CHARLESTON, S.C. – The much-anticipated 2017 season kicks off on Saturday night as The Cita-del Bulldogs open with a visit from in-state foe Newberry. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
 
Time/Date: 6 p.m. – Sept. 2, 2017
Site: Johnson Hagood Stadium
TV: ESPN3/MyTV Charleston (Digital Channels)
WFXB – MYRTLE BEACH SC  .2 channel
WCIV MYTV – CHARLESTON SC (.2 or .3 digital channel)
WYFF GREENVILLE SPART SC .2 channel
WITN – GREENVILLE NC .2 MyTV
WILM – WILMINGTON, NC
COX SPORTS Television 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM CDT
TUFF TV Charlotte, NC  – WHEH-LD 41.4
Atlanta – WDWW 28.7 Over the Air Only
Radio: Mike Legg (PxP & Lee Glaze (Color)
Charleston -  WQNT (92.1-FM/102.1-FM/1450-AM)
Columbia - WQXL (100.7-FM/1470-AM)
Greenville/Spartanburg - WLFJ (92.9-FM/660-AM)
Sumter - WDXY (105.9-FM/1240-AM)
 
The Bulldogs begin defense of their back-to-back Southern Conference titles later this month when they open league play at ETSU, but face two tough tests in home contests to open the season. No matter who The Citadel plays on Saturday, the general feeling after a long camp is "it's finally time to hit someone in a different uniform."
 
"We're ready," Citadel head coach Brent Thompson said on Thursday. "It's been a long camp. We're ready to play a game and hit someone other than each other. Camp has been good. We've backed off the last 10 days to try and get fresh for Saturday night. A few small injuries, but overall healthy and ready to go."
 
Both The Citadel and Newberry won 10 games last season. The Bulldogs put together a historic -0 run in SoCon play to finish 10-2 and reach the FCS Playoffs. They enter the season having been ranked for 20 consecutive weeks. Newberry (D-II) was perfect in South Atlantic Conference play and lost its first playoff game.
 
The Bulldogs lost a number of key pieces from last season's team including running back Tyler Renew to the NFL and a handful of key seniors, but the returning veterans/starters are in key spots.
 
Quarterback Dom Allen (16-6) as a starter, running back Cam Jackson (1,948 career rushing yards, and the other quarterback in the flexbone, center Tyler Davis (12 starts at two positions in '16) all return after big junior seasons. Defensively, defensive back Kailik Williams, the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, linebacker Myles Pierce, nose tackle Ken Allen, and defensive tackle Jonathan King are all preseason All-SoCon selections from a defense that was among the league leaders in third-down defense (1^st) and total defense (3^rd).
 
"We don't return a wealth of experience, but we do return proven guys in key spots," Thomson said. "Dom and Tyler have played quite a bit of football in probably the two key positions in our offense. Those guys like Kailik and Myles, they're playmakers on a defense that has been tough in fall camp."
 
OFFENSE
Allen and sophomore Jordan Black will both play at quarterback, but Allen is the clear-cut starter. Allen accounted for over 1,300 yards of offense and has goals of a 1,000-1,000 season in '17, but his job is to get the flexbone running downhill.
 
The Bulldogs will start some youth on the offensive line, but Drew McIntyre started four games last season and Davis started all 12 games last season.
 
"Tyler Davis can basically tell the rookies what to do play-by-play, which is huge for us," Offensive Coordinator Lou Conte added. "Dom is one of the few QB's that can tell the guards what their job is. He knows every player's responsibility, so he is a huge help back there and he isn't ever going to put them in a bad spot."
 
A-Back will be a strength of an offense that led the FCS – and all of college football – in rushing offense last season. Jackson is a senior who will finish in the top 10 all-time in career rushing yards at The Citadel. His 8.0 yards per carry is the highest in program history.
 
Junior Rod Johnson also returns. He had five touchdowns and over 300 yards last season. Grant Drakeford, Jalen Lampkin, and Keyonte Sessions will all vie for playing time at one of te Bulldogs' deepest positions.
 
The Bulldogs have to replace now-Atlanta Falcon Renew at B-back and will do so with three talented, but young backs. Brandon Rainey, Lorenzo Ward, and Brandon Rainey have all shown flashes and growing pains during camp. 
 
"You won't replace a 1,000-yard rusher," Conte added. "We have a lot of youth and all three newcomers are promising. All three really bring something to the table. We should be strong with Cam at A-back. He is the best one I've seen in my 13 years in this offense at that position."
 
A group of big and explosive wide outs, led by Josh LeBlanc who has had a good camp, and Raleigh Webb, a physical freshman, and Curt Nixon a converted defensive back.
 
DEFENSE
 
The foundation was there in 2016 for the Bulldog defense. Solid across the board including third in the SoCon in scoring defense (20.5 ppg.) and rushing defense (133.1 ypg). 2017 is about building on last year's success and becoming the league's top unit. The Citadel led the league in third-down conversions last season, which pairs perfectly with a clock-eating offense.
 
"We want to improve on last year and keep the consistency in third down situations," Defensive Coordinator Blake Harrell said. "We need to create more turnovers by pressuring the QB and not give up as many big plays this year. Our focus is about us, just doing a better job of doing the fundamentals and technique, and let's see if we can be the best defense in the nation.
 
Success starts up front where Ken Allen, Jonathan King, Joseph Randolph, Ja'Lon Williams, and will be the first four. Allen and King started every game last season.
 
The linebackers are keyed by Pierce, who started every game last season. All-SoCon performers Tevin Floyd and Joe Crochet are gone. Athletic junior Noah Dawkins and Tre'Von White, along with hybrid Quinlan Washington, who made eight starts in '16 will see significant snaps. UConn transfer and Goose Creek native Jalen Stevens is another key piece at linebacker along with Russell Hubbs. 
 
"Miles is a year into it and is playing fast with good instincts with the ball; he's a physical and smart kid," Harrell said of Pierce. "He was a starter all last year and that will help us. Now he is a full-time player for the second year in a row and a leader out there."
 
Williams and senior Ben Roberts will anchor a veteran secondary. Roberts started every game at corner last season and had 34 tackles and six pass break ups. Williams led the Bulldogs with 103 tackles. Aaron Spann III, Tyus Carter, and Shy Phillips will all play significant snaps. All are upperclassmen with game experience, making the defensive backfield one of the Bulldogs' most experienced spots.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
Bulldog special teams return kick returner Quinlan Washington to spark the return game. He is fourth in Citadel history with a 23.8 career kick return average. Curt Nixon will take punts to open the season, the converted defensive back to wideout has been explosive with the ball in his hands in camp.
 
"Q will be consistent and reliable, he also gives us a shot at a big play every time he touches it," Special teams Coordinator J.P. Gunter said. "Curt was a huge asset on special teams last year. He wasn't the returner, but he understands the whole return scheme, he is sure-handed, and shows confidence back there."
 
Sophomore Jacob Godek will replace All-SoCon kicker Cody Clark, who connected on 13 field goals last season. Godek has a big leg and handled kickoff duties last season. He had 21 touchbacks on 62 kickoffs. Freshman Noah Cannon will take over as punter.
 
"We are young, but the nice thing that we did last year is that Jacob Godek handled all of our kickoffs," Gunter added. "With that he has had 60-plus reps last year, so he won't be kicking in his first ever collegiate game which is nice. Noah Cannon is a strong leg that we've had on campus quite a bit. He showed up this summer and handled all our punting duties well.
 
-CitadelSports-