SoCon Football: Week 1 Game Capsules and Previews

Furman LB Josh Agbenou/Photo courtesy of Furman Sports Information Dept.

 It’s football time in the SoCon

It’s a big weekend if you’re a fan of FCS football, and in this region, the SoCon won’t have to battle of the FCS national attention garnered by a national power like Clemson, or even SEC members like South Carolina, Georgia or Tennessee. No, this spring will be all about FCS football.

The lone game not being played this weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic is the contest between Chattanooga and VMI, and no date has yet been scheduled to make up the contest. Positive COVID tests occurred within the Chattanooga football program. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SoCon will begin what is an unprecedented spring season this Saturday. Here’s a look at the three matchups that will highlight the weekend of football in the Southern Conference. 

Samford (0-0, 0-0 SoCon) at East Tennessee State (0-0, 0-0 SoCon), William B. Greene Stadium 1 p.m.

Series: Samford leads 6-1

Maybe the most intriguing matchup of the SoCon weekend will take place at William B. Greene Stadium in Johnson City. Two years ago, ETSU was the Southern Conference regular-season tri-champion, while Samford, which ended up finishing fourth in the final league standings, were the preseason pick to win the SoCon.

It’s been 450+ days since either of these teams having taken the gridiron to play a football game. One of the unknowns that the Bucs headed into the 2019 season with is the same one that will be present itself in the spring of 2021. That is who will be the quarterback? Head coach Randy Sanders wasn’t even really sold on his starter 100% when the Bucs traveled to Appalachian State to open the 2019 season, but ended up going with Coastal Carolina transfer Chance Thrasher following an injury to Cade Weldon. Thrasher would end up suffering a concussion against the Mountaineers, and the Bucs would end up having to go with Trey Mitchell for much of the season.

But this season, Sanders has settled on the young gunslinger from Florida, Tyler Riddell. Riddell saw action in four games last season for the Bucs, connecting on 17-of-33 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. He’ll be given the keys to the offense for the Bucs to start the season at least. Riddell, a native of Tampa, FL, finished his prep career with over 6,500 pass yards and 63 touchdowns in his prep career. 

If Riddell is ever in doubt, he has one of the best running backs in all of FCS football to hand the football to, in Quay Holmes (206 rush att, 1,143 yds, 7 TDs, 5.5 YPC in 2019/16 rec, 134 yds, 1 TD, 8.4 YPR in 2019). Holmes is part of an impressive class of running backs returning for the 2021 season in the Southern Conference. Holmes showed just how impressive he could be in a late-season contest back in 2019.

At 2-8 and 0-7 in Southern Conference play, it would have been easy for the defending champs to lose its last Southern Conference game against Mercer. However, the Bucs, and in particular Quay Holmes, would give the hometown fans something to file in their collective memory banks, as ETSU got a thrilling 38-33 win over Mercer in its final Southern Conference game. 

It would turn out to be a record-setting day for the Bucs running back Holmes, and his school-record 255-yard rushing effort was also the top rushing performance by any running back in the Southern Conference during the 2019 season. 

All told, Holmes finished the day rushing 26 times for 255 yards and scored three times. His 255-yard rushing effort eclipsed the previous program record mark of 242 yards set by Brandon Walker, as he rushed for 242 yards against Charleston Southern in 1998 and is the school’s all-time leading rusher. 

He finished the 2019 campaign as the SoCon’s third-leading rusher, with 1,143 yards and seven touchdowns on 206 carries, averaging 5.5 YPC. The 1,143 rushing yards in a season last fall was an ETSU single-season record. In two seasons for the Bucs, Holmes has 2,071 rushing yards and 20 rushing TDs. 

The Bucs will be young along the offensive line, however, that won’t likely phase the All-America running back Holmes, who comes off another outstanding season running the football for the Bucs and is primed to once again to be the focal point of the ETSU offense. 

Holmes, who was a first-team All-SoCon selection and will be a favorite to challenge for league Offensive Player of the Year honors this fall, was joined on the All-SoCon offense by offensive lineman Tre'Mond Shorts (1st team) and tight end Nate Adkins (25 rec, 241 yds, 2 TDs, 9.6 YPR) when the coaches voted on preseason all-conference teams back in January. 

The lone member of the special teams, which was able to garner preseason All-SoCon accolades was place-kicker Tyler Keltner, who connected on 14-of-18 field goals in 2019 as a true freshman, and was a preseason second-team all-league pick heading into the 2020-21 campaign.

Of the six Bucs chosen as preseason All-SoCon honorees for the 2020-21 campaign, five of them were chosen as first-team selections, which is tied for most in the league.

One of the reasons ETSU has been able to stay in every game during the Randy Sanders era--win or lose--has been thanks in large part to its talent and experience on the defensive side of the football. In the 2020-21 season, however, the Bucs defense must replace some key pieces on the defensive side of the football like Nasir Player and the media Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and STATs Buck Buchanan Award finalist, Artevius Smith. 

The Bucs will still be solid on that side of the ball this season, however, as some key pieces return to the unit. ETSU’s defense will welcome the return of redshirt senior linebacker Colton Lakes and defensive back Tyree Robinson (50 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 8 PBUs, 1 FF) will be two anchors of the 2020-21 ETSU defense. 

Last season, ETSU fielded an impressive defense that yielded just 20.1 PPG and just 373.3 YPG. He saw action only eight games in 2019 before injuries cut his season short by four games, however, is considered one of the favorites to challenge for the league's Defensive Player of the Year accolade. 

Joining Robinson as a member of the SoCon's preseason all-conference team on the defensive side of the football is LB/DL Blake Bockrath (57 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 4 QBHs).

Samford could be a sneaky dark horse in the Southern Conference race this fall, as they come into the season flying under the radar a bit. I expect Chris Hatcher’s Bulldogs to once again be very good offensively.  The Bulldogs are one of four teams in the league to return a signal-caller that charts at least some starting experience. 

Chris Oladokun will be the quarterback for the Bulldogs, and he provides Samford a dual-threat element. Still, Oladokun completed his first season in Birmingham, connecting on 169-of-272 passes for 2,064 yards, with 18 TDs and seven INTs. The South Florida transfer was also strong running the football for the Bulldogs in 2019, completing the campaign with 493 yards and eight scores. He finished with 2,557 yards of total offense.

The biggest challenge offensively for the Bulldogs this fall offensively is replacing three starters along the offense, as well as its top two receivers, in Chris Shelling and Roland Adams. 

Most of the struggles for Samford came in the same area that virtually every other team in the SoCon had trouble solving defensively last season, which was stopping the run. The Bulldogs ranked 113th of 124 teams in the FCS at defending the run in 2019, surrendering 235.5 YPG.

The Bulldogs operate out of a 3-4 defensive alignment, and return two of three starters along the defensive front fotr the 2019 season, including Armond Lloyd, who earned second-team All-SoCon honors as selected by the media. The senior finished the 2019 campaign with 63 tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, a pair of sacks and a fumble recovery last fall.

Also returning on the defensive side of the football is first-team All-SoCon selection John Staton at linebacker. Staton led the Bulldogs and the SoCon with 116 tackles last season, 3.0 tackles-for-loss and a fumble recovery last season.

Samford had eight players named to the preseason All-SoCon team, with wideout Montrell Washington garnering recognition as both a wideout and return specialist. As a receiver in 2019, Washington hauled in 28 passes for 405 yards and three scores, while as a punt return specialist, completed the campaign with 15 punt returns for an average of 21.9 YPR, which included a TD. As a kick return threat, Washington completed the 2019 campaign with seven kick returns for an average of 22.1 YPR. He garnered preseason first-team honors as both a return specialist and wide receiver. 

Offensive lineman Mike Williams and place-kicker Mitchell Fineran (15-of-21 on FGs, 46-of-47 on PATs) also garnered preseason first-team honors, while sophomore running back Jay Stanton was a preseason second-team All-SoCon honoree. Stanton completed the campaign by rushing for 690 yards and seven touchdowns on 122 attempts, averaging 5.7 yards-per-carry. 

On the defensive side of the football, the Bulldogs lone first-team preseason All-SoCon selection was defensive lineman Armond Lloyd (63 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1.0 FR in 2019), while linebacker Nathan East (82 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 4 QBHs, 3 PBUs) and defensive back Ty Herring (73 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 INT, 1 TD) were second-team selections. 

Punter Brad Porcellato (40.2 YPP) was also a second-team selection for the Bulldogs, as Samford had a player selected to the special teams at all three major positions. 

Final Score Prediction: Samford 24, East Tennessee State 20

Mercer (0-3, 0-0 SoCon) at Wofford (0-0, 0-0 SoCon), Gibbs Stadium, 1 p.m.

Series: tied 6-6; Wofford has won all six in Mercer's SoCon membership, which began in 2014

Three-time defending Southern Conference champion Wofford will kick off its 2021 spring season hosting the Mercer Bears in Spartanburg, as the Terriers look to remain undefeated against the Bears on the gridiron since Mercer resurrected its football program following a 72-year hiatus back in 2014. 

Since that time, Wofford has claimed each of the six meetings between the two, with the Terriers rolling over the Bears in Macon in 2019, handing the Bears a 41-7 setback on what was senior day at Five Star Stadium. The Bears were in action three times during the fall under new head coach Drew Cronic, as Mercer faced Jacksonville State (L, 28-34), Army (L, ) and Abilene Christian (L, 17-20).

Cronic is looking to turn around a Mercer football program that showed signs of championship potential during the Bobby Lamb era (2013-19), but was never able to break through and make it a reality. Cronic brings a track record of success wherever he has been, including having been at Furman as an offensive assistant under Lamb.

The Bears will feature a diverse offensive scheme, which will feature a number of different formations, including everything from the double-wing-to-five-wide. Expected to be under center for Saturday afternoon’s contest will be either Harrison Frost (37-of-62 passing, 354 yds, 3 TDs, 4 INTs in fall of 2020), who was the starter in the fall, or Carter Peavy (2-of-2 passing, 14 yds in the fall of 2020).  Freshman Dylan Fromm, who is the brother of former Georgia signal-caller Jake Fromm, is also listed on the depth chart heading into the spring opener. 

The biggest weapon on the offensive side of the football could be found at the ‘joker’ position, which is where Deondre Johnson (12 rush att, 61 yds in fall of 2020) returns to the fold for the 2020-21 spring campaign. Remember it was Johnson that returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a score, as the Bears were able to open the Drew Cronic era with a bang, taking an early 7-0 lead against the Gamecocks. 

Johnson will team with Nakendrick Clark and freshman Ethan Dirrim to comprise a talented backfield. Clark joins the Bears following one season at Appalachian State, appearing in nine games during the 2019 season for the Mountaineers, and will be eligible immediately for the Bears. During his time with the former Southern Conference member, Clark, a 5-9, 200-lb running back, rushed 11 times for 43 yards on the season.

The best news for the Bears is plenty of returning experience along the offensive line, as Mercer returns six players to the fold that have logged starting experience along the offensive front. Highlighting the starting returnees along that offensive front for Mercer is left tackle John Thomas.

The defense, despite all its struggles in 2019, should see plenty of improvement this fall, led by what figures to be a much improved front seven, and a potential All-America candidate in the secondary. Leading the way along the defensive line for Mercer will be redshirt junior nose tackle Barron King (4 tackles, 1 FR in fall of 2020). 

The best linebacker and one of the quickest rising talents among linebackers in the Southern Conference this fall will be freshman Isaac Dowling (40 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 1 PBU). In just three games in the fall, Dowling produced outstanding numbers in the Bears defensive scheme, and will look to parlay that into the spring. 

Luke Ward (4 tackles in fall of 2020) and Lance Wise (32 tackles, 1.0 TFL in fall of 2020) comprise a strong tandem of safeties at the third level of the Bears defense. The duo ended up being an impactful pair during the fall, with Wise putting up a career effort in the Bears' third and final game of the fall slate, posting 20 tackles in the narrow three-point loss. 

The reigning Southern Conference champion Wofford Terriers were able to retain their coach during the off-season, but right up to the very last there was plenty of uncertainty, as third-year head coach Josh Conklin flirted with leaving Spartanburg for defensive coordinator jobs at both Tennessee and Illinois. 

Wofford also underwent a coaching transition, as it was announced after the 2017 season that 30-year legendary and Southern Conference Hall-of-Fame head coach Mike Ayers would be stepping down as the head coach of the Terriers. An arduous search for candidates led the Terriers back to hiring one of their own--Josh Conklin--who returned to Wofford and is 2-for-2 in managing to lead the Terriers to back-to-back playoff appearances and retain its Southern Conference crown. 

His third season at the helm in Spartanburg, however, could prove to be his toughest-to-date. Wofford returns just 11 starters from that team that finished 8-4 a year ago, and rebounded to have a pretty solid campaign after getting off to an 0-2 start. 

The real sting was left by that had eligibility remaining, but opted to transfer out and play elsewhere for their final seasons of eligibility. Two talented all-conference offensive linemen, in Josh Burger and Blake Jeresaty will be missed, while Thad Mangum and Mikell Horton have opted to exercise that option on the defensive line. 

The good news is Wofford usually has little trouble re-loading in the trenches on both sides of the ball, year-in and year-out. Perhaps the more pressing question for the Terriers might be who will step in to replace under center for the Terriers. 

The good news is Wofford was one of the few teams in Division I football that got to complete its entire spring practice before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and were able to get some quality reps for Appalachian State transfer Peyton Derrick, as well as Jimmy Weirick, as those two are the two most likely candidates to draw interest as fall camp gets closer.

The Terriers should still be strong defensively, despite the losses of both Mangum and Horton along the defensive line. The good news for the defensive line is the return of Michael Mason, who comes off an outstanding first season as a Terrier, posting 10.5 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks. Mason is one of seven starters that returns from a Wofford defense that finished out the 2019 season as the SoCon’s statistical champion for total defense (335.3 YPG), while ranking second in the league in scoring defense (22.1 PPG).

Returning to team with Derrick in the backfield as a starter will be fullback Nathan Walker (81 rush att, 460 yds, 5 TDs, 5.7 YPC), who now takes over the starting reins at that position following the graduation of Blake Morgan. 

The 6-0, 225-lb, native of Ridgeville, S.C., is a big, powerful back with decent speed. He’s exactly in the mold of some of the great running backs of yester-year for the Terriers, with a good comparison being former running back J.R. McNair coming to mind. 

For his career to this point, Walker has played in 25 games for the Terriers over two seasons, having rushed for 1,007 yards and eight touchdowns on 158 attempts, averaging 6.4 yards-per-carry. Most of those yards gained over the past two seasons have come in a reserve role in the Terrier backfield.  Walker has had some strong individual performances for the Terriers over the past two seasons in the Old Gold and Black. 

In 2019, Walker saw playing time in all 12 games, drawing eight starts for the Terriers. His 467 yards ranked him fourth on the team in rushing last season. 

Walker turned in one of his best career performances in the regular-sesaon finale at The Citadel, rushing for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 10 carries in the 31-11 road win by the Terriers. 

Another one competing to replace Morgan in the backfield is senior fullback Ryan Lovelace (75 rush att, 388 yds, 4 TDs, 5.2 YPC).  Lovelace will be another key veteran component of the Wofford ground game this fall. 

Teaming with Walker in the backfield as the two halfbacks for the Terriers this fall will be sophomore Jacquez Allen (52 rush att, 528 yds, 10.2 YPC) and junior D’Mauriae VanCleave (33 rush att, 260 yds, 3 TDs, 7.9 YPC/23 rec, 362 yds, 3 TDs, 15.7 YPR). 

Allen comes off an exceptional freshman campaign, which saw him garner SoCon All-Freshman Team honors in the process. The 5-9, 180-lb, native of Montgomery, AL, turned in one of his best performances against Western Carolina, posting 105 yards on four carries, which included a 78-yard touchdown run in the third quarter of that contest in what was a lopsided, 59-7, win in Spartanburg. Allen was also effective as a return threat for the Terriers this past fall, as he finished the season with nine kickoff returns for 126 yards. 

Maybe the most potent weapon on the offensive side of the football for the Terriers plays the ‘slash’ position as it is called, and that player is junior D’Mauriae VanCleave. The 5-7, 160-lb, native of Danville, KY, is coming off a season, which saw him lead the Terriers in receiving and was the best big-play option Wofford had in its arsenal last season. 

VanCleave played in all 12 games for the Terriers last season, logging seven starts. VanCleave, like Allen, was also a significant part of the return game last season for Wofford as a return threat, posting 13 punt returns and two kickoff returns for 246 yards last fall. VanCleave finished the season ranking  14th in the Southern Conference in all-purpose yards-per-game, averaging 76.50 of all-purpose output per contest. 

Like Allen, VanCleave registered his best game in the lopsided win over the Catamounts, as he had four catches for 112 yards, which included a 39-yard scoring catch, and also had an 87-yard punt return for a score against the Catamounts. He had a season-long 79-yard touchdown reception in the 59-14 loss to Clemson. 

Final Score Prediction:Wofford 27, Mercer 10

"Battle For Purple Supremacy"

In-Depth Preview: Western Carolina (0-3, 0-0 SoCon) at Furman (0-0, 0-0 SoCon), 2 p.m./Paladin Stadium

Series: Furman leads 33-12-2

The final game of the afternoon will pit two old Southern Conference rivals against each other, as Western Carolina makes the trip down from Cullowhee to take on the Furman Paladins in the Battle for Purple Supremacy at Paladin Stadium.

The Paladins head into the spring season as the preseason favorites by the league's media, and have one of the more veteran-laden team's entering the 2020-21 spring season among their Southern Conference brethren. Western Carolina, who saw action in three games during the spring, is set to likely be breaking in a new starter under center Saturday, with Penn transfer Quan Glover likely to be given the nod as the starting signal-caller Saturday when the Catamounts arrive in Greenville for their Southern Conference opener.

Their is some great history involving these two that spans the decades on the Southern Conference gridiron, as the two will be renewing the rivalry for the 48th time in series history, with the Paladins holding a commanding 33-12-1 all-time series edge, and a 3-0 edge under third-year head coach Clay Hendrix.In a series that dates back to 1971, Furman has won 19 of the past 23 meetings between the two programs, which includes a 28-7 win in Cullowhee last season. 

Certainly the most memorable win for Western Carolina fans occurred in the Division I-AA semifinals in 1983, as the Catamounts came to Greenville and claimed a 14-7 win over the second-ranked Paladins to advance to the Division I-AA national championship game against top-ranked Southern Illinois. 

It was one of legendary and SoCon and Western Carolina Hall-of-Fame head coach Bob Waters’ finest moments in Cullowhee, and it remains Western Carolina’s lone trip to the playoffs and national championship game in its Division I football history. 

Furman football fans will remember some of the great names on that Catamount defense, with the likes of Tiger Greene, Clyde Simmons and Louis Cooper, and the Catamounts had one mean pass-rush, with a couple of the two school’s premier pass-rushers at the program and in Southern Conferene history on the same defense, in Simmons and Cooper. 

Western Carolina’s win in Greenville in the Division I-AA semifinals in 1983 was just the second win by the Purple and Gold in Greenville, and their first-ever win in Paladin Stadium. Simmons is now part of the Catamount staff, as the former all-pro Philadelphia Eagle is part of a re-vamped defensive staff in Cullowhee, serving as the defensive line coach. Replacing former defensive coordinator John Wiley will be a pair of coaches that will share the responsibilities at the position, including the newest addition Joe Speed, who will also coach outside linebackers, as well as Andy McCollum, who has a plethora of coaching experience, including having been the successor the legendary Boots Donnelly at Middle Tennessee State early in his near four decades of coaching experience.

The Catamounts and The Catamounts would win their next two at Paladin Stadium after that ‘83 triumph, claiming wins in ‘84 (20-19) in what was another classic, and then in 1986, which saw the Catamounts claim a 19-13 victory in Greenville. The Paladins and Catamounts, which had met earlier in the ‘83 season in Cullowhee, saw the two teams play to a 17-17 tie. 

Furman’s outstanding running back Stanford Jennings, who went on to play in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals, and even returned a kickoff for a TD in the 1988 Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers, was held to just 25 yards on 13 carries, and the star-studded WCU defensive unit would hold the Paladins to mere 208 yards of total offense. The rivalry between Furman and Western Carolina remains one of the great rivalries in Southern Conference football. 

Western Carolina played games against No. 22 Liberty (L, 14-58), at Eastern Kentucky (L, 17-49), and No. 17 North Carolina (L, 9-49) during the fall. The Catamounts, who are under the direction of ninth year head coach Mark Speir (32-63/20-42 SoCon), will be taking part in their fifth-straight road game, dating back to the 2019 season and a trip to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Catamounts will be looking to put an end to a six-game losing streak when they arrive in Greenville for Saturday's contest in the shadows of beautiful Paris Mountain, as the last win for Western Carolina came on Nov. 9, 2019, in the Blue Ridge Border Battle with East Tennessee State, as the Catamounts claimed what was a thrilling 23-30 overtime win in Cullowhee. 

The Catamounts would end up going on to finish the 2019 season with a 3-9 overall record and a 2-6 mark in SoCon action during the 2019 campaign, which was good enough for an eighth-place finish overall in the SoCon standings. There is some Appalachian State blood running through the veins of Western Carolina's coaching staff.  

Speir served as the running backs (2003-04), defensive line (2005-08) and defensive ends (2009-10) coach for Appalachian State, and was a part of six SoCon title and three national title winning team's during his time in the High Country, is one of two coaches on staff with ties to the other side of the Battle For The Old Mountain Jug.  He has led the Catamounts the the precipice of the FCS postseason on three occasions, as he has posted three seven-win campaigns as the head coach in Cullowhee. 

The other coach is offensive coordinator/offensive line coach John Holt, who was an All-American center at ASU and was on all three national title team's in Boone. The Catamount offense will be similar to those Mountaineer offenses, which were so dynamic utilizing the spread-option attack during Holt's time on the mountain, and the '07 Mountaineer offense was one of the best in Southern Conference history. 

The Catamounts return 15 starters to the fold for the 2020 campaign off, and in the fall,  began the process of finding to replace quarterback and record-setter Tyrie Adams. Replacing Adams will be far easier said than done, as he threw for over 10,000 yards and 70 TDs over the past four years. 

Look for both redshirt junior Will Jones (121-of-208 passing, 1,102 yds, 7 TDs, 5 INTs, and 3 rushing TDs in his career at WCU) and newcomers Ryan Glover and Carlos Davis to likely all to see action at the controls of the Catamount offense on Saturday in Greenville. Jones has reputable experience in the Catamount offensive scheme, having made five-career starts to date, with his first coming last season against North Carolina State. 

Glover, who will most likely end up being the starter for the Catamounts on Saturday, brings plenty of reputable experience into the fold for the Catamount offense, as he played in 16 games during his three seasons as the Penn Quakers quarterback in the Ivy League. During his three seasons with the Quakers, Glover completed 130-of-220 passes for 1,573 yards, with eight touchdown passes, and rushed for 373 yards and three scores during his career with Penn. The Atlanta, GA product ended up amassing 1,946 yards of total offense over three seasons. Glover was a three-star recruit as a prep and comes from Atlanta's prestigious Woodward Academy. 

The final candidate to see action at the controls of the Catamount offense is East Mississippi Community College/Fort Scott CC transfer Carlos Davis. Like Glover, the dual-threat quarterback joined the Catamount football program this past January and will be eligible immediately. During his time at Fort Scott, Davis completed 60% of his passes and threw for 833 yards and seven scores, while also rushing for 256 yards and three TDs on the ground. 

The Catamounts biggest homerun hitter on offense this fall might come from the running back position, where Donavan Spencer returns following a season which saw him lead the Catamounts in rushing, completing the season with 530 yards and four touchdowns. He was also an effective pass-catcher out of the backfield, as he hauled in 19 passes for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

The Catamounts top threat through the air will be Owen Cosenke, who heads into the 2020 campaign as one of the best pass-catching tight ends in all of college football. Cosenke finished the 2019 season with 22 catches for 246 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Daquan Patten () is the best big-play receiver for the Catamounts. The son of former Super Bowl champion and WCU Hall-of-Fame wideout David Patten, Daquan Patten had a big game back in 2018 against Furman, as he amassed a career-high 159 yards receiving and two touchdowns against the Paladins back in 2018 in what was a wild 44-38 Paladin victory in 2018. 

The offensive line had to learn on the job in 2019, but with a year of a true learning experience under its collective belts, including three games in the fall,  the Catamounts should be in much better shape along offensive line than they were heading into the 2019 seasonl. All five starters return along the offensive line, and it will be anchored by Grady Thomas at left guard and right guard Matthew Bair.  Isaiah Helms could be a solid all-conference candidate at center. 

Defensively, the Catamounts welcome the return of some talented players, but must replace talented defensive back John Brannon III. Brannon was one of just three starters that won’t return for the 2020-21 season in a unit that continued to show improvement as the season progressed. 

One of the top returnees on the defensive side of the football will be cornerback Ronald Kent Jr., and he will compete for All-America honors this fall. Kent finished out the 2019 season with 32 tackles, 0.5 tackles-for-loss, seven pass breakups, and recovered a fumble. 

Western also returns the league’s fourth-leading tackler in the Southern Conference, with the return of all-conferene linebacker Ty Harris. Harris completed his junior season with 106 tackles, 7.0 tackles-for-loss and a fumble recovery. 

Speir will be hoping the coaching adjustments on the defensive side of the football will be able to solve the defensive puzzle that has been an issue for the Catamounts each of the previous two seasons, as the Catamounts came off a second-straight season in which they struggled to stop virtually anyone. 

The Catamounts, however, finished the season strong on the defensive side of the football to finish rank 97th nationally (434.7 YPG) in total defense, however, it wasn’t enough for defensive and Speir’s longtime friend as staffmates at Appalachian State to keep his job as the Catamounts’ defensive coordinator. 

Clay Hendrix (22-14) now heads into his fourth season at the helm of Paladin football, and has either led the Paladins to a conference title or playoff appearances in each of his first three seasons at the helm of the program. The Paladins will return 14 starters (8-offense, 6-defense) for the 2020 season, and for the first time since 2017, will enter the season with some experience under center, with a pair of redshirt sophomores expected to battle it out for the starting quarterback duties in fall camp. 

The offense heads into the 2020-21 season as a team strength for the Paladins, which had one of their best offensive seasons in recent memory last fall. Furman closed out the 2019 campaign by losing two of its final three games of the season, with the only win during that three-week stretch coming in a 64-7 demolition of NAIA Point University in the final home game of the 2019 season. 

The Paladins finished out the 2019 season with some impressive totals, charting 600 or more yards of total offense three times, while gaining 500 or more yards of total offense in six of 12 games last fall. For the first time in his three seasons since taking over the Furman football program, Hendrix had his ground attack in full effect under George Quarles, who was in his second season as Furman’s offensive coordinator. 

He helped the Paladins finish the season ranking seventh overall in the FCS in rushing offense (265.7 YPG), while also ranking 40th nationally in total offense (410.3 YPG), 23rd in scoring offense (33.5 PPG), 114th in passing offense (144.6 YPG), 62nd in pass efficiency offense (131.61), and 22nd in sacks allowed (1.46 SPG).

Both Hamp Sisson (51-of-84 passes, 638 yards and three touchdowns/30 rush att, 147 yds, 2 TDs) and Grainger () were neck-and-neck in the battle for the starting quarterback, but then Sisson emerged as a starter during fall practice, and was named the captain. That was one of a few reasons which saw Grainger transferred out of the program, and will now join the Georgia State football program next fall.

With Sisson now the full-time starter for the Paladins, it makes the job of the coaching staff at least a little bit easier, knowing full well that they have one guy under center to start the season as ‘the guy.’ Sisson indoctrinated himself in as a player that could be a future impact performer under center for the Paladins, and by season’s end, he had worked his way into the starting quarterback position for the Paladins.

Sisson ended up seeing action in a total of 10 games for the Paladins last season, garnering four starts. Sisson ended up coming in the game in the second quarter of the Chattanooga game and leading the Paladins to a memorable, come-from-behind win in the Scenic City by and the then redshirt freshman showed leadership and maturity well beyond his class.

In the 34-20 road win over the Mocs, Sisson was responsible for connecting on 9-of-14 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 52 yards and a score. Sisson followed his performance up against Chattanooga in strong fashion, as he connected on 17-of-22 passes for 277 yards and a pair of scores, which included a 71-yard strike to running back Devin Abrams. His efforts against the Keydets helped the Paladins secure an easy, 60-21, win over an upstart VMI squad. 

Perhaps Sisson will most be remembered for being the ultimate teammate in the win vs. Chattanooga, which was just a small glimpse as to why his teammates voted him team captain after one memorable play showed up on ESPN’s SportsCenter, as one of its top 10 plays. Sisson’s push of the Chattanooga pile, which also involved Paladin running back Devin Abrams, gave the redshirt sophomore running back enough momentum to break through the Mocs line and finish off a 32-yard touchdown scamper on a 4th-and-1 play to help seal the 15-point road triumph for the Paladins. 

Sisson’s final start of the regular-season didn’t go quite according to plan, as the Paladins were upended at Wofford, 24-7, on a day when the Paladins would struggle offensively, and for the first time as a starter under center, Sisson showed a few signs of youth and lack of overall reps under center. Sisson would complete the afternoon by connecting on 12-of-27 passes for 94 yards, with one interception. 

Sisson is now the man charged with leading the Paladins forward in what is seemingly a exceedingly bright future. Sisson won’t give the Paladins the speed that maybe a Grainger had at the position, but what he brings is good arm strength, leadership qualities, accuracy and decision-making acumen. Sisson is like so many successful winning quarterbacks that brought that “it” factor to the position in the past, and is a good mix of all those intangibles.

On a personal level, the way Sisson sees the football game within Furman’s offensive scheme is very similar to former national title winning quarterback Frankie DeBusk, as well as former local legend and Greer, S.C., native Justin Hill, who led the Paladins to a Southern Conference title in 1999, and back-to-back playoff appearances in 1999 and ‘00. The question as to whether the Paladins can stay healthy or not in a limited eight-game schedule.

While Sisson is the unquestioned starter under center, most of the talk in the off-season for Furman offensively has surrounded the ground attack, which returns arguably the best talent in the Southern Conference along the offensive line and in the backfield heading into the long-awaited season. In fact, it could also be argued that the 2020-21 offensive line is as deep and as talented a unit since 2005, which interestingly enough was the last time Furman headed into a season as the Southern Conference favorite, according to the league media. 

Heading into the limited spring season, Furman once again figures to have one of the top ground attacks in FCS football this spring, with one of the top collections of running back talents in all of FCS football.  Without question, the strength of the offense for Furman’s 2020 offense will be the running back position. 

The Paladins have a quartet of running backs that are as strong as the program has had since the mid-2000s, when the Paladins had the likes of Brandon Mays, Daric Carter, Cedric Gipson and Jerome Felton toting the pigskin for the Paladins. 

Returning for the spring season, the Paladins have a total of 2,442 yards returning for the 2021 spring season, which is left over from the fall campaign

The Paladins return all of three big-play weapons to the fold in the spring in 2021. It all starts with the leader of those Paladin returnees, Devin Wynn (179 rush att, 1,182 yds, 14 TDs, 6.6 YPC). 

Wynn returns as one of the top running backs in the SoCon entering his senior season. The rising senior running back from Wynn has put together an outstanding career to this point in the Purple and White, which has seen him rush for 1,957 yards and 20 touchdowns so far in his three seasons as a Paladin running back.

His 1,957 yards in his career to this point ranks Wynn 14th  overall in school history in rushing yards, while needing just five more rushing touchdowns to break into the top 10 in school history in career rushing scores. 

Wynn had some outstanding performances running the football for the Paladins last season. He enjoyed his top performance of his career in a big win over VMI last season, which saw him finish the day with a career-best five touchdowns, which included four rushing scores and a receiving TD. 

Wynn also enjoyed a career day rushing yards-wise against Samford. In what was a blowout win for the Paladins, Wynn finished the contest by rushing for 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns on just 14 attempts.  He tied a Southern Conference record for rushing yards in a quarter, when he rushed for 183 yards in a single quarter, tying a Southern Conference record.  Wynn also had a 61-yard scoring catch in the win over the Bulldogs, showing his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He finished the season with five catches for 141 yards and a couple touchdowns. 

Later in the season, Wynn had a five-touchdown performance against VMI later in the season, rushing for four touchdowns, while hauling in another touchdown pass. He finished the contest in the win over the Keydets by rushing for 102 yards on 15 carries. 

The rising senior  became the 16th player in Furman football history to rush for 1,000 or more in a single season. His 1,182 rushing yards in 2019 was the seventh-highest rushing performance in Furman football. 

Furman has plenty more than just Devin Wynn in its ground arsenal heading into the 2020 season, with arguably the deepest backfield in the SoCon heading into the 2020 season.

Set to join Wynn to in the Paladin backfield this fall will be a trio of experienced, well-seasoned running backs hoping to put the Paladins in position to win a spring Southern Conference football crown. Wayne Anderson Jr. (41 rush att, 205 yds, 4 TDs, 7.4 YPC/12 rec, 121 yds, 10.1 YPR), Devin Abrams (100 rush att, 615 yds, 6 TDs, 6.2 YPC/5 rec, 127 yds, 2 TDs, 9.8 YPR), and Dominic Roberto (35 rush att, 182 yds, 3 TDs, 5.2 YPC) are all compliments to what Wynn brings to the Paladin backfield. 

Probably the most talked about recruit coming in as a true freshman this fall is Kendall Thomas (Round Rock TX/Stony Point HS), who is the second running back in the past couple of seasons to join the Paladin football program from the Lone Star State, as he joins Wayne Anderson Jr. as a part of the already talented Paladin ground attack.

Thomas chose Furman over some pretty highly thought of programs, as he held offers from Air Force, Princeton and Dartmouth before deciding on spending his next four years in Greenville. During his senior season at 6A Stony Point High School, Thomas rushed for 2,247 yards and 25 scores, averaging an amazing 10.2 yards-per-carry. The 5-9, 180-lb speedy running back finished out what was an outstanding high school career by rushing for 3,429 yards and 35 rushing touchdowns in his prep career. 

For the first time in Clay Hendrix’s tenure as the head coach of the Furman Paladins, he will have his most experienced, seasoned offensive line ready to help lead what figures to be one of FCS football’s top ground attacks. Hendrix’s background as an offensive line coach and offensive lineman at Furman are both well-documented, so when he is optimistic about this particular position, most of those media members around to listen to such comments often take note.

The Paladins not only bring back experience within their front five along the offensive front, but also talent that has been cultivated by Hendrix and offensive line coach Peter Lusk since their arrival from Air Force in December of 2016. Of the 15 offensive linemen on the roster, 10 have seen live action for the Paladins, combining for a total of 83 starts. 

Last season, the unit’s success was evident in a statistical analysis of the 2019 season. The unit helped the Paladins average 265.9 rushing yards per game (5.9 yards-per-play). Set to anchor the offensive line heading into the season will be guards Jordan Harris (RG) and Reed Kroeber (LG), while center Evan Jumper was an all-freshman team honoree in 2019, as the Myrtle Beach, S.C., product is not only one of the most athletic performers on the offensive  side of the ball, but also was one of most sought after recruits in the 2018 signing class. 

All told, Harris and Kroeber have combined to log 57 starts along the Paladin offensive front, as well as combining to log action on nearly 2,000 (1,964 plays) in their respective careers along the Paladin offensive front. Harris is interchangeable along the offensive front, possessing the ability to play either guard or tackle, and in fact, could start off the season as the starter at right tackle for the Paladins. Harris was a preseason All-SoCon selection(second-team) by the league coaches. 

bviously, the loss of Thomas Gordon at wide receiver is going to have effect on the Paladin offense. Gordon finished out his Furman career as the all-time leader in receiving yards (2,552 receiving yds), while also finishing third in the program history in career receptions (159).

Despite the losses of Grainger and Corey Watkins on the offensive side of the football, the biggest loss on what was an explosive offense of a year ago is definitely Gordon. He was Furman’s primary big-play threat within the offense, and the Paladins will be tasked with finding a new big-play threat in the passing attack this season. 

The good news is some veteran leadership does return for the Paladins in the passing game, with the return of Ryan DeLuca (19 rec, 288 yds, 4 TDs, 15.1 YPR) to the fold for the 2020-21 season. DeLuca is a reliable receiver with a great pair of hands and a player that has proven at times to be a big-play threat in the Paladin passing game. DeLuca might also have the best pair of hands in the Paladin receiving corps. 

Catamount fans will remember the wideout expected to fill the role as Furman's main big-play threat this fall, in North Augusta, S.C., product Dejuan Bell, who recorded his best career game to date as a Paladin back in 2018, recording a 100-yard kickoff return and a 47-yard scoring catch in that 45-38 win over the Catamounts, which was more than enough to see Bell chosen as the SoCon special teams player of the week.

Once again, one of the strengths of the Furman offense will be the tight end position, as both Ryan Miller (11 rec, 237 yds, 3 TDs, 21.5 YPR in 2019) and Jake Walker (2 rec, 21 yds, 10.3 YPR in 2019) return to the fold for the Paladins, which will once again be not only among the best in the Southern Conference, but also among the top tight end corps’ in all of FCS football in terms of pass-catching tight ends. 

Miller is essentially a wide receiver playing tight end, and since taking over the head coaching job at Furman in December of 2016, head coach Clay Hendrix has made it a goal for Paladin offenses to create a mis-match for opposing defenses in coverage in this particular area. Remember back in 2017 when the Paladins had a guy named Andy Schumpert, who lined up at tight end after playing receiver most of his career. All Schumpert did was finish as the team’s second leading receiver, completing the campaign with 32 catches for 652 yards and nine touchdowns, turning in one of the best single-seasons in the history of Furman football.

Both Miller and Walker are of that same ilk coming into the 2020-21 campaign. The tandem of Miller and Walker has totaled a combined 20 starts, with 38 catches for 665 yards and seven touchdowns in their respective careers as Paladins. Walker appears to be 100% healthy for the first time in a couple of years, which gives the Paladins two excellent options and downfield threats in the passing game once again this season. 

During his Paladin career, Walker has seen action in 36-career games with 17 career grabs for 284 yards and four touchdowns. Walker was especially key in Furman’s 2018 Southern Conference title-clinching win at Mercer. In the 35-30 victory, Walker finished that contest with four catches for 43 yards and a pair of touchdowns.  

Furman’s defense is a unit that is coming off a 2019 season which saw it successful in some areas, while still needing to see some improvement in others. The Paladins welcome the return of six starters, which also includes a total of 13 players that have starting experience. Last season, the Paladins ranked second in the Southern Conference and 25th nationally in total defense (344.8 YPG), while leading then league and ranking 14th nationally in total defense. 

The biggest area of concern for the Paladins will be the secondary, as like wide receiver on the offemsive side of the football, is where the least amount of experience returns for the Paladins. Furman was exceptionally good against the pass last season, ranking first in the SoCon and sixth nationally, allowing just 167.4 yards-per-game through the air.

Part of that stat could be skewed by the SoCon being such a rushing league, but a large majority of it due to the fact that the Paladins were just that good defending the pass.

As one might expect, the Paladins didn’t put up quite the pass-rushing numbers they had a couple of years ago, with Adrian Hope having most of the opponents’ offensive blocking schemes making sure that he didn’t get into the backfield and wreck havoc like he was able to do in 2018. Still, the Paladins managed to rank third in the conference and 67th nationally in sacks (2.00 SPG/26 sacks in 2019). At times last season, the Paladins had trouble stopping the run, particularly towards the latter part of the 2019 season. Furman ranked third in the SoCon and 81st nationally (177.4 YPG) at defending the run last season. 

Furman defensive coordinator Duane Vaughn has made some defensive adjustments during the off-season, as he has moved inside linebacker Elijah McKoy (64 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 FF)  to ‘bandit’ where he will split time with Adrian Hope (40 tackles, 10.0 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 4 QBHs, 1 FR), giving the Paladins a more formidable presence on the perimeter. Another thing the Paladins hope to see improvement in during the spring is the ability to affect the game by causing turnovers. 

When the fall 2020 season didn’t materialize as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it allowed for McKoy to take in more reps at the ‘bandit’ spot in preparation for the spring 2020-21 season. McKoy will also head into the 2020-21 spring season as one of the Paladin co-captains. The native of Rome, GA., has put together quite the impressive career for the Paladins, having made 27-career starts and racking 236 tackles during his previous three seasons as a Paladin linebacker. 

In Clay Hendrix’s first season back in 2017, McKoy was a SoCon All-Freshman selection and was one of the primary leader’s of a Paladin defense that won eight games and returned to the FCS playoffs for the first time in four years. McKoy’s experience will be key to the Paladins’ success on the defensive side of the football once again this fall.

The 2018 campaign was McKoy’s best season as a Paladin to this point in his career, as he posted 91 tackles in 10 starts at wea kside linebacker for the Paladins. Head coach Clay Hendrix is pleased with the type of spring of that McKoy has had in adjusting to his new position. As a result of his outstanding 2018 season, McKoy played a big role in helping Furman to an unprecedented 14th Southern Conference regular-season crowd. 

McKoy’s presence at the bandit position will help keep opponents from organizing their playbook around pass-rushing force that the Paladins possess when Adrian Hope is on the field. Hope, a redshirt junior from Ocala, FL, has already put together an outstanding career in a Furman uniform, having posted 21.5 sacks in his career, which ranks third all-time in program history. 

Hope had some outstanding plaudits bestowed upon him heading into the 2019 campaign, as he finished fourth in the FCS in the voting for the Jerry Rice Award, which is given to the top freshman player in FCS football. As a sophomore last season, Hope was named a second team sophomore All-American by HERO Sports after completing the campaign and he notched five sacks during a five-game stretch last fall. 

In a 60-21 win over VMI last season, Hope enjoyed his best team of the season, recording four tackles and 2.5 sacks. He also recovered a fumble in the Furman early-season win over Mercer. His presence on the field makes team’s have to account for him because of his speed, power and push off the line of scrimmage.

The redshirt junior took the nation and SoCon by storm as a redshirt freshman in 2018 after posting a season which saw him post what was the best single-season by any Paladin pass-rusher, as he finished his inaugural season in the Purple and White, registering a single-season school record 15 sacks during his inaugural campaign for the Paladins. 

He will once again be the pre-iminent pass-rushing presence for the Paladins this fall, but it will definitely be interesting to see how Hope is used this fall by defensive coordinator Duane Vaughn is able to use a trio of talented performers at the ‘bandit’ position this fall.

The deepest position along the defensive line is without question will be at defensive end. Leading the way at defensive end heading into the campaign for the Paladins will be Dru Seabrook (27 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 5.0 sacks), who is another veteran leader along the defensive front heading into the 2020-21 season.  He finished second on the team to only Furman’s All-America Adrian Hope. 

In fact, Seabrook heads into the 2020-21 campaign as Furman’s most-experienced defensive lineman in games played (36), and has totaled 49 tackles and 10 sacks in his career in a Furman uniform. 

Seabrook will be looked to to take some pressure off Hope in the Furman pass-rush this fall, as it allows for opponents to have to account for another viable pass-rushing option. One of Seabrook’s better performances of the 2019 season came in Furman’s 24-17 loss at Virginia Tech, as he finished the contest with 1.5 sacks. 

Rounding out the Paladin defense is a secondary that was stingy back in 2019. The best news for Furman supporter's is the Paladins return four experienced cornerbacks led by Travis Blackshear (51 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INTs, 1 FF, 1 TD) and Darius Kearse (15 starts, 66 tackles, 3 INTs in his Furman career), who both have the talent to compete for all-conference honors this spring. Blackshear highlights the list of returnees and really started to come into his own in the Paladin secondary last season. Blackshear is one of the fastest player’s on the Paladin roster, and would be considered Furman’s lockdown corner. 

Despite the graduation of Bryan Okeh at one of the safety  positions, the Paladins are set to have some solid depth returning at the position for the 2020-2021 campaign. The leader at safety heading into the 2020-21 season will be DiMarcus Clay(38 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 2 INTs, 2 PBUs, 1 FF) is one of Furman’s most veteran defenders, and he will anchor the secondary this fall at his strong safety position.

Clay was able to help lead the Paladins in interceptions last fall, and coming into this season, he has logged a total of 12 starts and has 35-career games. The 5-9, 184-lb senior has played both saftey and cornerback during his career for the Paladins, and garnered starts in 11 of 13 games last season for the Paladins, as he played a key role in a secondary that was the strongest unit in a defense that helped the Paladins make a return to the FCS postseason in 2019 following a one-year hiatus. 

He had a forced fumble against The Citadel, and recorded interceptions in wins Mercer and East Tennessee State, while recording a season-high eight tackles in Furman’s loss to the Bulldogs. Clay is one of the hardest hitters on the Paladin defense, and has ball-hawking nature will allow him the freedom to make plays in the open field within Furman’s unique defensive scheme, designed to create and disguise pressure from nearly every position at linebacker, cornerback and safety.

Expected to team with Clay as the starter at safety in the season opener against Western Carolina is Jack Rhodes (Milton HS/Alpharetta, GA), as he rounds out the starters on the defensive side of the ball at the free safety spot.  The 6-1, 198-lb, true freshman chose Furman among 14 Division I offers, which included being offered by both Air Force and Coastal Carolina. 

Rhodes, who is the only true freshman slated to start on the defensive side of the ball for the Paladins in their season opener on Feb. 20, benefitted from enrolling at Furman in January of 2020 and was able to benefit from being able to go through spring practice last year. 

Rhodes comes to Furman from an excellent high school program, in Milton High School, which he saw action at six different positions during his prep career, including linebacker, safety and cornerback on the defensive side of the football. Rhodes was named the Region 5-AAAAAAA Athlete of the Year in 2019 after helping Milton to an 8-4 record and a region championship after tallying 70 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. 

Final Score Prediction: Furman 35, Western Carolina 10