Expectations are elevated at Southern Connecticut

STEVE ARMSTRONGOwls' All-America QB

Southern Connecticut coach Rich Cavanaugh believes this is one of the top two teams he has had in his 24 years at the school.

But he's not reveling in the possibilities.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," Cavanaugh said. "You're not entitled to anything because you have talent and experience."

His team has both with All-Americans at quarterback in Steve Armstrong (3,280 passing yards, 31 touchdowns) and running back in Jarom Freeman (school-record 1,906 rushing yards). The defense isn't shabby, either, with all four starters returning on the line and three at linebacker.

"Southern Connecticut is everything they're built up to be," said Bentley coach Peter Yetten, whose team finished fourth behind the Owls last season in the Northeast-10 Conference. "They move the ball very well. Their running backs are scary. Their receivers are scary. Great quarterback. Perfect coaching. And the defense, they're no slouches."

People expect the Owls to win the NE-10, as evidenced by the team receiving seven of eight first-place votes in the preseason poll. There may be doubts about the team's sense of urgency since it is so talented, but Armstrong isn't worried because this marks the beginning of the end of the seniors' college football careers.

"We're not going to have another camp," he said. "We're not going to have another first game. We're not going to have another second game. I think that's going to drive us a lot."

Four new faces will lead NE-10 teams. New Haven's Peter Rossomando, Merrimack's John Perry, Assumption's Adam Fuller, and Saint Anselm's Patrick Murphy are first-year coaches.

"I think we do have some good young coaches in the conference," said American International coach Art Wilkins. "Don't take this wrong, but I would've rather played you early than late because I think by the time we play you late, you'll know what you're about."

Also new is league commissioner Julie Rupert, who spent the last 15 years with the America East Conference.

Expect Stonehill to improve on its 5-5 season with its quarterback and top two running backs returning. The Skyhawks were picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll.

"We're not where we want to be yet," said coach Rob Talley.

Coming off a second-place finish in the NE-10, Wilkins sounded gloomy when he talked about going over the game film from last season's 7-3 group. "I've got to say I'm surprised we won as many games as we did because I didn't think we played very well, with the exception of maybe one game," he said. He added that the tough schedule this season, beginning with C.W. Post and Southern Connecticut on the road, could spell doom for his team. "Every time we play this structure, where we have the teams we have away, these have been catastrophic years for us," Wilkins said. "I see a real challenging schedule throughout the year."