With a decade of having a Cleveland address at the helm of the Delta State University Statesmen, Head Coach Todd Cooley is looking to continue building a winner.
The team put up a 10-2 record in 2023 going 7-1 in Gulf South Conference play and were co-champions of the GSC regular season. A 38-31 second-round loss in the NCAA Division II playoffs to Valdosta State University ended the Statesmen’s season last year.
The GSC pre-season coaches’ poll has the Statesmen at the number three slot behind Valdosta State and West Florida. VSU had 46 votes, West Florida garnered 42, while DSU had 41. In other pre-season rankings, the Statesmen are #14 in the D2Football.com poll and #18 in the AFCA Division II Pre-Season poll.
Two players have been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List. Senior running back Kelvin Smith and senior offensive lineman Jaelon Brown have been named to the D2football.com Elite 100 watch list. Smith and Brown were also named to the 25 "Squad" members.
The team includes first and second team selections for offense, defense and special teams along with 25 "Squad" players for offense and defense. Squad players are equivalent to "honorable mention" selections in similar national recognition lists.
Both Smith and Brown also earned preseason all-GSC honors which were announced July 25th. Rising senior Kelvin Smith scored nine rushing touchdowns last season putting up 875 yards on 149 carries. The Columbus native's best outing happened at Valdosta where he totaled 181 yards of offense on 23 carries and a career-high three touchdowns. His efforts last season earned him All-GSC First Team honors at the running back position.
Last season Brown was a part of an offensive line that contributed to the eighth nationally ranked rushing offense in the nation, averaging 224.2 yards per game. In 12 games, Delta State attempted 486 carries for 2,690 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns. Allowing only seven sacks in 12 games, DSU finished the season tied for third in NCAA Division II in sacks allowed. The Green-and-White also ranked fifth in DII in third down conversion percentage at 52%, with 86 conversions on 165 attempts. Brown earned first team all-GSC honors in the 2023 season.
The Statesmen will be relying on several players including nine who were honored as 2024 GSC Pre-Season All Conference players. Delta State claimed the second most spots among the conference and had a conference-best six offensive selections.
Running back Kelvin Smith, receivers Jalen May and Jaylen Green, and offensive linemen Nolan Troyer, Jaelon Brown, and Gavin Campbell were tabbed along with defensive lineman Demario Martin, defensive back Marlon Windham, and kicker Nick Herber, who were all selected for the pre-season honor.
DSU’s offense completed the 2023 season ranked in the Top 10 nationally in several offensive categories and finished the season atop the GSC in offense averaging 42.9 points per game. The Statesmen claimed half of the possible receiver spots and 3-of-5 offensive linemen spots on the preseason team. Coach Cooley’s teams have always been up tempo, creating exciting plays. The Statesmen have a roster that bolsters 26 seniors/graduate students, 32 juniors, 13 sophomores and 36 freshmen.
Four quarterbacks dot the roster but none saw action for DSU last season. Senior Cole Kirk was redshirted in 2023 but did see action in 2022 – 351 yards passing and two touchdowns and in 2021 – 981 yards passing and three touchdowns. Senior Jake Lange transferred in from the University of Southern Mississippi where he appeared in seven games, making four starts. The former Jackson Prep standout threw for 843 yards and five touchdowns in 2021. He’s also earned two degrees and is working on his master’s in Teaching. Redshirt freshman Reed Miller has not seen any action on the field nor has true freshman Garrett Ames.
The quarterback room has big shoes to fill with the graduation of Patrick Shegog, who threw for 9,095 yards and 76 touchdowns in his five years at DSU.
The 2024 campaign for Statesmen football begins on Thursday, August 29 at 6 p.m. The Statesmen will kick off their season as they travel to North Carolina to face the Lions of Mars Hill University for the first time ever. The Statesmen return home for the 2024 Pig Pickin' Game on Saturday September 7th, hosting the Miners of Missouri S&T (Missouri University of Science and Technology). On September 14th at 2 p.m., Delta State will travel back to North Carolina to face the Bulldogs of Wingate University for the first-ever matchup in the history of both programs.
The Statesmen start their 2024 Gulf South Conference schedule as they make the first of two road trips to South Carolina to face GSC newcomer Erskine on September 28th.
The Statesmen will have three home-conference games in the 2024 campaign starting with their GSC home-opener on Saturday, October 5, as the Hawks of Chowan from Murfreesboro, North Carolina, come to town. The Statesmen will then host West Alabama on October 19.
This year's Homecoming contest will be on Saturday, November 9th, as the Statesmen will host their final home game of the regular season against the Blazers of Valdosta State University. The final contest of the 2024 regular season will be the battle for the Heritage Bell as Delta State travels to Clinton to take on Mississippi College.
