Sticker shock: Cougars earn decals

By Jason Wolf

Published: September 26, 2008

J.D. Shaw stepped out of his office grinning and clutching a small stack of papers littered with yellow Averett University Cougars stickers.

It’s been awhile since the Averett offensive coordinator was able to hand out so many of these helmets decals to the football players. So long, in fact, that there are plenty left over from last year.

“They were starting to curl on the ends and stuff,” head coach Mike Dunlevy joked. “We’re giving out more stickers in one game than we gave out all last year — and that’s a good thing.”

Averett’s 31-24 victory against Guilford College last Saturday in Danville snapped an 11-game losing streak, prompting the Cougars’ coaching staff to break out the stickers Friday night. The team has several team goals on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball and a number of individual performance marks that players can earn the decals for reaching — but only if the team wins.

“Most teams will pass them out that day, after the game,” Dunlevy said. “We pass them out (Friday night) because it re-empahsizes the goals before the next game.”

Averett (1-1) looks to start its first winning streak since 2006 when it takes on Washington & Lee (2-1) at 1 p.m. today in Salem.

Senior quarterback Shan Fairbanks, who relieved Philip Kwiatkowski after he suffered a leg injury in the third quarter of Averett’s win Saturday, will get the start this afternoon. He said the upbeat atmosphere during practice this week was palpable.

“After any win you feel good, especially after a year and a half,” Fairbanks said. “We came out a little different this week, with a little more swagger.”
“Eleven games is a long time. More than a calendar year is a long time too,” senior defensive back John Garcia said, discussing the team’s recently snapped losing streak. “I can’t even explain it. It was a weight lifted off of our shoulders.”

Garcia, who is wearing a cast after breaking a joint in his thumb during the third quarter against Guilford, snagged an interception at midfield with 17 seconds remaining to seal the Cougars’ victory Saturday. It was the third interception of the game for Averett’s defense — and forcing three turnovers is a team goal that earns a sticker. Garcia intercepted a pass against Washington & Lee last season, and despite the cast, he’ll start today as well.

While schoolwork has necessarily taken a backseat because of his inability to write with the cast, this week has been all about football for the cornerback. The leadership he and a number of the other upperclassmen have shown have gone a long way in getting the team focused on this week’s opponent, even though Dunlevy said the players celebrated the long-sought victory a little longer than they probably should have.

“Yeah, we were excited about the win but no one is going to want to go 1-9,” junior wide receiver Anthony Squillini said, “so we came out here ready to work, ready to get another victory.” (And, of course, the stickers that come with it.)

The sticker system recognizes all the players who contribute to a win. The scout team offense, for instance, also receives stickers if the Averett defense reaches one of its team goals — because they helped prepare the team to be successful.

Some team goals for the offense include avoiding turnovers and penalties, converting a certain percentage on third down and achieving a certain number of big plays. Some defensive goals include limiting big plays, penalties and not missing tackles.

A new wrinkle this season is that individual accomplishments won’t be recognized if the team fails to win, because as Dunlevy puts it, “individuals don’t win football games.”

“I hope their helmets are all full by the end of the year,” Dunlevy said. “That means they’re playing well and we’re playing well.“

Team goals
Some of Averett’s team goals that earn players a Cougars helmet sticker include:
OFFENSE
No turnovers
No mental penalties
Convert third down at least 40 percent of the time
Record at least five plays of 15 yards or more
Get at least five yards on first down 55 percent of the time
Score 35 points a game
Record at least 372 yards of total offense

DEFENSE
Force three or more turnovers
Stop opponent 68 percent of the time on third and fourth down
Allow six or fewer plays of 15 yards or less
No mental penalties
Ten or less missed tackles