ELON, N.C. -- The Elon football program made a change at the top after posting a 2-10 overall record and a 1-7 mark in its first season in the Southern Conference in 2003, bringing in Paul Hamilton to take the reins of the Phoenix program in December.
In 2004 the Phoenix looks to Hamilton and his new staff to guide the squad to an improved mark. This season’s team returns seven starters on each side of the ball, including senior center Brandon Mason (Martinsville, Va.) who was rated the fifth-best player at his position in all of I-AA football by the Sports Network. This year Elon will square off with three teams that finished 2003 ranked in the top-25: #3 Wofford, #16 North Carolina A&T and #24 Georgia Southern. Southern Conference foes Appalachian State and Furman were both receiving votes to be among the top-25 as well following last season.
Also on the slate for 2004 will be non-conference opponents Towson, Delaware State and Liberty and SoCon games with The Citadel, Chattanooga and Western Carolina.
“It’s typical of a schedule in the Southern Conference,” said Hamilton. “We will probably play five teams that will be ranked among the nation’s top-25 in the preseason.”
The Phoenix will open with two straight home contests, to which Hamilton had this to say: “We’re excited to play the first two games at home. We like the fact that we’re playing six home games. Anytime that you’re playing in your own stadium, it’s to your advantage.”
On Offense
The Elon offensive line should be much improved over last year that saw the Phoenix offense rush for 134.5 yards per game behind an inexperienced front five.
Along with Mason, the Phoenix returns junior Jesse Heller (Chapel Hill, N.C.) at left guard and sophomores Michael Patram (Wallace, N.C.) at left tackle and Marty Redden (Gibsonville, N.C.) at right guard up front. The right tackle position will go to junior Jamie Ownbey (Belton, S.C.) who transferred to Elon from East Tennessee State. Mason was Elon’s lone selection to the All-Southern Conference squad following his junior season.
Senior Craig Page (Shelby, N.C.), junior Bob Cooke (Princeton, N.C.), sophomores Michael Moody (Laurinburg, N.C.), Ruben Lawrence (Los Angeles, Calif.) and B.W. Yates (Summerville, S.C) and red-shirt freshmen Charles Hairston (Rocky Mount, Va.), Charles Porterfield (Jonesville, Va.) and Demario Reid (Farmville, N.C.) will probably all see action in the trenches in a back-up capacity.
With the loss of Rashaud Palmer, Elon’s 11th leading rusher all-time, Hamilton will turn to senior Ronnie Dargan (Jacksonville, N.C.) at fullback and junior Marcus Johnson (Hope Mills, N.C.) at halfback in 2004. Johnson finished third on the team in 2003 in rushing, carrying the ball 83 times for 255 yards and three touchdowns. Dargan garnered four carries for nine yards and one score last year.
Behind Dargan will be junior Wesley Fulmore (Hope Mills, N.C.) and red-shirt freshman Jarrett Meadors (Pembroke, N.C.). And spelling Johnson should be two young backs in red-shirt freshman Reggie Hall (Charlotte, N.C.) and true freshman Kevin Bailey (Richmond, Va.). Fulmore did not play last year due to an injury, but rushed for 83 yards and one score on 18 carries in 2002.
Junior Kyle Belkoski (Rockingham, N.C.) will look to improve on his one catch for 13 yards in 2004 as he enters the season as the number one tight end. East Tennessee State transfer Justin Cruze (Jr., Knoxville, Tenn.) and red-shirt freshman Matt Kelleher (Simpsonville, S.C.) will also see action at the tight end position.
The Phoenix should have some speed at the wide receiver positions this season with the return of sophomore Josh Crawford (Durham, N.C.), right, and the move of former quarterback Anthony Crews (So., Madison, N.C.) to the receiver position. In 2003, Crawford caught six passes for 109 yards. Senior Stan Smith (Thomasville, N.C.) returns to bolster the receiving corp after posting a team-high 21 catches and 253 receiving yards prior to being injured and missing the final four games of the season due to an injury.
Senior Derek Neal (Forrest, Va.) and sophomores Dan Brooks (Monroe, N.C.) and Casey Hall (Gretna, Va.) will all see action at wide receiver in 2004 as well. Those three combined for nine catches that went for 205 yards.
Freshman Kye Hamilton (Johnson City, Tenn.) enters the season as the number one quarterback for the Phoenix. Hamilton threw for 3,200 yards and 39 TDs as a prep at Science Hill High School. Red-shirt freshman Wes Pope (Jamestown, N.C.), who saw time in one contest last year, adds depth to the position. Rounding out the preseason depth chart at quarterback is red-shirt freshman Daniel Barrow (Goldsboro, N.C.).
On Defense
Elon’s defense also returns seven starters from last year’s squad and has been bolstered by an East Tennessee State transfer at linebacker.
Some good battles for starting jobs on the three-man front have been going on since last spring. Entering the preseason, however, juniors Mark Jetton (Charlotte, N.C.) and Emerson Fazekas (Greensburg, Pa.), left, and sophomore Hunter Jenks (Wake Forest, N.C.) held the edges at their positions. Jetton finished 2003 with 50 total tackles, including eight tackles for a loss, while Fazekas piled up 29 total stops that included one sack.
Fighting with Jetton for one defensive tackle spot are sophomore Travis Wetzel (Sarasota, Fla.) and red-shirt freshman Brock Twigg (Hagerstown, Md.). Wetzel recorded 41 total tackles, including two sacks, last season.
Behind Jenks at the other defensive tackle position are junior Mark Hatch (Charlotte, N.C.) and sophomore Seth Norton (State Road, N.C.). In 2003, Hatch tallied 39 total tackles, including four sacks and seven tackles for a loss.
Along with Fazekas at nose guard are sophomore Robbie Goins (Laurinburg, N.C.) and red-shirt freshman Michael Singleton (Wando, S.C.). Goins saw limited time in his first year with the Phoenix, but did make 17 tackles.
Starting nods at three of the four linebacker positions look to be going to senior Calvin Sutton (Grifton, N.C.) at an outside spot and junior Mike Sheley (Greensboro, N.C.), right, and sophomore East Tennessee State transfer Mike Cullen (Roswell, Ga.) inside. Sutton finished third on the squad with 77 total tackles last year. He also recorded one interception. Sheley made 25 tackles for the Phoenix last year. Cullen comes to Elon after making 122 tackles last year, second in the Southern Conference.
Senior Maurice Locklin (Hampton, Va.), sophomores Todd Lindgren (Titusville, Fla.) and Chad Nkang (Hyattsville, Md.), red-shirt freshmen John Grimsley (Lorton, Va.), Mark Ewing (Charlotte, N.C.) and Sidney Fitz-Coy (Salisbury, Md.) and true freshman Anthony Barcel (Johnson City, Tenn.) will all fight to see time at one of the linebacker positions in 2004. Lindgren comes to Elon after playing at East Tennessee State last season where he made 10 tackles.
Elon’s defensive backfield starters entering the season look to be sophomore T.J. Clegg (Graham, N.C.) and junior Jacobi Jones (Greenville, S.C.) at the two corners, junior Anthony Harris (Chesapeake, Va.) at strong safety and junior Dwayne Ijames (Winston-Salem, N.C.) at free safety.
Ijames led that group of four with 55 tackles a year ago and had a team-high four interceptions. Harris was right behind Ijames with 53 stops and Jones finished just behind them with 51 tackles. Clegg ended the year with 28 tackles and one interception.
At the corners junior Allen Little (Kinston, N.C.), red-shirt freshmen Irvin Raglin (College Park, Ga.) and Nathan Trott (Hewitt, Texas) and true freshman Stephen Gibbs (Goose Creek, S.C.) may all see action.
Senior Vincent Graves (Yanceyville, N.C.) and red-shirt freshmen Danny Boback (Fort Myers, Fla.) and Cody Scoggins (Armuchee, Ga.) will see playing time at the safety positions this fall. Last season, Graves recorded 60 total tackles, the fourth highest total on the squad.
On Special Teams
Seniors William Rawls (Swansboro, N.C.) and Anthony Turowski (Glen Alpine, N.C.) each return as the place kicker and punter, respectively. Rawls struggled from the field last season, connecting on three of his nine field goal attempts, including a long of 48 yards. Rawls was successful on 12-of-13 PATs. Turowski booted 86 punts for 3,287 yards, an average of 38.2 yards per kick. His longest punt went for 54 yards and he dropped 19 punts inside the 20.
Challenging the two this season will be freshmen Andrew Wilcox (Richmond, Va.) and Austin Toman (Greensboro, N.C.).
-- ELON --
