Husson University’s rise to the top of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference ranks has featured plenty of star power led by running back John Smith, a two-time league offensive player of the year, and reigning defensive player of the year Luke Washburn of Litchfield.
But as Smith, Washburn and fellow captain D.J. Allen, an All-ECFC tight end from Skowhegan, enter their senior season with the Eagles, they understand just how important depth has been to the team’s 24-7 record, two ECFC championships and three postseason appearances — including two NCAA Division III playoff berths — since they arrived on the Bangor campus.
“You can tell every day at practice just from the culture that the coaches and the leaders on the team have created up to this point that our potential is really high,” said Washburn. “Our expectations for the young guys and the new guys coming in are really high, too. Right when they get here they know this is a place where we’re trying to breed winners.”
Eleventh-year Husson head coach Gabby Price will field a squad numbering 120 players on Sept. 2 when the Eagles host Union College in their season opener at the Winkin Sports Complex.
Another ECFC title and a return to the NCAA playoffs are high on the list of aspirations for a Husson team that was picked to achieve both goals in a preseason poll of conference coaches.
“I think we’ve set the bar pretty high over the past few years and I think we’re still growing,” said Allen. “Coach Price expects more every year and we just keep climbing that ladder to get to where we want to be.
“But first we want to win games. We try not to think of the end goal, but just to get a win and then focus on the next week.”
Husson will feature an offense that was remarkably balanced last year, as the Eagles averaged 243.8 yards passing and 220.5 yards rushing while scoring 38.8 points per contest.
Smith returns after last year becoming the school’s career leader in rushing yards, rushing attempts, rushing touchdowns, total offense, total points, 100-yard rushing games and 200-yard rushing games and setting the single-game rushing mark with 280 yards against Dean College.
The 6-foot, 218-pound halfback from Fayetteville, Georgia, rushed for 1,822 yards — on 5.9 per attempt — and 17 touchdowns while not turning the ball over once in 308 carries in 2016.
“And he’s having the best (preseason) camp he’s had since he’s been here,” said Price.
Making Smith and Co. that much tougher to contain on the ground is a passing game triggered by Cory Brandon, the 6-1, 185-pound junior quarterback from Pembroke, Massachusetts.
Brandon earned All-ECFC first-team recognition last fall after completing 59.2 percent (157 of 265) passes for 2,323 yards with 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
“Teams can’t put an extra man in the box because they have to worry about our passing game, too,” said Smith. “We’ve been doing a great job the last couple of years passing and running so it keeps teams on the edge. If they really want to try to take out the run, we can pass on them and if they try to take out the pass we can run. We really complement each other.”
Allen is the top returning receiver after making 25 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns in 2016. Senior Robenson Saintard (18-293) returns as the slot receiver and juniors Kyle Gaudet and Tyler Bassett are among others who will figure into the receiving game.
“It’s going to be a good mix, some new guys coming in with some great talent and some depth at receiver and the tight end positions as well as on the line,” said Allen. “We’ve got depth all over the field and guys are always focused on the guys ahead of them did so they already know the standards. It’s next man up, so when it’s their turn they know what to do.”
Husson graduated four of its top five tacklers from the 2016 defense that led NCAA Division III in five statistical categories including yards allowed per game (181.7) and rushing yards allowed per game (47.6).
But the Eagles’ front line will feature the dominant Washburn (56 tackles, 12 sacks) and senior Tarik Smith (35 tackles, two forced fumbles), while junior Elvin Suazo Jr. (40 tackles, 8 1/2 sacks) shifts to linebacker after earning second-team All-ECFC honors at defensive end last fall.
Senior Jean Gabriel, another second-team all-conference choice a year ago, anchors the secondary along with junior Quan Soyini.
“The defense has had a lot of depth the past few years so some younger guys who were maybe the twos or the threes but have been on the cusp of playing these last couple of years, now they’re ready to go,” said Washburn.
Bassett is the incumbent punter, while sophomore Devin Pickett of Sidney is in line to handle place-kicking duties.
