DB
11
Ben Roberts
So
LB
17
Josh Massey
So
DB
20
Mariel Cooper
File:Redshirt.svg Sr
DB
21
Malik Diggs
Jr
LB
22
Dondray Copeland
Jr
DB
23
Tyus Carter
So
DB
24
Aron Spann III
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
DB
27
Nick Willis
Sr
LB
32
Phil Davis
Fr
LB
33
Quinlan Washington
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
DB
38
J.J. Baldwin
Jr
DB
40
Kailik Williams
So
DB
41
Seth Greer
So
LB
42
Trey Nelson
So
LB
43
Tevin Floyd
Jr
LB
44
Jordan Thomas
Fr
DB
45
Curt Nixon
Fr
DB
46
Carl Cunningham Jr.
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
LB
47
Caleb Bennett
Jr
DL
48
Kevin Graham
Fr
LB
49
James Riley
Sr
LB
50
Myles Pierce
So
LB
54
DaSean Daniels
So
LB
54
Gregory Pappas
So
LB
55
Russell Hubbs
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
DL
58
Austin Harrell
Jr
DL
62
Mitchell Jeter
Sr
DL
68
Ken Allen
Fr
DL
78
Caleb Hester
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
DL
91
Tre'Von White
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
DL
92
Travis Johnson
So
DL
93
Adam Wawrzynski
Fr
DL
94
Attorney Gallman
Fr
DL
95
Noah Dawkins
Fr
DL
96
Ja'Lon Williams
Fr
DL
97
Jonathan King
So
DL
Bradley Carter
Fr
LB
Tradd Deaver
Fr
LB
Cody Floyd
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
DB
Tyler Jackson
Fr
LB
Taylor Jurney
Jr
DB
Nathan Peeples
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
DB
Donald Rutledge
Fr
LB
Za'Von Whitaker
Fr
LB
Jordan Williams
Fr
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
LS
59
Lee Riley
File:Redshirt.svg Fr
LS
60
Hunter Morris
Jr
LS
85
Patrick Keefe
Fr
K
86
Austin Jordan
Sr
P
90
Will Vanvick
Jr
K
99
Eric Goins
Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Brent Thompson – Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks
Blake Harrell – Special Teams Coordinator / Inside Linebackers
Maurice Drayton – Defensive Coordinator / Cornerbacks
J. P. Gunter - A-Backs / Recruiting Coordinator
Ron Boyd - Offensive Line
Brian Rucker - Wide Receivers
Roy Tesh - Defensive Line
Joel Taylor - Defensive Passing Game Coordinator / Safeties
John Ward - Tackles
Tripp Weaver - Outside Linebackers
P. G. Standard - Offensive Quality Control
Price Blagg - Defensive Quality Control
Jimmy Long - Special Teams Quality Control
Donnell Boucher - Strength and Conditioning
Floris Mendonca - Video Coordinator
Kate Yeager - Director of Personnel
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Roster Last update: July 1, 2020
Depth chart
Defense
FS
Malik Diggs
Kailik Williams
⋅
DE
DT
DT
DE
Mark Thomas
Jonathan King
Mitchell Jeter
Joe Crochet
Kevin Graham
Ken Allen
Austin Harrell
Noah Dawkins
Travis Johnson
⋅
⋅
Russell Hubbs
CB
Shy Phillips
Mariel Cooper
⋅
Offense
WR
Alex Glover
Rudder Brown
⋅
SB
Cam Jackson
Grant Drakeford
⋅
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
Isaiah Pinson
Kyle Weaver
Ryan Bednar
Sam Frye
Michael Mabry
Sydney Martin
Lovequan Scott
Tyler Davis
Tristan Harkleroad
Nick Jeffreys
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
SB
Vinny Miller
Reggie Williams
⋅
WR
Joriah Jordan
Brandon Eakins
⋅
QB
Dominique Allen
Shon Belton
Cam Jackson
FB
Tyler Renew
Isiaha Smith
Evan McField
Special teams
PK Eric Goins
PK Austin Jordan
P Will Vanvick
KR Quinlan Washington
PR DeAndre Schoultz
H Dane Anderson
Game summaries
Davidson
1
2 3 4 Total
Wildcats
0
0 0 0
0
• Bulldogs
21
14 20 14
69
Scoring summary 1 6:08 CIT Dominique Allen 4-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
1 0:10 CIT Isiaha Smith 2-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 14–0
1 0:00 CIT Tevin Floyd 28-yard interception return (Goins kick) CIT 21–0
2 4:11 CIT Jorian Jordan 17-yard pass from Allen (Goins kick) CIT 28–0
2 0:31 CIT Smith 8-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 35–0
3 11:26 CIT Rod Johnson 1-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 42–0
3 6:46 CIT Allen 2-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 48–0
3 1:33 CIT Smith 1-yard run (Pass conversion failed) CIT 55–0
4 12:27 CIT Evan McField 15-yard run (Austin Jordan kick) CIT 62–0
4 8:16 CIT Shon Belton 48-yard run (Jordan kick) CIT 69–0
Western Carolina
1
2 3 4 Total
Catamounts
0
3 7 0
10
• Bulldogs
0
7 7 14
28
Scoring summary 2 14:42 CIT Dominique Allen 1-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
2 5:26 WCU Logan Howard 20-yard field goal CIT 7–3
3 6:48 WCU Detrez Newsome 4-yard run (Howard kick) WCU 10–7
3 0:45 CIT Jorian Jordan fumble recovery in end zone (Goins kick) CIT 14–10
4 12:04 CIT Evan McField 3-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 21–10
4 9:15 CIT Allen 5-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 28–10
Georgia Southern
1
2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs
0
0 7 6
13
• Eagles
10
21 10 7
48
Scoring summary 1 11:46 GSU Allex Hanks 22-yard field goal GSU 3–0
1 1:25 GSU Kevin Ellison 1-yard run (Hanks kick) GSU 10–0
2 12:35 GSU Matt Breida 25-yard run (Hanks kick) GSU 17–0
2 8:43 GSU Breida 87-yard run (Hanks kick) GSU 24–0
2 3:50 GSU Ellison 9-yard run (Hanks kick) GSU 31–0
3 11:47 CIT Evan McField 60-yard run (Eric Goins kick) GSU 31–7
3 6:17 GSU LA Ramsby 7-yard run (Hanks kick) GSU 38–7
3 4:54 GSU Hanks 40-yard field goal GSU 41–7
4 12:50 GSU Wesley Fields 2-yard run (Hanks kick) GSU 48–7
4 4:11 CIT Cam Jackson 6-yard run (Pass conversion failed) GSU 48–13
Charleston Southern
1
2 3 4 Total
• Buccaneers
0
6 10 17
33
Bulldogs
7
10 3 0
20
Scoring summary 1 6:48 CIT Dominique Allen 7-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
2 10:13 CIT Goins 27-yard field goal CIT 10–0
2 2:15 CSU Mike Holloway 31-yard run (Tyler Tekac kick blocked) CIT 10–6
2 0:04 CIT Devonta Delaney 44-yard interception return (Goins kick) CIT 17–6
3 14:01 CSU Holloway 8-yard run (Tekac kick) CIT 17–13
3 7:08 CSU Tekac 37-yard field goal CIT 17–16
3 1:30 CIT Goins 45-yard field goal CIT 20–16
4 11:48 CSU Tekac 32-yard field goal CIT 20–19
4 7:33 CSU Darius Hammond 21-yard run (Pass conversion failed) CSU 25–20
4 3:54 CSU Holloway 73-yard run (Austin Brown pass to Colton Corn) CSU 33–20
Wofford
1
2 3 4 Total
Terriers
0
6 6 0
12
• Bulldogs
14
7 15 3
39
Scoring summary 1 6:21 CIT Dominique Allen 1-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
1 0:07 CIT Allen 24-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 14–0
2 4:28 WOF Lorenzo Long 3-yard run (kick failed) CIT 14–6
2 0:56 CIT Reggie Williams 17-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 21–6
3 8:17 CIT Tyler Renew 3-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 28–6
3 4:34 WOF Ray Smith 8-yard run (Run conversion failed) CIT 28–12
3 2:30 CIT Brandon Eakins 24-yard pass from Allen (Smith pass from Allen conversion) CIT 36–12
4 5:56 CIT Goins 24-yard field goal CIT 39–12
Samford
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bulldogs (CIT)
7
28 6 3
44
Bulldogs (SAM)
7
7 3 8
25
Scoring summary 1 9:36 CIT Dominique Allen 1-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
1 1:04 SAM Michael Eubank 32-yard run (Anthony Pistelli kick) TIE 7–7
2 12:14 CIT Vinny Miller 8-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 14–7
2 7:19 CIT Isiaha Smith 31-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 21–7
2 3:39 SAM Michael Pierce 1-yard run (Pistelli kick) CIT 21–14
2 0:56 CIT Smith 1-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 28–14
2 0:37 CIT DeVonta Delaney 25-yard fumble return (Goins kick) CIT 35–14
3 9:30 CIT Smith 9-yard run (run conversion failed) CIT 41–14
3 7:15 SAM Pistelli 25-yard field goal CIT 41–17
4 12:21 SAM Karel Hamilton 83-yard pass from Devlin Hodges (Darius Harvey pass conversion to Devlin Hodges) CIT 41–25
4 9:17 CIT Goins 41-yard field goal CIT 44–25
Furman
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bulldogs
7
17 7 7
38
Paladins
7
0 10 0
17
Scoring summary 1 10:27 FUR Chad Scott 20-yard pass from Reese Hannon (Jon Croft Hollingsworth kick) FUR 7–0
1 7:31 CIT Cam Jackson 34-yard run (Eric Goins kick) 7–7
2 11:53 CIT Dominque Allen 1-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 14–7
2 6:10 CIT Brandon Eakins 35-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 21–7
2 0:02 CIT Goins 22-yard field goal CIT 24–7
3 12:32 FUR Duncan Fletcher 19-yard pass from Logan McCarter (Hollingsworth kick) CIT 24–14
3 4:03 FUR Hollingsworth 20-yard field goal CIT 24–17
3 1:39 CIT Allen 1-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 31–17
4 3:57 CIT Jackson 11-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 38–17
Mercer
1
2 3 4 Total
Bears
10
0 3 6
19
• Bulldogs
0
14 0 7
21
Scoring summary 1 6:04 MER Jagger Lieb 29-yard field goal MER 3–0
1 1:56 MER Robert Brown 5-yard pass from John Russ (Lieb kick) MER 10–0
2 3:20 CIT Reggie Williams 2-yard run (Eric Goins kick) MER 10–7
2 0:53 CIT Isiaha Smith 83-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 14–10
3 1:41 MER Lieb 22-yard field goal CIT 14–13
2 7:49 CIT Dominque Allen 3-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 21–13
4 3:12 MER Alex Lakes 1-yard run (Pass conversion failed) CIT 21–19
VMI
1
2 3 4 Total
Keydets
7
0 7 0
14
• #25 Bulldogs
14
6 6 9
35
Scoring summary 1 12:11 CIT Cam Jackson 68-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
1 7:30 CIT Quinlan Washington 72-yard interception return (Goins kick) CIT 14–0
1 0:15 VMI Derrick Ziglar 3-yard pass from Hayden Alford (Dillon Christopher kick) CIT 14–7
2 12:16 CIT Goins 33-yard field goal CIT 17–7
2 0:00 CIT Goins 26-yard field goal CIT 20–7
3 11:47 VMI Ziglar 3-yard run (Christopher kick) CIT 20–14
3 5:58 CIT Goins-yard field goal CIT 23–14
3 1:10 CIT Goins-yard field goal CIT 26–14
4 7:51 CIT Goins-yard field goal CIT 29–14
4 0:07 CIT Tevin Floyd 75-yard interception return (kick failed) CIT 35–14
Chattanooga
1
2 3 4 Total
#21 Bulldogs
0
0 14 9
23
• #8 Mocs
14
7 3 7
31
Date: November 14, 2015Game start: 2:00 PM EST Game attendance: 11,594
Scoring summary 1 14:48 UTC Xavier Borishade 75-yard pass from Alejandro Bennifield (Henrique Ribeiro kick) UTC 7–0
1 2:02 UTC Jacob Huesman 1-yard run (Ribeiro kick) UTC 14–0
2 1:06 UTC Huesman 9-yard run (Ribeiro kick) UTC 21–0
3 8:31 CIT Alex Glover-yard pass from Dominique Allen (Eric Goins kick) UTC 21–7
3 2:26 UTC Ribeiro 21-yard field goal UTC 24–7
3 2:02 CIT Tyler Renew 52-yard run (Goins kick) UTC 24–14
4 7:43 UTC Derrick Craine 46-yard run (Ribeiro kick) UTC 31–14
4 3:07 CIT Goins 27-yard field goal UTC 31–17
4 0:00 CIT Brandon Eakins 14-yard pass from Allen UTC 31–23
South Carolina
1
2 3 4 Total
• #25 Bulldogs
14
0 0 9
23
Gamecocks
3
6 7 6
22
Scoring summary 1 12:26 CIT Cam Jackson 59-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
1 9:52 USC Elliot Fry 36-yard field goal CIT 7–3
1 3:31 CIT Tyler Renew 7-yard run (Goins kick) CIT 14–3
2 12:55 USC Fry 25-yard field goal CIT 14–6
2 4:12 USC Fry 40-yard field goal CIT 14–9
3 6:22 USC Brandon Wilds 1-yard run (Fry kick)USC 16–14
4 10:26 CIT Goins 48-yard field goal CIT 17–16
4 8:40 USC Pharoh Cooper 41-yard pass from Perry Orth (run conversion failed) USC 22–17
4 6:07 CIT Renew 56-yard run (run conversion failed) CIT 23–22
[ 4]
FCS playoffs
First round – Coastal Carolina
1
2 3 4 Total
• #18 Bulldogs
14
0 14 13
41
#10 Chanticleers
7
14 7 10
38
Scoring summary 1 12:20 CIT Cam Jackson 68-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 7–0
1 11:53 CCU Bruce Mapp 91-yard pass from Alex Ross (Ryan Granger kick) 7–7
1 5:56 CIT Tyler Renew 3-yard run (Eric Goins kick) CIT 14–7
2 13:20 CCU Craig Weick 26-yard pass from Ross 14–14
2 6:49 CCU De'Angelo Henderson 44-yard run CCU 21–14
3 10:33 CIT Allen 7-yard run (Eric Goins kick) 21–21
3 8:47 CCU Henderson 16-yard pass from Ross CCU 28–21
3 7:01 CIT Allen 1-yard run (Eric Goins kick) 28–28
4 13:54 CIT Goins-yard field goal CIT 31–28
4 13:06 CIT Shy Phillips 32-yard interception return (Eric Goins kick) CIT 38–28
4 10:07 CCU Granger 26-yard field goal CIT 38–31
4 5:38 CCU Osharmar Abercrombie 16-yard run 38–38
4 0:00 CIT Goins 43-yard field goal CIT 41–38
Second round – Charleston Southern
1
2 3 4 Total
#18 Bulldogs
3
0 0 3
6
• #9 Buccaneers
0
14 0 0
14
Scoring summary 1 12:11 CIT Eric Goins 43-yard field goal CIT 3–0
2 6:33 CSU Mike Holloway 41-yard run (Tyler Tekac kick) CSU 7–3
2 1:14 CSU Holloway 32-yard run (Tekac kick) CSU 14–3
4 12:14 CIT Goins 39-yard field goal CSU 14–6
Ranking movements
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final STATS FCS — — RV — — — RV RV RV 25 21 25 18 13 Coaches — — — — — — — RV RV 22 20 24 18 15
Honors and awards
Preseason All-Southern Conference
Sam Frye (1st team)
Mitchell Jeter (1st team)
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons
Pre-SEC Pre-ACC Post-ACC I-AA/FCS National championships in bold