This time last year, Racer football was back.
The 2012 team was supposed to be the one to finally make a run at an Ohio Valley Conference title.
Unfortunately, the team fell short.
A shaky defense and some bad luck left it with a 5-6 record.
Entering 2013, Head Coach Chris Hatcher and his staff faced the tough task of replacing an All-American Quarterback, several starting receivers, linemen and defensive contributors.
Over the summer, the Racers were picked to finish sixth in the OVC. Expectations were low, to say the least.
That is, until the first quarter last Saturday.
In front of 50,000 fans, the Racers went toe-to-toe with the Missouri Tigers for a quarter and a half. The offense, which had been largely rebuilt after last season, had its way with an SEC defense, putting up 14 points in just 15 minutes.
Racer senior quarterback Maikhail Miller made several highly-touted Missouri defenders look downright silly.
Sure, it got ugly in the second half and the Tigers pulled away, but that’s to be expected when a team has 22 more scholarships and much bigger players.
That first quarter got me excited, and it should’ve you, too. It looks as if the Racer offense hasn’t skipped a beat. Instead of rebuilding, this unit has reloaded – this time with even more athleticism and flair.
Walter Powell, Jaamal Berry, Duane Brady and Miller are some of the most athletically gifted players in the OVC, and the Racers can have all four of them on the field together at any given time.
I’m not saying the Racers are going to win the OVC. What I am saying, however, is there are going to be some fireworks. This team is chock-full of playmakers and they are going to be exciting to watch.
So don’t miss the show. Tomorrow, these guys take on a Campbellsville team that went 3-8 a season ago. It could be a warm welcome as the Racers return home to Roy Stewart Stadium.
Story by Jonathan Ferris, Sports Writer