VIDEO: Coaches in Cars Getting Coffee – Mike Patrick
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – This is the seventh part in an eight-part series chronicling Carson-Newman football's positions for the 2024 season. This feature breaks down the Eagles' slot backs with assistance from Mike Patrick.
Potentially the most drastic change from 2023 to 2024 comes from the slot back. The position didn't exist last season within C-N's offensive scheme.
Now, it combines running backs and slot receivers. The likes of Cam Ferguson and Nate Adebayo mix in with Jeron Newson, Gianni Magdos and Don Bradley.
"We are getting better every day," Patrick said. "We definitely need to fine tune some of the details. Cam played running back as a traditional running back last season. Don Bradley and Gianni Magdos were both wide receivers last year. They are all finding their way and starting to get it down."
Carson-Newman's leading rusher in 2023, Ferguson carried the ball 87 times for 418 yards and a score. He averaged 38.0 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry. Ferguson found the end zone against Lenoir-Rhyne (Sep. 23). His top game on the ground came at Newberry (Sep. 30) when he rushed eight times for 86 yards. Included in that was a 65-yard rush that set up C-N's go-ahead score in the Eagles' first win at Newberry in 13 years. Ferguson also caught five passes for 35 yards with a long reception of 17 yards.
"Cam is overall just a good football player," Patrick said. "We asked him to be an A-Back, but if you told him he needed to be a B-Back, he could do that as well. He is just an overall good football player. He's smart and picks up on things very well while avoiding making the same mistake twice."
Adebayo appeared in 10 of C-N's games as a reserve running back. He had 12 carries for 35 yards on the year. The bulk of his work in the backfield came in the Eagles' opener against Virginia Lynchburg (Aug. 31) when he ran the ball eight times for 28 yards.
Bradley made an appearance against Virginia-Lynchburg (Aug. 31), but didn't appear in any other games after the opener.
"Don is picking it up well," Patrick said. "Don's advantage is that he cares a lot. He does his job and throws his body around. He does the things you need to do to win in this conference."
For his efforts during his senior year at Cherokee, Bradley was named to the first team All-Smoky Mountain Conference (SMC) Team and was named SMC Back of the Year. He was named second team All-State as an athlete (overall performance). He was named first team All-Smoky Mountain Conference as a defensive back following his junior season.
Newson battled through injuries to appear in seven games for C-N in its receiving corps. He caught 10 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns. He found the end zone in the final three weeks of the year against Emory & Henry (Oct. 28), UVA Wise (Nov. 4) and Catawba (Nov. 11). He caught a career-best five passes for 68 yards in the finale against the Indians. His long reception was a 33-yarder for a score against the Cavaliers.
Magdos redshirted last season. He was a two-way player for the Powell Panthers and coach Matt Lowe, Magdos picked off 11 career passes and snagged 14 career receiving touchdowns. He wracked up 2,652 career all-purpose yards. As a senior, he picked up all-state honors as a defensive back. He helped Powell to a state title as a junior.
"The buy in has been good," Patrick said. "They work everyday. Are they perfect? No. But none of us are. The important thing is that they try. They will need to realize that you always have something left in the tank. We need to get themselves to the point where they completely deplete themselves. When we get to that point, we'll be putting rings on our fingers."
Carson-Newman's position previews finish Friday with a glimpse at the offensive line with help from Joe Ray and Tanner Fleming.
