With a full off-season, a full recruiting season, and a full staff in place, second year Stetson football coach Brian Young put his squad through its paces for the first time on Friday evening as the Hatters opened training camp.
 
Stetson welcomed 55 returning letter winners, including 17 starters, back to campus where they were joined 32 first-year Hatters and 18 other returning squad members.
 
In addition to the new players, there are five new members on the coaching staff as well as two former Hatters who have returned to Stetson for the 10^th season of football since the program was reinstated.
 
The players all reported to campus on Thursday for physicals and other pre-camp activities. Friday morning started with offensive, defensive and special teams meetings along with an academic meeting, all before hitting the practice field for two hours of work.
 
"We found out a little bit about ourselves today," Young said. "It was good to get everyone here and bouncing around out here for this first practice and to get a look at the new players we brought in."
 
The new players got a big energy bump from the coaching staff, which was just as excited to be on a football field again as the players were.
 
"I think we have some really quality coaches in place here now," Young said. "They have been hard at work to implement our systems and I feel really good about where we are."
 
The coaching staff for the 2022 season includes returners Jonathan Johnson as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Jeremy Perkovich on the defensive line, Jake Reed with the offensive line and Harry Richards with running backs. Also back from last year, but moved from an analyst position to cornerbacks coach, is Jeffrey Eberhardt.
 
Another returning member of the coaching staff is Brandon Wright, who is coaching the dawg safeties. Wright was previously a member of the Stetson staff for four years, from 2012-15. He is also handling director of operations duties until that position is filled.
 
New members of the coaching staff include offensive coordinator Brian Sheppard, who is also working with the quarterbacks. He is joined by receivers coach David Clowney IV, tight ends coach Ryan Favre and assistant linebackers coach Michael C. Smith. Hunter Todd has also joined the staff as an offensive quality control analyst while former Stetson defensive lineman Zane Smith is serving as a defensive quality control analyst.
 
The Hatters will be back on the Watson Family Practice Fields at the ATC on Saturday, Sunday and Monday evening for practice from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Practice will move to the afternoon on Tuesday, August 9, from 2-4 p.m. and will remain in that time slot through Sunday, August 14, including a scrimmage on Saturday afternoon, August 13.
 
Practice will return to the 7:30 p.m. start time on Monday, August 15, through Wednesday, August 17. Thursday, August 18, in the first day of classes on the Stetson campus, so that will be an off day, but practice will resume on Friday, August 19, at 3:30 p.m. in preparation for the final scrimmage of camp on Saturday night, August 20, at Spec Martin Stadium.
 
The Hatters will open the 2022 season with four home games in September, starting against Concordia University, an NAIA program from Ann Arbor, Mich. Stetson will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the return of football at that game by welcoming back members of the 2013 squad.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS. Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.