Season Preview: 2023 Football

DURANGO, Colo. – With a change in seasons and Saturday kickoff just shy of a month's time away, the Fort Lewis College football team is undergoing its fall camp in preparation for the upcoming campaign. With three new coaching additions, the Skyhawks will look to flip the script of seasons past. 

Looking Back

Fort Lewis owned an 0-10 record in 2022 including an 0-9 mark through Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Skyhawks played through a nine-game conference schedule with a single non-conference contest at home against Arizona Christian University. 

Fielding a starting lineup that consisted of over 20 freshmen across both sides of the ball, the Skyhawks battled depth and experience across the season. While last year was not the result FLC had searched for, the Skyhawks still improved from 2021 to 2022 in total passing yards per game (116.09 to 170.60), total offense per game (171.50 to 214.14), and fumbles-lost (13-7 to 10-5). Coach Cox and the Skyhawks found the most success at home against South Dakota School of Mines on Oct. 22, scoring a pair of touchdowns through the air out of the arms of Braden Wingle and Brayden Miller with an additional rushing touchdown from Jeff Hansen: the lone rushing score of the season. 

All told, three Skyhawks notched All-RMAC Honorable Mention at the end of the season featuring Dylan Holt, Zach Russell, and Ryan Barkley. Holt, a six-foot-two junior out of Denver, Colorado, was one of three receivers alongside Russell with over twenty receptions across the year. Holt secured 22 total receptions for 226 yards while averaging 10.27 yards per catch. Russell, a redshirt senior from Sante Fe, New Mexico, led Fort Lewis with three receiving touchdowns. The six-foot-four tight end hauled in 25 receptions for 288 combined yards and an average of 11.52 yards per catch. Barkley, a redshirt senior from Durango, Colorado, was the leader on the offensive line for the Skyhawks. The four-year veteran started all ten games in the blue and gold, playing nearly every snap at left tackle. 

With Coach Cox arriving on campus in January of 2022 prior to spring ball, the upcoming 2023 season will mark the first full offseason for Coach Cox and a majority of his coaching staff. 

The Sky's The Limit In New Blues 

The Schedule

There is no easy weekend in the RMAC, one of Division II's most competitive football conferences. Last season the RMAC provided the NCAA Division II National Runner-Up in Colorado School of Mines, and back in 2014 provided the NCAA Division II National Champion in Colorado State University Pueblo. 

Fort Lewis has expanded its schedule this season, continuing its home-and-home series by traveling to Arizona Christian, and adding a road contest to open the season at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., on Saturday, Sept. 2. However, the Skyhawks and Cardinals will play at Liberty North High School due to stadium construction on the campus of WJC. 

Saturday, Sept. 16, will mark the Skyhawks' home opener against New Mexico Highlands University and the start of the conference schedule. Fans can enjoy five home contests including New Mexico Highlands, CSU Pueblo on Sept. 30, Colorado Mesa University for homecoming on Oct. 14, Black Hills State University on Oct. 28, and Mines for senior day on Nov. 11. 

FLC's road slate features William Jewell on Sept. 2, Arizona Christian on Sept. 9, Adams State University on Sept. 23, Chadron State College on Oct. 7, South Dakota Mines on Oct. 21, and Western Colorado University on Nov. 4. 

All games will be streamed for free live on the RMAC Network with the exceptions of William Jewell and Arizona Christian which will be featured on their respective conference networks.

A Glance At The Newcomers

Coach Cox and his staff had a busy offseason, capturing over 60 new Skyhawk student-athletes from across Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and more. Rostering over 120 student-athletes, Fort Lewis has rebuilt its rank and file to create a strong foundation for success this year and years to come. 

Last spring Coach Cox brought in seven high-caliber mid-year transfers to bolster the offensive line, defensive secondary, and quarterback positions. These seven additions brought character, leadership, and experience to the Skyhawks' locker room. 

Sam Jones (Quarterback, 6-6, 225lbs, Wilmington, N.C./University of North Carolina at Pembroke)
Jones brings depth and talent to the quarterback position. In high school, Jones threw for over 2,200 career yards and 21 touchdowns with a 69.3% (195-281) completion percentage.
 
Jacob Lacroix (Offensive line, 6-5, 280lbs, Phelan, Calif./Chaffey College)
Lacroix adds both size and experience to the offensive line. Last season Lacroix was tabbed with Second Team All-Conference honors with the Panthers.
 
Andrew Lasater (Offensive line, 6-6, 285lbs, Riverton, Utah/New Mexico Military Institute)
Lasater is another experienced addition to the Skyhawks offensive line. Spending last season with NMMI, Lasater has a year of collegiate football under his belt.
 
Asa Roberson (Defensive back, 6-0, 170lbs, Altadena, Calif./Glendale College)
Roberson brings new speed and experience to the Skyhawks secondary. Roberson played in 15 games across his two years with the Gauchos, recording 35 tackles featuring 24 solo tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, two interceptions, and four pass breakups.
 
Julio Romo (Offensive line, 6-3, 350lbs, Colton, Calif./Davenport University)
Romo brings both size and veteran experience to the Skyhawks offensive line. Last season with Davenport, the Panthers boasted an 8-3 overall record and a 4-2 record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with an appearance in the first round of the Division II Football Playoffs.
 
Will Eoff (Offensive line, 6-6, 300lbs, Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta/Whittier College)
Eoff brings collegiate experience with him from a previous stint at Division III Whittier College. Eoff played in eight games with the Poets across just one season.
 
Tomasi Finau (Linebacker, 6-1, 220lbs, Makawao, Hawaii/King Kekaulike/Arizona Christian University)
Finau heads to Durango, Colo., from a familiar foe in Arizona Christian. Last season the Skyhawks hosted the Firestorm in its season opener and will look to avenge the loss this year in Glendale, Ariz., on Sep. 9.

For the most recent up-to-date list of all FLC's incoming signees, view the previous release HERE. 

Key Returners

Offense: Braden Wingle, Drake Cortez, Raef Wilkins

The offensive commander, a deep threat outside, and a leader in the trenches.

Back again to lead the Skyhawks under center is senior quarterback Braden Wingle. Standing at six-foot-six and weighing in at two-hundred-forty pounds, Wingle made his way to Fort Lewis in the fall of last year just prior to fall camp. Now with a full season under his belt, Wingle has also attained his first true offseason to learn and develop his tools within Offensive Coordinator John Grinde's schemes. Spending time with his receiving core and offensive line through the winter, spring camp, and summer, Wingle is poised to flip the script this fall. 

Last season Wingle racked up 1,448 yards through the air while completing 177 of his 301 passing attempts (58.80%). Averaging 144.80 passing yards per game, Wingle utilized over 16 receivers downfield, just five of which had seen significant time on the field in previous seasons. Now in year two, Wingle looks to improve on his six touchdown passes from last season. Additionally, Wingle demonstrated his ability with the deep ball late last season with a 71-yard reception to Mikal Baker in the season finale at Mines. 

Returning to guide the wide receivers room is Wingle's favorite target of last season, Drake Cortez. Cortez, a five-foot-eleven senior out of Brighton, Colo., led all receivers with 41 total receptions last season. Cortez averaged 7.41 yards per catch alongside 30.40 yards per game while finishing the year tied for second on the roster with two touchdowns. Totaling a second-best 304 yards, Cortez nabbed a season-high 77 yards at home against Western Colorado University on Nov. 5. Tripling his total yards from 2021 (92) to 2022 (304), Cortez is preparing to beat his previous season numbers once more. 

While the quarterback, running back, and receivers may steal the spotlight in the end zone, everyone knows it all starts with the offensive line. And while Fort Lewis is young up front, they're returning a seasoned leader to guide the trenches in Raef Wilkins. Wilkins, a six-foot-two, two-hundred-seventy-five-pound lineman, was one of the many Skyhawks true freshmen to start most of last season. Holding the line alongside FLC veterans Ryan Barkley and Colton Martinez, Wilkins is looking to step up and lead the battle up front so Wingle can do his job in the backfield. 

Defense: Walter Stauffer, Parker Cunningham, Jordan Stanley

A Durango native in the trenches and the secondary alongside a rising safety who began to shine late last year.

Heading the charge of playmakers returning on the defensive side is sophomore Parker Cunningham. Cunningham, a five-foot-eleven sophomore out of Canyon, Texas, began to shine and make his mark late last season. Playing in eight games for FLC, Cunningham racked up 36 total tackles, 26 of which were solo, while also breaking up a pair of passes. Cunningham began to demonstrate his disruptive ability mid-season, forcing a fumble and nabbing his first career interception against South Dakota School of Mines on Oct. 22. Additionally, Cunningham tallied the only defensive touchdown of the season with a 34-yard scoop-and-score against Western Colorado on Nov. 5. Cunningham finished the season as the only Skyhawk to record an interception, pass breakup, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. 

Also a true freshman last season and joining Cunningham in the secondary is sophomore Jordan Stanley. Stanley, a six-foot safety and Durango native, comes from championship roots with his hometown Demons. In 2020, Stanley and the Durango High School Demons won the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 3A State Championship with a 21-14 victory over Roosevelt High School. Stanley has shown no problem translating his abilities to the collegiate gridiron, playing in nine of Fort Lewis' ten games last season. Across his time on the field, Stanley posted 29 total tackles featuring 19 solo and 10 assisted tackles. Additionally, Stanley defended a single pass and was one of six Skyhawks with a forced fumble. 

However, Stanley is not the only Demon to make his way to the Skyhawks ranks. Joining him at Fort Lewis is Walter Stauffer. Stauffer, a six-foot, two-hundred-seventy-five pound threat off the edge at defensive end, saw limited time on the field last year for FLC. Battling a hand injury that kept him sidelined, Stauffer made just six total tackles featuring 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks. With an offseason to heal from injury, develop his skills, and strengthen his football IQ, there's little doubt that Stauffer will step up to be a strong force off the edge this season. 

Special Teams: Hunter Villavicencio, Khalil Ali, Peyton Monson

The Skyhawks leader in points scored last season, and two high-octane threats looking to make their mark.

Returning for another strong season is Fort Lewis' scoring leader from last season, Hunter Villavicencio. Villavicencio, a six-foot-three junior from Fort Worth, Texas, has been a key piece to the Skyhawks' special teams over the last two seasons. Last year alone, Villavicencio led FLC with 22 points scored on five field goals and seven point-after attempts. Also appearing as the Skyhawks boot on kickoffs, Villavicencio tallied 1,035 yards last season averaging 60.9 per kick with eight touchbacks. Additionally, Villavicencio stands alone atop the Fort Lewis all-time point-after-attempt kicking percentage record with a perfect 18-for-18 mark across his two seasons. 

Looking to make his return and impact felt both offensively and on special teams is Peyton Monson. Joining the Skyhawks last season after one year at Grossmont Community College, Monson has already seen time on the field in both roles. Monson played in all ten games for the Skyhawks last season, making 16 kick returns for 284 total yards with a season-long 49-yard return against Adams State University on Sept. 24. On the offensive side, Monson made 19 total receptions for 101 receiving yards. 

Another Skyhawk looking to create an impact and bring his defensive talents to special teams is sophomore Khalil Ali. A six-foot, two-hundred-pound safety from Aurora, Colo., Ali brings size, speed, and energy to special teams. Seeing plenty of time on the field across his nine games played for FLC, Ali racked up 18 total tackles across his freshman campaign alongside 0.5 tackles for loss. 

RMAC Media Day Kickoff Event

This season Fort Lewis and the RMAC returned to Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center for the first in-person RMAC Football Media Day Kickoff Event since the COVID-19 Pandemic. Coach Cox was joined by Wingle, Cunningham, and Marcus Hubbard. The Skyhawks fielded questions from Zack Chavez, RMAC Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Communications, as well as other media members in attendance. 

Coach Cox on heading into the 2023 season…

“First of all, we're very excited to be a part of this conference. The RMAC is such a competitive conference. We're humbled to be at Fort Lewis and we're excited for the second year as a coaching staff, and we're excited to show the improvements we've made after a long offseason. We're looking forward to it.”

Coach Cox on his recent coaching additions…

“Because of the nature of college football, we had some openings. Some coaches had really good opportunities and they took advantage of those, which creates opportunities for others that are qualified, excited, and want to be a part of our coaching staff. One, in particular, is our new running backs coach, Josh Jones, who I had the pleasure to coach for four years at UNC Pembroke. [Jones] knows exactly what we're doing on offense, and he'll be a really good addition. We've also hired Donny Moore as our wide receivers coach. Donny is a veteran of the game. [Moore] has been at Fort Lewis, Western New Mexico, and Adams State. [Moore] is very familiar with the area we recruit and we're excited about having him. Another addition is Conrad Wallis, our Director of Football Operations. [Wallis] is a great hire. To be able to take some things off of my plate and know he's taking care of them at a high level just makes our program run more efficiently. In your second year you have a clearer vision, anticipate some problems, and Conrad really helps us out in that way.” 

Braden Wingle on the attitude of the team heading into the season…

“From what I've seen in spring ball and in the summer, everyone is fired up. You can already see a difference from last year. The culture is changing, just the attitude of everyone. Everyone really wants to be here, compete, and work. I think we're all really excited to see what happens.”

Marcus Hubbard on what people should be on the lookout for from Fort Lewis in 2023…

“I think we're going to surprise a lot of people.”

Parker Cunningham on what people should be on the lookout for from Fort Lewis in 2023…

“I hope people see the work, our drive, and our work ethic. Nothing in this comes easy. I hope that people will notice just how hard we work and hopefully, everything else will fall in place. As Marcus said, hopefully, we surprise a lot of people this year. After the season we had last year we've just been working to better ourselves.” 

Braden Wingle on what people should be on the lookout for from Fort Lewis in 2023…

“To bounce off of what Parker was saying, hopefully, we surprise a lot of people this year, they see how hard we've been working, and the improvements we've made. I really do think we've gotten better at every position.” 

Coach Cox on the biggest difference through the offseason heading into this year…

“Braden kind of touched on it: we have a bunch of guys that want to be here. We went through a tough season, and sometimes in life, that filters out some of the people that have different motives instead of being successful for the team. I feel like everyone on our team and staff is excited about the journey that we have, it's unique. It's our opportunity to go from having a really bad season to having the opportunity to correct that, close the gap, and be really competitive in games. We're excited about it. It's not a journey for the meek. You have to be a dude and be out there ready to battle against a really tough conference." 

For the full press conference, click the link below. The Skyhawks are the first time slot following RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham's opening remarks. 

Community Service: Children's Hospital Colorado 

Anschutz Medical Campus

On July 27, in part of the 2023 RMAC Media Day Kickoff Event, Fort Lewis joined all of the conference football programs in spending some time at the Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Wingle, Hubbard, and Cunningham each spent the day visiting children throughout the hospital to talk football, legos, card games, and even hand out autographs. In addition to visitations throughout the building, the Skyhawks also enjoyed time with a few kids at the Teen Center where generous donations have provided gaming consoles, 3-D printers, a movie lounge, arcade games, and many more. On the flip side, Coach Cox enjoyed his time as well. Coach Cox joined all of the RMAC coaches in a crafts event with many of the kids in the building's atrium. 

Coaching Additions

Fort Lewis made a trio of coaching adjustments this past offseason, adding Donny Moore, Assistant Coach for Wide Receivers, Josh Jones, Assistant Coach for Running Backs, and Conrad Wallis, Director of Football Operations. 

Moore joins the Skyhawks again after spending his past three seasons on the gridiron with the Mustangs at Western New Mexico University, a highly competitive Lone Star Conference member. Last season the Mustangs garnered a 6-5 overall record with a 5-4 mark in conference play en route to a fifth-place finish in the LSC.
 
While with the Mustangs, Moore was charged with developing and implementing weekly practice and game plans, position group development, serving as video coordinator, and assisting in the program's high-tempo offensive scheme. Moore previously spent one season with the Skyhawks as the tight ends coach in 2016. 

A native of Wilmington, N.C., and brother of redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Jones, Jones joins the Skyhawks after being released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League.
 
Prior to signing with the Blue Bombers following the 2023 National Football League Draft, Jones had a record-breaking five-year career with the Braves at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where he spent four of his five seasons under the tutelage of Coach Cox.
 
During his time at UNC Pembroke, Jones played in 46 games at quarterback racking up 10,148 yards on 923 completions with 70 touchdowns. Jones rushed for an additional 478 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. As of March of 2023, Jones is the program's all-time leader in passing, total offense, and ranks 11th in scoring. 
 
Jones was a two-time All-Mountain East Conference Honorable Mention in 2021 and 2022, earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors in 2022.

Wallis joins the Skyhawks from Fort Collins, Colo., where he most recently served as a football operations assistant at Colorado State University. While with the Rams, Wallis assisted in the program's day-to-day operations, including team travel, activities, meals, and roster changes.
 
Prior to Colorado State, Wallis began his coaching career with the Bears at the University of Northern Colorado. Wallis saw time in many roles at UNC including day-to-day operations, recruiting reports and hosting, film breakdown and analyzing, and assisting the offensive line coach with fundamental drills, meetings, and constructing game plans.

Final Words From Coach Cox

“The coaching staff is very excited about our football team this season. We believe that we have an improved team that is full of kids that love Fort Lewis College and want to represent the College, the alumni, their families, and the community with great pride. We have a challenging schedule this season, but we are preparing to compete each and every week with our best effort, energy, and execution. If you get a chance to come to one of the games or follow us online, we believe you won’t be disappointed.” 

Countdown to Kickoff

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