2024 Football Preview
2023 record: 4-6 (2-3 Heart North)
Starters returning/lost: 17/7 (including special teams)
Letterwinners returning/lost: 41/27
Notable returners:
Destynd Loring, Jr., Charleston, S.C.
(Honorable-mention all-Heart, 804 rushing yards, 6 TDs)
Howard Huerta, Sr., Panorama City, Calif.
(NAIA Third-Team All-America, 51 tackles, 6 interceptions)
Amir Everett, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.
(Letterwinner, 21 receptions, 326 receiving yards)
Logan Myers, Sr., Joplin, Mo.
(Second-team all-Heart)
Notable losses:
Kyriee Lewis
(All-Heart)
David Campbell
(All-Heart)
Harlan Plumber
(All-Heart)
Notable newcomers:
Lloydarius Garner, Jr., Houston, Texas
Chris King, Jr., Culver City, Calif.
Sherman Johnson, Fr., Tampa, Fla.
Adrian Ayala, Jr., Cerritos, Calif.
The William Penn football team is seeking a big jump in the standings as it hits the gridiron for the 2024 season.
William Penn, which owned a 4-6 record (2-3 Heart North) a year ago, is in year #2 under Head Coach Marc Benavidez. Utilizing a full year of recruiting, Benavidez and his staff are excited to add new talent to a returning crew that is headed by four all-Heart of America Athletic Conference performers.
The returners are guided by NAIA Third-Team All-American Howard Huerta (Sr., Panorama City, Calif., Business Management), while fellow all-Heart honorees Logan Myers (Sr., Joplin, Mo., Business Management), Destynd Loring (Jr., Charleston, S.C., Sports Management), and Alexander Price (Jr., McKinney, Texas, Sports Management) are also back on the turf this fall.
Quarterback
Sterling Ramsey II (Jr., Broken Arrow, Okla., Business Management) returns as the incumbent behind center. The junior completed 152 of his 296 passes last season for 1,882 yards and 13 touchdowns.
He is currently battling with redshirt Francisco Beltran (Fr., Garland, Texas) and incoming transfer Connor Neville (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) for the starting nod.
Running Back
Loring will receive competition for the backfield spot by fellow returner Keegan Simmons (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Elementary Education). Loring was the navy and gold's workhorse in 2023 with 148 rushes for 804 yards and six touchdowns.
Simmons picked up 266 yards on 69 carries (two touchdowns) last fall.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
The returning duo of Amir Everett (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn., Sports Management) and Lukas Hamilton (Sr., Columbus, Ohio, Secondary Education) will pace the receiving corps. Everett hauled in 21 balls for 326 yards (three touchdowns), while Hamilton tallied 32 catches for 333 yards and two scores.
Rakim Lamarre (Fr. Woodbridge, Va., Exercise Science) has transferred back to WPU and will add experience after posting 16 receptions for 330 yards and two TDs back in 2022.
Transfer Nureini Mohamed (So., Everett, Mass.) as well as freshmen Branden Powell (Fr., Waco, Texas) and Keithon Davis (Fr., McKinney, Texas) are also slated for considerable playing time.
Tight End/Fullback
Alexander Price, with seven catches for 79 yards in 2023, and fellow returner Marcus Price (Jr., Roosevelt, Texas) are again expected to lead the Statesmen at the tight end and fullback positions.
Offensive Line
Attempting to control the trenches, the Statesmen are guided on the line by Myers who returns after an all-Heart campaign. Liam Bryant (Jr., Jackson, Mo., Physical Education) and Cameron Carnes (Sr., Colerain, Ohio, General Accounting) are also back and will be transitioning from tackles to guards
Transfers Chris King (Jr., Culver City, Calif.) and Adrian Ayala (Jr., Cerritos, Calif.) will man the tackle positions for WPU.
Defensive Line
Malcolm Bryant (Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio, Sports Management) and Matt Mehrhoff (Jr., Fenton, Mo., Business Management) are projected for big seasons after posting 25 and 21 tackles, respectively, in 2023.
Lloydarius Garner (Jr., Houston, Texas) redshirted a year ago and the coaching staff believes he will be a major impact player this season.
Linebacker
Brian Weatherspoon (So., West Memphis, Ark.) and Jerome Schaubert (So., Spring, Texas) top the returning linebackers with Weatherspoon notching five stops a season ago.
Transfer Shawn White (Jr., Texarkana, Texas) has been the most impressive individual in the linebacking group, while freshman Kameron Cummings (Fr., Houston, Texas) has also turned heads
Defensive Back
Huerta, who headlines all returners in both tackles (51) and interceptions (6), will be the backbone of the secondary. He finished with four pass breakups as well.
Donavin Brewer (Jr., Marion, Ark., Business Management) is also penciled in as a starter at safety, while returners Mason Ford (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Business Management) and Brandon Young (So., Houston, Texas, Computer Science) have the inside track at cornerback.
Brewer managed 30 tackles with one interception and three pass breakups in 2023, while Ford had 28 tackles and six pass breakups and Young ended up with 17 tackles, one pick, and one breakup.
Special Teams
Newcomers Chris Paniagua (Fr., Houston, Texas) and Jose Hernandez (Fr., Houston, Texas) will vie for the starting kicking duties, while Ford will be snapped the ball as William Penn's punter. Tommy LeGardye (Sr., Los Angeles, Calif., Sports Management) will handle the long-snapping for the Statesmen.
Among others, Mohamed, Powell, and fellow newcomer Kaylon Bursey (Fr., Edwardsville, Ill.) will be deep to receive kicks from the opposition.
Conference
William Penn's season begins with the Billy Bowl Thursday at Statesmen Community Stadium against Heart newcomer and first-year program William Woods. It serves as the first of five games for the Statesmen in Oskaloosa.
North Division play begins September 28 at Graceland, while the navy and gold will host Clarke for Homecoming on October 26.
Grand View is projected to win the North standings, while WPU is picked to finish third in the division.
