The Blazers finished the 2007 season with a 13-1 record, claiming the school’s second football national championship.
Now, as Valdosta State prepares for the opportunity to compete for its third football national championship, comparisions between the 2007 and 2012 season have started to surface.
Here are some of those similiarities:
— When the Blazers made their championship run in 2007, Willie Copeland was one of the team’s quarterbacks. Copeland, a left-handed quarterback, passed for 3,160 yards with 28 touchdowns that season. This year, the Blazers are led by left-hander Cayden Cochran, who has thrown for 2,601 yards and 25 touchdowns.
— Freshman Cedric O'Neal became the eighth different running back in school-history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. The last time the Blazers had a 1,000-yard rusher was 2007, when Michael Terry finished the championship season with 1,107 yards and 12 touchdowns. O’Neal has 1,058 yards with 13 touchdowns this season.
— With his 76 yards receiving in last week’s national semifinal win over Minnesota State-Mankato, junior receiver Gerald Ford eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards for the first time in his career. Ford became the first Blazer to have more than 1,000 yards receiving in a season since Cedric Jones finished the 2007 season with 1,171 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ford has 1,018 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
— For their 2007 national semifinal contest, the Blazers were forced to fly north and face California (Pa.). Temperatures for the game were in the mid-30’s and snow covered the ground around the stadium. This season, the Blazers flew to Mankato, Minn., where they faced MSU-Mankato in 30 degree temperatures and snow covering the ground around the stadium. On both trips — in 2007 and 2012 — the same flight attendant served on the flight staff for the team’s charter.
— In 2007, the Blazers won the national championship with a 13-1 record. Their only loss was to rival Delta State, which later won the Gulf South Conference. This season, the Blazers’ only conference loss was to West Alabama, which later won its first-ever outright conference championship. Despite not winning the conference either season, the Blazers managed to reach the national championship game both seasons.
— Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper.
