2014 Season Preview

"Never Quit."

The Wildcats have faced their share of challenges recently, but with experienced returners and talented newcomers under the guidance of ever-energetic head coach Paul Nichols, a young Wildcats team is looking forward to the 2014 season.

Goals of winning big remain despite the inexperience, but the 'Cats know that building a consistently winning program takes lots of hard work and dedication, day-in and day-out, to a process. The team mantra of "Never Quit," chosen by the seniors on the team's honor committee reflects that.

"I think that's important, and I think that's a realistic goal for everyone in the program to see from our kids - to play like that and to build the program like that," said Nichols, now entering his second season at helm of his alma mater. "The goals are not going to change, but our focus still remains on the process and developing the players on our roster."

Three things in particular excite Nichols for the upcoming season: the team's senior leadership, the large and talented recruiting class, and additions to his coaching staff.

The senior class may be small in numbers, but almost all of them will start, and all of them will be vital to Davidson's success.

"We've got a group of nine seniors and the leadership they have demonstrated has been really tremendous," said Nichols. "You just run down those names, and every one of them is going to be a guy we're counting on to be a contributor for us this year."

Linebacker Matt Casey and safety Bryant Bednarek are the elected leaders of the class, as they serve on the team's honor committee, which is comprised of two representatives from each class. Casey, an All-Pioneer Football League selection last season and a preseason pick to the team this season, and Bednarek, a Capital One Academic All-District honoree last season, are joined on the defensive side by linebacker Dan Casey and cornerback Colin Merrill. Dan Casey, of no relation to Matt, was an All-PFL honorable mention last season while serving on the honor committee, and Merrill also earned an academic all-district nod. All four were starters last season.

Five of the seniors are on the offensive side of the ball. J.P. Douglas, who is in his second year at Davidson after transferring from Southern University, will be looking to lock up the starting position at quarterback this August, replacing four-year starter and all-time passing leader Jonathan Carkhuff. He will look to target speedy wide receiver Tim Hines and tight end Trey Huelskamp. Nelson White is a crucial two-year starter on the offensive line, while Kameron Romaelle is expected to rotate in on the line and see key action.

The junior class also boasts many key contributors, including preseason All-PFL pick William Morris at wide receiver, but underclassmen will be relied upon from the start as they comprise nearly 70 percent of the roster. The vast majority of the 21 members of the sophomore class saw big minutes last season, and 36 freshmen will look to have their many talents turn into production sooner rather than later.

"The large number of newcomers is exciting because it means people are really buying into what Davidson is all about, and most specifically, what Davidson football is all about," said Nichols.

There are new faces on the coaching staff, as Bush Hamdan takes over the reigns of the offense and Charlotte-native Derham Cato is the new offensive line coach. The defensive line is also under new guidance, as Anthony Antonacci, who previously worked with Nichols and defensive coordinator Chad Creamer at Illinois, joined the staff earlier this summer.

"Like the team, we have fresh faces on the coaching staff too," said Nichols. "That's really exciting because we've brought in new ideas, fresh ideas and guys who are really willing to buy in to what Davidson is all about and get it done."

In addition to new faces, Davidson is sporting new equipment and a new look.

"We've made significant upgrades in our football program," said Nichols. "There is new branding in the locker room. Virtually every piece of equipment in the weight room will be new. The uniforms are new. The helmets are new. The players have gotten brand new custom fit knee braces. We've got brand new, state-of-the-art on-field equipment. Almost everything you'll see in our football program has been elevated in the last 19 months. But all that does is give us a chance."

The Offense
Although the offense is under new guidance with offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, the Wildcats will continue with the same offensive philosophies in 2014.

TheDavidson College offense looks to create a balanced attack that starts with a strong running game. The play of the offensive line will be crucial in establishing the ground attack and keeping the quarterback upright.

Hamdan got his first look at the 'Cats during spring practice, and was pleased with what he saw.

"I think, across the board, guys got better and we stayed healthy," said Hamdan.

However, arguably the biggest shoes to fill on offense reside at the quarterback position. Douglas and sophomore John Cook will continue to battle for the starting nod throughout August, and both saw limited action last season.

"At the end of the day, it's a good problem to have," said Hamdan. "We've got two guys that we feel can step in there and lead the offense."

The two have different strengths. Douglas is more of a true drop-back quarterback and has the athleticism to make big plays. Cook brings size and toughness, and was often used in option packages last season.

Incoming freshman Taylor Mitchell is the third and final quarterback on the roster, and he will look to shake up the race after a successful high school career in which he led Buford (Ga.) High School to back-to-back state titles.

"You look at Taylor Mitchell, at what he's been able to accomplish at the program he's been at, you know he's coming from a program that's got him prepared for college," said Hamdan. "We're definitely looking for him to come in and add to the group."

Whoever is throwing passes for the Wildcats will have dynamic options. Morris could unseat Davidson's all-time leading receiver, Lanny Funsten '13, if he can maintain his production level the next two seasons. Last year, he led the PFL and ranked 16th in the nation with 1,090 yards receiving – the third most in a single season in Davidson history - on 67 catches with five touchdowns.

"For the production he had last year we felt that he continued to have very good production this spring," said Hamdan of Morris. "He's a guy who's crafty, really understands the game and is a good football player."

Hines will look to make a big impact after overcoming injuries that limited him to just eight games in the past two seasons, including just two last season. His speed makes him one of Davidson's most dangerous weapons.

Junior Tyler Hickey was a breakout player amongst the receivers during the spring, drawing accolades from both the offensive and defensive coaches. Although technically he has zero receptions so far in his career (he caught a two-point conversion last season and kicked two extra points), that should change this season.

"Tyler Hickey is a guy who really came on this spring," said Hamdan. "We have high hopes for him in the fall. He was consistent, reliable and dependable."

Also returning and fighting for playing time are junior Se'Vaughn Carter and sophomores Tom Scheper and Erik Matson. They will be joined by five freshmen.

"We really felt that the receivers were a group that really got better this spring," said Hamdan. "They obviously got a better understanding of our schemes, but more importantly, fundamentally we were able to develop with practice."

Huelskamp will be heavily relied upon at tight end as the lone veteran returner. He caught 17 passes for 182 yards last season and was named to the College Football Performance Awards Tight End Watch List entering this season. His lone understudy in the spring was Jared Carr who served as a backup quarterback last year as a freshman. The returners will be joined by freshmen Derek Carr and Grant Udinski.

The running back group is in a similar situation with very youthful depth. David Rogers, a junior, is expected to lead the group after averaging 5.7 yards per carry last season, but he only played in the final five games after suffering an injury in preseason camp. Keeping him healthy is a priority for the coaching staff this fall.

"David Rogers, in a lot of ways, is the heart of the team," said Hamdan of one of the junior class' honor committee members. "He shows toughness and leadership, and is a lead by example-type guy."

Behind Rogers is Dustin Atchley, a sophomore honor committee member, who was mostly used on special teams last year. Four newcomers round out the group.

"That's going to be a critical position where a lot of those young guys coming in are going to have to have an immediate impact," added Hamdan.

However, Davidson does have plenty of experience at arguably the most important position, the offensive line. Four of five starters return, as well as three others that have started at least a game for the Wildcats.

Junior center Caleb Krause, who has been a starter during his first two seasons, continued to stand out during the spring.

"It starts up front with the center from a communication standpoint," said Hamdan. "Krause has been the guy who has been a leader and able to communicate what we need communicated, and I think that sets the tone for them up front."

Senior tackle Nelson White also continued to perform well in the spring and has high expectations for the upcoming season.

"He's a long athletic kid, who being a senior, understands what we need at that position, and brings that consistently every day," Hamdan added.

Potentially the most talented lineman on the team, junior Josh Daryoush is another two-year starter who is looking to have his best season yet.

"We're consistently pushing him day-in and day-out to play at that high level," said Hamdan.

Sophomore Travis Stubblefield saw action in 10 games last season and started the last six, and he was solid in the spring and will look to maintain his starting role. Junior Brian Johnson and sophomore Chase Davis are set to battle for the starting nod at tackle. Johnson has started 13 games over his first two seasons, while Davis' rookie campaign was cut short when he was injured in the season opener.

"Brian Johnson is a guy at tackle who is coming along, doing things the right way and was being more consistent as the spring went on," said Hamdan. "Chase Davis is another guy that needs to make a push. He's a younger guy that really has a lot of athleticism and a lot of ability, and now it's just about putting it all together."

Matt Brantley was a starter as a sophomore last season until he was injured in the third game of the year, so he will look to bounce back as a junior. Sophomore Connor Harp has been effective when giving Krause a breather at center, while the lone senior, Kameron Romaelle, has the versatility to play on either the right or left side of the line.

Davidson has experienced and talented veterans ready to take a step forward and light up the scoreboard, but many young players will be counted on to produce from the start.

The Defense
Defensive coordinator Chad Creamer is looking forward to the 'Cats' experience in his defense resulting in improvements in 2014.

"We were young last year and we're still going to be young this year, but the good thing is this is the fourth time we've introduced the defense to all of our veteran guys: the spring when were first got here, the fall, this past spring, and now the fall again," said Creamer. "I think our comfort level and familiarity with the defense and the terminology (no language barriers) should allow guys to play a little more confident and a little more free, and allow them to make some more plays."

However, the defense will also be very dependent on young guys stepping up early.

"I'm excited about the guys we are bringing in," said Creamer. "It's a very strong freshman class. There are a lot of guys on defense that are ready to challenge and compete for playing time, and also provide depth."

Creamer's defensive line will be very reliant on young talent as three sophomores and second-year defensive lineman Chris Woods are projected to start. Alex Behrend drew starts as a freshman, while Grant Polofsky was tabbed by Creamer as the most improved through the spring.

"Basically, three of those four started last year, so we're returning a good bit," said Creamer. "Behind them are primarily freshmen though, so we're going to be extremely young there, but we're excited about the depth. We want to be able to rotate guys and keep guys fresh, and we feel good about being eight to 10 guys deep there.

As a junior, Woods is the senior member of the group, and he is also one of his class' representatives on the team's honor committee. He gave the offense fits in the spring and is poised for a strong 2014 campaign.

"Chris Woods is the leader," said Creamer. "Last year was his first playing defensive line, so we'll look for a really big year from him."

The linebackers remain as Davidson's most experienced group.

"A lot of our leadership on defense will come from them," said Creamer. "Obviously with Matt and Dan Casey, you have guys that were honored as all-conference and honorable mention. So with guys who have competed in this conference and done well, we're ready to continue and build from those guys. But at the same time, we're excited about the guys coming in being able to push and compete, and really have a lot of depth there. We'll be able to do some different things."

Matt Casey enjoyed a breakout season in his first year as a starter in 2013, earning a place on the All-Pioneer Football League second team. He made 106 tackles (9.6 per game), which ranks as the fourth-most in a single-season in Davidson history, to lead the team and rank 27th in the nation and fourth in the PFL.

Dan Casey is one of the most tenacious players on the roster and is coming off an Honorable Mention All-PFL season in his first at linebacker. He made 66 tackles, tying for second on the team, in just nine games played (injury.) Dan also led the team with a career-high 10 tackles for loss and four sacks on the season.

Junior Ricky Tkac and sophomore James Gessner stood out during the spring, as both are looking for more playing time after serving as key reserves last season. Junior Theo Jones also returns from injury.

"If you watch Theo Jones, he's our most explosive, athletic linebacker, and maybe the most athletic and explosive guy on the entire defense," said Nichols. "So we get him back, and if he stays healthy, man you feel good about that."

The defensive backfield boasts veterans in starting roles with all four positions returning starters, of which three are upper classmen. However, only two upperclassmen are available in reserve roles, so leadership from players like Bryant Bednarek will be crucial.

"Bryant Bednarek is the leader of that group, and one of the leaders on our entire team and defense," said Creamer. "He's a guy that's a fourth-year starter that has played a ton, and someone that we're going to have to rely on with all of the young guys that we have, especially with all of the young guys in the secondary, getting them lined up, making sure they know what they are doing."

Bednarek ranked fourth on the team last season with 64 tackles. Fellow safety Myles Atkins also returns after a breakout year where he ranked second on the team with 66 tackles. Providing depth will be sophomore Will Barefoot, who is converting from wide receiver, and classmate Jaylen Mize, who suffered a season-ending injury in the second game of his rookie season. Nichols believes Mize could be one of the most talented players in Davidson's secondary.

Starting corners Colin Merrill and sophomore Ryan Leak return, while juniors William Curran and Justin Hill also bring experience.

"Colin Merrill is our other senior that has played a lot over the last two years," said Creamer. "He was our most consistent corner last season and had a good spring."

There will be four freshmen joining the defensive backs group.

"Between incoming guys and guys that were here, but kind of dinged up last year, we're looking for a lot of contributions from some of our younger guys," said Creamer. "We're excited about that and what they bring to the table."

Overall, Creamer is looking forward to the continuing development of his group as they embark on year two together.

"It's a very young group growing up across the board that worked hard over the winter, spring and summer. They're very hungry and ready to get back on the field and back at it."

Special Teams
Last season, recent graduate Jeff McDaniels, a wide receiver, and quarterback John Cook split the punting duties, utilizing directional kicks and rugby kicks to create one of the top punt return defenses in the country. Chris Gorman, a former running back and recent graduate, and Tyler Hickey took on the place kicking and kickoff duties, while Matt Casey was the long snapper.

This season, Davidson not only has three freshman kickers, but even a dedicated long snapper.

Initially, the kicking trio of Nathan Higdon, Trevor Smith and Seth Stancil will be tried out in all phases: placekicking, kickoffs and punting. From there, the coaches will pick more specialized roles.

"We're going to try and have one guy who only kicks and one guy who only punts, and one guy who backs both of them up," said Nichols.

Jaris Scott, a wide receiver, is an additional punting option. The long snapper is Conrad Mueller from nearby Waxhaw, N.C.

Precious points and field position opportunities were left on the field last season despite the valiant efforts of players stepping up to fill a need. The offense and defense will benefit greatly from this group of freshmen specialists.

The Schedule
Davidson will play 12 games in a season for the first time in program history.

The slate will be split evenly with six home games and six road games, with four of the first six taking place on Stephen B. Smith Field in Richardson Stadium. The Wildcats will play four non-conference games, including trips to VMI and Princeton, and eight Pioneer Football League games.

Season tickets are just $60 for adults and $30 for youths, and single-game tickets are $14 for adults and $7 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 open with back-to-back games against regional foes that will kick off under the lights of Richardson Stadium at 7 p.m. Davidson will host the College of Faith – Charlotte in the year's inaugural contest, Aug. 30, and then face Catawba the following week for the first time since 1987. The remaining four home games will kickoff at 1 p.m.

The 'Cats will take on VMI for the 59th time in program history Sept. 13 in Lexington, Va., but it will be the first meeting between the two programs since 2006.

The PFL slate will begin Sept. 20, as Davidson plays host to Morehead State for its annual Homecoming Game.

The home slate will conclude with Stetson during Family Weekend Oct. 25 and, following a bye week, Jacksonville for Senior Day on Nov. 8.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Football versus Concord University on Aug 27, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Football versus Elon on Sep 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Football versus Dickinson College on Sep 12, 2026 at 12:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Football versus VMI on Sep 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Football versus Drake on Sep 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM

Upcoming Event: Football at San Diego on Oct 3, 2026 at TBA

Upcoming Event: Football at Presbyterian on Oct 10, 2026 at TBA

Upcoming Event: Football versus Morehead State on Oct 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM

Related News

Related Videos

Footer