LaGrange goes from 0-20 to the playoffs

When preseason football practice began at LaGrange College, the concern wasn’t how many games the Panthers would win. It was whether they would win a game at all.

An 0-20 start makes you ask those sort of questions.

“I think at the end of last year we had a rough ninth game, but bounced back and played really well in that last game,” coach Todd Mooney recalled. “Even though we lost, I think that sparked us into the offseason.”

The spark turned into a fire. The Panthers went 9-1, which is believed to be the most dramatic turnaround in NCAA Division III history. And when the playoffs begin today, LaGrange will be among the participants.

“When we beat Birmingham Southern in the first game, I looked for my wife and then I watched all those guys celebrate,” Mooney said. “They worked so hard to get us where we are.”

LaGrange has won eight straight —- its only loss was to in-state rival Shorter, which also earned a playoff spot —- and won the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Panthers open the playoffs in Jackson, Miss., against No. 3-ranked Millsaps College (10-0), led by former Alabama coach Mike DuBose.

“I’m very grateful the selection committee looked at us,” Mooney said. “I thought we deserved to be included.”

LaGrange is sparked by an opportunistic defense, which allows 258 yards per game. The Panthers forced 19 fumbles and recovered 10, had 32 sacks and intercepted 13 passes. They rank fifth in the nation in pass defense (126.7 yards per game) and have scored nine special teams and defensive touchdowns.

“Our defense plays with a lot of confidence, and we’re very physical,” Mooney said. “We’re extremely exciting to watch, and we’ve been able to put our opponents in a lot of hard down-and-distance situations.”

Top tacklers include Josh Britt (47 tackles, four sacks), Richard Okpani (45 tackles, 10 for loss) and Jeremy Pickens (45 tackles, two interceptions, four recovered fumbles).

A big offensive line, led by tackles Matt Hyde and John Milner, has made it easier for sophomore quarterback Drew Carter (1,922 yards passing, 22 touchdowns) and tailback Mario Wallace (1,008 yards, 13 touchdowns).

Millsaps averages 44.3 points behind quarterback Juan Joseph, who has thrown for 2,776 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Majors, the champions from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, allow 13.2 points per game.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Mooney said. “We do have eight seniors, and they’ve made up their minds they’re not going to stop. All year long we’ve been able to focus on this week’s game, and that’s what we’re going to do again.”

Blazers vs. N. Alabama

Valdosta State heads to North Alabama today for an NCAA Division II second-round playoff game.

The Blazers overcame a 14-point deficit for a 24-20 home win over Carson-Newman last week. Valdosta State limited its opening-round opponent to 47 total yards and six points in the second half.

Today’s kickoff in Florence, Ala., is at 1 p.m. North Alabama had a first-round bye.

Tough test for Shorter

Shorter opens its first trip to the NAIA playoffs today at Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky.

Kickoff is slated for noon.

The Hawks finished the regular season 9-2 and were ranked No. 12 in the latest national poll. Cumberlands is ranked No. 8.