Football Preview 2018

Bethany Seeks Rebound

BETHANY — For the third straight season, the Bethany College football team entered the offseason with victories in its final two contests. Unfortunately, though, the Bison dropped their first eight games before wins over Grove City and Saint Vincent in the final two weeks. The Bison are under the direction of sixth-year head coach Bill Garvey and are looking to trend back toward 2014 season when they earned an Eastern College Athletic Conference postseason bowl berth. They open Sept. 1 against Ursinus. QUARTERBACK It would appear on paper that junior Carlin Bason is the ...

Heisman: Can Brown Repeat Mayfield’s Path?

By JOE REEDY Associated Press Washington’s Jake Browning is hoping to repeat what Baker Mayfield did last year. Mayfield was a Heisman Trophy longshot in the preseason, but ended up winning the award while leading Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff for the second time in three years. Browning was sixth in the Heisman voting two years ago after leading the Huskies to the Pac-12 title and the playoff, where they lost to Alabama in the semifinals. His productivity declined last year though as his touchdowns fell from 43 to 19. Washington was 10-3 last season, but is the ...

Mountain West: Boise Leads Way in Year No. 20

By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer DENVER — Boise State could very well make this a memorable 20th season for the Mountain West Conference. Extremely memorable, perhaps. Because if things go just right and break just so, the Broncos may be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff. That’s big preseason talk, but not out of the realm of feasibility given the return of seasoned quarterback Brett Rypien, a stalwart offensive line and a formidable defense. The strength of schedule is favorable as well, with games at Troy and Oklahoma State. They look like a major contender ...

Filberto, Weir Expecting Big Things This Year

By RALPH COX WEIRTON — With a wealth of experience, some outstanding underclassmen and three top transfers, Weir could be in for a very exciting 2018 campaign. Veteran Red Riders coach Tony Filberto already has a strong group returning from the 7-4 playoff season of a year ago, and it only got stronger. The leading ground gainer in West Virginia last year and one of his top blockers decided to transfer across town from Madonna, and the family of one of the top linebackers in the state moved from Brooke County to Hancock. Donavan Kirby, who rang up a Madonna record and ...

Indian Creek Poised for Even Further Success

By BUBBA KAPRAL WINTERSVILLE — Finishing. That is the focus for Indian Creek this fall. The Redskins ended 2017 with a deceptive 6-4 mark. Three of those losses were by six points or less while a fourth setback saw the outcome still up for grabs in the fourth quarter. With that being the case, Andrew Connor, in his 16th year at the Creek helm, dedicated the offseason to eliminating that issue. “We lost all four games in the fourth quarter. We had a chance to win all those games,” Connor said. “Our effort and enthusisam was good last year. We just didn’t close out ...

Hornets Look to Rebuild On, Off Football Field

By CODY TOMER HUNDRED — Hundred’s 2017 season was a tough one to bear. As flood waters washed through the town, the field, locker rooms and jerseys were left in ruin, helping to lead to an 0-10 record that was hard to avoid under the circumstances. Now it’s a new year and Hundred is back on the field focusing on one thing — football. “The field is back up and running,” Hornets coach Shayne Minor said. “It took a lot of money from our program but the locker rooms and all of our gear has been replaced after the flood. “We have regrouped and we have some new ...