Behind the nation’s leading NCAA Division III rusher and completion percentage quarterback, the Husson University Eagles are off to a strong start.
Husson’s record is currently 4-1 as it prepares for Saturday’s Commonwealth Coast Conference opener against Curry College at the Winkin Complex in Bangor. Game time is 1 p.m.
Junior running back Elijah Garnett from Brooklyn, New York, has rushed for 813 yards on 103 carries, which is the most yards among anyone at the 238 NCAA Division III schools. His 7.9 yards per carry average is sixth best, while his 13 touchdowns and 16 points per game average is second best in the nation.
Senior quarterback Nic Visser from Santa Rosa, California, has completed 75.7 percent of his passes (84-for-111) for 916 yards and seven TDs. He has been intercepted three times.
He is the reigning conference Offensive Player of the Year.
Clark feels his team can contend for the Commonwealth Coast Conference title this year but noted that his non-conference schedule wasn’t as challenging as in year’s past. The conference games will be highly contested with defending champ Endicott chosen to repeat in the preseason coaches poll followed by Western New England, Husson, the University of New England in Biddeford, Curry and Nichols.
“Our running game has really improved because of our offensive line and Elijah,” said Husson head coach Nat Clark, who is in his fifth season at the helm, including the COVID-19 year when the Eagles didn’t play any games. “Elijah is fast and he runs really hard. He has really matured as a player.”
Clark added that the team’s offensive line has improved thanks to four players who saw significant minutes last year, including junior left tackle Hayden Fielder, junior right tackle Ethan Hicks, junior center John Dugan from Buxton and sophomore right guard Jade Hutchinson.
Junior Ryan Shurtleff is a first-year starter at left guard and has done a good job, according to Clark.
Clark often uses a two tight-end set with Eliot junior Cullen Casey, an all-conference second team selection a year ago, and senior Marcus Sessoms being the tandem.
Casey has a team-leading 28 receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Sessoms has six catches for 44 yards.
Casey caught 33 passes last season for 343 yards and two TDs.
Visser, an all-conference first teamer a year ago, has been “really efficient,” said Clark. He is a three-year starter.
The Eagles lost their top two receivers off last year’s team in Russ Walker (46 catches, 506 yards) and Jon Bell (38 catches, 555 yards), so they have been relying on receivers by committee with six players hauling in at least six passes.
Behind Casey’s 28 receptions is junior Ja’Quan Myles with 18 catches for 396 yards and three TDs. Sophomore Ashton Navarette has 14 receptions for 176 yards and two TDs.
Junior wide receiver Dom Wilson from Pittsfield joined Sessoms with six catches apiece.
Bell was an all-conference second team receiver and first team return specialist.
The other player with six or more catches is sophomore running back Jed Lober with seven.
Lober has also carried the ball 37 times for 195 yards and five TDs.
Husson, averaging 40.8 points per game, is fourth in the country in third-down proficiency at 56.4 percent.
On the defensive side of the ball, Clark returns three first-team All-CCC selections in Lovell linebacker Tucker Buzzell and end Tyrek Mann and cornerback Alex Brown. All are seniors.
But opponents are averaging 27.6 points and 392.4 yards per game and have reeled off 21 plays of 20 yards or more, which is of concern to Clark. Anna Maria had a whopping 11 plays of 20 or more yards but Husson survived to eke out a 50-49 win.
Opponents are also converting on 41.8 percent of their third down opportunities, which places Husson in the lower third in that category.
“We have to get better on defense. We haven’t played our best football on defense yet,” Clark said. “We have to be better against the pass. And we have to get off the field on third down and limit the big plays.”
Buzzell, Mann and Brown are all playing well.
Buzzell, who led the conference with 118 tackles and 11.8 tackles for loss and also had four interceptions last year, has made 54 tackles including 10 for lost yards and 4.5 sacks. He has also broken up three passes. He was also All-Region and All-New England.
Lincoln native Brown is second with 30 tackles and he leads the team with eight pass breakups. He had 68 tackles and eight pass breakups last season.
Mann has been involved in 21 tackles including 5.5 for lost yards and three sacks. He has two quarterback hurries, recovered a fumble, forced a fumble and blocked a kick. Mann had 68 tackles, 11 for loss and seven sacks to go with 11 quarterback hurries a year ago.
Clark said he has good depth on the defensive line.
Harmony senior Jamal Dourant starts at the other defensive end position.
Junior D.J. Wilson (17 tackles) is the nose guard and Corinna junior James Boyd also plays up front.
Senior Brandon Young (10 tackles, 1.5 sacks) sees a lot of duty at defensive end and the other defensive linemen include juniors Toby Jakubowski (6 tackles, 1 sack), Isaac Bergeron and D.J. Palmy.
Pittsfield senior inside linebacker Adam Bertrand was second on the team in tackles with 103 last season and he has 26 so far this season. West Gardiner sophomore Ryan Bannister and Berwick junior C.J. Nicely are the outside linebackers and each has been involved in 23 tackles so far. Also seeing linebacker duty has been North Waterboro junior Ricky Hendrix (16 tackles).
Junior Antwan Turner joins Brown at the other cornerback spot and the safeties are West Gardiner senior Garrett Maheux (14 tackles) and West Paris senior Parker LaFrance (30 tackles, 4 pass breakups).
Turner was involved in 48 tackles last season, LaFrance had 54 and three interceptions and Maheux was involved in 21 tackles.
Bangor junior Cason Markevich has gone 11-for-12 on extra point kicks and Dover-Foxcroft sophomore Logan Martin is averaging 34.7 yards per punt.
Pittsfield junior Nason Berthelette is averaging 34.5 yards per kickoff return and Myles has averaged 14.5 yards per punt return.
Husson finished 5-6 a year ago and 4-2 in the conference. By finishing second in the conference, it earned a berth in the New England Bowl where it lost to Plymouth State 21-20. Plymouth State erased a 20-0 deficit.
