'Roo Football Finishes Strong in Successful 2013 Campaign

The Austin College football team won its final four games, including an emphatic victory over rival Trinity University, to finish with a 5-5 record in 2013. That's the best mark since the 2008 season for the 'Roo football program. At the end of the season, 15 members of the Kangaroo football team were honored as All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference performers.

The 'Roos got off to a slow start in 2013, dropping their first four games before picking up the team's first win of the season in a dominant 31-0 victory over SCAC foe Southwestern, and after falling to conference champion Texas Lutheran the following week to drop to 1-5, the 'Roos ripped off four straight wins to close the year. Over that stretch, the team topped Southwestern Assemblies of God 27-17, Hendrix 45-38, Southwestern again, this time by a score of 25-6, and Trinity 35-7.

The season ending win over Trinity marked the first win over the Tigers since 1993, and allowed Austin College to finish second in the SCAC, the team's best finish since joining hte conference in 2006. Other impressive feats included running backs Bryce Murphy and James Nwankpah becoming the first teammates in conference history to finish first and second in the league in rushing yards.

Both backs were named first team All-SCAC, and were joined by offensive teammates Bradley Oh, Kyle Crawford, and Noah Jesko on the first team. Defensively, Tre Stewart, Brett T. Vaughn, Nathan Packard, Brooks Ward, Logan Estes, and Scott Loy were first team selections, and Javi Reynoso was the first team punter.

Also earning All-Conference honors were Cole Caldwell, Cody Kovach, and De'Andre Holmes, who were all Honorable Mention recipients.

Crawford was also named by D3Football.com as an All-Region selection from his tight end position after finishing among the conference leaders in receptions and yards, and he was a big part of Jesko's outstanding season at quarterback. Jesko threw for 2,117 yards in 2013, one of the top single season marks in school history. In fact, that total put him just over 100 yards short of setting a new program record.

Several members of the team were also recognized by the SCAC throughout the course of the year as Player of the Week honorees, including Jesko, Ward, Packard, Murphy, Nwankpah, Loy, Josh Uland, and Jacob Price.

The 'Roos will be forced to replace several outstanding seniors, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, but the majority of the offense returns including the return of Madison Ross, a former SCAC Newcomer of the Year who missed most of the 2013 campaign and adds yet another weapon out of the offensive backfield. Heading into 2014, the 'Roos look to be one of the favorites to challenge for the SCAC championship.