The Buccaneer football team will be looking to bounce back from last weekends’ loss at Pittsburgh when it faces Gardner-Webb in Memorial Center this Saturday.
The Bucs dropped their season opener 31-0 to the Panthers, but came away with the feeling that they could have made it a close game had they not missed some opportunities.
“I felt like we could have won that football game,” said ETSU head coach Paul Hamilton. “They are an outstanding team, but this team had opportunities to win.
“It was a great opportunity for our players and it was a special night in Pittsburgh with the opening of the new stadium.”
On three different occasions the Bucs invaded Pittsburgh territory, reaching the 38-, 36- and 3-yard lines, but were unable to put anything on the scoreboard.
“We could have won, if we played them again I’d still feel we could win,” Hamilton said.
“We had three drives in the first half and got zero points, you can’t do that against that kind of team.”
Starting quarterback Matt Wilhjelm believes the team came away with a learning experience that can only help them later on this season when they get into the Southern Conference schedule.
“I wasn’t happy that we didn’t score,” Wilhjelm said. “I think we did some things well, we moved the ball well at times.
“We did somethings offensively that will help us down the road.”
Despite the loss, Hamilton was pleased with his teams’ effort, as the Bucs did not give up until the final whistle blew.
“They played for 60 minutes,” he said. “They played to the very end.
“We did go up there and were a good football team for at least the first 30 minutes.”
Now the Bucs will turn their full attention to the Bulldogs of Gardner-Webb, as thinking about the loss at Pittsburgh will not help them anymore according to Wilhjelm.
“Thinking about Pittsburgh won’t help us, learning from the game can help us,” he said. “We have to focus on Gardner-Webb and getting a win.”
Wilhjelm does not believe the Bucs will come into the game over confident, but believes they will be ready to play.
“It would be foolish (of us) to think we’re too good for them,” he said. “We’re going to approach it the same way we approached Pittsburgh and try to get the win.”
The Bucs will once again be relying on their secondary to have a big game as the Bulldogs are known for their passing attack.
“They like to throw the ball a great deal,” Hamilton said. “We expect them to throw it 40 times.
“They are a good offensive football team and I’m concerned about what they can do.”
Wilhjelm will get his first opportunity to start in front of his hometown crowd, as he more than proved himself in the Bucs’ season opener, according to Hamilton.
“He verified what I’ve known all along,” said he. “He understands my expectations of him and he’s more talented than what people give him credit for.
“He stood in there and made some good throws (against) Pittsburgh.”
Another aspect the Bucs will have to work on for Saturday’s game will be having more success from the receivers in catching the football and getting preseason all-conference candidate Cecil Moore some more opportunities.
“We need to catch the football, we had a lot of drops (against Pittsburgh),” Hamilton said. “Cecil Moore proved he can play with anyone and we have to get him more opportunities.”
As many view Saturday’s game as a sure win for the Bucs, Hamilton knows it will be a “dog fight” and the Bucs will have their work cut out for them.
“We’re playing a solid football team and we’ll have to work to win Saturday,” he said. “They’ll come in here believing they can win.

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