5 questions with Davidson football coach Scott Abell

Davidson’s football team had a breakthrough season in 2018. Under first-year coach Scott Abell, the Wildcats finished 6-5, their first winning season since 2007.

Abell’s “gun triple-option” offense provided plenty of firepower for the Wildcats, who also broke a 17-game Pioneer Football League losing streak.

Davidson had one of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision’s elite offenses, ranking first in total offense (561.9 yards per game), rushing (442.9), yards per carry (7.2) and third-down efficiency (55.6%). They were fourth in red-zone efficiency (92.5%); and fifth in scoring (44.9 per game) and total first downs (271).

Davidson also drew national attention after a 91-61 victory against Division III Guilford, against whom the Wildcats set single-game FCS records for total yards (961) and rushing yards (685).

The Wildcats, who open their season at home on Aug. 31 against Georgetown, return seven starters on offense and seven on defense. They wrap up their practices with a spring game Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Richardson Stadium.

Abell answered five questions about spring practice from the Observer’s David Scott:

Q. What’s the difference in this year’s spring practice compared to 2018?

A. Last spring was all about getting to know each other, installing the offensive and defensive schemes. This year they’re already installed and it’s all about getting those reps in.

The first thing we wanted to do was build the overall depth on our roster. That’s a two-, three- or four-year process, usually. The only way to do that is to retain your roster, stay healthy and build on it. Last year we had just over 60 on the roster. This year’s it’s 77. That’s great, numbers-wise, for us.

Q. What are the biggest holes to fill on offense?

A. We graduated the guys up front, but return all the skill players. So return all the stats, but the guys who made the holes for the stats graduated. Center Tate Kipperman didn’t start last season, but played a little bit. He’s had a great spring, and the center is so important in our gun-triple offense. He holds the key to the car.

Q. Every player who scored an offensive touchdown last season returns, including junior quarterback Tyler Phelps and junior running back Wesley Dugger, who has 2,372 career yards and is on track to potentially break the Davidson career mark of 3,165 next season. So there’s a lot to like with the rest of the offense, right?

A. Tyler is an unbelievable leader for this offense. I tell our quarterbacks they need to be a great point guard – distribute the ball, make great decisions and when the opportunity arises, make great plays. That’s Tyler.

You saw Wes get better as the year went on. It’s not just about running hard in this offense, there’s skill to it. We have some different rules we give to our guys, some mesh points. He works so hard at it. Sometimes I have to tell him to back off (in practice), give his legs a break. He wants to be great.

Q. There’s more to the offense than just Phelps and Dugger, right?

A. We had some unsung heros. Will Wicks, what a phenomenal year he had, moving from receiver to slot. James Story was a two-headed monster back there with Wesley. A big bruiser who gave us a great one-two punch. Really under the radar was (slotback) Eli Turner. He was instrumental with his blocking, and he was our No. 4 receiver and fifth-leading rusher. Sprinkle in Kahleel Shaw, who will be a redshirt senior, who had a big impact for us.

Q. There were question marks on defense last season. But how big was the game- and season-ending goal-line stand against Butler (that clinched the winning season) for that unit?

A. It was such a confidence-booster. You can feel it this spring, from day one. If I could have written a script that way, I would have. It was just what our program needed at the point, we needed a defensive stand to end the season. What a great momentum surge that was.

But as the dust settles, we know we need to play better defense. The offense won’t always be this way. It will be harder at times. But we’ve got young guys here this spring that weren’t with us last spring. This is an opportunity for them to learn our system better and get comfortable.