Football gears up for full 2021 fall campaign

The Defiance football team are geared up and ready to take on a full 2021 fall schedule. The Yellow Jackets get the season underway on the road at Capital on Thursday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m.

The Coach: At the helm for Defiance this fall is Earnest Wilson who was named interim head coach of the Defiance College football program in August of 2021. Earnest Wilson spent the past three seasons serving as associate head coach and superbacks coach. 

Wilson brings with him an extensive coaching resume, with experience on several different levels of football.

Wilson most recently served as the head football coach for Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) from 2015-18, where he led the team to top-five finishes in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). As the CIAA Coach of the Year, Wilson developed NCAA Division II All-Americans Victor Tabb and Malcolm Cherry, who helped guide the program to its best record in four seasons. Under Wilson's guidance, the team had two HBCU All-Americans, six all-conference players, and a Division II All-American. While at Elizabeth City State, Wilson also served as a professor in the Department of Sport Management, helping in the development, growth, and expansion of the program.

The Players: Offense

Leading the Jackets on the offensive side of the ball and looking to make their mark on the season are junior quarterback Daylon Lange, senior wide receiver Amin Shaheed, and sophomore superback Tyshaun Freeman. In his sophomore season, Lange led the Yellow Jackets completing 101 passes for 1,230 yards and eight touchdowns, while adding 87 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Shaheed caught five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown in the shortened 2021 spring season, while Freeman ended his freshman campaign rushing for 466 yards and five touchdowns on 110 carries. Freeman finished the year being named Second Team All-HCAC.

The Players: Defense

Leading the way on the the defensive side and eager to make a name this year are sophomore defensive lineman Richard Pope IV, junior linebacker Thomas Coltrain, and senior defensive tackle Rigo Villa. Pope finished his freshman season second the team in tackles with 41 and recorded a team-high seven sacks and 14 tackles-for-loss. He ended the spring 2021 season earning First-Team All-HCAC and First Team D3Football All-America honors. He was also just recently named a d3football.com preseason All-American.

Coltrain tallied a team-leading 49 total tackles, while also recording a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He capped off his sophomore season gaining First Team All-HCAC and D3Football All-Region honors. Villa finished his junior campaign recording 26 total tackles, including 13 solos and five for loss to go along with an interception, forced fumble, and blocked kick. In 2019 Villa earned an HCAC honorable mention nod.

The Players: Special Teams

Looking to take the kicking duties for the Yellow Jackets this season is sophomore kicker Mathew Bolanos. Bolanos led Defiance with 34 total punts averaging 36.9 yards per kick and notched a career-long 59 yards against Anderson last season.

Sophomore Michael Martin comes back as the lead returner for DC with seven total kick returns averaging 16.9 yards-per-return and notched a long of 30 yards in the spring of 2021.

The Schedule: Defiance will play a full ten game schedule including seven conference and three non-conference contests. The Yellow Jackets kick-off the new season on Thursday, September 2 at Capital with game time slated for 6:00 p.m. Their home opener is Saturday, September 11 vs. Albion with kick-off at 1:30 p.m.

Broadcasts: All home games will be played at Justin F. Coressel Stadium and live stats and video can be found on defianceathletics.com.