LRU’S SCHEDULE: https://lrbears.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=209
HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Lenoir-Rhyne University’s offense was in high gear quickly on Saturday night, starting the first quarter with 37 points en route to a 68-7 victory over St. Augustine’s to open the Bears’ 100th season of football.
LRU (1-0) had 15 different players with rushes and ran for 256 yards and three TDs.
CRONIC
The Bears, starting head coach Drew Cronic’s second season, won the eighth straight home game and the school record is 14.
LRU got its first defensive score of the season in the first offensive series by St. Augustine’s when Kyle Dugger ran an interception back 30 yards for a TD. Dugger grabbed a pass that was bobbled by the receiver and scored, and he later had another interception (sixth of career).
Bears quarterback Grayson Willingham went 6-for-10 and threw for three TDs, two in the opening quarter – 7 yards to Jaquay Mitchell and 25 yards to Dareke Young.
LRU’s special teams provided a safety on a kickoff and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a TD.
Mitchell finished with five rushes for 73 yards and two TDs and had two catches for 17 yards.
Defensively, Jaquan Artis had nine tackles – four for lost yardage – and 2 ½ sacks while Donte Young added eight tackles and forced a fumble and Richburg Canty had 1 ½ sacks.
St. Augustine’s ran 35 times for minus-3 yards and had only 107 yards of offense.
The Bears’ second game is Saturday at 1 p.m. at Virginia Union.
SATURDAY’S STATISTICS: https://lrbears.com/boxscore.aspx?id=6311&path=football
- Reported by LRU Sports Information