Since losing their 2020 season to the COVID-19 pandemic, a rebuilding process has been in place for the Fort Campbell Falcon football program. The good news for Falcon fans is that process appears to be very much trending in the right direction.
In 2021, Charles Poole guided the program through what would have to be best considered as a ‘recovery’ season. With the Falcons not playing football in 2020 and the first two games of the 2021 season being lost to pandemic guidelines, the Falcons started off 0-7, scoring just 34 points. But, the season ended on an up tic as Fort Campbell put 36 points on the board in a 36-34 win over Webster County.
The 2022 season saw the third coach for the Falcons in four years as Henry Mitchell was selected to lead the program. The Falcons opened the season with a big win over Muhlenberg County for their second straight win. Fort Campbell did have its struggles over the course of the year, but increased the win total to four and qualified for the Class 2A playoffs.
Turn the calendar to 2023 and significant progress could be seen for the Falcon program. The number of players was up. The number of threats at the skill positions increased. And, the number of bigger and stronger bodies on the line took an upturn as well.
The result was an increase in the win total to five, a second straight win in the Army Bowl, second seed in the district, and a home field berth in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs. More than that, the Falcons were a significantly tougher battle for the teams they faced on the football field in 2023. Still, there is work to be done, but the pieces are in place to make that happen.
One of the biggest questions for the Fort Campbell football program is one that is dealt with every year, and that is about returning players, and we are not talking about graduation losses here.
With the Army, there is always the possibility of a family being transferred to another installation. Over the years, the Falcons have lost several players via this route. Then there is the matter of families deciding not to live on post and students then attending schools in Clarksville, Hopkinsville, and other communities surrounding the military installation.
But, if the Falcons can avoid significant turnover via those two avenues, they are set to take another big step in 2024. Yes, there are some significant graduation losses, such as speedy receiver Maurice Moore, but the talent cupboard is not bare for Fort Campbell.
Start with quarterback, J.P. Perryman. While he did not start the season as the QB, when he took over the position, things changed for the Falcon offense. Perryman, a sophomore, passed for 1362 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also added the dimension of being a running threat, picking up 326 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground.
Throw in running back Keshawn Dixon, also a sophomore, and you have a solid core to start building the offense around. Dixon rushed for 706 yards and three touchdowns, and he was the team’s second-leading receiver. Dixon was also among the state’s leaders in tackles on the defensive side of the ball with 158, including 3.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.
The offense also has three other receivers, Torrance Dixon, Eric Greene, and Christopher Talbot, who caught at least 9 passes during the 2023 season, and are slated to return in 2024. Dixon and Talbot were also among the team leaders in tackles.
All-in-all, Fort Campbell has 32 players on the roster set to return. Of that number, 26 are freshmen and sophomores.
So, if the Falcons all ‘stay in the nest’, there is plenty of hope for the Falcons to fly higher in 2024 and beyond.
