Cumberland University Football: Camp Focuses on Relationships, Continuity, and a Challenging Season Opener

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By David Oglesby

LEBANON, TN - Cumberland University football enters the preseason with a clear message at the center of camp: build relationships first, and everything else—confidence, discipline, execution, and winning—follows. Head coach Mathis has framed the team’s identity around a simple belief: elite football teams play for each other when the game is on the line. It’s not about individual stats or personal platforms; it’s about how the other ten players in the huddle affect how you play and how you feel.

That mindset comes into this year with momentum.

Cumberland finished last season at 7–4, and their results showed a team capable of both physical ground play and sharp, momentum-changing performances. The offense averaged 31.45 points per game, totaling 346 points, while the overall offense produced 4,370 yards and 45 touchdowns. Even in games that didn’t go their way, the team’s foundation remained consistent: they played fast, competed hard in all phases, and trusted one another enough to keep pushing.

A Winning Standard Built by Staying Home (and Playing for Each Other)

Coach Mathis highlighted something Cumberland has tried to protect and defend: success at home. Last season, the team was undefeated at home, turning the Nokes-Lasater Field experience into more than a venue—it became an advantage, helped by the fans that act like a “12th man.” That goal remains central as the Phoenix prepare to open this year with a prime test in it's home opener later this month.

The coach also pointed to leadership and returners as a major reason the team doesn’t have to start over. He noted that 9 of 11 on offense and 9 of 11 on defense returned, meaning the players aren’t learning a brand-new system or adjusting to a brand-new standard. When continuity exists, camp can focus more on refinement than reinvention.

Camp Battles: Offense Rebuild, Defense Depth, and Quarterback Growth

While the overall team structure returns, preseason work still has defined targets.

On offense, coach Mathis emphasized the need to replace key spots, including the left tackle and running back, along with attention to depth. Those are the kinds of jobs that sound small on paper but matter enormously when the season starts—because a dominant rushing attack depends on protection, angles, leverage, and timing at every position.

The quarterback story also shows what this camp is really about: growth under pressure and learning how to maximize a new style. Quarterback Jake Parker, a fifth-year senior, described last season as a major adjustment phase because he didn’t see significant snaps until later in the year (waiting until week six). Coming from programs built heavily around different running styles and offensive identities, Parker had to adapt to Cumberland’s scheme—especially the quarterback run emphasis. Now, he says, he is more comfortable and confident, with the run game becoming an “asset” rather than a challenge.

Parker also emphasized what leadership looks like as an offensive centerpiece: don’t waver in tough moments, communicate clearly, and understand that different players need different coaching—some hard teaching, some soft support, but always with the same end goal: execution.

Defense Identity: Physical, Fast, and Creating Chaos

On the defensive side, the Phoenix camp energy has centered on imposing physicality early and forcing opponents to adjust. Defensive leader Charles Kennedy Johnson—a senior safety from Maryville, Tennessee—spoke about maintaining a standard that includes being the focal point of opposing offenses. After earning first-team All-American recognition last season, he knows teams will look for ways to attack him, game-plan around his presence, and test whether Cumberland’s defense can still function when the “target” is engaged.

But Johnson’s answer was confident: even if opponents focus on him, Cumberland has other playmakers who can make them pay. He sees his safety role as both a calling-and-communication position and a safety net—knowing what to do when coverage breaks down and helping teammates align correctly across multiple responsibilities.

Johnson also described the defensive identity: hard, fast, and physical football, with the goal of creating chaos in the offense through quarterback pressure and attacking schemes. His focus on man-to-man, zone, and aggressive pressure fits the overall culture coach Mathis has promoted—play for each other, and play with urgency.

Coming Off Last Season’s Productive Offense and Competitive Games

Cumberland’s 2025 season wasn’t just a record—it was a profile. Offensively, they balanced the run and pass effectively enough to keep defenses honest. They ranked strong in rushing output with 2,605 rushing yards gained and efficient averages per attempt, while passing production delivered key touchdowns through multiple contributors.

Defensively, the unit produced turnovers and disruption. In the individual defensive stats provided for key players, Cumberland’s defense consistently generated tackles for loss, sacks, forced fumbles, and interceptions—showing that camp’s emphasis on pressure and physical play wasn’t theoretical; it was already part of how the team found momentum late in games.

The 2026 Schedule Begins: St. Thomas at Home, Then a Road-Test

This year’s camp focus quickly becomes real when Cumberland steps into week zero.

Thursday, Aug. 27 (6:00 PM): Cumberland hosts St. Thomas University (Fla.) at Nokes-Lasater Field in Lebanon, Tennessee. Coach Mathis specifically noted that St. Thomas has been a playoff-caliber program in recent years—so Cumberland isn’t opening easy. It’s a statement opportunity, and it fits the team identity: relationships, intensity, and execution early.

After that, the Phoenix move into a challenging stretch of matchups:

Sep. 12 (6:00 PM) at Ave Maria University

Sep. 19 (6:00 PM) vs. University of Pikeville

Sep. 26 (1:30 PM) vs. Florida Memorial University

Oct. 3 (1:30 PM) vs. Georgetown College (Ky.)

Oct. 10 (2:00 PM) at Andrew College

Oct. 17 (12:30 PM) at MSC vs. Campbellsville University (Ky.)

Oct. 24 (5:00 PM) at University of the Cumberlands (Ky.)

Oct. 31 (1:30 PM) vs. Lindsey Wilson University (Ky.)

Nov. 7 (1:00 PM) at Faulkner University (Ala.)

Nov. 14 (1:30 PM) vs. Bethel University (Tenn.)

Camp’s Bottom Line: A Team Built to Win Together

Cumberland’s preseason message isn’t complicated, but it’s demanding. Love each other and play for each other. Maintain standards. Keep leaders engaged. Refine the details—protect the quarterback, replace critical spots on the offensive line and at running back, sort defensive depth, and communicate on the back end.

If the Phoenix can blend last season’s production with this year’s camp identity, the team won’t just be ready for kickoff. They’ll be ready to compete—every week, every snap, and especially in the moments when games are decided by relationships as much as talent.