Gameday Info
Franklin Pierce vs. Edinboro
Sodexo Field -- Kickoff: 1 p.m.

Raven Row opens: 10 a.m.
Ticket sales open: 11:30 a.m.

Coin toss: George Robinson, Director of Raven Bands
Halftime recognition: students of Ravens Sports Network, for earning a Student Award for Excellence from the Boston/New England Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

By Rich Rosa, staff writer.

Expectations are high heading into the 2022 football season for Franklin Pierce football, which begins its third year as a member of the Northeast-10 Conference. Ravens head coach Russell Gaskamp believes this is the best football team the University has had. Saturday's season opener against Edinboro will answer many questions on whether the team can put together a winning season. Gaskamp said, "It is time to execute on the field."

Gaskamp and his coaching staff recruited young players and several transfers on the offensive side of the ball, hoping to address last season's deficiencies in the passing game. One of the transfers he recruited was quarterback Kevaris Thomas from Western Kentucky University. Gaskamp emphasized that the most important change to the offense is at the wide receiver position. "There is a chance that we can have the best wide receiver corps in the Northeast-10 Conference," said Gaskamp. Some of the transfers the coaching staff recruited were Chris Howard from the University of Central Arkansas; Antonio Smikle, Jr. from Merrimack College; and Christian Simon, a junior-college transfer out of ASA College-Miami. ASA College-Miami is the same college where Gaskamp recruited star running back EJ Burgess in 2020. Gaskamp believes these three players will give the Ravens a chance to improve the offense, and they will no longer have to rely entirely on Burgess. The offense will be more balanced between the passing and running game. 

Gaskamp and his staff focused on individual player and personnel development this offseason. Fifty players from the roster stayed on campus training through the summer, which Gaskamp believes will be instrumental to the team's success. The summer session allowed the team some extra time to gel and work on their game ahead of fall camp.

The team has been able to find a way to improve the talent around Burgess. "The best version of EJ Burgess is coming this season, and he has a chance to be an All-American player," said Gaskamp. Burgess is entering his second season with the Ravens and was the NE10 Offensive Player of the Year last season. He expects the team to be more competitive against its opponents and finish games strong. Burgess is going into this season with the same mindset as last year, but he is more developed as a player and now has a stronger surrounding cast on offense. In his offseason training, Burgess hit goals in the weight room and on the field as he got set to lead the Ravens into the new season.

Leadership is something that Burgess began doing last season as a team captain. Heading into the opener on Saturday, he wants to continue to lead by example. "The goal is to be consistent and do our jobs, and I'll do my part in instilling that on the team," said Burgess. He wants to ensure everyone on the sideline always keeps their head up, especially those who may feel overwhelmed as they get a feel of Division II football for the first time.

Burgess is also focused on the bonds between teammates, looking to maintain current ones and build new ones along the way. Many players have been around the program for several years now, and he sees his teammates as family. They have been through struggles together along the way, and the team is stronger for them, in his view. The team has had to adapt on the fly, especially during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and a canceled 2020 season. The newcomers add to the family that Burgess has on campus, and he has gotten closer with the veterans after training with them all summer. 

Personally, Burgess was born on-base and lived the life of a military brat growing up. Both his parents are from New York City, but he moved around the country a lot throughout his childhood, due to his father's service in the armed forces. The Burgess family eventually settled in Pearland, Texas, where his dad retired from the military. The three main things in Burgess's life were God, family, and football. After graduating from Pearland High School, he decided to attend the University of Central Arkansas, and he eventually took his talents to ASA Miami Junior College. "Going to ASA was one of the best decisions I made because the juco life made me who I am today and revived my love for the game of football," said Burgess.

In 2020, Gaskamp heavily recruited Burgess. There was an instant connection between Burgess and Gaskamp, as the latter was an offensive lineman for the University of Texas and blocked for former NFL running back Ricky Williams. Burgess decided to attend Franklin Pierce University and believes he has developed each year as a player and human being. One of the biggest accolades Burgess has received at Franklin Pierce came off the football field, as he received the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King Award for his efforts in social justice. "ASA Miami and Franklin Pierce changed my life," said Burgess. 

The Ravens are ready for another football season. Burgess and Gaskamp believe this could be the year to turn things around after finishing 0-10 last season. It all starts on Saturday, when the team will look to win a season opener for the first time in program history. Kickoff against Edinboro is 1 p.m. at Sodexo Field.