DANVILLE, Va. — The Averett University football team enters its 20th season as a program, including its sixth under head coach Cleive Adams, in 2019. For the first time in program history, the Cougars were picked as the preseason favorite to win the USA South Conference. Here are five keys for success for Averett for the upcoming season.
 

FIVE KEYS TO THE 2019 SEASON

NEW YEAR, SAME EXPECTATIONS
Averett's success has continued to grow during Adams' tenure has head coach. The Cougars have finished second in the standings the past two seasons, including a program-best 8-2 mark overall in 2018. Even though the Cougars were picked as the preseason favorite to win the USA South Conference this fall, Adams and his players are quick to note that this is a different year. Past success doesn't mean future success. A new year means new personnel despite a large group of returners.

"The success we had last year was pretty good," said veteran safety Octavius Ross, who is a graduate student in his sixth year with the program after missing two seasons due to injury during his time at Averett. "It was the first time the program went 8-2 — the best record the program has seen. … Coach Adams has been saying 'Last year was last year, this year is this year. That was Team 19, this is Team 20.' We've got to create our own identity and hopefully recreate that same success we had last year."


CONSISTENCY ON STAFF DESPITE COACHING CHANGES
Although Averett's football program had several coaching changes in the offseason, the Cougars were able to maintain consistency by filling those roles from within. Assistant head coach Patrick Henry, who is the longest-tenured full-time coach on staff, was named the offensive coordinator. David Clark, who was the special teams coordinator the past two seasons, moved over to defensive coordinator. And Dustin Beck, who finished up his time as a graduate assistant coach after last season, took over the special teams coordinator duties when he joined the staff on a full-time basis. Adams also added an experienced assistant in Scott McConnell to round out his full-time staff.

While there will be some subtle changes with the new coaches in their new roles, the continuity within the field house should go a long way in helping the Cougars succeed on and off the field.

"I'm excited about those guys," Adams said. "That was the reason I pushed to make those hires. They know what it looks like and what it is supposed to look like. My team hears me say that a lot, but it's one of my favorite quotes. My coordinators understand the standard and the schematics of what we're doing and how we want to do it. They understand our young men, which is far more important to me than any X and O you can put on a piece of paper. They understand how we manage our football team in the field house here at Averett."


TEAM CHEMISTRY
With an overall roster in the triple-digits and a returning group that takes up a large portion of that number, the Cougars feel like they have a strong team chemistry this season. That's certainly something the coaching staff enjoys, but the players also believe it will play a huge factor in their success and adds a level of excitement among teammates.

"What excites me most is being able to work with my boys again," sophomore tight end Wesley Parker said. "We worked hard all spring, all summer long and now in preseason camp. I'm excited for what we can do as a team. I feel like we're a real close team this year and work really well together."

Ross added that team chemistry extends beyond the turf, noting the team is close on and off the field.

Adams specifically noted to position groups that have exemplified the chemistry within the locker room — the offensive line and quarterbacks.

"We graduated Spencer Dowdle and Tyler Gray past year. Those two guys were unbelievable in terms of leadership on our offensive line," Adams said. "A lot of times, they took control of things on Saturday. We didn't have to have a lot of conversations on the sideline about something breaking down because they knew exactly what happened. Starting in the spring, it was a new era, and I was a little concerned about how spring practice was going to pan out. Our guys stepped up. We have about 30 offensive linemen in this program. That's unheard of. The leadership is just continuing to grow in that room. The identity and the focus on building an offensive line culture here at Averett in our field house is huge. Also, that passing of the torch to Michael Head, A.C. Woolard and Adam Hampton and those seniors in that room has been huge in continuing to build that culture on the offensive line. So that's been one surprise — that we've picked up right where we left off and the expectation is still high to compete at a high level."

Adams also likes what he sees among his quarterback group led by senior Jacob Wright, who was the USA South All-Conference First Team quarterback last season. Wright and sophomore Ryan Curle were the only two returning quarterbacks on the roster after the Cougars lost three to graduation.

"We had to go out and recruit quite a few quarterbacks because we graduated three journeymen quarterbacks last year," Adams said. "The cupboard was pretty bare. Over the course of training camp, it's been a cool room to watch. Obviously everyone has been trying to compete for a job to get on the bus and be on the travel squad, but those guys have worked together. Coach Henry has done a great job building a brotherhood in that meeting room with the quarterbacks when there's five guys in there trying to compete for the same thing."


WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE
One area Adams puts an emphasis on is winning the turnover battle. It can change games. And the Cougars' defense has certainly been successful in helping win that battle. Last year, Averett led the USA South Conference in takeaways, including a conference-high 14 interceptions on defense.

"Causing turnovers has been a big point of emphasis," senior linebacker Conner Showalter said. "I think that is something we have been pretty good at in the past, and we will just continue to build upon that."

Averett also did a good job limiting its own turnovers by throwing a conference-low three interceptions last season.


EXCITEMENT IN A NEW BEGINNING
To win a conference title, the Cougars are surely going to be tested with a strong non-conference schedule and the always tough gauntlet within the USA South. Averett opens the season on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the always tough road environment at Hampden-Sydney College. Then Averett returns home to face preseason No. 25 Randolph-Macon College. Non-conference play ends with a road game at rival Ferrum College.

After opening conference play at Greensboro College and at home against LaGrange College, the Cougars face the other three top-ranked teams in the conference preseason poll in back-to-back-to-back weeks. Averett hosts N.C. Wesleyan College for Homecoming on Oct. 19, then travels to Huntingdon College before coming back home to play host to Maryville College. The Cougars then finish with a road game at Brevard College and Senior Day against Methodist University on Nov. 16.


Watch the 2019 football preview here.