Special
PIGSKIN 2021 47
GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE
Shorter went 2-2 during the 2021 spring season, which has led to higher expectations heading into the fall sechedule.
Hawks looking to make noise in return to full schedule
By Michael Baron
mbaron@npco.com
The Gulf South Conference is taking
shape as a competitive group as
fall football has arrived after a oneyear
hiatus.
Since joining the Gulf South for football
back in 2012, Shorter has struggled
mightily in conference play, earning
four wins in eight years. The Hawks
are also seeking their first conference
win since 2015.
Despite that, there is plenty of optimism
within the Shorter football program,
as head coach Zach Morrison
said with a roster now full of upperclassmen
talent, victories are in sight.
“I think the family ties and the family
bonds are what’s going to make
this team successful,” Morrison said.
“I think we’re going to be the most
competitive team we’ve been in a long
time and I think we’re going to have
the opportunity to win a lot of games
this year which is exciting.”
After the fall 2020 season was officially
called off, Morrison went about scheduling
standalone opponents for a four-game,
non-conference spring schedule.
The Hawks played the most games
of any football team in the Gulf South
(four) and finished with a record of 2-2,
with victories against Erskine College
and Edward Waters (FL) and losses to
Kennesaw State and Fort Valley State.
Only two other teams in the conference
dressed for spring competition: West
Alabama and Mississippi College.
“For me, it was … we need to compete
because we’ve got to find ways
to win,” Morrison said. “We’ve got to
find victories and we need guys that
are hungry (and) that are ready to go.”
Shorter is returning almost its entire
team, including quarterback Aeneas
Dennis, who started the spring 2021
opener at Kennesaw State, but went
down with an injury during the opening
drive. Dennis will be back in the
mix for Shorter’s starting job this fall.
Elsewhere around the conference,
the West Florida Argonauts are in title
defense mode as defending champions
of NCAA D-III, achieved in late
2019. The Argonauts completed the
year 13-2 overall, ending on a sixgame
win streak.
The biggest name back for West Florida
is undoubtedly redshirt sophomore
Austin Reed. As a redshirt freshman,
Reed threw for over 4,000 yards and
was named the GSC Offensive Freshman
of the Year. In the national championship
game, he set a new NCAA
Championship single-game record
with 523 yards through the air and
tied the passing touchdown record
with six TD throws.
Shorter will also contend against
two-time defending conference and
2018 national champion Valdosta
State Blazers.
Despite losing its primary quarterback
from 2019, Rogan Wells, Valdosta
State returns junior quarterback Ivory
Durham and its top two ball carriers,
Seth McGill and Jamar Thompkins.
McGill and Thompkins near evenly
split touches, combining for 1,633
yards and 24 rushing touchdowns.
The Hawks wil l play at Valdosta
State on Oct. 2 and at West Florida
three weeks later on Oct. 23.
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