Tennessee Tech Looking to Join '93 Georgia Southern Eagles as First-Year Gridiron Champs in SoCon
TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
Head Coach: Bobby Wilder (18-7 in two seasons at TTU)Offensive Coordinator: Drew Belcher
Defensive Coordinator: Chase Mummau
2025 Record: 11-2, 8-0/OVC Champions
2026 Projected Finish: No. 2 in SoCon Coaches Poll/No. 1 by FCS Nation
Basic Offensive Scheme: Spread
Basic Defensive Scheme: Multiple
Tennessee Tech Head Coach Bobby Wilder at SoCon Media Day (July 21, 2026)
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles ’26 Outlook
Writing Their Own Tradition in a New League in Real Time
In life, timing is everything. For the SoCon and for Tennessee Tech, the marriage seemed like a shotgun wedding in one sense, while in another it seemed like a natural progression. Tech's commitment to excellence had outgrown the strength of the league it was in.The addition of Tennessee Tech to the SoCon gridiron scene makes sense for a lot of reasons, as it has an athletic department with a vision, and it started two years ago with the hiring of Bobby Wilder. Wilder, a former successful head coach charged with getting Old Dominion’s football program up and running back in 2009, has added life back to the Tennessee Tech program, which it barely ever had.
It was fitting that the 2025 season saw the Golden Eagles put together the kind of season that, if you’re going to leave a conference after 75 years of membership, you should leave it with a bang. Go out with a bang it did, as the Golden Eagles won 11 games (11-2, 8-0 OVC/Big South) for the first time in program history, claimed the outright Ohio Valley/Big South Conference title, and punched their ticket to the FCS Playoffs for just the second time in program history, and first time since 2011. The title run by Tennessee Tech last season marked its 12th in its 75-year membership in the OVC.
The 2025 title was the culmination of what started the previous season in year one under the direction of Wilder, which had seen the Golden Eagles go on to a successful 7-5 season. That progress would be evident for all to see last season, winning four more games and living up to the preseason expectations of preseason conference title favorites.
Tennessee Tech is building its tradition in real time under Wilder, as it is a program that had just 17 seven-win seasons prior to Wilder’s arrival, and it’s a program that posted a large majority of its success from 1952-61 and in the early-to-mid 1970s.
In fact, sustained success at Tennessee Tech on the gridiron has been hard to come by as a part of its gridiron history. The Golden Eagles haven’t enjoyed sustained success on the gridiron since the decade of the 1970s under the direction of Don Wade, who led Tennessee Tech to a breakthrough, 10-win season in 1972.
In six of 10 seasons during the 1970s, the Golden Eagles had six or more wins. That 10-win campaign in ’72 saw them finish ranked in the Top 25 poll for the first time in its history, as the Golden Eagles finished the campaign ranked No. 20.
Now half-a-century later, the goal is to get back to where the Golden Eagles were in the 1970s, and the challenge is to do that in a new conference with a lot of new players, which is making it harder in the transfer portal era.
But it’s a challenge that is not all that unlike that of the rise that Indiana has undergone at the FBS level since the transfer portal era has kicked into high gear. Indiana’s commitment to spend money and funnel resources into football for a program that for its entire history in NCAA Division I college athletics was viewed as a basketball first and maybe even soccer second school, proved that if you commit to spending money and have a good infrastructure from the top down, winning can be done just about anywhere relative to the level you play at and that has similarly been true for Tennessee Tech.
It’s never been viewed as either a football power or even a basketball power within the Ohio Valley, as it’s probably most known for its outstanding baseball and women’s programs until its success on the gridiron in 2024 proved that it can be done with the right leadership, spending and commitment to a cause.
Tennessee Tech’s vision to meet the challenge in the moment in the NIL era is something that is bold. It’s in stark contrast to other programs in the OVC like Eastern Kentucky, which has chosen to moved to the UAC and didn’t pay its exit fee, which wasn’t a good look. The Colonels were chasing an FBS dream when they moved, and now that dream that was sold to them has become a dream deferred in their new conference—the United Athletic Conference or UAC for short. Tennessee Tech now has good aura and it was the exact perfect time to make the move to the SoCon.
Part of that spending and committed cause also involves a facilities upgrade, which of the Golden Eagles will bring one of the top venues in the league next season, in Tucker Stadium, which is getting a facelift during the offseason. It’s all part of that commitment-spending thing, which goes hand-in-hand. Luxury suites have now been added at Tucker Stadium, which are officially sold out for the 2026 season in anticipation of their first season in the SoCon.
The facility seats 9,313 and was first opened in 1966 in a game that saw the Golden Eagles take down Chattanooga, 17-7. Tennessee Tech’s first official league game as a SoCon member in 2026 will come on Sept. 12, as they will host Samford. Tennessee Tech actually faces all nine other league foes in year one, however, their first road game of the season at Chattanooga on Sept. 5 was an already scheduled non-conference game. The Golden Eagles will not face UTC as a league opponent this fall.
The head coaches believe that Tennessee Tech has enough firepower to compete for a championship in year one, as the Golden Eagles found themselves picked to finish second by the league’s nine other coaches, which included being the recipient of three first-place votes.
That said, while I think the Golden Eagles were the right move for the SoCon for a lot of reasons, I didn’t have them as high as second in the preseason, but I only have them two spots lower in my preseason predictions. Whatever the case may be, I do agree with the coaches that I do think the Golden Eagles will more than hold their own in year one in their new conference and will be competitive in every league throughout the season.
Brief 2025 Recap
Tennessee Tech’s final run through the OVC/Big South was no doubt a memorable one, as the Golden Eagles ran roughshod through the league and apparently taking out years of frustration on the opposition in the process, as the Golden Eagles won all eight league games, including winning six of those contests by double digits. In a word…Dominance! Chattanooga was a team that found out early on firsthand just how good the Golden Eagles were, as Tennessee Tech ran roughshod over their former and future conference rivals, blowing out the Chattanooga Mocs 45-17 at Tucker Stadium, and that’s when probably first started to realize just how good the Golden Eagles were on both sides of the football.
Tennessee Tech's 2025 season would open with an easy 65-0 win over a non-Division I foe, Cumberland, as quarterback Kekoa Visperas led a Golden Eagles offense, which ended the day with 570 yards to go with the second-most points scored in a game in program history.
Visperas connected on 17-of-26 passes for 250 yards and three scores and no INTs in his first game with the Golden Eagles' football program. The Mocs, at least this time around, were no match for the talented Golden Eagles squad, as Tennessee Tech started a season 2-0 for the first time since 2012, posting a 45-17 win over Chattanooga. Just a little less than three-and-a-half minutes into the contest, the Golden Eagles were already on the board, as Q'Daryius Jennings capped off a drive with a 10-yard scoring scamper that would give Tennessee Tech the early lead, and help the tone for the remainder of the afternoon. It would be part of a 21-3 start to the game for the powerful Golden Eagles offense against their SoCon opposition.
It was the first of three scoring runs for the Golden Eagles, which also got a pair of scoring scampers from Aidan Littles (48 yds and 37 yds) helped set the tone for the Golden Eagles' ground attack for the remainder of the game, while Chattanooga, behind new starter Camden Orth under center, struggled for the second-straight game to find any sustained success on the offensive side of the ball.
Jude Kelley's 36-yard field goal with 4:36 remaining in the opening quarter, as the Mocs took advantage of a Golden Eagles turnover would turn out to be the lone points of the opening half. By the time the Mocs scored again a little over four minutes into the third quarter, the game had already gotten out of hand, with the Golden Eagles up 31-3 before the Mocs could find the end zone. When they did, it was Markell Quick, who hauled in a 33-yard pass from Orth, making it a 31-10 game, giving the Mocs the faintest of pulses.
However, late in the third quarter, the Golden Eagles all but put the game away, as Maury Sullivan hauled in an 18-yard scoring strike from quarterback Kekoa Visperas to conclude a short four-play, 33-yard drive, giving the Golden Eagles a seemingly safe 38-10 lead.
Former Furman quarterback Jace Wilson came in and delivered the final blow for Tennessee Tech, as he came into the contest in relief of Vesperas. Wilson delivered a 52-yard scoring strike to Luke Shields to increase TTU's advantage to 35 before Ryan Ingram tacked on a meaningless 1-yard score for the Mocs with 33 seconds left to set the final margin. The Golden Eagles scored a 72-14 win over Davidson, and it was a Davidson team that, if we use the transitory property, the Wildcats beat Presbyterian who beat both Mercer and Furman in back-to-back weeks to open the season.
With that said, the Golden Eagles had little trouble brushing the Wildcats aside, it marked the first 3-0 start to a season since the 1977 season for the Golden Eagles. Quintell Quinn led a comprehensive ground effort from the Golden Eagles, posting 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground, averaging an incredible 13.6 YPG on the ground.
It was another strong passing performance from Kekoa Visperas, as he finished connecting on 23-of-32 passing for 246 yards and three touchdowns, as the Golden Eagles rolled up another 576 yards of total offense en route to win No. 3. The Golden Eagles ended the day with a huge 300-74 edge in ground yards.
Next up was game four and that meant the start of Big South/OVC play, as the Golden Eagles headed to Nashville to open up league play against the Tennessee State Tigers.
It was another game in which Bobby Wilder's Golden Eagles could essentially put it on cruise control after halftime, scoring 35 unanswered points before the Tigers finally got on the scoreboard with a field goal in the third quarter.
It was another 100-yard rushing effort from Quintell Quell, who finished the contest with 107 yards and a touchdown on just seven attempts.
The Golden Eagles held a 384-294 advantage in total offense, and as much as the offense had been the story through the early portions of the season, but it was an opportunistic defense that helped the Golden Eagles to get over the top by causing four turnovers, which included three INTs and a fumble recovery in getting a key win. Andrew Smith highlighted the day by coming up with an INT and returning it 94 yards for a touchdown, recording one of the plays of the season for the Golden Eagles defense.
Next up came another lopsided win, as the Golden Eagles claimed what was a 66-20 win over Western Illinois, as the program began a season 5-0 for just the third time in school history. The win also gave the Golden Eagles the longest active winning streak in the FCS. The win by the Leathernecks stretched their winning streak to 10-straight games, which of course dated back to the end of the 2024 season.
Kekoa Visperas had another outstanding game throwing the football, as he finished the contest connecting on 24-of-38 passes for 358 yards with four TDs and no INTs, while also leading the team with 73 yards rushing. Even backup quarterback Jace Wilson got into the act, as his only completion of the day turned into a 94-yard scoring strike. Visperas also led the team in rushing, finishing the contest with 74 yards on eight carries, as he finished the contest by posting 431 yards of total offense.
Noah Robinson was the favorite of the receiving targets in the contest, as he hauled in seven passes for 126 yards and three scores. The offensive onslaught by TTU would see it amass 618 yards of total offense (452 passing/166 rushing), as the Golden Eagles held a 618-375 advantage in total offense at the end of the day.
The Golden Eagles would then be in the Low Country of the Palmetto State the following week, where they would end up picking up what was a maybe tougher than expected 27-13 win over Charleston Southern. The win saw TTU improve to 6-0 overall . Kekoa Visperas continued his efficiency under center for the Golden Eagles, as he connected on 15-of-25 passes for 141 yards, with a pair of INTs and a touchdown.
Maury Sullivan hauled in a 2-yard scoring pass to open the scoring and give the Golden Eagles a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter. However, Zach Gordon would close out the quarter with a 37-yard field goal, getting the Bucs to within four, at 7-3, with 5:52 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Golden Eagles had been absolutely blitzing teams through the opening halves of play through the first six games of the season, outscoring foes a combined 87-10 in the opening quarter of games, while outscoring foes 175-35 in the opening halves of the first six games of the season.
Following the field goal by the Bucs, the Golden Eagles responded with a 68-yard drive, with Obie Sanni capping the drive with a six-yard scoring run just six seconds into the second quarter, as Tennessee Tech assumed a 13-3 lead. The Golden Eagles missed the PAT, leaving the margin at 10.
Charleston Southern would find the end zone when Zolten Osborne connected with Rashawn Cunningham for a 9-yard scoring strike, making things interesting, with the score 13-10, with just under five minutes remaining in the half.
But the Golden Eagles would restore order, churning out a nine-play, 75-yard drive to go up 20-10 when Q'Darius Jennings scored on a 1-yard plunge with just 1:39 to play in the opening half of play. The only score in the third quarter would come with late in the frame, as Aidan Littles capped a nine-play, 58-yard drive to make it 27-10 with 3:11 remaining in the third. The only points the rest of the way came on a field goal from Gordon on a 24-yard connection with just over four minutes remaining, setting the final margin at 14.
The Golden Eagles would breeze through the next two weeks, improving to 8-0 with wins over Lindenwood (W, 52-28) on the road and SEMO (W, 42-23) at home, setting up a solid test against Gardner-Webb to open the month of November. Though the Bulldogs put up a valiant effort, the Golden Eagles, who were now up to No. 8 in the nation, were able to rebound from a 14-3 deficit to come away with a gut-wrenching 27-21 win over the Bulldogs in arguably Tennessee Tech's toughest league test of the season.
The Bulldogs got on the board with the first two touchdowns of the contest, as Carson Gresock scored on one and two-yard runs in the first and second quarters, while holding the Golden Eagles to only a Dom LeBlanc field goal, assuming a 14-3 lead with just 5:16 remaining in the half. However, the Golden Eagles would finally get into the end zone when Quintell Quinn found paydirt on a 10-yard run to conclude a 65-yard drive that needed only four plays to conclude, making it a 14-10 game with 3:57 remaining in the half. Tennessee Tech wouldn't assume its first lead of the game until eight seconds into the fourth quarter, Tre Holloway hauled in a 60-yard scoring strike from Kekoa Visperas, making it a 17-14 contest.
A little less than three minutes later, Tennessee Tech would go up by a couple of scores, when Theron Gaines picked up a GWU fumble and returned it 10 yards for a score with 7:47 left to give the Golden Eagles a 27-14 lead. Gardner-Webb would add one more score late in the game to set the margin at six, as the Golden Eagles improved to 9-0 for just the second time in school history, and for the first time since 1952.
The following week at Eastern Illinois, the Golden Eagles made it a 10-0 start to the season with a 21-9 win over the Panthers, marking the second time in school history the Golden Eagles have won 10 games in a single-season, and it marks the first time since 1972 that the Golden Eagles have totaled as many wins in a season.
The defense would be the story of the game for the Golden Eagles, holding the Panthers to just a grand total of 326 yards of total offense to go along with only nine points. The Golden Eagles were stingy all afternoon against the Panthers' ground game, limiting EIU to just 137 total yards on the ground in the contest.
TTU also limited the hometown team to just a 4-of-13 effort on third down. Kekoa Visperas would finish off the day by setting a Golden Eagles single-season record, tossing his 22nd touchdown of the season and finished the contest connecting on 17-of-23 passes for 151 yards, with one touchdown and an INT. Visperas was also effective on the ground, rushing 11 times for 57 yards.
The defensive effort was once again led by linebacker Theron Gaines, who finished the contest with 11 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, two sacks and scored his second touchdown of the season, as he recovered an EIU fumble late in the fourth quarter and rumbled 10 yards for a score to put the finishing touches on another big win.
Tennessee Tech opened the game by getting on the board twice in the opening quarter, courtesy of touchdowns from running back Q'Daryius Jennings and wide receiver Maury Sullivan.
Jennings scored on a 5-yard scamper to conclude a 7-play, 70-yard drive to make it 7-0 with 6:13 remaining in the opening quarter. That would be followed by the Golden Eagles defense forcing an EIU three-and-out and then Sullivan hauled in a 48-yard scoring striking from Visperas--his school-record setting 22nd scoring strike of the season to make it a 14-0 game with just 37 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
The lone points of the second quarter would come from the Panthers, as Drew Schiller would connect on a 20-yard field goal to conclude a 12-play, 71-yard drive and make it a 14-3 game with 5:03 remaining in the half.
The Golden Eagles would hold an 11-point lead throughout the third quarter and for most of the fourth quarter until linebacker Theron Gaines recovered an EIU fumble and returned it 10 yards for a score with just 3:50 left in the contest to increase the Golden Eagles lead to 21-3. EIU would finally find paydirt in the game with just over a minute left, as DeAirous Smith hauled in an 16-yard scoring pass from Cole LaRue to make it 21-9 after the two-point conversion was unsuccessful. The Golden Eagles recovered the on-sides kick by the Panthers and ran off the remaining time on the clock to preserve the 21-9 win.
Tennessee Tech's lone loss of the regular season would come a week later when FBS and SEC member Kentucky handed the Golden Eagles a 42-10 loss in Lexington. The fifth-ranked Golden Eagles did manage to hold their own for a while against the bigger, faster, stronger and deeper Wildcats, but eventually wore down as ground, which gained 207 yards, eventually proved too much to stop for the TTU defense to stop.
Kentucky used three rushing touchdowns to rush out to a 21-0 second-quarter lead, as Seth McGowan (2) and Cutter Boley accounted for the three rushing scores, with McGowan scoring on runs of one and four yards, while Boley's covered 30, as the Wildcats built a comfortable three-score lead with 3:46 remaining in the opening half of play.
The Golden Eagles would get on the board just before the half, as they would score just before the half when tight end Brian Courtney hauled in an 8-yard scoring pass to make it a 21-7 game with just 1:18 remaining in the half.
Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, however, the momentum would be owned by the Wildcats at the break, thanks in large part to Seth McGowan, who plunged over from a yard out to make it a 28-7 Wildcats lead with just 19 seconds remaining in the half, as the Wildcats went on to coast to the 42-10, out-scoring the Golden Eagles 14-3 in the second half.
The normally prolific Tennessee Tech offense was held in check by the bigger, more physical FBS foe, as the Golden Eagles could muster only 264 yards of total offense. The loss didn’t affect the Golden Eagles much in terms of the postseason, however, as Tennessee Tech entered the postseason with a 10-1 record and the OVC-Big South Champions in their final season as a league member.
The Golden Eagles would be the No. 6 seed entering the FCS Playoffs, and in the opening round, the Golden Eagles would face off against the No. 13 North Dakota Fighting Hawks in the opening round of the playoffs. The Golden Eagles would be at home in the friendly confines of Tucker Stadium.
In its first playoff game since 2011 and just the second all-time FCS Playoff appearance in program history for the Golden Eagles wouldn’t go quite according to plan, as Missouri Valley Football Conference power North Dakota came to Cookeville and overwhelmed Tennessee Tech, posting what was a 31-6 win.
It would end up being a dismal ending to an otherwise outstanding season for the Golden Eagles. The game would close through three quarters, and it would be a defensive struggle until the fourth. Tennessee Tech’s lone points of the game would come on a 45-yard scoring strike from Kekoa Visperas to Brian Courtney to make it a 10-6 game with 11:28 remaining in the third. The PAT was blocked by the Fighting Hawks, leaving the margin at four.
However, the fourth quarter would belong to the Fighting Hawks, scoring 21 unanswered points to close out the game, with all three of them being rushing touchdowns. Colton Brunell got the scoring started with an 8-yard run, which was then followed by a Gaven Ziebarth 3-yard run with just over nine minutes remaining. Charles Langama’s 18-yard scamper sealed the opening round road win for the Missouri Valley Football Conference team, as he made it 31-6 with just 3:16 remaining.
Previewing the Golden Eagles Offense in 2026
Tennessee Tech comes off a strong season on the offensive side of football, averaging 37.5 PPG and averaged 417.0 YPG last fall, ranking 26th nationally in total offense and ranked ninth in the nation in scoring offense.
The offense was decimated by both graduation and the transfer portal, with Nason Simmons the lone returnee of the five offensive linemen, while the skill positions were also hit hard by the portal, with not much in the way of continuity returning from last season.
The good news is the Golden Eagles are solid at the skill spots, where leading receivers Maury Sullivan (50 catches, 631 yds, 4 TDs in 2025) and Tre Holloway (37 rec, 487 yds, 3 TDs, 13.4 YPR) are both back to give Jax Leatherwood some options in the passing attack. Holloway doubles as a threat in the punt return game, as he posted 282 return yards and a touchdown on 21 attempts last season, averaging
The Golden Eagles have to replace seven starters from that offense last season, which includes quarterback Kekoa Visperas, who was outstanding in his only year leading the Golden Eagles offense, passing for a program record 25 touchdowns, while ranking second in the OVC/Big South in passing yards (2,486), helping Tennessee Tech to its first ever 8-0 conference record, and just the program’s second all-time FCS Playoff appearance.
The man charged with leading the offense this season is familiar to the Golden Eagles players and fans, as Jax Leatherwood comes over from former OVC rival SEMO to lead the Golden Eagles in their first season in a new conference.
He begins in his new league as a second-team All-SoCon selection, according to the league’s head coaches, as he started the 2025 season as the primary signal-caller for SEMO, connecting on 174-of-277 for 1,969 yards, 12 TDs and only two INTs. The 6-8, 253-lb signal-caller also sported and impressive 62.8% completion percentage last fall.
Leatherwood will be pushed for his starting position by Weber State transfer Richie Munoz and Charleston Southern transfer Zolten Osbourne, as all three spent time starting under center at their respective institutions in their respective careers.
The 5-11, 215-lb senior signal-caller threw for 2,568 yards and 24 TDs, with only six INTs as the Wildcats’ starter back in 2024. Munoz improved his situation and he put up great passing totals in a good league. That will translate in the SoCon. Osbourne was an honorable mention all-conference selection at Charleston Southern last season after connecting on 166-of-304 passes for 2,216 yards, with 12 TDs and six INTs.
Tight end Gerard Grewe is another option that Leatherwood could look for in the passing game, but Grewe also excels as a blocking tight end. He is a preseason Second-Team All-SoCon selection, according to the league’s head coaches, as he comes to Tennessee Tech from Truman State where he was a Great Lakes Valley Conference selection last season, hauling in 44 passes for 573 yards and six touchdowns, averaging an impressive 13.02 yards-per-reception.
While Holloway and Sullivan will be big-play options in the passing game, there will be some big play options other than Holloway and Sullivan in the passing attack, as guys like Ball State transfer Eric Weatherly and Idaho transfer Emmerson Cortez-Menjivar also figure to feature prominently in the Golden Eagles’ passing attack this fall. Weatherly saw action in all 12 games for Ball State, and the 5-8 speedster rushed 13 times for 117 yards, while hauling in 29 passes for 238 yards and a touchdown.
The former Ball State wideout was recently selected preseason Second-Team All-American by FCS STATS Perform, as he had a standout career overall, including hauling in 117 passes for 1,468 yards and 15 TDs at Bucknell before joining the Ball State program last season.
Weatherly, however, was not chosen either first or second team All-SoCon by the league’s head coaches, despite being a preseason All-America selection by FCS STATS Perform. Cortez-Menjivar, a 6-1, redshirt junior, saw time in all 10 games for the Vandals last season, posting 22 catches for 278 yards and one score, averaging a solid 12.6 yards-per-catch.
Davidson transfer Ivan Hoyt is another prominent receiving option from the portal that will be a part of the Tennessee Tech program this fall. In his final season with the Wildcats, Hoyt appeared in 11 games, recording 60 receptions for 842 yards and 10 TDs. Gabe Nunez (Southern Utah) and Dae’Vonn Hall (Nebraska-Kearney) will also look to compete for time at wideout this fall.
Keeping in the state of North Carolina and also expected to make an impact, despite moving up a level is redshirt junior transfer Amari McArthur out of Catawba. As a RS sophomore for the Indians last season, McArthur hauled in 26 passes for 492 yards and six scores, appearing in all 11 games for Catawba.
Switching gears to the running game, the Golden Eagles lose an outstanding ground-gainer, in Quintell Quell, who led the Golden Eagles with 698 yards rushing and nine TDs on 101 attempts last season (6.9 YPC). However, while Quell is a tough to replace, it appears that the Golden Eagles have more than addressed that need out of the transfer portal, adding a player, in MJ Flowers, who Golden Eagles fans are probably already very familiar with dating back to his time at Eastern Illinois.
Flowers was recently named to the STATS Perform FCS Preseason Walter Payton Award Watch list, while also being named Preseason Third-Team All-America by the same organization. Flowers spent the 2025 season playing for the UConn Huskies at the FCS level after starring for three seasons with the EIU Panthers in the OVC/Big South. In his three seasons at EIU, Flowers rushed for 1,837 yards and 15 TDs, averaging 4.7 YPC.
In what was his rookie season with EIU back in 2022, Flowers was named the OVC/Big South Freshman of the Year and was the runner-up for the Jerry Rice Award after rushing for 854 yards and totaled 1,046 all-purpose yards, which was the second-most nationally among FCS Freshmen, garnering first-team all-league laurels in the process. As a sophomore in 2023, Flowers rushed for 865 yards and seven scores, while also hauling in 45 passes for 347 yards and another three TDs.
In his final campaign with the Panthers back in 2024, Flowers posted three 100-yard rushing games, which included 194-yard rushing effort against Western Illinois and setting a school record with 11 receptions in a single game in a contest against SEMO.
While Fauntleroy saw only limited action in his two seasons in Winston-Salem, Harris II was a central figure in ASU’s offense, as garnered 2024 preseason All-SWAC Second Team recognition in the preseason by both the league and by Phil Steele’s Annual College Football publication.
Just last season, Harris II led the SWAC in touchdowns, finishing with 16 total TDs, including 15 on the ground, amassing a league-best 96 total points, averaging 8.0 PPG. All told, in his final season with the Hornets, Harris II rushed for 426 yards on 57 attempts, while also catching six passes for 66 yards. One of his best performances came against Mississippi Valley State, as he rushed for 103 yards on just 11 attempts.
Maybe the final pieces to the puzzle in what should be a versatile and big-play ground game for the Golden Eagles will be both Aidan Littles and Maurice Sims, who will both battle to get reps in the ground game alongside Flowers, Fauntleroy and Harris II.
Littles will be a redshirt junior, and he comes off a 2025 campaign, which saw him rush for 245 yards on 47 attempts, finishing with four rushing touchdowns and did not record a fumble in those limited, but effective reps last season. Sims is a 5-10, 175-lb running back that saw action in three games last season for the Golden Eagles as a true freshman last season, rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries.
Four of five starters have moved on that were apart of that offensive line that helped pave the way for one of the most versatile offenses in the history of Tennessee Tech football last season. That includes Logan Weedman and Drew Wilder, who both garnered first-team All-OVC/Big South honors just last season, as well as Weedman garnering All-America honors (Phil Steele/3RD Team).
That said, there is a talented group of portal additions, as well as others waiting in the wings to compete for one of the four vacancies along the front. What we probably do know is that the lone holdover starter—Nason Simmons—will likely enter the season as a starter right guard. Simmons is massive, at 6-5, 324-lbs, and has started 20 of 25 games over the past two seasons along the front, including starting eight of 13 last season.
Another massive pillar along the offensive front is 6-7, 336-lb, Eric Nunez, who is one of those talented portal additions mentioned above. Nunez comes to Tennessee Tech from Central Connecticut State and likely projects as a starter at right tackle where he played in six games last season for the Blue Devils, helping CCSU to an 8-5 mark and a playoff appearance. Nunez is a preseason Second-Team All-SoCon selection, according to the league’s head coaches.
The rest of the starting OL will also likely come from a massive signing class of 46 players, including 12 of which were offensive linemen, and that is easily the highest number of signees for any position group. Malachi Richardson (Guilford HS/Rockford Ill), Keronn Lacy (Cardinal Ritter College Prep), and Jackson Hughes (Shelby HS/Columbiana, AL) are all true freshmen signees. The rest of the nine offensive linemen signed in the most recent class come from the transfer portal.
Other than Eric Nunez, other notable additions from the transfer portal that will be a part of the 2026 roster include the following: Garrett Masterson (6-6, 316 lbs/Kent State); Josh Robinson (6-8, 293 lbs/Lindenwood/Austin Peay/Hutchison CC/Butler CC); Mich’le Joseph (6-3, 311 lbs/Sam Houston State/Coffeyville CC); Jesse Igwe (6-2, 320 lbs/Tennessee State/Gardner-Webb/Charleston (WV)); Abdiylaye “Junior” Diallo (6-6, 310 lbs/Kent State/Emory & Henry); Joshua Brooks (6-3, 300 lbs/Robert Morris). Needless to say that it appears Tennessee Tech will have the largest offensive line in the SoCon this fall.
Overall Offensive Synopsis:
It’s nearly impossible to tell how the overall offense will shake out this fall, given the massive changes along the offensive front and a new man under center, although all signs point to this being an explosive unit with what the Golden Eagles were able to acquire from the transfer portal, especially at wide receiver and running back, as a pair of known FCS standouts return after a year at the FBS level, in Eric Weatherly and MJ Flowers. I expect this offense to take some time to kick into high gear, but once it does, look out!
Previewing the Golden Eagles Defense in 2026
Just two starters return to the Tennessee Tech defense that solidified itself as one of the top units in the country last fall, as the Golden Eagles would end up ranking as a Top 10 defense in the FCS last season. Tennessee Tech ranked ninth in the nation in total defense last season, surrendering just 296.7 YPG in 2025.
Linebacker is the one position on the defensive side of the football that remains a bit of a concern heading into the 2026 season, but the Golden Eagles should again be stout on the defensive side of the ball.
There are some holdovers from last season’s unit still around, like defensive backs Omari Philyaw and Leon Thomas, while Idris King, Kanstin Brooks and Xavier Randolph are among those left from the defensive line that saw meaningful snaps last season.
Nearly the entire linebacking unit that logged action last season has either graduated or migrated elsewhere, but let’s begin along the defensive front where King returns to anchor the unit.
The 6-1, 226-lb defensive end/ edge rusher is a redshirt junior and comes off a 2025 campaign, which saw him post 28 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, forced a fumble and a pass breakup in what was his most productive season with the program to date. He will challenge for a starting role at rush end this fall. King logged action in all 13 games for the Golden Eagles last season.
Another key returner at edge rusher is Randolph, who has good size and athleticism, at 6-4, 230 lbs. As a sophomore for the Tech defense last season, he logged action in all 13 games, finishing the season with 24 tackles, 6.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks. He will compete for a potential starting spot at defensive end this fall.
Brooks saw less time on the field than either Randolph or King, as his season was cut short due to injury after only two games. He finished with three tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss. The 5-11, 262-lb senior heads into the season as one of the most veteran players on the defensive side of the ball, and will challenge for a starting spot on the defensive interior.
The Golden Eagles welcomed in eight defensive linemen out of the portal to help build another potentially formidable unit this fall. Guys like Jamarr Jones (Chattanooga) and Joshua Jones (Albany State) were brought in to have a hopeful immediate impact for the unit this fall.
Jamarr Jones had a breakout season along the defensive front for the Mocs last season, finishing with 17 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, a pair of sacks and forced a fumble, starting 10 out of 11 games for the Mocs last season at defensive tackle. The 6-0, 241-lb senior will most likely once again challenge for a starting role at one of the defensive tackle spots with his new team in what will be his final season of eligibility.
Joshua Jones is a 6-0, 284-lb sophomore that has yet to appear in a single game in his collegiate career, and will look to break into the depth chart as a potential piece at one of the defensive tackle spots this fall.
Among the other transfers that should get a shot at some playing time this fall are McKenzie Hazzard (Bloomsburg) and Ameer Johnson (Oklahoma Baptist/Robert Morris). Hazzard was at NCAA Division II Bloomsburg in 2025, starting all 11 games, posting 13 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, a sack and recovered one fumble. During his time with Bloomsburg. The 6-5, 285-lb senior will likely compete for a major role at defensive tackle this fall.
Johnson, a 6-2, 249-lb senior, was most recently Robert Morris, but started his career at NCAA Division II Oklahoma Baptist. In 2025, Johnson logged action in all 12 games for the Colonials, recording 34 tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. Johnson likely will challenge for time at defensive end this fall.
Tyrese Whitaker (Temple), Malaki Pegues (Arkansas-Monticello) and Grant Thompson (West Liberty) round out the transfers expected to make a big impact along the defensive front for the Golden Eagles this fall. Both Whitaker and Pegues figure to contend for time at defensive end, while Thompson is versatile enough to play both, but will likely also compete for time at bookend.
Whitaker saw very limited action in three seasons at Temple at linebacker, but coaches love the athleticism he could potentially bring into the mix this fall for Tech. Pegues enters his sophomore season coming off a rookie campaign at Arkansas-Monticello, which saw him post 23 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks. Thompson played two seasons at West Liberty, with the most recent being his most productive, finishing up with 47 tackles, 14.0 TFL, six sacks, forced three fumbles, and recovered a pair of fumbles in 11 games. In two seasons at West Liberty, Thompson posted 22.5 tackles-for-loss and nine sacks.
Rounding out the players with potential to log some time along the defensive line this fall is Ethan McLaurin and AJ Crawford, who are a pair of the few holdovers from last season. The 6-2, 247-lb redshirt sophomore was solid in limited action last season, finishing the season with 14 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and had one quarterback hurry. Look for McLaurin’s role to increase this fall. Crawford saw time in 11 of 13 games, finishing with 16 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries.
Switching it up to linebacker, the Golden Eagles were hit harder here than any other spot on the defensive side of the football. A total of three linebackers were added from the transfer portal to provide some immediate support, as Will Johnson (Virginia Tech), Ralph Ortiz (West Florida), and Drew Scott (Missouri Western) should provide an immediate potential for making an impact. Johnson saw only limited action in three seasons at Virginia Tech, recording a total of 16 tackles in 30 games, seeing most of his action on special teams across three seasons with the Hokies. The 6-1, 225-lb native of Leonardtown, MO., will have one season of eligibility remaining and could step in at middle linebacker this fall.
Scott starred at NCAA Division II Missouri Western last fall where he finished off a solid redshirt sophomore season with the Griffons, posting 63 tackles, three tackles-for-loss and half-a-sack. The 233-lb product out of Memphis, TN, will have two years of eligibility and versatile enough to compete for a starting spot at either inside or outside linebacker in fall camp.
Ortiz rounds out the newcomers from the portal via the transfer portal, and he comes to Tennessee Tech from FCS newbie West Florida. The 6-1, 230-lb native out of Jacksonville, FL, is the most impressive of the newcomers for the Golden Eagles, as he was a First-Team All-Gulf South performer in his final season with the Argonauts.
He racked up quite a two-year stint with the Argonauts, as he was a first-team all-league selection in 2024, as well as being named the Gulf South Defensive Freshman of the Year back in 2023. In his most recent season of 2024 at West Florida, Ortiz played in all 12 games, making 11 starts and registered 33 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, an INT and forced a fumble. He was most recently at Kansas State, but didn’t log any action last season before transferring to Tennessee Tech in the off-season.
Others like Kaleb Brown and Greg Turner III figure to also compete for a starting job in the linebacking unit after both having played key roles last season. Turner III, who was in his first season with the Golden Eagles after transferring in from East Carolina prior to the 2025 season, finishing off Tennessee Tech’s memorable 11-win campaign by contributing 31 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, one sack, forced a fumble, and had one pass breakup after seeing action in all 13 games as a backup behind Theron Gaines at the weakside linebacker spot last season.
Brown served as a reserve at ‘MIKE’ linebacker in 2025, finishing the season by also logging time in all 13 games and finished off the season with 40 tackles, a sack and forced one fumble. Look for both Turner III and Brown to compete for starting spots in fall camp.
Rounding out the three units of the Tennessee Tech defense heading into the 2026 season is arguably the strongest unit heading into the upcoming season, which is the defensive backfield, which is highlighted by the return of two starters and three from the two-deep from last season.
The two starters returning to the fold are two pretty good ones, in strong safety Omari Philyaw and cornerback Leon Thomas, who will also act as veteran leaders on a virtually brand-new defensive unit this fall. Philyaw, a 5-10, 180-lb senior, who has played a key role on the Tennessee Tech defense after transferring in from App State prior to the 2024 season, is coming off a ’25 season which saw him play in all 13 games, recording 31 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and broke up six passes. He is the odds-on favorite to start at strong safety entering fall camp. In two seasons with the Golden Eagles, Philyaw has 73 tackles, three INTs, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, and a fumble recovery.
Thomas returns to the fold as a projected starter at cornerback where he finished off the campaign with 25 tackles, two pass breakups, a tackle-for-loss and blocked a kick in what was his first season with the Golden Eagles after transferring in from Charleston Southern, where he spent his first two seasons playing NCAA Division I college football.
Eric Taylor also returns to the fold where he will provide some leadership and know-how on the back end. The 5-8, 185-lb redshirt junior logged action in all 13 games, posting 33 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, four pass breakups, and one blocked kick last fall.
Despite having some veteran leadership, plenty was also loss, and it was talented leadership to-boot. Guys like All-American free safety Tim Coutras and all-conference cornerback Andrew Smith were the heart-and-soul of a tenacious unit a year ago.
A total of eight defensive backs, including four safeties, join the squad from the transfer portal looking to carve out a significant role as a member of the 2026 defensive unit. Leonard Sherrod (Wheeling University); KoronnisTrey Patrick (Central Missouri); Chris “Cee” Rhodes (UT-Martin); Robert Dickerson (Robert Morris); Alex Dawkins (Itawamba CC/Lindenwood); Joe Hall III (Kansas State/Northern Iowa) and Anthony Busa (Stone Hill College) are all potential difference makers and impact players on their way to provide immediate help and depth on the back end.
The staff didn’t have to go all that far to find their way to the talents of Cee Rhodes, who literally lined up against the Golden Eagles in a key league tilt late in the season last fall, playing corner for the UT-Martin Skyhawks. Rhodes, a 6-0, 178-lb corner with good speed logged action in all 12 games for the Skyhawks last season, which included making a pair of starts. He ended up finishing the season with 20 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and an INT.
Joe Hall III could end up being a solid piece at corner after seeing some significant action for the UNI Panthers last season, posting 40 tackles and an INT as a key reserve against Missouri Valley competition. That should come in handy in a league like the SoCon. Trey Patrick looks like he has the potential to be a lockdown corner, as he comes to Tech from Central Missouri where he posted 11 PBUs and three INTs last fall.
At safety, the best of the bunch might just be Leonard Sherrod III out of Wheeling University, where he ended up being a Division II All-American last season, posting 97 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, 11 PBUs and 5 INTs in 11 games last fall. He has the potential to be an instant impact player and replacement for Coutras at free safety.
Alex Dawkins and Busa round out the potential impact players at safety this fall for the Golden Eagles. Busa was a key performer at Stone Hill last season, where he ended up starting all 12 games with 74 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, half-a-sack, eight PBUs and intercepted a pair of passes. Dawkins was a key contributor at saferty for Lindenwood last fall, as he finished the 2025 season with 46 tackles, 2.0 TFL, forced a pair of fumbles and tallied a sack.
Overall Defensive Synopsis:
It appears that the Golden Eagles will be okay on both the defensive line and the secondary this fall, with the main concern being linebacker. There appears to be enough talent brought in from the portal, however, for that not to be too much of an issue. This defense will be one of those that improves as the season progresses and should be at or near the top of the league and perhaps the country by season’s end.
Predicting the 2026 Schedule:
Aug. 29 vs. Monmouth W, 28-17
Sept. 5 at Chattanooga* W, 31-21
Sept. 12 vs. Samford* W, 42-20
Sept. 26 at Wofford* W, 35-31
Oct. 3 at Western Carolina* W, 38-35
Oct. 10 vs. Furman* W, 17-16
Oct. 17 vs. Eastern Kentucky W, 38-21
Oct. 24 at The Citadel* W, 28-17
Oct. 31 at ETSU* W, 45-42
Nov. 7 vs. VMI* W, 51-17
Nov. 14 vs. Mercer* W, 35-20
Nov. 21 at Mississippi State L, 45-7
Final Overall Record: 11-1
Final SoCon Record: 7-1 SoCon/Champions
Game to Watch Non-Conference: at Chattanooga (Sept. 5)—Yes, you indeed read that correctly. Much like NC State and Virginia last season, both Chattanooga and Tennessee Tech will meet each other in a previously scheduled non-conference game. This will be the Golden Eagles’ first true road test of the season against a reputable opponent, but I expect they’ll handle their business here. The Mocs and Golden Eagles will be getting together on the gridiron for the 42nd time in series history, as the two met just last season with the Golden Eagles pounding Chattanooga, 45-17, in Cookeville. Chattanooga holds a commanding 30-11 series edge.
Game to Watch in the SoCon: vs. Furman (Oct. 10)—It’s weird to say this, but there won’t be a lot of challengers for Tennessee Tech in its first season as a league member I fear, but the Oct. 10 home contest against Furman and the Sept. 26 game at Wofford do look particularly tricky, and look like ones that could cause potential issues. Factor that in with an Oct. 3 trip to Cullowhee to face Western Carolina, and it’s easily the toughest stretch of the season for the first-year league members. The league title debate might well be decided in this three-game stretch early in conference play. The Paladins have beaten the Golden Eagles twice in recent seasons, including a 45-10 win by the Paladins in Greenville back in 2023. Furman shutout Tennessee Tech the last time they visited Tucker Stadium in 2021, defeating the Golden Eagles 26-0. Tennessee Tech’s lone win in the series came way back in 1975, as the Golden Eagles came
away from Furman’s Paladin Stadium with a 17-5 win. Furman holds a 3-1 series
edge.
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