By Rich Rosa, staff writer.

After not being able to play for nearly two years, Franklin Pierce University coaches and student-athletes are happy to be back in action this fall.

Head football coach Russell Gaskamp has high expectations for his team during the 2021 season. After having the 2020 football season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked to make sure everyone stayed in shape and avoided bad habits heading into this season.   

Gaskamp is in his 22nd season as a football coach in 2021, after completing is playing career at the University of Texas ('98). Gaskamp said he wanted to get into coaching early. He was an assistant for 10 years before getting his first head coaching job at Oklahoma Panhandle State University, where he led the Aggies for seven years. Gaskamp took the head coaching job at Franklin Pierce late in 2018, heading into the program’s inaugural NCAA Division II season in 2019.

"It was always my dream to start a program at a university," said Gaskamp. 

In the 2021 season for Franklin Pierce football, Gaskamp thinks the team will be much more competitive within the Northeast-10 Conference than they were in 2019. One of the bigger challenges of building a young program is fielding players who have never played in a college football game.

Gaskamp noted this uncertainty when talking about his team’s mentality headed into the season. "There is much unknown, but the players believe in the process and in the demanding work of hours spent in the weight and film room," said Gaskamp. Players are excited for the opportunity and have been showing motivation to push through some of the team’s early-season struggles.   

"The players continue to focus on self-improvement, and guys need to have faith in the process and trust each other and coaches," Gaskamp added.   

Junior running back EJ Burgess is in his first season as a member of the Ravens. He spent his sophomore season at ASA Miami, a junior college in Florida. Even in his first year with the team, Burgess immediately brought leadership into the fold for Franklin Pierce.

"I want to be a role model for a lot of the younger guys, and I'll never be satisfied until the season is over," said Burgess, who was named as a team captain.

Some offseason adjustments Burgess made included working on his footwork and making himself more elusive. According to Burgess, he was training relentlessly to have the best footwork he has ever had. Burgess mentioned he trained with pros and other college athletes to take his game to another level. He also pointed to the Ravens’ strength and conditioning program as key to his success in the weight room.  

Junior running back K.O. Gaskin is in his third year as a member of the Ravens. He believes that the team has a chance to turn some heads this year, and pointed to the game day atmosphere at Sodexo Field as a driving force for the team.

"We love the energy the crowd brings, and the team wants to celebrate with the fans after wins this season," said Gaskin, before adding that he hopes to see the excitement level in the stands continue throughout the year.

Gaskin has worked on his whole game since March of 2020. In particular, he focused on his cutting and his ability to make defenders miss. He also worked to improve his speed, got more robust, and worked on his explosive movements with his trainer.   

Sophomore defensive captain Trey Sejour is in his second year as a member of the Ravens. Sejour's expectations for himself are to take on a leadership role and have his teammates follow his lead.  

In the offseason, Sejour said he pushed himself harder every day to prepare himself for the college level. Strength and conditioning, as well as speed, were two things he worked on the most. As team captain, he hopes to help guys stay focused and locked in on the game day.

The team may be off to an 0-4 start, but there are certainly signs of improvement on the field in comparison to 2019. Burgess has found the end zone three times on the ground and once more through the air, which is already more touchdowns than any Raven scored in the team’s inaugural season. With 60 points on the board, the team has already produced two-thirds of its offensive output from 2019, with six games still to play.

Building a football program is a marathon, not a sprint. Down the road, success may be measured in wins, but for now it is measured in making steps forward. For the Ravens, the next step will be securing that elusive first NE10 win. Their next crack at it comes at home this Saturday, when they host Assumption (1-3) at 1 p.m. at Sodexo Field, on Hall of Fame and Family Day Weekend.