Morehouse coach Rich Freeman talked with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for a short Q&A looking ahead to the coming season:
Q: Who do you think will be a surprise player this season?
A: Devin Mann. He battled last year at the receiver position. He broke out last year, and I think he'll make a name for himself this year. Also, Khamarr Smith, our tight end on the offensive side of the ball. Some of it is going to have to lie in the quarterback position. We have a key kicker transferring in as well, Hector Solis, and California is known for having pretty good kickers. I'm hoping he'll come in and do a better job than we did last year.
Q: Who are you depending on this season?
A: One of the three guys at the quarterback position. I'm not ready to name anyone of them yet. Also Shelton Hamilton has to have a big year, he's filling the shoes of David Carter at the running back position. He got off to a real good start last year and had 300 yards rushing in the first three games, but, of course, tore his ACL. Hopefully he can be a leader for us.
Q: What are your expectations for the team this year?
A: I expect us to be able to come out and be good, I really do. I've been coaching for eighteen years, and last year I saw more injuries than I've ever seen in my career. Even with that being said, we still lost four games by an average of about two points last year. So it's not that they don't know how to win, it's that we need to stay healthy, validate the quarterback position, and as long as we do those things, we'll have a good opportunity.
Q: As a coach or as a player, what is your favorite play in football?
A: The power play. I'm a power guy. I kind of enjoy being able to see people run the football in a power fashion. A power play is an offensive running play where you block down and pull the backside guard and lead it up through the middle. It's an inside gap run. It's something the Baltimore Ravens make a living off of. Old-school power football.
About the Author
