rounding out the 2015 season
Merrimack enjoyed another successful season in Year 3 of Curran's tenure. After being picked eighth to finish eighth in the league preseason coaches' poll, the Warriors responded by finishing in third place with a 6-3 conference record, just missing out on a spot in the NE-10 Championship Game. The six conference wins were the most in a single season since the 2009 campaign that saw the Warriors win their most recent league title.
After a couple heartbreaking losses earlier in the season, the team rallied by winning six out of their next seven games, highlighted by a four-game winning streak to close out the regular season. The 2015 season marked plenty of firsts for the program, highlighted by the first win in program history down on the blue turf of conference power New Haven. They also notched their first win against perennial contender AIC in over a decade. The 2015 season also marked the first time in program history that the team defeated New Haven, AIC and Southern Connecticut all in the same year -- all of which were on the road. Other highlights from the 2015 campaign included a 41-10 win over conference rival Bentley, as well as a resounding 41-16 victory against Saint Anselm in front of a huge Homecoming Weekend crowd.
Several of Curran's student-athletes were recognized following the 2015 season: Class of 2016 graduate Ben Polci was named an All-American Honorable Mention selection; three earned CCA All-Super Region I distinction, six were named NE-10 All-Conference selections, and Class of 2016 graduate Jere Brown would be named the NE-10 Offensive Player of the Year and earn a spot on the New England Football Writers All-New England Team, as well.
QUARTERBACKS
Appearing in 10 games overall last season, rising senior Nick Davis completed 54.5 percent of his 338 passes for 2,071 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall. A true dual threat, the California native also rushed for 324 yards on 125 carries (2.6 YPC) with two touchdowns. He also ranked second in the NE-10 in passing yards per game (207.1) and passing touchdowns (18).
rounding out the field
Redshirt freshman Brendan McInnis, a former standout at Windham High School (N.H.), and midyear transfer Dave Perkins, a 6-foot-2 quarterback out of New York who played for Milford Academy last season, are slotted behind Davis in the depth chart. Perkins started 10 games last season, completing 102-of-210 passes for 2,096 yards and 21 touchdowns with just eight interceptions.
Merrimack also brings in Jack Masterson, who played locally at Marshfield High School and was a star, throwing for more than 6,000 yards in his career and totaling 58 touchdowns. Last season, the two-time captain threw for 1,883 yards and 27 touchdowns while rushing for 746 yards and nine more touchdowns.
GROUND AND POUND
This year's dynamic rushing attack is headlined by junior Derrick Villard, who is coming off a 460-yard season on 120 carries. At 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, the bruiser averaged over four yards per carry last year and will look to take the next step as the team's feature back.
Villard will be complimented by the speedy sophomore Juwan Hall, who also runs track at Merrimack and placed second in the 60-meter dash last season. Senior Santino Brancato, a Merrimack Valley local who played at Central Catholic, does a little bit of everything and has improved both as a runner and in pass protection and will have a role on offense and on special teams this fall
RECEIVERS RELOADED
One area on offense that has the potential for some new faces is at the wide receiver spot. Jere Brown, one of the program’s all-time best, and two-year captain Frankie Dunn both graduated last season and the Warriors will also be without slot receiver Cody Demers and Marquis Spence, who both suffered injuries in the offseason.
Merrimack returns Justin Mount (pictured left), a 6-foot-3 junior who missed last season with an injury. Darian Johnson also returns alongside newly anointed junior captain Devin O’Reilly. The Warriors also add freshman Sebastian Lucas, who has plenty of potential as a first-year player.
Perhaps the most interesting wrinkle lies in the fact that the team also moved former running back Armond McRae to slot receiver, where he could potentially present a number of matchup problems. Two years ago, the Nashua, New Hampshire, native was among the NE-10's lead rushers before missing the last few games of that season with an injury.
Finally, at tight end, the Warriors will have plenty of size at that position; the smallest tight end on the roster checks in at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds.
IN THE TRENCHES
Merrimack returns three starters on the offensive that ranked as one of the best in the Northeast-10 last season, allowing only 23 sacks. That experience should only help an offense that has been one of the tops in the conference for the better part of the past decade.
Second-year Warrior Hunter Sallila returns after being named to the NE-10 All Rookie Team last season. He’s one of three returnees with starting experience that weigh in at 300 pounds or more.
Joe Loubier is athletic at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds and returns after starting nine games last season. Joseph Peduto measures 6-2, 300 pounds and started all 11 games last season. Merrimack also returns Shaun Bowman as a 6-foot-3, 300-pound graduate student. Finally, redshirt freshman Erick Browne is also in the mix as a potential breakthrough.
EVERYTHING STARTS UP FRONT
Shifting to defense, there perhaps has been no school in the conference that has improved so much so rapidly as Merrimack has over the last few years. But that success has all started up front with a defensive line that ranks not just as one of the best in the NE-10, but in the country. Merrimack led the conference with 36 sacks last season, a true indicator of just how successful the unit was.
Leading the way is senior and two-time captain Josh Hill, an all-conference second team selection who recorded 56 tackles (30 solo) and ranked third in the league with 7-1/2 sacks last fall. He has All-America potential, according to the coaching staff.
Another "gifted pass rusher" -- in the words of the coaching staff -- is rising sophomore Avery Taylor, who was supposed to be a starter last year and battled through injury. the 6-foot-1, 250-pound sophomore could be due for a breakthrough year.
Finally, redshirt sophomore Samuel Francois could be a true X-factor on the line. Lost after only three games last season due to injury, the Maryland native had a great deal of fanfare coming out of St. John's High School and Trinity Pawling prep before arriving in North Andover. If healthy, he could add more to a defensive line that already has plenty.
LINE IT UP
Not to be outdone by the fellas up front, Merrimack's linebacking corps has also been quietly excellent over the last few years and is led by a three-year starter in senior Carey Wells-Jowers.
The coaching staff expects big things from Wells-Jowers, who has battled injuries over various parts of his tenure but could be primed for a strong finish to his Warrior career this fall. As a junior, he started the first eight games before suffering season-ending injury but was in the midst of a tremendous season having recorded 56 tackles (30 solo) up to that point.
Rising sophomore Enrique McFarlane was perhaps the best special teams players amongst all Warriors last year, blocking a punt that contributed to the team's come-from-behind victory against Southern Connecticut.
Additionally, rising seniors Deric Wagner and Billy Carnes could also be in the running to start on the remaining linebacker spot. Both appeared in over 10 games last year, contributing mostly on special teams.
THE PRIMARY SECONDARY
Rounding out the defensive corps is Merrimack's secondary, which ascended into the league's elite units last year. Totaling 13 interceptions, the unit ranked fourth in the league in takeaways and returned two of them to the house -- the second-highest figure in the NE-10.
Second-year senior Devonte Jones, described as a "physical specimen" by the coaching staff, was among team's defensive leaders with 59 total tackles and finished with 38 solo stops.
Perhaps the true surprise last year was the emergence of captain Brian Carroll, who Curran labeled the "general" of the defense thanks to his great playmaking abilities and understanding o the game. An all-region and all-conference second team selection, Carroll tied the program's single-season interceptions record with a league-high six picks, and all six of them came within a six-week span after not recording one in the first four games He also led the team with 66 tackles and 52 solo stops.
At corner back, rising senior captain Matt Clifford and rising redshirt sophomore Oladiran Isijola form one of the best cornerback combinations in the league. The former finished with 40 tackles (32 solo) last fall, while the latter had 31 tackles (25 solo) and ranked second on the team with three interceptions, including one that he took all the way.
Others who could be in line to contribute include redshirt freshman Damion Wood, senior Nick Laspada, and true freshmen Daekwon Shepherd and Jovan Grant.
Merrimack's quest for its third league championship and second NCAA Tournament berth begins two weeks from tomorrow, when the Warriors travel to former NE-10 member and Division I Bryant University on Saturday, Sept. 3. Kickoff from Smithfield, Rhode Island, is set for 3 p.m.