Season Preview: 2024 Football

DURANGO, Colo. – As attention draws ever closer to the boys of fall up on the gridiron of Ray Dennison Memorial Field, the question remains as to whom Fort Lewis will have under center when the action gets underway on August 31. Dive back into last season, this year’s off-season acquisitions, and the mind of head coach Johnny Cox with things to know ahead of the upcoming campaign. 

Looking Back

Despite its 0-11 record and 0-9 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play last year, Fort Lewis made gracious strides in the right direction. Most notably, the offense racked up 146 points throughout the season, the most by any Skyhawks team since 2018, while also going for 300+ yards of total offense on six occasions for the first time since 2016. 

Quarterback Braden Wingle, who graduated after wrapping up his two-year career with Fort Lewis, capped his career with 2,276 yards last season on 207 completions in 344 attempts (60.17 percent) for 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. In just two seasons, Wingle climbed the record books to rank second in completion percentage (60.0 percent), fifth in total completions (384), and eighth in career passing yards (3,724).

Three Skyhawks were recognized with postseason honors including Second-Team All-RMAC selection Hunter Villavicencio, All-RMAC Honorable Mention Peyton Monson, and All-RMAC Honorable Mention Jacob LaCroix. In addition to his second-team nod, Villavicencio was also named Second-Team All-National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter on Special Teams marking the first All-NFFCC honor by a Skyhawk since 2018. Off the field, seniors Julio Romo and Tristen Williams earned Academic All-District At-Large bids from College Sports Communicators while nine Skyhawks earned All-RMAC Academic nods with another 20 student-athletes picking up NFFCC Academic All-Colorado honors. 

The Schedule

Football will look slightly different in Durango this season with the addition of a week zero option starting in 2024. While Fort Lewis will complete an identical non-conference schedule to the season prior with matchups against William Jewell College and Arizona Christian University, the Skyhawks will not only play both opponents at home on Ray Dennison Memorial Field but will also get a week one bye on Saturday, Sep. 7, after moving up its season-opener against the Cardinals to Saturday, Aug. 31. RMAC institutions will be able to option for a week zero game both this season and the next before a mandatory week zero game and week six bye will be instituted for the 2026 campaign. 

Following a week three contest against the Firestorm on Saturday, Sep. 14, the Skyhawks will then advance to one of the toughest gauntlets in Division II: the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Fans will get to enjoy four conference games up on the rim including South Dakota Mines for white out weekend on Sep. 28, CSU Pueblo for our pink game on Oct. 12, Colorado Mesa for homecoming on Oct. 26, and New Mexico Highlands for our inaugural Nike N7 football game and senior day on Nov. 9. All games are slated for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff with the exception of New Mexico Highlands which is set for a noon start.  

As for the road schedule, the Skyhawks will open conference play at Black Hills State on Sep. 21 before making additional trips to Western Colorado on Oct. 5, Chadron State on Oct. 19, Adams State on Nov. 2, and lastly, Colorado School of Mines on Nov. 16. 

A Glance At The Newcomers

Coach Cox and staff had a long offseason resulting in the signing of 47 new student-athletes heading into fall camp. Primarily comprised of incoming freshmen, Fort Lewis signed only six junior college or collegiate transfers; two of which come from within the RMAC. 

Regarding the distribution of incoming talents, the Skyhawks have put a heavy focus on bolstering the defensive line. 12 total defensive linemen, the largest position group in the 2024 class, have signed to play for FLC with ten of them competing for spots on the edge. The next largest position groups to be recruited include offensive linemen, wide receivers, and running backs with eight, six, and five signees, respectively. 

As for the veteran transfers, Fort Lewis has added veteran depth at the safety, defensive lineman, cornerback, wide receiver, offensive lineman, and running back positions. 

Jaylen Byrd (Safety, 6-3, 190lbs, Denver, Colo./Montbello/Chadron State College)

Byrd comes to Durango following a one-year stint at a fellow RMAC institution Chadron State. Last season the Eagles boasted a 5-6 overall record and 4-5 mark in conference play. Byrd made three starts and saw action in eight games, racking up ten total tackles including seven solo and three assisted. Additionally, Byrd provided one and a half tackles for loss, one pass breakup, and forced one fumble. 

Axton Ching-Manaku (Defensive Line, 6-1, 270lbs, Waianae, Hawaii/Damien Memorial/Snow College) 

Ching-Manaku arrived last spring following one season at Snow College and Coconino Community College after spending two years at Northern Arizona University. Last season, Ching-Manaku earned All-Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference honors on defense after making ten sacks in only eight games. 

Tailan King (Cornerback, 6-2, 170lbs, Denver, Colo./Vista PEAK Prep/University of Colorado Boulder)

King most recently spent one season attending the University of Colorado Boulder after beginning his undergraduate studies at the Community College of Aurora the year before. As a senior, King made five interceptions and recorded 17 pass breakups at Vista PEAK Preparatory where he also played baseball and ran track. 

Dylan Maldonado (Wide Receiver, 5-11, 185lbs, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Rancho Cucamonga/College of the Desert)

Maldonado is headed into the mountains after wrapping up his junior college career with the Roadrunners at College of the Desert. Over his two seasons, Maldonado totaled 586 yards and three touchdowns. Maldonado capped his time at COD with Second-Team All-Metro League honors at wide receiver with two touchdowns on 23 receptions with 349 yards to his name. 

Gage Maras (Offensive Line, 6-3, 285lbs, Scottsdale, Ariz./Boulder Creek/Black Hills State University)

Maras is a young talent on his way from Spearfish, S.D., following his one season with Black Hills State University. While Maras utilized a redshirt last season, he got a great feel for what’s in store in the RMAC after the Yellow Jackets claimed a 6-5 overall record and a 5-4 record in conference play. In addition, BHSU boasted the fourth-highest offense in the league averaging 412.4 yards per game. 

Nicholas Minacapelli (Running Back, 5-11, 235lbs, Hope Mills, N.C./Cape Fear/University of North Carolina at Pembroke) 

Minacapelli rounds off the class of collegiate transfers as a former member of head coach Johnny Cox’s offense from his time at UNC Pembroke. During his time in Pembroke, N.C., Minacapelli saw action at running back and as a kick returner. 

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

Key Returners

Offense: Cameron Mack, Christopher Thomas Jr., Jacob LaCroix

Size and strength out of the backfield, Fort Lewis' touchdown leader for two seasons, and a commander in the trenches

Cameron Mack returns to continue his duties as Fort Lewis’ lead back out of the backfield. Last season, Mack made the seventh-most carries (138) of any back in the league for 443 yards across only ten games. In addition, Mack also supplied 60 receiving yards on eight receptions. Standing at five-foot-eight, the junior will look to carry the rock for the Skyhawks once more behind an offensive line that now has an additional season under its belt. 

Junior wide receiver Christopher Thomas Jr. is one of Fort Lewis’ highest-impact returners heading into 2024. The Glendale, Arizona, native has played in all 21 games for the Skyhawks and leads all non-quarterbacks in touchdowns with six since his arrival in Durango back in 2022. Last season, Thomas Jr. hauled in 32 receptions for 392 yards and four touchdowns to average 12.3 yards per catch and 35.6 yards per game. 

Senior left tackle Jacob LaCroix stands as one of two Skyhawks returning in 2024 who garnered all-conference honors with an honorable mention nod following the 2023 season. Following his transfer from Chaffey College, LaCroix started all 11 games for the Skyhawks and helped his offense to score the most points (146) since 2018 while also producing 300+ yards of total offense on six occasions for the first time since 2016. 

Defense: Jacob Penney, Asa Roberson, Walter Stauffer

A fearless threat in the trenches and secondary, a lockdown corner, and a Durango native providing pressure off the edge

Headlining the defensive side of the ball is redshirt sophomore linebacker Jacob Penney. A six-foot, two-hundred-pound product out of Spanish Springs High School in Sparks, Nevada, Penney burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman last year as he led Fort Lewis with 80.0 total tackles: 11 more than the next closest defender. Totaling 66 solo and 14 assisted tackles, Penney also supplied five tackles for a combined 12 yards of loss. 

Another key to Fort Lewis’ defense is senior defensive back Asa Roberson. A six-foot transfer from Glendale Community College the year prior, Roberson brings a mix of speed and length needed to keep pace with the league’s best downfield. Last season, Roberson played in eight games for the Skyhawks producing 15 total tackles featuring 10 solo and five assisted. In addition, Roberson also recorded a pass breakup and one tackle for loss. 

Coming off the edge for another season is Durango native and six-foot-six defensive end Walter Stauffer. Following an injury that sidelined Stauffer in 2022, he has since been a staple on the Skyhawks defensive front. Last season, Stauffer started in 10 of his 11 games played and made 16 solo and 10 assisted tackles. In addition to recording a pass breakup, a quarterback hurry, and a blocked kick, Stauffer also made four tackles for loss including a pair of sacks. 

Special Teams: Hunter Villavicencio, Ryan Robbins, Orlando Guevara

One of the league's best boots, a new long snapper, and a freshmen looking to make his mark in the return game

It's no surprise that senior kicker Hunter Villavicencio stands as one of the Skyhawks’ top returners for another season. Last year, the six-foot-three boot from Fort Worth, Texas, stood as one of the RMAC’s top kickers and punters as he racked up 1,817 yards on kickoff and 2,677 yards on the punt squad including 15 punts over 50 yards, 15 punts dropped inside the twenty-yard line, all while owning two of longest punts in Division II at 75 and 76 yards, respectively. In addition, Villavicencio went 10-16 on field goal attempts while remaining a perfect 32-32 on point after attempts for his career. Villavicencio was Fort Lewis’ first, Second-Team All-RMAC, and Second-Team All-National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter selections since 2019 and 2018, respectively. 

Ryan Robbins, the first of two freshmen looking to make their mark, makes his way to Durango from Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas, Nev. As a long snapper, Robbins will play a major part in ensuring Villavicencio’s success on fourth downs. Robbins was both a two-time letterwinner and First-Team All-State selection as a junior and senior while at Faith Lutheran. In addition, Robbins led all long snappers in Nevada with 15 tackles as a senior. 

Orlando Guevara, a five-foot-seven athlete from Denver South High School, rounds off the freshmen duo looking to create an impact on the Skyhawks special teams unit. At Denver South, Guevara played four seasons of football, three seasons of track and field, and one season of basketball for the Ravens. Guevara was a two-time First-Team All-League selection and also holds the Denver South records for the 100 and 200-meter dashes. 

RMAC Media Day Kickoff Event

This season Fort Lewis and the RMAC took to the DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Tech Center for the 2024 RMAC Football Media Day Kickoff Event. Head coach Johnny Cox was joined by seniors Jacob LaCroix and Asa Roberson. The Skyhawks fielded questions from various RMAC media outlets in attendance. 

Below are a few excerpts from media day, and fans can also click the link below to rewatch the full media day broadcast on the RMAC Network. The Skyhawks are the first time slot following RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham's opening remarks.

Head coach Johnny Cox on heading into the 2024 season…

“We’re very excited about the upcoming season. Internally, is where I feel a lot of the growth has happened. We’re excited to show our fans what we’ve been working on, how we’ve improved, and be able to take a really competitive team out there. Sometimes when you do great things in your life, outwardly, they might not know exactly where you’re at, but internally, you know the sacrifices you’ve made, the hard work and commitment you’ve put into your goals, and we’ll use that energy to put a good football team out there.” 

Head coach Johnny Cox on the growth and strides behind the scenes heading into this year… 

“I think as a coaching staff and institution, we’re committed to the process of primarily recruiting high school kids and developing them. We look to report to camp with about 130 kids, numbers that are a lot more than teams from the past. We’ve added high-character junior college players to our process, but internally, just growing, lifting, and creating a culture that is really proud to be a Fort Lewis College student and prepared them to take on challenges. With the NCAA rule saying you can play three games and still redshirt, we took advantage of that. We gave a lot of kids a lot of experience but then kept them freshmen. We’re creating an environment that [student-athletes] want to stay in and get better in, and as we do that, we’re going to continue to get better. We have a bunch of kids that want to win games for Fort Lewis College without ulterior motives, we just have to go out there and show that. Internally, we’ve seen a lot more focus, fewer discipline issues, and a family of guys holding each other accountable. All of those things have to be in place for us to be successful.” 

Senior left tackle Jacob LaCroix on the offensive lines approach to continued growth this fall… 

“We all want to get way better and be able to pound the rock, even with a heavily loaded box. All the young guys are definitely coming in and seeing that it’s possible to run on these teams, pass-block, and everything. They’re really coming in wanting to work to be able to get that starting spot. A lot of them showed up for summer camp, I think we had more involved than we’ve had the past couple of years, who wanted to learn and be able to compete in the fall because they’re starting to see the shift that this can really happen.”

Senior defensive back Asa Roberson on what drew him to Fort Lewis… 

“When I came on my visit to Fort Lewis, I felt very welcomed. I fell in love with the atmosphere, the people here, the campus, and almost everything. I felt like I could be a key piece in helping turn this program around.” 

Community Service: Children's Hospital Colorado 

Anschutz Medical Campus

For the second straight year, the Skyhawks took part in an annual community service event at the Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus with others from across various RMAC football institutions. Coach Cox, as well as LaCroix and Roberson, spent the day creating chalk art out on the hospital’s patio for patients to enjoy during afternoon strolls. In addition, the Skyhawks also made their way inside and visited with kids in the hospital’s Teen Center which featured video games, card games, a small theater, 3-D printers, and much more for everyone to enjoy. 

Coaching Additions

Last spring, the Skyhawks added over 90 years of combined coaching experience to its staff with the additions of Scott Grinde, Assistant Coach-Defensive Line, and Rocky Long, Defensive Analyst. 

Scott Grinde, father of Fort Lewis' current offensive coordinator John Grinde, returns to the collegiate ranks following 14 years of coaching high school ball and most recently, an eight-year stint as the head coach at Air Academy High School in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"I've been looking for a new challenge while wanting to return to the collegiate ranks, and I couldn't be more fortunate and grateful for this position." Scott Grinde added. "I know that Coach Cox and the other staff members are building this program the right way, and I want to be a part of one of the great turnarounds in college football. We have good people in this program, the support for the program is outstanding and I look forward to helping this program get better and better each day!"

A 1984 graduate of the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and Biological Sciences, Scott Grinde began his career as a student assistant for the Cowboys while doubling down as an assistant coach at Sheridan High School. After Wyoming, Grinde moved to El Paso, Texas, where he served as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas–El Paso for two seasons and studied under coaches like Dirk Koetter and Andy Reid.

Grinde is not new to the collegiate scene, however, as he began his career at both Scottsdale Community College and Coffeyville Community College where he helped the Red Ravens to the 1990 National Junior College Athletic Association National Championship before serving as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Sam Houston State University from 1992-97. Grinde then took his talents to the University of Central Missouri from 1997-2010 where he was an assistant head coach, offensive line coach, and travel, academic, and recruiting coordinator.

Long, who brought the 3-3-5 defense to prominence and has mentored over 30 NFL Draft picks including Pro Football Hall of Fame selection Brian Urlacher, joins the Skyhawks after spending last season as the defensive coordinator at Syracuse University, an NCAA Division I Power-Five program and member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Before Syracuse, Long spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of New Mexico.

"Football has been a part of my life since I could remember," Long shared. "Coach Cox has given me the chance to be an analyst, evaluate film, and help with game plans on defense. I'm looking forward to using my experience to create an impact defensively."   

A 1971 graduate of New Mexico, Long spent 11 seasons at San Diego State University including nine as head coach (2011-19) where he boasted four 10-win seasons, amassed the second-most wins of any coach at San Deigo State, and guided the Aztecs to nine straight bowl games. In addition, Long's teams have been bowl-eligible in 16 of the last 17 seasons. 

Long began his head coaching career at his alma mater when he was hired as the Lobos' 28th head football coach in 1998. During his 11-year tenure at UNM, Long became the winningest head coach in Mountain West Conference history, the winningest head coach in New Mexico history, and had the Lobos bowl-eligible from 2001 to 2007 featuring three straight bowl games from 2003-05: both program records.

Before his head coach career, Long also had stints guiding defenses at UCLA (1996-97), Oregon State (1991-95), and Wyoming (1981-85) at the collegiate level. He has also coached the secondary for TCU (1988-90) and New Mexico (1979-80). His one professional coaching stop was with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, where he coached linebackers in 1986-87.

As a player, Long was the starting quarterback for the Lobos from 1969 to 1971 and guided UNM to consecutive winning seasons while also earning Player of the Year honors from the Western Athletic Conference in 1971. Long went on to play in 68 games for the BC Lions in the CFL before a one-year stint with the Detroit Wheels of the WFL.

Final Words From Coach Cox

“Thank you to all of the Skyhawks faithful for your support as we built our foundation over the past two years. Last season we started to build our offensive and defensive systems, and we're so excited to start the season at home and really use that energy from the home crowd to be very competitive. We plan to field a competitive team that will make the community proud. During the offseason, we recruited a class of student-athletes that can help us win. It's hard to predict how much of an impact these freshmen will contribute early on, but we have a bright future if they develop to their potential. This roster is full of players who love Fort Lewis College, and the Durango community, and our energy on the field will reflect that week in and week out.”  

Countdown to Kickoff