Oilers Look to Continue Winning Ways in 2013
The University of Findlay football team will open camp on Aug. 12 in preparation for the 2013 season, which kicks off on Thursday, Sep. 5 with a home game against Urbana University at 7 p.m.
The Oilers return 39 players who saw action in games last year and 19 of those started contests for the team in 2012.
The squad, who finished the 2012 campaign with a 7-3 record, will be led by seniors Seth White and Ray Ballard, who each earned second team all-conference accolades last season.
White, who saw time last year at multiple positions on offense and special teams, led the team with 698 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He caught 48 passes on the year, averaged 36.5 yards per punt and connected on all 30 of his extra point attempts while drilling four field goals as well.
The Bexley, Ohio native enters his senior season with 112 career receptions, which ranks eighth all-time at Findlay. He will have a chance to break the school record for career receptions this year as the record of 138 catches is held by Jeff Rowe (2000-03) and Rick Hatfield (1976-79).
White also ranks eighth all-time in career receiving yards as he has racked up 1,381 yards through the air up until this point and was recently selected as a preseason honorable mention All-American by USA College Football.
Ballard meanwhile has spent time on both sides of the ball during his career and earned his all-conference honors as a safety last year on defense.
The Columbus, Ohio native accounted for 47 tackles last season and also registered five tackles for a loss, four sacks and six passes defensed. He also forced three fumbles and recovered three as well. He was tabbed a 2013 preseason first team All-American by USA College Football too.
In addition, senior tight end Jaryd Brown, senior offensive lineman Justin Music and senior defensive back Jamon McClain all return to the team after capturing honorable mention all-conference honors in 2012.
Brown led the team with 50 receptions and recorded 646 receiving yards in 2012. He caught five touchdown passes and ran for another while averaging 64.6 yards per game.
The Germantown, Ohio native ranks tenth all-time at Findlay with 98 receptions and ninth all-time with 1,268 receiving yards.
Music has been a mainstay on the Oilers offensive line and has 30 career starts to his credit while McClain has 29 career starts and 146 career tackles.
The Oilers also have a number of players returning who had a good spring session. Junior quarterback Devontae Payne, junior quarterback Verlon Reed, senior wide receiver Nathan Morris, junior wide receiver Lloyd Henry, junior defensive end Josh Lee, junior defensive end Kevin Brewton and senior defensive lineman Alex Vance all return after standout performances in the Oilers annual spring game.
Payne threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns in the spring contest while Reed racked up 91 passing yards and a score in the game.
Morris and Henry also had outstanding spring games as pass catchers. Morris racked up 110 receiving yards and two scores while Henry accumulated 143 receiving yards and a score, which came on a 98-yard scoring play.
Lee was dominant on defense with ten tackles and two sacks while Brewton and Vance registered three and two sacks, respectively, in the game.
Junior defensive back, Harold Jones-Quartey, junior defensive back Brice Womack and red-shirt freshman linebacker Brad Fenton all registered interceptions in the spring game as well and will be looking to be key contributors for the Oilers in 2013.