The Husson University football team had a frustrating season in 2009.
The Eagles went 4-5 overall, 3-3 in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and their three league losses were by a combined five points.
Second-year head coach Niles Nelson and his staff are rebuilding the Eagles, particularly both lines, as they hope to rebound from last year’s campaign.
“Our goal is to win the conference. That’s what this is about,” said Nelson. “We’ve got three tough [non-conference] opponents to open the season to get us ready for our conference schedule.”
He was referring to Otterbein University (Ohio) and Springfield College (Mass.), who are coming off 8-2 seasons, and Salisbury University (Md.), which was 5-6 a year ago but has made three NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in eight years.
“The first three games are obviously going to be very challenging,” he said.
Husson hosts Otterbein on Friday night at 7.
Nelson called it a “rebuilding” year as there are just six seniors on the roster.
“My primary concern is keeping everybody healthy,” said Nelson. “We don’t have a lot of depth and that could come back to haunt us if we can’t keep everybody healthy.
“The attitude has been very good. The kids have been working hard,” he added.
The Eagles graduated star running back Julius Williams, who rushed for 1,042 years a year ago, averaged 6.6 yards per carry and scored a team-high 11 touchdowns.
Williams, who ran for 1,260 yards two years ago, is a student assistant coach working with the running backs.
Winslow’s Justin Lindie is healthy after a shoulder injury limited him to just 49 carries [for 236 yards] last season and will replace Williams at the tailback slot.
Lindie rushed for 798 yards two years ago.
“He has looked good,” said Nelson.
“[Lindie] will be our focal point,” said junior quarterback Jack Hersom of Sidney and Fairfield’s Lawrence High School.
“I feel great. I’m really excited for the challenge. I want to get back into things and stay away from injuries,” said Lindie.
Sophomore Byron Jackson, who had 34 carries for 233 yards as a freshman, has been moved from tailback to fullback.
Hersom threw just 103 passes last season, completing 58 for 656 yards and five touchdowns.
Three of his primary targets will be wide receivers Roderic Johnson (8 catches, 133 yards), a senior; Biddeford sophomore Audie Murphy of Biddeford (8 catches, 112 yards) and sophomore Tyler Pembroke of Veazie and Bangor High.
Johnson caught 25 balls for 309 yards two years ago.
Nelson also said they have a top-notch tight end in Auburn senior Travis Barnies (2-for-18), brother of University of Maine basketball player Troy Barnies.
Senior Andy Mondesir (147 yards on 31 carries) will get some snaps at tailback; freshman Meshach Waite will get some time at fullback and Emeka Uwasomba can play tailback or fullback.
The revamped interior offensive line has just two returnees in junior left guard Jon Lange and junior center Brad Duering.
Tyler Doirion will make the move from tight end to right tackle and Winthrop’s Brandon Kenney, a junior who missed last season with a toe injury, will play left tackle. Freshman Alex Young of South Thomaston will be the right guard.
“It’s pretty much a brand new squad in terms of the offensive line but they’re coming together great. There’s great leadership up front,” said Hersom.
On defense, there are just three starters returning in Eliot’s Chris Dalecki, who was second in tackles with 37 along with 34 assists; senior Kyle Romick and Bangor junior Kyle Vanidestine (31 & 13). Dalecki will move from tackle to end; Romick is a tackle and Vanidestine is the strong safety.
Dalecki made 16½ tackles for a loss and had a team-high five sacks.
Freshman Ernest Wiggins will be the nose tackle. Freshman Ben Dalecki, Chris’ brother, and Windham sophomore Pat Small can play either end or outside linebacker depending on the formation, and the inside linebackers will be Wilton senior Mike Toothaker, a converted fullback, and Augusta junior Dillon Shaw.
Shaw had 16 tackles and assisted on 20 more.
Sophomore Vincent Henry and junior Mike Hersom (8 & 10) will be the corners and the third member of the Hersom brothers, Tom (21 & 15) will be the free safety. Sophomore Rashad Kendall will see duty in the secondary as well.
“Our D [defensive] line looks pretty solid right now. Chris Dalecki is real quick off the edge and Ray-Ray Wiggins is a beast on the inside,” said Romick, one of five captains. “The linebackers are tough as hell and our secondary looks solid.”
He said the defense may not have the “stellar athletes” they’ve had in the past but they will compensate with aggression and determination.
“We’ve got kids who want to go after it,” said Romick. “We are going after the ball. We might be undersized but we’re going to get after it.”
Lindie will do the punting and the place-kicking candidates are Veazie freshman Doug Dieuveuil, who played for Bangor’s John Bapst High School, Dexter freshman Lee Gustin and sophomore Nathan Conway.
Romick said there is better team chemistry than ever and they learned a lot from those narrow losses of a year ago.
“It comes down to [doing] the small things, like the special teams. That kind of killed us last year. But we’re really focusing on the little things this year and that’s what’s going to bring us to the next level,” said Romick.