Richmond junior quarterback Kevin Johnson started three FCS playoff games in 2016, when Kyle Lauletta was injured. JOE MAHONEY/TIMES-DISPATCH▲
Richmond linebacker Dale Matthews (22), speaking of last season's record, said, “We don’t accept 6-5 as being anything near good." JOE MAHONEY/TIMES-DISPATCH▲
BY JOHN O'CONNOR Richmond Times-Dispatch
17 min ago
The University of Richmond last season went 6-5, better than half of the teams in the CAA. That winning record, however, was the Spiders’ worst since 6-6 in 2013. UR had advanced to the FCS playoffs three consecutive years before failing to do so in 2017, Russ Huesman’s first season as coach.
“We don’t accept 6-5 as being anything near good,” said senior linebacker Dale Matthews.
The Spiders, who were 4-4 in the CAA, try to elevate this year without Kyle Lauletta, the top passer in school history and the fourth-round selection of the New York Giants in the 2018 NFL Draft. With him last year, Richmond averaged 31 points. Huesman plugs in 6-foot junior Kevin Johnson, who led UR in a trio of 2016 FCS playoff games when Lauletta was out with an injured knee. Johnson redshirted last season.
“He practiced like he was playing every game last year, which really helped him,” Huesman said. “He was ready every week. He traveled. He was part of the plan. He’s got a gun and he runs well enough to do some things that we want to do with the quarterback run stuff.”
Richmond shifts from a pocket-passing operation, which took advantage of Lauletta’s strengths, to more of a spread system than aims to move behind Johnson’s mobility and throwing.
“You can see the quarterback a little bit more on the edge and doing a lot of the read stuff in there. That’s kind of going to be what we are,” said Huesman, who used a similar offensive approach during the eight years he spent as Chattanooga’s coach.
Lauletta started for three seasons and completed 65 percent of his pass attempts as a senior. Johnson has the opportunity to match that accuracy with the CAA’s finest set of receivers. Senior Dejon Brissett was a 2017 first team all-league pick. Junior Cortrelle Simpson and senior Tyler Wilkins were named second team.
Richmond returns veteran running backs Gordon Collins, Deontez Thompson and Xavier Goodall, who will maneuver behind an inexperienced line that includes preseason All-CAA pick John Yarbrough.
“I can’t wait for this offense to really rear its physical nature,” said Yarbrough. “We had a featured passer last year, and we’ve got another one coming up. But I think we can show our improvement in how physical we can be, whether that’s in the run game or those play-action roll-outs.”
Six offensive starters and seven on defense are back. Huesman sees more size along the defensive front, which will allow the Spiders to be physical to start the season. They were not physical to start last season, the coach acknowledged.
“I think another year in the systems for our offensive and defensive guys is going to be so helpful for us,” said Huesman, the defensive coordinator on the 2008 Spiders’ team that won the FCS championship. “Our guys know us. We know them. We know what to expect. They know how we coach.
“Just that part of it is going to make us a better football team.”
Better may not translate to an improved record because of the number of quality CAA teams this season. UR was picked seventh among 12 in the CAA preseason poll. James Madison, which advanced to the last two FCS title games, is the favorite. New Hampshire, picked second, has made 14 consecutive FCS tournaments. Delaware, picked third, returns 15 starters from a 7-4 team. Stony Brook, Elon and Villanova are also forecast to finish ahead of the Spiders.
Seven CAA teams are ranked in various preseason FCS polls.
“It’s obvious 6-5 at the University of Richmond is not good, and that’s not the standard here, for sure,” said Huesman.
NOTE: L.C. Bird High grad Tyler Wilkins, a receiver, was named a Richmond captain Friday along with linebacker Dale Matthews, linebacker Justin Rubin, offensive lineman John Yarbrough, and defensive lineman Andrew Clyde. All are seniors, and were selected by their teammates.
The skinny:
Head coach: Russ Huesman (65-42 in nine years, 6-5 at Richmond)
Record last year: 6-5, 4-4 CAA
Projected finish: seventh among 12 in the CAA preseason poll
Need to know: The Spiders struggled in Huesman’s 4-2-5 defensive alignment early last year before midseason improvement became apparent. UR seems in good shape with linebackers Justin Rubin, Dale Matthews and Billy Caughell, who missed last season with a knee injury. The front features All-CAA selection Andrew Clyde, and Maurice Jackson and Colby Ritten. Only two starting defensive backs among five return. … Senior Griffin Trau has made 35 of 41 field-goal attempts and 79 of 83 PAT tries over the last two years. …Though the offensive line is breaking in three new starters, this seems like a good season for junior quarterback Kevin Johnson to be a first-year starter because the Spiders have experienced playmakers in the backfield and at receiver.
