Alabama NewsCenter 2021 football preview: Samford University
All-American safety Chris Edmonds makes a high-altitude play during Samford's spring game against Wofford. Edmonds is among the returning standouts for the Bulldogs this fall. (Samford University Athletics)
If football games lasted three quarters instead of four, the Samford Bulldogs might have been undefeated during the 2021 spring season.
But football is played in four quarters and coach Chris Hatcher’s squad faltered in the latter part of some games to finish with three losses.
“We lost two games at the very end after having 14-point leads,” he said of losses to Furman and VMI. “We were very close to having an undefeated season, but we were 4-3.”
The Bulldogs are preparing to return to the field this fall as football goes back to its traditional season even as the pandemic continues. Alabama NewsCenter is taking a look at the upcoming season and today is focused on Samford.
Alabama NewsCenter: What is the outlook for this season?
Chris Hatcher: We finished extremely well (in the spring season) and that was what excites me about moving into this upcoming season. We had a new defensive staff and I think it took us a little while to kind of work together offensively and defensively as far as our schemes and our coaching styles. But once we kind of went through a little rocky period there, we kind of figured that out and finished with two huge wins over Citadel and Mercer. I’m excited. I really am. I think we have the formula for success. Of course, we’ve got to go out there and prove it each and every Saturday. Our goal is always to be No. 1. By doing that, you win one game a week. But we’ve got a lot of returners. We’ve got a very difficult schedule, like we always do. But so far, our guys have been working extremely hard. I can’t predict it, but our goal is to be champions of the Southern Conference come late November.
ANC: What is the strength of this year’s team?
Hatcher: I think we’re going to be a lot more balanced than we have been in the past. I think, you know, media, social media, everybody likes to go to watch a team that scores a lot of points and throws the ball all around the field. I personally go watch basketball, and I like guys who “run and gun.” I don’t like the old “four corners.” Naturally, people like (offense). But I think the progress that our defense made toward the latter part of the season bodes really well. I think we played a great complementary game of football there at the latter part of the season, both offense and defense, and kind of figuring out who we are. Nick Benedetto, our defensive coordinator, has done a great job, so I hope at the end of the season we’re having to talk about both groups as excelling on each and every Saturday during the fall.
ANC: Who are your team’s standouts?
Hatcher: You’ve got Liam Welch, who’s the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year. He’s our quarterback and we’re expecting big things from him. Chris Edmonds on the defensive side of the ball was a consensus All-American safety for us. We hope that he continues to get better and develop. Special teams-wise, we’re replacing our kicker, but Montrell Washington is a tremendous returner and cover man, who also plays receiver for us. … Not last season but the year before that he was an All-American punt returner. Defensively up front, Armond Lloyd, one of our defensive tackles, is a super senior, if you will. He has been here awhile and we expect him to anchor (the defensive line). Nathan East is one of our linebackers, (and) a team leader. Offensively, we’ve got all our O-linemen back. Gavin Orr is probably the bell cow of that group, at right tackle. Michael Vice from Vestavia is playing well at tight end. Then you’ve got Ty King and A.J. Toney, two guys that had big years last year as well. A.J. is from right here in town at Jackson-Olin. Those guys, hopefully, they’ll have big years as well.
ANC: What game do your fans have circled on your schedule?
Hatcher: I think it’s the usual suspects of Furman, Wofford and Mercer. Those are some private schools that are very similar to us, and our missions as a university. I always think those are the big games, but, you know, I think whoever you play each and every week, that’s the most important game of the season. But I would think those would be circled. Then, of course, everybody gets excited when you play your, quote, “money game.” We play the University of Florida late in the year. I’m sure there’ll be a lot of people tuning into that one as well.
ANC: What is your lingering question?
Hatcher: I think the biggest question is, can we continue off the momentum that we finished with in the spring? We’ve got a lot of guys that have played a lot of snaps for us. The second part of that question, I think, is just depth. Last year, we got a little tired late in the game. We need some guys that are going to come in and give us some quality snaps early in a ball game. Hopefully, by going through the spring and having a good offseason, we can develop that.
Alabama NewsCenter is posting season previews for all 15 college football programs in Alabama. Read about West Alabama and Tuskegee, and look for a new preview each day.
