Furman embarks Thursday night on a football season that could not possibly have arrived too soon.

The second Paladin Stadium game on a Thursday night is also the second in as many years. Clay Hendrix’s seventh season as Furman head coach begins against Tennessee Tech of Cookeville, and his latest edition could be just what Hendrix wants: “a blue-collar team at a white-collar school.”

Last year the Paladins polished off nearby North Greenville, 52-0, in the opener, 364 days ago, en route to a 10-3 season that ended on Dec. 3, when Incarnate Word eliminated Furman from the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, 41-38, in the second round in San Antonia, Texas, a mere 271 days ago.

While it seems like yesterday, it won’t after Thursday night. All eyes will scan the future horizon.

Kickoff for the contest, billed as “FU After Dark,” is set for 7 p.m. A year ago, Furman wore purple helmets for the first time since 1973. Against TTU, the Paladins will wear silver – chrome, actually – for the first time since 1977.

On paper, Furman looks formidable. Paladin Stadium games take place on FieldTurf Revolution 360, a synthetic surface in use since 2013 and reapplied before last season.

Tennessee Tech is coached by Dewayne Alexander, who led the Golden Eagles to a

4-7 record in 2022 with victories over Texas A&M-Commerce, Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood and North Alabama. TTU is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, which it has won 10 times. This year the OVC has combined with the Big South for football play.

The Golden Eagles have acquired a highly-regarded running back in Montana transfer Marcus Knight.

Furman leads the series, 2-1, and won the most recent matchup, 26-0, in 2021.

The game will be televised over the Nexstar Network (locally The CW Channel 62), live streamed via ESPN+, and aired over flagship The Fan Upstate and its four powerhouse stations: 97.7 FM/1330 AM in Greenville, and 97.1 FM/950 AM in Spartanburg.

Furman celebrates the 50th anniversary of its iconic Diamond F logo.

Two versions of the Riddell Speed Flex, silver chrome helmet are now part of the Paladin inventory — one with a purple Diamond F and another sporting a black Diamond F. “FU” will be featured on the right side opposite the Diamond F, along with player jersey numbers and the program’s “FU All The Time” slogan on the back.

All Furman helmets this season, including the traditional white lid sporting the purple Diamond F, will feature a special decal honoring Paladin great Dick Sheridan, who passed away on July 6. The decal bears the coaching legend’s initials “DS” inside the Furman Diamond logo he created and introduced as the Diamond F in 1973, and which has served as the primary logo of Furman Athletics for the 50 years. Framing the diamond are the years 1978 and 1985, representing his eight seasons as head coach, during which he directed the Paladins to a 69-23-2 record and six Southern Conference championships.

To celebrate his legacy, 5,000 replica Dick Sheridan decals will be given away to fans upon entry to Thursday’s contest.  In addition, representatives of the 1973 squad, which posted a 7-4 record following a 2-9 finish the year before to earn Sports Illustrated recognition as the nation’s most improved team, will serve as honorary captains.

The Furman Fan Zone, located adjacent to the Paladin Statue in front of the stadium, will be open to all fans before the game at 4 p.m.

Furman, a consensus No. 1 pick by SoCon polls conducted by coaches and media, heads into the season opener ranked No. 6 in both Stats Perform and AFCA polls — its highest preseason ranking since 2006. The Paladins placed 15 players on the preseason All-SoCon squad, including seven first team selections.

Among Furman’s top returnees on offense are quarterback Tyler Huff (199/292, 2,199 yds., 15 TDs), running back Dominic Roberto (197-1,120 yds., 11 TDs), wide receiver Joshua Harris (48-667 yds., 5 TDs), and a trio of veteran offensive linemen — guards Jacob Johanning and Wyatt Hughes, and tackle Pearson Toomey.

Huff’s first season with the Paladins also included a school quarterback rushing record 694 yards and eight touchdowns.

Furman’s veteran defense, which led the FCS with 29 takeaways (18 INTs, 11 FRs), counts a host of experienced veteran performers, led by inside linebacker Braden Gilby (94 tackles, 15 for loss, 4-1/2 sacks), tackle Matt Sochovka (28 tackles, 5-1/2 TFL), cornerback Travis Blackshear (46 tackles, 1 INT, 4 pass break-ups), and free safety Hugh Ryan (69 tackles, 4 INTs, 8 PBU).

Gilby, an All-SoCon performer and veteran of 47 games and 32 starts, counts 263 tackles in his career.

Sochovka has seen action in 40 games and owns 28 starts.  He contributed three blocked kicks a year ago, contributing significantly in Furman leading the FCS with 10 blocks.

Blackshear, a two-time All-SoCon pick, is Furman’s most experienced player, owning 40 starts in a career that has seen him register nine interceptions, two of which came in 2021 in the Paladins’ 26-0 shutout of Tennessee Tech.

Ryan returns for his third season of starting duty as one of the top safeties in the FCS, confirmed by his preseason Stats Perform All-America selection. He counts 171 tackles and eight interceptions in his Paladin tenure.

The Paladins’ special teams boast proven talent in every area, most notably in placements, where Ian Williams (10/12 FGs in ‘22) and Axel Lepvreau (8/9 FGs, 52/54 PATs in ‘22) combined to make 18/21 field goals last fall.

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