Just a year removed from graduating one senior, the Southwestern football team will head into the 2016 season with 36 seniors on its roster. After four years of recruiting, the Pirates will be on equal footing with their opponents for the first time since the program was reinstated. The squad will return all members of its starting offense and defense for this year's campaign.
Southwestern continued to improve in 2015. The Pirates won two contests and lost two others by five points or less while having six fourth-quarter leads. Southwestern also ranked second in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) with 2,352 passing yards (235.2 per game). Additionally, the Pirates boasted the league's top pass defense, allowing only 207.6 passing yards per game.
SCHEDULE
In its final season as a member of the SCAC, Southwestern will play a 10-game schedule, including six conference contests. The Pirates will face Hardin-Simmons (Sept. 3) and McMurry (Sept. 10) in non-conference tilts to open the season at Birkelbach Field. Southwestern then will hit the road for back-to-back games at East Texas Baptist (Sept. 17) and Wisconsin-River Falls (Sept. 24) to wrap up its non-conference slate.
In the final year for SCAC football, the four teams will play an NFL-style, double-round-robin conference schedule.
Following a bye week, the Pirates will host Austin College in the SCAC opener on Oct. 8. A week later, Southwestern will head to San Antonio to face Trinity. The Bucs will finish up the month by hosting Texas Lutheran (Oct. 22) and traveling to face Austin College (Oct. 29). Southwestern will host Trinity (Nov. 5) for its Homecoming game and then conclude the regular season at Texas Lutheran a week later.
QUARTERBACKS
Three-year starter Bryan Hicks returns for his final year behind center. The Pirate signal caller threw for a career-high 2,113 yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago. The Humble, Texas, native completed 32 of 57 pass attempts against Wisconsin-River Falls (Sept. 26) for a career-best 371 yards. A week later, Hicks completed 75.9 percent (22 of 29) of his throws in a 35-28 win at Austin College.
With Hicks taking a majority of the snaps in 2015, only AJ Daniels returns as a backup at the quarterback position who received playing time. Daniels, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound sophomore, completed 6 of 12 attempts for 149 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate season.
Fred Hover was expected to compete for playing time a year ago, but missed the season due to injury. Travis Malesky and Paul Williams also return with a season of experience under their belts.
RUNNING BACKS
Southwestern will look to get the running game on track this season. The Pirates amassed only 638 yards on the ground and were hit with injuries during the year.
Markell Henderson led Southwestern's ground game in his first season. The San Antonio native rushed 92 times for 340 yards and a touchdown. He also caught six passes and found the end zone once.
Dylan Wilburn competed in only five games due to injury, but carried the ball 81 times for 293 yards and two touchdowns. He also came out of the backfield to catch 10 passes during the year.
Jahmaal Dumes and John David Bishop return to provide depth to the offensive backfield.
RECEIVERS
The Pirate wide receivers have been among the league's most talented for the last three years. This year should be no different. In all, Southwestern quarterbacks spread the ball among 19 different pass catchers a year ago.
Three-time, first-team all-league wideout Matt Gillen is back for his senior campaign. The Coppell, Texas, native led the team with 43 catches for 581 yards and six touchdowns. Gillen missed the final three games of last season due to injury, but he had at least one touchdown catch in five of seven contests. Gillen also hauled in 14 receptions for 167 yards and a touchdown against Wisconsin-River Falls last October.
Kenneth Wynn Jr. caught 21 passes and scored three touchdowns, while Dante Smith pulled down 15 catches for 277 yards and two scores. AJ McCort hauled in 10 passes and found the end zone once. Meanwhile, Nik Kelly moved over from the defensive side of the ball to catch three passes, two of which resulted in touchdowns.
Colten Shea is back for his senior season after missing the last two years. Shea led the Pirates with 49 catches for 673 yards and seven touchdowns as a freshman in 2013.
TIGHT ENDS
Ben Patterson returns with the most experience at the tight end position for the Pirates. Patterson played in all 10 games last season and caught nine passes for 96 yards.
Patterson will be joined by Daniels and Jeremy Snyder in the tight end rotation.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Anchored by first-team all-conference honoree Will Devine, the Southwestern offensive line continues to mature. Devine, a senior from Grapevine, Texas, helped mentor a young offensive line last year that paved the way for four 100-yard rushing games. The Pirates started five different players at center in the first six games.
In addition to Devine, Zach Scroggins and Nick Swope started all 10 games on the line last year. Jacob Harton started the final eight games, while Noah Berlanga was forced into starting the final four at center. PJ Quinters started three games at center, but missed several others due to injury.
Dereck Harenda also was limited due to injury last season, but started the first three contests. James Smat also received two starting assignments, while Andrew Pratt, Mason McClellan and Taylor Marks all provide relief for the line.
DEFENSIVE LINE
In addition to the defensive backs, the defensive line will again be one of the Southwestern strengths this year. Defensive ends Justin Broussard and Brandon Fleischmann provide a powerful punch off the corners for the Pirates. Broussard, a third-team all-region selection a year ago, tallied 62 stops (39 solos), including a league-best 20.5 for loss, and 9.5 sacks. Fleischmann, who was a first-team All-SCAC selection, added 55 tackles, including 14.5 behind the line of scrimmage, and seven sacks. Both players also forced a pair of fumbles.
The interior defensive line will count on Kyle Perlowski (29 tackles/1.5 sacks), Addison Elliott (17 tackles/2 sacks) and Isaiah Galvan (22 tackles). Perlowski was an honorable-mention pick a year ago.
Jesus Lucero Jr. and Ty Stubbs will bolster the interior line, while Joshua Hicks and Sir Spencer Majors will help on the outside.
LINEBACKERS
The middle layer of the Pirate defense is expected to be solid again. Last year, the linebackers combined for 210 tackles, 6.5 sacks and three interceptions.
Zach Cole led the team with 80 total tackles (43 solos) from the middle linebacker spot. The 5-foot-11, 220-pounder racked up 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also picked off a pass.
Tyler Frisby was an honorable-mention All-SCAC pick, as he posted 28 tackles, including three for loss, and intercepted a pass last year.
Michael Patterson and Joshua Scoggin all return to add depth to the position. Tanner Rogers is back in the mix after missing last year due to injury.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Southwestern's defensive backfield was the top in the conference a year ago. The group allowed only 207.6 passing yards per game and held opposing quarterbacks to a league-low completion percentage of .503.
Two-time, first-team All-SCAC cornerback Nik Kelly leads the unit. Kelly, a 5-foot-7 junior from League City, Texas, intercepted a team-high three passes and broke up seven other attempts last year.
Kelly's classmate, DeeJay Johnson, also earned first-team all-league honors in 2015. Johnson, a 6-foot-3 junior cornerback, knocked away seven pass attempts and picked off one pass.
Jaret Tolbert led Southwestern's corners with 25 total tackles and nine pass breakups last year. He also intercepted a pass.
Taylor Fann, Chris Luca and Aaron Robinson will rotate at the team's two safety spots. Fann, earned honorable-mention all-conference laurels last year after amassing 39 tackles and picking off two passes. Luca led all defensive backs with 41 tackles. Robinson added 31 tackles and broke up a pass in his first collegiate season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The special teams unit also is headline by Kelly, who was the 2015 SCAC Co-Player of the Year as a returner. Kelly, who only returned eight punts last season, raced to the end zone for a 52-yard touchdown against Austin College. He also was on the end of a 74-yard touchdown pass on a fake punt attempt against Trinity.
McCort earned honorable-mention all-league accolades as a kick returner.
In the kicking game, Laith Tucker converted 6 of 10 field goal attempts and 21 of 22 extra points last season. Tyler Adams handled a majority of the kickoff opportunities, booting three touchbacks during the year. Additionally, the Pirates split the punting duties between four players, but it was Daniels who was used the most on fourth down. He punted 36 times for 1,263 yards, including a season-long 64-yarder, and he placed seven inside the 20-yard line.
– SOUTHWESTERN –