Drake Football. For a lot of people this causes excitement. Another season of autumn weather, sitting outside shivering in Drake Stadium on Friday nights. It means hot cocoa, curling up under blankets, hats, mittens, all brazened with Bulldog emblems. The colors blue and white; Bulldog pride. Exhilarated at the thought of a win, the players battle it out. The fans, at least the die-hard fans, the parents, the students and coaches all cheering and yelling for the players on the field.
For the players though, it means something more, it means hard work and dedication- day in and day out. It means virtually no days off.
And the fall season isn’t just the time they are working that hard.
They are putting in work all year long. The summer was spent receiving accolades, practicing and preparing for the season that opens Sept. 3rd at home against Quincy University.
Drake finished last season with five wins and six losses, and all five of their wins came at home.
Even though last season left more to be desired, some players still enjoyed receiving accolades over the summer.
Tight end Eric Saubert, a fifth-year senior, received first-team All-Pioneer Football League honors and All-American accolades from three different organization, while Taylor Coleman was a nominee for the 25th Anniversary Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
To receive these honors, players must be exceptional both on and off the field. Obviously. So there are some good seeds in the roster who worked hard all season last year. And all summer long this year.
But where are they falling short? And what will be different this season?
Hopefully Saubert can be relied upon to pick up some of that burden. Apparently he is drawing attention from NFL scouts. As a senior last year, Saubert had 580 receiving yards, 55 receptions, and had a total of seven touchdowns.
Drake, being such a small school, doesn’t generally produce NFL caliber players. So it is interesting to fans that Saubert could potentially reach such heights.
Given this fact, it will be an interesting season to say the least. Even if they can only produce a 50 percent win margin. To see a player and alum flourish and be considered for the highest level of professional football, is a sight.
However, we hope that we can watch and cheer the Bulldogs on into some big victories, especially when they open the season this week at Drake Stadium.
