SHERMAN, Texas - When he takes to the sideline in Austin College's season opening game at Hendrix on September 3, Loren Dawson will become the program's longest tenured head coach in history. This season, Dawson will be leading his team into its second season back in the American Southwest Conference with a young group, but with a fifth year senior heading things up in Tyler James.
James returns for his third season as the team's starting quarterback, in addition to having been named first team All-America as a punter by the American Football Coaches Association. Last season, James averaged 42.2 yards-per-punt, finishing among the nation's leaders at the Division III level. As a quarterback, James threw for 1,209 yards with eight touchdowns, and enters his final season of eligibility with 2,189 passing yards and 16 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Last year, he also rushed for 182 yards and two additional scores.
Joining James in the backfield will be senior running back Makkedah Brown, who is expected to take over starting duties following the graduation of All-ASC back Devon Rideaux. Last season, Brown rushed 50 times for 153 yards and a score, including a career best 59 yards in the team's season finale at Howard Payne. Along with Brown, the 'Roos will be looking for offensive help at the receiver position from returners Kennon Magers, Traelyn Marsh, Colin Mushinski, and Tiger Dietz. Dietz also served as a specialist in the return game last year, averaging 20.5 yards on kickoff returns.
Magers, meanwhile, caught 20 passes last year from his tight end position, averaging 14.0 yards-per-catch with a touchdown. That group, along with several talented newcomers, will be leaned on to make up for the loss of All-Conference wideout Aaron Rideaux, as well as last year's second leading pass catcher Xavier Maxwell, both of whom were lost to graduation.
James and the rest of the backfield will be playing behind an experienced offensive line headlined by All-ASC player Jason Miao, as well as senior Tyler Hanes. Also providing experience in the trenches will be Jacob Hoffman and Melvin Gatson, while Ethan Baker also returns after appearing in six games a year ago.
Defensively, Austin College returns nearly all of its top tacklers from a season ago, led by defensive back Jarrett Pleasant. Pleasant made a team-high 48 stops last year and had five pass breakups, while fellow defensive back Grady Harper also returns after finishing second on the squad with 46 stops last season. Colton Gerken, Richard Johnson, Rylan Ritch, and Brady Dygert will be leading the 'Roos at the linebacker position, with all four players finishing in the top seven tacklers for Austin College a year ago. Gerken comes back after making 7.5 tackles-for-loss last year, second on the team to defensive lineman Max Walstad.
Walstad will once again be leading the 'Roos up front after making 25 stops in 2021, with 11 of those coming for a loss of yards, including a team-best 3.5 sacks. Hunter Fulton will take on a bigger role on the defensive line this season as well, after appearing in all nine games last season and making 20 stops for Austin College. Other defensive returners expected to make a big impact this year are defensive backs Mekhi Nicholson, who had a pair of interceptiosn last season, and Texas Gordon, as well as defensive lineman Nick Chevalier.
Along with James, the 'Roos also boast another of the ASC's top specialists in placekicker John Aldridge. Last year, Aldridge was 4-of-5 on field goal attempts with a long of 31 yards, while also connecting on 14-of-16 point after attempts.
Austin College opens up the season on the road at Hendrix on September 3, before returning to Sherman to unveil the new renovations to Jerry Apple Stadium with a home game against Rhodes on September 10.