New faces set to roam Statesmen sideline

PHOTO CUTLINE: DSU coaches from left: Pete Golding (defensive coordinator), Ron Roberts (head coach), and Greg Stevens (offensive coordinator) met with the media Monday afternoon in prepartion for Saturday’s season-opening game against Jackson State. Coordinators Golding and Stevens are entering their first season at DSU.

CLEVELAND – After missing the playoffs for the first time in four years last season, Delta State head football coach Ron Roberts brought in seven new assistant coaches.
Of those seven, defensive coordinator Pete Golding probably took the least amount of time to get accustomed to the Delta.
Golding’s not from the immediate area, but he’s no stranger to Horace McCool Stadium.
The Hammond, La. native played safety for the Statesmen from 2002-05 and served as a graduate assistant in 2006.
The last year Golding played at DSU, he racked up 81 tackles (five for loss) and two interceptions.
His days of leading the defense on the field are done, but the former All-GCS safety doesn’t feel he has to.
When asked what he thought were the differences between playing and coaching at DSU, the former Tusculum College defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach said, “We’re a little more talented now. Coach Roberts and staff have done a great of recruiting here. (Players) are a little bigger, a little stronger now.
“It’s a great opportunity to come back to your alma mater.”
Golding has the task of revamping a Statesmen defense that lost two of its leaders in Robert Watts and Lardester Hicks-Green, who combined for 157 tackles last season.
“We don’t have a lot of (defensive) returners. We’re pretty young as well,” said Golding. “We have some juniors coming in, but they’re new to the program.
“The biggest thing was getting them adjusted,” he added. “….The biggest thing for us is buying in, and we feel like a lot of guys had bought into the system right now.”
Meanwhile, Greg Stevens, who served as an assistant at Utah State from 2005-08, will handle the offense.
He'll be leading a Statesmen offense who will depend on a new quarterback and a proven workhorse in Trevar Deed, a preseason ALL-American, who rushed for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns last year while hauling in 67 receptions and 805 yards.
There may be new faces surrounding DSU, but head coach Ron Roberts said the goal is still the same — win a title.
“We want to see the highest benchmark we can Sept. 4 (at Jackson State). "We’re going to play the best game we can possibly play. And go from there on a weekly basis, and make sure we set that thing higher every time we step on the football field.”