JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Following a brief break to recharge, the ETSU football squad is back on the field with the aim of securing victories throughout the remainder of the season.

The team faces a setback as senior quarterback Cade McNamara is expected to be sidelined for the season due to an injury sustained during the first quarter of ETSU’s homecoming triumph over Wofford. Head Coach Will Healy expressed optimism about the potential return of seasoned quarterback Jacolby Criswell.

“Jacolby has shown significant improvement, and we’re keen to evaluate his performance in practice this week,” Healy stated.

Nonetheless, Healy shared his concern about the possibility of rushing Criswell back into action before he is completely fit for the remaining games.

“By Friday and Saturday, we need to assess if he appears ready to handle three weeks of football,” Healy explained. “At the moment, he doesn’t seem quite prepared. Ideally, he might be ready this week, but it could extend into next week.”

In the event that Criswell isn’t prepared, Healy indicated that Jake McNamara and Jackson Byrd are gearing up to step into the quarterback role.

The Bucs enter the matchup 4–5 overall and 2–3 in Southern Conference play, looking for their first road win of the season. Historically, ETSU is 4–5 against Samford, but came out on top in last year’s meeting in Johnson City, winning 27–24.

Samford (1–8, 1–6 SoCon) has struggled this season, with its lone win coming against VMI. The bulldogs are led by head coach Chris Hatcher, who’s in his 11th season with the team. Samford also has a deep quarterback room with senior Quincy Crittendon, freshman Brady Stober and sophomore Charlie Gilliam. But Healy said Coach Hatcher’s high-tempo offense is what poses the biggest threat come Saturday.

“Hatch in general, his offenses give you problems,” Healy said. “Their tempo is very fast, they’ll have some trick plays, and they’ll find some way to create matchups. They’ll use their tempo to their advantage. And their players understand their scheme really well. They bring a little bit of a different dynamic, and that worries you when you’re preparing for three different quarterbacks.”

While Samford’s rotating quarterback group may keep the ETSU defense on its toes, the Bucs have a “three-headed monster” of their own in the backfield. Running back Devontae Houston leads the way, averaging nearly 90 rushing yards per game, with solid support from Jason Albritton and Khalil Eichelberger.

ETSU will look to ride that ground game and a renewed sense of momentum when they kick off against Samford on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Birmingham.