Paladins unfazed by seventh-place prediction

With a predicted seventh place finish in the Southern Conference and only a couple of selections on the preseason All-SoCon teams, there may be a thought that the pressure is off the Furman football team heading into the 2016 season.

Not so, said Paladin senior safety Trey Robinson.

“Some others expectations may be lowered because of our schedule or the wins and losses from last year, but our expectation as players, as competitors and as a team is that we want a SoCon championship,” Robinson said Wednesday at the SoCon’s annual Media Day.

Coming off a 4-7 season, and a sixth-place SoCon finish at 2-5, Furman has been picked to finish seventh by the league’s coaches and media this season. Robinson was a first-team All-SoCon preseason selection, but the only other Paladin tabbed was linebacker Carl Rider, who was a second-team pick.

Last year followed a 3-9 showing for Furman in 2014. The past couple of seasons have been a difficult turn for Robinson, who came to Furman from a traditional high school power in Dorman, then won a SoCon championship his freshman season.

“It’s definitely been tough. ... I’m used to winning,” Robinson said. “As players, we have to understand that there’s going to be tough times, but we’re the only people that can turn those losses into wins. It’s on us to make the change, and that’s what we plan on doing.”

Despite the way 2015 turned out, there were things to build off. The Paladins were 3-2 before fading in the second half of last season. That first half included a 16-15 win at FBS member Central Florida, which Robinson sealed with his second interception of the game in the final seconds, and a 38-35 loss to a Coastal Carolina team that went 9-3 in its final season of FCS play.

The Paladins also return starters at 16 positions, including six on offense and seven on defense. Of those 13 returning starters on both sides of the ball, 11 are seniors.

“We’ve had a tremendous offseason and we’ve got a tremendous group of guys. I expect that we’re going to be better,” Furman coach Bruce Fowler said. “We’ve got solid leadership on both sides of the ball.

“We need make some improvements obviously, but I have high expectations.”