St. Thomas on upward trajectory, expected to contend in Sun Conference

The trajectory of the St. Thomas University Bobcats football program requires several arrows, all of them pointing up.

Their historic first season resulted in a 4-6 record in 2019. In 2020, they had their first winning record at 4-3.

Last year, though, was their biggest breakthrough as the Bobcats finished 9-2, including a 38-22 victory over rival Florida Memorial in their opener.

What’s next?

“We expect to compete for championships,” said Bill Rychel, who has been STU’s coach since the program started. “We’ve never shied away from [championship talk], even from Year 1 when nobody thought we’d win a game.”

This year, the Bobcats football program joins the Sun Conference. Already, the Bobcats are considered an upper-echelon team in the league, predicted to finish third in a vote of the conference’s seven head coaches.

The Bobcats, who sport a roster of roughly 200 players, will have a true senior class this year for the first time. They started with a team almost entirely composed of freshmen in 2019, and those players – 36 of them – are now seniors.

“We’ve built the program from the ground up, not a lot of transfers,” Rychel said. “We’ve come a long way, and now we have that senior leadership.”

The Bobcats also have enjoyed admirable continuity among their coaching staff. Both of their coordinators – Anthony Neymeiyer on offense and Alex Gray on defense – have been at STU since the program started.

St. Thomas, which was ranked as high as No. 24 in the nation last year in the NAIA, brought in 68 recruits for 2022.

Rychel said the Bobcats’ upgraded facilities have aided in recruiting.

Starting this year, the Bobcats will no longer play their home games at Monsignor Pace High School. Instead, the Bobcats will play on the STU campus, on a new turf field that will seat 1,550.

There’s also a new scoreboard and a new weight room. A second turf field, with a track, is on the way.

“It’s exciting,” Rychel said. “But, at the end of the day, a field never won a football game.”

Players win games, and, fortunately for the Bobcats, they return some good ones, including senior linebacker Donnell Bennett III, a three-time all-conference player.

Rychel’s defense also features junior Sidney Porter, who is a two-time All-American safety; sophomore outside linebacker Nicholas Engler; and junior cornerback Jhaqwori Austin, an all-conference player.

On offensive, STU’s first-team all-conference quarterback, Tyler Thomas, returns for his junior year. He completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 2,178 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions last year.

STU brings backs a pair of standout offensive linemen in juniors Keyon Phillips and Jared Noble.

Freshman Rashad Farmer is the top running back, and the receiver unit is led by sophomore Khalitri Zow and freshman David Hayes. Zow last year posted 35 receptions for 534 yards and four touchdowns. Hayes had a great camp, impressing Rychel.

STU’s special teams are led by kicker Alejandro Prado, who made 9 of 12 field goals last year with a long of 43. He also made 47 of 49 extra-point attempts, completing a solid Bobcats roster.

“We’re in pretty good shape all over,” Rychel said. “In Year Four, we have a lot of depth.”

FLORIDA MEMORIAL

The Lions, who compete with St. Thomas in the Sun Conference, are predicted to finish tied for last place in the seven-team league.

This is the third season for FMU since the Lions brought back their football program, which had been dormant since 1958.

The Lions, coached the past two seasons by Tim “Ice” Harris, went 0-3 in 2020 and 2-9 last year.

This year, the Lions will be coached by Bobby Rome.

FORT LAUDERDALE

The Eagles, who play in the National Christian College Athletic Association, went 0-7 in 2021, their inaugural football season. Five of their losses were by at least 58 points. Indeed, the Eagles lost to St. Thomas, 58-0.

Last year’s coach, former Dolphins wide receiver Chris Chambers, has been replaced by Quincy Wilson, who played running back for West Virginia University.

This year’s 10-game schedule includes the Eagles’ first time playing Florida Memorial. That game is the season finale, set for Nov. 12 in Lauderhill.