Davidson’s offense will look a lot different this season under new coach Saj Thakkar. But three of the big engines that drive it will be back in uniform.
Running back Mari Adams, fullback Mason Sheron and offensive lineman Kyler Herring were named to the 2025 Pioneer Football League Preseason Team, announced Tuesday.
All three finished 2024 as all-conference performers. Adams and Sheron made the All-PFL first team, while Herring was a second-team pick. The trio will start this season where it left off a year ago.
Pioneer coaches voted Davidson eighth in the league’s preseason poll, which came out Monday. The Wildcats finished 6-5 a season ago, 4-4 in PFL play.
𝙶𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 ⛺️🏈 pic.twitter.com/bmZxltLvVX — Davidson Football (@DavidsonFB) July 29, 2025
Dynamic Rushing Duo, Road Grader
Adams and Sheron, both seniors, combined for more than 2,000 rushing yards last season, coach Scott Abell’s last at the helm before taking over at Rice.
Adams (Shelby | Crest HS) led the way with 1,231 yards – averaging 111.9 yards per game and 6.6 yards per carry – with 15 touchdowns. The 2024 Walter Payton Award finalist, who appears on the 2025 Payton watch list, ranks among the top Davidson rushers in school history. He’s sixth all time in yardage (2,368) and fifth in total touchdowns (31).
Sheron (Leo, IN | Leo HS) provided the perfect double-whammy in Davidson’s shotgun triple-option offense the past two seasons. He joined Adams on the All-PFL first-team list after rushing for 923 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024.
Sheron also has crossed the 2,000-yard plateau for his career. He’ll enter the season with 2,015 (eighth in school history) and 26 total touchdowns.
Herring, a senior from Memphis (Memphis University School), gives the Wildcats a sturdy, experienced presence on the front line. Herring (6-3, 310) has started every game for Davidson the past two seasons, garnering honorable mention all-conference in 2023 and second-team honors in 2024. Davidson ranked among the rushing leaders in all of college football during that span.
New coach, new looks, lower profile – for now
Abell never had a losing season in his seven years as the Wildcats’ head coach. Davidson won Pioneer Football League titles during the spring 2021 COVID season and again in the fall of 2021. The Wildcats began the 2023 season picked No. 2 and the 2024 campaign as the No. 3 team.
Thakkar comes to Davidson after a successful two-year stint at Bentley University in Massachusetts (8-2 in 2024, 6-4 in 2023).
Thakkar and the Wildcats will fly under the radar coming into this season. San Diego, which won or shared every PFL title from 2014-2019, has been picked as the preseason favorite.
Drake, the two-time reigning champions, was voted second, followed by St. Thomas, Butler, Dayton and Morehead State.
Davidson’s season kicks off Saturday, Aug. 30 at home against Georgetown.
View the complete Davidson 2025 football schedule HERE.
🏈 Pioneer Football League Predicted Order of Finish
Team – Points
1. San Diego – 94
2. Drake – 78
3. St. Thomas – 72
4. Butler – 66
5. Dayton – 65
6. Morehead State – 64
7. Presbyterian – 55
8. Davidson – 53
9. Marist – 24
10. Valparaiso – 18
11. Stetson – 16
🏈 2025 Preseason All-Pioneer Football League Team
| Pos. | Player | School | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OFFENSE | ||||||
| WR | Dominic Kibby (1, 2x) | Presbyterian | 6-1 | 175 | Jr. | Catonsville, Md. |
| WR | Cincere Gill (2) | Presbyterian | 6-1 | 175 | Gr. | Foxboro, Mass. |
| WR | Ryan Upp (2) | Morehead State | 5-10 | 180 | Gr. | Leesburg, Va. |
| QB | Carter Cravens (H) | Morehead State | 6-2 | 205 | RJr. | Cypress, Texas |
| QB | Collin Hurst (H, FRotY) | Presbyterian | 5-10 | 165 | RSo. | Davie, Fla. |
| RB | Mari Adams (1) | Davidson | 5-11 | 210 | Sr. | Shelby, N.C. |
| RB | Mason Hackett (2) | Dayton | 5-8 | 198 | Jr. | Granville, Ohio |
| RB | Mike Mansaray (2) | Valparaiso | 5-9 | 200 | Gr. | Columbus, Ohio |
| FB | Mason Sheron (1) | Davidson | 6-0 | 220 | Sr. | Leo, Ind. |
| AP | Gavin Lochow (2) | Dayton | 6-0 | 195 | Jr. | Proctorville, Ohio |
| TE | Jackson Conners-McCarthy (2) | Marist | 6-2 | 235 | RSo. | Andover, Mass. |
| OL | Evans Bowling (2) | San Diego | 6-6 | 235 | Gr. | El Paso, Texas |
| OL | Kyler Herring (2) | Davidson | 6-3 | 310 | Sr. | Memphis, Tenn. |
| OL | Ryan Iiams (H) | Dayton | 6-3 | 278 | Gr. | Springboro, Ohio |
| OL | Dominic Perricone (1) | Marist | 6-5 | 313 | RSr. | Mahopac, N.Y. |
| OL | Maicah Talavou (H) | San Diego | 6-2 | 290 | Sr. | Long Beach, Calif. |
| DEFENSE | ||||||
| DL | Luke Bauer (H) | Morehead State | 6-0 | 235 | RJr. | Akron, Ohio |
| DL | Danny Orgler (H) | Butler | 6-2 | 235 | RSr. | Buffalo Grove, Ill. |
| DL | Malachi Cooper (2) | San Diego | 6-4 | 260 | Gr. | San Diego, Calif. |
| DL | Carter Szydlowski (1) | Presbyterian | 6-3 | 260 | Sr. | Mount Pleasant, Tenn. |
| LB | Sean Allison (2) | Drake | 6-1 | 230 | Sr. | Hinsdale, Ill. |
| LB | Jeremiah Jackson (2) | Butler | 5-9 | 195 | Sr. | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| LB | Ryan Sever (H) | St. Thomas | 6-2 | 224 | Sr. | Edina, Minn. |
| LB | James Kratochvil (H, FRotY) | Marist | 6-1 | 220 | RSo. | Randolph, N.J. |
| DB | Ruben Lopez (2) | San Diego | 6-0 | 180 | Sr. | Mission Viejo, Calif. |
| DB | Caleb Francis (1) | Presbyterian | 6-2 | 195 | Sr. | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| DB | Nate Robinson Jr. (H) | Marist | 6-1 | 192 | So. | San Antonio, Texas |
| DB | Cam Cope (H) | Dayton | 5-11 | 188 | RJr. | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| DB | Den Juette (H) | St. Thomas | 6-2 | 183 | Sr. | Chicago, ill. |
| SPECIAL TEAMS | ||||||
| PK | Daniel Holbrook (H) | Stetson | 5-9 | 185 | So. | Annapolis, Md. |
| P | Aydan Corrales (H) | San Diego | 6-1 | 180 | Jr. | Fullerton, Calif. |
| RS | Zach Switzer (1) | Presbyterian | 5-11 | 195 | Gr. | Spring Hill, Tenn. |
| LS | Brett Welsing (1) | Drake | 6-3 | 233 | Sr. | De Pere, Wis. |
