JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - This is the second in an 11-part series breaking down each of Carson-Newman football's opponents for the 2015 season.  This feature breaks down the Eagles' second meeting with their guest on September 12 – the Shorter Hawks.

For a second consecutive week  to start the season, Carson-Newman will square off with a triple option attack.  Shorter utilizes a flex  bone attack under Phil Jones, the only coach for the Hawks in the 10-year history of the program. 

The last time the teams squared off, a wild 45-28 triumph for the Orange and Blue at Rome, Ga.'s historic Barron Stadium, Shorter did things to Carson-Newman that no team had done in nearly two decades.  The Eagles hadn't allowed rushes of longer than 75 yards since the 1995 season.  The Hawks ripped off two of them, a 75-yard touchdown run by Eric Dodson and an 83-yard scoot-and-score by Roderick Jones.

The Hawks had 392 yards of total offense that day, 250 of which came on five plays.  Fortunately for the Eagles, most of the players from that 2013 team graduated.  Unfortunately for the Eagles, Shorter restocked its shelves and returns eight offensive starters and literally the entire defense from 2014's 3-8 squad. 

The Hawks do have to find a way to replace the aforementioned Dodson, who graduated after rushing for 682 yards and passing for 790 more in his senior year.  However, Jones believes he's lined up his replacement in Aaron Bryant, a converted slotback.  Bryant rushed 33 times for 213 yards and two scores last year.  He is the Hawks second-leading returning rusher behind BJ McCoy, Shorter's fullback, who rushed 149 times for 570 yards and three TDs last year. 

Shorter brings back talent at wide receiver as well with Trey Lawhorn and Bruce Clark returning after both averaging more than 15 yards per catch last year.

Shorter struggled to score points at times last year, averaging 18.8 a game.  The Hawks only capped more than 21 points on four occasions – their three wins and a 34-30 loss to Florida Tech.  Of particular consternation for SU was its ability in the  red zone.  Shorter converted trips inside the 20 into touchdowns just 38 percent of the time last year. 

Defensively, the Hawks return loads of experience from a unit that allowed 33 points per game last year. Actually, loads might be a smidge of an understatement.  All starters are back for 2015, as are all 11 reserves on the two deep. 

Those include 2014 All-GSC selections Trevaris Horton (DE), Luke Wilson (BT/LB) and Zach Butts (LB), and LB Dominique Henfield, who returns after being a medical redshirt last fall and is the team's 7th all-time leading tackler. Not  included in that group is  Jordan Shaw, who led  the team last season with 71 tackles and a whopping eight interceptions.  Jevaris Jones tallied 60 tackles last year, including 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks to go along with four fumble recoveries.

Shorter's prime problem defensively last year came down to the second half.  The Hawks allowed just 37 first quarter points a year ago, but surrendered nearly quadruple that in the third quarter.  All told, the Hawks allowed 240 second half points last year, more  than 65 percent of their points allowed for the season.

Carson-Newman's Better Know The Opponent series returns Saturday with a preview of week three opponent Catawba.