Looking to the future can be bittersweet. On one hand, the future can mean saying goodbye to old teammates and saying hello to new ones. On the other, it is an exit of the old traditions and comes with the pressure of having to continue whatever success that was had in the past.
In terms of expectations for The College of New Jersey’s football team, there has not been much success in the past few years, so any success would be a drastic improvement.
This past season marks the first season under head coach Casey Goff. The Lions went 4-6 on the season, winning two more games than they did last year. Early on, Goff had the respect of his players, but the players hadn’t necessarily bought in the new system in place until later in the season.
“At first, we were kind of in culture shock,” said offensive lineman Ryan Signora. “Everyone was trying to get used to the systems and it kind of flustered us. Once we started getting a hang of how everything was supposed to operate and believe in it, we started to play at a higher level. I think this shows in our record from the first half of the season (0-5) to the second half of the season (4-1).”
Goff arrived at TCNJ on July 24, giving him little time to install and teach a new playbook to players, but he was also optimistic and patient with his players. He does not believe in excuses, no matter what they are. The team had a potential to win and it was his job to make sure they did, but at first, the team struggled. With time, the team did get better.
“It’s like I previously said about our defense needing time to get acclimated to the new system in place,” Goff said. “We didn’t have an offensive coordinator until two weeks before the training camp started. It is only natural to get progressively better as the season passes and you are learning those new systems.
“Our kids never looked at it as a disadvantage and never did we as coaches. We wanted to win and early, but that obviously didn’t happen. We kept at it. Obviously, we kept at it. The kids never lost focus on what they wanted to do. Gradually we were able, you know, to pick up momentum.”
When comparing the first five games to the last five games, the comparison is like night and day when looking at the defensive statistics for the Lions. In the first five games the Lions allowed 1,371 yards and 11 touchdowns in the passing game. They also gave up another 12 touchdowns and 705 yards in the ground game.
The last five games of the season were far different. The defense adopted more of a ‘bend but don’t break’ attitude. It allowed 750 yards in the passing game, but only four touchdowns. It gave up 668 yards on the ground, not a major improvement, but only allowed three touchdowns.
The Lions’ record also speaks volumes to their improvement. The Lions ended their season ultimately with a losing record, but they did win four out of their last five. The defense played better football and the offense played more efficiently through the air.
With the end of season performance, players and coaches alike are excited for what is in store for next year. Some players have even developed an admiration for Goff.
“Coach Goff brings a lot of modern football philosophies to the table,” Signora explained. “Since he’s a younger guy, he’s really big on changing our culture and turning around our team’s luck in the last couple of years. He’s looking towards the future, without having to sacrifice now and ‘rebuild’. I really like him as a coach.”
With the change of culture, there is also a more business-like approach to the season.
“We are getting into the weight room immediately,” Goff said. “We need to get work done. As far as personnel we can find what we need in recruiting. I am a best 11 guys kind of guy. The best 11 guys will play. These guys know that.
“Freshman, sophomore, juniors, they will all play. They have to earn their spots. The only way that you earn a spot is by working. I think that the seniors gave this program a good momentum for going into the offseason.”
The Lions are dedicated to working hard. On Monday, Nov. 13th, the players and coaches met to go over what their plan for the next football season. There was a certain feeling of excitement in the room. Excitement for the upcoming offseason and the season after it. Even though the next season is an uncertainty, players feel that they can maybe keep good things happening.
“Well, going to every season nothing is certain, but we have a good feeling going into the offseason because of how we finished,” Signora said. “We just have to continue with how we’ve been going and hopefully good things will happen.”
Hope can be contagious to a team that has experienced a lot of disappointment in the recent past. Seniors on the team have traversed mountains of adversity to get to that last game on Nov. 10th.
“The adversity of what they have had to deal with going through their four year career says a lot about them,” Goff explained. “For them to come out and play for one another and play for this football team means a lot. They’ve been through three head coaches, a lot of losses, a lot of downs. For them to come out and play the way they have is special. I’m glad we were able to gift them those wins at the end of the season.”
With the seniors graduating from many starting spots, the Lions will look for the younger players on the team to step up. Everyone on the team has been through adversity at this point. They all know what it feels like to lose and what it feels like to win.
Goff has captured the hearts of players on the team. Up and down the locker room, it seems like players have nothing but good things to say. With such a positive vibe moving forward, one can’t help but feel the Lions could turn their recent fortunes around and end next season with a winning record, the first in almost eight years.
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