Football begins renewed season against Mesa
After the fall season faced an initial postponement to the spring, Chadron State’s football team begins its condensed six-game schedule against Colorado Mesa, Saturday, in Grand Junction, Colorado.
The pandemic surrounding COVID-19 caused interruptions in the team’s fall training camp originally scheduled for Aug. 20, but instead, the Eagles began practicing in early September.
“With the schedule being changed, we’ve had to do everything different for the first time in my career and the first time as a coach, there was no fall camp,” Head Football Coach Jay Long said. “In fall camp, you teach your team about the culture, you teach the young players about the way we play, what our team and program is all about, and we weren’t able to do that this fall.”
CSC’s offense returns Quarterback Dalton Holst, senior of Gillette, Wyoming, a 2019 Harlon Hill nominee who led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with 3,119 yards and 33 touchdowns through the air last season. However, Holst will be without three of his four top targets from 2019 following the graduation of receivers Jackson Dickerson, Brandon Fullerton and Tevon Wright, who all combined for 113 receptions for 1,818 yards and 24 receiving touchdowns in 2019.
Bringing a veteran presence to the Eagles’ receiving room is senior Cole Thurness, of Rapid City, South Dakota, who caught 65 passes for 827 yards and eight touchdowns along with a 42-yard punt return for a touchdown in 2019. Chad Mikelson, junior of Julesburg, Colorado, is expected start alongside Thurness.
“Chad Mikelson has got a lot of experience and is going into his junior year,” Long said. “It is his time to take his next steps.”
CSC’s backfield will see new faces carry the rock against the Mavericks as Elijah Myles, junior of Hawthorne, California, opted out of the fall season due to the pandemic. Entering his second season with the Eagles, sophomore Justin Cauley, of Inglewood, California, and UCLA transfer Jalen Starks, junior of Van Nuys, California, are set to see time in a backfield rotation, according to Long.
For the first time in two years, CSC’s offensive line welcomes back most of its starters, with the exception of Jake Norris, senior of Fort Morgan, Colorado, who is set to start at right guard after nursing an ankle injury in 2019 which led to Michael Decamillis, sophomore of Broomfield, Colorado, playing center. Now healed, Norris is ready for competition.
“I had the mindset as soon as the offseason hit that I’m earning my spot back, nothing was given, I knew I had to go back and earn it, I’m excited to get back into the swing of things,” Norris said. “Going in with being a starter, along with the other starters, we’re representing Chadron State, whether we are playing at home or going on the road. Chadron State, especially the offensive line, is known as a tough, physical, smart football team.”
The defense returns Travis Wilson, senior linebacker of Fresno, California, who led the RMAC with 64 solo and 124 total tackles.
Returning to the Eagles’ secondary is sophomore Cole Condon, of Temecula, California, who played last season as a box-safety and notched two interceptions, one of which was returned 88 yards for a touchdown.
In preparation for Colorado Mesa on Saturday, Long says the team needs to execute its game plan along with dominating on special teams against a team with a new coaching staff.
“We really got to focus on dominating on special teams also,” He said. “When you look at all the games that you’ve seen so far, special teams are always a huge factor early on in the season.”