Steve Irvine’s Five Storylines For Samford at Tennessee Tech
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - September 11, 2026
SAMFORD VS. TENNESSEE TECH
Day, site, kickoff time: Saturday, Tucker Stadium, 6 p.m.
Records: Samford 0-2 overall, 0-0 SoCon; Tennessee Tech 2-0 overall, 1-0 SoCon
Can Samford run the football with success?: It wasn’t a huge jump but Samford was better running the football in the second game of the season. The Bulldogs’ running game gained 94 yards on 24 carries but the net rushing total dropped to 70 yards because of three Southern Illinois sacks. Ken Cherry was the team’s leading rusher with 44 yards on seven carries. Compare that to the first game and Samford had minus-8 yards rushing with Keion Dunlap leading the team with four yards on two carries. Samford head coach John Grass looks ahead and sees his running game headed toward where it needs to be. “We did rush it for 70 this week, which was an improvement,” Grass said. “Not where we want to be. We'd like to be up around that 150-plus mark, running the football, and we'll get there eventually. I did see some improvement in the run game.” Tennessee Tech allowed 91 rushing yards per game over the first two games, which is 59th in the country.
Will Samford QB Gabarri Johnson continue to grow in his first true road game?: Grass praised his starting quarterback in the first two games. Johnson is 39-for-68 for 401 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions thus far. He’s done this without the running game producing up to what Grass thinks they are capable of producing. He also had a solid game against Southern Illinois on a night when standout receiver Marquis Henderson was sidelined. “I think Gabarri played two really solid games,” Grass said. Johnson has latched onto the starting job after winning the quarterback race in fall camp.
Will Tennessee Tech QB Jax Leatherwood continue to shine?: The 6-foot-8, 253-pound quarterback from San Diego is on his third school in three years. He redshirted at Nevada before throwing for 1,969 yards with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions last season at Southeast Missouri State. This year, Leatherwood is 43-of-67 for 450 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. The passing game has carried the Tennessee Tech offense thus far. Leatherwood’s touchdown passes have come from 23, 18, 16, 16, 11 and 2 yards.
Will the full week of practice be beneficial for Samford? Remember, Samford had just five days in between the opener and the second game. “It stole really two fundamental days of practice from us,” Grass said. “I think our guys handled that short week really well as far as you had to work more game plan stuff, kind of speed it up during that week.” This week, though, Grass and his staff got to put the Bulldogs through a regular work week, which should be helpful on Saturday.
Can Samford’s offensive line keep sacks from being a factor? Samford allowed nine sacks over the first two weeks, which is 110th out of 114 FCS teams. This coming after allowing a FCS-high 52 sacks a year ago. Samford has faced a pair of really good defensive fronts in the first two games. Not only was Johnson sacked three times against Southern Illinois but his lone interception came after he was hit while throwing. “We’ve got to protect him better, that's the thing I see,” Grass siad. “Our protection's got to get better. You know, we gave up three sacks and he got hit a lot, too. But he stands in the pocket. I've been impressed with how he maneuvers in the pocket and he probably saved another four or five sacks just by him avoiding the rush and making plays with his legs.”