After sitting out the Covid-plagued 2020 season, the Fort Campbell football team returned in 2021 with only nine seniors and less than twenty upperclassmen. However, with a season under their belt and a win last time out, the Falcons return this year with a more experienced group looking to build on that late-season momentum.
The Falcons finished 1-9 in 2021 but snapped an eleven-game losing run with a 36-34 victory over Webster County to close the year. That game also marked the end of coach Charles Poole’s one season in charge, with former Fort Campbell assistant Henry Mitchell taking over in the offseason.
Mitchell previously worked under Falcon coach Josh McKillip and spent last season as an assistant at Rossview in Clarksville.
Mitchell’s first task is replacing senior quarterback Patrick Hayes. The Falcons struggled on offense and didn’t do much damage through the air, but Hayes led the team with 567 yards rushing to go with five touchdowns.
Junior Darin Frederick takes over under center after playing sparingly as a sophomore. He was 4/13 with three interceptions in limited action backing up Hayes but has looked more comfortable in the preseason.
Senior running back Darrion Hutson leads the returnees after rushing for 428 yards and six touchdowns on a team-high 118 attempts.
Seniors receivers Jontae Al-Muid and Amari Waddy both made five catches a year ago, and Waddy added an interception on defense.
Maurice Moore only appeared in one game as a sophomore, but he made his presence known with a pair of catches and 68 yards in the win over Webster County.
Sophomore Dakevius Lewis wasn’t with the team last season but looks set to contribute on both sides of the ball after a strong preseason.
The Falcons get the regular season started on Friday with a visit from Muhlenberg County. They renew their rivalry with Fort Knox in the Army Bowl on September 16 and will hope to make it two in a row over Webster County on a trip to Dixon to close the regular season.
