2013 Football Outlook
8/7/2013 11:27:00 AM | Football
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8-3, 10-0, 5-4, and 7-3.
Paul Nichols '03, who was named the 27th head coach of the Wildcats football program on December 21, 2012, only knew winning as a student-athlete at Davidson. When he was the starting quarterback in 28 games across four seasons (1999-2002), Davidson was a dominant 22-6.
In the 10 seasons since, the Wildcats have tallied more wins than losses just twice, and have been unable to match the 7-3 mark of the 2002 team Nichols quarterbacked as a senior.
Nichols aims to change that. Fast.
There will be changes on the field that will be noticeable from the stands of Richardson Stadium. For example, the "air raid" offense is no more, as the Wildcats will utilize a more balanced attack. However, it takes more than a grasp of X's and O's to assemble a winning program. Nichols views restoring a championship culture as "the single, most important area we have focused on."
The team mantra now is simply "Just One Agenda." As anyone can guess, the agenda is to win. In order to create a culture that will result in wins on Saturday, Nichols emphasizes the importance of "winning the day" with daily improvement.
"Our success will be determined by our work every single day," said Nichols. "We want to get better every single day at everything we do: athletics, academics, community and so on."
The emphasis on academics and the community is not just lip service. Sure, Nichols knows first hand that the Davidson community would not accept the greatest successes on the gridiron if it came at the expense of classroom performance and building future leaders. But many of the habits required to be successful in the classroom at Davidson are required to succeed on the field. Concentration, focus, attitude, sound study habits and proper health are certainly required to post good grades. They are also among the 20 difference making actions and values he has listed for players that "take no talent," but can pay huge dividends on the field. By not only accepting the academic rigor of Davidson but also wholly embracing it, in effect, Nichols is making the common adage that the lessons from sports help in the real world work both ways.
Who says academics and athletics can't coexist?
Nichols hopes that the Wildcat faithful see two things this season: "I hope they see a relentless effort by our team, and I hope they also see an enthusiasm for not only the program and the way we play the game, but also the college, because I think the mission of the college is so special. What we try to do from an academic and athletic standpoint, at the very highest level, is something that very few schools across the country can match."
With nearly an entirely new coaching staff every position is up for grabs, which will make this year's preseason camp particularly intense and competitive. Nichols feels that the Wildcats are talented "across the board" and a productive spring practice and a strong recruiting class of 27 have built great depth.
"We have created competition at a number of different positions that may not have been there before," said Nichols. "For that reason alone, I think that we are going to be a better football team. I also think we have two tremendous coordinators [defensive coordinator Chad Creamer and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur] that have brought schemes in here that fit our current personnel and will give us an opportunity to compete."
Neither Creamer nor LaFleur have reached 30 years of age yet, but the staff is not without experience. Assistant head coach Mitch Browning, who guides the offensive line and tight ends, brings over 30 years of experience football coaching to the staff with much of that at the highest levels of college football, while defensive line coach Brett Hayford enters his 21st season on the Wildcats coaching staff.
"The cohesion of the entire staff has been tremendous," said Nichols. "I think they have adapted to the college very well, and I think the kids have bought into what they are trying to get across to them, schematically, personally, socially, academically and so forth."
"We'll have an eight-man committee that really runs the team," said Nichols. "They serve to represent their class and then if we have a discipline issue, the player meets with the committee. It's really a model of the college here."
Team captains will be voted on by the team at the end of the season based on leadership demonstrated.
The importance of a championship culture and strong leadership has only increased in the Pioneer Football League, as the competition will be fiercer than ever with raised stakes. The PFL now has an automatic bid to the 24-team NCAA FCS Tournament, giving the champion of the 12-team league (Mercer and Stetson join as first-year programs this season) a pathway to a national championship.
Under Nichols' guidance, the Wildcats will continue their preparations with a 19-day preseason training camp beginning August 8.
"It's really nice to be back home and it's a privilege to be around this tremendous community and the faculty and administration," said Nichols "It's also a privilege to be around these players, as they are the ones that make this thing go. They have really bought into what we are trying to get accomplished, and are really excited about demonstrating the effort that they have put in and the attitude and enthusiasm they are going to bring to the table."
The Offense
You can ask him many different ways, but offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur will not budge.
The Wildcats are returning first-team all-conference tight end Reese Williams and school all-time passing leader Jonathan Carkhuff, but LaFleur points to the offensive line as the most important component of the Wildcats' attack.
"We will be as good as the five guys we have up front," says LaFleur, unequivocally. "They had a great spring because they got better every day. We have a long way to go, but when they played well and brought it play-in and play-out, we were able to be successful. Whether we are trying to throw the football or run it, we can't do anything unless we have five dudes up front that have the mindset that they are going to take over. And they will."
LaFleur is not willing to reveal too much of the Wildcats' playbook, but his basic offensive philosophy is to maximize the talents of the players on the field.
"Whether you are at Alabama, here or Elmhurst College where I played, each kid has a unique set of talents, and you have to find the best things that they can do," said LaFleur. "Some kids are going to be able to do more at certain places, but you find what they can do the best. We've got guys here that can play."
That means even standouts such as Williams and Carkhuff will be working as hard or harder than their teammates, as LaFleur sees areas where both can make big improvements. Williams, being 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 240 pounds, is a matchup problem all over the field that LaFleur intends to exploit. Williams enjoyed a breakout season in 2012 after missing much of 2011 due to injury, earning first-team all-conference honors after catching 51 passes for 522 yards and four touchdowns. As the top returning pass catcher, his role and impact should expand. LaFleur has also been impressed by Trey Huelskamp at tight end, a junior that started as a freshman in Wiliams' absence and saw limited action last season.
Carkhuff has been starting since his freshman season and became Davidson's all-time passing leader in 2012. He improved as he learned the offense this past spring, and he impressed LaFleur with his work ethic on the small details of quarterbacking after being almost exclusively in a shotgun formation the past two seasons. The staff has also worked on making the mild-mannered Carkhuff a more forceful leader in the huddle. Supporting him will be sophomore Connor Hall, who saw limited action as a freshman going 3-for-8 for 53 yards and a touchdown in two appearances. Three newcomers round out the quarterback corps.
At running back, injuries in the spring limited the group's work, so the competition will be fierce in camp. The Wildcats were ineffective in the running game last season, averaging less than 60 yards per game, which made scoring difficult despite boasting one of the top passing games in the country. Sophomore David Rogers brings the most experience to the position, while classmate Colby Everett saw significant action late in the 2012 season. Senior fullback Michael Lamoureux will also look to take on a larger role as Davidson looks to move the ball more on the ground.
The Wildcats will lose a tremendous amount of production from the wide receivers group with the loss of Davidson's all-time receptions and reception yards leader, Lanny Funsten, to graduation, but they will not be without experience. The emphasis on the passing game the past two seasons gave the group plenty of touches, creating significant depth. Figuring out who will take the first snaps and getting them all involved will be one of the bigger challenges for the coaching staff this August.
"William is a great, tough receiver that does all of the little things and never takes a play off," said LaFleur.
Se'Vaughn Carter and Desi Dockery will look to take on a bigger role as sophomores and Jeff McDaniels is a senior who played well in the spring that will be fighting for more playing time. Junior Martel Campbell is another upperclassman that could see an expanded role after converting to wide receiver last season.
Implementing a championship culture has not always been easy, as having tough practices is the only way to find out who the toughest 11 guys are on the team. But with the start of the 2013 season fast approaching, the 'Cats are itching to get back in action.
"I tell these guys all the time how awesome it is to work with them because they are so receptive," said LaFleur. "I've talked with a lot of them throughout the summer and there is a lot of excitement to get back here and get going."
The Defense
New defensive coordinator Chad Creamer has tailored his defense to his personnel, and is not concerned with past performances.
"Our focus has been getting guys better daily and evaluating what we have in front of us," said Creamer. "For me, there are no returning starters."
"They worked hard and they were guys we could count on to do the right thing," said Creamer. "That's not to say they didn't make mistakes, but those three along the line are a great start."
For depth, there is plenty of young talent. Of the 14 defensive linemen on the roster, a total of nine are underclassmen, including five freshmen. Sophomore Jackson Gomez is one in particular that Creamer is looking to step up. Across the board, Creamer is counting on the newcomers to provide depth, push the returners to play at their highest levels and ultimately contribute.
Senior Ben Prater and junior AJ Pignone are the lone returning starters from the 2012 linebacking corps. Gone is Patrick Moynahan, who set a school record for tackles in a season as a senior in 2012. However, Prater and Pignone are not the only 'Cats with experience. Matt Casey was a key contributor last season as a sophomore, appearing in all 11 games, and he finished sixth on the team in tackles with 54, just behind Prater's 57.
"Linebacker is probably our most veteran and proven group on the defense," said Creamer.
Dan Casey joins the group this season after playing as a defensive back his first three seasons. He was off to a tremendous start last season making 17 tackles, including six for loss, in the first three games before an injury ended his season. Sophomore Theo Jones also saw limited time as a freshman, as injuries accumulated, but is an explosive player Creamer will look to get on the field as often as possible.
"He really stood out this spring and was probably our most consistent player from practice one to practice 15," he said.
Question marks linger in the defensive backfield with a pair of senior departures from the starting lineup, thus it is the area where the Wildcats will rely on youth the most. Senior corner Michael Corbett returns though and has been a key vocal leader as the Wildcats learn Creamer's defense. However as the Company Executive Officer of Davidson's ROTC program, he faced an extra challenge this spring as his ROTC commitments occasionally conflicted with spring practice.
Also returning is safety Bryant Bednarek, who Creamer felt was the second most consistent player this spring. Last season he ranked 14th in the PFL and second on the team with a career-high 77 tackles (35 solo). He also ranked second on the team with five pass breakups.
"He really was the guy that improved over the spring the most," said Creamer. "He went from being a guy that was just there as a starter to looking like a very, very good football player."
Myles Atkins saw limited action as a freshman and will look to play a big role in his sophomore season as a safety, but will be looking to smooth out some inconsistencies in his game in preseason camp. Colin Merrill is an upperclassman who will also fight for a starting role.
"Our camp is going to be huge," said Creamer. "Spring was the first time they were introduced to our system and what we do, so we're looking for them to come back in the fall here ready to really grasp it, zero in on it, get good at it and be ready September 7th."
The Schedule
The Wildcats' home opener against regional rival Lenoir-Rhyne will be Saturday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m., and the season finale against Campbell has been moved a week earlier to Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. The three home games in between against Pioneer Football League foes Drake (Oct. 12), Marist (Oct. 19) and Mercer (Nov. 2) will all kick-off on Saturday at 1 p.m. Homecoming will be Oct. 19 against Marist, and Parents and Families Weekend will be Nov. 2 against Mercer.
Season tickets are just $50 for adults and $25 for youths, and single-game tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for youths. They can all be purchased at DavidsonWildcats.com or by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 800-768-CATS. All times and dates are subject to change.
The season will feature three non-conference games to start, opening on the road against Patriot League-member Georgetown on Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. After the home opener the following week, the Wildcats will return to the road, but not leave Mecklenburg County, visiting Johnson C. Smith in Charlotte for a 2 p.m. kickoff.
League play begins with a pair of 1 p.m. road games at Morehead State (Sept. 28) and Dayton (Oct. 5). The 'Cats' will return to Stephen B. Smith Field after their three-week road trip for a pair of home games, then make the first of two trips to Florida, starting at Jacksonville Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. Davidson will host first-year program Mercer the following week, and then return to the Sunshine State for the final road game of the year at first-year program Stetson in DeLand Nov. 9 at 3 p.m.
Davidson will be vying for a berth in the NCAA Football Division I Championship tournament, as the Pioneer Football League champion will now earn an automatic berth. First-round games are slated for Saturday, Nov. 30.
