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Nelson Brown is back in the lineup after leading Lenoir-Rhyne University in rushing last season./LRU PHOTO
LENOIR-RHYNE SCHEDULE
Aug. 31, 7 p.m.: West Alabama
Sept. 9, 7 p.m.: N. Greenville, S.C.
Sept. 16, 1 p.m.: at MARS HILL
Sept. 23, 7 p.m.: WINGATE
Sept. 30, 6 p.m.: at TUSCULUM
Oct. 7, 2 p.m.: NEWBERRY, S.C. (homecoming)
Oct. 14, 6 p.m.: at LIMESTONE
Oct. 28, 4 p.m.: at UNC PEMBROKE
Nov. 4, 2 p.m.: CARSON-NEWMAN (Senior Day)
Nov. 11, 1:30 p.m.: at CATAWBA
HICKORY – After completing the eighth day of fall camp, Lenoir-Rhyne University head football coach Mike Kellar called Wednesday’s practice the best of the season and one of the best in his tenure with the Bears.
MIKE KELLAR
“I like the direction we are heading,” Kellar said. “I think any coach in America on August 16 would be lying if they said they were satisfied or happy with their teams at this point.
“But we are happy with the direction we are going. I think we have a lot of good young skilled guys.”
LRU – picked to tie Limestone for last place in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) in a preseason vote by league coaches — opens its season at home two weeks from Thursday against West Alabama at 7 p.m. at Moretz Stadium.
LRU will have a scrimmage on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Moretz Stadium. It is open to the public and free.
Five years removed from playing in the NCAA Division II national championship game, the Bears have been 19-14 in the last three years and 8-13 in the last two, along with a 6-8 mark in the SAC.
The common threads when talking with Kellar about the Bears are youth and talent.
Of 110 players on the fall camp roster, 67 are true or redshirt freshmen, 32 are sophomores, seven are juniors and four are seniors.
Keller, in his second year, feels his team is more experienced even though it has 99 underclassmen.
“We are extremely young but last year we were older but rookies,” Keller said, describing the difference from his first preseason at LRU. “Being a coach is like being a teacher in (that) one of the biggest things you have to do is set up your classroom rules and an understanding of the method (by) which you are going to teach.
“ Last year our seniors didn’t know our schemes or practice procedures. This year, we have 43 players that are sophomores, juniors or seniors that have an idea of what we expect, and that helps the freshmen to see how we want to get things done.”
JARROD KELLAR
Among the Bears’ key returnees are starting quarterback Jarrod Kellar, the head coach’s son, and leading rusher Nelson Brown.
Mike Kellar said keys the season are three-fold: the secondary, the offensive backfield and the offensive line.
“I expect to be pretty good in the secondary and we have a lot of good young, skilled guys at running back, receiver and our offensive line is young and good,” Mike Kellar said. “If those groups grow up and give us the production, we have chance to be a decent football team and — if not — we are going to struggle until they do.
“My concern is how deep we are up front on the offensive and defensive line, not from the talent standpoint but more from live game experience.
“We do feel positive that we have guys in the program that are capable and will be able to, it’s just how soon is the question.”