Coming off an exciting season that had seven victories at mid-season and a NJCAA No. 1 ranking, it seems difficult to duplicate that success in 2016 for the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolfpack.

However, Co-Lin head coach Glenn Davis and his staff have hopes to surpass last year’s success. With speed, power, and raw talent throughout the roster, the Wolves have their eyes set on big goals this season. With prominent overtime wins against East Mississippi and Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2015, Co-Lin proved to be a powerhouse program in the always-dominant MACJC.

With a final ranking of No. 4 in the nation in 2015, expectations from around the country are high for the Wolves. The Co-Lin coaches have taken these expectations head on, and have built and refined a squad that will contend with anyone on the gridiron in 2016.

Offense
With Wolfpack quarterback turned UCF Knight Garrett Kruczek departing from Wesson, Davis will look to hand the keys of the high octane Co-Lin offense over to Iowa State transfer Dominic De Lira.

De Lira comes to Co-Lin after redshirting in Ames during the 2015 season. The six shooter is a native of Austin, Texas, where he threw for 2,200 yards and 25 touchdowns during his senior campaign.

Joining the quarterback in the backfield will be talented group of running backs, led by sophomore do everything back, Ladarius Galloway. Galloway will look to build on a sensational freshman season, in-which he rushed for 500 yards and three scores on just 89 carries. The shifty back also led the Wolfpack in yards per carry, averaging 5.6 yards every time he was handed the rock.

Behind Galloway, Co-Lin has group of talented runners who are hoping to make an impact with the ball in their hands. John Ferguson is known for pure speed out of the backfield and was impressive in limited carries.

Brenton Spann excited crowds in high school, last season, with his ability to out run defenses. DeNarius “DJ” Knight, will hope to fill the shoes of former Co-Lin running back, Lakedric Lee, serving as power back in 2016.

Helping guide the way for the Wolfpack stable of backs and snagging a few passes from time to time is a young, and talented group of tight ends. Gemarta’ Jackson returns after a freshman season which garnered him a reputation as one the most aggressive and physical blockers for Co-Lin. While his chances to catch passes downfield were limited in 2015, Jackson will look to make even more of an impact during his final season.

Pairing with Jackson, is freshman Erick Grossley. Grossley comes to Wesson as a versatile piece that can be used in multiple positions in the Co-Lin offense; look for him to line-up all over the field this coming season.

One of the most consistent and reliable positions for Co-Lin the past four seasons has been the wideout position. Boasting four  All-Americans in the same about of years, the Wolfpack coaches have done another excellent job of putting together a talented and highly anticipated group.

With last year’s leading receiver, Dayall Harris, now a Miami Hurricane, the Wolfpack will turn to Oregon State transfer Datrin Guyton Jr. to carry the load as the number one target.The Austin, Texas, native spent 2015 snagging 14 catches for 178 in the Pac-12. Guyton brings speed and big play ability with him to Wesson, and coach Davis hopes that his starting quarterback and no.  1 target both coming from the same city will lead to a great connect all season long.

While the former Beaver does look to be the headliner, a core group of sophomores will serve as reliable targets through-out 2016. Alexander Hollins (is coming off a stellar freshman year he supplied big plays down field. The lightning fast Hollins, grabbed 11 passes for 210 yards and three scores.

DeAndre Barnes came in second place for rookie of the year honors for the Wolfpack last season. Barnes has the strong hands to make the tough catches through contact. Barnes will hope to improve on his 26 catch, 372 yards and two touchdowns from 2015.

Rounding out the returning wide outs are DeAnthony Blake and Jaylen Smith. A rangy athlete with great hands who is coming off an injury, Blake starts his third season with the Pack. Smith is tagged by the Co-Lin coaching staff of one of the most all-around improved players and hope that means an increased impact on gameday.

Ryan Drew leads a group of talented rookies to the Wolfpack offense. Drew served as both a quarterback and wide receiver on the practice squad last season. Nero Nelson will bring even more speed to an already fast offense, the Simmons high school graduate signed with Mississippi State before signing with the Wolfpack in the spring.

Tyson Penn is a former high jump champion of the Northwest region and Oregon State signee. Rounding out the wide receiver position for Co-Lin are freshman Jermarcus Weatherall and Alton Conerly , who will look to compete for playing time.

Even with all the talent surrounding the Wolfpack offense this season, none of it would matter without strong and consistent play out of the impressive offensive line that resides in Wesson. Tommy Champion and Lawayne Lenoir look to serve as the unquestioned leaders of the Wolfpack O-Line this season. Lenoir is preparing for his third season in Wesson after suffering a season ending injury on the first offensive drive last season.

Now fully recovered, he will be a staple of the interior of the line. Champion started seven games at tackle in 2015 and is committed to play for the Mississippi State Bulldogs next season. Returning with experience from last year are Joe Nelson and Mitchell Cross. Nelson, of Hazlehurst, started eight games at guard last season, while Cross, of Laurel, will compete for the starting center position during camp this fall.

Defense
Another example of constancy, Wolfpack defense has steadily climbed the national rankings since coach Otis Yelverton’s hire as defensive coordinator in 2013. Since Yelverton’s arrival, Co-Lin has produced multiple SEC defensive players and 2016 will be no different. Starting with the most important part of any defense, Yelverton’s defensive line is littered with future SEC players and possible NFL talent.

Montez Sweat is the perfect example of the type of player that the Wolfpack has produced in recent years. A 6-foot-6, 245-pound graduate of Stephenson High School, in Stone Mountain, Georgia, Sweat transferred to Co-Lin after spending one year as a redshirt at Michigan State. Poised with agility and speed, Sweat will look to terrorize quarterbacks all season long. Another Division 1 transfer joining the Wolfpack d-line in 2016 is former West Virginia Mountaineer, Tyree Owens.

Owens will add strength and aggressive to the defensive interior. Returning to Co-Lin after sitting out the 2015 season, Deion Pope will hope to return to the same form as his freshman campaign in 2014, when the Mississippi State Bulldog commit tallied 42 tackles and five and a half sacks. Returning after wrapping up 15 tackles and two sacks as freshman, Joe Anderson will hope to continue to be force at defensive end.

Linebacker looks to be an interesting position for the Wolfpack for the second year in a row as redshirt sophomore Michael Graham returns to Wesson for his final season. As a freshman in 2015, Graham led Co-Lin with 51 tackles from his middle linebacker spot. Pushing Graham for the starting role is impressive local product, James Allen Coley. Coley was originally a University of Louisiana-Monroe commit out of Cathedral in Natchez, but decided instead to enroll with the Wolfpack summer.

Freshmen Lamoni Jones and Juwan Gladney will also look to push for time at the Mike Linebacker sport for Co-Lin. At outside linebacker, the words that best describe this unit are speed, speed, and even more speed. Colton Magee returns after a stellar freshman season that saw the North Pike High School graduate grab 27 tackles, while also wrapping up opposing quarterbacks for 6 sacks.

Jermany McLaurin will be bringing the thump again this season from his strong side linebacker spot. Joining the duo are freshmen TJ Gray and Travez Moore. Gray, from Lake High School, is length and speed personified, while Moore is a former LSU commit out of Bastrop, Louisiana, who has shown early glimpses of while he was a sought after recruit by the SEC.

Closing out the back end of the Co-Lin defense is a group of defensive backs that are already proving to be quicker and much improved from last season. The unquestioned leader of the defensive secondary is McComb High School graduate Jaquarius Landrews. Blessed with size and speed, Landrews is best known for his victory clinching interception in overtime versus East Mississippi last season.

Special Teams
For the third season in a row, Coach Glenn Davis looks to feel comfortable with his kicking game as Griffin Sublett comes to Wesson looking to fill the shoes of two-year starting Greg Nickles. Replacing local snapper Grant Anderson is Brandon High School Graduate Chance Herbert. Herbert and Sublett will  look to be a solid combination through the 2015 season.