On Saturday, September 14, the University of West Georgia football team will take on Miles College in the 2013 home opener, marking the beginning of the fifth year of operation at University Stadium, the premier venue for Division II collegiate football in the southeast.
And I have been lucky enough to have a front row seat to every moment.
More than 6,000 fans were in attendance on September 5, 2009, as the Wolves took on Lambuth in the first game in University Stadium. I remember it as if it were yesterday. I still have the picture that I took from the sidewalk near the scoreboard in the north end of the stadium, just as Adi Brkic was putting his foot into the first kickoff at the venue.
Even though we lost that first game, the roar of the crowd was deafening with the first two touchdowns at the newest venue in the Gulf South Conference. Wide receiver Matt O’Brien hauled in the first touchdown on a 17-yard pass from Kyle Padgett, but the big roar came later in the game. For that play, which was in the north end zone nearest the scoreboard, I was standing at the 10 yard line, and could hear the ball hit O’Brien’s hands.
We were trailing late, when cornerback Justin Mayo broke free for an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown. That is the second-loudest it has ever been at University Stadium. For that play, I was on the 30-yard line across the field from the play.
The loudest moment at University Stadium came three years ago against Harding on a Thursday night. The TV cameras were on, as has become the norm at our venue, and the fans were rocking as the Wolves had a furious comeback, scoring two unanswered touchdowns late to win the game.
The last came with just under two minutes left, when Brandon Behenna found Arkeem French racing down the left sideline for a 60-yard touchdown. The crowd went bananas and that was a fun night at University Stadium. My vantage point, at the 25 watching Arkeem catch the ball right in front of me.
University Stadium has also seen some history, as the 2011 season brought two historical moments for UWG football. First came early in the season against Arkansas-Monticello, when Denarius Appling had two punt returns for a touchdown, the first time that had happened in school history. It gave him three for the year, which was also a school record.
But the biggest moment to date in University Stadium has to be November 12, 2011, when “Brew over the top” became a famous phrase in West Georgia lore. With just over a minute to play and the 5-4 Wolves taking on top-ranked Delta State, James Kennebrew launched himself over the pile for the game-winning touchdown, giving the Wolves their first win over a No.1 ranked team in school history.
And as I said before, I was lucky enough to have a front row seat, as I was standing just outside the end zone near the play clock.
I will be performing my regular duties on the field again this year, and I can’t wait to see where I will be standing for the next big moment at a UWG football game, whatever that may be.
Matt Cooke is the assistant sports information director and athletic events coordinator.
