2015 SHORTER FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

ROME, Ga. – As the days begin to wind down before the Shorter Hawks football team reports to begin their preseason drills and start the 2015 season, the word is still getting out about some of the players who are eager to help the program make a firm statement in the Gulf South Conference and the NCAA Division II ranks.

This week, senior Jordan Shaw added to his already lengthy list of accomplishments as a Hawk when the safety who was the 2014 GSC Defensive Player of the Year and named to six All-America teams was named a First Team selection on the Football Gameplan Division II Preseason All-American Team.

The preseason recognition is the second for Shaw, who last month was one of four Hawks that were named to the USA College Football D-II Preseason All-American team. Shaw and junior defensive end Trevaris Horton were First Team choices, while senior guard Chris Beno and junior linebacker Zach Butts were Second Team picks.

After being named the 2014 Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year – Shorter's first-ever – and an All-GSC First Team selection, Shaw went on to claim a spot on the prestigious American Football Coaches Association Division II All-America team that was followed up with his inclusion on Associated Press Little All-America, Beyond Sports Network Division II All-America, D2Football.com All-America, Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-America and USA College Football All-America teams.

Picked as the 2014 National Christian College Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year, Shaw was also a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award presented by the Little Rock (Ark.) Touchdown Club to the nation's top small college defensive player.

In just his second season playing defense for the Hawks – the 6-foot-2, 215-pounder from Jasper came to Shorter as a quarterback – Shaw closed out the year establishing himself as one of the best defensive backs in the nation as he led the GSC with eight interceptions for 118 yards, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown he turned in against non-conference for Mars Hill, a game in which he picked off a record three passes. 

Shaw became the 15th player in GSC history with at least eight interceptions in a season and just the seventh player to take back a miscue for 100 yards.  He also ranked third in the GSC in total tackles (81) and fourth in tackles per game (7.8) and led the Hawks in tackles for the second straight year.

The Hawks officially report to begin their preseason camp on Aug. 7 and hold their first workout on Aug. 10 to prepare for their season opener on Sept. 5 hosting non-conference foe University of Faith at Barron Stadium, then embark on a challenging four-week road trip.

That stretch begins Sept. 12 when Shorter heads to Jefferson City, Tenn., to face perennial Division II power Carson-Newman, a clash that is followed by back-to-back showdowns with a pair of Division I FCS teams – a first for Shorter – when the Hawks make the short trip down I-75 on Sept. 19 to face Kennesaw State that is playing its inaugural season and a week later on Sept. 26 make a long trip to Cape Girardeau, Mo., to tackle Ohio Valley Conference contender Southeast Missouri State.

The month-long road strong comes to an end on Oct. 3 when Shorter travels to Clinton, Miss., to meet Mississippi College, the first of seven rugged GSC clashes that completes the Hawks' schedule. Shorter finally returns to Barron Stadium on Oct. 10 hosting Delta State, visits West Alabama on Oct. 17, plays a Thursday night game in Rome against Valdosta State on Oct. 22 and closes our October heading to Melbourne, Fla., on the 31^st to face Florida Tech.

North Alabama arrives in Rome on Nov. 7 for the Hawks' final home game of the season and on Nov. 14 Shorter takes a short ride to Carrollton to meet West Georgia, which advanced to the NCAA Division II national semifinals last year, to close out the 11-game slate.