This season preview is dedicated to my dear late friend, Russell McLean. Game days and the Press box won’t be the same without you. I’ll see you again one day my dear friend.

Overview: The 2023 Texas A&M-Commerce Lions experienced their worst season in over a decade. It was truly an enigma of a season, at least on the surface. With only 1 victory, the Lions found themselves improved against Southland conference opponents, but ran into early opponents that overmatched them, copious amounts of injuries on the back end that saw the Lions run into a buzzsaw of late season losses that deflated Lion Nation going into the offseason. However with changes in the coaching staff, a roster that added some impressive new players especially on offense, and a take charge attitude by 2nd year Coach Clint Dolezel to realize that this is his team and his program. The Lions face their toughest schedule in school history and for only the second time in school history, will start the season with a nationally televised game. Do The Lions have a chance to be a contender in the toughest season up to this point? Let’s dive in.

Offense-For the past 2 seasons, the Lion offense, once an aerial juggernaut with passers like Deric Davis, Tyrik Rollison, Harrison Stewart, Luis Perez, Kane Wilson, and Miklo Smalls, has been grounded into impotent shell of what it once was. Dolezel was hired under the auspice of bringing a boost to an offense that had taken a step back in ’21 and was paultry in ’22, but hit near rock bottom in ’23. Most of that had to do with injuries, an inexperienced offensive line, a game of musical chairs at the quarterback position, no deep threats at receiver, and a small group of running backs. Essentially, everything on offense that could go wrong did go wrong. However, with Dolezel taking over as play caller and streamlining the offensive attack with hand signals enhanced communication with the Quarterbacks, that is step one to making improvements. As it stands now, Eric Rodriguez (Fort Bend Travis) holds a slight edge at signal caller over Ron Peace (Malakoff), but Dolezel has said it is anyone’s position between those two. Rodriguez has an advantage with experience having started 14 games over a period of two years, but was completely out of commission in 2023 due to injuries sustained in 2022. Peace has an advantage in having played recently and also having been healthy up to this point, but Dolezel has made it very clear his offense is a one quarterback system (Thank Heaven) and who starts will start and whoever doesn’t will back them up. Last year the Lions saw action from some young players in Lake Bennnett (Rockwall), Mirko Martos (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, CA) and Thomas Landry (Richardson Pearce). Both Bennett and Martos showed themselves to be capable of leading the unit but were thrown into some less than ideal circumstances. Add Montana transfer AJ Abbott into the mix who came back to Texas last season and the quarterback room is full of potential but most of it is unproven at this point.

The offensive line last season was one of the worst the Lions have had in a long time and it shows. The Lions only rushed for 1,339 yards last year, gave up dozens of sacks, and that same play extended into special teams where former kicker Emmanuel Adagbon’s production went down steeply from a great 2022 performance. The offense goes only as well as the 5-6 up front that can protect whoever is running the show at QB, but Dolezel feels that in addition to having a shakeup in the staff, adding Andy Townsend as co-offensive line coach. If that name sounds familiar, it is because he was on the Lion’s staff from 2015-2018. He will assist Dave Ewart with schemes and also will be the running game coordinator. The Lions looked stronger in the spring on the line, but still have some growing pains and a tough road to go on with what they have. In the backfield, with a much more able stream of running backs, the Lions are already MUCH stronger than they were last year, among them EJ Oakmon (Pflugerville) and North Texas transfer BK Jackson (Missouri City Ridgepoint). Brody Sanders (Copperas Cove), a transfer from Texas A&M-Kingsville looks to grab some reps as well and see if he can hit the field.

The Lion receiving corp has added some players via the transfer portal and also returns some from last season. Tight End has improved vastly since Dolezel arrived with Preston Kilgore, Drew Allison, Blake Corner, and Dylan Domel all being being viable options to throw the ball to. The one reciever that stands out is Marshall transfer Sean Sallis (Carrollton Creekview), who caught a 70 yard touchdown pass in the Spring game as well as Paul Odidi (Mansfield Timberview), a transfer from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, and Snow College transfer Jared Wilson (Red Mountain Mesa, AZ) The receiving group is deeper and better than they were last year and that is all there is to it.

Defense-The Blue Gang defense tried last year. They really tried and on three notable occasions almost won three big games by themselves. Three Lions were named to the preseason all SLC team in Clifford Funderburk (North Forney), Jaden Rios (Frisco Lone Star), and Max Epps (Spring DeKaney). When it appeared that he was going to the transfer portal, Kendall Paul thankfully returned to the Blackland Prairies where he will anchor a secondary along with Max Epps. The Lions will not be as beefy in the linebacking crew as in years past, but the defensive line and the secondary still look to be pretty strong. Their ability to create turnovers is what kept them in so many games in the past two seasons. This year with a better offense (hopefully) this could be a season where this unit does not have to play offense and defense, but just worry about stopping the other team and having fun forcing turnovers. Perhaps the biggest change that could bear unexpected fruit is having a young and knowledgeable defensive staff that works well with each other. Jack Tyler takes over as the new defensive coordinator, who replaces Kyle Williams who was let go right before the spring workouts started earlier in the year. Mike Smith was promoted to defensive line coach and Geoff Terry was named defensive backs coach. According to Dolezel, while listening to the three coaches, they mesh very well together and should put together a great scheme to help slow down some tough offenses they will play.

Special Teams-Familiar Faces is the storyline here. The leg of thunder from Down Under, RS-Senior Mitch McGarry (Tannum Sands, Queensland) nabbed preseason second team All-SLC honors and is now being considered a serious NFL punting prospect according to Dolezel and Special teams coach Jack Welch. Punters from Australia are becoming more and more in demand and NFL teams are signing them more than ever before. McGarry has come a very long way from not being able to kick into the Mesa, Colorado wind to becoming one of the conferences biggest weapons in punt coverage. Long snapper Josiah Kennard (Manvel) nabbed first team honors and never underestimate the importance of a good long snapper. Aiden Martin (Klein Cain) returns for his JR Season and nobody is going to take his kickoff spot, but he will do battle with newcomer Andy Gallegos (Kaufman) for field goals and extra points. Martin has the advantage in leg strength, but Gallegos seems to be more accurate. This might be one of those situations were Martin is called in for field goals of 50 yards or more. Holding the kicks will likely be QB Lake Bennett or Punter Mitchell McGarry if Bennett cannot go for some reason. Coverage appears to be strong again, however the line last season for extra points and field goals was just as abysmal as they were on offense. They have to protect those McGarry and Gallegos when they are kicking.

Schedule-The Lions open up the season against FBS opponent San Diego State on August 31st in the beautiful city of San Diego against an Aztec squad that went 3-8. Last season the Lions were within a two point conversion of beating Old Dominion, this could happen.

In week 2 The Lions head back to California for a date with California-Davis and Dan Hawkins. The Aggies wiped the floor with the Lions last season in Commerce, can the Lions at least give the Big Sky power a better game with a stronger roster?

Week 3 the Lions welcome a legendary college program in Grambling State. The band is expected to be in Commerce, and The Hawk will be rocking. The Lions will have their best chance to win their first game against GSU.

In week 4, Sacramento State comes to Commerce and we will see if a change of venue gives the Lions a better chance against the Hornets.

Week 5, The Lions start SLC play against Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond. The Lions face the other Lions and are 1-1 against each other. It could be an interesting game.

Week 6 will be truly an enigma as Northwestern State cancelled most of their season due to the death of a player and also the resignation of their coaching staff. Few know what to expect in Natchitoches against the legion of Demons.

Week 7 is Homecoming. The Lions played hard against Lamar last year with a roster full of Freshman. If the Lions stay healthy, this could make it a happy homecoming.

In week 8 the Lions travel to the Southeast to take on HBCU and fellow A&M System school, Prairie View A&M. The Panthers went 6-5 last season, but the Lions have a very good chance, if they remain healthy, to take one as the Panthers were routed by some teams the Lions almost beat last season. This one will be interesting.

Week 9, The Lions return to Lake Charles to play a team they have never lost to in the Division I Era in McNeese State. McNeese will be better, but the Lions have easily had their way with the Cowboys both times, and the Lions have not even played that well yet.

For week 10, Our good and beloved friend Colby Carthel returns to Commerce, this time wearing purple and as an SFA Lumberjack. Carthel is looking to crank up his SFA team to what they were hoping to be since he was hired, the Lion offense played well against the Jacks last year, but were absolutely thrashed on defense.

Houston Christian visits Commerce and after a game that went down the wire last year, this one could tilt back to the favor of the Lions.

The season close out the season with Incarnate Word. Last year it looked like the Lions were going to pull out an upset against the Cardinals, but once again the Lion offense was the bane of the Lions effort. The Lions hope that a better offense and a decent defense will provide the program’s first win over IWU.