2025 Preview: Nation Ford Falcons

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When Jake Bentley interviewed for the vacant Nation Ford head coaching position a few months ago after spending the 2024 season as an assistant at Rock Hill, he knew there was a standard of excellence that was established at the school, from academics to the band.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now, the former University of South Carolina quarterback has the opportunity to bring that same standard to the gridiron in 2025, as the Falcons will have a fresh start after a 2-8 campaign in 2024, falling to Hillcrest in the first round of the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I think our kids are extremely hungry to reach that as a football program, too. And man, I just knew from meeting Jayden (Scott) in the interview to meeting all the other guys, you know, when I got there, just our team is hungry for success. They want it. And we just have to continue to build the culture in a way that breeds their confidence and, as a coaching staff, continue to put them in position to be successful,” Bentley said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the first things the Falcons will need to figure out on offense is who will be the starting quarterback. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1674094' first='Emmanuel' last='Young'], Asher Beck</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1592521' first='Kason' last='Canupp']</strong>, who transferred from Rock Hill,<strong> </strong>are battling it out currently. Bentley has been pleased with the quarterbacks through the 7-on-7 summer period. The evaluation will continue through fall camp as jamborees and scrimmages kick off as the staff wants to build the offense around what the Falcons do well. Other returners include <strong>Cole Douglas </strong>anchoring things on the offensive line while <strong>Jamari Gore </strong>will be back at safety.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Joey Reagan </strong>will be a core leader up front defensively along with <strong>Isaiah Johnson</strong>, who has been hampered by injuries but Bentley expects him to have a big impact. Bentley wants the defense to have an attacking mindset under new defensive coordinator Shawn Baldwin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the 2025 season opener approaches against Blythewood on August 22, Bentley wants his guys to punch adversity in the face.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I told them the other day at 7-on-7 that, even in the good book, it tells you, hey, it's not if trials happen. It's when they happen, right? We're going to face that adversity in the season, right? First game, first quarter, something bad may happen. Can we respond? I think, as a staff, that's one thing that we're kind of talking about right now is how can we continue to put them in that situation? Where they have to make that decision, are we going to let adversity overtake us? Or are we going to say, you know what? Hey, I can't control what just happened. I can't control that I just fumbled. Can I respond? And continuing to see our guys respond, not letting negative things dictate the next play, or the next drive, or the rest of the game,” Bentley said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1776972' first='Justin' last='Smiley']</strong> LB, 2026 – Smiley returns as one of the leaders for the Falcons' defense. After battling injury in 2024, he is excited to be back at full strength with a new staff and new defensive coordinator. He's a difference maker on special teams, as he can come up and make a hit. He's been at Davidson College, Hampden-Sydney and Williams College this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Transition with new head coach Jake Bentley: “I love him, man. He has a lot of good connections, too. He's already brought in new defensive coaches in. Just changed the whole scheme of the team since last year.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2025: “I've been working on pass coverage (and) staying mobile.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>On the new defensive coordinator Shawn Baldwin: “It's great, man. Never had a guy like him before in my life. He annotates all the film. He gives us work. We do extra film work after every practice, you know? It's great.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Building team chemistry: “Just the other day, we had a college football (video game) tournament at my house. Just invite the guys over and get to know them more. It's more than football.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734443' first='Jayden' last='Scott'] </strong>WR, 2026 – Scott (pictured above) is a speedster on the outside and will be a weapon for the Falcons' offense. He is a home run threat anytime the ball is in his hands and will be fun to watch in 2025. He has taken an official visit to East Tennessee State and has an offer from them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2025: “I've been working on footwork, really being able to make a guy miss and being able to work (in the) open field and situations like that.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1635014' first='Malachi' last='Drayton']</strong> RB/LB, 2026 – Drayton is a physical, downhill running back who can get a solid five to ten yards a carry. He's also a difference maker on special teams in being able to come up and make tackles and affect field position. He's been active on the camps circuit this summer, visiting the University of South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Old Dominion and Presbyterian College.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Improvements heading into 2025: “Personally, I've been working on route running, getting better as a receiver and getting more open, helping the quarterbacks out.”</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>KEY LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Josh Ameo </strong>WR – The Falcons will look to move forward from his speed and production, and playmaking ability in 2025. He had 1213 yards in 2024, mainly from quarterback <strong>Carson Sanford</strong>, who has also graduated and was a home run threat every time he caught the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Patience Andrews </strong>RB – Andrews will accompany Drayton in the running back room. He's another physical back who can get you a solid five to 10 yards a carry and will help keep the offense on schedule. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17785362/66f189e04634ef1677eaebb4' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68606ac18fd4b"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP AND COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1672904' first='Logan' last='Thames']</strong> CB, 2028 – Thames is a state champion wrestler on the JV level and runs track. That speed can make a difference when working to keep up with opposing receivers, and he could make a splash in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Micah Gadsden </strong>CB, 2028 – Gadsden is a young guy that has caught the eye of the coaching staff during the spring and the summer. Bentley says he is taking on the challenge of guarding a defense's best player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Tyler Mack","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nation Ford","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68605a3bb1d6e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Mack did a solid job of holding his own on the offensive line on the freshman squad in 2024. He has good size for the position and did not allow much penetration into the backfield from opposing defensive lineman. He could be a valuable asset on the varsity level if needed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/23629489/672d8e91c7012eeddc169883' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68605a3bb2078"} /--> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->