Breakout Year, 2.0: It’s All About Health for the LIU Sharks
NEC football previews almost uniformly note that Long Island has been an upper crust team in the NEC year after year without a clear breakthrough season or a league title.
The question, as always: is this the year?
When you look at 2025, though, you get the sense that the first year of a multi-year run should have already happened. The biggest opponent for the Sharks in 2025 was the injury bug.
After defeating an FBS team (2nd such win for the NEC in 2 years) in Eastern Michigan, the Sharks began what looked like a spiral with 4 consecutive losses, including league games to Stonehill and Mercyhurst. Did the Sharks use up all of their emotion on Eastern Michigan? Did they start overlooking opponents?
Well, hardly. When you look at some of the stats, the answer looks much more obvious. It wasn’t a tale of inconsistency.
Chris Howell became the leading passer for the game against Mercyhurst, and the vaunted 2 QB system of Luca Stanzani and Ethan Greenwood, at times, included neither signal caller. Greenwood, the all-NEC preseason QB for the second year in a row, only played in 7 games last season. Stanani fared a little better, participating in 10.
But when yyou system is so devastating because of both quarterbacks, having just one is a recipe for, well, a season that could have been so much more. 2025 was the second year in a row where you could look at the LIU talent and feel that this could have been a team that went to the FCS playoffs, if only a few things had gone differently.
But it’s not inconsistency, it was injury luck.
And in 2026, this might just be the second year of what could be an LIU dynasty.
Lake Show Offense Ready For Prime Time Opportunity
Mercyhurst opens up the season at Youngstown State in 2026. And by “opens up the season” I mean “this is the first college football game this year.”
Kind of a big opportunity for the Lakers. But having gone through the offense in anticipation of the radio call (you can find it here on NECBlitz.com, on X @NECBlitz, or the NECBlitz Youtube), I’m convinced that they’ve got the horses to make the most of it.
It’s a tall task. The Penguins have, by my count, about 8 guys on the defensive front that can make a big difference in any ballgame. You like transfer Dev Holman coming in from Butler at defensive back. We know just how good of a defensive coach Ryan Riemedio is- he was the HC of the Lakers just last season.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, you’ve got the best player in FCS, Beau Brungard, under center for the Penguins. Youngstown State is loaded.
But the Lakers have talent and experience. The offensive side is jumping off the page to me as I’m putting together my depth chart.
We don’t know the Lakers QB, and I kind of doubt that we will until he steps on the field. We’re told it’s a three way battle between last season’s backup Alex Gevauden, Nevada transfer Anthony Wolter, and darkhorse Tyler Tusai. Whoever it is will have one of the better OLs in the NEC in front of them, which allows for deep threats like Dylan Evans to get behind the new-look Penguins secondary. Last year, this was the weak spot for YSU, and they’ve taken care to rebuild here. If it doesn’t gell quickly, though, this could be a place where the Lakers to take advantage.
At RB, Jahmeir Gamble and Jonathan Askew certainly headline the returners, but transfers Byron Caldwell (former Oregon) and Emanuel Fincher could even be starters here. We’ll get a good idea of how the depth chart in the post- Brian Trobel era early next Thursday.
At WR, Evan Van Dyke and Dylan Evans pack a big 1-2 punch. This is among the best returning WR units in a stacked NEC. Tight End includes breakout candidate Camden Lewis, one of the biggest recruiting wins for the Lakers the year prior. He's now a sophomore after scoring a TD as a true freshman.
We are so lucky to be involved with college football. Let’s enjoy another start to the season and hope for fireworks.
Mission Impossible: Predicting the Order of Finish in NEC Football
It really can’t be done. There’s more parity than ever before in the NEC and somehow every school can win the league. There’s an argument for each, so we’ll say why each school can win as we run through, 1-8.
CCSU
You can’t pick against CCSU anymore. After the past two seasons- even with questions at QB and RB- there’s no way you can pick against 9 preseason all-NEC players anymore. Not with this coaching staff and the success they’ve had the past two seasons. Curiously, this is the only media ranking I’m aware of that has picked the Blue Devils first- but how can you pick against Chris Jean?
Duquesne
It’s easy to take the Dukes for granted when they’ve been so good for so long. HC Jerry Schmitt is the winningest active HC in FCS. They’ve brought in experienced and talented QB Carson Camp to pair with the best RB corps in the NEC and a WR group boasting returning NECBlitz Rookie of the Year Ryan Petras. Opta FCS picked Duquesne to finish first.
LIU
By my estimation, the Sharks are the most talented team in the NEC. The problem last year was health. When they don’t have both QBs in their duo- Ethan Greenwood and Luca Stanzani- this is a different team and you can pretty much tell who watches the league by if they only mention Greenwood or not. At one point last year the Sharks had neither. If they can stay healthy at the QB position and on defense where Trey Watkins and Rafael Fasalino both return, this team should have every opportunity to break through- finally.
Wagner
I was this close to picking Wagner first, but with the parity I couldn’t find a way to do it. They remind me of Mercyhurst in that they return a lot of pieces but have no one picking them highly. Sekou Kamara is a big play threat at RB. WR Teree McDonald and Jeremiah Colclough have first team potential. QB Jack Stevens could have a breakout year. But on DL, this is a filthy team and probably the best unit in the league. Logan Barnes and Ethan Apollon headline this unit, but even behind them LB Eli Hiscock is a fantastic LB. When you put together what’s here, this is easily Coach Masella’s best team and a legitimate contender for the NEC title.
Mercyhurst
Mercyhurst has to replace a lot on offense but has a fierce 3 way QB competition to make up the production they had from former QB Anthony Urena. They additionally lose their top 2 running backs, but return serious talent at WR with Dylan Evans and Evan Van Dyke. There’s also experience that they haven’t had on defense, so a step forward on that side of the ball seems likely. Even with former OC Thomas Sydeski taking over as head coach, this could be a team that looks different yet still wins. And with the continuity the Lakers have (only about 9 players left via the portal), they have familiarity with the systems.
Stonehill
I think I was one year early on predicting a jump from Stonehill. Jack O’Connell (not Neil O’Donnell) returns as QB and is a captain this season. There were times last year where he couldn’t miss. You additionally really have to like Torrance Washington Jr. coming back at wideout, a talented young group of RBs that have to prove it on the field, and DB Mo Seide coming back for one more season. Stonehill probably hasn’t shown their growth in the win column yet, but like everyone else they can win the banner and advance to the FCS playoffs. They just need the 2nd year OC to get the offense gelling and continued stout play from the defense, which will have a new look feel without Charles Battaglia at LB.
RMU
The Colonials often seem to live and die by the transfer portal. Historically, they’ve done well with it, but last year the team wasn’t able to put the new pieces together. The transfer class looks greatly improved from last season including two new faces at QB. They’ve had strong WRs the past several seasons and this year should be no exception. They look good at RB with Donta Whack. This is the third DC in three years, though. Fortunately, HC Bernard Clark is a fantastic defensive coach.
New Haven
New Haven boasts AJ Duffy and RB Zaon Laney to lead the offensive charge for the, well, Chargers. New OC Brian Scott is a proven winner including with Taylor Heinecke at Old Dominion. I personally saw his offense eviscerate a Big East team when they were still transitioning to FBS. You like Duffy to make a big step in this offense. HC Mark Powell is also the DC and with a second year in his scheme you like the team to move forward in that regard, too. Phil Steele thought highly of the talent here and I do think they could surprise some people in Year 1 of the NEC. But without real battle testing, I feel like I have to put them right here. Likely, I just motivated them, so look out.
What We’re Looking Forward to on the Radio This Fall
Elvis Costello once said: You’d better listen to the radio.
Well, add me to the list of people calling for you to do just that. NECBlitz.com is returning to the virtual airwaves this fall to call three Mercyhurst football games: 8/27 at Youngstown State, 9/5 at New Mexico State, and 9/26 at Western Kentucky.
The goal here as always is to provide expert, Mercyhurst focused commentary rather than a generic sounding neutral voice that doesn’t eat, sleep, and breathe the NEC football teams. That’s kind of where I come in.
What’s most exciting isn’t just the experience of calling the games. It’s being able to bring something unique to the conference and to the school that isn’t available everywhere.
I’m also really thrilled to say that Rylan Davison, a former Mercyhurst standout at WR, will be joining up for at least 9/5 at New Mexico State. That’s going to add a level of insight from a true insider that you really, well, can’t get anywhere else. It’s fun building a team to put together the best product possible.
Product, of course, in the sense that something is being produced; this is all absolutely free, and I’m not really into soliciting donations this time around.
I’ve got some other cool stuff with multimedia coming down the pike, so stay tuned and comment below what you want to see.
Jack Stevens and Logan Barnes Named Wagner Captains
As the season gets closer, I’m only going to beat the drum louder for Wagner. I really think this is a good team.
Now, they’ve got their leadership in place.
QB Jack Stevens and DL Logan Barnes have been named the team captains for the Wagner Seahawks. The selection of Stevens feels particularly notable. Quarterbacks are called on to be leaders. Stevens is in his second year as the starter for the Seahawks after sharing the role with Jordan Barton last year. He’s now absolutely in the drivers seat for sole possession of that role- as well as being expected to step up as a leader.
The selection of Barnes isn’t as surprising. He’s one of two first team all-NEC defensive linemen for the Seahawks. With great performance comes great expectations for setting the tone on and off the field. He’ll be asked to lead vocally and by example as well.
I think this really might be the breakout year under Coach Masella. We’ve now got the most visible players who could be responsible for just that.
Building the Perfect Strat-O-Matic NEC Football Cards, for Fun.
It’s generally accepted that Strat-O-Matic Football is one of the most accurate ways to simulate a football game. As long as your calls are appropriate, the players and outcomes generally follow the percentages of their real life counterparts. For example, I like to play as the 1993 Steelers. Throw to Eric Green? It’ll go better than throwing to Jeff Graham.
Just like in real life. Trust me on that.
So in an effort to find new and, well, fun ways to predict NEC games this season, I’ve been hard at work devising formulas to make reasonable facsimiles of NEC football players in Strat-O-Matic. It’s harder than you’d think.
Players like Ethan Greenwood simply don’t have counterparts in the NFL, especially back in the early 90s. (Randall Cunningham is as close as you can get, and it’s not that close). By inputting scaling formulas and more “Must Run” situations, along with modifying dice rolls, I’m able to get something reasonable.
I did the same for AJ Duffy and Jack O’Connell. Not perfect, but surely the closest anyone is going to get this season.
It’s just a reminder here. Football- watching football, playing football, writing football, simulating football- well, it’s supposed to be fun. Sometimes the fun can be taken out of it by putting too much pressure on ourselves or the team. And I’m guilty of this. I used to treat my alma mater’s games as life or death. It just isn’t that serious.
You can let a lot of external forces put pressure on you, too. Especially in a job like this. Believe me, I’ve taken a lot of flak from people for what I consider to be a job pretty well done.
This season, I’m going to focus on making sure I’m having fun without looking over my shoulder or trying to prove my value.
Step one is sharing Strat-O-Matic football cards for NEC players. Because, well, that’s fun.
We’re Sleeping on Duquesne. The Coaches Aren’t.
Maybe the most surpising part of the NEC Coaches Poll was that Duquesne received two votes for first place.
This isn’t to say Duquesne isn’t a good team. They were probably the best overall team in the conference in 2024 and were in the hunt until the last game of the season once again in 2025. There’s been so much buzz around CCSU and Long Island, though- and this has been driven by, among others, myself- that the Dukes being projected first by some coaches came as something of a surprise.
Well, why?
Ness Davis returns, the Dukes have probably the best secondary in the conference, and Carson Camp has targets like Ryan Petras to help ease him into Pittsburgh. By all accounts, the leadership is strong in the program and the coaching staff has been phenomenal for, well, decades at this point. Coach Schmitt is the winningest active coach in the FCS.
I think the Dukes have been so good for so long that we sort of take it for granted, and maybe the “new” surging LIU has been enough to put the Dukes under the radar in the media somewhat.
So, from the outside looking in, we seem to be underrating the Dukes. That’s fine.
The ooaches sure aren’t.
RMU Announces Dr. Ron Moses as New Athletic Director
The recent athletic department changes at RMU caught some of us on the outside by surprise, but the school moved quickly and announced Dr. Ron Moses as the next Athletic Director in Moon Township.
Dr. Moses joins the Colonials from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Per his bio with that school, “Dr. Ron Moses serves as the Deputy Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Advancement, Revenue Growth, and Competitive Strategy at Old Dominion University.”
I don’t feel qualified to speculate on what made Dr. Moses attractive to the administration at RMU, but it’s probably somewhere in that job description. Dr. Moses is from Athens, GA and has spent most of his career in the southern states.
Pure conjecture: I’m not sure it’ll be a massive change in fundraising from Norfolk to Moon Township. The Colonials occupy a similar place to Old Domion in Norfolk. It is exciting to see the possible emphasis on fundraising. RMU has been a successful business school for some time. The opportunity is there.
As we’ve seen in the past, you can certainly win in Moon Township. RMU has had a recent history of success particularly in basketball, but they’re a contender in the NEC on the gridiron and we’re expecting big things this year from them after an uncharacteristic year in 2025.
There’s always a lot of change with a new athletic director. We’ll have to see what new directions the Colonials take in the near future.
Hurst is Home: Mercyhurst Boasts Small Outgoing Transfer Class, Plenty of Defensive Experience
It’s not an uncommon phrase to hear out of Erie, but perhaps this offseason it’s the most telling one.
“We have a saying here,” Coach Sydeski told NECBlitz.com yesterday. “It’s Hurst is home.”
Whatever the Lakers have done to retain much of a successful 2025 team, it’s created an environment where the roster by and large has stayed home.
Players like Dylan Evans likely had opportunities elsewhere had they chosen to pursue them. In the midst of a coaching change, turmoil and roster turnover was probably to be expected. It’s not what happened in Erie, though.
General Manager Mike Waring pointed out that promoting from within to maintain stability was certainly helpful. It would seem that more than that would have had to be at play here. Only 9 Lakers hit the portal. With a roster that contains plenty of players from out of the area- the Lakers have recruited California well in the past several seasons- they were able to maintain the team and reload for another campaign in 2026.
The running back room will look different this year and there is a 3 man competition at quarterback. The defense will have some more experience than previously, though, after a good showing last year. Young talent like Mookie Gamble looks ready to emerge.
The NEC is so competitive this year. Any prediction is practically a guess. But there’s plenty of reason to believe the Lakers aren’t a one hit wonder.
The Colonials are Reloaded
Last season, something felt off about the RMU Colonials heading into fall camp. They were already dealing with coordinator changes on both sides of the ball, but the personnel had an uncharacteristic amount of question marks also. A program that had proven an ability to reload in the transfer portal- snagging stars like Noah Robinson in the past- looked like it wasn’t able to catch as many big fish heading into 2025. The result was an uncharacterstic down year for RMU.
They don’t look at all like this in 2026.
The Colonials have gotten their transfer portal magic back, adding veteran experience at virtually every position (including a massive haul at DL and QB) to add competition, depth, and most importantly firepower. I think you’ll see improved play as a result. In the midst of an improving NEC overall, they’ll need it.
Quarterback may be an ongoing competition as Cooper Panteck returns, but the Colonials were able to add Carson Haggard from Abilene Christian (has playoff experience) and Dylan Hassid from power Tennessee Tech. My stance has always been that if you have two quarterbacks, you have two quarterbacks; the Colonials probably have three that could start.
Donta Whack figures to be the feature back on offense; the Colonials didn’t really add here in the portal.
Size was added at WR in Brody Graham and Dominic Eyo, and while Coach Rothenbuhler was able to adapt his offense to the personnel last season I suspect this is more in line with what he’ll want to run. They also added size and by my count 4 OL transfers including a player from the FBS ranks.
The embarrassment of riches comes at DL, though. A New Mexico, Marshall, Utah State, and Akron transfer all join this group to provide FBS talent. They added Dayton transfer Brandon Martin as well, but he won’t get lost in the shuffle; he was only first team All-Pioneer last season.
This only continues throughout the secondary and special teams.
The Colonials look much more like the very good 2023 and 2024 teams this season and that’s a good sign out of Moon Township. With classes like this, you always have to be mindful of how the transfers gel. But when there’s a history of making it work well, you have to trust that. Coach Clark hasn’t given us any reason to doubt his skill with managing a large transfer class yet. Improvement seems like a certainty for the Colonials.
Wagner Football May Have Arrived in 2026
Every year at the end of the season, I look at Wagner football and come to the same conclusion: this team was better than the year before.
At some point, when the same thing happens every year, you become accustomed to it.
Jack Stevens is the likely starter at QB for the Seahawks. He split time with Jordan Barton last season, but with Barton moving on Stevens is the likely face of the team on offense. He’s still young, but he was a big get for the Seahawks in recruiting and quarterback development takes time at the college level. Expect to see him take a second year leap forward.
He’ll be helped along by WRs Teree McDonald and Jeremiah Colclough. This is a top 3 returning WR duo in the NEC, and I only say top 3 because at the top of the league it’s too close to call. Having weapons to throw to will obviously assist both with development and production.
Where this Wagner team really shines will be on the defensive line, though. They return Ethan Apollon and Logan Barnes, two of the best along the line in the league last season. It’s a filthy combo. Expect them to be stout up front. I really liked what I saw out of of South Florida transfer Eli Hiscock at linebacker last season, so even the next level might give opponents trouble.
When I look at this Wagner team, the comparison that immediately comes to mind is 2025 Mercyhurst. I had the Lakers picked low, but I really couldn’t figure out why except for the transition into the league. Certainly they seemed to have enough pieces to make a run, but it was hard to know how they’d translate.
For Wagner, though, you kind of know how they’ll fare this season because of the flashes they showed last year including a victory over Duquesne that was not as close as it looked and a game against CCSU that they probably should have won.
The NEC is a funny thing. But I don’t think you’re paying close enough attention if you don’t at least project Wagner in the top half of the conference in the preseason. They are absolutely contenders for the FCS playoff spot this year.
You Can’t Bet Against CCSU Anymore
Central Connecticut State enters 2026 having lost a few key pieces of their team, but returning enough- including Coach Adam Lechtenberg- that NECBlitz.com considers them the favorite to win the NEC.
They have to be. After the past two years, how can you trust anyone else?
Coach Lechtenberg will have to replace RB Elijah Howard to the extent that such an electric player can be replaced, along with Brady Olson. Olson improved dramatically during the course of his career, ending as easily the best QB in the league. You really can’t say enough about the player development in New Britain.
Perhaps that’s why Connor Kenyon is transferring in from Rhode Island. Kenyon had limited experience there, but he fits what we saw from Brady Olson almost to an eerie degree- a quarterback from a New England school moving on somewhere else to start. He’ll be expected to have the leg up entering the fall.
Whoever the quarterback ends up being, there will be help available. Donovan Wadley could be the best deep threat in the NEC, and he’ll be back for a graduate year. With Elijah Howard gone, it’ll be interesting to see if the coaching staff has him play more of a “football player” role like the one he inhabited at Merrimack in his first stint in the NEC.
Michael Trovarelli also returns. He had over 40 receptions last season and led the team as a favorite target of Olson’s. Just a sophomore, he’ll take a bigger role this season.
Defensively, the Blue Devils will still be strong. The obvious reason why is Christopher Jean. Jean is probably the most hyped player in the NEC this year, and for good reason. A first team pre-season All-American, Jean routinely shuts down at least half of the field and is a turnover machine on a defense that has been nothing but opportunistic for the past two seasons. The Blue Devils routinely play with a possession edge, and that benefits them in close games.
It seems like an obvious statement, but that “close games” aspect matters. The Blue Devils have played in a lot of close games in the past two years, but they’ve come out ahead with great frequency. At this point, they’re so used to it that you can’t bet against them in any close game.
And that’s kind of what any preview for the Blue Devils needs to boil down to. After two years of championships, you can’t really bet against the Blue Devils until someone else wins the title. I picked against them last season with Duquesne. I expect Long Island to probably be the trendy pick. But I think the coaches are going to go with CCSU as the favorite to win the league, and that’s what I’m predicting again, too.
Duquesne RB Ness Davis Named to Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List
Ness Davis, a Dquesne RB who emerged as the best in a large stable of backs during the 2025 season, was named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List today.
The Walter Payton Award is given annually to the best offensive player in FCS. Davis was one of 30 players to garner a mention.
Davis was a second team all-NEC selection last year, but in part this may have been because of his role as part of a hydra of running backs for the Dukes. Davis is a home run hitter, evidenced by a 50+ yard TD run at Mercyhurst. We suspect he’ll be the day one RB1 at Duquesne this year.
No other NEC athlete made the watch list. Davis now emerges as the favorite to be the NEC preseason offensive player of the year, should one be named.
Christopher Jean of CCSU and Trey Watkins of LIU were named to the defensive version of this award, the Buck Buchanon Watchlist.
Opinion: NEC Should Sponsor Women’s Flag Football
It’s time to be proactive.
NEC Football is obviously a passion here. I believe strongly in regional conferences that compete for conference championships. There’s a prize for the championship, sure: a spot in the FCS playoff and the chance to knock off one of the big boys in college football.
It’s amazing. But it’s never enough for football junkies.
Matt Brown of Extra Points wrote today that:
Flag football is the fastest growing emerging sport.
Startup costs are low: you need a field, cones, flags, and some footballs.
The highest concentration of athletes can be found in a handful of states… but one of them is the NEC’s home turf of New York.
It’s not my job to tell the NEC its business. The league knows what is best for it, but as someone who breathes NEC football, I’d sure like to see more of it.
Count Long Island and Mercyhurst among the schools currently competing in the ECAC. I’ve long had a good relationship with that conference personally through my work with the Lambert Trophy.
But wouldn’t it be great to see that NEC logo patch on some more football jerseys?
I suspect that with rising costs in higher education and developing pressure on costs in sports that low cost, scholarship opportunities might be attractive. This might be one way to maintain opportunities without breaking the bank all over Division I.
There just seems to be little downside to look into this emerging sport with more athletes joining up every day. I don’t know the financials; it’s not really my niche. But I’d love to see more NEC schools joining the party. And if they do, it’s time to seriously consider sponsoring it; the early bird gets the athletes.
The Case For 8 NEC Quarterbacks
We expect Ethan Greenwood to enter the season as the All-NEC Preseason QB. By no means should he be considered the only possibility for the best quarterback in the league, though. Here’s 8, but honestly? It wouldn’t be a shock to see a player from outside of this list (like Cooper Panteck) make a jump forward and challenge the players I’ve mentioned.
A.J. Duffy- The other likely pick for All-NEC, Duffy is returning to New Haven after a year where he helped the Chargers win the games they were expected to win and compete well enough in others to hit a respectable and even overachieving 5-5 season. He’ll be called on to do more this year, but with Zaon Laney returning to the backfield the Chargers should have the ability to keep pressure and focus off of him. He will have a new offensive coordinator in Brian Scott, who recently had success in the same role at Tennessee Tech. Returning wideout Matt Chandler will also help Duffy.
Alex Gevauden / Anthony Wolter- The Lakers were able to keep much of their offensive structure intact, and with Dylan Evans and Evan Van Dyke both returning, there will be plenty of targets for either quarterback to throw to. Gevauden was Adam Urena’s backup last season and performed well when given the opportunity, while Wolter is a former three star QB prospect who transfers in from Nevada.
Ethan Greenwood / Luca Stanzani- The athletic 1A/1B duo for the Sharks is so good that either one could ostensibly be a first team player. Stanzani was crucial in the defeat of Eastern Michigan; Greenwood is a player so dominant that watching him elude defenders in the open field passes the “laugh test”: a player that is so impossible to stop that watching film results in the viewer spontaneously beginning to laugh. Whichever one isn’t playing quarterback will remain a dangerous threat on the field as a ballcarrier or receiver.
Jack Stevens- The returning quarterback for Wagner is still young, but he’s got a year of experience sharing time with Jordan Barton under his belt and will still have both Teree McDonald and Jeremiah Colclough to throw to. Expect a big step forward.
Carson Camp- Duquesne’s new quarterback is incredibly experienced (the second straight year they’ve brought in a veteran arm) with his first year of college football being the 2020 season. He’ll have Ness Davis in the backfield alongside him, and after being the NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year, Ryan Petras stands to make another big stride forward at Wide Receiver. The Dukes look deep at that position like usual. Big things could be happening on the Bluff.
Jack O’Connell- There were times last season where it semed like O’Connell simply couldn’t miss with the football. He’ll be in his second year as a starter and Torance Washington, Jr. returns as a reliable target. I think last year when I was bullish on Stonehill I may have been just a season early- don’t sleep on the Skyhawks offense.
Familiarity in New Haven Will Ease Transition
Tecnically speaking, the New Haven Chargers have a first year head coach and are in their first year of NEC football.
Technically speaking.
The less-technical truth is that Head Coach Mark Powell is beginning his second year leading the squad after an interim year last season. His Chargers went 5-5 while competing well in several games against FCS opponents, including new rival Marist (the Chargers will play against Marist to open the season for the next seven years!)
At quarterback, A.J. Duffy returns. Duffy should figure in heavily when the all-NEC preseason team is announced. He’s a do-everything passer who will have a full season under his belt whenever the Chargers take the field under the lights in New Haven to open up the season. His prior stops were at Florida State and San Diego State.
Zaon Laney, one of the cover athletes for the NEC Blitz Football Preview in 2025, returns and will be expected to be among the league’s best running backs after redshirting in 2025. He’ll keep defenses from being able to simply defend against Duffy.
The defense should take a step forward with a second year in Coach Powell’s system.
The most interesting thing for the Chargers this year will be how rivalries begin to develop in league play. Central Connecticut State replaces SCSU as the big game on the schedule for the Chargers, but games against Marist, Stonehill, LIU, and Wagner will also be big games regionally. The Chargers are a perfect geographical fit.
Now, it’s just time to play football in league play.
LIU Will Need a Fast Start in 2026
Credit: Daniela Bedoya
After beating Eastern Michigan in 2025, the Sharks looked like the class of the NEC and suddenly became the favorites to win the league title. That didn’t happen. LIU lost the next four games and, hampered by injuries, dropped the first two conference games to Stonehill and Mercyhurst.
They’ll be able to do it if they can stay healthy, especially at the quarterback position. They like to use both Luca Stanzani and Ethan Greenwood, and with both players coming back, the Sharks will be on the attack offensively. They use the quarterbacks as runners and passers. Greenwood could be the best athlete on the entire team.
Defensively, Trey Watkins is among the returners. He’ll be one of the favorites to win the NEC Defensive Player of the Year. He racked up 51 tackles last year (8 tackles against Eastern Michigan) and actually had an argument for NEC Defensive Player of the Year last season.
The great thing about Greenwood and Watkins returning is that both tested the transfer portal and felt their best move was to stay home. Recruiting is still the lifeblood of college football, but re-recruiting your players in this era is vital. LIU has been able to do that.
They’ll face a lot of adversity with some tough games early in the season including two FBS games, but once they hit the meat of the season they’ll have to be ready to hit the ground running, injuries or not. They were probably historically unlucky last year. Let’s hope lightning doesn’t strike twice in New York.
Stonehill Will Feature Experienced Quarterback O’Connell
I’ve seen Stonehill picked 8th. It’s possible. As Coach Masella said, “The NEC is a funny thing.” I’m not sure even he knew just how funny it is.
But what I’ve seen out of the Skyhawks so far leads me to think this is an underrated team heading into 2026. Coach Eli Gardner knows how to recruit to Stonehill and what type of player seems to , well, work in Shovel Town. I think last year when I was bullish, I was a year early. I like this team.
At the center of this optimism is quarterback Jack O'Connell, a hyper-accurate passer who is a team captain in 2026. In 2025, O'Connell started all 12 games and put up numbers, throwing for 1,875 yards—the eighth-most in a single season in program history—and 15 touchdowns.
He currently ranks ninth in school history with 2,555 career passing yards and 10th with 23 career passing touchdowns. Whether he’s orchestrating a game-winning 34-yard touchdown pass against Maine with under two minutes remaining, or putting up 269 yards and three scores against Lafayette, O'Connell is a proven playmaker who anchors this offense and should take a step forward with a second year in the offensive system.
The Skyhawks possess a dynamic weapon to pair with O'Connell. Versatile receiver in Torrance Washington returns. He’s proven to be a reliable target and explosive playmaker. Across 11 games in 2025, he tied for the team lead with 33 receptions for 298 yards and two touchdowns.
His impact goes beyond just catching passes; he is a threat in the return game as well, having logged multiple kickoff and punt returns throughout the season, including a 48-yard kick return against Lafayette.
On the other side of the ball, the defense is bolstered by returning veteran Mo Seide. Across his 24-game career at Stonehill, Seide has been a steady presence, amassing 59 total tackles (40 solo, 19 assisted) and proving his ability to disrupt the passing game with 17 pass defenses and five career interceptions. While his 2025 campaign was limited to four games, his ability to anchor the secondary (4 picks in 2024) will help the defense to improve in 2026.
Look for the Skyhawks to exceed expectations.
Lake Show Rolls Forward
The Mercyhurst Lakers were the best story in the NEC in 2025, far exceeding our expectations to have a shot at a piece of the conference championship in the final week of the season. This kind of success leads to changes, and Erie wasn’t spared the usual slew of personnel turnover that big seasons bring.
A major shift for the upcoming season is the change at the helm. Following Ryan Riemedio's departure to become the defensive coordinator at Youngstown State, Tom Sydeski has been elevated to head coach. Additionally, the Lakers have retained Mike Waring, who will serve as the team's General Manager and Recruiting Coordinator, helping to maintain the success the program has established. The Lakers have had a sort of unique footprint in the NEC with an ability to recruit into areas like Kentucky, Virginia, and especially the West Coast. They’ll likely look to maintain that identity as well as the passing game fireworks with their retentions. Among other losses, Coach Eli Altizer, who was one of the names we heard most often from recruits, has gone to coach at Memphis. Again, success has a cost.
With the graduation of star quarterback Adam Urena, the team looks to Anthony Wolter to step into the QB1 role. Wolter is a transfer from Nevada and a former 3-star recruit. Like Urena, he brings a West Coast background to Erie, Pennsylvania, hailing from Lancaster, California. He lacks typical size at 5’11”, but he’ll have the option to spread the ball to some incredible targets. The cabinet remains well-stocked with experienced receivers:
Dylan Evans: Coming off a strong 2025 campaign where he recorded 43 receptions for 571 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Evan Van Dyke: A key contributor in 2025 who hauled in 41 receptions for 396 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Swiss army knife Jameir “Mookie” Gamble will also return for the Lakers. He could step into an even bigger role this season.
The Lakers captured the league's attention last season, staying in the hunt for a share of the NEC championship until the very final week and pushing Central Connecticut to the absolute limit in the finale. Now, the goal shifts. After proving they can compete with the conference’s elite, the question for 2026 is whether Mercyhurst can flip the script in key matchups, most notably seeking revenge against Duquesne, and cement themselves as the team to beat in the NEC. Can the league’s best story become the league’s best team?
Dukes Will Look to Transfer at QB in 2026
The Dukes brought in quarterback Ty Riddell in 2025 to add an experienced, mature signal caller to the offense. It worked pretty well. The Dukes werein the hunt for the NEC title and FCS playoff berth up until the last week of the season last year. The Dukes offense in general was stellar last season, but having a seasoned player at the most important position was part of the reason why.
Now, the Dukes look to do it again.
Carson Camp arrives at Duquesne as one of the most well-traveled and battle-tested quarterbacks in the FCS. His career path reflects the modern reality of college football, moving from South Dakota (2020–2022) to Sacramento State (2023) and most recently Southeastern Louisiana (2025).
Camp’s most productive season came at South Dakota, where he posted career-best numbers with 2,252 yards and 17 touchdowns, while maintaining an impressive 65.2% completion rate.
Across his collegiate career, Camp has amassed 6,136 passing yards and 39 touchdowns. Having seen 809 career pass attempts and faced the pressure of 92 sacks, he brings a level of "seasoned" composure that is rare for any program.
For the Dukes, Camp is a plug-and-play veteran who has consistently demonstrated the ability to command an offense, maintain a high completion percentage, and manage high-pressure game environments.
That seems to be exaclty what Duquesne is looking for.
Look for the Dukes to exceed expectations this season in the NEC.
