The 2024 season for Furman football ended on Saturday, Nov. 23 with a 49-23 loss to the #8 Mercer Bears. Although the 2024 football campaign was disappointing by Furman’s standards, a promising avenue lies ahead with the signing of Furman’s 2025 high school recruiting class and the transfer portal’s opening.
The 49-23 loss against Mercer was a heartbreaking way to end the season. The Paladins played hard throughout the game, digging deep into the offensive playbook on a trick play — freshman running back Gavin Hall connected with sophomore wide receiver Colton Hinton on a 30-yard double pass for a touchdown. The remaining offensive production for the Dins came from freshman quarterback Trey Hedden, who finished the game with 210 passing yards. Hedden’s passes found multiple receivers, including Hinton, sophomore Ethan Harris who posted a career-high 86 yards, junior Ben Ferguson, freshman tight end Jackson Pryor and freshman receiver Devin Hester Jr. Hall who also moved the ball on the ground for 50 yards on 11 carries.
Turnovers made the difference in the game for Furman. The Paladins have struggled with ball security all season, and this game against Mercer was no different. The Paladins fumbled the ball twice, and one errant pass was intercepted. If the Paladins want to compete next season, emphasizing ball security in the spring and summer camps will be critical.
Looking to next season, Furman has begun signing freshman prospects and will be digging deep into the transfer portal. While Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision schools like Furman do not enjoy the same scholarship pools and Name, Image, and Likeness collectives as Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision schools, Furman still lands highly talented prospects. As of early national signing day on Wednesday, Dec. 4, Furman has signed multiple of these prospects, such as running back CJ Nettles from Florida and 6’8” edge rusher Maddox Dykeman from Georgia. Furman will also net multiple players from other schools in the transfer portal, which opened on Dec. 9.