Front Porch Football2018 Wofford Season Preview
by Andrew Sargent
1st – Southern Conference
Spartanburg, SC | Gibbs Stadium (13,000) | 2017 Record 10-3 (7-1)
An end of an era. The conclusion of another successful 2017 season for the Wofford football team was met by the shock of the retirement of 30-year head coach Mike Ayers. A true coaching legend in the state of South Carolina and the Southern Conference, the Terrier sidelines will no longer be patrolled by a stone cold stare and a mustache that would make even Tom Selleck jealous.
Coach Ayers retired after 30 years at Wofford. Image from Wofford Athletics
Enter Josh Conklin. The new head coach of the T-Dogs brings a variety of experience, including serving as an assistant under Mike Ayers at Wofford, and recently as the defensive coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh. His defensive background, as well as a tenacious recruiting reputation should have Terrier fans optimistic in the continued success of the Wofford football program in the Post-Mike Ayers era. Yet, will the Terriers repeat as SoCon champs? Will the triple option still be the staple of this offense? How will the players adjust to all of the coaching turnover? Only time will tell, but I believe with this team’s talent and the foundation that Mike Ayers left, the sky’s the limit for those short haired dogs.
Offense
Quarterbacks: Probably the biggest question mark of the season for the Terriers. With the departure of senior quarterback Brandon Goodson after the 2017 season, along with a similar but slightly different offensive scheme brought in by Conklin and Co., effective production from the quarterback position is crucial to the Terriers success in 2018. Wofford has never boasted huge passing numbers, ranking in the bottom 3rd of the conference consistently throughout the Ayers era. Good news Wofford fans, don’t expect the same results out of the passing game this year. Conklin has been insistent from day one that the Terriers will throw the ball considerably more than in years past. However, he still plans to stay true to their option identity. I expect many more snaps to be taken out of the shotgun this year, rather than the traditional, under the center triple option that fans have known for years. As far as who the signal caller, it is still unclear who the starter will be. Many believe it will be junior Joe Newman, a Georgia native, who has the speed and athleticism to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. Newman is a veteran on this team who has significant experience, taking the Terriers on a deep FCS Playoff run his freshman year due to injuries, as well as sharing snaps with Brandon Goodson last season.
Joe Newman can run the triple option with poise. Image from Wofford Athletics.
The other option for the Terriers is sophomore Miller Mosley. Mosley, an Air Force Academy transfer, is touted as the better passer of the two which would be advantageous to his playing time under the new system. To be honest, I don’t think the Terriers can go wrong with either of these quarterbacks. Expect a two-headed monster in Newman and Mosley to be sharing playing time as the signal callers this season.
Running Backs: If you are a Terrier fan, you should be very confident in the production that should be seen from the running back trio this upcoming season. The Terriers boast a stable of stud running backs, all with the potential to be All-SoCon selections when the season is said and done. I believe senior Andre Stoddard will get most of the carries out of the backfield this year. A bruiser of a back with a reputation of getting results in short yardage situations, Stoddard led the team with 15 rushing touchdowns and was selected to the 2nd team All SoCon at the end of last season. He was also selected to the preseason 2018 All SoCon as a 1st team selection.
Andre returns for his senior year after a tremendous junior season. Image from Wofford Athletics.
Senior Lennox Mcafee is a speedster who I believe will be utilized in the option mostly this season. Mcafee broke off big run after big run last season before being plagued by some minor injuries, so expect exciting plays out of the Nashville native this season. Perhaps the most dynamic and intriguing of all the backs is junior Blake Morgan. Morgan burst onto the scene last year as a sophomore, earning significant playtime and making big time plays when the Terriers needed it most. His most impressive quality is his ability to catch out of the backfield, leading the Terriers with 401 receiving yards last year. I don’t see the Terriers running a 3 back set with their new scheme. Because of this, expect to see Morgan utilized out of the slot more. His hands are a huge asset, but he’s also a weapon with the ball in his hand so the Terriers should implement plays (jet sweeps, bubble screens, etc.) to get him as many touches as they can.
Wide Receiver: How much will the Terriers throw the ball this season? Who will be the go to receiver? Expect a lot of names that we haven’t heard all that much before to begin seeing a lot more touches. Jason Hill had a productive sophomore season, being 3rd on the team in catches. Cole Cleary, a senior who has been a solid player now in his last season as a Terrier is another name to look out for. Morgan will get his fair share of catches lining up in the slot some this season, as well as Mcafee out of the backfield. The most intriguing out of the entire receiving corps is true freshman T.J. Luther. The 6-0 175 lb Florida native was impressive in 7-on7’s upon his arrival on campus, making plays against Wofford’s veteran defensive backfield. The receiving corps will have a lot to prove this season, but they have the talent and the ability to do so, and they surely will have the opportunities under this new offensive system.
Wofford receivers should get more looks this year than any other team in Wofford History. Image from Spartanburg Herald.
Offensive Line: Everyone knows that games are won and lost in the trenches. With an offensive game plan based on running the football, it’s crucial for the Terriers to stay healthy up front. Depth is a big concern on the line for the Terriers. Losing team captain Roo Daniels to graduation puts this O-Line in search of a new leader. Look for upperclassmen Michael Ralph (preseason 1st team All-SoCon) and Justus Basinger (preseason 2nd team All SoCon) to step up. Blake Jeresaty is likely to be no.1 on the depth chart at center this season. Jeresaty, a junior from Charleston, SC saw some playing time at center last year when Roo Daniels went down with an injury. Also, I expect freshman Al Hogan to work his way into the rotation. Hogan at 6’4 285 is a behemoth of a man who was a highly touted recruit coming in. Jeresaty, Ralph, and Basinger have cemented themselves into the starting rotation, but the rest is up for grabs. Look for lots of rotations early on until the Terriers find their unit of 5 big men up front.
The O-line can reload and not miss a beat this season. Image from Wofford Athletics.
Defense
Defensive Line: I could write 30 pages on this Wofford defense, especially the 2 big boys up front. The Terriers are loaded at the nose guard position, headlined by 2018 FCS Preseason All-American Miles Brown (6-2, 320). Brown is a freak of nature, has terrorized backfields throughout his career at Wofford. His counterpart, Mikel Horton (6-1, 300) is nobody to be messed with either. The DT out of Lexington, KY was a preseason 2nd team All-SoCon selection. In 2017 Horton and Brown combined for 18 tackles for loss. Expect nothing different from this dynamic duo, as they will continue to dominate the Southern Conference. However, one issue with these two is that they both play the nose guard position, and under the 3-4 scheme that Wofford runs, there can only be one nose. I expect one of these two (probably Horton) to slide out to one of the ends and then the two rotate at the nose during games.
Miles has unnatural speed for a man his size. Image from Wofford Athletics.
Junior Thad Mangum (6-2, 290) and sophomore Austin Lufkin (6-3, 285) could be the guys to step up and take over the starting spot at the other end position. Don’t count out freshman Corey Prince (6-0, 280) either. A lot of the defensive players are really high on this guy and he’ll have some chances early to see if he can play with the big dogs. In reality, it doesn’t particularly matter who fills the 3rd spot on this line. With guys like Horton and Brown at the other two spots, the player that fills that other DE position is only going to make this line better. Expect whoever mans the 3rd position on that line to see a lot of action early in the season as teams look to run away from the two headed monster that is Horton and Brown.
Linebackers: The front seven for the Terriers is truly frightening. It doesn’t stop with just the defensive line. This group of linebackers are long, athletic, fast, and strong. DT Wilson (6-2, 235) has been a staple of the Wofford defense for the last 2 seasons at MLB earning multiple All-SoCon honors. Wilson is a headhunter and physically intimidating. He has the ability to cover tight ends and slot guys, as well as plug holes in the opponent’s running game. Wilson and senior Billy Hinton (6-2, 220) will be the two likely starters up the middle under the 3-4 scheme of coach Sam Siefkes. Weston Rountree (6-1, 240) saw some quality playing time last season, so expect to see him in some of the rotations in the middle as well.
DT Wilson is a nightmare for any offense. Image from Wofford Athletics.
On the outside, juniors Jireh Wilson (6-1, 223) and Robbie Armstrong (6-0, 230) should lock down starting jobs come camp time. Wilson has seen significant playing time in his first two seasons on the Terrier defense. Armstrong, a Naval Academy transfer, spent most of last season on special teams, but he has the potential to be a stud. Plus, it helps that you have 3 other linebackers with significant game experience and All-SoCon honors between them respectively. It’s still too early to tell how some of the new freshmen will work into the rotations. But expect Zy Abercrombie (6-0, 195) out of Greenwood, SC to pop up on some box scores this season.
Defensive Backs: In my opinion, the defensive backfield on this team is the best part of this squad. Intimidating opposing quarterbacks all season last year, the Terriers return all four starters from last year’s team. Senior Devin Watson (5-11, 190), a preseason All SoCon 1st team selection has created a reputation for himself over the past three seasons of being a fearless ball hawk with 7 career interceptions. Expect QB’s to stay away from Watson as much as they can. On the other side of the field, George Gbeese (5-8, 180) returns off of a 3 interception season, most notably a game winning INT vs. Western Carolina in overtime. Gbeese’s story is perhaps what gives him such a determined and relentless attitude on the field. Born in a refugee camp in Ghana, Gbeese was sent to his third different orphanage by the age of 11 during the Liberian civil war. Gbeese will likely share a rotation with senior Dominique “Domo” Lemon (5-10, 195) coming off a 2 INT season himself. Lemon makes excellent play reads, and can stop the run just as easily as breaking up passes.
George (center) celebrates after a clutch interception in Wofford’s own end zone. Image from Wofford Athletics.
At the safety position, senior JoJo Tillery (6-2, 205) brings 38 appearances. He has incredible athleticism, and a leadership ability unmatched on this team. Tillery may not have the same kind of stats that Watson has. But he will always make the right play at the right time. Look for him to be the vocal leader for the Terrier secondary. His counterpart, Mason Alstatt (6-0, 210) will look to build upon what was an outstanding sophomore campaign. Out of Lexington, KY, Alstatt burst onto the scene with 76 tackles, good enough for 2nd on the team. He played with reckless abandonment as a head hunting strong safety. Constantly coming up and delivering huge hits to opposing players. Coming into his junior season, Alstatt earned preseason All SoCon 2nd team honors. Barring injury, this secondary has the potential to be the most feared in the SoCon in 2018.
Special Teams
After the departure of perhaps the best kicker in Wofford history, David Marvin, after the 2016 season, the kicking game was a big question mark for Terrier fans coming into 2017. Luke Carter was quick to answer these questions, earning first team All So-Con honors after the season. He returns for his junior season and will handle all of the kicking duties for the Terriers. Expect nothing but the same from Carter this season. Consistency and the ability to make high pressure kicks late in games. As of now, I believe the return duties will be handled by the speedster Lennox Mcafee. He has shouldered some of these duties over the past two seasons. However, his speed, big play ability and experience should be enough to get him most of the touches on kickoffs and punts.
Luke Carter returns for another successful year. Image from Wofford Athletics.
Coaching Staff
The exit of Mike Ayers led to a huge coaching overturn for the Terriers. 6 of the 11 coaches have only recently joined the Terriers for the 2018 season. Josh Conklin takes over for Ayers as the head coach and inherits high expectations from a very loyal fan base. Luckily for Conklin, he also inherits one of the most talented rosters in the Southern Conference. Wade Lang returns for his 31st season as the Wofford Offensive Coordinator. Sam Siefkes was named Defensive Coordinator and linebackers coach soon after Conklin was named head coach. Siekes is young, but talented, and inherits a feared defensive unit that will continue to be tops in the SoCon. Don’t expect too drastic of a learning curve for this fairly new coaching staff due to the talent of this team and the strong foundation that Mike Ayers left in his wake.
Josh Conklin returns to Wofford, now at the head coaching position. Image from Wofford Athletics.
Biggest Strength: Defense – I genuinely feel sorry for the offenses who have to go against this defense. You wanna run the football? Best of luck to you. Say hello to Miles Brown and DT Wilson for me. Think throwing it is the better option? Devin Watson and George Gbeese say otherwise. The Terriers return 8 of 11 starters from the 2017 season and should expect to be one of the top defenses in all of FCS.
Biggest Weakness: Quarterback – Many will read this and think this is a bad sign for football’s most important position to be the Terriers biggest weakness. The red flag for me doesn’t come from a lack of talent. Newman and Mosley are more than capable of leading the Terriers to a successful season. What causes me concern is the uncertainty of who will shoulder the bulk of the snaps and the lack of significant experience from these two. If Wofford is to win the SoCon for the 2nd year in a row and make the FCS Playoffs for the 3rd year in a row, these two will need to find their footing quickly.
Offensive, Defensive, and Freshman Players of the Year
Offensive: Blake Morgan. Morgan was the most productive offensive player for the Terriers in 2017. Expect him to pick up right where he left off. While it’s still uncertain whether he will be taking most of his snaps out of the backfield or the slot. Either way, Newman and Mosley will get the ball in the hands of Blake Morgan as often as they can.
Defensive: Devin Watson. Watson’s effect this season won’t show up on the stat sheets like they have throughout his career thus far. The biggest thing that Watson brings to this Wofford defense is restricting the opponent’s passing game to one side of the field. Opposing quarterbacks will want to stay away from him as much as possible. This causes them to make throws they normally wouldn’t just because they don’t want to throw the ball his direction. Gbeese, Alstatt and Tillery will owe their increase in numbers to the intimidation factor that Watson brings to this defense.
815™️… pic.twitter.com/0RxqLNNlN1
— Devin Watson (@DevinWatson_24) January 16, 2018
Andrew Sargent is from Greenwood, SC and is a junior at Wofford College. He has had an extremely successful intramural career, with 5 championship t-shirts already. But will always have one tarnish on his legacy after losing to Brendan Paschal and the senior Kappa Sigma’s in flag football last year.
