2011 Football Preview
The 2011 Joliet Junior College Wolves football team is looking to turn things around and bounce back from last year's season.
"With five offensive starters returning, we have some experience to build on for this fall," Head Coach Jeremy Richardson said.
Chris Rokita (Nouvel, MI/Grand Rapids transfer) and Joseph Garrett (Oakwood) are competing for the starting quarterback job. Both young men are athletic and ready to leave it all out on the field.
Kevin Starke (Lincoln-Way East) will return at running back for the Wolves. Starke averaged 11.2 yards per carry last season. He will be joined by Dametrius Thomas (Fulton, TN), Kelton Rhine (Travis, TX), Robert Beaver (Andover, MI), and Dante Tolbert (Thornton).
2nd team all-conference recipient Korey Jackson (South Dade, FL) will return as a receiver. Jackson totaled 529 yards on 28 catches while scoring three touchdowns last season. Also returning at wideout for the Wolves is Vanalari Hope (Crete-Monee), Jawyne Thomas (Hazelwood Central, MO), and LaCory Valentine (Morgan Park). Newcomer receivers include A.J. Whitehead (Wyoming Park, MI/Grand Rapids transfer), Garryt Abfalter-Scott (West, OH), Iman Kelly (Rich South), and Jalen Cooper (Miami Coral, FL).
Dequan Slaughter (Pike, IN) returns to man the offensive line. Slaughter, who was a 2nd team all-conference selection in 2010, will be joined by brother Duane Slaughter (Pike, IN/Grand Rapids transfer) for this season. Jonathan Pena (Ottawa) and Artagus Williams (East St. Louis) will also see time.
Manning the tight end position will be Calvin Lewis (Stark County) and John Garrett (Oakwood).
"We will rely heavily on incoming freshman and transfers to fill the missing holes on the defensive side of the ball with only four returning starters coming back," Richardson stated.
Earl Smith (Travis, TX), Kirkland Brinker (Fenger), and Jonathan Toliver (Simeon) return as linebackers for the Wolves. They will be joined by Grant McClinton (Hargrave Military, VA/College of the Sequoias transfer), Diavantha Thames (Joliet Central), and David Luster (Thornton).
The defensive line returns Austin Copley (Lincoln-Way East) and Michael Sims (Granite City). Heading up the rest of the line includes Ali Aqel (Carl Sandburg), Robin Daniels (Southeast/Quincy transfer), Jeffrey Brown (Miami transfer), Aaron Davis (Crete-Monee), and Spencer Butler (Wilmington).
The Wolves will have experience in the defensive back position with returner Brandon Dixon (Coconut Creek, FL) as well as transfer Terrence Baker (Mesquite, TX/Ouachita Baptist).
Kilen Haywood (Ottawa) and Kyle Battle (Pontiac) will share duties with kicking and punting.
Defensive Coordinator Jason DeWolf will return to the Wolves this season along with assistant coaches Darryl Richardson, Todd Williams, Shane Corey, Javier Gonzalez, and Eric Groves. Carlos Craig begins his first season on staff for 2011.
"We are looking to get back to the heart of JJC football and where the program should be," Head Coach Jeremy Richardson said. "Wolves football is about hard work ethic, mental toughness, and tradition."
"With the Midwest Football Conference (MFC) improving year to year, it never gets easy," Richardson stated. "We will likely see four or five teams being ranked in the NJCAA poll each week. The competition is high and we will do our best to be ready to go each week."