BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford football team practiced for about an hour in shorts and helmets Sunday afternoon at Seibert Stadium. The Bulldogs are preparing for Saturday's game at Southern Conference foe Western Carolina.
 
Samford enters the week with a record of 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the SoCon. The Bulldogs are coming off a 44-23 non-conference win at Gardner-Webb. The Bulldogs had several big plays in the win. Samford head coach Pat Sullivan talked about some of the key plays of the game.
 
 “I thought the two fourth-down stops we made were huge,” Sullivan said. “Obviously, the kickoff return Fabian Truss had was a huge play for us. Another play that goes unnoticed was when they had the high snap on the extra point and Alvin Hines intercepted the pass and ran it back for two points. That put us up 14 points and it changed the whole dynamic of the game.”
 
Sullivan also talked about some of the areas the Bulldogs need to correct as they prepare for their next opponent.
 
“We started off where they didn't stop us and we were just moving the ball, but then in the second half we cramped up and didn't play as well,” Sullivan said. “The disappointing thing was, defensively, they threw and caught the ball extremely well on us and people haven't been doing that. But, that is something we can correct.”
 
Samford's three wins to open the season give the Bulldogs the program's first 3-0 start since 1995. Sullivan talked about some of the players who have performed well, not only in Saturday's win, but through the first three games of the season.
 
“I thought (defensive lineman) Aaron Bethune had his best ballgame since he has been here on Saturday,” Sullivan said. “I can't say enough about the job Cameron Yaw is doing. On kickoffs he's kicking it out of the end zone, and he's making his field goals. Greg Peranich, our punter, is doing what we are asking him to do in that he is kicking it high where nobody is able to get a lot of return yardage on us. We're averaging about 40 yards per punt, but there have been no returns, and as long as we can change field position, that gives us a chance.”
 
Samford will take Monday off from practice. The Bulldogs will return to the practice field Tuesday afternoon.
 
Saturday's game at Western Carolina is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. (CT) kickoff from E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee, N.C. The game can be heard locally on ESPN 97.3 The Zone, or worldwide on the internet at www.973thezone.com.