Oct. 8, 2003

Charleston, SC - As Citadel coach Ellis Johnson watched his team play some of its best football of the season last week, he did so with a heavy heart.

As the Bulldogs were defeating Elon by 31-7 at Johnson Hagood Stadium, his stepmother was being buried in Winnsboro, and his father was recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident last week in Columbia.

Elizabeth (Betty) Johnson, 84, died in the accident a week ago. John T. Johnson, 88, suffered some cuts and bruises, according to Ellis Johnson, but was released from the hospital Friday. John Johnson Jr., Ellis' brother, was driving the car when it was struck by another vehicle and was not seriously hurt.

"A tragic thing," Ellis Johnson said Tuesday. "We are really fortunate to still have my dad around. But we are all concerned about him, and sad that he won't have Betty with him."

Elizabeth Kent Glover Doty Johnson was born in 1919 in Charleston and graduated from Ashley Hall and from the University of South Carolina. Her first husband was J. Barkley Doty Jr. She and John Johnson were married in the 1980s after each lost their spouses, Ellis Johnson said.

"The four of them were friends, and my dad and Betty each lost their spouses within about five years of each other," Johnson said.

Betty and John Johnson had just moved into an assisted living home in Columbia a couple of weeks ago, Ellis Johnson said.

The coach went up to Columbia to visit his father last Friday morning, returning for the game against Elon on Saturday, and went back to Columbia on Sunday after the game.

The Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1 in the Southern Conference) do not play a game this week, a mid-season break that comes at a good time for Johnson and for his team. They face a big game Oct. 18 at home against fifth-ranked Furman.

"We've won two in a row so we have some momentum going," he said. "But I still think it's a good time for an off week, and we can benefit from it if we use it the right way."

Johnson said the Bulldogs will use the extra time to get players healthy, put in some bonus work on Furman and give his younger players a small-scale spring practice.

DOG BITES

-- With 14 touchdown catches, Citadel receiver Scooter Johnson is the SoCon's active career leader. His 19 games in a row with a catch is a Citadel record ... WR Bud Pough has a 13-game streak going.

-- Punter Travis Zobel's rushing average took a blow last week. He ran for 20 yards with a fake punt against App State, but a high punt snap resulting in a 36-yard loss against Elon was charged to Zobel. That gives him two carries for -16 yards.

-- The Citadel is tied for first in the SoCon with 14 sacks ... DE James Wilson leads the SoCon with four sacks, and DE Michael Ballentine has 3-1/2.