New Kennesaw State coach puts emphasis on linemen, QBs for first signing class

The class includes 18 transfers from other colleges and 15 from high schools, 11 of them from Georgia. There are 18 offensive signees — three quarterbacks, three running backs, three receivers, one tight end and eight lineman — and 14 defensive signees — seven linemen and seven defensive backs. The Owls also signed a punter.

Sixteen transfers and four high school signees enrolled in January and will be able to participate in spring drills, which begins March. 3. The KSU spring game is scheduled for 11 a.m. April 5.

Many eyes are on quarterback, where Mack added three players, who all will participate in spring practice: Dexter Williams II, a transfer from Georgia Southern via Indiana, Amari Odom, a transfer from Wofford, and Skyler Williams, a freshman from Warner Robins.

“That pretty much tells you we’re going to run a different style of system,” Mack said. “We needed guys we felt like were talented as passers and also can move and are athletic enough to make plays.”

Dexter Williams played at Indiana from 2020-23, but had his career sidetracked twice by injuries. He torn his ACL in the spring of 2020 and missed the entire 2021 season. He played four games in 2022, but suffered a knee dislocation with structural damage in the season finale against Purdue and missed the entire 2023 season. He transferred to Georgia Southern, but played in only five games during 2024.

“He’s played in major football games, and he’s had some success, and that was one of the things that appealed to us,” Mack said. “He’s been on the grass. He knows what it’s like to be in those hostile situations.”

Odom played in eight games last season at Wofford and threw for 1,565 yards and seven touchdowns. He was named Southern Conference Player of the Week after throwing for 219 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Richmond. He threw for 215 yards, completing 15 of 28 passes, with one touchdown against South Carolina.

“He is a talented passer,” Mack said. “Take a look at the South Carolina game from last year, playing against SEC competition, and he did some really good things that I think he’ll be able to translate over to Conference USA.”

Skyler Williams threw for 1,974 yards and 17 touchdowns and only one interception and ran for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior.

“To be able to get a guy of that size and speed combination, and he’s probably one of the stronger guys on the team walking in the door as a true freshman,” Mack said. “He has an elite skill set.”

Davis Bryson is the incumbent starter at quarterback, but he is moving to wide receiver in spring practice. A junior next season, he threw for 1,495 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 297 yards and four touchdowns last season in the old system.

The new signing class also was heavy on linemen.

“I believe in building teams from the inside out,” said Mack, who spent the last four seasons as an NFL assistant. “When you look at what we’ve signed in the interior offensive line and defensive line, I think that’s where we wanted to place a premium, getting the length and size and athleticism we need to build this thing.”

The incoming group of offensive linemen includes four 300-pounders: Josiah Chenault (6-3, 300) a transfer from Howard, Nikola Milovac (6-6, 315), a transfer from South Florida, Rene Miller (6-6, 335), a transfer from Alcorn State, Cameron Williams (6-3, 315), a transfer from Alabama A&M, and Haston Crawford (6-6, 300) from Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Academy.

The group of new defensive linemen includes Elijah Harper, a transfer from Emory & Henry, Mike Jones, a transfer from Virginia Union, and Marcus Patterson, who played 14 games at Western Kentucky. Harper and Jones each had 11.5 tackles for loss last season.

The Owls are not finished with talent acquisition. Mack said the staff will examine the next wave of players in the portal later this spring.

“We’re not done yet,” he said. “The second transfer portal is going to open up, and I’m sure there will be some young men that can help us in that second way of guys as well.”

KENNESAW STATE SIGNEES (33)

Name, Pos., Ht., Wt., School

Chase Belcher, RB, 6-1, 218, West Georgia

Coleman Bennett, RB, 5-11, 185, Rice

Josiah Chenault, OL, 6-3, 300, Howard

Matthew Choules, P, 6-3, 225, Marist College Canberra (Australia)

Jackson Cooper, DL, 6-4, 300, IMG Academy (Florida)

Clayton Coppock, WR, 6-1, 165, Mays HS

Jayce Cora, WR, 6-4, 185, Community School of Naples (Fla.)

Haston Crawford, OL, 6-6, 300, Tuscaloosa Academy (Ala.)

Roderick Daniels, DL, 6-2, 270, Liberty

Alexander Ford, DB, 6-0, 196, Western Kentucky

Elijah Harper, DL, 6-3, 240, Emory & Henry

Jamari Harrold, TE, 6-4, 210, Norcross HS

Elijah Hill, DL, 6-2, 240, Bryant HS (Ark.)

Dontavious Howard, DB, 5-11, 185, Jones College (Miss.)

Byron Jackson, DL, 6-4, 225, Gadsden County HS (Fla.)

Jordan Jackson, WR, 6-3, 210, West Georgia

Mike Jones, DL, 6-2, 275, Virginia Union

Tay’vion Lawson, DB, 6-2, 187, Andrew Jackson HS (Fla.)

JaDarious Lee, OL, 6-4, 287, Florida International

Kayden Miller, DB, 6-2, 190, Lithonia HS

Rene Miller, OL, 6-6, 335, Alcorn State

Nikola Milovac, OL, 6-6, 315, South Florida

Amari Odom, QB, 6-5, 205, Wofford

Caleb Offord, DB, 6-1, 189, Alabama State

Marcus Patterson, DL, 6-3, 275, Western Kentucky

Jeremiah Solomon, DB, 6-1, 183, Macon County HS

Ethan Tookes, DB, 6-2, 191, Alabama State

Joshua Troupe, RB, 5-11, 210, Richmond Hill HS

Cameron Williams, OL, 6-3, 315, Alabama A&M

Dexter Williams II, QB, 6-1, 210, Georgia Southern

Jamiel Williams, OL, 6-4, 265, Rome HS

Skyler Williams, QB, 6-3, 215, Warner Robins HS

ZaMario Woodgett, OL, 6-5, 280, Campbell HS