Rowan looks for return to GLORY DAYS
By CELESTE E. WHITTAKER • Courier-Post Staff • September 4, 2010
GLASSBORO — Rowan senior defensive lineman Matt Hoffman wants to end his collegiate football career with a bang.
“Since I’ve been here, we haven’t made the playoffs,” said Hoffman, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound Burlington Township graduate. “This is finally the year, I think, we can break through. My first year, we went 4-6. . . . We were 8-2 in 2008 and 7-3 last year.”
Rowan, which kicks off its season at 1 today against Lycoming, last reached the Division III playoffs in 2006 — a long absence for such a traditionally strong program. The Profs have made five appearances in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
Granted, the New Jersey Athletic Conference has gotten stronger, with defending league champion Montclair State, SUNY-Cortland and Kean, among others, upping the competition. Rowan, however, is poised to make some noise this year.
The Profs will likely have to win the conference to reach the playoffs, at least that has been the pattern. The conference champion receives an automatic berth, but no other team is guaranteed a spot.
Rowan was picked to finish fourth in the conference by the coaches,while SUNY-Cortland, Montclair and Kean, respectively, earned billing as the top three.
“Those teams have definitely come on really strong, so we have more of a challenge,” said Hoffman, who led the team with 6 1/2 sacks last season to go with 42 total tackles (12 for loss). “We have a strong group of seniors, strong group on defense and offense. We’re bringing back a few guys that got injured last year. This camp, we’ve been looking very good at all positions and we’re real excited to start this season.”
Said Rowan senior quarterback Tim Hagerty, a Glassboro High School graduate: “I think there’s definitely a big chip on a lot of our shoulders. We haven’t won the conference in the past three years. That’s not the Rowan way. We’re used to being on top of the conference. Everybody’s ready to compete. We have to prove ourselves. Nothing’s going to be handed to us. This conference is stronger than it’s ever been.”
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Rowanfootball.com was started in 2002 by Tom Wilson aka JT. JT is a Rowan alumnus who has followed the team since his time as an undergrad.
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