BOILING SPRINGS – After a 2024 season that fell short of expectations, Gardner-Webb football is entering the 2025 campaign with a chip on its shoulder, and the belief that it can get back to championship form. The Runnin’ Bulldogs participated in last week’s Big South-OVC Football Media Day with head coach Cris Reisert speaking confidently about the program’s progress, culture, and roster upgrades as they look to bounce back in Year 2 of his tenure.
Picked to finish tied for sixth in the 2025 preseason coaches poll, Gardner-Webb finds itself in the middle of a crowded conference field that saw four teams share the title a year ago. Tennessee Tech topped the poll with 57 points and five first-place votes, just ahead of perennial contender UT Martin and Southeast Missouri.
For Gardner-Webb, the underdog label could be a blessing. After winning back-to-back conference titles in 2022 and 2023, the program slipped to 4-8 last fall. But Reisert believes that version of the Bulldogs is in the rearview mirror.
“We’ve had a tremendous offseason in the weight room and on the field,” Reisert said. “We’ve got 18 returning starters and 15 others who’ve played significant snaps. The roster is healthier and deeper, and we’re hungry.”
Much of the preseason attention revolves around the quarterback battle. With the departure of Tyler Riddell, Gardner-Webb is sorting through a three-man competition featuring FBS transfers Cole Pennington (Marshall) and Nate Hampton (Liberty), along with decorated freshman Finley Polk. Polk arrives with eye-popping high school numbers, over 10,000 career passing yards and 121 touchdowns, though the job is expected to come down to one of the veteran transfers.
The Bulldogs also leaned hard into the transfer portal this offseason, adding 45 new players, including 15 from FBS programs. On offense, key additions include receivers Markel Fortenberry (Liberty), Chris Lofton (James Madison), and Jalen Harris (Coastal Carolina), along with tight end Gatlin Hancock (Kennesaw State). Defensively, linebacker Sabin McLaughlin (Davidson) and safety David Laney (North Carolina A&T) bring experience and depth to a group that returns key playmakers.
Several of those returners earned preseason recognition across the conference. Running back Quasean Holmes, wide receiver Anthony Lowe, tight end Cole Schneider, linebacker Jackson Marshall, and defensive lineman Antonio O’Berry all landed on the OVC-Big South Preseason Players to Watch lists. Lowe, a graduate student, was selected at three positions, wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner, highlighting his value as an all-purpose threat.
On defense, O’Berry and Robert Holtz combined for 12.5 sacks last season, while safety Wendell McClain returns to anchor the secondary after a 36-tackle, three-interception campaign. Marshall, a redshirt junior linebacker, adds stability in the middle.
Reisert credits much of the team’s renewed focus to a cultural reset rooted in the program’s core values: being Christ-centered, relationship-driven, and process-based. He emphasizes the Japanese philosophy of “Kaizen,” or continuous improvement, as a daily goal for players and staff alike.
“We’re focused on small wins every day,” Reisert said. “That’s how we’ll build momentum and create lasting change.”
Gardner-Webb opens the season on August 30 with a road trip to Western Carolina. A home date against The Citadel follows on September 13, and the Bulldogs will again play a full eight-game conference slate beginning in October. Non-conference matchups include a major test against FBS opponent Georgia Tech.
With a balanced mix of experience, transfer talent, and culture-first leadership, Gardner-Webb looks to surprise the league and return to championship contention.
“We don’t shy away from the expectations here,” Reisert said. “We’ve done it before, and we believe we’re built to do it again.”
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