An experienced Gardner-Webb football team – coming off a Big South Conference championship and its first playoff victory in three decades – will hold its spring game Friday, March 31 at 7 p.m. at Ernest W. Spangler Stadium.
The event is free and open to the public. The scrimmage will feature two, 15-minute quarters.
Coach Tre Lamb and staff welcome back 18 starters – including 10 on the defensive side of the ball – from a unit that finished 5-0 in the Big South, 7-6 overall a year ago. Three returnees earned All-America status – Ty French (6-3, 230, Sr.), Narii Gaither (5-10, 192, R-Sr.) and Raequan Ousley (5-11, 170, R-Jr.).
Gardner-Webb beat Eastern Kentucky 52-41 in the opening round of the NCAA FCS playoffs before falling to fifth-ranked Williams & Mary in the second round. It was the first post-season appearance for the Running Bulldog program since the 1992 NAIA playoffs.
Gardner-Webb flirted with an even better overall record, losing nailbiters to Coastal Carolina 31-27, Elon 30-24 and Liberty 21-20. After starting the year 1-4, the ‘Dogs picked up speed and closed out the regular season on a four-game win streak.
Lamb, last year’s Big South coach of the year, returns for his fourth season.
Gardner-Webb’s 2023 campaign kicks off Saturday, Sept. 2 at Appalachian State. The Bulldogs will play three in-state teams in the first four weeks, including a trip to East Carolina on Sept. 23.
2023 Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 2 at Appalachian State TBA
Saturday, Sept. 9 Elon 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 16 at Tennessee State* TBA
Saturday, Sept. 23 at East Carolina TBA
Saturday, Oct. 7 Robert Morris* TBA
Saturday, Oct. 14 at Austin Peay TBA
Saturday, Oct. 21 Eastern Kentucky TBA
Saturday, Oct. 28 UT Martin* (Homecoming) TBA
Saturday, Nov. 4 at Bryant* TBA
Saturday, Nov. 11 at Tennessee Tech* TBA
Saturday, Nov. 18 Charleston Southern* TBA
* denotes Big South Conference game
