A Retrospective on Choctaw Football
Nearing the end of a tough season, the Choctaws are finding positives & seeking improvement.
The Choctaws took their first win of the season last Saturday, October 26, in a home contest against Erskine. In a season that hasn’t seen the success hoped for at the beginning of the year, the team played their most complete game of the year to come out on top with a score of 42-7. Their record stands at 1-7.
The Choctaws began the season with an entirely new coaching staff, led by former Rice University wide receiver coach Mike Kershaw. Two senior players, running back Marcus Williams and cornerback David Brown, also found themselves in leadership positions this season with high ambitions.
“There was an adjustment for both the players and the coaching staff this season,” Kershaw said. The adjustment period pushed Williams and Brown to step up and guide the team.
“I’ve really just been trying to instill in the younger guys that we need to have fun, even though some things aren’t going your way,” Brown said. “I know for me, it’s coming to an end, and so I’m telling them to embrace every moment, because those four years move quickly.”
Earlier in the year, Kershaw changed the team’s offensive playbook. The Choctaws implemented a spread offense at the start of the year, but quarterback play fell short of expectations. The team transitioned to a wildcat offensive scheme instead, which positions a running back as the quarterback, significantly reducing the passing game.
“We made the changes because of what was happening on the field,” Kershaw said. “We just weren’t doing well offensively. The guys have embraced it, and we make little tweaks week to week, but we’re going to continue to run this offense.”
It’s been a season riddled with frustration for the Choctaws. Still, Coach Kershaw remains positive about the team's motivation. “Is it harder to come to work when you haven’t won a game?” Kershaw said. “Maybe. But it just gives you another opportunity to get better. We’re going to work even harder because we’re not where we want to be.”
The Choctaws secured their first win of the season against Erskine with several big plays on both sides of the ball. The main highlight for the Choctaws was player buy-in for the new offensive scheme. “Everyone bought in and they wanted to play for each other,” Williams said. “The play calling was perfect, and we got the right people in the right spots, which made this a huge game for us.”
Despite frustrations on the field, Brown highlights an impactful off-the-field conversation with Defensive Coordinator Will Paruta. “[Paruta] reminded me that God put me here for a reason, and reminded me that even though we’re going through losses, I’m still blessed to have this opportunity and to just enjoy and have fun with it,” Brown said.
Looking ahead to the Choctaws’ final two games of the season, Williams plans to treat the final stretch as a fresh start. “I want to finish this season 2-0 and kickstart next year's season,” said WIlliams. “For the fans, I hope they can see this team does have a bright future, and that we have big time players that can make big time plays. I pray they continue to watch us, continue to believe in us, and that they have our back like we have theirs.”
The Choctaws will wrap up their season with back to back home games, against Northeastern State and Delta State respectively. They look to finish out the season on a three game win streak.
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