eTearsheet - Kentucky Press Association

FRIDAY,AUGUST 17, 2012 MADISON COUNTY FOOTBALL PREVIEWRichmond Register 7COLONELSContinued from page 6The Colonel offense really found arhythm when Denham took over asthe starting running back five gamesinto the season. The senior finishedthe year with 1,570 yards and rankedthird nationally among FCS playersat 130.8 yards a game.“He kind of came out of nowhere,”EKU senior offensive lineman AaronAdams said of Denham. “Matt burstonto the scene against EasternIllinois and he just broke out. He reallyknows how to run power. He reallyunderstands the scheme we like torun.”Denham will once again be thefocus of the Colonels’ run-orientedattack, but he’s not the team’s onlyoffensive weapon.Senior Tyrone Goard had 39catches last season and led the OVCwith 11 receiving touchdowns. SeniorCameron Bailey had 29 catches for370 yards last season and 6-foot-7junior tight end Matt Lengel had 14catches and two touchdowns.Quarterback T.J. Pryor has startedalmost every game for the past threeseasons, but the senior is getting abattle from sophomore JaredMcClain. Pryor ranks second all-timeat EKU with 5,371 passing yards andis on pace to break almost everymajor offensive mark in the school’srecord book.McClain saw action in six gameslast season and started the seasonopenerat Kansas State.“I think the guys are all in,” Hoodsaid of McClain and Pryor. “Theycare about each other and competitionis good. Even though they are allin and they care about each other,they want that job.”The offensive line returns fourstarters — Adams, Ford, JustinMeredith and center O.J. Enabosi —but the unit was still hit hard bygraduation.“We lost four offensive linementhat had about 30 starts betweenthem,” Hood said. “We lost somedepth and we need to get some newguys to step up.”Five transfers have been broughtEASTERN KENTUCKYEKU ColonelsSep. 1 @ Purdue 3:30 p.m.Sept. 8 Morehead St. 6 p.m.Sep. 15 @ C. Carolina 6 p.m.Sep. 22 Jacksonville St. 6 p.m.Sep. 29 @ UT Martin 2 p.m.Oct. 6 @ Tennessee St. 2 p.m.Oct. 13 Austin Peay 3 p.m.Oct. 20 @ Tenn. Tech 8 p.m.Oct. 27 Eastern Illinois 1 p.m.Nov. 3 @ SEMO 2 p.m.Nov. 10 Murray State 1 p.m.in to fill those gaps, including TravonCarter (junior left guard from TrinityValley Community College).There are definitely more questionsmarks on the other side of theball.Even though the Colonels bringback seven starters on defense, theylost some experienced, talentedleaders.Gone are tackle Emory Attig, linebackerTyson Patrick, safety PatrickMcClellan and defensive back/kickreturner Jeremy Caldwell.“Guys have stepped up and thenew guys have helped us,” Hood saidof the defense.Brown has moved from defensiveend to linebacker, joining a groupthat includes returning startersIchiro Vance and Kevin Hamlin.Seniors Bell and Brooklyn Fox(safety) are both back to anchor asecondary that features most underclassmen.Defensive linemen ShawnShuppard (junior), David Carter(junior) and Robert Knowles (senior)all saw action in every game last seasonand were among the team leadersin tackles-for-loss.Caldwell was a four-year starterand an impact player on bothdefense and special teams. Bell, aFirst-Team All-OVC corner lastseason, has the same play-makingabilities in both roles and will likely handlemost of the punt and kick return duties thisseason.“Jeremy had so many problems withinjuries, so he was never a consistent playerfor us,” Hood said. “That didn’t hurt uson special teams. Some guys will have tostep up, but we will be better from thestandpoint of consistency.”Berry, a native of Australia, was a First-REGISTER FILE PHOTOEKU senior TyroneGoard catches atouchdown passduring a game lastseason at MurrayState.Team All-OVC selection last season afteraveraging 41 yards a punt.With so much talent and experience onthe roster, it wasn’t shocking that EKUreceived 12 of 18 first-place votes in thePreseason OVC Poll.Still, the Colonels have much greaterexpectations.“We are going into the season expectingto win (playoff games),” Adams said.