Football returns to action Thursday at Mercer

WEST POINT, Ga. (Sept. 1, 2021) – Coming off an unusual 2020-21 season, the Point University football team is geared up and ready to return to action, kicking off its 2021 season on the road Thursday night at NCAA Division I opponent, Mercer.

Head Coach Julius Dixon is entering his sixth season at the helm of the football program and is excited for the talent he has seen during the preseason from his athletes and says it has been a blessing to return to a "normal" preseason routine.  

"We have challenged our players to be 'ALL IN' this season," says Dixon. "Do not make excuses, no shortcuts, be respectful to others and place the team before yourself."  

A look at last season

Due to the heavy presence of the coronavirus last year, the Appalachian Division of the Mid-South Conference chose to play its 2020 season in the spring of 2021. The season was abbreviated as the Skyhawks only played eight games, all against Appalachian Division opponents.

The Skyhawks began their season by playing Reinhardt and Faulkner in nonconference matchups before facing both teams again in conference action. The Skyhawks picked up their lone win of the season on Saturday, March 6, at Bluefield, defeating the Rams 28-23.

Point had five members earn MSC All-Conference recognition. Emery Bryant led the way with a spot on both the All-MSC first and second team, followed by Chase Turner, who was All-MSC first-team and Gary Davis, Aaron Anderson and Logan Flesher were recognized on the All-MSC second team.

Turner went on to be selected as a First Team NAIA All-American. Turner, a native of Buford, Georgia, was a force to be reckoned with on the field as a defensive back last season as he led the nation with six interceptions and finished the season as No. 2 in the nation in interceptions per game (0.800).

On the roster

This year's squad features 50 newcomers and 50 returners, 15 being seniors. Dixon says all 15 seniors have distinguished excellent leadership qualities during the preseason and seniors who have specifically stepped up are Quan Neal, CJ Henderson, Gavin Torbert and Kameron Weems.

The Skyhawks return two All-MSC award recipients in juniors, Aaron Anderson and Logan Flesher. Anderson led Point's defense last season with a team-high of 75 tackles, averaging 9.4 per game. He had 6.5 tackles for loss and had 17 tackles for loss yards. Anderson was named MSC Appalachian Division defensive player of the week in March for his efforts against Faulkner, in which he recorded 16 tackles. He registered double-digit tackles in four of the Skyhawks' games last season and broke the school record on March 20, when he recorded 20 tackles in Point's game against KCU.\

Flesher led the team in points scored last season, connecting for six field goals and 13 out of 14 PAT kicks to finish with 31 points. He punted 39 times for 1389 yards and averaged 35.6 yards. His longest punt was 60 yards. Flesher is ranked No. 18 in total field goals, No. 21 in field goals, No. 35 in field goal percentage (0.667), No. 36 in total scoring, No. 42 in scoring (kicking) per game, No. 43 in punt yards per attempt and No. 47 in PAT kicking percentage (0.929). In February, Flesher was named the MSC Appalachian Division Special Teams Player of the week after he went 3-for-4 in field goals, with his longest field goal coming at 34 yards against Faulkner.

Dixon says this season's newcomers have brought a lot of talent to the squad and has impressed the coaching staff with their ability during the preseason. Dixon lists Payton Allen, Kere Thomas, D'Onte Eatmon and Gabe Jacon-Duffy as incomers who he expects to make an impact for the Skyhawks.

On the schedule for the Skyhawks

Point is scheduled to play 11 games this season, with six being conference matchups. Following their game with Mercer, the Skyhawks will return home for their home opener, hosting Campbellsville on Saturday, September 11. The Skyhawks will then travel to Florida back-to-back Saturday's, first facing Ave Maria on September 18, then traveling to No. 4 Keiser on September 25, to conclude the September portion of their schedule.

Point will open the month of October by hosting St. Andrews in their conference opener on Saturday, October 2, which will also be Homecoming. After St. Andrews, Point will travel to face Faulkner on October 9, before returning home to host No. 8 Reinhardt. The Skyhawks' final two games in the month of October are on the road, as they first travel to Kentucky Christian on October 23 before traveling to Union on October 30.

Point's final two games of the season will be played in Ram Stadium, first against Bluefield on November 6, before their final regular-season game against St. Thomas on November 13.

In the 2021 Appalachian Division MSC preseason coaches' poll, the Skyhawks were predicted to finish fifth place in the conference with 14 points. Reinhardt received 36 voting points, including six of the seven first-place votes. Faulkner finished second with 31 points and the final first-place vote. St. Andrews and Kentucky Christian finished ahead of Point in third and fourth place, respectively, and Union was predicted to finish in sixth place.

"The preseason ranking is where others see us," Dixon said. "We feel like we are in control of our destiny. We have the talent to be very competitive in the conference, as long as we stay committed to being 'ALL IN'."

Home game procedures

The Point University Athletic Department partnered with HomeTown Ticketing to offer convenient online ticketing purchases for this upcoming season. Fans will now present a barcode located within the ticketing system on their mobile device, which will be scanned at the gate for entry. Tickets will need to be purchased by spectators prior to arriving at the gates, as paper tickets will no longer be sold, and cash will no longer be accepted at the gate. General Admission tickets are $10 and children five and under are free. To purchase tickets for this season, please go to https://www.pointskyhawks.com/information/tickets or download the HomeTown Fan App.

Students, faculty, and staff will continue to receive free admission to all home games by downloading a season pass via the Hometown Fan App. Students can gain access to the student pass by entering their student ID as the passcode on the App. Faculty and staff can obtain a passcode to access their free digital tickets by contacting Taylor Jennings at taylor.jennings@point.edu.

This season, the Skyhawks host five home games and each home game will have a theme. On September 11, all local first responders and veterans will be recognized for their dedicated service during the game in Point's home opener.  Below is a complete list of all the theme days:

All home games will be streamed live, and live stats will be available.

Game info for Mercer 
Date | Time: Thursday, Sept. 2 | 7 p.m.
Teams: Point (0-0) at Mercer (0-0)
Location: Macon, Ga. | Five Star Stadium (10, 200)
Television: ESPN+
Television Talent:  Frank Malloy (PxP), Phil Cox (Color), Avery Braxton (Sideline)
Radio: Mercer Sports Network | 100.9 The Creek FM | SportsMic
Radio Talent: Rick Cameron (PxP), Bryce Koon (Analyst), Charles Davis (Sideline)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter Updates: @MercerFootball & @PointSkyhawks
Game Notes: Mercer | Point | SoCon