BY THE NUMBERS:
honorable mention pick last fall.
Another area where LFO is poised for big gains is the offensive line. Senior Nick Culpepper is becoming a college prospect, thanks in part to his 6-foot-6 frame. Senior Johnathan Cutcher is moving from center to guard this season, while another senior, the dependable Tyler Simpson, is taking over at center. Campbell said there is good competition for the other two starting spots.
Cutcher will see double duty as a defensive end, a spot that earned him honorable mention status last year, while senior lineman Kameron Peters will be a load in the middle. Senior Lee McCracken, another 2016 honorable mention pick, will bookend Cutcher at the other end spot while Braxton Jones and senior Will Wooten are among those looking to earn a spot in the front four rotation.
The strength of the defense will be at linebacker where three-year starter Drew Woodard will be a senior leader. Williams and Flanagan will add depth to the position, as will Chase Pewitt and Todd Thornburg.
Campbell also has high hopes for his secondary, which will feature Ware at free safety and Christian Vaughn and senior John Reed at the strong safety spot. Vaughn earned honorable mention from the region’s coaches last year. The Warriors will have two veterans at the corners in seniors Chandler Bell and Justin Trammell, who are both returning starters.
Wofford, along with Charlie Harless and senior Bailey Goins are vying for kicking and punting duties. There is also a battle for the long snapper job, while the speedy Ware will most likely be the first to return kicks and punts.
“We’ve got some good athletes that have trained hard,” Campbell said. “The one thing we’re working on this year is believing. I think (the players) believe in our coaching staff and I think they believe in our process. Now the big thing is just for them to believe in themselves that they can do it. With them believing, just taking it play-byplay and not looking at the scoreboard so much, we’ll have a lot of success this year.
“Our motto this year is ‘no excuses”. There’s no excuse as to why we can’t go out and compete with these teams on schedule. They believe in the process. Now it’s time to go and show it.”