With great talent comes great responsibility. No one has higher aspirations this season than Clay Hendrix’s Furman Paladins. To a man, they think they can win it all, and they are not alone.

Preseason rankings have placed the Paladins as high as fifth nationally, and the consensus is sixth in the entire Football Championship Subdivision. Southern Conference coaches and media pegged them first in the league. They have high hopes, not “high apple pie in the sky” hopes. If there’s a reason God made Oklahoma, there’s a reason for Furman football to contend for the national title a bit to the south in Frisco, Texas.

None of which makes it easier.

“Nobody expects any more than we do ourselves,” said Hendrix. “That’s where we wanted to be when we came back here. We wanted to be a team that’s mentioned every year as being one of the better teams in the country.

“Still, there are certain years that are lined up a little better with the numbers of guys that are back.”

This is one such year. It is a year Hendrix and his staff have worked hard building for seven years. When practice started, 38 players in the preliminary 44-man. two-deep chart figured to return. Injuries have sidelined a few, but it’s rare to see a college-football team this experienced taking the field and even rarer to see the numbers constituted mostly of athletes who are still where they started, many having endured together an abortive COVID spring and the tumult of transfer protocols and the transition to NILs (“name, image and likeness” fees, many of which are nothing of the kind).

College football is at war with its own environment. Furman’s little corner is breathtakingly stable. On Thursday night, when Tennessee Tech visits Paladin Stadium, Furman is hitting the beaches from a sea of tranquility.

The Paladins didn’t quite win the conference and didn’t quite advance to the FCS third round, but it took some strange doings to stop them.

Fifteen players earned either first- or second-team All-SoCon status in the preseason.

“I think it starts at our place finding kids who truly value the education,” Hendrix said. “Then it’s finding kids who love to play. There’s got to be a healthy balance there.”

Insider knowledge helps. Hendrix played for Dick Sheridan on some of the greatest teams in Furman history. Every Paladin head coach since Sheridan, the College Football Hall of Fame coach who died this summer, either played or coached under him: Jimmy Satterfield, Bobby Johnson, Bobby Lamb, Bruce Fowler and Hendrix.

In seven years, Hendrix has built, in his words, “a blue-collar team at a white-collar school.” He played at Furman (1982-85) and was an assistant coach (1988-2006) before spending 10 years at the Air Force Academy (2007-16) and returning in 2017 as Paladin head coach.

Last year Furman lost only to Clemson, SoCon champion Samford and Incarnate Word, in overtime, in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The trajectory is impressive: from 3-4 (COVID spring) to 6-5 to 10-3. It’s a matter of a rocket that hasn’t yet reached its apogee.

At least, that’s the course that’s been charted by Hendrix and his staff.

A senior running back, Dominic Roberto, is on the Walter Payton Award Watch List. The annual award, named for the Jackson State and Chicago Bears great, goes to the FCS offensive player of the year. The Fayetteville, N.C., product rushed for 1,149 yards and 11 touchdowns last year. He has 2,143 career rushing yards, already 12^th in program history.

Offensive lineman Jacob Johanning, a senior from Simpsonville, and safety Hugh Ryan, from Irmo, are Stats Perform Preseason All-Americans.

Furman began practice with a roster composed of 12 graduates, 19 seniors, 21 juniors, 20 sophomores and 57 freshmen. Twenty of them – eight on offense, 10 on defense and two specialists – started last season.

Now let’s look at the Paladins by position groups.

Both starters, Braden Gilby and Bryce McCormick, are back at inside linebacker, though McCormick is questionable as he attempts to recover from lingering effects of a concussion suffered in the spring game.

Five lettermen have started a total of 66 games in past seasons.

“It’s a good group, an older bunch and one with several younger guys who we are excited about as they develop,” said Hendrix.

Two more seniors, Nicky Kuzemka and Dan Scianna, have combined to make 22 starts and 178 tackles in past seasons. Evan DiMaggio, a junior and the great-nephew of “that” DiMaggio, made 44 tackles last season.

Another returnee with notable experience is Evan DiMaggio (6-3, 234, R-Jr.), the great nephew of the Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio.  He’s played in 30 games and is coming off a 2022 season that saw him collect 44 tackles, or, more likely, 44 who were trying o avoid him.

Amaah Achina, a sophomore, has been moved from spur to inside linebacker.  A year ago he won the starting job at spur, where he got the nod in the first two games before sustaining a season-ending injury against Clemson.

Furman is also deep and talented in the bandit and spur positions.

Three veterans – junior Luke Clark, sophomore Alex Maier and grad Emmanuel Adebayo – return at bandit. Clark starred al 13 games last year and has played in 30 during his career. He led the team in quarterback pressures with seven.

“It starts with Luke, who has played a lot for us,” said Hendrix. “He has good size and is a good pass rusher who we’ll also ask to do some things in coverage. Whether it’s a 3-4 look or a four-man front, he has the ability to rush the passer.”
Maier logged extensive duty in the Paladins’ heavy defensive rotation last year, totaling 24 tackles and 4-1/2 sacks.
Senior Jalen Miller mans the spur. He has played in 43 games and started 13. He made 36 tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered one, and intercepted two passes.

Another familiar face is senior Cally Chizik, who has played cornerback, nickel and returned punts. One of his three interceptions was a 36-yard pick-six at Incarnate Word.

Six lettermen, two of whom started, and a key transfer form the nucleus of the defensive line.

“One of our strengths has been our depth,” said head coach Clay Hendrix, whose three defensive front slots feature 13 players. “Our ability to keep fresh guys out there and not feel that we lose anything when those next guys roll has been big for us.”

Defensive end features two established players in Jeremiah Jackson, a junior, and Jack Barton, a senior.

Jackson won the starting job last fall, but his season ended with a knee injury at Charleston Southern. Barton stepped in, logged starts in the final nine contests and totaled 30 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2-1/2 sacks, and a squad-leading seven quarterback hurries. He also led all of FCS with seven blocked kicks.

“[Jackson’s loss] really hurt us, but he’s healthy now and had a great off-season,” Hendrix said. “He’s an explosive guy who brings us something in the pass rush, an edge rusher [who] will certainly make us better.

“Jeremiah and Jack were like 1A and 1B.  Jack took over after Jeremiah’s injury and had a really solid year. The things he did like blocking kicks were huge. Having both of those guys out there will be a plus for us.”

At tackle the Paladins welcome the veteran Matt Sochovka, a preseason All-SoCon selection who played a major role in the Paladins’ strong defensive and special teams play in 2022, totaling 28 tackles, including 5-1/2 for loss.  A veteran of 37 games and 28 starts, he accounted for three of Furman’s 10 blocked kicks.

“The experience and leadership Matt gives us are big,” said Hendrix. “He’s been a heck of a player for us and will be the guy at tackle.”

“It’s all belief,” Sochovka said. “It’s half the battle.”

Backing up Sochovka, like Roberto a Fayettevillian, is junior Bryce Stanfield, who had 36 tackles and 4-1/2 sacks in his first two Furman seasons

Senior Trey Rogers can play tackle and end. Also at tackle are freshmen Malachi Dudek and Marquis Vincent. 

Nose guard is the only defensive position that will sport a new starter following the graduation of All-SoCon performer Cameron Coleman.  Fortunately for the Paladins, Coleman’s projected replacement is a proven entity. Junior Xavier Stephens had a team-leading 4-1/2 sacks. 

The addition of graduate transfer Sirod Cook, from Wingate, is significant. He made 11 sacks as the Bulldogs went 11-3 and advanced to the third round of the Division II playoffs.

“We have guys who are versatile and can play different spots.  We’ll continue to have a number of sub-packages to get our best pass rushers on the field at the same time,” Hendrix said. “Nowadays, you’ve got to be able to do that — to match people’s personnel.  It will be a fun group to watch.”

Last season the Paladin secondary picked off 18 opposition passes and participated in forcing 29 turnovers.

All four starters are back.

The average yield of 272.1 passing yards is more troublesome on the surface than in reality. Furman defended a SoCon-high 508 passes, 48 more than any other team. The opponent completion percentage, .585, was lowest in the league.

“We’ve got a good mixture of experienced guys and several young players we are excited about and who we look forward to developing,” said Hendrix.

Graduate Travis Blackshear, junior Micah Robinson and sophomore Ivan Yates are all standouts at corner.

Blackshear, from Savannah, Ga., has started 40 games with two All-SoCon selections and nine interceptions. He’s valuable on special teams as attested to by his 65-yard blocked-punt return against Wofford.

A two-time All-SoCon performer, Blackshear boasts a team leading 40 starts in a career that has seen him register nine interceptions, two of which he has returned for scores.  The Savannah, Ga., product, who was recently ranked by Hero Sports’ Sam Herder as the No. 15 cornerback in the FCS, has also been productive on special teams, evidenced by a 15-yard tackle for-loss and forced fumble in the Paladins’ 31-6 triumph over Elon in FCS first round playoff action and 65-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown against Wofford (63-28 win).

Robinson started 11 games, intercepted three passes and broke up seven. Yates has has started six games and swatted away eight passes.

A preseason All-American, Ryan was twice SoCon Player of the Week last year and intercepted four passes from his free-safety slot.

Kam Brinson, also a senior, started all 13 games and made 59 tackles, 6-1/2 for losses.  The Augusta, Ga., product led FCS with four fumble recoveries, three of which were critical in road wins over East Tennessee Sate, Charleston Southern and The Citadel.

“Hugh and Kam are both productive, fifth-year guys who will be big leaders again this year,” Hendrix said.

Furman counts an experienced backup to Ryan in junior Jack Rhodes, a veteran of 30 games.

A talented soph, Caleb Williams, will see duty at strong safety and could also figure into the mix at spur (along with Chizik) in nickel situations. He intercepted a pass against Wofford.

Roberto leads the running backs, not without quality accompaniment. Seven of the top eight return.

Coming off a 2022 campaign that saw him pound the opposition for 1,120 yards (5.7 per carry) and 11 touchdowns, the All-SoCon selection returns ready to dole out more punishment this fall.

“Dominic has had a really good career and was solid last year,” said Hendrix. “He’s worked really hard in the off-season to continue to change his body and develop. He’s still about 230 pounds and in great shape.

 “He’s a big back and lighter on his feet than some people think. He’s got good lateral movement, is certainly a hard guy to tackle, and is faster than many people realize. Dom’s had a number of long runs in his career. You can’t do that unless you are pretty fast. He also catches the ball well and is really smart. He is the total package.”

Roberto has had three touchdown gallops of 62 yards or more in the past two seasons.

Backing up Roberto are a host of talented players with notable experience, including junior Kendall Thomas (5-9, 193, R-Jr.) and sophomore Grant Robinson (6-0, 210, R-So.).

“Kendall is in his fourth year here and had a really good preseason last year before hurting his ankle, which set him back a bit.  He came on down the stretch and did some good things (43 rushes, 196 yds., 2 TDs),” Hendrix said. “He’s an explosive guy who gives us a little bit of change there. Blocking-wise, he’s also very good.  He will play a bunch.

“Grant is another guy who dealt with some injuries last year but finished well (24 rushes, 100 yds., TD). He had a (25-yard) touchdown run against Elon in the playoffs. … He’s had a really good off-season.

The next two include sophomore Myion Hicks and freshman Jayquan Smith.

Last year Tyler Huff hit the Southern Conference like a tornado and Furman football like a late-summer Christmas president.

“Tyler had a terrific year (in 2022),” said Hendrix. “I was watching some stuff from August a year ago when he hadn’t been here very long. A lot of people don’t remember he was coming off a knee injury. Now he’s completely healthy, has put on some good weight, and is now about 215 pounds. He’s continued to evolve and is now one of our captains.”

The two-year graduate transfer arrived from Presbyterian College, where he had been mostly consigned to the bench during the infamous Kevin Kelley coaching experiment. That 2-9 season also cost Huff a torn ACL.

The Orange Park, Fla., native made strong medicine with the Paladins’ then-new offensive coordinator, Justin Roper.

Leadership is Huff’s territory. He’s a commissioned 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserves, a graduate of PC’s  ROTC program.

“There are a bunch of good ones around, but I wouldn’t trade him for anybody,” Hendrix.

Playing in 12 of Furman’s 13 games, missing only the Samford contest (34-27 loss) due to injury, Huff completed 199/292 passes (.682) for 2,199 yards and 15 touchdowns and compiled equally impressive rushing statistics (school QB rushing record 694 yards, 6.6 avg., 8 TDs) to establish himself as a dual-threat quarterback.

Against then-sixth-ranked Chattanooga, Huff ran for 132 yards and a touchdown while throwing for 203 yards and a score. He passed for 297 and ran for 79 against Mercer and hit 21/22 passes for 295 yards against Wofford.

“I’ve heard Tyler say that last year, especially early on, he felt like he had to make a few too many plays himself before understanding he had some good players around him that he could count on. He realizes that now, which I think makes him even more effective. He’s a guy who can hurt you with his feet and his arm,” Hendrix said.

Freshman Carson Jones, who managed to red-shirt last year, is well prepared to step in for Huff should he be sidelined.

“Carson has a calm personality, a really good arm, and came from a great program at Maryville (Tenn.),” Hendrix said.

Freshman Nehuel Garcia (La Miranda, Calif.) is, according to Hendrix, “a bright player with a lot ability who will be fun to watch develop.”

The wide receivers return both starters and seven lettermen.

“In all my years here (2023 marks Hendrix’s 30th season at Furman), this is collectively one of the best groups we’ve had,” Hendrix said. “Schematically, we’re playing with more guys, which is a good thing.”

Furman averaged 209.1 yards through the air and was one of the more balanced offenses in all the FCS, averaging 421.9 total yards.

Four veteran performers lead the returnees: junior Joshua Harris, senior Wayne Anderson, Jr., graduate Kyndel Dean and graduate Luke Shiflett. They have combined for 48 starts, 203 receptions for 2,278 yards, and 10 touchdown catches as Paladins.

“It really begins with Joshua Harris,” said Hendrix. “He started as a true freshman, playing at about 155 pounds. Now he’s over 190, obviously having done great work in the weight room. We’re expecting big things from him.”

Harris, a preseason All-SoCon pick from Newnan, Ga.,, was a major factor in Furman’s 10-3 season in 2022, emerging as one of the Southern Conference’s better receivers by hauling in 48 passes for 667 yards and five touchdowns.

Anderson, a Prosper, Texas, native and one of the program’s most versatile performers, made the switch from tailback to wide receiver a year ago with solid results, recording 39 receptions for 396 yards and two scores. 

Dean proved to be a quality addition last fall as a graduate transfer from James Madison, collecting 44 receptions for 407 yards.

Among Furman’s position groups tight end appears to easily be the one that will take on a decidedly different look this fall.

The tight-end corps is going to change considerably.

The team’s most notable loss is three-time All-American Ryan Miller, free-agent signee of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With Miller left 54 games, 43 starts, 151 receptions for 2,146 yards, and a school-record 28 touchdown receptions, including 12 a year ago.

Miller was a hybrid with more versatility and volatility than most tight ends.

“Ryan was certainly a great player who we used in a lot of different ways,” Hendrix said.

The position will be occupied by more bulk, blocking and brute force more typical of a school where 32 all-conference tight ends have performed since 1977.

The post- Miller era will start with Parks Gissinger (6-4, 240, Gr.), who delivered solid play a year ago in his first season as a Paladin.  he former Michigan State Spartan played in all 13 games in 2022 and earned three starts at tight end when Miller made the switch to slot receiver in those contests.

“Parks gave us the ability to use Ryan in different ways.  He did a bunch of the dirty work last year and is a true in-line guy,” added Hendrix. “The exciting thing about him is I don’t know if he was 80 percent at any time a year ago. He was coming off a knee injury (at Michigan State) and played the entire year while recovering. He’s had a good off-season and preseason.  We’re excited about him.”

Also looming large is the addition of graduate Mason Pline, a transfer from NCAA Division II powerhouse Ferris State, where he was key member of two national championship teams that posted a combined 28-1 record in 2021-22.

The Fowler, Mich., native played basketball at Ferris State for three seasons before switching to football the last two years.

“Mason has been a big addition and is going to play a ton of football for us.  He’s very bright — has a mechanical engineering degree — and comes from a great program with a championship tradition,” said Hendrix. “They (Ferris State) didn’t use the tight end a lot in their passing game, so I think that one of things that attracted him to us was the chance to get his hands on the ball, which he’s shown he can do. He’s athletic, has good hands and is evolving [into] being used more as a receiver. He’ll be attached, off the ball, and spread out some.” 

Three starters and five lettermen return in the line to provide the foundation of another potent offense.

“We have a nice mix there, a better situation than we were in a year ago,” said Hendrix.

The returning starters are much-decorated seniors Jacob Johanning, Pearson Toomey and Wyatt Hughes. Johanning was first-team all-Socon and second-team All-America. He is a local product from Simpsonville and St. Joseph Catholic.

“He has an unusual mix of athleticism, toughness, strength — just an incredibly powerful guy and smart,” Hendrix said.

Johanning is out for the opener due to a non-football-related neck injury.

Toomey logged 915 plays at tackle last fall and counts 22 starts and over 1,500 play participations in a career that saw him land consensus All-SoCon honors in 2022. Both Johanning and Toomey have been ranked among the nation’s top 20 FCS offensive linemen.

Joining Johanning and Toomey in forming Furman’s veteran line trio is Hughes, another versatile performer.  A year ago the Chattanooga, Tenn., native and owner of 17 career starts, charted 879 plays at guard.”

A common thread among Furman’s group of 17 offensive linemen is positional versatility, a quality position coach Matt McCutchan has stressed from day one since coming over from East Tennessee State.

“That’s been a big point of emphasis by coach McCutchan, working all of those guys at multiple spots,” Hendrix said.

The top candidate to replace graduated All-SoCon tackle Anderson Tomlin is grad transfer Fred Norman, Jr., who made 20 starts in three seasons at East Tennessee State.

The graduation of center Evan Jumper on paper leaves that position to be filled. While the void may be covered by either Johanning and Hughes, other returnees expected to be in the overall mix include soph Luke Petit, graduate Gerrik Vollmer, junior Blake Hundley, sophomore Ryan Lamb (6-2, 298, R-So.) and junior E.J. Wilson.

Vollmer is a University of Virginia grad who suffered a leg fracture in the preseason last year.

The Paladins added one undergraduate transfer in the offseason in junior Tex Elliott from Colorado State.

Last season Furman converted 18/21 field-goal attempts and 52/54 PATs and recorded a 97-yard touchdown on a kickoff return.

The Paladin special teams were second to none, and there’s no reason to expect anything to be different.

Furman led the FCS with 10 blocked kicks (6 FGs, 2 PATs, 2 Punts).

In the kicking game the Paladins will line up behind preseason All-SoCon long snapper Julian Ashby, who has successfully handled every snap over the last three seasons. A physics major and Furman’s top student with a 3.98 grade-point average, Ashby, a senior, has earned Hendrix’s praise for his consistency and execution.

“Julian’s as good as anybody at any level, in my opinion,” said Hendrix.

Ashby’s target at holder will be either reserve quarterback Charles Watson or punter Ryan Leavy, depending on who will kick.  It will likely be Watson if the right-footed Ian Williams, a junior, gets the call and Leavy if the left-footed Axel Lepvreau, a senior, takes the field.

The kicking combination of Lepvreau and Williams proved quite successful in 2022 as the Paladins’ .857 success rate on field goals ranked second in the Southern Conference. In fact, the Paladins’ only two misses came from beyond 50 yards, and those had distance. Lepvreau connected on 8/9 field goals inside 40 yards, while Williams, who recently was named to the 2023 Preseason All-SoCon squad, went 10/12 from 30 yards and beyond, including 6/6 from 40-49 yards.

Lepvreau handled all but one PAT.

Williams will again handle kickoffs after superb work in 2022.  He easily paced the SoCon with 50 touchbacks on 84 kickoffs, none of which went out of bounds.

Leavy returns at punter, where he averaged 39.8 yards on 55 attempts a year ago in his first season of work.

The Paladins have a number of experienced return men back, led by All-SoCon performer Wayne Anderson Jr., who will handle kickoffs.  Anderson’s 2022 season included a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a win over Western Carolina.  He will be joined by Kendall Thomas, who had six returns a year ago, or Grant Robinson.

Joshua Harris appears set to field punts after taking over the task midway through the 2022 campaign. Cally Chizik has also handled punts.

Defensive end Jack Barton led FCS with four blocked kicks in 2022.  His defensive line teammate, Matt Sochovka, swatted three.

This site, as long as it’s here, will be free. It’s good for the kids and the advertisers. There’s no room for many more ads. I would appreciate it, however, if you’d contribute a few dollars to keep it going, and I’ll add you to the contributors page. Send a check to DHK Sports, P.O. Box 768, Clinton, S.C. 29325, or make a monthly donation at the Patreon page.

Visit MonteDutton.net to take a look at the books I’ve written over the years. I’ve written novels about a musician, high-school football, political crime and corruption, stock-car racing, and, most recently, baseball. They’re inexpensive, whether ordered in paperback, or downloaded where you can read them in your phones or tablets.