Fort Valley State has a lofty standard to live up to after 2016 success

Halfway through the 2016 season, it didn’t look like an SIAC championship was going to be possible in Kevin Porter’s first season as Fort Valley State head coach’s coach.

But after a 1-6 start, with the lone win coming in triple-overtime over Clark Atlanta, the Wildcats found their groove and won their final four games. Fort Valley State beat Albany State 21-17 to win the SIAC East Division title and clinch a spot in the conference championship game, and then the Wildcats knocked off Kentucky State 33-30 for the conference title.

The Wildcats begin the road back to another title Aug. 31 at West Georgia.

“We had some success at the end of the season last year. Our kids kind of bought into what we were doing, and once you can get them to buy in, good things can happen,” Porter said. “To be able to top that, it’s going to be a challenge. I think that we’ve got really good momentum from what happened last year, and we were able to have a really good winter session, and we had a really good spring.

“We had a bunch of kids stay here for the summer and train, and we feel like we’re getting the program back to where we want it to be. Hopefully we can go out and really get these first couple of games and go out and get some more experience and get into conference play.”

The first two games will be difficult, with a game against Valdosta State in Waycross to follow the opener. Fort Valley State also has a trip to face FCS program Southern at the end of September.

“Good non-conference schedule,” Porter said. “Obviously, playing West Georgia at the beginning of the season and playing against Valdosta State and got another game against a Division I team against Southern over in Louisiana, so it’s a good opportunity for us to kind of gauge where we are. I think it’s important for us to try to play really good people and try to figure out exactly where you are and what you need to do and the things that you’ve got to do to get better and to get on those levels.”

The players are looking forward to those games and getting back into conference play to try to win another title.

“We’re just coming as a championship mindset, knowing we have a target on our back, coming every day ready to work to get better,” sophomore quarterback Demontay Jones said.

The Wildcats’ first game against an SIAC team is their home opener, Sept. 16 against Miles. The next week, Fort Valley State hosts Benedict.

The Wildcats’ other two home games are Oct. 14 against Lane and Oct. 28 against Morehouse.

“We came in with Coach Porter, and we bought in with what he was telling us, and I think this year is going to be better because we’ve had a year under him, and we have built so much with him,” junior defensive back Kentron James said.

This story was originally published August 6, 2017 at 9:51 AM with the headline "Fort Valley State has a lofty standard to live up to after 2016 success."