GAME NOTES--SAMFORD VS. TENNESSEE TECH

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford football team will open the 2021 season by taking on the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Thursday evening at 6 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.
 
The Bulldogs, like most FCS programs, are having a quick turnaround after just finishing an unprecedented spring season in April. Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said he has not seen any negative effect in the team's performance so far, heading into the season.
 
"I haven't seen any drop off whatsoever," Hatcher said. "We were a little concerned coming out of the spring, having a turnaround like this from a coaching standpoint, because it was so new, but after we took about a month off and the guys had a little vacation because of school being out, it's just been business as normal. I've been really pleased with our guys' work ethic. We're fresh, we've been practicing well. Right now, we're healthy, so I'm really excited to see what type of product we're going to put on the field Thursday night."
 
Samford returns 10 starters on offense and 10 starters on defense from the spring season in which the team posted a 4-3 record, all in Southern Conference play. Hatcher said having all of that talent returning excites him about the potential of this year's team.
 
"We do have a lot of guys returning that played in the spring season," Hatcher said. "Each year is different as we well know, however we finished very strong and I'm hoping with the quick turnaround, we can carry a little bit of that momentum into the beginning of the season. I am excited about this group, they work hard, when you push them, they push back, they push each other. This is one of the better groups of young men that I've had since I've been at Samford."
 
One of the key returnees for the offense is graduate quarterback Liam Welch. Welch is the preseason SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and is on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top offensive player in all of FCS football. Hatcher said Welch's experience should benefit the team this fall.
 
"I really think in the latter part of the year (spring season) the offense just started becoming second nature to him," Hatcher said. "We haven't changed a lot; we've made a few tweaks here and there for what we thought would benefit our team this particular season. But just having seven starts under his belt, and then the confidence and the rapport he has with the players I think are going to be big for the success of the offensive unit."
 
One of the key battles in preseason camp has been to see who Welch's backup quarterback will be. Hatcher talked about how that battle has progressed.
 
"We're still in a battle," Hatcher said. "We have some really good prospects there. We've narrowed it down for week one to Cade Blackmon and Ty Hatcher. Both of those guys have been the most consistent throughout their careers here and they've been the most consistent in camp. Due to COVID, due to all the different things that are going on, Asher Morgan and Michael Maginnis, both of those guys were in the battle, I'm still keeping them warm just because, who knows what's going to transpire as this particular season unfolds?"
 
Hatcher also talked a little about the offensive line that will be charged with protecting Welch throughout the season.
 
"The biggest thing is, we've got great depth there," Hatcher said. "We have eight, nine guys that can go in there and play and there's not a significant drop off. Especially early in a season when you play with the tempo we play with, you want to keep those guys fresh, you want to rotate them. So, I'm really pleased with depth that we have, and I think that the biggest thing that happened to us when Beau Myers went down last year, Cooper Frazier, the true freshman came in and really played well and brought that group together. But really the bell cows of that group are Gavin Orr, J.D. Beall and Austin Guyse. They're the guys with the most experience, so we're going to rely on them a great deal."
 
Defensively, Samford improved as the spring season progressed. Hatcher talked about what he expects from that group this fall.
 
"I think the biggest thing with them is just getting more comfortable with Nick Benedetto's schemes, and you saw that last year," Hatcher said. "We didn't play complimentary football all of the time, and we've really worked on that with our conditioning. We've built depth on that side of the ball. So, I expect to see a much improved, more consistent defense this year, so I'm excited about that."
 
On special teams, All-American punt returner Montrell Washington is back, as is punter Bradley Porcellato. The coaches, however, have to find a new placekicker after the departure of Mitchell Fineran.
 
"That was a tough blow when Mitchell decided to transfer, especially as late as he did," Hatcher said. "We've got some guys battling for that job. Of course, with Montrell, any time he touches the ball really good things are going to happen. And then Tyler Russell has really solidified the long snapper position and he has done a phenomenal job."
 
Hatcher talked about a few of the new players who have stood out to him during preseason practice.
 
"Defensively, I've really been pleased with Jordan Oladokun at corner and Sylvaughn Turner, a grad transfer from Murray State," Hatcher said. "Both of those guys have looked good, along with some other guys. Offensively, Chris Noble, a transfer from UAB, an offensive lineman, has shown some really good flashes up there to provide some quality depth, and he should get a lot of playing time as well. Those guys, to me, have kind of stood out above some of the other guys."
 
With he season opener coming up Thursday night, Hatcher talked a little about what he expects to see when his team takes the field for the first time this fall.
 
"It's the first game, so you're really not sure how your team is going to be or how your opponent is," Hatcher said. "So, we've spent more time focusing on us. We just want to be the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be. When you play Tennessee Tech, you'd better expect a well-disciplined, hard-nosed football team. They do a great job, especially defensively. They're not very complicated, but they sure play hard. Offensively, they've got some guys that we have to keep in check, or it could be a long night for us. So, like each and every week, it's going to be a battle. Two evenly matched teams coming in."
 
"Fortunately for us, we're playing at home," Hatcher said. "We are excited about what's expected out of us and I'm excited about the work we've put in because I think our team has earned the right to expect to win, each and every week."
 
Be sure to get your season tickets for the 2021 Samford football season. A limited number of chairback seats remain. Season tickets are on sale now at the following link: PURCHASE TICKETS.
 
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