The Husson University football team suffered significant graduation losses and also lost All-Commonwealth Coast Conference first team running back Elijah Garnett to the transfer portal.
Garnett transferred from Division III Husson to Division II Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas.
He rushed for 1,349 yards a year ago which was 13th best in the country among 238 Division III schools. His 6.85 yards per carry were 11th and his 19 rushing TDs were tied for seventh.
Despite the roster losses, Husson was picked to finish third in the coaches poll in the six-team CCC, which is now called the Conference of New England.
But sixth-year head coach Nat Clark expects his Eagles to contend for the title.
Endicott was picked to win it and Western New England was tabbed second.
After Husson, the University of New England in Biddeford was picked to finish fourth followed by Curry and Nichols.
“Endicott and Western New England have two real good programs. They’re a big challenge,” said Clark. “But we feel we’re right there with them. I feel very optimistic. I love this group we have. It’s a great group to coach. They have had a tremendous (training) camp.”
Husson lost to Western New England 10-9 last year on a WNE touchdown with 1:05 left and the Eagles also dropped a 23-13 decision to Endicott.
Those were the Eagles’ only conference losses. Husson finished 3-2 in the conference, 7-3 overall.
Husson returns eight starters on offense including its entire line and three of its top four receivers.
Junior Jed Lober, who was Husson’s second-leading rusher a year ago with 342 yards on 59 carries (5.8 yards per rush), will inherit the running back job from the departed Garnett.
“He will carry the load for us. He is a big, strong, powerful kid who is also shifty and a good pass blocker,” said Clark. “I expect a real big year from him. He worked out hard all summer.”
Senior Lavar Hunter, who broke his foot in the preseason last fall and didn’t play in a game, has returned healthy and will back up Lober, who ran for seven TDs a year ago.
Clark said Hunter is a little shiftier than Lober and has great hands.
The Eagles will also have to replace three-year starting quarterback and All-CCC second team choice Nic Visser, who threw for 7,183 career yards and 50 touchdowns and completed 66.3 percent of his passes (603-of-910).
Junior Max Clark from Bangor, Nat’s son, will inherit the signal-calling job.
He appeared in nine games and completed all four of his passes for 97 yards and a TD.
“He hasn’t played a lot of football for us but it’s his third year in the program, he knows the offense and he has built a rapport with the receivers, backs and line. He is well-respected by his peers,” said Nat Clark. “He is a really good football player and I expect him to have a great season for us.”
Max Clark said he is excited to run the Eagles attack.
“We have a lot of good veterans back on offense. All five starting offensive linemen are back and they are all very good. We have a lot of skilled receivers and our running backs run very hard and they run downhill,” said the former Bangor High School quarterback.
Senior tight end Cullen Casey, who led the CCC with 53 receptions, and wide receiver Ja’Quan Myles, who had a sixth-best 43 catches, headline the receiving corps. Casey had 571 receiving yards and had five TD receptions and was an All-CCC first team pick and Myles, who had 645 yards and six TDs, was a second team selection.
Dom Wilson also returns, and he had 23 catches for 271 yards.
Other receiving options include Cam Holmes, Nason Berthelette, Cam Cornett, Jacob Lenz, Carvil Turner and tight end Caleb Solomon.
Berthelette was an All-CCC second team return specialist who averaged 26.8 yards per kickoff return.
Left tackle Hayden Fielder, a three-year starter, and right guard Jade Hutchinson anchor the offensive line. They were All-CCC second teamers last year. Four-year starter Ethan Hicks is the right tackle, three-year starter John Dugan is the center and the left guard is Ryan Shurtleff.
Hutchinson and Shurteff are second-year starters.
The line averages 285 pounds per man.
Vicktor Williams-Barros is a senior who can play a number of positions in the line.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles graduated their four leading tacklers and six of their top 11 including inside linebacker Tucker Buzzell, the CCC Defensive Player of the Year and all-league first team pick thanks to his 111 tackles including 18.5 for lost yardage and 6.5 sacks.
C.J. Nicely is back and was the fifth-leading tackler (54) and he has been moved from outside linebacker to inside linebacker.
“I’d like to replicate what Tucker did,” said Nicely.
Despite the graduation losses, Nicely said the defense looks solid.
“A lot of guys are stepping up,” said Nicely. “We’re going to have a really good team.”
Husson’s head coach agreed.
“We have a lot back on the defensive line. We have some experience at linebacker and I think we’re going to be really good there, inside and outside. There’s really no weaknesses,” said Clark, who lost three of his four starting defensive backs.
“We’ve got some new guys in the secondary but they aren’t young. They’re all seniors,” he said.
Seniors James Boyd (10 tackles), Isaac Bergeron (10) and D.J. Wilson (24) will rotate in at nose guard and the tackles will be junior Bryce Bussell and senior Toby Jakubowski.
The starting inside linebackers will be Nicely and senior Ricky Hendrix (24) with junior Evan Bourget also in the mix; the outside linebackers will be junior Ryan Bannister, a returning starter who had 37 tackles in 2023, and senior David Madrid with converted senior wide receiver-running back Walker Lenz also likely to get some playing time.
The cornerbacks will be seniors Antwan Turner (24 tackles), Clay Maloney and Tyler Armeen along with Chadron State College (Nebraska) transfer James Opio from Portland.
The starting safeties will be Bode DayCoombs (13 tackles) and Ethan Turgeon, both seniors.
Senior Evan DeRonsle was a starting outside linebacker but has been moved to safety. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the first game a year ago.
Senior Cason Markevich will again do the place kicking and junior Garrett Martin or tight end Casey will do the punting.
Husson opens at home against Framingham State at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Winkin Sports Complex in Bangor.
