ELON, N.C. – Elon University head football coach Rich Skrosky announced that his squad has elected two captains for the 2016 season. Serving as captain will be senior linebacker John Silas and junior offensive lineman Ikenna Nwokeji.
“I am proud of the work that both John and Ike have put in to be selected as captains by their teammates for the 2016 season,” said Skrosky. “John is a returning captain and has done a great job of setting a great example of the work ethic our team needs. John is a very driven individual and he has stepped out of his comfort zone to be a great encourager for his teammates. Ike has been so reliable for the past two years. He has earned a lot of respect from his teammates with his attention to detail and the way he prepares for the game.”
Silas, who is from Powder Springs, Ga., was a third-team All-CAA Football selection and team MVP in 2015. He started all 11 games a year ago while serving as a team captain. Silas amassed 104 total tackles, including 7.0 stops for a loss and 3.5 sacks. His 9.5 tackles per game ranked third in the league and 39th nationally. Including a career-best 17 tackles in a win at Gardner-Webb and a 16-tackle performance in a conference victory over Towson, Silas posted six games with 10 or more tackles. For his career, Silas has made 277 total tackles, ranking ninth on the program’s all-time chart. He has totaled 20.0 tackles for a loss and seven sacks in 37 career outings.
Nwokeji, a native of Randolph, Mass., has not missed a snap over the past two seasons and has made 23 consecutive starts. In 2014, he was presented the team’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award. Last year, he was the recipient of the program’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player Award.
The pair will lead the Phoenix into the 2016 season when Elon reports for preseason camp on Aug. 7. The maroon and gold will open its 2016 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 3, at home against Gardner-Webb. Season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at elonphoenix.com or by calling 336-278-6750.