FCS 2019 PREVIEW: The Citadel Football Is Ranked And Ready

HERO Sports welcomes you to "Three-a-Days" where we will preview every single one of the 126 FCS programs from June 17 to August 6. Then, we'll preview all 13 conferences from August 12-15. Today, we present … The Citadel.

We'll leave no stone left unturned when it comes to giving the FCS diehards all they could ask for this offseason. Learn about every program in the country with HERO Sports.

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THE CITADEL (5-6 IN 2018)

The SoCon (El Cid was T5th in 2018)

COACH: Brent Thompson – At School: 5th year (27-19 record), Overall: 20th year (148-76)
LAST FCS POSTSEASON: 2016 (lost in 2nd round)
2018 OFFENSE: 29.8 ppg. (43rd in FCS)
2018 DEFENSE: 30.3 ppg. (76th in FCS)
KEY GAME: Aug. 31 vs. Towson – Honestly? We could put just about any of the SoCon matchups in this category and it would be accurate. They're all going to be battles this year. So instead of trying to pick one over the other, we'll go with the nonconference opener against CAA power Towson. This one is in Charleston and may be one of those games we point back to in November as being a playoff-berth determinant. Elon the next week could also fit that narrative.

SUM IT UP: At first glance, this looks like a very strong team — likely the best since the program won 19 games combined in 2015 and 2016. All-in-all, the program returns 20 starters to the lineup (10 on offense, 7 on defense, 3 on special teams) and we all know The Citadel is a tough program to prepare for week in and week out. That's why despite two straight 5-6 records, we at HERO Sports ranked the Bulldogs No. 25 in this summer's preseason poll. That's how strongly we feel about this program being a national factor in 2019.

The offense should be in really good shape, and once again will squeeze the clock as well as any program in the nation. The Bulldogs were No. 5 in the country last year in time of possession, holding onto the ball on average more than six minutes longer than their competition. That's thanks to the triple-option offense, which despite losing standout Tyler Davis on the offensive line, still returns four starters up front and a load of experience. With the triple option, it all starts with the line — and this is one darned good line. Iron-man Drew McEntyre is the veteran, while Haden Haas, Jon Barrett Lewis and Prince Howard-Whitaker combine with McEntyre to give the Bulldogs more than 80 career starts returning to the unit. That's an impressive amount of experience. Couple that with a shifty quarterback (Brandon Rainey) who gave Nick Saban and Alabama fits last November (at least for one half), and you have something great to work with here. Getting a 2,000-yard transfer running back (Remus Bulmer) doesn't hurt, either.

A big part of this team's defense is the offense it runs, as any triple-option team knows. The ideal situation for The Citadel's defense is to only have to be on the field for about 25 minutes a game and watch the opposing offense squirm on the other sideline because its opportunities are limited thanks to the Bulldogs' offense eating up the clock. Then, when the opponent actually hits the field, it presses and makes mistakes. Statistically, this unit is pretty tough against the run but gives up a lot of yards via the pass — but that's sometimes more due to the lack of time an opponent has to move the ball, forcing it to go to the air.

OUR TAKE: The Citadel isn't cutting any corners when it comes to the nonconference four-game stretch to open the season. It takes on two straight 2018 FCS Playoff teams to open up — Towson and Elon. Both those teams are also ranked in the preseason Top 25. Then the Bulldogs travel to take on the ACC's Georgia Tech, who is in a slight bit of disarray as it transitions from Paul Johnson to Geoff Collins as coach. That might be an interesting game to watch as the Yellow Jackets are transitioning away from the triple option into a more wide-open attack, and they don't really have the personnel to make that happen seamlessly overnight. Pencil that game in as an FCS-P5 headache for Georgia Tech. It'll need some Tylenol that day.

Then The Citadel takes on city rival Charleston Southern — and there's no love lost in this one folks. Then? The Citadel hits the gauntlet that is the Southern Conference — and we have Wofford, Furman and Chattanooga ranked ahead of El Cid in the preseason … if that gives you any idea of how nutty this league will be (again). Translation? There are a lot of landmines on this schedule for The Citadel, but we think it will weather most of them. We think this has the look of an 8-4 team, with road trips to Furman, ETSU and Chattanooga being daunting and the determinant of whether this team is happy come November.

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TOP RETURNEE: Sr./OL Drew McEntyre (26 career starts up front)

THE FOUNDATION: Sr./DL Joseph Randolph II (1st Team 2018 All SoCon – 14 TFLs led team, 37 tackles); Soph./P Matthew Campbell (1st Team All SoCon – 44.4 yards per punt); Soph./DB Chris Beverly (HERO Sports Freshman All American – 46 tackles, 5 TFLs); Soph./OL Haden Haas (HERO Sports Freshman All American); Jr./LB Willie Eubanks (80 tackles led the team, 8.5 TFLs, 2 INTs); Soph./RB Clay Harris (335 yards rushing, 4 TDs); Jr./QB Brandon Rainey (554 yards rushing, 4 TDs); Jr./WR Raleigh Webb (17 catches, 385 yards, 2 TDs).

TOP NEWCOMER: Sr./RB Remus Bulmer (2,117 career rushing yards at Sam Houston State, 15 TDs – 30 catches, 234 yards)

THE QUOTE: "I thought Brandon (Rainey) did a good job. The offense was pretty functional when he was out there. We didn't want to give him a whole lot of reps, but the number one thing I wanted to see him do was hit a couple of open receivers which he did at the end. Once I saw that, I didn't need to see him anymore. The backup quarterback situation is the one that I am trying to hammer out right now. It started out a little rough, but I thought they were able to settle us down. I am seeing some progress at the backup spot, but I would like to see a little bit of pressure on Brandon too." — Head Coach Brent Thompson said during spring ball about the QB situation

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WERE WE RIGHT?: Last Year's The Citadel Preview

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