HANOVER, Ind. – The Hanover football team kicks off the 2022 season welcoming non-conference opponent Centre.
TODAY'S MATCH-UP: The last meeting between the Colonels of Centre and the Panthers of Hanover came in 2021 with Centre claiming the 56-34 victory. Senior
Matthew Weimer (Georgetown, Ind.) paced the Panther attack raking in a game-high 268 passing yards on 18 completions. He added two passing touchdowns and one rushing score. The Colonels currently hold a seven game win streak dating back to the 2014 campaign.
UNDER THEOBALD: Head coach
Matt Theobald enters his seventh season with Panthers posting a career 33-24 overall record, 30-12 in HCAC action. He has led the program to three consecutive Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference titles from 2018 to 2020, while making back-to-back NCAA Playoff berths. Under his guidance, the Panthers have also posted two unblemished conference marks including a perfect 7-0 record in 2019.
RECORDS FALL: Running back
Shawn Coane (Evansville, Ind.) may have graduated in 2021 but his mark on the Panther Football program still remains. Coane, who competed for the Panthers from 2017-2021, etched his name into the record books becoming the Hanover career rushing attempts (714), rushing yards (4,247), rushing touchdowns (50), and total points (366) leader. However, he wasn't done as he also set new program best in rushing touchdowns in a season (19) and total points with 126 in 2019.
PRESEASON POLL: The HCAC announced their preseason poll with Hanover pegged third. The Blue and Red claimed 35 points in the poll, while Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology taking the top spot with 47 points and five first place votes followed by Mt. St. Joseph University in second with 45 points and one first place nod.
DEFENSE BY THE NUMBERS: With a veteran unit returning on the defensive side of the ball, the Panthers will look to be a force to be reckoned with. Senior
Devonte Hardiman (Princeton, Ind.), sophomore
Jayleen Santos (Warner Robins, Ga.) and junior
Justin Williamson (Macon, Ga.) return as the top play makers combining for 130 total tackles and 14 sacks. Santos charted two forced fumbles while Hardiman added a season-high four quarterback hurries in 2021. Junior
Brody Luker (New Palestine, Ind.) controlled the air ways as he recorded four pass break-ups with four interceptions.
IN THE BACKFIELD: Weimer returns to the huddle as the starting quarterback in 2022. The 2021 campaign saw him pilot an offense that averaged 28.6 ppg with 14 total touchdowns through the air and 24 touchdowns on the ground. The gun slinger ranked first among the HCAC in completion percentage at 63.7 percent.
