Football Preview: Indians look to continue to build on success in 2016

ICC looks to continue to build on success in 2016
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com

FULTON, MS – The ICC football team will look to build on the successes of the 2015 season in hopes for continued success in the upcoming 2016 season.

Coming off a 6-4 season and a playoff appearance, one of the most experienced positions on offense for the Indians will be at running back.

Sophomore Octavious Matthews (Stevenson, AL) led the team last season with 808 yards and four touchdowns on 94 carries. The Auburn commit also hauled in 13 passes for 147 yards and two more scores with 111 yards on three kickoff returns to total 1,066 all-purpose yards. Also seeing playing time last season was Kadarius Forside (West Point), who rushed for 356 yards and seven touchdowns on 88 carries. Roger Thomas (West Point) and Tavonta Hadley (Tupelo) are expected to contribute this season.

The Indians will be tasked with replacing Southern Miss signee Kwadra Griggs (Greenwood) at quarterback. Griggs passed for 2,138 yards and 18 touchdowns with nine interceptions on 199-of-333 passing in his final season in Fulton.

Sophomore Rip Kirk (Batesville) brings back the most experience from last season after completing 7-of-13 passing for 127 yards and one interception. Former Washington State QB Peyton Bender (Fort Lauderdale, FL) transferred to ICC during the summer. Bender completed 53-of-91 passes for 498 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions in five games for the Cougars last season. Freshmen Dan Ellington (Olive Branch) and Montario Montgomery (Starkville) have both impressed the coaches during the fall camp and give the Indians additional depth at quarterback.

Kirk will also double as the Indians' punter this season.

Isaiah Howard (Ripley) and Dorian Gaston (Ripley) are the top returning wide receivers from last season. Howard caught 23 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Gaston added 19 receptions for 231 yards and two scores. Dontavis Bruce (Olive Branch), Jawanz Frazier (Clarksdale), Christian Saulsberry (Southaven), Chris Long (Nettleton), Kam Coleman (Horn Lake) Cedric Bradford (Northridge, AL), and Terry Williams (Southaven) are expected to be in the mix of speedy and physical targets this season.

Sophomores DqMarcus Shaw (Batesville), Jadarius Little (Horn Lake), Brennon McCormick (Olive Branch), Centerio Jones (Horn Lake), and Abraham Austin (Olive Branch) will return to anchor the Indians offensive line. Freshmen Aaron Sholar (Olive Branch), Jarvis Smithey (Tupelo), Dallas Danner (Rosa Fort), Jalyn Galmore (Batesville), and Preston Haynes (Olive Branch) will push for playing time and give ICC much-needed depth across the line.

Defensively, ICC will look to replace 15 of its top tacklers from last season.

Sophomore defensive tackle Lee Autry (Albermarle, NC) and defensive end Kenney Wooten (Meridian) will take on a large part of the defensive leadership responsibilities this season. Autry, a Mississippi State commit, returns with 21 tackles, a half sack, 2.5 tackles for loss and two pass deflections. Wooten, an Arkansas State commit, recorded 18 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Freshmen Jacquez Neilson (Oxford), Malek Steele (Gordo, AL), D'Angelo Jones (Gordo, AL), Tyree Bryant (Southaven), and Travis Sailo (Sipsy Valley, AL) will add to the talented defensive front for the Indians.

The linebackers will be anchored by sophomore Tyler Logan (West Point) and freshman Tay Carothers (Aberdeen). Logan recorded 17 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss in a back-up role as a freshman. Daniel Freppon (Fulton) Kamdon Edwards (Batesville), Jarvis Hayes (Slocumb, AL), Que Lott (Grenada), Cody Shelton (Ripley), Stone Parrish (Senatobia), and Daylon Fox (Southaven) are all expected to contribute this season.

Sophomore Deon Knox (Grenada) mixed with the addition of highly-coveted incoming freshman Donald Twilley (Batesville) will highlight the Indians' youthful secondary. David Little (Saltillo), Kemon Hall (Calhoun City), Quinshay Heard (Hamilton), Devan Hollins (Southaven), Kevonte Marble (Houston), and BJ Williams (Aberdeen) will also see plenty of opportunities to makes plays for the Indians' defense.

Zach Ellis (Tupelo) returns as the team's place kicker. Last season, he made 6-of-10 field goals with a long of 27 yards while connecting on 37-of-38 extra point attempts. Matthew Stewart (Kossuth) returns as the long snapper this season. 

ICC will be tested early and often this season with three of its first five games on the road against No. 19 Hinds Community College (Sept 8), defending national champion No. 10 Northwest Mississippi Community College (Sept 15) and Pearl River Community College (Sept 29) while hosting No. 4 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (Sept 1) and No. 1 East Mississippi Community College (Sept 22).

The only other home games for the Indians will be Homecoming against Mississippi Delta Community College (Oct 22) and Coahoma Community College (Oct 13). Other road games for ICC include Northeast Mississippi Community College (Oct 6) and Holmes Community College (Oct 29).

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