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2011 Furman Paladins Outlook assistant/coordinator at Vanderbilt. In entrusting Fowler with the reins of the program, Furman is banking the Paladin mentor, F with his proven commitment to intensity and fundamentals, can return the school's football for- tunes to the level it resided with solid consistency during his playing days (two championships) and tenure as a Paladin assistant coach (six championships and 1988 national crown). With 16 starters and 45 lettermen returning from a campaign that saw the Paladins lose four of their final five games to finish 5-6, thereby snapping the program's 12-season winning streak, Furman appears to sport enough experience on both sides of the football and in its special teams corps to register improvement this fall. A sixth-place Southern Conference coaches preseason tab, however, will ensure the Paladins will fly under the radar heading into the 2011 campaign. OFFENSE Last year Furman averaged 30.3 points per game, but its rushing and passing games ranked in the bottom third of the SoCon. In addition, the Paladins' average time of possession (26:41) was last in the league by two full minutes. Those numbers — and overall offensive consistency — will have to improve for Furman to make gains in the standings, but with seven returning starters that possibility exists. 2010 Rushing Offense: ......................................................................................... 151.1 (7/56) 2010 Passing Offense: .......................................................................................... 170.4 (6/79) 2010 Passing Efficiency Offense: ........................................................................ 127.63 (5/49) 2010 Sacks Allowed: ............................................................................................... 2.27 (8/76) 2010 Total Offense: ............................................................................................... 321.5 (7/85) 2010 Scoring Offense: ............................................................................................ 30.3 (4/25) (Southern Conference Rank/National Rank) OFFENSIVE LINE One of the biggest keys to Furman's season rests with its offensive line, where three starters return but depth is lacking at every position. The unit's strength resides at the two tackle slots with a pair of preseason All-Southern Confer- ence performers, including Dakota Dozier (6-4, 291, So.) and Ryan Lee (6-4, 295, Sr.), who in ability terms rank among the most talented duos the Paladins have fielded in years. A year ago Dozier registered 11 starts and 606 snaps at left tackle while Lee started in six contests, including five at left guard, following a 2009 campaign that saw him tally 11 starts at tackle. This fall Lee will make the move back to tackle. The other returning starter is center Daniel Spisak (6-1, 282, Sr.), Furman's most experienced lineman with 1,316 snaps and 22 starts over the last two seasons. The two guard positions must be filled, and among the leading contenders are Jordan Eshelman (6-1, 275, Sr.) and Ryan Storms (6-2, 257, So.). Eshleman has limited playing time but used a solid spring to improve his candidacy, most likely at left guard. Storms, meanwhile, registered starts at guard in 2010 against 13th-ranked South Carolina, Samford, and Chattanooga before injuries forced him to the sideline. Off-season surgery kept him out of spring practice, but he appears set to return to the field. Backups competing for a role include Will White (6-1, 260, Jr.) at guard, Charles Emert (6-2, 254, R-Fr.) at center, and Grayson Weber (6-4, 273, R-Fr.) at tackle, with only White owning any game experience. TIGHT END The return of Colin Anderson (6-4, 231, Jr.) at tight end is a major plus for the Paladins. A preseason All-SoCon choice by league head coaches, he caught 16 passes for 242 yards and three touchdowns a year ago, including a pair of scoring grabs versus Chattanooga. Anderson will be backed up by Phillip Silverstein (6-5, 242, Jr.), who has an opportunity to secure a key role in the Paladin offense this fall. WIDE RECEIVERS Preseason All-SoCon tight end Colin Anderson caught three touchdown passes in 2010. 4 Furman's biggest loss to graduation came in its receiving corps in the person Southern Conference Champion — 1978, '80, 81, '82, '83, '85, '88, '89, '90, '99, '01, '04 urman football entered a new era last December with the hiring of new head coach Bruce Fowler, a former Paladin defensive back and 1981 graduate of the university who worked 18 years as a Paladin assistant coach before spending the past nine seasons as a defensive of Adam Mims (55 rec., 724 yds., 5 TDs in '10), a two-time All-SoCon performer who finished his career as the program's all-time leading receiver before signing a free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Mims' departure is significant, a solid group of proven wideouts return, including the trio of Tyler Maples (6- 1, 192, Sr.), Sederrik Cunningham (5-11, 188, Sr.), and David Hendrix (6-4, 213, Sr.), who have combined for 196 receptions, 2,343 yards, and six touchdowns in their careers. Maples has registered six touchdown catches in his two seasons with the Paladins and capped a solid spring practice with a pair of 15-yard scoring grabs in the squad's final scrimmage. With 78 career receptions the ver- satile Cunningham is poised to crack Furman's Top 20 receptions ledger, which already includes Hendrix with 81 catches. There is experienced depth in the receiving corps, including Darren McFadden (6-2, 186, Jr.), Will King (6-0, 179, Jr.), and Ryan Culbreath (6-4, 215, So.). In addition, Kevin Allman (6-3, 200, So.) and highly regarded Gary Robinson (6-0, 190, R-Fr.) are expected to compete for slots in the rotation. Sederrik Cunningham is poised to crack Fur- man's Top 20 receptions ledger. QUARTERBACKS The graduation of Cody Worley has paved the way for a new signal caller this fall, and the leading candidate heading into the preseason is Dakota Derrick (6-4, 210, Jr.), with Chris Forcier (6-3, 215, Sr.) expected to push for playing time. Derrick registered promising play in six appearances a year ago, which included two starts. In a 31-17 victory over Western Carolina, he completed 12-of-23 passes for 122 yards and two scores while also rushing 12 times for 71 yards. Forcier, meanwhile, reeled off an 85-yard scoring run in the Paladins' 2010 season opening 45-15 rout of Colgate but saw his season cut short the next week after suffering a shoulder fracture versus South Caro- lina. He missed spring practice due to rehabilitation but is ready to go entering preseason practice. RUNNING BACKS Furman's backfield should be a strength despite the graduation of solid four-year letterman Mike Brown (1,538 career rushing yards). Headlining the cast of returnees is Dakota Derrick appears set to assume Furman's signal calling duties this fall. Tersoo Uhaa (5-8, 206, Jr.), a rugged, hard-nosed runner who has rushed for 1,280 yards and registered 28 rushing touchdowns during his Paladin tenure. Uhaa's 2010 campaign got off to a fast start with a career best 125-yard rush- ing performance in a win over Colgate and a 72-yard touchdown pass the next week against South Carolina; however, he missed four mid-season games due to a kidney infection. Jerodis Williams (5-11, 195, Jr.) joins Uhaa in giving the Paladins another proven running back. An instinctive, versatile performer, he led Furman in rushing a year ago and stands to flourish the most with a renewed emphasis on the ground game this fall. Poised to make a splash is highly regarded Hank McCloud (5-8, 184, R-Fr.), who also boasts impressive running instincts, cutting ability, and top end speed.