Written by Grant C Sloan
After concluding the 2009 season with a 31-52 “shootout” against Arkansas Tech, it was time for the injury-plagued Harding Bisons to take a much-needed break.
However, the job of a Division II college football coach is never finished; head coach Ronnie Huckeba wasted no time hopping on the recruiting trail for the 2010 season, which involves a thorough evaluation of each player who could potentially suit up for the Gold and Black.
“First and foremost is honoring God, we are a Christian school first,” Huckeba said. “We first find a guy that will fit that mold and then proceed from there. Next, is finding a player who is a battler, someone with a warrior mentality that is better in the fourth quarter than he is in the first. Finally we look at someone who fits our program athletically, as well as someone who has the ability to grow and mature as a player.”
The Bison head coach went on to say that the coaching staff looks at potential Division I players, since that is the caliber of competition the Bisons face. Huckeba gave the example of Terry Bowden’s program at the University of North Alabama, where Bowden helped bring in 27 Division I transfers for the 2009 season, including the leading wide receiver and starting full back at Florida State in 2008.
With completion like UNA, an even greater emphasis is placed on the Bison’s recruiting class for the 2010 season. Two notable recruits who could have a potential impact on the future of the program are Dontella Luckett and James Duke.
Luckett is a 6-1, 210-pound running back from Sandhill, Miss. Luckett rushed for 1,888 yards his senior year, with a 9.3 yard per rush average. He ran a 21.4 second 200-meter dash as a high school freshman, and was recruited by Mississippi State, Louisiana State and Southern Mississippi before agreeing to join Huckeba’s program.
According to Huckeba, James Duke is potentially the most promising athlete in what is shaping up to be a very impressive recruiting class for the Bisons. Duke is a 6-2 wide receiver who joins the team from Dallas, Texas. Duke earned player of the week honors after recording 20 tackles and a 72-yard touchdown reception in a playoff game his senior year. Duke runs a 4.5 40-yard dash and has a 40 inch vertical jump.
Perhaps one of the most important acquisitions for the 2010 season is new offensive line coach Brian Stewart. Stewart joins the Bisons after coaching at Jackson Christian in Tennessee, where he helped coached the Eagles to a state championship in 2006.
“[Stewart] is a passionate football coach and that is reflected in the way your players perform on and off the field,” Huckeba said.
The Bisons have nine returning offensivestarters and eight players starting on defense. Stewart will inherit a very young offensive line. However, four of Stewart’s returning linemen played in all 11 games for the Bisons last season.
The acquisition of Stewart couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bison. Huckeba said he hopes to implement a more “option-oriented” offensive, in hopes of placing more pressure on the defense and balancing the Bisons running attack.
The Bisons have two potential quarterbacks for next year’s team: Chaz Rogers, who threw for 431 yards last year with a 105.9 passer rating, and Kelvin Martin a 6-2, 220-pound transfer from Lambuth University.
Huckeba said that he beliebes the role of a quarterback can never be underestimated, especially a quarterback that will be running and making decisions on the field. With the ability to throw, run or pitch the football, the quarterback position could hold the key to the Bisons success in the 2010 season.
Huckeba’s Bisons will open of the 2010 season against Southern Arkansas in a non-conference game. Harding has won its last four bouts against the Muleriders, including a 26-16 victory last year.
