Fort Hays State opens the 2014 season on Thursday (Sept. 4) as it hosts Central Oklahoma at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. Kickoff is set for 7 pm. Fort Hays State is looking to carry over its late-season success from 2013 into the new campaign after winning six of its last seven games to finish 6-5 after an 0-4 start to the season. Central Oklahoma is coming off its second-consecutive 2-8 season overall.
Over the final seven games of the 2013 season, Fort Hays State averaged 45.6 points per game. The Tigers had 45 or more points in four of the last five contests, including a season-high and school-record 63 against South Dakota School of Mines. FHSU finished the year with 384 points, the second-most for a single season in school history. Last year's team came just three first downs shy of the school record with 236, third-most in school history. The 4,721 total yards gained by the offense was also third-most in school history. Quarterback
Treveon Albert said, "We ended on a roll, so it's time to pick it back up and keep going."
Albert was a huge part of the late success of the Tigers in 2013, throwing 19 touchdowns with just two interceptions in that seven-game span to end the year. Albert finished the year with 2,338 yards passing and 507 yards rushing, becoming the first Tiger quarterback in history to throw for at least 2,000 and rush for at least 500 in the same season. His 24 passing touchdowns for the season were third-most in school history. He threw for over 300 yards in the final two contests last year.
Team unity has been good according to senior running back
Edward Smith. "It was alright when I got here (as a freshman), but since then we've came closer as a family and as a team," said Smith. "Offense and defense, we hang out together, and everybody is closer now. That's the biggest change in the team since I've been here." Smith emerges into the starting running back role this year after the graduation of
Andre Smith, who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season. Even though
Andre Smith received the bulk of the carries in 2013,
Edward Smith still led all running back in yards per carry (5.6) and touchdowns (8), while rushing for 411 yards on 74 carries. With 33 games as a Tiger under his belt, he enters this year with 1,303 career rushing yards and 1,785 career all-purpose yards (1,303 rushing, 231 receiving, 251 kick return).
Albert lost a pair of receiving targets to graduation in
Keaton Callins and
Tanner Hageman, who combined for 84 receptions and 1,168 receiving yards in 2013, but deep threat
Ed Williams returns. Williams averaged 28.2 yards per catch in 2013, playing in just the final seven games after returning from injury. He averaged one touchdown per game and four of his seven touchdown receptions last year were from 50 or more yards out. He looks to mentor a young group of receivers that saw plenty of action as freshmen in 2013, including
Bilal Salat,
Isaiah Maxi, and
Evan Jennings. Tight end targets
Zack Gaughan and
Marshall Musil are back, who combined for 28 catches, 322 yards, and three touchdowns last season.
Even with the big-play threats on offense, the spotlight shifts to a Tiger defense that returns nine starters from last year, including four that received All-MIAA accolades. Leading the Tigers in tackles was linebacker
Justin McPhail with 90, earning All-MIAA Third Team honors for his efforts. "One of the main differences (defensively) I've seen from last year is experience and depth," said McPhail. "To play in the MIAA, you have to have depth, you can't do it with just 11 guys. Every week you're going to have to come ready to play." The Tigers will be tested each week now that the schedule is exclusively MIAA games with the conference contracting to 12 teams in football (Southwest Baptist and Lincoln turned Independent). "I feel like we're just going to have to be really consistent with that schedule change," said McPhail.
Also returning to the defense with All-MIAA accolades is
Jesse Trent, a third-team selection last year on the defensive line. Trent is a vocal leader up front for the Tigers, a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American selection. He recorded 41 tackles overall, including seven for loss.
Micheal Jordan patrolls the back of the defense at safety after earning Daktronics All-Super Region 3 First Team and All-MIAA Second Team honors last year. Jordan had 70 tackles and tied with a MIAA-best five interceptions in 2013.
Michael Terry joins McPhail at linebacker after getting an All-MIAA Honorable Mention nod last year with 75 tackles and a pair of interceptions.
"We've got players that have been in our system defensively for quite a while now," said head coach
Chris Brown. "They're understanding what we're doing defensively and communication has tremendously improved. I feel like we've got some speed, as well as some strength and size on the defensive side of the ball."
"I feel like we have a good group of players to take that next step (in the MIAA)," said Brown. "It depends on the players - they have to go out there and perform at a high level and have confidence in themselves and their abilities. If they do that, I think we can be very successful this year."
