Football ties for sixth in HCAC preseason poll

CARMEL, Ind. – In a vote amongst league coaches ahead of the 2021 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) football season the Defiance football team was chosen to finished tied for sixth in the conference.

Hanover College topped the poll followed by Mount St. Joseph University and Rose-Hulman of Institute of Technology. Franklin College and Bluffton University placed fourth and fifth. DEfiance tied with Anderson University for the sixth slot.

Six Yellow Jackets earned nods to the Athletes to Watch list including sophomore defensive lineman Richard Pope IV, who was recently named a d3football.com preseason All-American and junior linebacker Thomas Coltrain, who earned All-Region honors during the spring 2021 season.

Pope led the Yellow Jackets last season with 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks while finishing second behind Coltrain in total and solo tackles. Coltrain also logged nine total tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble. Both players were named First-Team All-HCAC.

Senior defensive tackle Rigo Villa and sophomore superback Tyshaun Freeman were also named to the watchlist after earning Second Team All-HCAC honors last season. Villa recorded 26 total tackles, including 13 solos and five for loss to go along with an interception, forced fumble, and blocked kick. In 2019 Villa earned an HCAC honorable mention nod. Freeman ran for 466 yards and five scores while also snagging two passes for 41 yards.

Junior quarterback Daylon Lange and senior wide receiver Amin Shaheed earned the last two watchlist spots for the Purple and Gold. Lange started all seven games last season and completed 101 passes for 1230 yards and eight touchdowns. Shaheed caught five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown in three games last season.

Defiance will travel to Capital Univerisity on Sept. 2 for their season opener and will host Albion on Sept. 11 for their first home game.