SFA Spring Football Preview: Lumberjack Offensive Unit
3/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
The 2016 Stephen F. Austin spring football schedule gets underway on Wednesday, March 23rd. Beginning his third season at the helm, head coach Clint Conque and his squad is looking to #RaiseTheBar in 2016, building off a roster that returns 17 starters and 42 letterwinners.
SPRING FOOTBALL – OFFENSIVE PREVIEW
Overview
Stephen F. Austin returns the vast majority of its offensive weapons from a unit that ran one of the most balanced attacks in the Southland Conference in 2015 – rushing for 208 yards and passing for 219 yards per game. The Lumberjacks did see an impressive streak come to an end last year as SFA averaged 28.7 points per game, ending a seven-year streak of averaging 30 points or more which led the nation.
What many are curious to see is how the SFA offensive scheme will change in 2016 following the hiring of Gary Crowton as the Lumberjacks’ offensive coordinator in the offseason. A 30-year coaching veteran, Crowton has earned himself a reputation as one of the game’s top offensive minds, logging experience at schools such as LSU, Oregon, BYU and Maryland.
Quarterbacks
For the second-straight year, the quarterback position is one where the ‘Jacks will have a great deal of experience and familiarity. Senior Zach Conque has started 23 of his 24 games at SFA and has emerged as one of the conference’s toughest dual threat quarterbacks, passing for 4,666 yards and rushing for 1,180 yards and a combined 56 touchdowns in two seasons. The 2014 SLC Newcomer of the Year, Conque was plagued by nagging injuries in 2015, limiting his performance, but is hoping an offseason of recovery will put him back in a position to lead SFA to another postseason appearance.
Senior Hunter Taylor also returns for SFA with 11 games under his belt, including a start against McNeese State last season. Taylor had his best season as a Lumberjack in 2015, throwing for 480 yards and five touchdowns and will provide added leadership for the ‘Jacks.
SFA also returns sophomore Ryan Cottingame and redshirt freshman Jake Blumrick, both of which got a year of experience in the program under their belts last season. This will be the first spring season for both players at SFA as Conque said both should get significant reps.
Running Backs
Conque likes to have a handful of talented running backs, and the spring roster will be no exception in the backfield. Senior Joshawa West will be looked to to lead the corps after rushing for 617 yards and a touchdown in 2015. He is the most experienced of the group, appearing in 35 games during his SFA career, and offers a handful of options, rushing for 1,115 yards and four touchdowns while also catching 57 passes for 411 yards out of the backfield.
Sophomore Loren Easly had quite the debut for SFA last season, leading the team with 759 yards and four touchdowns. Easly already has posted two of the 10 longest runs from scrimmage in program history and fills the role of a strong, physical back . He saw limited carries last year as he was still recovering from a knee injury suffered during high school but should continue to emerge as a focal point of the Lumberjack offensive scheme.
Sophomore Jacolby Whitaker should also see an increase in snaps after playing in five games for the ‘Jacks last season, rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown. Along with redshirt freshman Jordan Martinez, the duo will be looked upon to provide added depth and should both see significant opportunities to show their athleticism.
Conque is also eager to see the ability of junior college transfer Kijana Amous who rushed for over 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns in two years at Navarro College. The Mansfield native had a stellar high school career, rushing for over 3,700 yards with 51 touchdowns at Mansfield Legacy and will add speed to a loaded backfield.
Wide Receivers
Perhaps no position was hit harder by injuries for SFA in 2015 than the Lumberjack wide receiving corps. However with those injuries healed, and with another spring working with the SFA quarterbacks, Conque is optimistic the receiving corps will make great strides during the spring.
Seniors De’Quann Ruffin and Justice Liggins each saw action in all 11 games in 2015 as Ruffin became one of SFA’s top threats late in the season, catching 23 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns. Liggins added four touchdowns as well, catching 31 passes for 318 yards, giving him 525 career yards in 26 games played.
A trio of juniors came up big for the ‘Jacks last season as well, including a break out season for Aaron Piper who led the team with 44 catches for 439 yards and five touchdowns, ranking among the SLC leaders in all categories. Robert Sylvester ranked second on the team with 39 catches and was third in receiving yards (364) while Judah Jones made a strong impression in his first season, catching 17 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns.
The Lumberjacks will also look a handful of younger receivers who either saw limited action or redshirted but add both size and speed on the outside. Sophomore Darrion Ardoin appeared in a couple games while Kiki Hill and Jonathan Sam will compete in their first spring schedule, adding depth and some added familiarity to the position.
Tight Ends/Fullback
One of the hallmarks of Conque’s offensive scheme since coming to SFA has been to reinstitute the tight end and fullback positions as the two positions look to figure prominently into Crowton’s new offensive scheme. Senior Jabralon Allen will be looked to as the leader of the group as he has been a key member of the squad for the past three seasons, appearing in 31 games and possessing the key ability to both run the ball out of the backfield and is an effective blocker, paving the way for the SFA rushing attack.
Tight ends should also factor heavily into Crowton’s offensive scheme and he will have plenty of options to choose from. Junior Will Taylor boasts the most experience of the group, appearing in 23 games with 11 starts, registering 59 yards with a touchdown. He was joined by sophomore Lucas Askew in 2015 who played in nine games with a start.
Conque added depth with transfer Nick Jones in the offseason who brings with him a successful junior college resume. Playing at Trinity Valley Community College, Jones was a second team All-American and a first team all-district selection, adding athleticism and strength to the position.
Offensive Line
The biggest question mark on the offensive side of the ball for SFA will be on the offensive line as the ‘Jacks will have to replace three senior starters, including All-SLC performer Byron Williams. But SFA does boast a good mix of experienced upperclassmen and talented youngsters to provide strong options.
Four seniors will be looked to to provide the needed experience, led by center Anthony Pullins and left tackle Travis Wiggins, who have appeared in a combined 62 games over the past three seasons. Fellow seniors Jake Wallace and Marshall Womack have gained valuable game experience over the last couple of seasons as well and should compete for playing time.
Junior Shane Roberson and sophomores Hayden Scott and Devonte Jones also gained valuable experience last year as the trio saw significant playing time in a majority of games, going up against some of the top teams in the Southland Conference. The spring will also serve as a valuable opportunity for redshirt freshmen Travis Lock, Tim Meyers and A.J. Brown to become even more comfortable with the SFA system as each will be experiencing their first spring workout schedule.
Conque also added some experience in the junior college ranks by adding Josh Keith, a transfer from Blinn College. Keith was a key starter at Blinn, earning honorable mention all-conference honors and adds significant size at 6-7 and 328 pounds.
We will continue our countdown to the 2016 SFA spring football season throughout the week, taking a look at the Lumberjack spring roster and the key players looking to make a difference in 2016. Tuesday, the defensive squad takes center stage, followed by the Lumberjack special teams units as spring football gets underway Wednesday at 4 p.m.
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