Football starts path to 2nd championship

After last season's better-than-expected 8-3 record the Norwich University football team now has its sights set on making it to the NCAA playoffs, according to the team's running back.

"The intensity has been ratcheted up," said Andrew Fulford, 21, a communications major from Gloucester, Mass. "We are trying to create a winning tradition here."

Last season the team had a slow start in the newly founded Eastern Collegiate Football Conference with three losses in a row, but eventually came together to win five games straight to finish out the season.

It was the first-ever conference title for the Cadets, who have been playing football since 1893. Although the success was well received, it was a bitter-sweet situation because despite doing so well, the team would have no post-season.

Despite taking the conference championship Norwich was a team playing in a first-year conference, making it ineligible to go to the Division III playoffs.

"Yes the team still wants to win the conference this year but making it to the post-season is what everyone really has their mind set on," said team's kicker Dylan Brown, 19, a criminal justice major from Ascutney, Vt.  

"Last year we were the surprise team, now everyone sees that we're on top and that we are the team to beat," Fulford said. "So we have to be on our game every week and not take any game for granted."

With 27 seniors in addition to the incoming freshman there are many players with experience to choose for this year's starting lines, according to Brown. "To improve over last season the team simply needs to come out strong and fast in every game," Brown said. "If we just give 100 percent right away, we'll do a lot better than last year."

As said by wide-receiver Chris Denton, 19, a communications major from Plantation, Fla., "The team needs to work together to be one team, not just individuals."  

According to Denton, besides having good teamwork, the team will have more success this season if it throws the ball more.

Last year the team had issues with injuries to quarterbacks. The starting quarterback, NU graduate Chris Gilding from South Burlington, Vt., as well as the back-up quarterback, senior Guerschom Jean-Gilles from Coral Springs, Fla., were both injured early in the season, according to Denton. The replacement was freshman Kris Sabourin. According to Denton, having to start three different quarterbacks put a lot of unnecessary stress on the team.

When asked how the team has improved Fulford made it clear that "we're all a year removed from that, a year older, we know the system better and we know what it takes to win the championship."

 Alex Armstrong, 19, a sophomore international study major from Detroit, Mich., said that the biggest threat to the team's success last year was that "we could not pass the ball, we stayed on the ground too much."

The off-season was a good one, according to Fulford, who said that "all the coaches were there to help us maintain our focus," and "they made sure no one was slacking off."     

There were no substantial changes to the team's daily operations with the exception of a few night practices to boost motivation levels, according to Brown. "Coach is pretty superstitious about that stuff, so nothing major really changed," Brown said.

There were, however, some injuries during the summer training camp to the defensive line.

"We had a couple kids get concussions and (Chris) Roberto actually broke his hand," Fulford said.

Luckily there was nothing major and according to Fulford, the individuals who had gotten concussions passed all of their tests and Chris Roberto, who was out last season due to a knee injury, has a cast that he will be playing with.

While injuries are never a good thing, the younger players who filled in on the defensive line were given the opportunity to get some playing time against the starting offensive line, "which is probably the best line in the conference," Fulford said, "which only made the younger kids better and adapt to the game speed."

Players said that, all in all, it does not seem as if the injuries that occurred during the off-season will have a profound effect on the team's ability to do well this year. "The injuries aren't severe enough where we would have to replace them for the season," said Brown.

This season will also have numerous players returning to the field after time off due to injuries including sophomore offensive lineman Jeff Hill, senior linebacker Jason Springer, senior defensive lineman Chris Roberto, and the fifth-year senior running back Kyle Marzeoti.

"We definitely have a lot of veteran leadership on our team this season that is going to help us maintain our focus," Fulford said.

The team is by no means comfortable with last year's standings, according to Brown.

"Coach has made it very clear that what happened last season is the past and that everything is different this time around," Brown said. "Individuals are fighting for positions."

"The seniors on the team want to end their NU Football careers on a high note, a winning note."

The Cadets will play their next two games at home starting tomorrow against Gallaudet at 2 p.m., followed by the matchup on Oct. 16 with Husson.