The Muskingum football team, under the direction of veteran Head Coach Al Logan, returns a wealth of talent to the field in 2014. The Muskies have 23 lettermen back, including seven starters on offense, seven starters on defense and two starters on special teams.

The Muskie spread offense, which churned out 284.9 yards and 16 points per game, will be directed by junior quarterback Cody Williams. Last season, Williams threw for 806 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 332 yards and one score.

Joining Williams in the backfield will be the junior tandem of tailbacks Melvin Smith and Desmond Waden. Smith rushed for 262 yards and a team-best six touchdowns, while Waden rumbled for 91 yards and one score.

Junior Brandon Hardy returns as the top receiver. Hardy played in eight games in 2013.

The offensive line will be anchored by junior All-Ohio Athletic Conference Honorable Mention honoree and captain Sam Lucas and by junior Zac Snively.

On the defensive side, senior captain linebacker Damond Goggins will lead the unit that ranked third in the OAC in total defense in 2013. The Muskies allowed 30.1 points and 351 yards per outing. Goggins was named Second Team All-OAC last season after having a career-best year. He notched 100 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss and had one interception and one blocked kick.

Joining Goggins will be senior defensive lineman Tony Moore, junior defensive linemen Joe DeWitt, Jordan Lee and Zach Barry. The secondary will be anchored by sophomore Tyler Lancaster.

Moore had 20 stops and one sack, while DeWitt logged nine stops and Lee had 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Barry was second on the team with 61 tackles, with a team-best four sacks. Lancaster ended his rookie campaign with 40 tackles and a team-best three interceptions.

Special teams will be led by sophomore Second Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference punter Samuel Green. Green ranked second in the conference with a punting average of 40.5 yards. He had 12 punts inside the 20 and eight punts of 50-plus yards, including an OAC-best 73-yarder.

Muskingum will also benefit from a blue-chip recruiting class that will add talent and depth to the team.

Muskingum opens the season at Waynesburg on Saturday, September 6 at 1:30 p.m. The Muskies open home and Ohio Athletic Conference play against Mount Union on Saturday, September 20 at 1:30 p.m. in McConagha Stadium.

The schedule
Muskingum will host five home games during the 2014 campaign. The Muskies will host Mount Union on Saturday, September 20 at 1:30 p.m., Capital on Saturday, September 27 at 7:00 p.m., Otterbein for Homecoming on Saturday, October 18 at 1:30 p.m., John Carroll for Breast Cancer Awareness Day on Saturday, November 1 at 1:30 p.m. and Marietta for Senior Day and the Shriners Game on Saturday, November 8 at 1:30 p.m.

The Muskies will travel to Waynesburg, Baldwin Wallace, Heidelberg, Ohio Northern and Wilmington.