By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Martin football team looks at the upcoming season as not a quest to defend their 2021 Ohio Valley Conference championship, but rather an opportunity to aggressively pursue back-to-back league titles and a deep playoff run.
The Skyhawks made program history in several different areas in its banner 2021 campaign. UT Martin went into the fall with a veteran head coach in Jason Simpson and an experienced roster then saw it pay dividends as the squad won its second OVC championship in program history, earned its first Division I playoff victory, strung together a school-record nine game winning streak, earned its highest national ranking in history and posted the second-highest win total in the program’s 92-year history.
Now with UT Martin entering its 93rd season, the team is not content with resting on their past success and recent championship. While the Skyhawks have posted the most victorious amongst all active OVC members since 2006, the evasive championship ring was obtained and sized to fit the team which calls Hardy Graham Stadium home following a 15-year hiatus. The new mindset is to build upon the program’s recent momentum, chase down another title and keep playing in December.
“The mindset this year is that we know what is at the end of this journey, but we have to improve every day,” Simpson said. “If you ask our players, they are excited to get back there because now they know what it’s about and what it takes to keep moving on a weekly basis. You can build on those experiences and learn on those experiences you had last year but you aren’t defending a conference championship, you have to go win another one. You can’t just rush this thing and say, ‘let’s get to the conference games, ok, let’s get to the playoffs, ok.’ Things that have to take place on Monday have to take place. You can’t get ahead of yourself. You have to take it day-by-day, accomplish things and check those boxes as a football team. Then you can go play and be free on Saturdays.”
Simpson enters his 17th season at the helm of the Skyhawk program and ranks as the school’s all time wins leader while recently picking up his second OVC Coach of the Year honor in 2021. During his tenure, the team has posted a 100-80 overall mark while going 77-47 in league play. When asked to look back on what made his most recent championship squad so successful and how that compares to the identity of the 2022 squad, Simpson was able to pin-point some contributing factors.
“We had several things that really helped us all come together,” Simpson said. “Our offensive line played at a high level and we avoided injuries until the last two weeks of the season. Then we had great leadership and tough quarterback play even, though we didn’t throw for a bunch of yards, while also having a solid defense which got a bunch of turnovers.”
“When I look at this team, there is more twitch and speed than last year’s team,” Simpson continued. “There’s more athletic depth at all the skill positions so that’s exciting to see. We’re certainly not as polished or playing at as high of a level of execution yet but if you watch our practices, you’ll see a lot more speed running around. There’s more depth at linebacker and in the secondary than there was last year. But the good players that we lost played at such a high level – that’s a challenge to replace Peyton Logan, Rodney Williams, Jay Woods and Shawn Shamburger. Can two inexperienced fast players replace one that’s healthy that plays the whole year? That is something we will have to find out.”
While the Skyhawks racked up postseason honors last season with 18 players taking home all-conference selections, the cupboard is far from bare. This season the squad returns eight Preseason All-OVC selections highlighted by linebacker John H. Ford II being tabbed Preseason Defensive Player of the Year while running back Zak Wallace, wide receiver Colton Dowell, offensive lineman Matthan Hatchie, offensive lineman Gavin Olson, offensive lineman Lamar Morgan, safety Oshae Baker and safety Deven Sims are looking to build upon impressive campaigns last season.
Ford has garnered plenty of preseason honors as he has been named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List for the nation’s top defensive player while garnering numerous All-American honors. Hatchie has also been named to five preseason All-American squads while HERO Sports ranked him as the fourth-best returning offensive lineman in FCS. Sims, a two-time All-OVC first team selection, was also named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American team while being tabbed the OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by Lindy’s Sports.
UT Martin will look to those program heavy weights to carry a strong load in a typically player-drive leadership model. The Skyhawks feature four players including Ford, Sims, Dowell and Dresser Winn who are in their sixth season within the program while also boasting five additional players (Brock Powers, Matthan Hatchie, Gavin Olson, Deray Lawrence and Kenyonte Davis) who have played three or more seasons in the blue and orange.
“This is a fun team,” Simpson stated. “We have several sixth-year guys that have been with us for a long time. That is a special bond, memory and opportunity for tremendous leadership. Going back to last year, we had six of those guys. They’re your nucleus – they’re your core. Because you think about the new guys that you get in the summer, it takes some wins under their belt or facing some adversity before they know how I’m going to react on situations or before we all really get to know each other. For us, it’s very important. We still have some of those guys this year with John, Colton, Deven and Dresser (Winn) – but they’re getting fewer and fewer with graduations and the transfer portal.”
The team’s leadership and ability will be tested throughout the season with a loaded schedule which features six non-conference matchups and five league contests. UT Martin will square off against a pair of Missouri Valley Football Conference members in the first two weeks by hosting Western Illinois in the opener before traveling to top-five ranked Missouri State in a rematch of last season’s first round playoff matchup. From there the Skyhawks will play FBS foe Boise State and SEC member Tennessee later in the season while also facing off against the Southland’s Houston Baptist and top-10 ranked Kennesaw State out of the ASUN.
Once in conference play, UT Martin will play host to new league member Lindenwood who begins its first season transitioning from Division II to Division I while also playing Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois at Hardy Graham Stadium. They will round out the schedule with road trips to Murray State and Tennessee State while not facing Southeast Missouri in 2022.
“The schedule is tough – I don’t waste a whole lot of time thinking about it because it is what it is,” Simpson said. “If you made me pick right now, I’d say let’s move those conference games up front because if you play well, you kind of ride that momentum into those games. But it’s not set like that. We’ll have to be really mature to handle that and have a season of any significance. There’s certainly a lot of confidence there but you worry about guys – especially older guys – just trying to get to Saturdays, rushing things and saying let’s just get to the conference schedule because that’s where the money has to be made. This schedule doesn’t allow you to do that and you’re not going to have much success if you’re not ready to go. I think if we handle it the right way, it will speed up our growth. We’re making strides every day but the sense of urgency of the schedule is going to have to speed it up to give us a chance. If we do that, then maybe by Week 4 we go into the conference schedule and be even further along than we were last year at that point. That’s my hope.””
“I was talking to the seniors and it falls on their shoulders – it just does,” Simpson continued. “If you’re a senior and you don’t play well in these early games, it’s seven more days until you play again. It’s not like baseball where you play the next day or basketball where you play two or three times a week. You have to be able to handle that and keep that in the back of your mind that no matter what, you have to play well in your conference schedule to win the league. If you don’t play well early, at least you have this opportunity. If you do play well early, now maybe you give yourself two chances to make the playoffs with an at-large bid or mathematically winning the conference. It’s going to strain us – two Thursday nights and then you go to Boise State and you’re maybe favored in one of the three. But you hope you come out of it by galvanizing yourself for a stretch run.”
The Skyhawks have two promising options at quarterback with the return of sixth-year quarterback Dresser Winn and transfer Cornelious Brown IV. While Winn has been tabbed the starter heading into the 2022 season, Brown could see time as a change of pace quarterback with the ability to use his feet and a strong arm to make plays. Winn is a program veteran who has played in 21 games in his career despite facing numerous injury issues but has thrown for 2,872 yards and 19 touchdowns – including leading the program to a first round victory in the 2021 playoffs. Brown joins the squad after spending parts of three seasons at Georgia State, including a 2020 campaign in which he accounted for 24 touchdowns (17 passing and seven rushing).
Quarterbacks: Cornelious Brown IV, Cal Camp, Josh Lundy, Kody Sparks and Dresser Winn
With the running attack, Wallace sits at the top of the depth chart following a spectacular redshirt-freshman season in which he tallied 148 carries for 807 yards and led the OVC with 15 touchdowns. There is solid depth behind him with Jordan Castleberry and Sam Franklin each looking for additional snaps after limited action a year ago. Castleberry averaged 5.1 yards per carry last season and tallied one touchdown while Franklin averaged 9.6 yards per carry and a touchdown in his redshirt season.
Running Backs: Jordan Castleberry, Jadien Deaton, Sam Franklin, Khalik Ganaway, Isaiah Gibbs, De’Andre Kelly. Ed Osley, Terayon Sweet and Zak Wallace
The wide receiver group will be anchored by the return of Dowell – a three-time All-OVC performer. Dowell enters the season knocking on the door of several career top-10 lists while providing a résumé which includes 110 receptions for 1,760 yards and 13 touchdowns. Zoe Roberts returns to the team after tallying 27 catches for 235 yards and five touchdowns last season while fellow returners Randy Fields, Jr. and EJ Smoot have moved up the depth chart. Other players to look out for will be DeVonte Tanksley – who missed most of last season due to injury – along with Ajay Smith and Deray Lawrence.
Wide Receivers: Malik Baker, Colton Dowell, Jeremiah Edwards, Randy Fields Jr., Jaden Gibbs, Deray Lawrence, Kyler Pearson, George Qualls Jr., Zoe Roberts, Ajay Smith, EJ Smoot, DeVonte Tanksley, Airius Trice
The Skyhawks will have a whole new batch of tight ends looking to leave their mark this season after the graduate of Rodney Williams II. The early favorite is redshirt-freshman DJ Nelson who has shown impressive playmaking abilities early in his career while Incarnate Word transfer Parker Floyd brings Division I experience.
Tight Ends: Austin Bray, Bryce Dailey, Parker Floyd, Jackson Gay, DJ Nelson, Erin Parker
Three players return as all-conference performers on the offensive line with Hatchie manning the center position while Olson and Morgan will flank both tackle spots. The Skyhawks anticipate returners Cade Richards and Jarod Russell to fight for two of the remaining spots while newcomers D’Marius Warren and Jason Eaton will also compete for starting spots on the line.
Offensive Line: Mitchell Appleton, Drake Carroll, Riley Cleary, Branson Conner, Logan Crouch, Jason Eaton, Nick Edwards, Greg Gyenis, Matthan Hatchie, Lewis Hudson, Marcus James, AJ Marquez, Lamar Morgan, Gavin Olson, Eli Patrick, Cade Richards, Zion Rucker, Jarod Russell, Garrett Smith, Logan Swartz, Josiah Tingley, D’Marius Warren
On the defensive line, the Skyhawks lost three all-conference performers last season but still return experience with the unit. Daylan Dotson and Keion Willis sit atop the depth chart at defensive end while Kenyonte Davis and Christian Dowell have taken up shop at the nose position. Defensive tackle is held down by Jay Rogers and Jarid Johnson while Giovanni Davis and graduate transfer TJ Neal will come off the edge at the jack position.
Defensive Line: JoJo Belgrave, Toby Camp, Jermaine Cooley, Giovanni Davis, Kenyonte Davis, Daylan Dotson, Christian Dowell, Jarid Johnson, TJ Neal, Charles Perkins, Jay Rogers, Myles Saulsberry, Tyson Strickland, Keion Willis, Elijah Young
The team’s linebacker core has often been a group of strength and that is anticipated to be the case once again this season. Ford returns as a key cog in the unit while Rob Hicks has taken command of the other starting position. Charlotte transfer Jaylon Sharpe has thrust his name into the conversation while returners Tevin Shipp and Chris Hunter are also near the top of the depth chart.
Linebackers: Isaiah Abdullah, Stephen Ballard, Michael Campbell, Levi Evans, John H. Ford II, Rob Hicks, Chris Hunter, Kobe Okeke, Jaylon Sharpe, Tevin Shipp, Shamari Weir
UT Martin’s secondary features some new faces at cornerback along with some consistent playmakers at safety. Houston graduate transfer Shaun Lewis has secured a starting role as one of the team’s cornerbacks while fellow graduate transfers Tyler Gore (Georgia State) and Andre Brackett (Bryant) are slated to take one of the other positions. The team has bolstered its depth at the position with Temple transfer Andrew Garwo and redshirt-freshman JaMichael McGoy, Jr. both climbing the depth chart this offseason.
Defensive Backs: Kaleb Almo, Andre Brackett, Andrew Garwo, Tyler Gore, Vincent Guy, CJ Johnson, Shaun Lewis, JaMichael McGoy Jr., LaMarion Pierce, Orlandis Williamson
Some of the team’s most dangerous playmakers come at the safety position. Sims brings his hard-hitting pedigree to the table as a two-time All-OVC selection while Baker ranked amongst team leaders in tackles and recorded four interceptions last season. Delta State graduate transfer Ty Woods provides valuable depth for those two while Jack Lucas has taken the next step in his development as well. Meanwhile at the rover slot, Carson Evans is tabbed at the top of the list while Aaron Webb has joined the conversation.
Safeties: Alexander Andre, Oshae Baker, Carson Evans, Wyatt Gilbert, Antonio Jackson, Bradley Jones, Jack Lucas, Tyler Pugh, AJ Robinson Jr., Deven Sims, Aaron Webb, Ty Woods
Special teams has been a bright spot for the Skyhawks over the years with the team adding some extra depth to the unit. Brock Powers returns as the team’s starting long snapper for the last four seasons while Tyler Larco has scored 117 career points while making 17-of-27 career field goal attempts and 66-of-69 point after attempts while also averaging 40.2 yards per punt – including a pair of booming kicks over 65 yards. Frankie Onate – a South Alabama graduate transfer – joins the Skyhawks in the kicking game after scoring 38 career points and making 7-of-12 career field goal attempts.
Specialists: Jackson Abel, Brett Kuczynski, Tyler Larco, Frankie Onate, Brock Powers, Ryan Young
UT Martin will officially begin its quest for another championship on Thursday, Sept. 1 when playing host to Western Illinois in the team’s home opener, scheduled for 6:30 p.m..
Single game and season ticket packages are available to be purchased online at www.UTMSports.com/tickets, through the UT Martin Ticket Office by calling 731-881-7207 or by emailing athletic.events@utm.edu.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information