Pioneers get season started in Louisiana

If the Wayland Baptist football team is going to repeat or improve on last season's 7-3 record, one thing is clear: The Pioneers are going to have to win a few road games.
 
With six road – including three straight to open the season – and only four home dates on their schedule, the Pioneers realize much of their success in 2017 depends on how they fare after stepping off a bus. Stop number one is Pineville, La., where on Saturday evening Wayland opens its season by taking on Louisiana College.
 
"We have to learn to play on the road, and this will give us an opening sample of that," Wayland coach Butch Henderson said. "We need to make sure we know how to handle the travel."
 
Henderson and the Pioneers begin their sixth season since the program was rebooted in 2012 when they take on the Wildcats. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. with coverage available on www.wbuathletics.com. Locally, the game can be heard on 1090-AM with Danny Andrews providing play-by-play.
 
It will be the first-ever meeting between Wayland and Louisiana College, an NCAA Division III member of the American Southwest Conference alongside Howard Payne, Sul Ross State, McMurry and Hardin-Simmons, all former WBU opponents. The Wildcats, who will travel to Plainview next season, are coming off back-to-back losing seasons after a run of seven consecutive winning campaigns.
 
Following last year's 4-6 effort, Louisiana College promoted defensive coordinator Justin Charles, a former all-American with the Wildcats who has been on the coaching staff there the past 11 years, to head coach.  
 
Henderson said Charles has a promising-looking roster.
 
"They're a senior-laden ball club. Most all of their starters are seniors and the back-ups are juniors. They've had those guys in their system for a while," Henderson said.
 
In addition to experience, the Wildcats also have good size and speed.
 
"Their linemen are big and they have speedy receivers and speed in the secondary," Henderson said.
 
The Wildcats start 2017 with a new quarterback directing their offense in junior D'Dondre Joseph, who saw limited playing time last year behind senior Easton Melancon, who threw for 3,000-plus yards and 30 touchdowns. A third of those passing yards went to current senior Shedrick Davis, who caught 78 passes for 1,078 yards with 13 TDs.
 
"They have a quarterback who can throw, but they're heavy run-oriented like most of the (teams) in that league are," Henderson said. "They'll run out of spread sets, so you have to respect the pass."
 
The Wildcats operate out of a 4-2-5 defense overseen by Charles, the defensive coordinator-turned-head coach. Two of the team's top three tacklers last year return in free safety Josh Pickett and linebacker Orel Ledet, who totaled close to 70 tackles apiece.
 
As for the Pioneers, who brought back seven starters on offense and four on defense from a year ago, Henderson feels good about where his team is going into the season.
 
"We're really healthy and I feel good about things heading in. We had a great set of two-a-days and the kids' retention has been good. Our freshman class has been very strong, and some of those guys have been able to move into back-up roles."
 
While Wayland will miss graduated two-time all-American linebacker Alden Mann, one of the top tacklers in the NAIA, and last year's NAIA interceptions leader Travis White, along with others, Henderson said the Pioneers have been impressive in practice and could surprise people, especially on defense where the roster has shifted a bit. About to be three-year starter Zac Hollingsworth has moved from middle linebacker to Mann's former spot on the weak side, while sophomores Weston McIntire and Nico Pierson have taken over in the middle and strong side, respectively.
 
Another position shift comes for senior Brian Johnson, who drifted from cornerback to free safety. He's joined in the secondary by sophomore strong safety Dallas Cervantes and cornerbacks Isaiah Levert and Richard Parham II.
 
"Brian is getting the defensive backs ready to play, and (defensive tackles) Denzel Bradford (6-2, 314, Sr.) and JaQuavious Dean (6-1, 260, So.) are both really playing well right now," Henderson said.
 
Completing the Pioneers' defensive front are junior ends Alejandro Orozco (6-3, 255) and Jonathan Akers (6-0, 230).
 
The Pioneers' hurry-up, spread offense once again will be directed by junior Mitchell Parsley, who took over at quarterback in the Pioneers' second game last season and went on to earn second-team All-CSFL honors by finishing sixth in the NAIA in total yards a game (309) and 12^th in passing yards a game (278), along with a school-record 22 touchdowns.

Parsley won't have two of his top receivers from last season, graduated Trey Rowe or Preston Woodard, out with a back injury. Starting the season at receiver are junior Devonte Hayden, who last year caught 21 passes for 429 yards and five TDs, senior Jeremiah Eaton and, in the slot, sophomore Malik Sims. Junior Caleb O'Connor, also the team's punter, has moved into the starting tight end position.

Joining Parsley in the backfield are sophomores Jerrell Peterson and DeSean Johnson. As freshmen in 2016 Peterson ran for 613 yards and four scores, while Johnson gained 730 yards and eight TDs.

Back to anchor the offensive front is junior center Keaton Vawter (6-5, 310), an All-CSFL honorable mention pick. He's joined by veteran junior right tackle Kyle Rickman (6-3, 270) along with junior right guard Eric Lunsford (6-3, 315) and junior left tackle Jaxon Williams (6-4, 285). Yet another junior, Darian Flores (6-2, 305), gets the starting nod at left guard.

"We just need to go in there and do what we do offensively and defensively as we merge and find our personality," Henderson said. "We need to play hard and make plays."