Savage Storm Set For Season-Opener at ATU

DURANT, Okla. – After a 656 day break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic that saw the 2020 season canceled and a one-of-a-kind spring, Southeastern football will finally return to the field for a regular-season matchup when it travels to Russellville, Ark., to take on Arkansas Tech at 6 p.m. on Sept. 2
 
The Savage Storm head into head coach Tyler Fenwick's third season at the helm looking to improve upon the 2019 season, and will do so as underdogs in the league after being picked 11^th in the Great American Conference preseason poll.
 
"It's been a long process," said Fenwick of the break, "Just going through the ups and downs of we're going to play, we're not going to play. Then trying to figure out what the fall practice looks like then spring practice and scrimmages. There are just so many things that come about and I think our kids handled it really well. They just rolled with the punches."
 
SE heads into the 2021 season with a total of 16 returning starters and 48 returning letterman from the 2019 season.
 
That group includes four returning all-conference honorees.
 
The defense will return second team All-GAC pick's Connor Swope at linebacker and Josh Mulumba at safety, as well as Jeremiah Baltrip who picked up honorable mention recognition at cornerback.
 
Offensively, Braxton Kincade returns after picking up honorable mention All-GAC honors as a wide receiver.
 
The offense will be triggered by returning starter Daulton Hatley who split time as the signal caller in 2019 where he was able to pile up 1,651 yards and 12 touchdowns across 10 games played.
 
He is joined in the backfield by SE's second and third top rushers from its last season in Ryan Taylor who had 485 yards and three touchdowns as well as CJ Shavers who rushed for 202 and a pair of scores.
 
Aside from Kincade, the Storm also return two receivers who hauled in at least 30 catches a season ago in Katrell Blakely and Duce Pittman.
 
Defensively, Southeastern brings back its top seven tacklers which includes Swope who recorded 88 stops as a sophomore and has more than 200 tackles over two seasons.
 
Arkansas Tech enters the opener picked eighth in the GAC preseason poll and put together a 3-8 record in 2019.
 
The Wonder Boys return 11 starters and 38 letterwinners from the 2019 squad.
 
While the ATU offense will feature a new quarterback, the team does bring back its top rusher in Caleb Batie who ran for 620 yards and five touchdowns.
 
They also return their top receiver form 2019 in Drew Wad who had 623 yards and four scores on 46 catches.
 
The Tech defense will feature new faces as only one of its top-five tacklers from 2019 returns.