SHORTER
Last season: 2-9, 0-6 in Gulf South Conference
Key returning players: Shorter's quarterback Eric Dodson is a senior, and coach Phil Jones believes Dodson will be the leader his offense needs going this season. Dodson has been a starter for the Hawks since his sophomore season. In 2013, Dodson scored 11 of the Hawks' 24 touchdowns. Jones expects senior defensive back Jordan Shaw to continue to grow in his role. The defensive back redshirted as a freshman and served as a reserve quarterback as a sophomore. He moved to safety during spring 2013 drills. In fall 2013, Shaw led the team with 38 solo tackles and 64 total tackles in 11 games played.
Emerging players: Sophomore fullback B.J. McCoy will play a crucial role. McCoy played in all 11 of Shorter's games in 2013. He ended the season ranked third on the team in rushing. Junior defensive back Santavious Bryant was fourth on the team on defense in 2013. In 11 games he made 35 solo tackles and 43 total.
For the future: Jones said he expects freshman defensive lineman Michael Turner (6-0, 270 pounds) to make a splash this season. Otherwise, Jones wants to wait to see what his freshmen do when they get to campus. As in past seasons, he expects some to surpass expectations and others to fall short of projections.
They'll have a winning season if: The Hawks need to secure some conference wins. They'll open the season with three nonconference games, the perfect opportunity to get some wins in early and build the momentum they lacked last year. But once conference play starts with West Texas A&M, it continues till the end of the season. If the Hawks fail to win in their first three games, it could be another long losing season. The Hawks didn't manage a win until early November in 2013. If they could come out strong with a win before the end of September, that momentum could make all the difference in Shorter's conference record.
They'll come up short if: Shorter can't improve its defense. The Hawks averaged 20 points per game while their opponents managed almost 35 per game. "We got to be sure that we are not giving up big plays," Jones said. "Some players rendered big plays last year, and we got to stop that." Shorter gained 2,513 yards but allowed only 2,296 last season and intercepted five passes for 69 yards. Establishing and maintaining a strong defense in combination with a more productive offense could be the key to finally producing wins against GSC opponents.
Chatter: The Hawks are returning eight offensive starters and six defensive starters from last season. … This season will be the 10th year of football at Shorter and Jones' 10th season coaching at Shorter. He said the school plans to bring back former players for a celebration of a decade of Hawks football.
Must-see games: The Hawks will play at the home of the Dallas Cowboys for the first time. Shorter will play West Texas A&M in a nonconference game as part of the Lone Star Football Festival on Sept. 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
