Greensboro College Football Ranked in Preseason Poll, Set for New Beginning Under Head Coach Tyler Card

ROME, Ga.—The USA South Athletic Conference (USA South) announced their football preseason poll early Wednesday afternoon with Greensboro College placing fourth in the East Division poll.

Each divisional preseason poll only includes votes from coaches within that particular division-only. Head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting. Due to complications stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 football season was postponed until the spring semester. Despite the delay to the start of the season, the USA South is prepared to offer regular season and championship experiences for its student-athletes despite the NCAA’s cancelation of the national Division III tournament. An adjustment to this season’s competition is that USA South football teams will be competing in Conference-sponsored regular-season games within their division only.

Over 13 months after Greensboro College announced the hiring of first-season Head Coach Tyler Card, the Pride will take the field for his first game at the helm for the Pride. The Pride boast a large newcomer class, but return starting quarterback David Loughry II. Loughry threw for 814 yards and three touchdowns in 2019 while rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Greensboro returns Ju’warren Byrd to the Pride’s linebacking core. Byrd posted the second-most tackles on the team in 2019, 71, while compiling eight tackles-for-loss and forcing three fumbles. Zac Ellison leads the special-team returners for the Pride, averaging 37.5 yards-per-punt in 2019 with three punts over 50 yards. The senior kicker/punter converted three field goals last season, including a 37-yard field goal against Methodist University on October 26, 2019.

The Pride will play a four-game regular-season schedule in the Spring, featuring the debut of football home games on Pride Field. Football comes home to campus as the school recently added the addition of football goalposts, a new scoreboard, and lights to Pride Field. The Pride will open play Saturday, March 6 with their inaugural game on Pride Field at 1 p.m. in a non-conference contest against Methodist. Greensboro concludes their home schedule with their first official league game Saturday, March 13 against North Carolina Wesleyan College at 1 p.m. Greensboro then travels to Averett Saturday, March 20 for a 1 p.m. USA South contest and then concludes the regular season at Methodist Friday, March 26 at 6 p.m. in the Pride’s league finale.

The Spring 2021 USA South Football championship game, the first in League history, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 3 and will consist of the East Division and West Division champions at a site to be determined. Those teams not reaching the championship game will compete that day as well in a fashion that is yet to be determined.

Spring 2021 USA South Football Coaches Preseason Poll
East Division
Rank Institution (1st Place Votes) Pts.
t-1. Averett (2) 8
t-1. N.C. Wesleyan (2) 8
3. Methodist 5
4. Greensboro 3

Courtesy of Bryan Jones, Greensboro College SID