Newberry Wolves take aim at bounce-back football season

Newberry College football coach Todd Knight, on the verge of a significant career milestone, was rewarded by the school this offseason with a contract extension through 2031.

With that taken care of, Knight is looking to get the Wolves back into contention for the South Atlantic Conference championship picture, a place they resided in as recently as 2021 and 2022. He’s also four victories shy of winning his 100th game at the school. He’s entering his 17th season as the Newberry head coach and 23rd year on the staff.

Last season’s finish was a 3-7 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the SAC. Knight and his staff added several new roster pieces that he hopes results in a winning season in 2025.

The Wolves were picked by the league’s coaches to finish seventh in SAC this season. Even though Newberry will be very young with 53 incoming freshmen, Knight believes he’s had upgrades at several positions.

“The offseason is one of the best we’ve had in years,” Knight said. “The kids really gelled. I love the atmosphere in the locker room. They are excited about being that crowd to bring us back to where we need to be.”

Roster Update

Newberry will have a new look when they kick off the season Sept. 6 at UVA Wise.

The Wolves added eight mid-year transfers, then welcomed 53 freshmen into the fold this summer. Two players transferred from Coastal Carolina — receiver De’Andre Coleman and defensive back Quan Peterson. Quarterback Mason Kidd came over from South Carolina State, and wide receiver Avery McFadden transferred from Georgia State.

Several former Midland standouts are among the large incoming class. Three players from Irmo — tight end Joseph Albritton, defensive back Matthew Blocker and offensive lineman Ryan Love — highlight the group. Some others include QB Brady Albro (Chapin), linebacker Jared Acosta (Newberry) and offensive lineman Christian Smith (Lugoff-Elgin).

Three Players to Watch

Reed Charpia, quarterback: The former Brookland-Cayce High standout played in six games last season and completed over 59% of his passes and threw for 977 yards and three touchdowns. He also added three rushing scores. Former Irmo quarterback Izayah Whiteside is also competing for the starting nod after throwing for 122 yards and rushing for 115 yards in five games last season.

Devron Williams, linebacker: Williams was the team’s leading tackler last season with 51 tackles (3.5 for loss), a sack and a forced fumble. He will be a senior, play in the middle and be instrumental in the team’s success of slowing the fast-paced South Atlantic Conference foes.

Jalen Stradford, linebacker: The senior played in all 10 games last season and has appeared in 27 games in his career. He totaled 38 tackles last season with two interceptions (one that he returned 80 yards for a touchdown), two fumble recoveries and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Three Key Games

at Lenoir-Rhyne, Sept. 27: The Bears came in second last season but were the only SAC team to win a playoff game when they knocked off West Alabama in the first round. They are the overall pick to finish first this season. Lenoir-Rhyne has won the last two in the series, which includes a 24-3 victory last year.

vs. Wingate, Oct. 4: The Wolves have lost two in a row in the series, including a 38-0 pasting last season. The Bulldogs were picked to finish second in the South Atlantic Conference and will be a good measuring stick for Knight and Newberry. Wingate was the 2024 SAC champion with the No. 3 defense in Division II.

vs. Mars Hill, Oct. 18: The Lions were just ahead of Newberry in the preseason rankings at No. 5, but they’ve won at least five conference games the last four years. This is another team the Wolves have lost two in a row in the series, including a 34-9 defeat last season.

Newberry College 2025 football schedule

• Sept. 6: at UVA Wise, 6 p.m.
• Sept. 13: vs. Point, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 20: vs. Catawba, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 27: at Lenoir-Rhyne, 6 p.m.
• Oct. 4: vs. Wingate University, 7 p.m.
• Oct. 11: at Tusculum, 2 p.m.
• Oct. 18: vs. Mars Hill, 4 p.m.
• Oct. 25: vs. Emory & Henry, 4 p.m.
• Nov. 1: at Anderson, 4 p.m.
• Nov. 8: vs. Carson-Newman, 1 p.m.