As summer ends, Averett’s football season is about to begin. The Cougars will kick off their 2024 season with a matchup against North Carolina Wesleyan University. Coach Patrick Henry and Mikhail Iakovlev are extremely excited to get started.
For Coach Henry and the Cougars, this marks their third season in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), and they are eager to improve on last year’s 5-5 record as the first game rapidly approaches.
“Heading into the season, I feel like we have a great mix of returning players and new faces. We had a productive training camp, and Team 25 came together quickly,” Henry said, emphasizing the need for some new players to step up.
Henry also reflected on some of the close games the Cougars lost last season.
“We lost some tough, close games last year. Our offseason focus has been on details and discipline. We’re changing our mindset and preparing to compete in those tight situations. Going into year three in the ODAC, we expect to be in those games, and we need to make one or two more plays to finish and secure victories.”
On August 29, 2024, the Averett Cougars scrimmaged against Methodist University, and Henry felt they established a solid foundation moving forward. “Coming out of the scrimmage, I felt like we did a great job focusing on Averett football. We executed our assignments well, and we saw a lot of good things, with many players stepping up.”
The Averett Cougars are setting high goals for this season. Henry stated, “Our goal is to win every game we play. As it says in the breezeway, we want teams to fear coming here to Danville. If we don’t make the national playoffs, we aim to play in the Chesapeake Bowl against the Landmark Conference.”
Iakovlev, who hails from Tyson’s Corner, Virginia, but was originally born in Russia, has been learning under the guidance of former starting kicker Will Caviness. Iakovlev said, “I really appreciate what Caviness is doing. He’s a great mentor and coach. It’s invaluable to have someone by my side who’s been through what I’m experiencing and can help me navigate the ups and downs of kicking.”
As the projected starting kicker for the upcoming season, Iakovlev shared his expectations. “This season, I’m aiming to be an all-conference punter and kicker and help my team make a run to win the ODAC by kicking well.”
In the ODAC, every game presents a new challenge. Iakovlev believes that Randolph-Macon poses the biggest test this season. “The toughest challenge will be our homecoming conference game against Randolph-Macon. They put together a strong team every year, but if we play up to our potential, it’s a winnable game. Especially with the advantage of playing at home, it’s going to be a dogfight.”
