Furman is set to open their Football season against an opponent from right down the road. The Paladins play host to cross-county, D-II opponent North Greenville University, Thursday night.
Furman was a game over .500 overall last season and 4-4 in SoCon play. They look to build on that this year, as the Paladins were picked to finish 4th in the Preseason by the media and coaches in the Southern Conference.
Furman was inconsistent last year offensively, mostly due to struggles in the passing game. The Paladins biggest question coming in is at the Quarterback spot. However, it is expected that Jace Wilson will have improved results this season, after being thrust into that spot as a true freshman last year.
The O-line brings back a pair of 1st Team Pre-Season All SoCon selections in Anderson Tomlin and Pearson Toomey. The Paladins have experience and size across the front five. Which should help the QB play, as the "hogs" up front are now a year older, presumably stronger and have continuity from playing together. That should also pay dividends in the run game, as RB Dominic Roberto takes over as the featured back after averaging 7 yards per tote, last season. TE Ryan Miller was a 1st team All SoCon selection in the preseason and is likely to be Wilson's top target.
The defense is expected by many to be among the tops in the SoCon. The Paladins bring back plenty of experience and talent on that side of the ball. The Secondary is probably the most talented laden unit on Furman's squad. It's led by veteran Corner Travis Blackshear, who is a possible late round NFL draft selection in 2023.
I had Furman Play-By-Play Voice Dan Scott on my show "The Saturday Morning Scramble" on the Fan Upstate back a couple of weeks ago, for a preseason preview of the Paladins. You can hear that full interview below. Catch Furman's opener vs NGU, set for a 7 PM kickoff Thursday. The Paladins play all season long, starting Thursday on The Fan Upstate.
