Football season is here! This Thursday, August 31, 2023, the Crimson Storm takes on the Harding Bisons to kick off their 2023 football season. The Storm is coming off of a successful season with a total of five wins and is looking to achieve their first home win against a strong Great American Conference (GAC) team.
The Storm is being coached by Dustin Hada and led by quarterback Gage Porter, who was named GAC offensive player of the year, as well as unanimous All-GAC First Team Utility player for the 22’ season. Porter will continue to play a significant role in the success of this team. Alongside Porter, Ryan Reid, Josh Johnson, and Eli Calhoun are ones to watch during the fall.
The Bison’s and the Storm’s last match-up saw Harding run away with the win. The Crimson Storm is looking to take down this powerful team this time around having one of their strongest classes to date in the program’s history. With 53 signees, this class is set to make a significant and lasting impact.
Jamauri Johnson, a linebacker out of Houston, Texas, emphasized the physicality and discipline needed to get the win on Thursday. “We plan to set the tone from the first play and be disciplined with our reads and stay on the attack side of things,” Johnson said. “They are a physical team so we can’t afford to get complacent.”
Fans can expect to see a hard-fought battle between two great teams, with hopes of SNU ultimately coming out on top. “We expect great things this season. We have a lot of great talent from a high-powered offense returning, and a defense ready for anything that is thrown at them,” Johnson states. This improvement could see the Crimson Storm have one of its best seasons yet.
Joah Flores, a wide receiver out of New Mexico, explains that some returners have had to step up and take on bigger responsibilities among this year’s group. “On defense, we have a couple of guys who have moved into bigger roles this year such as Jalen Mays, one of our safeties, and Kenyatta Richardson as well.” Flores believes that we have the speed and power to match up with Harding well.
SNU looks to take down Harding this Thursday at 6 p.m. and expects fans to pack the bleachers at our home field. We hope to see you there supporting the Crimson Storm!
Photo by Dave Adamson on Unsplash