Athens passes the reins off to new faces ahead of the 2025 season
By: Jack Zwiezinski
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – The Athens Bulldogs are fresh off a 10-2 season, their best record since 2014 and their best record under head coach Nathan White. They also had the best offense since 2019, while boasting the best defense since 2009.
However, they had to say goodbye to 15 seniors due to graduation. The team lost their starting quarterback, their top running back, three of their four leading receivers and their top five leading tacklers.
“It’s a really tough thing as a coach to send off a group of seniors… It’s hard to describe to you how fast it goes and before you know it they’re out of here” said head coach Nathan White.
Two of the biggest losses for the Bulldogs were running back Alex Pero and receiver Leo Martin. Pero finished last season with 1,205 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, while Martin recorded 780 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.
To make up for the losses of two powerhouses, Coach White has been prepping his team one day at a time and emphasizing the importance of giving it your all day in and day out.
“We focus on one day at a time, we haven’t talked about who we scrimmage or who we play” said White. “Our message here for years now has been ‘make sure we get better today,’ and our post practice talk we had a few minutes ago was about tomorrow. Let’s make sure tomorrow’s a great day, this day’s in the books. Our focus isn’t on any one thing: running the ball or throwing the ball, it’s can we maximize our effort every day and be present every day.”
With Leo Martin’s graduation, senior receiver Anthony Sutton is stepping into a prominent role with the offense, while also taking a step forward as a leader.
“It’s hot, people are tired and it sucks sometimes but I just want to be one of the guys who can lift everybody up and bring some positivity and make everybody be happier to be here and have a little bit of a better time.” Sutton said.
After coming up just short of the TVC-Ohio title again last season, Sutton and the Bulldogs have their eyes set on a title that’s evaded them since 2018.
“(We want to) definitely win as much as possible, definitely win the TVC. Get the trophy back from Nelsonville. It hurt losing it last year so we definitely want to get that back. Make the playoffs, win as many games as we can, go as far as we can.” Sutton said about the team’s goals next year.
Athens will kickoff their season at home against Logan on August 22nd.