Even though Fort Lewis College finds itself sandwiched on the University of California-Davis schedule between Colorado State University and No. 13 Stanford, the FLC football team has no delusions of the UC-Davis Aggies overlooking the Skyhawks.
FLC will open the football season with a road game at Division I UC-Davis at 7 p.m. Saturday at Aggie Stadium in Davis, California.
It is a big jump in competition level from the Skyhawks’ home in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in Division II, as the Aggies play in the Big Sky Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision.
One year ago, the Skyhawks opened their season with another Big Sky opponent in Southern Utah University, and FLC went on to lose 49-0.
“Davis has bigger people, and I think they will try to grind it out and beat us down in the third and fourth quarter,” said FLC head coach John L. Smith, who will open his second season as head coach of the Skyhawks. “We have to go in there mentally tough, expect a grind but, at the same time, be willing to throw it around and do some things. We have to take some shots.”
While it will be the season opener for FLC, the Aggies are fresh off a 45-0 road loss at Stanford in their opener last Saturday. After hosting the Skyhawks, UC-Davis will pay a visit to Fort Collins to face Colorado State, which beat Pac-12 school Colorado in its season opener. Still, Smith said he believes the Aggies will have their undivided attention on the Skyhawks.
“I would doubt they look past us. If anything, they are looking at us as one game on their schedule they know they can win,” Smith said. “I would bet they put extra effort into us to make sure they get that win. I expect them to come out with the same focus they had for Stanford.”
This year’s Skyhawks team features a beefier offensive line led by seniors Brian Malone and Arthur Ray Jr., a transfer from Michigan State who overcame a long battle with bone cancer.
Smith also has been able to bring in more speed at the skill positions, particularly at the defensive back positions.
“I think we’ve got better skill than we have had, even though a lot of them are young and will take a few weeks to get to where we would like them,” said Smith, who has plenty of experience preparing for Division I opponents after serving time as the head coach of Louisville and Michigan State. “We have guys who can go up and catch the ball, and we have much better speed out there than we have had in the past. And the new (junior college) kids that we brought in on the secondary help us back there.”
The Skyhawks will start junior Jordan Doyle at quarterback. The 6-2, 218-pound transfer from Ellsworth College beat out senior Max Baiz and sophomore Trevor Bonifasi for the starting job.
Doyle passed for 995 yards on 101-of-186 passing for FLC in 2013. He connected on five touchdown passes while throwing seven interceptions. He also carried the ball 91 times for 218 yards while missing four games because of a hand injury.
“He has the most experience back there and the most athletic ability, when he uses it correctly,” Smith said of Doyle. “He definitely has a lot of mobility for a bigger quarterback, and he can really throw it. It will be a matter of him not forcing things and taking what the defense gives him and not making mistakes.”
Amery Duncan is the leading rusher on the 2014 FLC team from the 2013 season, but he since has been moved to defensive back. Lining up at running back will be redshirt freshmen Josh Feaster, a transfer from West Texas A&M, and PJ Hall, as well as true freshman Amu Aukusitino of Anchorage, Alaska.
FLC’s offense will continue to be centered around the read-option running game.
The Skyhawks were encouraged by its increased size on the defensive line, too, but the talent took a big hit last week when Louisville transfer Antwon Whitehead went down for the season with a knee injury.
“We got some other kids that can play without a doubt, but we will miss (Whitehead),” Smith said. “Stepping up is part of football. Mother used to say, ‘Don’t cry over spilled milk,’ and we’ve got to move on.”
After they face UC-Davis, the Skyhawks once again will hit the road Sept. 13 to face Oklahoma Panhandle State. Conference play will begin Sept. 20 at Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota, and the Skyhawks will play their first home game Sept. 27 against New Mexico Highlands.
“We’ve got to deal with some road games early, but a lot of schools do,” Smith said.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
