Receiving corps expected to be strength for Hawks

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon football team took the field in shoulder pads for the first time this preseason on Saturday morning.

After two practices in shorts and helmets, head coach Mike Turk said the addition of shoulder pads added a missing element.

"We were able to put on the shoulder pads today and that gives us a starting point," Turk said. "What really matters now is that we continue to improve every day and get better. We have a good amount of experience back on both sides of the ball. But, at certain positions, we don't have a lot of guys who have been in game situations.

"Our biggest issues right now are finding some guys to step in on the offensive line and at H-Back. We're searching and we've got to figure out who the pieces are. We're going to have to have some guys step up and grow up because they're going to have to be ready this season."

One unit where inexperience is not an issue is receiver. The Hawks return nine receivers (seniors Nick Haas, Jamichael Bibb, Diggan Andre, Willie Coleman, Mark White, Zach Camp and John Dunn and sophomores Jaytarius Steele and Quentavious Whitlow) who saw action last season.

Included in the group are the top three receivers from last season (Haas, Bibb and Steele) and six of the top seven receivers from 2015.

"It's nice to have all of those guys back," Turk said. "All of those guys have played and helped us win games. That's a position where we are probably as deep as we have ever been. That's big, especially early in the year when we'll need to play a lot of people. The experience and ability of this group to make plays is something we'll lean on."

Leading the group are Haas and Bibb. Haas, a second-team all-conference selection last season, caught 54 passes for 823 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior. The 54 receptions and nine touchdowns were tied for the second most in program history. The 823 yards were the fourth best single-season performance by a Hawk.

In three seasons, Haas and Bibb have become two of the top receivers in Huntingdon history. With 101 career receptions for 1,664 yards and 12 touchdowns, Haas ranks fourth in Huntingdon history in receptions and yards and is tied for seventh in touchdowns. Bibb's 80 career receptions are tied for sixth most in program history, his 1,237 yards are sixth and his 15 career touchdowns are fourth.

Huntingdon will return to the field on Sunday at 3 p.m. for its first afternoon practice of the preseason.