The Wheaton College football team will enter the 2018 season with high expectations, ranked in the D3football.com Top-25 preseason poll for the eighth-consecutive year. The Thunder posted an 8-2 record in 2017, closing the campaign with a  four-game win-streak that started in mid-October with a 42-20 victory against nationally-ranked North Central College. Wheaton's two losses, against Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin, each came in the final minute of play.

Head coach Mike Swider notes of 2017, "Last season was a frustrating and difficult season. We lost two football games and in those two games, the difference could be reduced to two or three plays that accounted for the losses. When you look back at the season, those two games could have gone either way. That really stung. He continues, "Midway through the year, our kids centered themselves and we finished the year really strong. I think that is where we picked up in the offseason and into this upcoming year. These players and specifically these seniors want to do something special this year and make a statement."

Swider says of the leaders on his team for the upcoming season, "This is a big senior class, with 36 seniors. They replace a big senior class, but we replace them with very productive players that have demonstrated great leadership. They have been on the field and made plays for us. That makes a big difference and gives us great anticipation for the upcoming season."

"We have a lot of starters and experience returning," notes Swider. An up-and-down season like last year has formed and shaped those kids. There is a resolve, determination and focus that became very apparent at the end of last season and into the offseason and summer."

He says of the battles for playing time on this year's team, "The challenge is creating competition for the positions that need to be filled. I think competition breeds greatness so we need to let everyone know that there will be a competition to earn their opportunity." He continues, "In the offseason we told our players that you earn the win and that you earn everything and deserve nothing. That attitude will make for a great competition and even our returners know that nothing is guaranteed."

Offensively, the Thunder return quarterback Curtis McWilliams (PICTURED LEFT) for his senior season. McWilliams completed 63% of his passing attempts last year with 116 completions on 184 attempts. He threw for 1,567 yards with 14 touchdown tosses. "Obviously we have an experienced returner at quarterback in Curtis McWilliams. He stepped in and earned the job. He really demonstrated leadership and competency as he played well. He comes back as a quarterback that has been in that spot and won some big football games for us."

Swider mentions, "Jesse Furrow, Curtis' backup, has proven to be someone that can step in and win football games for us." Furrow played in eight games last season, completing 68.6% (48-of-70) of his passing attempts. Furrow threw for 747 yards with six touchdown tosses.

"At receiver, we have Phillip Nichols (PICTURED RIGHT). He is arguably one of the best receivers in this conference. He is a dynamic and explosive athlete that can do some special things," states Swider. Nichols earned First Team All-CCIW recognition in 2017 with a team-high 40 receptions. Nichols tallied 467 receiving yards with six touchdown catches on the year.

Swider adds of his receiving corps, "Carter Roberts is our other experienced receiver that returns." Roberts caught 22 passes for 312 yards with two touchdown catches in 2017.  Swider adds, "There is a lot of opportunity at receiver with a lot of guys that will be fighting for spots alongside Philip and Carter."

"We have three senior tight ends that have been on the field. Tyler Pace, Luke Van Dyke and Noah Frazier have all played at the line scrimmage, in special teams and have made plays," mentions Swider." He concludes, "They are poised players and mature leaders who are prepared and work hard. That is a fantastic group of tight ends."

The Thunder head coach notes, "We have four returning starters at offensive line. Andrew Jones (PICTURED LEFT), Jake Hibben, Drew Smith and Braedon Parker. Those are four kids that have started and are outstanding football players. They are big, strong kids that can move people. They play together and with great confidence." He continues, "Obviously there are three or four guys that will be fighting for that fifth position." Jones is a two-time All-CCIW selection and earned D3football.com All-Region recognition at tackle last year.

Swider mentions, "Obviously we lost Sola [Olateju] at tailback, the leading rusher in the history of our school. We have two players that return with experience in Stone Watson and TJ Williams (PICTURED RIGHT). These kids have been on the field and produced. It is not just limited to those two, there are others competing at tailback, but those two have succeeded on the field already." Watson averaged 11.5 yards per carry with two touchdowns in an injury-shortened season. Williams averaged 10.0 yards per carry as a freshman in 2017. Williams ran for 431 yards with seven touchdown runs. Spencer Peterson saw time in 2017 in Wheaton's wildcat formation. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry, rushing for 333 yards with five touchdown runs and he passed for three more touchdowns. Peterson ran for 141 yards with three touchdowns against Carthage in 2017, earning the CCIW's "Offensive Player of the Week" award.

On the other side of the ball Swider mentions, "Defensively, we return some kids that can get some things done." He continues, "In the secondary we return Corey Kennedy (PICTURED LEFT), Kyle Fox and Tyler Sigler. Those guys are seniors that are highly talented and competitive kids that have played a lot. Obviously, there will be competition for the remaining spots in the secondary - and we have kids that can compete to play those positions. Andrew Brady is a guy who had a good spring and can compete to help us there."

Kennedy was third on the team last year with 55 total tackles, including seven tackles for loss (-24 yards). Fox registered 31 tackles last year with three interceptions. Sigler (PICTURED RIGHT) returns in 2018 after missing most of 2017 due to injury. In 2016, he earned All-CCIW and All-Region accolades with 46 total tackles, 13 pass deflections and two interceptions.

Swider states, "Eric Stevenson (PICTURED LEFT) is a two-year starter and All-Conference player at linebacker. He is a tremendous football player and we expect big things out of him. There are three other guys that have played a lot and will compete to finish out the linebacking corps in Daniel Herber, Jacob Killeen and Logan Miller. Those three players are highly competitive and they can help us at that position."

Stevenson led the Thunder in tackles for the second-consecutive year in 2017 with 85 total stops, including 47 solo tackles. As a junior he registered nine tackles for loss (-23 yards). Killeen registered 17 total tackles in 2017 and Herber registered 16 tackles.

The Thunder head coach notes of his defensive line, "Up front we have Dallas McRae (PICTURED RIGHT), Patrick O'Connell and Jack Bates. They are good football players that bring something to the table. There are a lot of others that are fighting for the remaining spot up front."

O'Connell (PICTURED LEFT) earned All-CCIW and All-Region recognition in 2017 at defensive tackle. His 8.5 tackles for loss (-34 yards) and five sacks (-27 yards) last year leads all of Wheaton's defensive returners for the upcoming season. Bates registered 21 total tackles last fall, with 4-1/2 tackles for loss (-17 yards) and three sacks (-11 yards). McRae was a disruptive force on the defensive line last year with 24 total tackles, including 2-1/2 tackles for loss (-7 yards).  

Swider's team returns tremendous experience to the special teams unit in 2018. "On special teams we have some kids that can play," mentions the Thunder head coach. He adds, "Zach Feddeler is an outstanding punter, with three years of experience heading into this season." Feddeler averaged 39.7 yards per punt in 2017 with 11 of his 32 punts landing inside the 20-yard line. Swider says of the team's placekicking situation, "Griffin Bowes did kickoffs last year. This year he will be our kicker and do field goals and extra points. He is a very athletic young man with a strong leg." Swider concludes, "It is great to have John Vargyas, our long snapper return."

Several experienced players are options for the Thunder at returner this season. "We have some kickoff and punt returners that have been successful at that spot. Philip Nichols is as good as it gets. Tyler Sigler is another guy that do some things back there and Stone Watson has also made some big plays back there," mentions Swider. Nichols returned 37 punts for 12.5 yards per return in 2017 with a return for a touchdown. Despite his injury-shortened season, Watson (PICTURED LEFT) led the Thunder with 30.0 yards per return on kickoffs in 2017 with a touchdown. Sigler averaged a team-high 14.8 yards per punt return in 2016, his last full season with the team.

Wheaton has just one non-conference game in 2018 as the CCIW adds Washington University-St. Louis to the conference (for football only). The lone non-conference matchup is on September 1 when the Thunder hosts Monmouth College at McCully Stadium in the season opener. The league's rotating bye will be in week two for Wheaton as the Thunder starts a string of nine-straight conference games on September 15 at Illinois Wesleyan. The second CCIW game of 2018 features Wheaton hosting Millikin on September 22, followed by a trip to North Central on September 29 for the 100th all-time meeting between the two DuPage County rivals. October road matchups have Wheaton at WashU and Augustana and home contests in October has the team hosting North Park and Carroll. The final road game of the regular season is a meeting in Wisconsin at Carthage College and the regular season finale sees Wheaton host Elmhurst on November 10.

Swider notes, "There are some challenges to the schedule. One is that our bye week is in the second week of the season and that is a difficult thing to manage. You prefer it in the middle or end of the year when fatigue has set in." He continues, "Also, we have nine conference games this year, you have to realize that the conference schedule starts immediately. The addition of WashU creates a league that is good top to bottom. WashU is a good football team and only makes this league stronger and we will have to come ready to play every week." He concludes, "Finally, we have some tough road games this year, but ultimately we will have to compete hard whether it is home or away. The thing is we have 36 seniors that have been on the road and faced challenges and they will dictate how our team handles challenges like that."