Athens – Nearly two years after he was initially hired, Concord football coach Dave Walker will finally embark on his first full season at the helm.
After the coronavirus pandemic forced the Mountain East Conference to push the 2020 season to the spring of 2021, the Mountain Lions were plagued as cases popped up around campus, limiting Walker’s squad to just one game. Needless to say he’s ready for Thursday’s opener at Glenville State.
“I’m extremely excited to finally get the season rolling,” Walker said Wednesday during his weekly media availability. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow night and to representing Concord University and our community as best we can.”
With former Concord coach Mike Kellar at the helm, the Pioneers struggled earlier this year, finishing the abbreviated spring season with an 0-4 record. Four games were still more than enough to put something on tape for Walker and Co. to study. Not enough though with the changes in personnel and staff.
“I think they’re a different team,” Walker said. “Obviously with a new recruiting class, I’m sure their roster’s completely different right now than what it was back in the spring. So I don’t know that I can take a whole lot out of it to be honest with you and they have a different defensive coordinator. Offensively maybe there’s similarities but with different personnel and them being able to do different things – so you go into that first game I don’t want to say blind but you’re going in not as prepared as you wish you were as far as openers go.”
In their lone game during the spring the Mountain Lions looked stellar.
Junior quarterback Jack Mangel threw for 310 yards and five touchdowns in his first career start as Concord beat West Virginia Wesleyan 52-14.
“Offensively I think our quarterback has done a nice job since he’s been here,” Walker said. “So I think he provides leadership and stability. Usually if you play solid defense and you’ve got a good quarterback you always feel like you’ve got an opportunity to be successful.
With the unknowns of playing team for the first time in nearly two years, and the first time in Walker’s tenure, the Mountain Lions anticipate leaning on experience. It starts with the defense where 10 starters return from last year’s squad, including four seniors with at least 20 games of experience in the front seven.
“Those guys, they’ve looked really good in practice,” Walker said of his defense. “They provided leadership in practice and they’ve kind of set the tone for what we’re doing. I’ll be disappointed if they don’t play well or at least as far as effort goes I’m expecting a lot of effort out of them. I know those guys are excited to be here and be able to play.”
The Mountain Lions will kick off the season Friday at 7 p.m. when they travel to Glenville State.
