Gameday Info
Franklin Pierce vs. Saint Anselm
Sodexo Field -- Kickoff: 6 p.m.

Promotion: 'Black Out' Sodexo Field! Free t-shirts available, while supplies last, courtesy Beeze Tees.

Raven Row opens: 3 p.m.
Ticket sales open: 4:30 p.m.

Halftime performance: Raven Marching Band

By Rich Rosa, staff writer.

Despite an 0-2 record to start the season for the Franklin Pierce University football team, the players and the coaching staff still have high hopes for the rest of the year as they start the Northeast-10 conference schedule. Franklin Pierce will face off against their intrastate rival, Saint Anselm College, a team big on the passing game. Ravens head coach Russell Gaskamp believes this is a big challenge for the team. Gaskamp said the defensive line would need to step up against a high-octane offense and defend the pass. Defensively, the team has grown up since the last time they played the Hawks, and junior Tyvarius Daniels has stepped into a critical role as a defensive back. 

Many questions need to be answered for Franklin Pierce offensively. "The receivers have talent, and they need to be playing at a better level," said Gaskamp. He added that the guys are new to the system, and there has been a learning curve. Their best playing days are ahead, as they continue to improve. Gaskamp mentioned the team goal is to have a winning season, starting with winning at home. "You don't have a winning season if you can't win on your field," said Gaskamp. He wants Raven Nation to be in full force for Saturday's game under the lights. Gaskamp added that it is an important game from a recruiting standpoint. 

The biggest question that needs to be answered is the offensive line blocking for junior quarterback Kevaris Thomas and graduate student running back EJ Burgess. Gaskamp discussed that some people on the line had assignment busts, and there have been learning curves throughout practice. The offensive line has only two returners from last season: junior Brody Peacock and sophomore Zach Najem. 

Peacock is one of the veterans on the team, and many players look up to him. Peacock discussed that while the team played two games, and there have been two outcomes nobody wanted, his goal is to get everyone on the same page on the offensive line. He knows it can be easy to get caught up in negativity when things aren't going as planned. He wants to eliminate the tendency of players to point fingers at their teammates and ensure everyone is working on getting better this week, so that they can come out on top against Saint Anselm. "The message that has been sent to my teammates and I on the offensive line is to eliminate the mistakes that happened in the previous two games," said Peacock. "As players, we need to balance the good and bad and maintain a constant level of emotion."

Peacock believes the team can rebound, and it is only a matter of when it will happen. The team acquired a lot of talent on both sides of the ball over the summer. "Once everything gets going, Franklin Pierce will be the team everyone pays attention to and a force to be reckoned with," said Peacock. Communication with each other on the offensive line will be critical to their success against Saint Anselm.

Peacock considers himself to be a superstitious person. His superstitions started as a kid when he played football. For example, when he played Pop Warner, he would never wash his jersey whenever he won a game. This trend ended when he got to high school. He doesn't want to make game days a mental thing. Peacock has no specific routine and plays a lot of laid-back music. One of the main things Peacock does before games is say a prayer. People who know Peacock see him as an energetic guy. He mainly wants people to remember him as someone who leads by example. He wants to be the big brother on the football field and put the team first. 

Peacock added that football is the ultimate team sport and requires the utmost amount of discipline. He wants to build brotherly relationships with his teammates and be the guy people can go to when they need help. "I made some of my best friends on the Franklin Pierce football team," said Peacock. The beauty of the whole thing is the bond. The message Peacock tells everyone: "Treat everyone with the same level of respect."

Personally, Peacock is an average everyday individual. He was born and raised in Stillwater, New York, a Capital District suburb of Albany. Peacock said that many people can't say they went to school where their grandparents and great-grandparents went. The town of Stillwater invests in youth and high school athletics. Peacock explained that if you played Stillwater football, it was a huge deal, and you didn't take it lightly. Most of his family played football in Stillwater.

Peacock's favorite thing in life is tradition. He loves football, but his love and passion came from his family, which has plenty of athletic talent. His younger sister, Keelyn, plays Division I soccer at Arkansas State. Off the field, the biggest thing for Peacock is loyalty. "I want to be a great friend that is loyal but be a better son and brother to my sisters," said Peacock. Family isn't something he takes lightly. The family grows with Peacock, and he prioritizes his family over anything else. Peacock's hobby is golf, which he picked up last spring, and he spent his summer golfing three to four times a week. 

The Ravens are ready for the Northeast-10 Conference part of the season. Peacock and Gaskamp believe Saturday's game against Saint Anselm can be where the team turns things around. The Ravens will try to get their first conference win in program history. Kickoff against the Hawks is 6 p.m. at Sodexo Field.