The Countdown is On!

With less than two weeks till kickoff of the 2017 season, I thought I would let you know where I see Ferrum's strengths and areas that concern me as September 2nd approaches.

In looking at the upcoming season, Ferrum returns 16 starters from last years squad. Among those 16, the Offensive USA South Rookie of the Year Brian Mann comes back to build on his phenomenal freshman season. Look for Mann to again shoulder a large portion of the offensive attack. Mann proved to be a thorn in the side of many defenses last season, and I expect that trend to continue this season.

Staying on the offensive side of the ball, Ferrum will have to fill a hole left by the graduation of quarterback Harvey Taylor. Ferrum has the potential to return 7 quarterbacks from last years roster. I look for Tyler English to assume the starting role, but do not discount Johnny White as a potential replacement. While White took on receiver duties last year, he is listed as a quarterback on the roster. If English does start at quarterback, White will definitely be a receiving target for English.
What I see as a recruiting coup, was the commitment of  McMichael High School quarterback Tyrez Welch. Welch in his Senior season had over 1500 yards rushing, and 1500 yards passing while leading his team to the state playoffs. It is not clear when and how Welch will be used, but this guy is an athlete that will benefit Ferrum. As it stands now, Ferrum, I believe is in good shape at the quarterback position.

With Mann returning, it's easy to see how he will be looked at as a main cog in the offensive wheel. While I was impressed beyond words with his Freshman campaign, I think Ferrum will need to have a credible passing attack to keep the defenses off balance, and give the offensive attack another dimension. With the loss of Chris Guy to graduation, Ferrum will have to rely on some of those returning receivers to carry the load. Junior Nick Pearce will be the old man of the group and should see plenty of playing time.  Sophomore Ne'Shaun Gill, who saw a good amount of field time as a freshman will definitely be a prime target for the quarterbacks. I also look for Johnny White to be right in the middle of things this year.

Overall offensively, Ferrum should be strong. Much will depend on the quarterback, and his receivers, but look for Ferrum;s offense to be one of the better units in the conference.

Defensively, Ferrum will be led by returning Senior Montell Lee. Lee garnered USA South Defensive POY honors after the 2016 season, and this was done as he was moved from DE to DT. Lee has been the epitome of consistency for Ferrum, and it will be a pleasure to watch him finish his Senior year.
Along with Lee, look for Senior Al Mathews to be another force on the defensive line.

Overall, Ferrum's defensive questions don't lie along the defensive line, but from my perspective, the linebackers and defensive backfield are the areas that concern me the most. The linebackers will have some new faces this year as graduation caused the exit of Tony Konieczka, Lance Moore and Jabbar Coward. Look for Sophomore AJ Camp, who got a lot of playing time last season as a Freshman  to pick up where he left off. Overall, there is some depth at linebacker, and this will be increased with recruits like LB Kendall Bell out of Woodside H.S.

Last year, Ferrum ranked last in the conference for overall passing yards allowed.... 270 yards per game. As for interceptions, Ferrum ranked 7th overall with 9 INT's, and while the Panthers recorded 20 sacks, that was only good enough to rank them fourth in overall sacks for conference teams.
This is where Ferrum has to improve the most. If these three areas can improve significantly, Ferrum will be a STRONG CONTENDER.

Things to watch for.......

Ferrum @ Emory and Henry

The Crooked Road Classic will have it's second edition as Ferrum opens the season on the road September 2nd at Emory and Henry. This is an Important game, and could serve as an indicator as to where Ferrum is in the restore the roar effort.  A win would be far more beneficial than a loss would be detrimental......As this is a non conference game, a loss would have to be looked at as a learning opportunity, but a win,.....a win would be huge! Emory and Henry will be looking to avenge last year's loss in what was one of the most exciting games I have seen in many years. That loss ended about a nine or ten year winning streak. That plus the under story of Coach Grande returning to his old stomping grounds will give the Wasps plenty of fodder to get fired up.
This will be a big game as far as the local rivalry goes, and will give the local fans a chance to get out to see Ferrum and support the Panthers on the road.

Home Opener vs. Apprentice School

For the first time in at least the last ten years, the Builders come to Ferrum to face the Panthers. This has been a team that for many years has had less than a stellar record, in fact last year their record of 5-5 was their best since 2007.  While this should be an expected victory for Ferrum, the Builders should not be taken lightly. A few games on their 2016 schedule shows how formidable an opponent they can be

L vs Methodist 24-20
W vs Greensboro  42-22
W vs Bridgewater 26-23

Apprentice has an established program, and a strong coaching staff. While it should be a Panthers victory, don't count your chickens before they hatch!

Homecoming vs. Huntingdon

By the time we get to homecoming, Ferrum should have at least two wins under their belt, and may well have three. Huntingdon is picked to at least tie for the top spot in the USA South, according to the coaches poll. After going to the playoffs the last two seasons, the Hawks will be a tough hill to climb, but they have had a lot of roster changes, and may not be quite the same team as we saw the last two years. Roster changes or not, they are predicted to be co conference champion. If Ferrum could come into homecoming with a 3-0 record,, and at the end of the game have a 4-0 record, things will be looking strong. It will be a great game, and one of the biggest things that can help Ferrum pull off the win, will be to have a huge homecoming crowd. I encourage any and all fans to try to get to this game. It will be worth the trip, no matter how far you have to drive.

The USA South Schedule begins August 31 as Methodist travels to Buies Creek N.C. to play FCS opponent, Campbell University Camels. All other schools begin play September 2nd.


Go Panthers!