Football opens Saturday hosting Snow
Seeking a third consecutive bowl appearance, the Mesa football team opens its 2014 season Saturday by hosting WSFL opponent Snow in a 7:00 p.m. start at John D. Riggs Stadium.
The T-Birds have played in the Valley of the Sun Bowl and Heart of Texas Bowl the last two years and posted a combined 14-8 record under head coach Ryan Felker who will be beginning his third season. That came after four seasons in which MCC won a total of seven games.
Felker will have to replace 34 members of the 2013 squad who moved on to four-year schools including the likes of Southern California, Purdue, Kansas, Oregon State, Arizona State, East Carolina and others.
One of the key tasks will be to fill the shoes of record-setting quarterback Blake Kemp, who is battling for the QB position at East Carolina.
Washington State transfer Austin Apodaca, pictured right, (So., Longmont, Colo/Silver Creek H.S.) appears to have the credentials to fill the spot. He played sparingly for the Cougars last year, completing 21 of 42 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
In his senior year of high school he completed 256 of 364 attempts for 3849 yards and 44 TDs with just ten interceptions.
In the backfield Mesa will be able to call upon Carlton Williams (So., Avondale, AZ/Warren Central H.S.) who returns after a year's absence. He was the Thunderbirds' leading rusher in 2012 with 536 yards.
Defensive end Aulelio Olomua (So, Mesa, AZ/Mesa H.S.) returns after making 49 total tackles a year ago as does defensive back D.J. Hampton (So., Glendale, AZ/Kellis H.S.) who had 27 tackles. Defensive tackle Bennie Spencer (So., Miami, Fla/Everglades H.S.) is also back and has already received an offer from Idaho. Apodaca has been offered by New Mexico and Olomua from Utah State and Kansas State.
MCC is no stranger to re-loading each season as it has in each of Felker's years.
Among top newcomers for 2014, along with Apodaca is offensive guard Andrew Erbes (Fr., Scottsdale, AZ/Saguaro H.S.) who has an offer from Memphis.