Mid-July means it’s time for college football media days, and Gardner-Webb will be the first FCS team from North Carolina to enjoy the spotlight.
The defending conference champions will participate in the Big South/OVC Football Association’s virtual media day on Wednesday, July 17. New coach Cris Reisert, quarterback Ren Hefley and defensive lineman Ayden Bell will represent the Runnin’ Bulldogs.
Reisert takes over for Tre Lamb, who left Boiling Springs to coach at East Tennessee State in the off-season. Hefley transfers in after stops at four different schools, including Michigan and Presbyterian. Bell will begin his second year at GWU after transferring from Lamar.
North Carolina Football News turns its FCS spotlight today on the GWU threesome, who are gearing up to help the Bulldogs make another Big South/OVC run.
Coach Cris Reisert
- Born: Cincinnati (1986)
- Alma Mater: Ohio Dominican University (’09)
- Assistant Coaching Stops: Ohio Dominican (grad assistant 2009 … QB coach 2010 … WR coach 2011-12… offensive coordinator 2017-18), Ball State (grad assistant 2013), Elon (TE coach 2014-16).
- Head Coaching Stops: Tiffin (2019-23)
Details: Reisert enjoyed a successful run at Division II Tiffin University in Ohio, compiling an overall record of 40-11.
Tiffin went 32-4 in Great Midwest Conference play and won league championships in 2019, 2020 and 2023. His final Tiffin team went 11-1 and outscored foes 43.7 to 16.3. Slippery Rock ended the undefeated season in the second round of the D2 playoffs. Tiffin had never been to the playoffs before Reisert’s tenure.
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected as the head football coach at Gardner-Webb University,” Reisert said in a press release upon his hiring. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me and my family, and we can’t wait to get started building upon the amazing tradition of Gardner-Webb football.”
Reisert played quarterback at Ohio Dominican from 2005-08. He earned All-American status twice and earned NAIA national player of the year honors in 2007. He has been inducted into his school’s Hall of Fame.
#16 Ren Hefley
- Position: Quarterback
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 192
- Class: Graduate student
- Hometown: Little Rock, Ark.
- High School: Bryant HS
- Previous Colleges: Michigan (2019-20), Presbyterian (2021), NW Mississippi Community College (2022), Middle Tennessee (2023).
Details: Well-traveled signal caller started his career on the scout team at Michigan, earning Academic All-Big Ten in both 2019 and 2020.
Hefley transferred to Presbyterian for the 2021 campaign and finished on the FCS leaderboard in several categories — first in completions per game (31.9), second in points responsible for (27.8), third in passing yards per game (357.6), fourth in passing yards (3,934) and fifth in passing touchdowns (39).
Hefley put his name on a couple of FCS quarterbacking records after throwing for 576 yards and 10 touchdowns against St. Andrews. He completed 50 passes in another game against Morehead State.
Hefley played in the JUCO ranks for one season, helping Northwest Mississippi to a 10-2 mark. His final stat line proved impressive: 209-for-343 for 2,476 yards and 24 TDs against seven interceptions. A transfer to Middle Tennessee last season only yielded one game appearance, against Alabama. Hefley did not record any stats in that game.
He announced his commitment to Gardner-Webb over the winter.
“Ren brings a wealth of starting QB experience at the collegiate level,” Reisert said when Hefley signed with Gardner-Webb. “A previous JUCO All-American, Ren will solidify our QB position.”
#13 Ayden Bell
- Position: Defensive Line
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 261
- Class: Junior
- Hometown: Silsbee, Texas
- High School: Silsbee HS
- Previous College: Lamar University (2021-22)
2023 Highlights: Played in all 12 games of the Bulldogs’ conference championship season, including the playoff loss to Mercer. He finished with 18 tackles, 11 unassisted. He made two sacks, 3.5 tackles-for-loss and three quarterback hurries.
Lamar Highlights: Bell followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, Glenn Green, in playing at Lamar. He saw the field in six games as a freshman (six tackles, one sack) and 11 games as a sophomore (32 tackles, one fumble recovery).
Bell’s most productive contest, tackles-wise, came in the 2022 finale at McNeese State. He finished with eight tackles, including three solos.
