It’s the kind of aftertaste that even the most stringent brushing has yet to wash out.
The story is no secret: The Fort Lewis College football team went 0-10 last year and has combined to go 3-18 the last two seasons.
The only cure for that long-lingering aftertaste seems simple enough but has proven elusive – winning.
The Skyhawks brought in new head coach John L. Smith and his Division I pedigree to turn around their floundering program, and the Smith era at FLC officially will kick off Saturday when the Skyhawks play Southern Utah of the Football Championship Subdivision in Cedar City, Utah.
With a new head coach and new energy, FLC is champing at the bit to get a chance to nip the losing streak in the bud, senior defensive back Jamal Campbell said.
“We really want to get out there just to show people what we’ve got,” Campbell said. “We watch these films on Southern Utah; we notice that they’re not better than us; we think. They’re a good squad, but I think we can go out there and dominate them at every facet of the game.”
There’s been plenty of work to do throughout camp. FLC has the unenviable task of turning around a squad that was ninth out of 10 teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in scoring offense (11.8 points per game), 10th in scoring defense (44.6 ppg), ninth in total offense (299.7 yards per game) and 10th in total defense (464.1 ypg).
Offensively, FLC will turn to a new quarterback. All four players that attempted a pass for the Skyhawks last year – including wide receiver Jackson Caldwell – are gone, the most notable being four-year starter Tim Jenkins.
Enter Jordan Doyle. The southpaw signal caller and former Iowa State redshirt threw for 2,161 yards and 19 touchdowns and ran for six more scores and 429 yards for Ellsworth College before transfering in this year and beating out Max Baiz and Trevor Bonifasi for the starting spot.
“He’s more physically talented than the others,” Smith said of Doyle. “His ability to throw it and run it has probably won him the starting job. It’s up to him to keep it. A lot of this from here on out becomes mental, along with the physical tools.”
The receiving corps is mostly familiar, with leading receiver Doyle Bode returning alongside Jordan Benton and Micah Young, with Amery Duncan moving to running back in what could be a fierce competition for carries. The biggest newcomer – literally – to the receiving corps is 6-4, 210-pound Maurice Anderson, a transfer from Auburn, who should give the Skyhawks much-needed athleticism and size at the receiver position.
But a new quarterback and new toys in the backfield and out wide mean nothing without offensive line improvements. Division I transfers Arthur Ray Jr. (Michigan State) and Chris Friesen (Utah State) will anchor the right side, Doyle’s blindside. The FLC-experienced Evan Wagstrom returns at left guard, with redshirt freshman Kenny Shinley at tackle and Matt Crispo at center.
The big difference? All five weigh 270 pounds or more, giving FLC some much-needed beef as the Skyhawks try and improve on a rushing game that ranked last in the RMAC and a pass protection that allowed 26 sacks.
The key for this physically imposing bunch, as well as the front seven on defense, is staying healthy. Smith said he’s a bit worried about the depth. FLC already will be without Jedediah Perthes-Cox at linebacker this weekend, with Drew Smith, Joey Alvarez and Derik Wetzel expected to start.
“Trying to get bigger up front; trying to do that on the defensive side, as well,” Smith said. “But, you know, we still have a long way to go, a long way to go to get bigger, better and faster.”
The one place where Smith said depth wasn’t an issue is in the secondary. Because of injuries, several different players were pressed into duty through last season, giving the Skyhawks unanticipated experience at the position, which only grew with the addition of some transfers.
“We’re looking strong, fast and focused, and that really helps going into the first game,” Campbell said. “Those transfers, they’ve helped us ... they’ve got big-time experience.”
And, with the roster set, Smith and his staff have been sweating the small stuff, staying on top of players who make mistakes on seemingly minute aspects of the game at practice. But the idea is those little things add up to become the difference in games, and by doing them right, FLC may do something they haven’t done since 2011 – get back in the win column.
“The kids, they’re tired of seeing each other,” Smith said. “It’s been a good camp. We’ve pushed them a lot to get better, and we are, and it will continue from here on out.”
rowens@durangoherald.com
FLC Football
Fort Lewis College Skyhawks
Note: All games will be broadcast locally on KIUP 930 AM.
Sept. 7 – at Southern Utah, 6:05 p.m.
Sept. 14 – Oklahoma Baptist, 1 p.m.
Sept. 21 – at N.M. Highlands, 1 p.m.
Sept. 28 – Western N.M., 1 p.m.
Oct. 5 – at CSU-Pueblo, 2 p.m.
Oct. 12 – at Colorado Mines, noon
Oct. 19 – Colorado Mesa, 1 p.m.
Oct. 26 – at Western State, 1 p.m.
Nov. 2 – Adams State, 1 p.m.
Nov. 9 – at Chadron State, noon
Nov. 16 – Black Hills State, noon
Durango Herald
