Shepherdstown, WV – As we roll into the month of September, Shepherd Rams football begins to look ahead to the 2021 season opener. After a year where the global pandemic forced the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to suspend their 2020 season many seniors contemplated if they would return when the NCAA granted them an extra year of eligibility.
Senior linebacker Chrys Lane, who led the Rams in total tackles in 2019 (104), says that he took the year as an opportunity to “improve all aspects of his game” Looking to improve their 10-3 record from 2019, Lane believes that the PSAC has yet to see the best of Shepherd football.
“I feel like in 2019 we only showed a little bit of what we can do as a team,” states Lane, a 2021 D2Football.com Pre-Season All American, “We were still adjusting to the conference so now that we’ve had time to settle in, we’re back to championship standards”
Defensively, the Rams have not missed a beat. This can be attributed to the Rams adding depth to the secondary as well as having experience at each position. All Conference honorees like senior JuWuan Addison help anchor the defensive line while veteran ballhawks Antonio Fox & Ponce DeLeon return in their roles in the secondary as defensive backs.
Offensively, the Rams look familiar. While missing All Region standouts like Devin Phillips & Donte Glover will be huge, there’s a familiar face in Shepherdstown that is sure to ignite the Rams’ offense. Junior quarterback Tyson Bagent returns after a very strong 2019 campaign where he finished as the runner up for the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to Division II’s most valuable player. In 2019, Bagent, also a 2021 D2Football.com Pre-Season All American selection, threw for over 4,000 yards, adding 36 touchdowns while averaging 362.4 yards per game (led NCAA II)
The Rams will travel to Columbus, Ohio tonight (Thursday, Sept. 2) where they will face the Ohio Dominican Panthers at 7 p.m.