Fayetteville State University is standing on third; looking to bring it all home.
 
No, we are not talking baseball or softball. It's the brink of the 2018 football season.
 
Head Coach Richard Hayes, Jr. will start his third season at the helm of the Broncos program.
 
Hayes took over the program in December of 2015 and finished the 2016 season one game shy of winning the CIAA Southern Division title, losing the 28-21 bout to Winston-Salem State.
 
Fayetteville State almost hit a home run last year, riding a five-game win streak into the CIAA Championship game. The 23-22 divisional victory over rival WSSU was a feat that has been eluding FSU since its 21-14 win in 2004. It was ever so sweet capturing the Southern Division title in dramatic fashion.
 
FSU didn't return home from Salem, Virginia with its fourth CIAA Championship Crown after a slow start in its 42-19 loss to Virginia State University.
 
"They [Virginia State] had a very good football team," said Head Coach Richard Hayes. "We realized, after playing those guys, that we had to go out, recruit, and get faster."
 
Departing the Salem Football Stadium without its name etched on the CIAA Clinton R. "Bob" Moorman, Jr. Football Championship Trophy left a desirable taste for the Broncos.
 
"Our freshmen have a year of experience under their belt," said Hayes.  "They have been working hard in the weight room and had a good spring ball. The horizon is going to be pretty good this year. We are looking forward to an exciting season in Bronco Country."
 
The 2018 recruiting season was a little easier for Coach Hayes in his second time around with 19 starters returning to the roster. After his first full season of recruiting, 39 recruits were signed, and 51 freshmen participated in preseason camp. This season's National Letter of Intent list is a lot smaller with 18 signees.
 
"We didn't have to go out and get as many as we had to do the previous year," said Hayes. "The quality of keys we got [this year] was just as good if not better. I am really pleased with our recruiting efforts this year. The coaches have done an outstanding job of bringing guys in that fit our system."
 
The Broncos will have a few new twists to the forthcoming season with a new offensive coordinator in Reilly Murphy.  This will be the third "OC" in three seasons as the last two progressed to Division I-AA programs.
 
"The main thing I was looking for in hiring a new offensive coordinator, was a guy that could come in here and not change or totally overhaul our offense," said Hayes.
 
Last season, Fayetteville State averaged 323 yards of total offense per game, but 180 of them were from rushing. The run game was the Broncos bread-and-butter with the duo of the 2016 CIAA Rookie of Year Stevie Green (Washington, NC) and 2017 Rookie of the Year Donshel Jetton (Mooresville, NC).
 
"Stevie has been working hard," proclaimed Hayes. "He has put on about 15 pounds of muscle. He is getting bigger, faster, and stronger. He is looking forward to an outstanding football season. He is going to be pushed by Donshel Jetton, Darnel Walker (Charlotte, NC), and Johnnie Glaspie (Teachey, NC). Those guys all want some carries this year. So, all of the load won't be on Stevie; but, Stevie is our guy."
 
Green averaged 114.27 yards per game and finished with 1,257 for the season. Jetton averaged 50 yards and racked up a season total of 550 yards.
 
"Donshel is one of the hardest workers that we have on our football team. If we had 100 Donshel Jettons, we would be unbeatable. That guy's work ethic is tremendous. We are looking forward to him pushing Stevie Green. He is going to get his share carries this year."
 
Of 695 plays last season, 260 were passing plays with an average of 6.07 yards per attempt on 129 completions and 144 net passing yards per game. Fayetteville State averaged 29.73 points per game with 327 points scored.
 
"We want to get better in the passing game," said Hayes. "We can't continue to let teams load up the box on Stevie [Green]. They know we are going to hand him the ball. They know that we are a primary running team. He [Coach Murphy] brings a wealth of knowledge in the passing game. He is from California and those guys throw it around pretty good out there."
 
Reilly Murphy has a stint of guiding programs that put up big numbers on offense. He orchestrated two 5,000-plus total offense seasons. His offense surpassed several records at Dixie State University and Western New Mexico University.
 
Richard Latimer (Charlotte, NC) will return from his first-year campaign with 1,228 yards passing in eight games played. Randy Trice, Jr., out of Durham [NC] Hillside High School, was signed to join the QB corps along with native E.E. Smith Golden Bull Xeaiver Bullock.  FSU is also looking a couple transfer quarterbacks.
 
On the defensive front, Fayetteville State surrendered 429 yards of total offense per game and 33.27 points per game. Opponents split an average of 206.5 yards in rushing and 222.82 in passing.
 
"With us being as young as we were," said Hayes. "Particularly in the secondary, we had to learn how to get off the field on third down. We had no trouble getting teams in third-and-long situations.  The problem we had was stopping them at third-and-long."
 
The nucleus of the defense is returning with more experience under its belt. Eight starters are returning with a few additions.  Jalen Cousar (Charlotte, NC), who had 42 total tackles [18 of which were for a loss of 58 yards] returns has a senior nose guard. Sophomore Defensive End Keshawn James (Cayce, SC) was the second leading tackler for the Broncos with 62 stops during his CIAA All-Rookie Team campaign.  Jawwad Evans (Durham, NC) will also line up as a defensive end for his junior season. Darius Darden (Greensboro, NC) was a preseason pick last season. The junior defensive end's leadership on the field will be pivotal to the front line of attack.
 
Athletes such as Willy Blackstock (Reidsville HS - Reidsville, NC) and Jordan Ferguson (Pine Forest HS - Fayetteville, NC) has been signed to the secondary. Linebacker Desmond Ricks (Lancaster HS - Lancaster, SC) and Defensive End Hassan Nesbit (Palmetto Prep Academy - Charlotte, NC) will help the pass rush apply pressure to quarterbacks.
 
"There were times last year that we got to the quarterback but couldn't sack him because we just didn't have the wheels to get there," said Hayes. "Hassan brings that to the table."
 
"Tyson Green is another guy that stands out from Randleman High School [Randleman, NC]. He is a two-way athlete that played basketball, wide receiver, free safety, outside linebacker. He can run like a deer."
 
The season begins on September 1^st on the road at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. The Broncos first home game is on September 15^th against Benedict. Conference play will kick off on September 22^nd against Elizabeth City State in Luther "Nick" Jeralds Stadium. The Broncos will look to defend its divisional title in a televised game against Winston-Salem State on November 3^rd.