MANSFIELD, PA (WENY) - The MU sprint football team is coming off a winning record year in 2023, finishing 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the CSFL North division.
Head coach, John Evans, looks to lead the Mounties for the 7th year as head coach but his 13th year with the team.
"Mind set is making sure my teammates are healthy", said quarterback Cahsid Raymond. "We gotta heavy head, things like that. One play at a time, we mess up, get back to the huddle so I try to just motivate them with that everyday and just keep them positive. That's really it. We keep it all in the family, like I said, we do everything together. Everything is brotherhood here."
"This year, we lost a couple of guys last year, the school leading tacklers. But this year, we're running some new pieces, some freshman, some sophomores, including myself as a senior coming back this year", said safety JaQuan Carter. "We definitely improved from last year, even though we lost a couple of pieces."
"I think I'd like to see the secondary, the secondary is probably the most veteran group", said linebacker and Elmira native Noah Bennett. "O-line also should be improved from last year, which is great for our offense. Overall, I think we're strong everywhere. To be able to live out my dream, four extra years of football and especially with this game coming up being the Josh Palmer Classic, it's a great time."
MU has some vengeance heading into week one as they look to take on Navy, who they fell to last year 45-0. Saturday's game is also a special event; the Josh Palmer Fund Pigskin Class returns to Karl Van Norman Field. The fundraising game has taken a hiatus the last few years but it back on the 25th anniversary of the fund.
"The Pigskin Classic was one of the original events if you go back to 2001 and the fund started in 1999 so early on", said Josh Palmer. "With it being one of our first fundraisers, it's great to have it come back after a four or five year hiatus. Coach Evans and the University have been very supportive getting us to this point and I think having it on opening week is exciting for the Mansfield community and it's certainly a benefit to the fund as well."
"I grew up in the Horseheads area years ago and the Palmer family are good friends of mine", said Evans. "I graduated with Jim Palmer and 2018 was the last one we did here and then because of COVID we never brought it back so we're really excited..."
Mansfield University's full regular season schedule can be viewed below.
2024 MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY SPRINT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE: