Bison Football Unifying for 2018 Season

SHAWNEE – The success of Oklahoma Baptist's 2018 football team depends on how well it fuses its dichotomy of experience into a cohesive, like-minded unit.
 
While the offense has a seasoned group of returning starters in every position group, the defense has only a few veterans and must continue the strong pace it has been on since the team opened camp.
 
While the team has well-defined goals, those were set by the players and will be played close to the vest and tracked by the entire team.
 
"Individually you always want to improve from year to year to feel like you're making progress," said Head Coach Chris Jensen. "The team goals, I've always dictated what that would be and this year I thought it would be better to put that in the players' hands. We are keeping that internal. But they can track what behaviors could be associated with those goals. Those guys came up with goals that show that those guys that they are all in and they know what it takes to be successful. We obviously focus on our guys being the best at what they do."
 
While it may not be an "us-against-the-world" approach, excuse the Bison if they believe their goals will disprove the naysayers.
 
The Bison offense has the weaponry to be a force in the Great American Conference. Returning redshirt-sophomore quarterback Preston Haire caught the attention of the league last season but he's not the only workhorse on the farm.
 
Haire, as a freshman, averaged 216.4 yards per game despite not starting in the first half of the season. He tossed 19 touchdown passes and completed 56.6 percent of his throws.
 
"What a great person and leader Preston is," Jensen said. "He extremely gifted as a quarterback and an athlete. We're grateful he has so much in front of him left in a green uniform."
 
Returning for the receiving corps are All-Conference Cagney Roberson (44 receptions, 719 yards, 7TD) and Josh Pettijohn (31 catches, 355 yards). Also back are 2017 top eight targets Nick Hinkley, Noah McGraw and Emmanuel Adesokan along with Isaiah Mallory out of the backfield.
 
"We lost some guys with significant playing time at wide receiver and we thought we had played our last year with Josh Pettijohn but thankfully he decided to come back," Jensen said. "Josh is a big time receiver for us. Jacques Henderson is back after being injured most of last year but he's back healthy again. Cagney Roberson is in his senior year and I think he has hit his stride based on what I've seen in practice so far. We've also got Emmanuel Adesokan, Noah McGraw and Nick Hinkley and we've got some freshman guys who I think have a chance to push in that group."
 
Mallory, an All-Conference running back, carried for 803 yards in nine games last season and will make defenses respect the running game. Positive competition at H-back between Reece Gilbert and Seth Glasscock has a new entrant early this season.
 
"Isaiah is definitely full speed and looks like he hasn't missed a beat since last year," said Jensen. "Reece Gilbert and Seth Glasscock have been solid performers but Seth Juby has been a big surprise this far and is able to push for time."
 
Of course, opening holes and closing down pass rushes is the job of the most veteran group on the team – the offensive line.
 
Zach Blevins (6-3, 285) moves to center and is flanked by returning guards John Calhoun (5-11, 280) and Creede Wright (6-1, 297). The tackles look to be Brian Cornell (6-3, 270) and Jake Foshee (6-3, 289).
 
"All of those guys have starting experience and significant playing experience except for Jake Foshsee, who we have penciled in at left tackle. Zach Blevins moved to center and is having a good preseason. John Calhoun and Wright will be at guard and Brian Cornell probably most experience of all those guys," Jensen said.
 
Depth, a negative factor of the past, isn't likely to hurt this season.
 
"We have got some young guys who have a chance to step in there and provide great depth – probably the biggest surprise is a couple of our offensive linemen who are undersized have performed well. There's a great battle on that offensive line to get spots on the bus for that first trip to East Central," Jensen said.
 
Despite weeks of figuring out its quarterback situation, the Bison averaged 22.5 points last season. They were undone, however, by 40.7 points allowed.
 
OBU won't be focusing on the negative defensive stats from last year, but using that as a motivation.
 
"You're always worried about the experience factor," Jensen said. "You can try to simulate things in practice but you can't do it justice. We're very young up front. We've got very few guys with significant game experience. We're going to probably depend on some young guys to step up there in the two deep and be solid contributors."
 
Demarco Shoat started five games last season and finished with 18 tackles
 
Returning at linebacker are Josh Arnold and Lane Martin. Arnold started all 11 games last season and led the team with 86 tackles. Martin started the last two games of the season and had 13 of his 25 tackles in those two contests.
 
"We're glad to have Josh Arnold and Lane Martin returning at linebacker," Jensen said.
 
Safety Myles Russell leads the secondary. He registered five tackles for loss, logged 70 tackles and broke up four passes last season.
 
He's joined by returning players Landon Rowlett (53 tackles), Matthew Tigert (46 tackles), Jay Jordan (three break-ups) and KeLandus Culton (four passes defended).
 
"Myles Russell is returning it's a big deal for us," said Jensen. "Landon Rowlett and Matthew Tigert played quite a bit in the back end. We've got Jay Jordan and KeLandus Culton back at the corners, along with some young guys."
 
The kicking game has kicker Luke Wendl (four field goals, long of 47, and punter Hayden Ashley returning as starters and while they produced well, there may be some healthy competition looming.
 
"There's a pretty good battle going there," Jensen said. "Hayden Ashley was a pretty good punter last year and his leg appears to be even stronger this year. Luke Wendl is back. Connor Watts, who really worked hard last year and took advantage of his red-shirt year, has a chance to push Hayden and Luke. He can boom it. He needs to be more consistent, but when he hits it; it goes. We've got some younger guys pushing as well."
 
OBU also has added four new assistant coaches to join offensive coordinator Grant Gower, defensive coordinator Brandon Morris, offensive line coach Greg Gothard and tight ends coach Alec Petrocelli. Added to the staff since last fall are cornerbacks coach Gabe Lynn, wide receivers coach Marcus Herford, defensive line coach Casey Walker and running backs coach Gary Frazier.
 
"They've all stepped in and done a phenomenal job," Jensen said. "Coach Herford has the experience to take that wide receiver group to another level. We've got to increase our expectation of that group. Coach Herford has taken the challenge of stretching those guys a little more.
 
"Coach Frazier is a high energy individual and a great ambassador in the community for our football team. Coach Walker with the defensive line has been really good at getting results. We have had so much progress in getting off the ball and exploding and playing fast and he's only had a week with them. Coach Lynn, who we were blessed to have in the spring, brings a great deal of knowledge and even though he's been at the highest level, there's not a job he's not willing to do. He's a great individual."
 
The Bison put their singleness of mind to the test for the first time as a unit this season with a Thursday night game, Aug. 30, at East Central.