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Shorter Football expecting big things on National Signing Day
By Jim O'Hara
ROME – The recruiting process has been an on-going one.
It started last summer, continued through the fall, got into full swing over the past two months and has culminated with one final push over the last few days.
On Wednesday, the Shorter University football program hopes to see the fruits of its intensive recruiting labor when the traditional National Signing Day ushers in the first class of NCAA Division II recruits for the Hawks, who make their debut in the NCAA’s Gulf South Conference this fall.
“This is a very, very important group,” said Shorter head coach Phil Jones, who saw the team post the program’s fifth winning season in its seven-year history in 2011, Shorter’s final season in the NAIA. “They are our inaugural Division II group.
“We know what we have to do to be competitive in Division II, so when we started recruiting, we were generally looking for a little more size and a little more speed,” Jones added.
To be sure, the Hawks’ coaching staff has left no recruiting stone unturned, evident in the fact that during the Christmas break, the coaches spent long hours in a meeting room in the basement of the Winthrop-King Centre talking about the long list of names posted on a whiteboard.
“Everyone is involved,” said Jones.
What was blaringly evident to the coaches were some huge holes that opened on the roster due to the departure of 20 seniors, the biggest void coming along the offensive line, where six veterans including four starters have departed. The defense is also looking to sure up its ranks up front and at outside linebacker.
“We’ve got guys right now who can play Division II football,” Jones said. “We’ve just got to add to that.”
When National Signing Day commences, Shorter anticipates at least 11 of their verbal commits to sign their names on the dotted line. The Hawks expect to welcome a wide range of student-athletes from all over the Southeast – everywhere from right here in Rome and Floyd County to outlying states such as Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
“It’s going to be a good class,” said Shorter assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Tim Mathis, who noted that the recruiting process would continue after Wednesday. “We definitely are getting bigger with our recruits, especially up front on both sides of the line.”
“We want the same type of player who fits into what we do,” Jones said. “We want these players to become part of the relationships we have built as a team.
“It’s been a good recruiting year,” the coach added. “It will come down to the wire as far as how good it is.”
