2011 Football Preview
The 2011 football preview is now availaible. Mars Hill hosts the University of Charleston from West Virginia on September 3. Remember all home games start at 1 p.m. with the exception of Homecoming that will start at 1:30 p.m.
Look back at 2010
The Lions started very strong in 2010 and had a
chance to win the conference and make the playoffs, but were not
able to take advantage of the opportunity. According to head coach
Tim Clifton that is going to be one of the keys for 2011; the
season is a journey. One game will not make the difference in the
season. In order to win the conference or make the playoffs, it is
going to be a journey. There will be peaks and valleys. Each
player will have to understand that every game is important and
that they have to take each game one at a time. There will be some
adversity, and the teams that overcome adversity are the ones that
win year in and out."
Keys to Success in 2011
The biggest key for the Lions is to gel as a team.
Another huge factor is to stay healthy. There is a lot of speed in
the incoming recruiting class that will be counted on to provide
depth. To be successful, the Lions must have a burning desire to
excel on and off the field. They must strive towards excellence,
honesty, effort, and ambition. They must find victory over
themselves and have enough self-discipline as individuals to become
one heartbeat, one unit. They must be a team that is totally
willing to sacrifice for each other and remain humble. When
adversity hits, they have to become closer as a team.
Offense
Veteran quarterbacks Jon Richt and Luis Cruz return
for Mars Hill in 2011. "Any time you have two veteran quarterbacks
returning is a strength," commented Clifton. "They both have
played and won a lot of football games for MHC. Jon matured last
season and with his leadership along with Luis, I think we will be
very good." Richt's 2,238 passing yards and 20 touchdowns
(including five in one game at St. Augustine's) through the air
last season set new school records, while Cruz's 351 passing yards
at Wingate also set a new Mars Hill mark.
Two-time All-American and All-South Atlantic Conference performer Jonas Randolph, who has led the league in rushing for two consecutive seasons and holds 13 school individual and career records, returns at tailback for his final season and is as good as any player in the country. Clarence Abraham and Trenton Millsaps, who posted 61 yards on 14 carries in the Blue and Gold Spring Game, will provide depth at tailback. Fullback Patrick Park returns and will be backed up by Adrian Bentley.
Joshua Young (16 receptions, 240 yards, one touchdown in 2010) and Akeem Ferguson are the top returnees at wide receiver, while incoming transfer Dimitri Holmes showed flashes during spring. Fred Elsner, Donald Gladden, Logan Jensen, Shawn Esworthy and Raymond Smith will provide depth.
Josh Crumpton returns at tight end along with John Mitchum.
The Lions return both starting tackles in Tyler Hodgson and Mitchell Williams. Hodgson is a preseason All-SAC selection. Guards Nick Allison, a transfer from South Carolina, and Nicholas Harp both performed well in the spring. Giovanny Plietes, Brian Nath, Zach Searcy, Major Duckett and Johnathan Jones are expected to provide depth on the offensive line.
Defense
The strength of the defense should be the defensive
front and the linebackers. The secondary will need to fill some
spots early in fall camp.
Troy Harris and Kevin Johnson will replace Maurice Harris, a 2010 All-American and All-SAC performer, and Marzarius Samon at the defensive end positions. Defensive tackles Mam Nyang and Chad Prioleau will anchor the defensive front. Cassidy Topa, LaMarcus Thicklin, Austin Wynn and Casey Brooks will figure into the rotation along the defensive line.
Middle linebacker Rudy Cabral, a 2010 All-SAC member and preseason all-conference selection, posted 104 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks last season and is considered one of the best in the nation. Corey Durben and Nate Baxley will compete for the "Sam" linebacker position and Brandon Edmond is projected to start at the outside linebacker spot. Johnell Tate and Jasper Mason will add quality depth to the linebacker corps.
The free safety position may be held by Michael Robinson (44 tackles, five tackles for loss, three interceptions in 2010) who played well at that position last season. Robert Green, Marvin James and mid-year transfer Jermaine Vereen will compete for the cornerback positions. Tavious Banks had an outstanding spring at the other safety position while Tyler Mould and Cornelius Sigler will provide depth.
Special Teams
B.J. Richmond is a preseason All-South Atlantic
Conference member and averaged 39.8 yards per punt on 46 punts last
season and had 18 of those downed inside the 20-yard line. Michael
Ashley, who also possesses a strong leg, will compete for playing
time at punter.
Michael Pinkerton (42-46 PATs, 2-3 FGs in 2010) is the returning placekicker, while Nerman Imsirovic will again handle kickoff duties. Joe Hoilman returns as the Lions holder. He handled all the holding responsibilities in 2010.
The Lions will have to find both punt and kickoff return specialists during fall camp. The coaching staff hopes that the speed of the new recruiting class will give them several options for return specialists.
Overview
If the returning players can mesh with the incoming
talent and play as one unit with one heartbeat, the Lions are
looking at a successful season in 2011. As with any DII team, the
Lions must remain injury free in many of their key positions as
depth becomes an issue that always hampers teams' success. Veteran
quarterbacks, an All-American tailback, talented defensive lineman
and linebackers to go along with solid kickers and punters provide
all the ingredients for a championship season.
Schedule
Mars Hill hosts five home games this season,
including the season opener on September 3, against the University
of Charleston. Three of the first four contests are against
non-conference foes, including DI rival Western Carolina, before
concluding the regular season with six straight league opponents.
The Lions' bye week comes on the first weekend of November, a week
before Senior Day against Carson-Newman.
