It’s that time of year again, when all the Bison football players have finished fall camp and are looking forward to the regular season.
The Bisons finished in the top half of their division in 2012, and expectations are only rising for head football coach Ronnie Huckeba‘s offense.
The Bisons switched to the triple option offense in 2010, bringing coach Kenny Wheaton, triple option specialist, along to help with the transition.
“Our expectations have risen with it now being our fourth year running the triple option,” Huckeba said. “I think our experience gives us an advantage to play sound fundamental football.”
The Bisons’ new starting quarterback senior Keenan Kellett has practiced this offense since his freshman year back in 2010.
“This is Keenan’s seventh semester now running the triple,” Huckeba said. “We’re confident he can make the reads necessary to be successful.”
Huckeba said Kellett is the best all around triple option quarterback they‘ve seen over the last four years, and has the opportunity to go out as one of the best to have played quarterback for the Bisons.
Senior wide receiver Alex Finley said this offense has greatly improved since his freshman year.
“This offense requires detailed techniques for various assignments throughout a given game,” Finley said. “It takes some in-game experience to really get the feel for what you’re doing out there on the field.”
Huckeba said that although the team looks very new on paper, they substitute many players into one ball game and retained many of their players on defense.
Huckeba said transfer junior Devon Carter among others will play a key role in this year’s defense.
The Bisons still have veteran leadership on the defensive side of the ball. Senior linebacker Erik Ragsdale is one of those veterans on the Bisons’ defense.
Ragsdale said he is looking forward to making the most out of his last year playing for the Bisons.
“My expectations are to be a leader on and off the field,” Ragsdale said. “I want to be an accountable teammate that plays every down like it’s my last.”
According to Huckeba, the Bisons have a good depth at key positions this year.
“We have good depth on defense followed with great detail, which carries over to the success of our special teams,” Huckeba said.
The Bisons finished 9-2 last year, tying the 1992 team for best record since 1972.
The preseason GAC poll rankings has Harding finishing third behind Henderson State University and Southern Arkansas University. SAU was the team Harding beat last year on a last second field goal by junior John Gay.
The rankings are not really on the minds of the coaching staff at Harding.
“I don’t really pay much attention to those rankings,” Huckeba said. “They’re based on who is coming back for what team, rather than the depth of a team.”
The Bisons end fall camp and start preparing for week one against Southwest Oklahoma State University on Sept. 5 in Weatherford, Okla.
